ALOHA! The Polynesian Resort Information Thread: September 2012

[mickeynut1]

27 days to our trip and poly stay! Yippee!
Everyone seems to be recommending Samoa or Tokelau. We booked TPV and have requested for Tahiti. I am getting nervous and now really unsure if I am making the right request. I really want this trip to be great! Hmmmmmm..............

We loved Samoa and that would be my first request for a standard/gv room, but IMO, there's no bad location at the Poly so I think you would be just as happy in Tahiti as the other two .

I know everyone is always very concerned about choosing a specific longhouse...especially those who are newbies to the Poly and more familiar with the spread out resorts at Values and Mods. Poly is not very spread out. It is quite compact in comparison. Every longhouse is closer/further from different points of interest like pools, GCH and TTC but honestly the walk is minimal anywhere.

Given the uncertainty of the refurb schedule, my advice would be to request the other needs.....such as close to pool, close to TTC, close to GCH, balcony, monorail view, etc. This gives the staff a better understanding of what you need and more rooms in the inventory to choose from. If you request a longhouse that is out of inventory because of refurb or guest capacity, the staff has no insight on why you chose that longhouse. KWIM?

We have stayed in both Aotearoa and Tokelau and loved both locations for different reasons. There is no bad location at the Poly and each longhouse has its own view/location personality that will give you a unique experience. I wouldn't sweat it. Know that if you get to your room and really dislike the view or location, you can walk back to the lobby and ask for a new room. The CMs really do want you to have a magical vacation and will work to accomodate your needs.

I agree .

we are going March 4-6 and I requested balcony and Samoa...should I call back and add on other requests? with three young daughters I would like to be close to pool and monorail...

Or should I wait until the ten days before we go (I read somewhere that requests should be done within ten days of arriving but not sure how true this is??)

If being close to the pool and GCH is important, I would definitely put those requests on there. It doesn't hurt and can only help because if your longhouse choice can't be met, the CM will see why you requested that particular building and can possibly put you in one that is still close to the pool and GCH .

 

[pixarmom]

Or should I wait until the ten days before we go (I read somewhere that requests should be done within ten days of arriving but not sure how true this is??)

I like to call CRO with my requests as soon as I book, and then I call back shortly before the trip (10 days or so) to confirm that the request is in the system.

 

[LoveMickeyMouse]

27 days to our trip and poly stay! Yippee!
Everyone seems to be recommending Samoa or Tokelau. We booked TPV and have requested for Tahiti. I am getting nervous and now really unsure if I am making the right request. I really want this trip to be great! Hmmmmmm..............

We stayed in the Tahiti building several years in a row. We liked the location for the more private beach. However, it was a hike to the main pool and GCH. We stayed in the summer last year, and found ourselves buying drinks from the machine in our building, instead of walking that far in the heat to fill our mugs at Captain Cooks. That is why we switched to CL this year. It was SO GREAT to be in the Hawaii building, since the pool was just steps away, but we still had our TPV. Also, we didn't hear the boat horns as much as Tahiti (this would keep me awake at night).

 

[AshleyD1983]

27 days to our trip and poly stay! Yippee!
Everyone seems to be recommending Samoa or Tokelau. We booked TPV and have requested for Tahiti. I am getting nervous and now really unsure if I am making the right request. I really want this trip to be great! Hmmmmmm..............

Personally we loved Tahiti and would definitely request it again in the future. I think your preference will depend on where you will spend most of your time and what you want to be closest to. Our main reason for loving Tahiti so much was the close location to the TTC. Our son was 3 so ease of transportation was one of our priorities. We also loved Tahiti because of the great views of the MK with the quiet, more private beach below. It was a very quiet location. We had a TPV 3rd floor room. I really enjoyed just sitting on the balcony and taking it all in. For us Tahiti would be hard to beat.

