Official Poly construction update thread **updated video page 103(2/17/15)**

[meganhernandez76]

We are staying at the Poly for the first time may 22-29 in a theme park view room (not club level). From what I have read, we will be in the Tuvalu or Aotearoa long houses. I am Assuming the main pool will be open and the east pool will be under construction, as Disney keeps saying. For those of you who are familiar with the resort, do you think the east pool construction will bother us? It looks like we will be on opposite side of resort but I wasn't sure how spread out or compact the resort is since I have never been there. Thanks!

 

[texasgingerbread]

For the most part, the monorails are running normally. There are occasional short-term disruptions though. I haven't been to the Poly while the construction is underway, but from what I read on these boards the walkway to the TTC has been re-routed but is still available.

Hi under the refurbishments and closures list for my dates it says, "Monorail – beginning March 10 through Summer On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from 11:30 am to 6:00pm, the Express beam will be closed for maintenance. During that time, the Resort and Epcot beams will continue to operate as normal. Watercraft and buses will also be operating throughout the closures.". So this doesn't effect Polynesian at all, correct?

 

[Koh1977]

Hi under the refurbishments and closures list for my dates it says, "Monorail – beginning March 10 through Summer On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from 11:30 am to 6:00pm, the Express beam will be closed for maintenance. During that time, the Resort and Epcot beams will continue to operate as normal. Watercraft and buses will also be operating throughout the closures.". So this doesn't effect Polynesian at all, correct?

It affects the Poly only as much as you'd be walking to the TTC and catching the express monorail to MK during those hours. The resort monorail might be a bit more crowded than usual during those hours as well.

 

[kungaloosh22]

We are staying at the Poly for the first time may 22-29 in a theme park view room (not club level). From what I have read, we will be in the Tuvalu or Aotearoa long houses. I am Assuming the main pool will be open and the east pool will be under construction, as Disney keeps saying. For those of you who are familiar with the resort, do you think the east pool construction will bother us? It looks like we will be on opposite side of resort but I wasn't sure how spread out or compact the resort is since I have never been there. Thanks!

I doubt the east pool construction will bother you at all from Tuvalu or Aotearoa.

 

[klinlin]

We are going in October staying GV CL since there will be so much construction on and around the east pool what are the chances we won't be directly facing all of this? We will have a 9 year old and an 18 month old, the baby will need midday naps. Should we just forget CL for this trip if we want to stay at the Poly?

I have a similar question, although I don't have to worry about anyone napping, except DH! I have been to the Poly many times, but have never stayed there, and I can't really picture the layout in my mind. My excitement over the main pool being finished on schedule has been tempered by the fact that the whole resort will still be under construction for our Thanksgiving trip. How bad will it be for Hawaii?

 

[MouseMum]

I am thinking that it might be available from the DVC villas if that area's open once they open the DVC buildings next month...? I know Tokelau won't be open yet and may have walls/screens around it, but I would assume the area between the other 2 DVC buildings would be free of construction...?

Not familiar with the Poly at all. We will be staying at one of the studio villas. Would like to avoid any construction. And easier access to the TTC would be nice for Epcot. However, we'll be going to Magic Kingdom most often. Which longhouse should I request?

 

[DisWishes720]

We just booked the Poly Club Level, Garden View room for Oct. 16 - 20. We will be traveling with my 4 month and 4 year old sons and I am a little nervous about the construction. I assumed most of it would be done by then as the pool is schedule to open as well as the bungalows, but does anyone know what will still be in construction at that time? Do you think it will be loud and disturb the little ones during nap time?

 

[PAdislover]

We just booked the Poly Club Level, Garden View room for Oct. 16 - 20. We will be traveling with my 4 month and 4 year old sons and I am a little nervous about the construction. I assumed most of it would be done by then as the pool is schedule to open as well as the bungalows, but does anyone know what will still be in construction at that time? Do you think it will be loud and disturb the little ones during nap time?

According to letters sent out by Disney to guests staying at Poly through at least the fall of this year (including myself in October; got my letter yesterday), the East pool will be closed and that area will be worked on heavily through "winter 2015". The poly club rooms are located in the Hawaii longhouse (see this map http://www.tikimanpages.com/poly/hawaii ). The garden view rooms will almost all be located on the south side of the building which all face the east pool courtyard. There are a few rooms on the lagoon side of Hawaii ( 9 ground floor rooms to be exact, per tikimans website) that are considered garden view (probably b/c they can't be considered lagoon view anymore with new landscaping and the new bungalows in the way). So I guess that's the long way of me saying that I believe that garden view club rooms will be affected by construction, unless you can get one on the lagoon side of the building. I am staying at end of October too but am in a standard, non club level room and have requested aotearoa. No one knows exactly where Disney will be at with the east pool construction in October. They bulk of the tearing out and putting in the new pool could be done and they could be just doing finishing touches or it could be super loud still since they I believe are building some new small bar/grill over there too and they could be still doing the pool too. No one really knows at this point what the exact timeline is. All we can do is follow along. I highly recommend following tikimans facebook page. he updates it with new construction pictures that guests send him almost daily.

 

[Koh1977]

Not familiar with the Poly at all. We will be staying at one of the studio villas. Would like to avoid any construction. And easier access to the TTC would be nice for Epcot. However, we'll be going to Magic Kingdom most often. Which longhouse should I request?

