Back from the Polynesian and AKL..BIG surprises!!!

[Tikiman]

Well I just got in 4:00 this morning. The plane in Denver had a landing gear problem!!!

Besides that I got sooooooooooo much new Polynesian info that my head is still spinning. I will try to get it all down today but no promises. I will also post all pictures and info soon on my pages.

A quick preview of info to come.

I will report on the Animal Kingdom Lodge concierge suites (yes we got moved to a suite).

A 4th of July report. Thanks to guests from other resorts I will not be back to the Polynesian on the 4th. Thanks for trashing the beach.

A report on the good and BAD Polynesian experiences.

Pictures and reports from the Tonga Longhouse suites and my meeting with the new concierge manager.

Yes we got room 1505 again!!!

New construction info.

And information about lagoon view rooms that every Polynesian web page (including mine) had misinformation about.

I will also do a full day to day report on the trip reports board including where we ate.

Aloha

Steve

[zulaya]

Steve--

Wow, what a ton of info just in that summary. Can't wait to hear how you got the suite. What a disappointment that the beach was trashed during the 4th. Could locals coming for dinner have stayed and played a part or was it really other resort guests?

Take a nap and let us know all the good and, while I wish there wasn't any, the bad.

[jennymouse]

Welcome home! Can't wait for all your new information!:wave:

[Tikiman]

Zulaya,

Well I am still on Florida time so for me it is in the middle of the day. Tara is sitting here eating uncrustables from the concierge lounge and I am going through all my notes.

I met a couple other board posters on the 4th and we all ran across many guests who said they were from other resorts. They took our chairs and every towel from the pool to sit on the grass. Some people from another resort even walked over and stood on out patio in front of us (not more than 2 feet). There was trash everywhere and a guest from POR said they were told they could use any other Disney resort amenities. We all know that is not true. In the morning it looked like an explosion of trash and chairs. We did have a great time and I have much good to report but I think this year was full of more rude people (not talking of staff) than I have ever seen. I don’t think we will vacation Disney next year. With that said I had some great experiences and wonderful stories to tell.

Steve

[Tinkbell]

Welcome back! I'm looking forward to your reports.:D Someone posted earlier this week about the 4th of July fiasco at the beach.:( That is so sad. You plan and spend money for the benefit of a relaxing, "private" view of the fireworks and you have to worry about people from other resorts, or even off property.:mad: Well, did someone try to take your patio chair? I remember you joking about that before your trip. :) I can't wait to hear about AKL! Sounds like they treated you great over there.;)

[Tikiman]

Tinkbell,

ALK was great and I am glad I stayed. The rooms were some of the best I have seen and concierge was good. Not quite as good as the Polynesian concierge but I think they have the staff do too much at the AKL and they get behind. I would not spend a full week at the AKL because it is too far out but the 3 days was great. I have so much more that I will try to get writen up. I think it will be the longest post in DIS history when I am done.

Aloha

P.S.
many people had to put their chairs in their rooms this year. Some visitors were from off property also. Security was everywhere and was checking no one.

Steve

[CamColt]

Awww, Tikiman, that stinks! People can be so rude. Im sorry that ruined the magical experience for you. I have to say our 1 night at the Poly was wonderful and I seem to fall more in love with that place everytime Im there. I do have a question for you, but Ill let you catch some sleep and settle back in before I hit you with that(no one else onthe boards had an answer for me...I figure youre the one to come to.).
I hope overall that you had a good trip. I was looking for you guys as we were leaving Thursday morning, thinking you may be checking in then, but I didnt see you.
Better luck next time!

[pixiechick]

jeez, Steve! Talk about teasing us!! ;)

I've been waiting for your guys to get back and post. We were debating the Poly next 4th, but weren't sure because of the concierge update situation. We just bought at BCV and were thinking of spending our week there with the 3rd and 4th at the Poly. Maybe we'll just stay at BCV instead...

We liked AKL concierge too, but felt it was a little too formal for us. We liked the laidback feeling at the Poly.

Glad you had a good trip and made it home safely. Can't wait to hear the rest!

[Planogirl]

How in the world can Disney Security let this happen? :mad:

We visit the Poly when we don't stay there but we would NEVER dream of using the facilities except for a quick walk-through and maybe a quick rest on a bench. To me, the beach furniture, etc is there for the use of actual guests, not just anyone that shows up.

