The *ALL NEW* Polynesian Resort FAQ thread - *APRIL 2009*

[Me&3]

Just checking in haven't gotten any new post from this thread in awhile

[BreezysMom]

So today DH and I were discussing about the possibilty of just biting the bullet and just going Lagoon view for our trip. I went over the plans with him and then I figured out that we (3 of us)can do the Wildlife Excursion, MNSSSHP twice, the Pirate and Pal cruise and still have about $300 to spare by keeping our CL garden view.

Not like we were going to change these plans if we did upgrade but it put it in a clearer perspective for me. Now I don't feel like I am shortchanging our CL experience.

I got all my requests off to the IPO office this weekend and it feels good knowing that they are dealing with all these things for me considering the bad reviews of the new ADR system

I am looking forward to getting the plans finalized and having a great summer here in Chicago. Before I know it, we will be packing for Disney.

[ksjayhawkfan]

Im getting so excited that I cant sleep! We leave on Saturday to drive to Kansas City and then catch our flight early Sunday! If I dont get some sleep Im going to end up sleeping my vacation away LOL I have managed not to tell my family about the surprise MK view upgrade that I bought, or the limo that I booked, or our 10 yr old daughters BBB appointment!

[gretchenohar@hotmail]

Originally Posted by ksjayhawkfan

Im getting so excited that I cant sleep! We leave on Saturday to drive to Kansas City and then catch our flight early Sunday! If I dont get some sleep Im going to end up sleeping my vacation away LOL I have managed not to tell my family about the surprise MK view upgrade that I bought, or the limo that I booked, or our 10 yr old daughters BBB appointment!

WooHoo!!!
I'm excited for you!
Have a GREAT trip!
Hope you post a Trip Report so we can all see how magical everything was!
Gretchen

[mmmears]

Originally Posted by ksjayhawkfan

Im getting so excited that I cant sleep! We leave on Saturday to drive to Kansas City and then catch our flight early Sunday! If I dont get some sleep Im going to end up sleeping my vacation away LOL I have managed not to tell my family about the surprise MK view upgrade that I bought, or the limo that I booked, or our 10 yr old daughters BBB appointment!

It sounds like you have a really magical trip planned! No wonder why you're having trouble sleeping! I hope you get some sleep so you can stay up at night and watch the castle changing colors!

[goopysolelady]

Originally Posted by miatamel

Can y'all help me fall in love with the Poly?
I know, I ought to have my booty kicked. I'm booked for 5 nights at the Poly next week and I'm anxious and unsure and waffling. This is a very last minute trip and a first time at a deluxe resort, only second time ever on property. I was torn between WL, BC, AKL and Poly. Hubby nixed BC outright for reason reason. BC was considered for SAB. I booked on a spring discount code last week at very last second after convincing workaholic husband that we needed a vacation after 2.5 years. But why aren't I settled on it?? I can't get AKL out of my mind but my discount won't transfer and it will increase my bill $300-400 dollars. I'd love the animals but worry about the "remoteness" for my girls, 5 & 7 but thought hubby might like a place a tad more secluded and restful (is it?) They are all about the pool and the volcano excited them tho I've read that pool is small and might be extremely crowded. I also have kin that has asked to be moved from Poly due to "noise, smell and filth." She also said the pool was old and in need of repair. I've been on every site and read great reviews but it's that one, plus she said she had two friends that also have asked to be moved, that stick in my mind.

