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

[jcjen519]

We're booked for next week. Made our reservation at the beginning of September. Never received any notice from WDW about the construction.

We are arriving mid December and got that same letter in oct. Wonder if nov v. Dec arrival or stay made a difference in getting the letter or not?

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[Sue M]

A lot of new information has come out but unfortunately I was asked not to share it yet. Disney has been changing around plans and schedules a lot lately and none of this information will get down to the CMs at the resort or the Call Centers for quite a while. Its not that they want to keep it from you, they just don’t know what the plans are. Many of the plans for next year are changing to make way for other plans, so some things will be pushed off into 2015. I believe that from now until January the disruption will be about what it is now but once the new year starts there are many new things that can and will be going on all over the resort. No one is going to be able to tell you what will happen when until right before it happens and most of the time that is because they decide last minute to start a project.

I was lucky in the past to get the construction schedules for the building rehabs a year before they were available to the call centers and the resort but don’t count on that happening too often. There are so many things changing with the plans right now that I don’t know if anyone really knows what will happen when right now.

Thanks Steve. I'll be listening for any info for August trip!

 

[Sue M]

Some pictures from today:

Looking down into the construction area from the stairwell on the lagoon end of Tokelau:









From the lawn in front of the Hawaii longhouse, at about room #1505 (zoomed somewhat so you can see how the boardwalk relates to the castle view):



From the lawn toward the TTC end of Hawaii:



From the beach closer to the Volcano pool:





Hammocks are missing from the dock end of the beach:



The one remaining hammock on the beach:



From the perspective of the Hawaii longhouse, the boardwalk extends along the beach from the remains of Sunset Point to about four rooms from the lounge end of the building.

I am staying at the Grand this time. As much as I miss the Poly, it was definitely the right choice for me.

Great photos! Thanks for posting. I have to admit, it saddens me that they demolished Sunset Point, and are building the water bungalows.

 

[Pirate Mickey Mom]

Woooooohhhhhoooo! . Tikiman posted on FB and his website that he is expecting a delay on the volcano pool closure! Thank you for sharing this information Tikiman! We are headed to the Poly in January!

 

[Cdn Friends of Pooh]

Stayed at poly last week for 8 nights in room 1515 Hawaii building. We booked garden view club level but were "upgraded" to a theme park view. Yes, we could see the castle over the big green fence and got a great view of the fireworks every night. The fence didn't bother us at all and the noise was minimal, all 3 of our children were able to nap mid day with no problems. I thanked the CM that checked us in because the view was amazing even with the construction. He thought I was joking and said they've had several complaints (even from people who have booked garden view and been upgraded). We didn't mind at all!

It's what you make of it ... some people will find any excuse to complain ... glad you got upgraded and enjoyed your CL stay! We ♥ it!!

 

[hawkdss]

Just in case people have not seen this yet:

http://www.tikimanpages.com/poly/news/item/195-mele-kalikimaka

As per usual, thanks for the great work Steve!

 

[Masonmj84]

Just in case people have not seen this yet:

http://www.tikimanpages.com/poly/news/item/195-mele-kalikimaka

As per usual, thanks for the great work Steve!

Ditto on the appreciation for Steve's updates.

Now that the pool closure is projected for May, I'm curious about when in May.

Had originally planned to stay at the Poly April 28-May 3 but then changed to CR due to the pool closure.

Am now wondering if I should switch back to Poly.

 

[MelissaTnNc]

We checked in Tuesday to Tokelau Standard view and its been perfect. We have not noticed the construction and the construction is at the end of our building. Really like the location and would request it in the future!

 

[karriealex]

Ditto on the appreciation for Steve's updates.

Now that the pool closure is projected for May, I'm curious about when in May.

Had originally planned to stay at the Poly April 28-May 3 but then changed to CR due to the pool closure.

Am now wondering if I should switch back to Poly.