 

[Debrn]

27 days to our trip and poly stay! Yippee!
Everyone seems to be recommending Samoa or Tokelau. We booked TPV and have requested for Tahiti. I am getting nervous and now really unsure if I am making the right request. I really want this trip to be great! Hmmmmmm..............

Stayed Tahiti TPV last March. Had requested 3rd floor but had 1st floor and absolutely loved it. You will love Tahiti

 

[longing4disney]

Thanks for your reassurance everyone. We chose Tahiti because we want TPV and it seems to to the best non CL TPV building. Proximity to TTC is also welcomed because it will make our visit to Epcot so much easier. Just concern about the distance to GCH to grab breakfast and fill our mugs. Oh well, we'll just assign our boys as runners and maybe DH can go grab bf for the family when the rest of us are getting ready .
We stayed at CR on our last trip and went to Ohana for bf. when we saw the poly grounds, we all agreed we'll stay at poly if we ever visit again!
Wow can't believe we are making the 24 hr journey to WDW again after 5 yrs! i can't wait to be there!

 

[GrandCanyon]

Thank you.

 

[xipotec]

Single digit dance !!!!! 8 days!!!!

 

[Grace&Carolinesmom]

we are going March 4-6 and I requested balcony and Samoa...should I call back and add on other requests? with three young daughters I would like to be close to pool and monorail...

Or should I wait until the ten days before we go (I read somewhere that requests should be done within ten days of arriving but not sure how true this is??)

I would call and put in your request now. No need to wait. Given your list, I would suggest "balcony near pool and GCH. That would most likely put you in Samoa, Roratonga, or Tokelau because pool could mean Volcano pool or the East pool. All are great locations for your needs. Samoa would be a perfect fit but given the uncertainty of the refurb schedule, this gives the CMs several choices to meet your needs.

When Poly does room refurbs, they takes whole longhouses out of inventory and they do not reopen until the whole longhouse is complete so guests are not inconvenienced by the construction. According to Tikiman, they are planning a faster-than-typical refurb schedule so that might mean more than one longhouse out of inventory at a time which is why making the room requests as stated above even more important. Happy planning

 

[Grace&Carolinesmom]

Tinkerbellie16 Loved your review. I always like to read your take on things as I agree with so many of your observations. I feel the same way about the bathrooms. I hope the refurb doesn't screw up the counterspace and the fully encompassing bathroom.......but given Tikiman said the bathrooms were getting a new design that included moving plumbing and double sinks.....looks like we may be in the minority who like the current design. Oh well. Glad you had a nice trip

 

[princessap]

I would call and put in your request now. No need to wait. Given your list, I would suggest "balcony near pool and GCH. That would most likely put you in Samoa, Roratonga, or Tokelau because pool could mean Volcano pool or the East pool. All are great locations for your needs. Samoa would be a perfect fit but given the uncertainty of the refurb schedule, this gives the CMs several choices to meet your needs.

When Poly does room refurbs, they takes whole longhouses out of inventory and they do not reopen until the whole longhouse is complete so guests are not inconvenienced by the construction. According to Tikiman, they are planning a faster-than-typical refurb schedule so that might mean more than one longhouse out of inventory at a time which is why making the room requests as stated above even more important. Happy planning

When i called before I said balcony and samoa, when I call back do I just say "can you change my request to balcony, near pool and GCH (will that include monorail)???

my DH thinks i am overthinking this as we are only there two nights....we have an early BBB the one park day so I would like to be close to monorail for that....but I keep telling myself it is our first time onsite and we are staying at the Poly!

 

[Grace&Carolinesmom]

When i called before I said balcony and samoa, when I call back do I just say "can you change my request to balcony, near pool and GCH (will that include monorail)???

Yes. And by saying GCH, that puts you near the monorail station which is located on the second floor of the GCH(Grand Ceremonial House). The GCH also contains check-in, restaurants, and shopping.