So I'm asking you obvious Poly lovers, help me fall in love with this choice!!
(Oh, we're not so much into the parks so location isn't a biggie--probably AK and DD maybe Epcot but not MK. I'm also worried about late check in--after 10:30pm and getting a crappy room)

I visited AKL on our last trip in Sept. '08 and decided I'd even have to seriously think about staying there is someone offered to PAY for my stay! Did not like the remote location at all and the lobby area seemed sooooooo dark. I'm not that "into" the animals and their habitat ... good to look at for an hour or so, but can't imagine giving up the beautiful Poly grounds for AKL. Now ... a good friend of my daughter just LOVES staying there with her 3 children ... they even liked the rooster that crowed every morning at sunrise and woke them up!
The Poly is absolutely beautiful. We've never had a problem with clean rooms; have even asked Mousekeeping to pass us by for the day. Location isn't just for MK. A short walk to Transportation center and you can catch the monorail to EPCOT with almost no wait. We've even gone to Hollywood Studios via boat from EPCOT. Food is great and we've always been served promptly. Main pool is crowded at times. We used the "quiet" pool and on one afternoon (in Sept.) there were only 3 other people enjoying the pool with us. You'll be able to watch MK fireworks every night if you want too and the beach area is so peaceful early in the morning. Loved watching sunrise from there.
I really think you'll love the Poly as much as the rest of us do. It's like getting two vacations in one ... WDW in a tropical setting. What more could you ask for? ENJOY!

[donnajean17]

Originally Posted by figmentgirl

yay! Glad you're planning on staying at our favorite resort. I reccomend checking out the tikiman's pages. He has a break down of every longhouse with detailed info of the pros and cons and room pictures and layouts. Here is the link http://www.tikimanpages.com/tiki/
my favorite longhouse is hawaii (but that is club level only) so my second favorite is tahiti. You have a theme park view, a beach, and balconies on every level, patios on first floor, plus the rooms are huge.
You're going to have so much fun!!!

thanks!!

[BCV23]

Originally Posted by bdink921

Hi everyone--it has taken awhile to read through this thread--what great info!!! We are taking a cruise this summer and due to some wonderful price drops I convinced DH to go to WDW for 2 nights . We originally booked at the Dolphin with a great nurse rate ... but then the summer rates came out and we switched to the Poly!!! I am sooo excited and am loving reading up on the resort. I booked a GV room and requested Tokelau or Rapa Nui facing Tahiti. I just can't wait--I only wish we could stay longer!!

Sounds like a wonderful combination and I love your room request...that's a beautiful, quiet area of the resort.

Originally Posted by Kathy Z

We live closer to Detroit Metropolitan Airport than Tess does so we are sleeping at home tonight. I'm all packed except for a few items that will be added to a carry on in the very early am. We'll pick up our granddaughters on the way to the airport.

Tess and her family are on an earlier flight than ours so they will be over in Epcot by the time we land in Orlando.

We'll be carrying ponchos for all in a backpack. It looks like the long dry spell has finally ended. Here's hoping the showers are brief and not too many thunderstorms. Every single day in the 15 day forecast now shows some kind of rain.

Have a great trip!

Aloha!

Originally Posted by carlnix30

Aloha! It's me again. We have enjoyed the resort and enjoyed the parks! There is one drawback to staying here at the poly, my kids want to swim after all day at the park! It seems that the poly rejuvinates them. Darn pretty resort! Parks got a little busy in the last couple days, had to wait 20 minutes for expedition everest (LOL). I've met lots of travelers in the Resort. They all seem happy and content! The punch in cl yuuumee! (so my wife says) any questions you have I will try to find answer for you guys. Aloha

Any signs of the rumored cabanas?

Originally Posted by Mouskemom

For those who have been at the Poly recently--- Was channel 96 available in the room? That's the channel with all of the Disney cartoons. The same channel they play in the children's waiting area in the hotel lobbies.

My kids loved it when we were at the BC a couple of years ago. A great way to zone out and relax for a while.

96 was working when we were there in January.

Originally Posted by BreezysMom

So today DH and I were discussing about the possibilty of just biting the bullet and just going Lagoon view for our trip. I went over the plans with him and then I figured out that we (3 of us)can do the Wildlife Excursion, MNSSSHP twice, the Pirate and Pal cruise and still have about $300 to spare by keeping our CL garden view.

Not like we were going to change these plans if we did upgrade but it put it in a clearer perspective for me. Now I don't feel like I am shortchanging our CL experience.

