ALOHA! The Polynesian Resort Information Thread: September 2012

[dtripli]

Originally Posted by guitarob

Samoa has a great little area around the ground floor patios on the pool side. It is separated from the pool area by a path and some garden space as well. Samoa is also convenient to everything. I have a picture of that side of the building here somewhere; I'll edit it in when I find it, gimme a few...

...ahh, here we go:


The volcano pool is to the left in that shot.

The picture is perfect....thanks so much!...Now you said that this is the side facing the volcano pool right?..How do you think the noise level would be over there? Also what is on the other side of the building....same type of patios? Just curious...

[gaildmoody]

Originally Posted by dtripli

The picture is perfect....thanks so much!...Now you said that this is the side facing the volcano pool right?..How do you think the noise level would be over there? Also what is on the other side of the building....same type of patios? Just curious...

The noise isn't bad at all. I stayed in Samoa in July and had no problems at all!

On the other side of the building is the quiet pool area and yes... same type of patios.

[maryj11]

Originally Posted by gaildmoody

The noise isn't bad at all. I stayed in Samoa in July and had no problems at all!

On the other side of the building is the quiet pool area and yes... same type of patios.

Did you make a request for Samoa ? I'm going to request Samoa but, I know it's a popular building so I'm not sure we will get it.

[monorailsilver]

Originally Posted by longhorns2

Thanks Amanda--- all very good points! And I know we would LOVE WL.

The problem is I'm not sure I can sell DH on them... he has his heart set on Poly as the main stop. He went there as a kid with his parents and it's his "dream" to take his kids back.

I'm leery about us all in one room too for any major time frame- looking at doing CL so there's the option of the lounge for more space and entertainment options.

We don't usually stick around MK (or Epcot) for fireworks unless there's EMH afterwards, and then we stick that out until the end, so the traffic isn't as bad. But the last time we did all this it was without the baby---- sooooo, that has to be factored in.

She's pretty go with the flow for the most part, but August and the heat and being 2... well, I'm not counting on her being the best late night traveler! But that's also why I wanted Poly- to be closest (and easiest with monorail- not interested in CR) to get her home if we need to get out earlier than the other kids.

It's going to be a pain, no matter how we work it out I suppose.

I may have to lay this out with DH and give him the WL option. It's not a hardship at all to stay there- we love it. But he's just kinda set on Poly. We have stayed long term in a one room situation before and it's not horrible --- but it's not ideal for sure.

I do think it is doable.

Look at it this way, your dh wants to stay at the Poly, your next trip your youngest will be over 3 & you would need 2 rooms to stay there so why not do it now.

It is only a week & you will survive.

We are a family of 5 & have only gone once as a family of 5 but have been elsewhere, heck a 15 in car ride with my 3 kids is far worse then a week in Disney in one hotel room.

We are only in our room in the am-I bring breakfast so as dh & I are taking turns showering the kids are slowly waking, getting dressed, eating & then I slather then with sunscreen (bonus next year my 2 oldest & hopefully my youngest will do that vs me).

We do go back for a mid day break since I prefer to go in the summer & it is a quick boat or monorail ride back (or the dreaded bus but even that mid day isn't bad). I usually do laundry then. One year we had a bottom floor room & that was when we only had 1 kid. DH & I took turns leaving while the other sat outside. But the last 2 times we went we had a 2nd or 3rd floor so I had to use the 'front door'. No one woke up. They were so passed out.

Even at night when we returned from the park. My kids would be passed out asleep with the lights ON.

So yes I think it will work, we don't do CL because it isn't worth it for us to spend that money on food when we can do it cheaper shipping. And like I said, your youngest still doesn't count so you only need one room.

[maiapapaya]

Originally Posted by TheNewMrsB

Actually, I DO have something to say. A question, really, based on a discussion Guitarob and I had earlier today.

Do you take time to just relax when on vacation at WDW? Hanging out at the pool is one thing (and we do it every day) - but if I'm super tired, I feel like taking time to do nothing but relax and not spend time at a park is wasting time AND money, frankly.

Rob on the other hand feels that we're paying mostly for the resort anyway, and the level of comfort and service we receive there, so even if we were to spend an entire day just relaxing there it would be time well spent.

What say you, fellow Poly lovers?