Masonmj84 if the Poly is important to you or a dream to stay there than yes I would switch back. At least for me the CR is too much like an airport. Too much concrete. Too sterile. I love the calm I get when I walk into the Poly.

 

[Masonmj84]

Masonmj84 if the Poly is important to you or a dream to stay there than yes I would switch back. At least for me the CR is too much like an airport. Too much concrete. Too sterile. I love the calm I get when I walk into the Poly.

I'm starting to lean that way as we're Poly lovers (I do like the look of the rooms in the CR but sort of feel the same way you do about the rest of that resort).

May wait until January when the room discounts for late spring will likely come out. The Poly is still showing a lot of availabiliy for our dates whereas the CR is practically booked up. Moreover, Steve has hinted that he may have some additional information by then. So I don't see much downside in waiting (plus, if I switch now and in the interim there is some deal-breaker Poly construction news, I may not be able to switch back to CR because it sold out in the meantime).

 

[Kebby]

We had a problem with our room and have been offered the chance to move either to Tokelau garden view to tahiti theme park view. We have four young kids- which would you go for? I am tempted by the tahiti room, but worried about construction noise. But... Do I pass up the free upgrade?!

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

The delay is good news! We are not pool people but I was concerned about our next stay the end of April with the construction mess.

 

[ninafeliz]

We had a problem with our room and have been offered the chance to move either to Tokelau garden view to tahiti theme park view. We have four young kids- which would you go for? I am tempted by the tahiti room, but worried about construction noise. But... Do I pass up the free upgrade?!

That's a difficult one. I would worry about the construction from Tahiti, it looked pretty obtrusive back in October when we were there and now it looks a lot worse in pictures now. But it is hard to turn down a free view upgrade Can you see the Tahiti view, and go back and switch if it's too much for you?

I imagine by now you've decided, but I wanted to give you my $0.02 in case you hadn't yet.

 

[Babsy]

We had a problem with our room and have been offered the chance to move either to Tokelau garden view to tahiti theme park view. We have four young kids- which would you go for? I am tempted by the tahiti room, but worried about construction noise. But... Do I pass up the free upgrade?!

I would stay with Tokelau. It's a bit further from the 'action'. We aren't big fans of construction.

 

[Bonacker]

For anyone interested in Never Land Kids Club:

Tikiman reported on Facebook that the Never Land Club won't close for rebuilding until a bit later than earlier forecast: It's closing January 28, but will be open in January up till then. I phoned the dining reservation number, and they confirmed it will be open until January 28 (while on earlier phone calls they said it was noted in their system that it would be closed as of Jan. 1); the Disney website is also showing it's open as per usual thru Jan 28.

However, for some reason, the reservations hotline couldn't make a reservation, because every January date was showing as "no availability." The CM/operator offered to give me "the direct phone number of the Never Land Club" to phone and ask them directly what was up. (I know, I know, supposedly you never really phone the resort?? Honestly, this time I really do think I phoned the Never Land CLub, because there were screaming kids in the background, etc. I swear.) Anyway, the girl who answered wandered off to find out if they're really open till Jan. 28, and she came back and said, "Yes," but that they cannot take reservations the last week in January because it's closing mid-week, and somehow that meant they couldn't input the reservation -- or something like that -- so we are advised to phone the dining line again a few days before our arrival, or just do a walk-in (since we'll be staying at Poly).

Anyway, this is a long, round-about, overly verbose way to say: Yes, it seems pretty sure the Never Land Club will be open till Jan. 28, then closing, as Tikiman Steve says, to be rebuilt with another theme. (Lilo & Stitch?)

 

[Mousemommy1]

For anyone interested in Never Land Kids Club:

Tikiman reported on Facebook that the Never Land Club won't close for rebuilding until a bit later than earlier forecast: It's closing January 28, but will be open in January up till then. I phoned the dining reservation number, and they confirmed it will be open until January 28 (while on earlier phone calls they said it was noted in their system that it would be closed as of Jan. 1); the Disney website is also showing it's open as per usual thru Jan 28.

