At Poly now---monorail closed from 11-6!

[TheRustyScupper]

For the extra boat launches provided, were they ECV friendly? We wouldn't mind as much if the boats used allowed ECVS. So far we have never seen one go to the Poly that an ECV can board.

1) Yes.
2) During the last monorail downtime, they brought in the Motor Cruisers.
3) Motor Cruisers accept ECVs and Unfolded Strollers, but the Motor Launches do not. *
. . . Cruisers are Friendships
. . . Launches are the little boats that remind me of small Pirate Ships
4) One assumes the same method will apply during this monorail shutdown.

 

[maxiesmom]

We are due to arrive 10/15 and stay for 7 nights. We always come back to our room mid-day to rest with our small children. My husband called Poly to ask if discount would be offered for monorail unavailable days, and they said "no." Well, we have a couple days left to cancel this trip. No room at Wilderness Lodge. This is very disappointing.

Is there some reason you can't use the boats to get back to your room? You can even leave strollers open on the larger ones. I can't imagine trashing a whole trip because of having to use a boat instead of the monorail.

 

[hgeisler]

will be checking in today and honestly, staying at the Polynesian, walking over to TTC is simpler for us than walking to GCH, going up to second level and standing in line to wait to board. I guess if it was my first stay there it might bother me more but right now, I'm okay as long as I can still catch the EPCOT train and boat to MK or express to MK

Apparently, right now there is a gas leak, and you can't even walk to the TTC:/

 

[5DisneyNuts]

I can't say I completely disagree with this. It sounds like WDW is doing whatever they can now to make up for the inconvenience by adding the larger boats and increasing the frequency of the schedule. I can see both sides though and might be annoyed if I was there.

The only thing I would say is that depending on when WDW knew the construction was going to take place (which seems like it should have been at least weeks before the OP was notified) guests scheduled during that time should have been notified so they could have reacted. A slip stuffed under the door seems a bit much and adds to the dissatisfaction. This should have been handled differently.

OP, I hope things work out and you have a great trip regardless.

I'm curious as to what people actually want that will compensate for this. I'd be annoyed too but can't really think of anything that would make up for it.

 

[samnbilly]

I can definitely see how people would be angry or upset about the way the problem was presented to them. I'd be upset if a note was slipped under my door.
On the flip side, there are alternatives..
People changing resorts if possible.
Adjusting their day (schedule)
Taking the boats
Walking to TTC (on a non gas leak day)

It's hard to see how this could be a "deal breaker"
I was there during a hurricane!
Before this particular hurricane, apparently the park had NEVER been closed before..
Well, it was when we were there!
We rec'd a phone call @ 10pm..we had a 7mo old baby & a 3 yo. We were on the bottom floor. They had us being the patio furniture into our room!! (Yes, small room)
The park was closed due to employees not being able to make it to work due to the road closures.
While it was disappointing..we made the most of it! We couldn't even go into the pools due to the weather.

I just couldn't imagine canceling my trip due to this inconvenience.

I hope those of you affected will realize what's important...Being @ WDW with your family!!

Best of Luck!

 

[dpotts]

We stayed at the Polynesian in large part due to it being a monorail hotel, but it was the ferries that we ended up using the most. The had longer hours, which came in handy when we did the Magic Hours, and we're a much more plesent experience than trying to cram into a monorail car.

 

[lovin'fl]

I don't know where I've been but I just discovered this little nugget on Sunday. We are DVC and booked at BLT for next week...specifically for the convenience of getting to Epcot for F&W. We booked it 5 months ago (well, we booked SSR and wait listed BWV and BLT...got BLT). It's not something we can change...not even back to SSR at this point (everything is booked). I'd rather not switch anyway as I am still anxious to try out BLT, so it's not all that huge of an issue...but I get where it's upsetting to some folks. At least I discovered this before we got there. We had plans to go to AK one morning and bus over to Poly for lunch at Kona and then monorail (around 2:30-3:00) back to BLT to rest before going to MK for MNSSHP. So, Sunday night, I cancelled Kona (and tweaked some of our other plans which led me to needing a dinner ADR for 1 night at HS, Epcot, BW or CR). I had trouble, being this late in the game, finding a dinner ADR and ended up going for a place that wasn't the top of my list (though DH seems to be pretty happy with it...and I was the one wanting to try BLT so we are even-steven now ). We'll be fine avoiding the 11am-6pm closing of the monorail.

Edit to add: I guess this didn't happen until Sat so me finding out on Sun wasn't too far off.

 

[Kelleigh710]

Does anyone know how long this construction is supposed to last? I'm due to check-in at BLT on 11/10.

 

[DebbieB]

Does anyone know how long this construction is supposed to last? I'm due to check-in at BLT on 11/10.