I like to relax a bit in the afternoon, IF we are out by the pool, maybe in the lounge ... but to just hang out in the room drives me crazy!! DH & DD20 are big nappers and love nothing more than to try and weasle a nap into the agenda. My feeling is when paying what we do to go to WDW & stay at the Poly it's a big waste of money to be snoozing in the room at 3:00 in the afternoon! And I'm not a napper, so I find myself pacing and the little ones just wanting to watch tv. Of course I can't take off on my own because the little ones will a) require something at sometime and need a grown up's attention and b) if I take off & the little ones interrupt DH's nappy time because they need something (a snack for example) he will be grumpy - at both them and me! So ... I try to keep everyone busy, even if it's just a dip in the pool to avoid the mid-afternoon "let's just hang out in the room for a while."

[BreezysMom]

Originally Posted by maiapapaya

I like to relax a bit in the afternoon, IF we are out by the pool, maybe in the lounge ... but to just hang out in the room drives me crazy!! DH & DD20 are big nappers and love nothing more than to try and weasle a nap into the agenda. My feeling is when paying what we do to go to WDW & stay at the Poly it's a big waste of money to be snoozing in the room at 3:00 in the afternoon! And I'm not a napper, so I find myself pacing and the little ones just wanting to watch tv. Of course I can't take off on my own because the little ones will a) require something at sometime and need a grown up's attention and b) if I take off & the little ones interrupt DH's nappy time because they need something (a snack for example) he will be grumpy - at both them and me! So ... I try to keep everyone busy, even if it's just a dip in the pool to avoid the mid-afternoon "let's just hang out in the room for a while."

Ditto

DH would take a nap every day in the afternoon. But I can't stand to be in the room too long. But like Maia, I take DD to the pool or we wander the resort or hang in the lobby or CL lounge and let him get his little nappy time in. I call it "siesta time" and we have it every day...we all just siesta a little different

[maryj11]

Originally Posted by maiapapaya

I like to relax a bit in the afternoon, IF we are out by the pool, maybe in the lounge ... but to just hang out in the room drives me crazy!! DH & DD20 are big nappers and love nothing more than to try and weasle a nap into the agenda. My feeling is when paying what we do to go to WDW & stay at the Poly it's a big waste of money to be snoozing in the room at 3:00 in the afternoon! And I'm not a napper, so I find myself pacing and the little ones just wanting to watch tv. Of course I can't take off on my own because the little ones will a) require something at sometime and need a grown up's attention and b) if I take off & the little ones interrupt DH's nappy time because they need something (a snack for example) he will be grumpy - at both them and me! So ... I try to keep everyone busy, even if it's just a dip in the pool to avoid the mid-afternoon "let's just hang out in the room for a while."

I cannot lay around in the room during the day either while at Disney ! There is to much to do Now maybe on the beach in a hammock watching everything that is going on, now I could do that. But sitting in the room I'm afraid I will miss something I also wake up way to early in the mornings and cant wait to get the day started. If I'm in the room while the others are watching tv or resting, I'm pacing and impatient to get out and do something

[maiapapaya]

Originally Posted by maryj11

I cannot lay around in the room during the day either while at Disney ! There is to much to do Now maybe on the beach in a hammock watching everything that is going on, now I could do that. But sitting in the room I'm afraid I will miss something I also wake up way to early in the mornings and cant wait to get the day started. If I'm in the room while the others are watching tv or resting, I'm pacing and impatient to get out and do something

THIS exactly!! Drives me nuts! LOL

[Momof2Disneyboys]

I hear you all on the napping!! My DH would be happy with a nap everyday at WDW. And the kids are thrilled to sit in the room and watch TV - we don't have cable at home. So when I said I enjoy spending a lot of time at the resort, I do! But not laying around in the room. I need to be doing or seeing something!! They drive me nuts with the napping and TV!!

[disneydreamin247]

When we go on extended trips (9 nights+) I don't mind taking a nap during the day. When we are there for shorter times, no way. There's just too much to do!

[longhorns2]

Originally Posted by monorailsilver

I do think it is doable.

Look at it this way, your dh wants to stay at the Poly, your next trip your youngest will be over 3 & you would need 2 rooms to stay there so why not do it now.

It is only a week & you will survive.

