Trip Advisor negative deluxe reviews

[xipotec]

Trip Advisor has posted some real negative reviews on the POLY this month. Anyone been there lately who can confirm or deny these?
The negatives are definitely reactionary in some cases but there are quite a few now....

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Re...sney_s_Polynesian_Resort-Orlando_Florida.html

 

[ajh88]

I guess I take them with the same grain of salt with which I take all other TripAdvisor reviews. Some people go and love it, others go and hate it. Some people have nothing nice to say ever while others never have anything bad to say.

I think the one that cracked me up the most was the one from the guy mad because he could only get one Fast Pass per day and that they had to change busses (or something like that) to accommodate a person on a scooter. These are not Poly specific issues (or even accurate RE: Fastpass)...yet later in his review he recommends the Contemporary over the Poly, as though a DTD bus issue will be resolved if you stay at CR vs Poly.

Overall, there are 129 poor or terrible reviews out of 1,172 total reviews. So, a hair over 10% of the people who have stayed there found it terrible or poor. That seems about right according to a bell curve...and many, many more than average (591, over 50%) rated it excellent. In addition, at least one of the negative reviews was from a person who admittedly hadn't even stayed there.

I stand by the assertion I make about all decisions - do some research and inform yourself, but don't rely on the subjective viewpoints of strangers for your final decision. (with the caveat that if 90% of reviews are negative, you might want to put a little more weight on them!).

 

[mimmi]

One of the "problems" with the tripadvisor reviews is, that they aren't only from Disney fans, or even informed people.
I guess many of them just go to WDW once and except real deluxe hotels, probably comparing them to deluxe hotels they have already stayed at for the same money.
If you spend so much time on the disboards as many of us do, you know that you won't get a Mandarin Oriental, Banyan Tree, Ritz Carlton or whatever even thoughthe Disney hotels may cost the same, so you won't be disappointed but people who haven't spent months on researching their Disney vacation and aren't huge fans may be.

I know that I pay Disney prices for emotional reasons above all, even location is much less important to me than being immersed, so I know that most the reviews on tripadvisor aren't relevant to me and my situation.

 

[Mousemommy1]

Did you see the one where they rated Poly at 1 star because they couldn't get into Ohana and they were angry that you "apparently need get reservations 6 months in advance????" They stated that for the money they were spending they should have been able to eat there....this just echoes what a PP said about people not being informed or doing research and being mad about things that they didn't know about.

I have learned that trip advisor is pretty good for entertainment value, but I don't really pay too much attention to those reviews.

 

[Sammie]

If you read the reviews many people give the resort a bad rap because of their dissatisfaction over something that happened not even at the resort.

 

[mickeynut1]

Everyone has different opinions/expectations and what one might see as a bad experience/resort, another will find it the total opposite. From all the reviews I've ever read, it seems people either love or hate the Poly. With that said, all resorts get bad reviews and I would take those reviews with a grain of salt.

 

[kathie859]

I think the issue is that for the same money you can get a true luxury hotel in any major city. Don't get me wrong, I like staying in a "deluxe" but I've stayed elsewhere for less and gotten nicer accommodations. I think when someone posts on Tripadvisor and they travel a lot--they are comparing WDW idea of deluxe to the other luxury brands. WDW does come up short.

 

[HeyIt'sMe]

"On the other hand, this does not make up for the fact that the place is full of screaming, misbehaving kids who have really sorry excuses for parents who have no concern for the comfort of others."

Someone actually put this in their negative review of the Poly. Yeah, that's the resort's fault.

 

[gwynne]

I think the issue is that for the same money you can get a true luxury hotel in any major city. Don't get me wrong, I like staying in a "deluxe" but I've stayed elsewhere for less and gotten nicer accommodations. I think when someone posts on Tripadvisor and they travel a lot--they are comparing WDW idea of deluxe to the other luxury brands. WDW does come up short.

I don't find Tripadvisor particularly helpful or accurate. That said, This issue of a "deluxe" is discussed often at the DIS.
I travel frequently. I have stayed in some very nice hotels. You can walk out of lots of 4 or 5 star hotels, and there you are on a busy street, battling traffic.

I walk out of an Epcot resort, and I'm looking at beautiful Crescent Lake.
Within minutes I'm at the International Gateway on my way into Epcot.
I find great value in a WDW resort. I like the theming, accommodations, CMs, the pre-planning services of the IPO when staying CL.

Other travelers may be looking for something else when they spend their vacation $$, that's fine. It doesn't bother me. I don't see one option as better than one another, they are apples and oranges.

 

[RedfromNL]

I always look at the why of any extremely positive or negative reviews on any site, not just tripadvisor.