However, for some reason, the reservations hotline couldn't make a reservation, because every January date was showing as "no availability." The CM/operator offered to give me "the direct phone number of the Never Land Club" to phone and ask them directly what was up. (I know, I know, supposedly you never really phone the resort?? Honestly, this time I really do think I phoned the Never Land CLub, because there were screaming kids in the background, etc. I swear.) Anyway, the girl who answered wandered off to find out if they're really open till Jan. 28, and she came back and said, "Yes," but that they cannot take reservations the last week in January because it's closing mid-week, and somehow that meant they couldn't input the reservation -- or something like that -- so we are advised to phone the dining line again a few days before our arrival, or just do a walk-in (since we'll be staying at Poly).

Anyway, this is a long, round-about, overly verbose way to say: Yes, it seems pretty sure the Never Land Club will be open till Jan. 28, then closing, as Tikiman Steve says, to be rebuilt with another theme. (Lilo & Stitch?)

To add to this, Tikiman stated it would be closed for the remainder of 2014.

 

[polyfor4]

I'm very anxious to see what January holds for construction! Tikiman's Facebook implies lobby construction will potentially start next month- which might be the deal breaker for our June 2014 stay. Our family agreed that we could handle the pool construction but not if the lobby is being worked on too. We're booked at both Poly CL and BWI right now- I feel like such a traitor!

 

[mistysue]

Does anybody know if they are going to be closing dining locations during the lobby refurb?
I am concerned because I know we already won't have a pool, I picked the Poly because we decided a CS that could deal with allergies is worth more than the pool. (son's allergies give us trouble eating park CS and there is no breakfast CS for him at the YC where we've been staying) so we want something to not be crazy expensive!) If we have to leave both to swim and to eat every time but the price is still just as high than this is the wrong year for us to try the Poly.

 

[digitalweight]

Ok so I am confused and not sure what to believe. We just booked the poly for July 13 to 21st and called twice today and spoke to two people at Disney reservations and both confirmed the same thing.

The monorail will be closed during the afternoons from mid-January until March. According to both their responses, they have no plans for any pool or lobby renovations. Yes there will be renovations on the grassy hill behind the volcano pool but the pool is not scheduled for renovations according to them. Yes some of the beach is being done for the DVC but that is no different than the pictures we have seen.

That being said, I am at a total loss of what to do. We are debating on either staying at the Poly, going further out to AKL or doing YC. Tough decisions - Poly is our first choice but totally not sure what to do given all this conflicting information.

If I believe Disney we will be fine with no pool closure; if I go off the boards and sites then the pool will be closed. Crazy.

 

[Mousemommy1]

Ok so I am confused and not sure what to believe. We just booked the poly for July 13 to 21st and called twice today and spoke to two people at Disney reservations and both confirmed the same thing.

The monorail will be closed during the afternoons from mid-January until March. According to both their responses, they have no plans for any pool or lobby renovations. Yes there will be renovations on the grassy hill behind the volcano pool but the pool is not scheduled for renovations according to them. Yes some of the beach is being done for the DVC but that is no different than the pictures we have seen.

That being said, I am at a total loss of what to do. We are debating on either staying at the Poly, going further out to AKL or doing YC. Tough decisions - Poly is our first choice but totally not sure what to do given all this conflicting information.

If I believe Disney we will be fine with no pool closure; if I go off the boards and sites then the pool will be closed. Crazy.

Hate to say it, but the reservation CM's will likely have no idea about the renovations. Even when BLT was being physically constructed (you could see it being built), you would still get denials that there is any construction going on there...

I want to stay at Poly in a August as well, but I do believe that the pool, and possibly the GCH will be impacted. If nothing else, the DVC construction will still be in full force....so I'm not taking my chances and booked GF instead.