We are a family of 5 & have only gone once as a family of 5 but have been elsewhere, heck a 15 in car ride with my 3 kids is far worse then a week in Disney in one hotel room.

We are only in our room in the am-I bring breakfast so as dh & I are taking turns showering the kids are slowly waking, getting dressed, eating & then I slather then with sunscreen (bonus next year my 2 oldest & hopefully my youngest will do that vs me).

We do go back for a mid day break since I prefer to go in the summer & it is a quick boat or monorail ride back (or the dreaded bus but even that mid day isn't bad). I usually do laundry then. One year we had a bottom floor room & that was when we only had 1 kid. DH & I took turns leaving while the other sat outside. But the last 2 times we went we had a 2nd or 3rd floor so I had to use the 'front door'. No one woke up. They were so passed out.

Even at night when we returned from the park. My kids would be passed out asleep with the lights ON.

So yes I think it will work, we don't do CL because it isn't worth it for us to spend that money on food when we can do it cheaper shipping. And like I said, your youngest still doesn't count so you only need one room.

Thank you! The fact that she might be 3 the next time we go does factor into this being THE Poly trip. 2 rooms at the Poly means half the length of the stay for us. Since we fly from Texas, we'd like to stay as long as possible when we do go.

Pretty sure we are going to try Poly, unless finances dictate otherwise. Yay Poly!

[TinkNH]

Originally Posted by TheNewMrsB

Actually, I DO have something to say. A question, really, based on a discussion Guitarob and I had earlier today.

Do you take time to just relax when on vacation at WDW? Hanging out at the pool is one thing (and we do it every day) - but if I'm super tired, I feel like taking time to do nothing but relax and not spend time at a park is wasting time AND money, frankly.

Rob on the other hand feels that we're paying mostly for the resort anyway, and the level of comfort and service we receive there, so even if we were to spend an entire day just relaxing there it would be time well spent.

What say you, fellow Poly lovers?

if it was just the husband and i we would be spending more relaxing time but with a 10 yr old who is all about how many times she can ride certain rides, and very active 4 yr old twins ..this is not going to be a relaxing vacation it will be fantastic but I will probably need a vacation to recover after

[Mousemommy1]

Originally Posted by TheNewMrsB

Actually, I DO have something to say. A question, really, based on a discussion Guitarob and I had earlier today.

Do you take time to just relax when on vacation at WDW? Hanging out at the pool is one thing (and we do it every day) - but if I'm super tired, I feel like taking time to do nothing but relax and not spend time at a park is wasting time AND money, frankly.

Rob on the other hand feels that we're paying mostly for the resort anyway, and the level of comfort and service we receive there, so even if we were to spend an entire day just relaxing there it would be time well spent.

What say you, fellow Poly lovers?

When DH and I used to go before kids, we were park commandos and stayed in values and were in the parks from open to close.

The first two times we took our girls, we did pretty much the same thing, and were amazed they could keep up with us, but BOY!! Did we feel like we needed a vacation from vacation afterwards or what!?!?!

This past trip (in July), we had our longest stay at 11 days and were at WL. It was so.amazingly.relaxing!! Because of the length of the trip, we did not feel rushed to get everything done all at once. We even spent 2 whole days just bumming around the resort, not doing the parks at all. We even took a NAP!!! And our girls were completely fine with that. We decided that 11 days is the perfect trip length for us and we can actually come back feeling relaxed and rested. So, we are doing it again in April. The only thing different is that we are incorporating a split stay, but with Poly CL on the last half of the trip, I see alot of great relaxation in our future...

[gaildmoody]

Originally Posted by maryj11

Did you make a request for Samoa ? I'm going to request Samoa but, I know it's a popular building so I'm not sure we will get it.

I did! I called and requested Samoa and requested it during online check in.

[Tess]

Originally Posted by guitarob

I'm still wishy-washy over the whole online check in thing... I just can't bring myself to do it. I don't know why. I just like doing what I know I guess. That, and I'm not hearing any overly convincing arguments for it either.

I would second your thought process Rob, I've heard way too many stories of online check-ins being redirected to GCH. Frankly, not to be a snob or anything, but I would decline that check-in process and wait my turn in Hawaii. You always have the lounge to hang out and wait with a nice cup of juice.