Polynesian DVC Disappointment

[DougK]

I'm not sure I understand. You REQUESTED 3rd floor, but you know they can't guarantee a room on the 3rd floor. Or 2nd floor. So, I'm sure it is frustrating, but I think you managed to disappoint yourself with unreasonable expectations.

But they CAN guarantee a higher floor room, that is my point.

I did not have unreasonable expectations. The point I am making is Disney knows what percentage of requests they get for higher floors for the lagoon view bookings. If the number of requests is below the number of rooms available then I should have gotten the higher floor room. If on the other hand Disney is consistently getting more requests for higher floor rooms than the number of rooms they have available, I feel it is reasonable for them to provide a booking category for higher floor rooms.

 

[DougK]

oops duplicate

 

[DougK]

Never stayed there, but going in May. This is why we got a standard view!

From now on we are booking standard view also, the lagoon view is not worth the extra cost in points.

 

[DougK]

One thing you might try, if you end up going back, is to request 3rd floor, but if not that, then 2nd floor as a second request in your email. That's what I did, and ended up with 2nd floor, which was still acceptable. Actually a little more convenient via the stairs then going up and down 2 flights, and still similar view. And no, even with the higher floors you can only get glimpses of the water pageant, so don't even expect that.

I think part of it is the limited number of rooms that are lake view, which makes it difficult for the room assigners to give everyone their preferences, and part of it is that they have had a history already at the Polynesian since the DVC opened of people throwing fits at the front desk when they get the first floor, so they're less likely to feel like moving people I think. It's easier for the front desk clerk to just say nothing is available and end the discussion.

I did like the perfect view of the castle on the balcony, but I'm not sure that I will use the points and chance it in the future. I think I would rather be able to stay an extra night than use the points for a 66% chance of the perfect view. Of course now that I've decided on standard view, I'll get put in the parking lot view rooms, lol.

I did ask for 3rd floor as first preference, then 2nd floor next, then 1st floor as last choice. It didn't work because we got ground floor anyway.

 

[WIcruizer]

But they CAN guarantee a higher floor room, that is my point.

I did not have unreasonable expectations.

With all due respect, that's what you're not seeing. You DID have unreasonable expectations. They CAN guarantee a higher floor, but they didn't in your case correct? When you booked your stay you REQUESTED this, but they never guaranteed it. You wanted a better view, don't you think most people wanted a higher floor as well? That's why they weren't available.

Yes, it would be nice if they threw some magic your way, but they didn't. I can see being bummed out this happened, but I don't think Disney is to blame, it's just the circumstances.

 

[GoofyDisneyDaddy]

While I agree with the premise that first floor should not be classified as lake view, though that will have ramifications for points elsewhere (though a few Tokelau rooms could be lake view). You're unnecessary rant on lake vs lagoon cost you some credibility, with me. Also, as you requested third floor, you clearly knew the risk that a first floor room would be disappointing yet a real possibility. I think the solution, as you've since noted, is just to book standard view and not waste the points on possibly being disappointed.

 

[dcfromva]

From now on we are booking standard view also, the lagoon view is not worth the extra cost in points.

I don't know if you would be happy with the standard view rooms, either, because you take a chance of a parking lot view....
This was where our standard view room was located on our last visit:

This was our view:

Now from our perspective--it was a great room--close to transportation, etc. We liked being on the 1st floor. (Most of the time--we don't have a view preference. )

 

[DisDadDVC]

tl;dr version: first floor rooms shouldn't be considered "lake view."

I'd complain, but that's really all that needs to be said.

Maybe, but they are lake view now and OP knew that when he booked.

ETA: I am booked in a lake view at Poly over Thanksgiving. I too am hoping for a 3rd floor. I will be disappointed if I get 1st floor, but I know that going into it and won't have any reason to complain if I do.

 

[disneynutz]

I don't know if you would be happy with the standard view rooms, either, because you take a chance of a parking lot view....
This was where our standard view room was located on our last visit:
View attachment 134827
This was our view:
View attachment 134828
Now from our perspective--it was a great room--close to transportation, etc. We liked being on the 1st floor. (Most of the time--we don't have a view preference. )

Now that seems like a standard view.

I only wish that DVD would correctly identify the views before they release a project and not re-classify after sales start.

Maybe they want higher point rooms so that they can sell more points hoping that owners will just take it.

Bill

 

[DisDadDVC]

Maybe they want higher point rooms so that they can sell more points hoping that owners will just take it.

This

 

[robndani]

I know that this may be slightly off topic, but the same can be true in the reverse situation. We had lake view at BLT in February and ended up with a perfect view of MK - castle, fireworks, everything!

