camdensmom
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2006
We spent December 8-11th at the POLY MK View so I wanted to write a quick review.
A few years ago we went 12/14-18th. We had booked a LG view, but were given a great 3rd floor room in Tahiti with breathtaking castle views which was such a special treat. However, at the time I had said that we would never do that again because the crowds were horrific. That one week earlier seemed to have made a very big difference.
Because I had loved our room last time, I specifically booked an MK view and requested 3rd floor Tahiti again.
I love the location because it is so easy to walk to the TTC and take the express monorail or ferry to MK and the monorail directly to EPCOT. It's the furthest building from the GCH and pool, but honestly the walk is only about 5 minutes and is so enjoyable if you walk along the lagoon.
One thing I hadn't thought to request was that the beds face the castle. I had such fond memories of lying in bed in our former room and watching the castle lights change as I fell asleep at night. This time our beds faced the other direction so you couldn't see the castle from the bed. It seems like a small thing, but it would be worth the request if you were staying there.
I greatly appreciated every second I spent sitting on the balcony and enjoying the panoramic view of "my happy place." I took in all the sights and sounds and cherished every second of it. I especially like how remote the Tahiti building feels because nobody is walking by.
Check-in was outstanding. We actually arrived at 8:00 a.m. and I was told the room we requested wasn't ready (I wasn't expecting it to be), but that if I wanted a different room they had some available at that time. I thought that was amazing, but since we were headed to the park for the day anyhow we opted to just wait for the requested room.
My kids enjoyed the pool each night. We're from Boston so it was plenty warm for us, but the pool was deserted which was nice.
Transportation was quick and easy, but we just did the monorail. On our other trip I remember being annoyed because the lobby was so packed and the transportation (even the monorail) was so slow with people not staying at the resort. I think that one week earlier in the month made a huge difference.
We ate at Captain Cooks for dinner one night and breakfast one morning. I do prefer the expansive food court options of the moderates for longer stays, but everyone found something to eat. It was very pricey for what we got and picky eaters may have a harder time as most everything on the menu had "something added."
Overall, it was a great mini-vacation for us and since we were there celebrating a 40th birthday, my achieving National Board teaching certification and the culmination of a successful business year we felt it was worth the splurge to treat ourselves to the Polynesian and specifically the room we had.
Now with that being said...
The negatives...
Holy need of rehab!!!
Everything from the carpet to the wallpaper to the scuff marks on the doors and walls in the building were disgusting and I was honestly shocked that Disney is OK with the way that building looked. I know some extent of rehab is in the works and honestly the room wasn't too bad, but there is no way a building in that condition could validate the rates they charge anywhere else in the world.
Unfortunately we were in the center of the longhouse which meant we did need to walk through the building to get in/out. I chose not to let it get to me as I felt so blessed to have the view that we had. Also, the POLY was the first Disney hotel I stayed at when I was a kid and it's nostalgic to me.
Another negative was the parking. My inlaws are snowbirds so they met us there for the weekend and had their car. We had run out in the car with them at one point and when we returned there was nowhere to park. They ended up dropping us off and then spent 30 minutes driving around before parking in some insanely far away location. Valet is an option, but pricey.
If not for the view and the location and the nostalgia and the fact that we allowed ourselves to validate the cost as a "celebration," I don't think I would recommend it. We have 3 children (ages 7, 3 and 3) so we were almost exclusively at the MK which made the monorail an added draw. I remember the last time we stayed that the buses stopped at other resorts and were very crowded so that is something to consider if you plan to do HS, AK, DTD or the water parks.
Honestly, I wouldn't stay there unless it was in an MK View room. To each his own of course, but I couldn't justify the cost of the POLY to stay in a garden view room...at least until the hotel is refurbished.
A few years ago we went 12/14-18th. We had booked a LG view, but were given a great 3rd floor room in Tahiti with breathtaking castle views which was such a special treat. However, at the time I had said that we would never do that again because the crowds were horrific. That one week earlier seemed to have made a very big difference.
Because I had loved our room last time, I specifically booked an MK view and requested 3rd floor Tahiti again.
I love the location because it is so easy to walk to the TTC and take the express monorail or ferry to MK and the monorail directly to EPCOT. It's the furthest building from the GCH and pool, but honestly the walk is only about 5 minutes and is so enjoyable if you walk along the lagoon.
One thing I hadn't thought to request was that the beds face the castle. I had such fond memories of lying in bed in our former room and watching the castle lights change as I fell asleep at night. This time our beds faced the other direction so you couldn't see the castle from the bed. It seems like a small thing, but it would be worth the request if you were staying there.
I greatly appreciated every second I spent sitting on the balcony and enjoying the panoramic view of "my happy place." I took in all the sights and sounds and cherished every second of it. I especially like how remote the Tahiti building feels because nobody is walking by.
Check-in was outstanding. We actually arrived at 8:00 a.m. and I was told the room we requested wasn't ready (I wasn't expecting it to be), but that if I wanted a different room they had some available at that time. I thought that was amazing, but since we were headed to the park for the day anyhow we opted to just wait for the requested room.
My kids enjoyed the pool each night. We're from Boston so it was plenty warm for us, but the pool was deserted which was nice.
Transportation was quick and easy, but we just did the monorail. On our other trip I remember being annoyed because the lobby was so packed and the transportation (even the monorail) was so slow with people not staying at the resort. I think that one week earlier in the month made a huge difference.
We ate at Captain Cooks for dinner one night and breakfast one morning. I do prefer the expansive food court options of the moderates for longer stays, but everyone found something to eat. It was very pricey for what we got and picky eaters may have a harder time as most everything on the menu had "something added."
Overall, it was a great mini-vacation for us and since we were there celebrating a 40th birthday, my achieving National Board teaching certification and the culmination of a successful business year we felt it was worth the splurge to treat ourselves to the Polynesian and specifically the room we had.
Now with that being said...
The negatives...
Holy need of rehab!!!
Everything from the carpet to the wallpaper to the scuff marks on the doors and walls in the building were disgusting and I was honestly shocked that Disney is OK with the way that building looked. I know some extent of rehab is in the works and honestly the room wasn't too bad, but there is no way a building in that condition could validate the rates they charge anywhere else in the world.
Unfortunately we were in the center of the longhouse which meant we did need to walk through the building to get in/out. I chose not to let it get to me as I felt so blessed to have the view that we had. Also, the POLY was the first Disney hotel I stayed at when I was a kid and it's nostalgic to me.
Another negative was the parking. My inlaws are snowbirds so they met us there for the weekend and had their car. We had run out in the car with them at one point and when we returned there was nowhere to park. They ended up dropping us off and then spent 30 minutes driving around before parking in some insanely far away location. Valet is an option, but pricey.
If not for the view and the location and the nostalgia and the fact that we allowed ourselves to validate the cost as a "celebration," I don't think I would recommend it. We have 3 children (ages 7, 3 and 3) so we were almost exclusively at the MK which made the monorail an added draw. I remember the last time we stayed that the buses stopped at other resorts and were very crowded so that is something to consider if you plan to do HS, AK, DTD or the water parks.
Honestly, I wouldn't stay there unless it was in an MK View room. To each his own of course, but I couldn't justify the cost of the POLY to stay in a garden view room...at least until the hotel is refurbished.
Same here, we have had it booked twice, as it is on our bucket list also. But then when it comes down to it...we decide to go back to moderate because we can stay twice as long for the same price. We had it booked for this year, and then after reading how bad the condition of the rooms were.....and POR just having been refurbed, we are going back there. I think we may give it a try in 2014 also.