Some are just plain nutty, like some the PP'rs gave or "we didn't like the location" Do some research fools!
But some can be usefull. Like one hotel I quite liked until I read reviews of the lovely open bar at the front which stayed open till 3 am..... Yikes!
Some extremely positive ones can be just as strange. Probably written by relatives or something.

Bottom line: look at the reviews, check out some of the extremes and a few in the middle and WHY they give it that rating. Is it for something that matters to you or couldn't you care less?

I mean: for me the open bar was a no-no, for you it might actually add to the appeal of the hotel!

 

[Missytara]

My favorite "review" was from a bartender at a place I happened to have dinner at, when she saw my Disney keychain.

She went into this big long story about their once-in-a-lifetime trip that they saved for years to go on to the GF was ruined by Disney and they would never return.

She said she was told by the travel agent they would receive their luggage off the bus by 3 pm, and they checked in at 2:25 pm. (She was referring to Magical Express) I said, no, it is three hours after you check-in to your resort. She swore she said three pm.

Anyway, long story short, she was in a panic because her anti-seizure medication was in her checked baggage. I was like, are you kidding me? What if the airline had lost your luggage? She looked appalled at the fact that an airline would even lose luggage.

When she stormed down to the check-in desk at 3:15 pm in a fit, they swung into action and found all five bags (it was her, DH, and three children) immediately. The next morning, they sent over three sets of mouse ears for the kids, a t-shirt for each of them, and one of the Cinderella chocolate slippers. I said that was wonderful, that they did that, even though it was her mistake.

In her mind, Disney "tried" to make up for THEIR mistake and she felt like they were appeasing her. She wasn't buying any of it.

OMG......I ended my conversation with her, saying she could have stayed for about a third of the price at POP and had just as good of a time.....and she didn't get it.

 

[Mousemommy1]

I always look at the why of any extremely positive or negative reviews on any site, not just tripadvisor.

Some are just plain nutty, like some the PP'rs gave or "we didn't like the location" Do some research fools!But some can be usefull. Like one hotel I quite liked until I read reviews of the lovely open bar at the front which stayed open till 3 am..... Yikes!
Some extremely positive ones can be just as strange. Probably written by relatives or something.

Bottom line: look at the reviews, check out some of the extremes and a few in the middle and WHY they give it that rating. Is it for something that matters to you or couldn't you care less?

I mean: for me the open bar was a no-no, for you it might actually add to the appeal of the hotel!

This would be a funny tag line....

 

[Cinderumbrella]

The key to Trip Advisor is to read between the lines. See what the reviewer is REALLY upset about and, a lot of the time, it has little to do with the resort itself (like so many PPs have mentioned above). Makes you wonder if those who love it and those who hate it are even staying at the same place...

I wouldn't worry too much about their reviews...

 

[gwynne]

The key to Trip Advisor is to read between the lines. See what the reviewer is REALLY upset about and, a lot of the time, it has little to do with the resort itself (like so many PPs have mentioned above). Makes you wonder if those who love it and those who hate it are even staying at the same place...

I wouldn't worry too much about their reviews...

And keep in mind that a surprising number of the reviews are generated by competitors (negative) or the hotel themselves (positive).

 

[NJRRK]

The reviews that for me were the reviews that said the rooms were small!?!

The average hotel room I've stayed in has been closer in size to a Moderate, Poly rooms are bigger. How many hotel rooms comfortablly fit two queens plus a twin size sofa bed?

Oh well, to each their own. I hope to see more of these bad reviews that might make it easier for me to get a ressie at the Poly for my next trip. ;-)

 

[gogo]

After reading this thread, I can't determine if posters are bashing trip advisor relating to Disney hotels only or trip advisor as a whole. I post a lot on trip advisor and I rely heavily on it when I travel. I find it an extremely helpful tool when traveling. Can't imagine staying somewhere that I have not reseached on trip advisor first. Not only hotels are reviewed but activities, tours, etc.

Disney hotels are different because Disney classifies their hotels within the scope of WDW as a whole. Some posters on trip advisor apparently don't realize this but their opinions are important. Not everyone travelling to Disney realizes that a Disney Deluxe may not be considered a deluxe resort outside of Disney. So reading some negative reviews on trip advisor may enlighten travellers that Disney hotels/resorts are not the same as others outside Disney.

I've been on the Dis for years and have a pretty good understanding of Disney resorts. But, I understand that although people might do research before a trip, not everyone can spend a ton of time researching, thus, some negative reveiws from non-dissers may be beneficial to others.

I think most people can pick out silly negatives regarding any hotel and try and take in the whole picture. I've found the Dis a valuable tool for Disney vacations and trip advisor a valuable tool for all travels.