 

[dcfromva]

Here is another standard view (this one was from the 3rd floor)

(I thought this was a pretty view.)

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

But they CAN guarantee a higher floor room, that is my point.

I did not have unreasonable expectations. The point I am making is Disney knows what percentage of requests they get for higher floors for the lagoon view bookings. If the number of requests is below the number of rooms available then I should have gotten the higher floor room. If on the other hand Disney is consistently getting more requests for higher floor rooms than the number of rooms they have available, I feel it is reasonable for them to provide a booking category for higher floor rooms.

Sure, they could make the 3rd floor a booking category and guarantee it but that comes with more issues for a small number of rooms mostly with stranded days here and there. For example I was originally surprised that they were not doing TPV at VGC but I'm now thankful they didn't because booking would have been made that much more difficult. Consider that you're ahead of the game because you know the 1st floor views do not equal the 3rd floor and can determine if the odds of getting the 1st floor is worth the points required for LV vs SV.

So I disagree it's completely reasonable to make the top floor a booking category. If it was it would likely only be owners there that would get it most times of the year, but perhaps that's your wish? You might find though that you couldn't even get that category though if it was because it would be fairly limited and probably far more popular if the top floor was guaranteed.

 

[cvjw]

Contact member satisfaction, and actually talk to them about your concerns when they contact you.

I contacted them about our 2 connecting standard view Poly studios that we received over Memorial Day that faced the parking lot in Pago Pago.

The same amount of points for standard view could get you a gorgeous island view right across the hall in Pago Pago. Should not be the same amount of points in our opinion. View of a busy, loud parking lot or a view of a serene, quiet, lush garden view. Same points.

She said that she had received numerous complaints about the disparity in standard view studios at the Poly. She could only forward our concerns to upper management. She said if enough members complain, maybe something will be done

 

[WIcruizer]

Nothing wrong with contacting them, nothing at all. But this issue will never, ever be resolved. Think about every resort having 50 different views and points assigned. You would almost have to come up with a point value for each individual room. And then constantly update them as the view changes. It's just not realistic. Here's a room with a pool view....but there's a palm tree in the way. Here's a room with a gorgeous view of the lake (sorry meant LAGOON).... but you can see a corner of the parking lot.

 

[kungaloosh22]

Nothing wrong with contacting them, nothing at all. But this issue will never, ever be resolved. Think about every resort having 50 different views and points assigned. You would almost have to come up with a point value for each individual room. And then constantly update them as the view changes. It's just not realistic. Here's a room with a pool view....but there's a palm tree in the way. Here's a room with a gorgeous view of the lake (sorry meant LAGOON).... but you can see a corner of the parking lot.

They could go a VERY long way to making everyone happy with 3 views. Standard parking lot view, garden view (including 1st floor Moorea), and lake view (upper 2 floors of Moorea and possibly a handful of Tokelau rooms).

 

[DisDadDVC]

They could go a VERY long way to making everyone happy with 3 views. Standard parking lot view, garden view (including 1st floor Moorea), and lake view (upper 2 floors of Moorea and possibly a handful of Tokelau rooms).

Think about all the different flavors of each of those though. What if you book garden view, but you can see a bit of asphalt from parking lot? To me, getting more granular just compounds the problem.

 

[kungaloosh22]

Think about all the different flavors of each of those though. What if you book garden view, but you can see a bit of asphalt from parking lot? To me, getting more granular just compounds the problem.

It's never going to be 100% perfect, but the issues they have right now with Pago Pago parking lot and Moorea 1st floor "lake view" rooms are much more major than examples like seeing a bit of asphalt. You can see a bit of the parking lot right now in many Moorea garden view rooms, but I never see anyone complaining about it, because it's just not that close or much. By contrast, many people hate the parking lot views in Pago Pago.

 

[DisDadDVC]

It's never going to be 100% perfect, but the issues they have right now with Pago Pago parking lot and Moorea 1st floor "lake view" rooms are much more major than examples like seeing a bit of asphalt. You can see a bit of the parking lot right now in many Moorea garden view rooms, but I never see anyone complaining about it, because it's just not that close or much. By contrast, many people hate the parking lot views in Pago Pago.

It just makes booking and arranging rooms to satisfy all guests so much harder for Disney. Every time you subdivide rooms, it makes it harder to properly fill them all. I think they'd rather just deal with the complaints as they come, and maybe re-classify 1st floor rooms eventually.

 

[kungaloosh22]

I don't think 3 categories is unreasonable. As a guest, I care more about guests generally getting what they pay for than what makes it easiest for Disney. (I make that argument at my own work as well, where I regularly advocate doing the right thing for the user versus what's "easiest" for us internally.)