 

[princessap]

Yes. And by saying GCH, that puts you near the monorail station which is located on the second floor of the GCH(Grand Ceremonial House). The GCH also contains check-in, restaurants, and shopping.

thanks...should I leave out a specific longhouse altogether or say samoa if available?? we have three young daughters so being close to everything is important to us. thanks

 

[dansdad]

my DH thinks i am overthinking this as we are only there two nights....

Your DH sounds like a wise man.

but I keep telling myself it is our first time onsite and we are staying at the Poly!

Now that's the attitude!

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

I have to step up and say something nice about Tahiti--it's my favorite! Okay, I'd be willing to try Hawaii, you know, just for comparison. And we did stay once in Rapa Nui, when Tahiti was being renovated.

I don't find it cumbersome to walk to the GCH for the poo/breakfast/monorail/whatever. YMMV, but it's a pleasant walk through lush foliage. We liked the proximity to the TTC. With Rapa Nui, you're even closer. We ended up in a HA room, which was fine, but I didn't care for it was much as the standard rooms.

For the newbies, the individual longhouses really lend an air of relaxation. You feel like you're very away from the hustle and bustle of crowds, even when you're on your patio or deck. In that sense, it's most like OKW (of the ones I've personally stayed at). You genuinely feel like you're on an island, with thte sandy beach and palm trees and so forth.

 

[DznyCrzy11]

thanks...should I leave out a specific longhouse altogether or say samoa if available?? we have three young daughters so being close to everything is important to us. thanks

If Samoa is not available you can always request Fiji. It's one of the closest buildings to the GCH but on the opposite side of Samoa. If you request marina view the view is the back of the volcano pool. That's the building we always stay in.

Sent from my GalaxyS II

 

[Grace&Carolinesmom]

thanks...should I leave out a specific longhouse altogether or say samoa if available?? we have three young daughters so being close to everything is important to us. thanks

The reservation system really does not have a lot of space for the requests so making it too wordy isn't advised. If it were me, I would leave off Samoa. I understand having 3 young children but believe me, no longhouse is very far from your needs. Samoa is great for being next to both pools. Roratonga is actually adjacent to the GCH. Tokelau borders the East pool AND has larger rooms than Samoa and Roratonga. They all meet your criteria for the room assigners and give them more inventory to work with. All have their own advantages.

 

[Masonmj84]

thanks...should I leave out a specific longhouse altogether or say samoa if available?? we have three young daughters so being close to everything is important to us. thanks

Being close to everything is important to us to.

In that regard, my top choices were Samoa, Tokelou and Rarotonga (we also want a balcony).

Then, I noticed that all of those longhouses border the quiet pool.

I also noted that all third floor rooms have balconies.

So I requested, "third floor on a longhouse close to the quiet pool."

I'm hoping this will give us greater odds of getting our request granted than if we were to requet a specific longhouse (it even covers us if we're lucky enough to get pixie dusted to CL because the Hawaii longhouse also borders the quiet pool).

 

[princessap]

Being close to everything is important to us to.

In that regard, my top choices were Samoa, Tokelou and Rarotonga (we also want a balcony).

Then, I noticed that all of those longhouses border the quiet pool.

I also noted that all third floor rooms have balconies.

So I requested, "third floor on a longhouse close to the quiet pool."

I'm hoping this will give us greater odds of getting our request granted than if we were to requet a specific longhouse (it even covers us if we're lucky enough to get pixie dusted to CL because the Hawaii longhouse also borders the quiet pool).

Can u update me with what happens and where u end up please!

 

[princessap]

The reservation system really does not have a lot of space for the requests so making it too wordy isn't advised. If it were me, I would leave off Samoa. I understand having 3 young children but believe me, no longhouse is very far from your needs. Samoa is great for being next to both pools. Roratonga is actually adjacent to the GCH. Tokelau borders the East pool AND has larger rooms than Samoa and Roratonga. They all meet your criteria for the room assigners and give them more inventory to work with. All have their own advantages.

what do u think i should request then? balcony, close to gch and pool?