What a shame. :(

[LvsTnk]

Sorry about your 4th! We were down the hall 1516 and did not have the problem of people standing in front of us , but we did put our chairs in our room too. :( It was rather an interesting evening. Security did stop one man who was walking around with 3 loungechairs on his back LOL! I did think the fireworks were outstanding this year. We loved AKL and the concierge staff. I am thinking about adding on another day to our Sept. trip so DD can see it. Welcome home, and looking forward to your report! Laurie :D

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

That's a shame. Someone else who was there at that time posted that they felt the same way! I have actually read on other forums of this board, people encouraging others to use the pool and facilities at resorts they are not staying at!:mad: It amounts to stealing in my book, and teaches children the wrong thing! I wish all the resorts would come up with some sort of color coded wrist bands or either start carding people! Can't wait to read your report :) !

[wdwnutze]

Can't wait to read your trip report! Looking forward to the updated info on the Poly. Sorry things weren't as they should have been on the 4th. It always amazes me that some people can be so rude.

Well, welcome back and get some rest so you can get that report going!

[susy]

I believe that if you stay at a value resort, you can go to another resort to use the bikes, water mice etc-which you pay a fee for, but NOT the pools!!!! That's pool hopping! The chairs belong to the pool and should be used only by the resort guests.

We will be at AKL soon. Can't wait to hear all about it!!!!!

[Tikiman]

THat is true. Like the boats at the Polynesian can be used by anyone who rents them.

I don't want to give the wrong impression. I did have a great time and many things happened that made the trip special. My report will be filled with good and bad. I will just report it as I see it. Some of the bad experiences we had are not typical of what usually happens. It just goes to show you that bad experiences happen to everyone at every resort. That does not mean anyone with reservations should second guess their decision. Just always be prepared to experience some CM's having a bad day.

I have to go eat something and take care of the paperwork on our new home but when I return I will be typing up the report from the log book I kept. Pictures will have to come later but I took about 200 of both resorts and I have a .mpg of the Animal Kingdom Concierge Lounge if anyone wants it emailed later.

Aloha

Steve

[BrianD]

Welcome back, Steve!!! I'm glad it was a great trip, overall! Can't wait for the new info on the Polynesian. (Especially the info on renovations ;) ) We'll be there in October!


LvsTnk - 3 lounge chairs on a guy's back???? That is hilarious! People just amaze me sometimes...


Good to have the Tikiman back! :cool:

[DisneyPoly]

Hi Steve -- Welcome Back!!

I can't wait to hear what you say about Poly lagoon view rooms. I just upgraded our garden rooms to lagoon yesterday. We've stayed in lagoon previously, but am curious as to what you have to report.

Waiting patiently ....

[mirlow]

Welcome back Steve! I was hoping to hear a report before we leave on Tuesday:) Our plans changed all the way up to last week. We are now going to spend two nights at the AKL doing concierge after 5 nights at the Polynesian concierge and 4 nights at the BWV. I had to add in the AKL after we saw the broadway production of the Lion King:D I had a reservation last yr to stay at the AKL concierge, but we cancelled while we were there. We took a tour and we decided that with 3 young kids it would be better to stay at the Polynesian concierge the entire trip. I can't wait to hear about everything:D

[lvs_eeyore]

Welcome back Steve!!

I cant wait to hear your report on the Polynesian. We have ressies here for next July, LV concierge for our 20th anniversary. I had made the ressie to start on July 4th but maybe I will change that now.

[B3LM]

Welcome back, Steve! I had read a couple of other reports of how bad the Poly's beach was on the 4th of July. What a shame for Poly resort guests!

I'm anxious to read your trip reports!

Beth :sunny:

[Disneydenise]

Welcome Back Tikiman and Tara,
I haven't had a chance to read the whole post and I am running my son to a meeting with 100 of his closest friends. I just had to write quickly though that I have felt the way you sound on a few of my recent trips. I can't ever put my finger on what it is that I am missing. I do think that the trash on the beach could be a part of it. I think that by February next year you will begin to feel like you really need your Disney Trip. Its your happy place and mine too. I went for the first ime with a friend this past April. My expectaions were very different and I had a great trip. I think that Disney in the summer now is just too crowded and the people are not considerate. We are going as a family in October for a fencing tournament at the WWS. We will be staying at the Poly but I don't think we will be able to swing concierge. It will be another short trip 5 days but I look forward to it. My family is growing and things are changing I think that maybe that is just life. I am glad that you had a nice trip. I hope the weather was good. It had to be better than Summer Nationals in Greenville SC. I tried to escape and go to Disney for 3 days but my son was doing well with the fencing and I couldn't make him leave. I was shocked at how a relaxing vacation feels. Looking forward to your report. Denise