I got all my requests off to the IPO office this weekend and it feels good knowing that they are dealing with all these things for me considering the bad reviews of the new ADR system

I am looking forward to getting the plans finalized and having a great summer here in Chicago. Before I know it, we will be packing for Disney.

Sounds like a great decision. You're right...the time will fly!

Originally Posted by ksjayhawkfan

Im getting so excited that I cant sleep! We leave on Saturday to drive to Kansas City and then catch our flight early Sunday! If I dont get some sleep Im going to end up sleeping my vacation away LOL I have managed not to tell my family about the surprise MK view upgrade that I bought, or the limo that I booked, or our 10 yr old daughters BBB appointment!

You're getting so close. I'd be excited too. Good luck keeping the secrets.

[Tinkerbellie16]

Originally Posted by miatamel

Can y'all help me fall in love with the Poly?
I know, I ought to have my booty kicked. I'm booked for 5 nights at the Poly next week and I'm anxious and unsure and waffling. This is a very last minute trip and a first time at a deluxe resort, only second time ever on property. I was torn between WL, BC, AKL and Poly. Hubby nixed BC outright for reason reason. BC was considered for SAB. I booked on a spring discount code last week at very last second after convincing workaholic husband that we needed a vacation after 2.5 years. But why aren't I settled on it?? I can't get AKL out of my mind but my discount won't transfer and it will increase my bill $300-400 dollars. I'd love the animals but worry about the "remoteness" for my girls, 5 & 7 but thought hubby might like a place a tad more secluded and restful (is it?) They are all about the pool and the volcano excited them tho I've read that pool is small and might be extremely crowded. I also have kin that has asked to be moved from Poly due to "noise, smell and filth." She also said the pool was old and in need of repair. I've been on every site and read great reviews but it's that one, plus she said she had two friends that also have asked to be moved, that stick in my mind.

So I'm asking you obvious Poly lovers, help me fall in love with this choice!!
(Oh, we're not so much into the parks so location isn't a biggie--probably AK and DD maybe Epcot but not MK. I'm also worried about late check in--after 10:30pm and getting a crappy room)

I've stayed at both AKL and the Poly (just was there the last week of April). I think both resorts are nice as a resort only. My biggest complaint with AKL is the location. It is far from everything but AK & BB. You said you don't care too much about MK but have you ever seen the fireworks from the beach while your kids can play in the sand? Or walk over to the TTC to take the monorail to Epcot? And since you are on the monorail line, you have lots of opportunities to ask to sit up front (so if it is taken, just ask the next time). Poly offers the marina too while AKL does not. I also enjoy taking the monorail to the Grand Floridian and to the Contemporary to eat, shop, and look around (and the GF offers a movie on the beach at night too - just a walk or monorail ride away!). You can also take relaxing boatrides from the Poly to MK. With 5 & 7 year olds, I'm sure you'll hit MK!

Nothing against AKL or any other place I've stayed - they all have their pros & cons. But this is your vacation! You've picked a good place and just relax and enjoy it! As far as pools, if you think the volcano pool is too crowded, pop on over to the quiet pool - they both offer different types of swimming experiences. So relax, order a Fusion Lemonade, and take in the tiki torches. And HAVE FUN!!!!

[lissiesmum]

Originally Posted by NJBILL

Was this question answered as I need to know if we should bring some too..
Thanks.

Hi NJBill! Sorry, I thought I answered this a bit ago but I may have forgotten! The campfire at the GF is nightly at 8:00pm (at least it is in APril), and you can either buy a smores pack or bring your own. I brought my own so I didn't catch the price. It was one of the highlights of our trip. The walk over to the GF, the torches, the music and the GF staff were fabulous. We will definitely do it again on our next visit. Plus it is followed by a movie under the stars if you like that! The views of the Poly at night from the GF beach were such a neat perspective You'll love it!

Originally Posted by Mouskemom

For those who have been at the Poly recently--- Was channel 96 available in the room? That's the channel with all of the Disney cartoons. The same channel they play in the children's waiting area in the hotel lobbies.