10/6 to 10/19

 

[Kelleigh710]

10/6 to 10/19

Thanks Debbie!

 

[DebbyLof428]

I don't know where I've been but I just discovered this little nugget on Sunday. We are DVC and booked at BLT for next week...specifically for the convenience of getting to Epcot for F&W. We booked it 5 months ago (well, we booked SSR and wait listed BWV and BLT...got BLT). It's not something we can change...not even back to SSR at this point (everything is booked). I'd rather not switch anyway as I am still anxious to try out BLT, so it's not all that huge of an issue...but I get where it's upsetting to some folks. At least I discovered this before we got there. We had plans to go to AK one morning and bus over to Poly for lunch at Kona and then monorail (around 2:30-3:00) back to BLT to rest before going to MK for MNSSHP. So, Sunday night, I cancelled Kona (and tweaked some of our other plans which led me to needing a dinner ADR for 1 night at HS, Epcot, BW or CR). I had trouble, being this late in the game, finding a dinner ADR and ended up going for a place that wasn't the top of my list (though DH seems to be pretty happy with it...and I was the one wanting to try BLT so we are even-steven now ). We'll be fine avoiding the 11am-6pm closing of the monorail.

Edit to add: I guess this didn't happen until Sat so me finding out on Sun wasn't too far off.

Don't know if it's something you'd want to do but you could have taken the launch from the Poly to MK and just walked back to BLT

 

[rcraw45425]

don't know if it's been posted but today we rode the launch back from MK to GF/Poly. It was a larger boat, not the little bitty one, one that was large enough to accommodate an ECV or two. Hope this helps.

 

[DaisyD]

don't know if it's been posted but today we rode the launch back from MK to GF/Poly. It was a larger boat, not the little bitty one, one that was large enough to accommodate an ECV or two. Hope this helps.

So glad to hear this! Thanks!

 

[Tikiman]

don't know if it's been posted but today we rode the launch back from MK to GF/Poly. It was a larger boat, not the little bitty one, one that was large enough to accommodate an ECV or two. Hope this helps.

I saw that boat when I was there a year ago. Any chance you can get a photo of that boat for me? It was nighttime and I could not get a good photos of it.

I have a photo of the large ferry docked at the Polynesian dock from a few years back.

 

[Huggups]

I wouldn't exactly be ecstatic about it either but the boat ride is a nice option. I would hope Disney would add some additional boats during those hours. Now if there's bad weather and they stop boat service there will be even more unhappy people.

 

[lovin'fl]

Don't know if it's something you'd want to do but you could have taken the launch from the Poly to MK and just walked back to BLT

Thanks! I knew there had to be some way...but I am cool with the current plans (as it is a more laid back, less commando, schedule that is focused on F&W...yay).

 

[darrink1]

Any time I book a stay at Poly, I always check on Tikiman's web site.

Great site Tikiman.

 

[Tikiman]

Any time I book a stay at Poly, I always check on Tikiman's web site.

Great site Tikiman.

Thanks

 

[rcraw45425]

I saw that boat when I was there a year ago. Any chance you can get a photo of that boat for me? It was nighttime and I could not get a good photos of it.

I have a photo of the large ferry docked at the Polynesian dock from a few years back.

I am so sorry but I didn't see this until we arrived home tonight I will say this though:

For all of you worried about the construction, fences, resort monorail restrictions, etc, just take a deep breath and relax. Yes there are fences, but they're nowhere as obtrusive as they could be. We saw a total of two construction workers and they were simply two friendly guys standing by a fence as we were walking toward the TTC to catch a monorail. Monorails from the TTC were running fine, did notice that the CMs seemed to try to steer as many guests arriving at TTC toward the ferries as possible.
When the resort monorail was down, as I mentioned, the launch that they were running is one that I'd say was between the size of the one from WL and the ones they usually run. We had one lady with an ECV board and the boat captains were quick to get her situated (she went to the bow where there was open air seating) an parked her ECV up by the gangplank. Thinking back, I'd compare these boats to the size of the ones that run at US/IOA on aa daily basis. They hold about that many guests. On a side note, we were waiting to board a bus at DHS to return to the Poly when it began to rain. We had a lady on an ECV and a younger woman in a wheelchair waiting to board. The driver quickly got them boarded and secured and allowed their parties to join them an then she began to load the rest of us when this woman on an ECV came zooming up demanding to board. The driver politely told her that she'd have to wait for the next bus as these people had been waiting for 10 minutes and there was no room for a third ECV/wheelchair. She was livid as the driver called for another bus and the bottom fell out. I honestly think that the boats being used now for GF/Poly hold more guests than a standard bus with HC access.