[Wolverine]

well my 2 pesos...we were at the gf on the 4th and didnt have or see any problems...there were alot of people and we did see chairs and towels down by the lagoon below us..and a ton of people...we had a 4th floor room at bocha chica mk view so we were not affected by this..we had our own area...i think this is another 1 of those disney things like "the mug debate" ..alot of people are taking advantage of things when paying guests at that resort kinda get shafted...but also we all know and i think knew that the 4th at the poly or anywhere else was going to be crazy and some dont care about others..is this something new???....we did see alot of people at the ploy beach area that night from our room...lets not make to much about this...and tikiman i can understand that your ticked off...and you said you wont be back next year...this is your option and your choice to do so...it is easy to point fingers...sometimes we forget how spoiled we are at wdw..and sometimes things just dont go as planned..so next year do something different...i am sure your trip was great and i am looking forward to reading your post's...thanks!

[Tikiman]

Our trip was great and I still think the Polynesian beach is the best place to be on the 4th when in WDW but out of the last 3 years it has never been this bad. I don't mind sharing the beach with everyone I just feel they were crossing the line when they walked 20 feet off the main path to stand in front of us on our patio. I also have never seen such disrespect for a resort by non-guests. There was not a towel left for anyone at the pool after the fireworks.

Have I been spoiled by the Polynesian in the past?.....Yes.
Do I expect it every year?....No

Is my experience at the Polynesian on the 4th something new?...Yes it has never been this bad.

Do I think that everyone that trashed the beach was from another resort?....No

Will I ever return on the 4th?...maybe but next year we are going to the real south Pacific.

We will return when we have a child and it is old enough to enjoy WDW and remember it.

Aloha

Steve

[CaliforniaDreaming]

The Grand Floridian was also busy on the 4th, people were all lined up along the shorefront. It looked horrible - then after the fireworks everyone was complaining about valet parking being $6 when they were only there for 45 minutes. Geeze, give me a break!

[Tikiman]

Hey Cali I ment to get a picture of the GF for you but the camera disk filled up. It had a great sunset behind it. I also have a strange GF valet story for you. We were on the monorail and could see down to the valet lot and the guys were racing the cars out of the spots and doing about 25 in reverse so they did not have to go down to the end of the isle. One guy hit the curb hard. I am glad it was not my car. I bet it happens at many of the valet lots and not just GF. We did spend some time over there and it is a great resort but still not my style. I would recommend it over the Yacht and Beach club or Contemporary any day. I do think I would like to try the Contemporary some day though.

Well back to my report.

Aloha

Steve

[CaliforniaDreaming]

Tikiman, hope that wasn't my car! LOL, I didn't notice any dents. The valets went very quickly in those cars, I did notice that (all the resort's I experienced it that I valeted at).

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

After reading both your posts(Tikiman and Cali-D), I don't think we will EVER go on the 4th(not that I wanted to;) !). Sounds like something that would happen to DixieAmos(aka Vernoica!, I do miss her posts!) Not sure whether to laugh or cry at your posts, so I laughed :) ! Hope that is ok:D !

[donnamerry]

Tikiman, that really saddens me to hear about the 4th being a little obnoxious it sounds. It also saddens me to think you and Tara won't be back there for, sounds like a lonnnng time! You just seem so part of the Poly and feels strange without your staying there and your reports to follow. Glad you did have a great time still in all.

[Tikiman]

donnamerry,

We are a little sad too but we need to move on to other things and kids are one of them. We will have to wait till they are old enough to go and enjoy it. I will do my best to keep the pages going and stay intouch with the staff like I do but this may be the last posts on the Polynesian from me for a while.

Well here is the report so far. I will try to break up the info into separate posts on the resort boards for the AKL stuff and Polynesian stuff but thill then here it all is.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=230951

Aloha

Steve

[Sammie]

as to the beach at the Polynesian on the 4th of July, I think we have seen the enemy and he is us.