My kids loved it when we were at the BC a couple of years ago. A great way to zone out and relax for a while.

Yes, the channel was still available. We watched it a few times, lots of vintage mickey mouse and goofy cartoons!

I also wanted to add that we also had problems with the 30 minute free arcade card. It didn't work in any game we tried! A nice CM finally came over and swiped his card and let my daughter play 5 games with his card. He was really sweet

So I'm crossing my fingers for making it back to WDW next February. I'm putting money away out of each paycheck and not eating out as much and trying to cut corners to see if I can afford it. My plan is to spend the first two nights at a value resort, then spend the next 5 nights at the Poly. For those of you who have done a split stay, how does that work? Will they move your luggage from one resort to the other? I was also thinking of maybe just taking a taxi and bringing my luggage with me, checking into the Poly real early and heading off to the MK for the day. Either way, wish me luck that I can make it there next year. Thinking about it gets me through those tough days that I have another magical trip to get excited about! My DD will be at her Dad's this weekend so I will make a real attempt at uploading some pics (I feel like I've said this before!)

Does anyone know when the rates come out for next year, and when you can start booking for 2010?

[MsStinkerBelle]

Originally Posted by lissiesmum

My plan is to spend the first two nights at a value resort, then spend the next 5 nights at the Poly. For those of you who have done a split stay, how does that work? Will they move your luggage from one resort to the other?

This past December we did a split stay between 5 nights at Pop and 6 nights at the Poly. Disney will move your luggage for you. The day before I contacted Luggage Services (no bell service at a value) and arranged a pick-up time. They asked if we were transferring to another Disney resort. I told them the Poly, they confirmed the pick-up time, the number of bags I was transferring and told me I didn't need to be in the room. for pick-up. So around 7am the next morning, DD and I got our carry-on bags, left our luggage to be transferred next to the door of our room at Pop, then took the bus from Pop to the MK and the boat to the Poly from there. Called Bell Services at the Poly that afternoon and my bags had just arrived from Pop. They brought the bags up and all was well. Easy and painless. :-)

You can take a taxi but frankly unless you really need all your bags, I'd let luggage/bell services do the work for you.

Originally Posted by lissiesmum

Does anyone know when the rates come out for next year, and when you can start booking for 2010?

They usually come out around late August/Mid September. At least that's what my TA told me last week.

[lissiesmum]

Thanks for the info, Ms Stinkerbelle! Sounds good to me!

I wanted to share another crazy story that just came to me from our trip. I read a few days ago from another poster that they were doing work on the roofs. Well, they were working on painting Hawaii's roof our entire stay. The second to the last day, we are walking down the long hallway to our room, and we just hear this guy yellilng and a lot of commotion right in front of our room. As we get closer, I see paramedics and a guy on a stretcher screaming his lungs out. He was one of the roof workers and had fallen while painting the roof! I'm not sure if he fell onto a balcony or what...why he was inside the building on the 3rd floor, I'll never know but he was in a lot of pain and it freaked my DD out. I quickly got her into our room and turned the tv up real loud. I'm sure he was probably ok, but kind of a crazy thing to run into on your way back from a fun day out at the parks, huh?

[Mouseturtle]

Originally Posted by NJBILL

Was this question answered as I need to know if we should bring some too..
Thanks.

You can buy a S'mores kit for $7, or just a bag of marshmallows for $3. There is a LOT in them (I just got the marshmallows, there are like 30 of them in the bag)

They have big sticks for your use (they tell you to break them in half and throw them in the fire when you're done) and towels and handi wipes.

We've done this twice and LOVED it.