 

[Cira]

Until I became more informed and educated about the difference between DISNEY "deluxe" and non-Disney "deluxe", it was natural for me to believe that it meant the same thing, or looked more or less the same way. However, because of all the research and reading I've done, and after visiting the hotels and staying in them, I've learned the difference.

I think the issue is that for the same money you can get a true luxury hotel in any major city. Don't get me wrong, I like staying in a "deluxe" but I've stayed elsewhere for less and gotten nicer accommodations. I think when someone posts on Tripadvisor and they travel a lot--they are comparing WDW idea of deluxe to the other luxury brands. WDW does come up short.

 

[Pakey]

The reviews that for me were the reviews that said the rooms were small!?!

The average hotel room I've stayed in has been closer in size to a Moderate, Poly rooms are bigger. How many hotel rooms comfortablly fit two queens plus a twin size sofa bed?

Oh well, to each their own. I hope to see more of these bad reviews that might make it easier for me to get a ressie at the Poly for my next trip. ;-)

The average hotel room at the price point of the Poly do have bigger rooms and more importantly, huge luxurious bathrooms. I travel a lot and I stay at the Ritz, Four Seasons, etc for the same price as the Poly. Disney's rooms do not compare except in price.

I can understand that a first time visitor to WDW, someone used to staying in luxury resorts, would be very disappointed with a Disney deluxe. You have to be a Disney lover to pay those prices for that quality of a hotel.

 

[ajh88]

After reading this thread, I can't determine if posters are bashing trip advisor relating to Disney hotels only or trip advisor as a whole. I post a lot on trip advisor and I rely heavily on it when I travel. I find it an extremely helpful tool when traveling. Can't imagine staying somewhere that I have not reseached on trip advisor first. Not only hotels are reviewed but activities, tours, etc.

Disney hotels are different because Disney classifies their hotels within the scope of WDW as a whole. Some posters on trip advisor apparently don't realize this but their opinions are important. Not everyone travelling to Disney realizes that a Disney Deluxe may not be considered a deluxe resort outside of Disney. So reading some negative reviews on trip advisor may enlighten travellers that Disney hotels/resorts are not the same as others outside Disney.

I've been on the Dis for years and have a pretty good understanding of Disney resorts. But, I understand that although people might do research before a trip, not everyone can spend a ton of time researching, thus, some negative reveiws from non-dissers may be beneficial to others.

I think most people can pick out silly negatives regarding any hotel and try and take in the whole picture. I've found the Dis a valuable tool for Disney vacations and trip advisor a valuable tool for all travels.

I don't have an issue with TripAdvisor reviews - I've written some myself and just like with everything, I try to be objective and honest. But not everyone does. You are right that not everyone can spend "tons" of time researching and that sometimes Dis'ers aren't the most objective when it comes to Disney, but it is also true that many (not all!) of the negative things written about on TripAdvisor have little to do with the resort itself and more to do with either lack of information or Disney in general (such as bus transportation, Fast Pass system, and ADR system). Someone who doesn't know much about Disney may not realize that subtle difference either.

When I research a hotel, I use multiple tools if I'm not familiar with it, and TripAdvisor is usually one of them. I weed through super negative and super positive reviews to try and discern if the hotel is one that will suit my needs. But I have never read the TripAdvisor reviews for Disney hotels because I do read reviews on the Dis - so I agree on that point!

 

[shoney]

After reading this thread, I can't determine if posters are bashing trip advisor relating to Disney hotels only or trip advisor as a whole. I post a lot on trip advisor and I rely heavily on it when I travel. I find it an extremely helpful tool when traveling. Can't imagine staying somewhere that I have not reseached on trip advisor first. Not only hotels are reviewed but activities, tours, etc.

Disney hotels are different because Disney classifies their hotels within the scope of WDW as a whole. Some posters on trip advisor apparently don't realize this but their opinions are important. Not everyone travelling to Disney realizes that a Disney Deluxe may not be considered a deluxe resort outside of Disney. So reading some negative reviews on trip advisor may enlighten travellers that Disney hotels/resorts are not the same as others outside Disney.

I've been on the Dis for years and have a pretty good understanding of Disney resorts. But, I understand that although people might do research before a trip, not everyone can spend a ton of time researching, thus, some negative reveiws from non-dissers may be beneficial to others.

I think most people can pick out silly negatives regarding any hotel and try and take in the whole picture. I've found the Dis a valuable tool for Disney vacations and trip advisor a valuable tool for all travels.

this holds true for moderates as well. We stayed onsite for the first time in Feb. We had a newly refurbished room at POR. For the price point, I expected the room to be Hampton Inn quality and to me it was not. That was basing my expectation by many of the posts here.

I couldn't travel without tripadvisor and I think those staying at Disney for the first time should consult tripadvisor and the dis!