When many share on large internet forums, how wonderful something is, such as the view of the fireworks from the beach at the Polynesian, you are going to attract large crowds.

Kinda like sharing your favorite fishing hole, pretty soon there are no fish.

[JulesMom]

Welcome Back! I can't wait to read the reports.

I read in other reports how crowded the 4th was at the Poly.:(

[smjj]

I think this 4th there was more of a patrotic theme and people wanted to be a part of it. That is no excuse for what was happening though. I do not think I would have been as nice as Tikiman though, especially if they were blocking my view from 2 feet off the patio I was spending a lot of money to enjoy...smjj

[Poly Pal]

Steve, I'm so sorry about what happened to you on the 4th. We start out with very high expectations when leaving for a Disney vacation. But when you run into rude, inconsiderate people it sort of zaps you right back to reality.

We have run into extremely rude people at Disney. Had one guy rest his camcorder (back when they were BIG) on MY shoulder so he could tape Illuminations. Had another idiot push my pregnant wife and 5 year old out of their spots on Main Street so that he could show up at the last minute and take pictures of SpectroMagic. My wife will never go to a Disney parade again.

Other than the 4th I'm glad you had a good time. did you do anything special for your anniversary? How about the birthday?
Can't wait for your report!

And you're planning little tiki's. That's great! Once they can walk and sort of feed themselves, they're ready for Disney World! We took our oldest when he was just 19 months. He was fascinated with the "electric eye" showers at the Polynesian. We also had to "feed" every garbage can we came upon. Disney should have paid him for all of the litter he picked up that trip!

Welcome back!

ALOHA!

[Disneydenise]

Hey Tikiman
About the returning with a child when they can remember it. I have to give you my 2 cents. When we took our children for the first time my son was 2 and my daughter was 4. We took a ton of video. They remember what is in the pictures. I remember the best vacation of my life. My husband refers to it as the vacation from H***. Don't wait for the kids to remember, they will have the film you will have the memories. When they are little they believe, Disney can't get that pixie dust anywhere. We live outside of Philly and NYC when we need time for a nice dinner we do that without the kids. Our family vacations weren't about too many nice dinners but the crazy things that Daddy does when he isn't at work. He is so funny. He has never lost his inner child and that is what gets the family thru these marvelous teen years. I am jealous of the vacation plans you have for next year. We will be getting ready to pay for 2 college tuitions.

[Wonderlandmom]

I agree! Go when they are young, you will see it all through their eyes and they will enjoy the experience! :) We took DS when he was 2 1/2, he took everything in and had a blast(who really cares if he remembered it, we remember it!). To see 3 yr old DD's eyes light up at the Princess breakfast was a moment we all still enjoy. They have been many times since, but those first visits when they were young were extra special :D ! People give 1 year old b'day parties, not for the memories, but for the "moment" in time.
Glad you were still able to have a good time, despite a few problems. I also wish they would ID(armbands or??) all resort guests for pool priviledges. I have overheard others at our resort pool, who are NOT staying there :eek: ! Rude!
Do you think they may have a Lilo and Stitch character meal at 'Ohana's one day? Did you hear anything about the new Royal breakfast at Epcot??

[MJS]

Welcome back! Sorry about the 4th! Yikes! It sounds like you and Cali both ran into some rude folks!

Don't discount taking a little one to WDW. We took our DD when she was 1 to the Poly. She loved it, especially O'hana's dinner! I hired a Disney photographer to follow her around the resort, and he got some great photos of her. What great memories!

[zakatak]

We are planning on being in Disneyworld next July 4 - 13th. We have reservations at AKL Concierge since the POLY Concierge wasn't available.

My question for you, since you know more about the Polynesian than anyone!, is... should we switch back over to the Poly, using the temp concierge or even a regular lagoon view room, or keep the AKL concierge?

Thanks!

Karen

[Tikiman]

I would switch back to the Polynesian. I liked the AKL concierge but I would not have liked being out there for more than a few days. The AKL resort was great and the staff was friendly. I also enjoyed just hanging out at the resort but I was not thrilled with the busses and nothing was close except Animal Kingdom and Blizzard Beach. We are just to use to the Polynesian and the monorail that it is hard to get use to the AKL transportation eventhought it is much better than some of the other resorts.

Steve

[erikthewise]

Welcome back, Steve!
Sounds like a bad scene at the beach.
I'm off to read your trip report!