Get there by 8pm for the best seat placement! Campfire starts then, and movie's at 8. You may get distracted by the fireworks which was a bonus for me. It's a must do! Wasn't crowded at all when we were there - maybe 14 people

[mmmears]

Originally Posted by lissiesmum

So I'm crossing my fingers for making it back to WDW next February. I'm putting money away out of each paycheck and not eating out as much and trying to cut corners to see if I can afford it. My plan is to spend the first two nights at a value resort, then spend the next 5 nights at the Poly. For those of you who have done a split stay, how does that work? Will they move your luggage from one resort to the other? I was also thinking of maybe just taking a taxi and bringing my luggage with me, checking into the Poly real early and heading off to the MK for the day. Either way, wish me luck that I can make it there next year. Thinking about it gets me through those tough days that I have another magical trip to get excited about! My DD will be at her Dad's this weekend so I will make a real attempt at uploading some pics (I feel like I've said this before!)

Does anyone know when the rates come out for next year, and when you can start booking for 2010?

Hi Lissiesmum

We did a split-stay in April and let them take care of our luggage for the first time (we usually rent a car so we move it ourselves). If you want to go to the MK anyway, then I'd just take a taxi and move the luggage -- that way you'll know that it's all there.

When they moved the luggage for us, I made sure to grab a swimsuit for each of us and some sunscreen, since they typically won't have your luggage before 3pm and we knew we wanted to go swimming when we arrived at the Poly. The luggage was delivered around 4:30, one bag was missing, but then they found it and brought it to the room.

I think your idea of doing a split-stay is great! You'll save money, get to go sooner, and still have plenty of time to play at WDW!

As for booking for Feb, 2010, if you know what rooms you want and really have specific dates and aren't really flexible with them, you can go ahead and call WDW and they will book you a room-only reservation for 2010. They wont have the 2010 prices yet, so they give you a high 2009 price now, but will adjust it when the prices are released in August. At that time, you can change to a package or just adjust the room-only prices.

I booked our April 2009 trip that way, since we had no flexibility with the dates (DD's spring break) and we really wanted the rooms and resorts we chose. In Aug, the prices were adjusted. Then in the fall, when the 4/3 deal came out, I switched over to that. Booking early just guaranteed that there was a room for us on the dates we wanted. Hope this helps and that I'm not confusing you!

[goopysolelady]

Originally Posted by MickeyT

Hey Everyone.

Just wanted to let everyone know how much I have enjoyed reading this thread. Even went back and hit the closed ones, John and Terry’s web pages and of course Tikiman’s site.

Our August (1st-8th) trip to the Poly will be full of 'first' for us. First monorail resort, first deluxe/deluxe resort, first CL room, first time letting a TA book my room, first time in August. I am the planner extraordinaire of our little family and usually have all the park days planned out fairly well. But the more I look at this trip and the more I see of the Poly, the more I think I want to just relax. Being August and usually hot I’m thinking this may be a time to just sit back, soak up the ambiance and enjoy the views, sights and sounds. Something that does not always coincide with Disney World and me. Relax.
Some of my best memories are waking up early at the WL and AKL , sitting in the lobby drinking coffee while the rest of my crew sleeps and watching the World come to life. Don’t get me wrong. I still have my park days planned out (thanks TGM) ADR’s made and spreadsheets done. But the more I read from you guys the more the thought of going into a complete Polynesian Chill in August sounds great.

Even though we are staying GV in Hawaii we do have a history of getting crappy rooms. Ever see those photos of the green roof view from WL. That’s us. Ended up in the basement beside the elevators and laundry room at AKL (booked pool view, got nothing but bushes and sidewalk). I just have a feeling if there is a tree blocking any kind of views outside of a GV room in Hawaii, we’ll find it. In the past it didn’t matter so much because of our commando attitude. You know. Back to the room for the quick afternoon nap and gone again. But I’m thinking , if we are going to relax in the room and I get our standard crappy view room, I’m asking for a room change.

Anyhow thanks for listening and more importantly thanks for all the information. Already looking forward to Tonga Toast and the press pot for breakfast and multiple Dole Whips!

Check out the Macadamia Nut pancakes after you've had the Tonga Toast. TO DIE FOR! Even made a trip over from the WL one year so I could get the Tonga Toast but after trying those pancakes I may never eat Tonga Toast again. Sooooooooo good!