What are your dates again? Are you in a Standard View or Lake View Studio? Lake Views are only in Moorea (formerly known as Tahiti on the old maps). Standard Views are Moorea and Pago Pago (formerly known as Rapa Nui) and then Tokelau when it opens mid summer? I don't think you can go wrong with either one since you *shouldn't* have any issues getting to the TTC from either one. It's probably easier and quicker to catch the monorail to EPCOT or MK or the ferry to MK from the TTC than from the Poly itself. Pago Pago is probably the closest to the TTC and the easiest to get to the front of the resort to get to buses, etc.? Request a north facing room (facing Moorea) instead of the parking lot view and you should be good.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I received my construction letter from the Poly yesterday and it says the East pool will be closed "mid April 2015 through early 2016."

I'm not worried about that construction or closing. I've never used a quiet pool at any of my onsite stays. My kids prefer the main pools with water slides.

I will be, most likely, requesting Fiji-marina view.

 

[cedricandsophie]

Can't speak to construction updates although we visited the studio on display at dvc yesterday and were told some studios would be available starting April 2015. Not at all impressed with studios. Apparently you can request and actually get connecting studios but for a large fm family there is no where to sit or cook. And no washer dryer. The bungalows will never be available for viewing. The only way to actually get inside is by booing although they couldn't say exactly when they would be open. And the new Lobby is awful. No charm whatsoever. Too bad.

 

[MouseMum]

What are your dates again? Are you in a Standard View or Lake View Studio? Lake Views are only in Moorea (formerly known as Tahiti on the old maps). Standard Views are Moorea and Pago Pago (formerly known as Rapa Nui) and then Tokelau when it opens mid summer? I don't think you can go wrong with either one since you *shouldn't* have any issues getting to the TTC from either one. It's probably easier and quicker to catch the monorail to EPCOT or MK or the ferry to MK from the TTC than from the Poly itself. Pago Pago is probably the closest to the TTC and the easiest to get to the front of the resort to get to buses, etc.? Request a north facing room (facing Moorea) instead of the parking lot view and you should be good.

Thanks for the info! We're going to be at the Poly Aug 16-26 and staying in a standard view studio. In one of Tikiman's recent posts, he said something to the effect that there was no longer a path through the resort to the TTC, and you now had to go past the parking lot (hopefully I got that right...forgive me Steve if I didn't). Not sure what he meant since I don't know the resort. Nor would I know if he meant that to be temporary or permanent. Can you comment?

 

[Koh1977]

Thanks for the info! We're going to be at the Poly Aug 16-26 and staying in a standard view studio. In one of Tikiman's recent posts, he said something to the effect that there was no longer a path through the resort to the TTC, and you now had to go past the parking lot (hopefully I got that right...forgive me Steve if I didn't). Not sure what he meant since I don't know the resort. Nor would I know if he meant that to be temporary or permanent. Can you comment?

The parking lot is right by Pago Pago (which is one of them with SV Studios). I don't think anyone knows if and when the path through the resort to the TTC will be open. (Between Moorea and Pago Pago) If you look at the Aloha Poly thread, there is a map on the first page. (Or just google it)

 

[Sue M]

It affects the Poly only as much as you'd be walking to the TTC and catching the express monorail to MK during those hours. The resort monorail might be a bit more crowded than usual during those hours as well.

Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but I think letter said reduced service for express monorail from TTC to MK? So you'd still be able to take resort monorail to MK. The resort monorail will get heavier usage from people arriving at TTC, they would either have to use resort monorail or Boat to MK rather then express monorail.

 

[whiporee]

Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but I think letter said reduced service for express monorail from TTC to MK? So you'd still be able to take resort monorail to MK. The resort monorail will get heavier usage from people arriving at TTC, they would either have to use resort monorail or Boat to MK rather then express monorail.

What it reads to me is that the resort monorail will be acting like the Express, which means that everyone using the monorail will be using the express. Longer lines to get on leaving the park, and since the Poly is the stop after the TTC, I think it will make for longer lines to get on. Or rationing space, which I've seen them do. I don't know how anyone at the GF would be able to use the monorail at a peak time during the summer to get to the park -- which means the launch will be a lot more crowded.

Yuck.

 

[Koh1977]

What it reads to me is that the resort monorail will be acting like the Express, which means that everyone using the monorail will be using the express. Longer lines to get on leaving the park, and since the Poly is the stop after the TTC, I think it will make for longer lines to get on. Or rationing space, which I've seen them do. I don't know how anyone at the GF would be able to use the monorail at a peak time during the summer to get to the park -- which means the launch will be a lot more crowded.

Yuck.

I am not sure I would consider 11-6 peak time for the monorail though anyway...? The express is still operating at park opening and in the evenings (and park close). Correct?

 

[whiporee]

Probably a good point.

 

[Sue M]

I am not sure I would consider 11-6 peak time for the monorail though anyway...? The express is still operating at park opening and in the evenings (and park close). Correct?

Ugh. I just can't escape monorail issues!!! Last Aug staying at GF they were operating on a restricted sched too. No Epcot monorail for park opening. They provided a bus :-(. Epcot monorail didn't start till 9:00 or 9:30am. Either way you wouldn't arrive for roped drop.

 

[texasgingerbread]

Tikiman's post on fb today, "There has been some information going around from different parts of Disney that the Lava pool will be delayed. Nothing for sure at this point. Karen got this photo of the kiddy pool trough for the slide being brought in." Go check it out for those staying at beginning of April...

 

[Sue M]

This doesn't surprise me!! It's a lot of work to get done.