Why has Poly gotten so expensive?

[_auroraborealis_]

Nope, it's loss of inventory, especially for theme park view.

But I think it's loss of inventory coupled with

The resort has a cult like following and Disney knows this.

Loss of inventory only drives increased pricing if market demand will fill the rooms at the increased price. Market pricing is based on a combination of inventory AND demand. There are things that no matter how many or how few there were, no pricing would make them desirable. There are other things where a decrease in inventory would have a ceiling limit on price increase.

Got to have both. Peanut butter AND jelly, y0.

 

[JohnDaleswife]

I guess I don't understand the cult.

What I mean by that is there are adults now that were taken there as children by their parents, ages ago. And they want to do the same with thier kids now. And thats great! And I do think the "reduced inventory" does impact the rates as well.

I will stay there one day, was going to this year, but changed my mind with construction. I have also read several threads talking about the food they have for the club level guest being under par verses the other club level hotels. Seems that the Epcot area resorts step it up a notch in that area because they have to. The Poly does not.

 

[Micca]

I used to love the Poly, stayed there a few times many years ago, it was always a favorite. Then the price increases came and it seemed like Poly was always at the top end of the prices such that I just couldn't reconcile the expense. The expense sort of spoiled the whole idea for me, now I don't think it's so special any more. The best thing at the Poly is Trader Sam's, and I don't have to sleep at the resort to experience that. We are DVC members, so we may stay there again someday, but for now a walk-through will suffice.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We stayed there on our first trip. It was nice. But since they built DVC villas with NO one bedroom villas, I have no need to stay there on points. And I probably won't stay there for cash either. Once was enough.

 

[JohnDaleswife]

Like I said, I do plan on staying there one day. But my gut feeling is that it is over rated.

 

[Mainemama]

We began our disney experience as a family at the Poly. Yup, we were "cult" members. DH went as a kid, and get this... For our first trip with our kids (my first trip), my mil heard that we were going to stay at POFQ. She said no way... And paid for us to stay at the Poly. What an amazing gift, that has totally cost us in the long run. We likely would have been more than happy with POFQ, but have been Poly devotees since. I am curious, though, how we will feel after our next stay. We have taken a break from Poly for the last 2 trips, due to construction. Of course, we fell in love with the other deluxes we tried, and they were much cheaper options! We booked our December trip with a magical deal. Those rack rates are reminding me why it is such a good value!

 

[pangyal]

I wouldn't be surprised if they starting pushing the angle of "stay two weeks at the Poly rack rate, you could have bought into DVC for the same amount and guaranteed yourself a room every year for the same price" soon. Maybe I am just feeling suspicious though .

 

[leebee]

I'm looking at the rates in mousesavers:

GF - Outer building theme park view $849/$1006 (weekend)
Poly - Theme Park View $846/$902

http://www.mousesavers.com/2016-grand-floridian-room-rates-season-dates/
http://www.mousesavers.com/2016-polynesian-village-room-rates-season-dates/

PER NIGHT???

 

[Planogirl]

I can stay in a reasonable mid-tier hotel for a week for what the Poly is charging for one night. Plus there are way nicer places for less IMO, both onsite and off. But to each their own. It's hard to believe that we stayed there a few times when DS was a toddler.

 

[DebbieB]

PER NIGHT???

Yes, for May dates, theme park view (there are lower categories). With no discounts.

 

[JohnDaleswife]

Ya, unreal!

 

[Aurora0427]

It's more expensive because the inventory is now more limited because of DVC, and there's a demand for the resort.

We stayed at the Poly in May 2013 before they tore it up on a room discount. I can't remember what we paid, but it was worth it with the discount. We've since stayed at WL once and GF twice with bounce back room discount offers. Worth it. I don't think we could ever swallow paying rack rate at any of these Disney hotels. We paid less than $849 per night at the Four Seasons Maui for an ocean view room! It continually amazes me that people shell out rack rate at the deluxe resorts....

 

[happymommy]

I've never had the desire to stay there, but now in my opinion, Disney deluxe resorts' rack rates are outrageous.
I've loved our trips over the years, but no way am I paying what they're charging now. I've always gotten a discount, in the early years usually military ones that were great, like $109/night for the Beach Club. Last spring break, almost $300/night including tax for the BWI for just DD and me we both felt was crazy. Trip after that, we stayed at Pop and had a great time! Next spring (Easter) break, we rented from an owner at AKL Kidani for less than half what Disney is charging. I won't pay that again! We got it for about $250/night for a one bedroom villa; Disney wants $600/night. No way!

 

[raddisneyfan]

The Poly, GF and all Disney Deluxe Resorts are so wildly overpriced because there is no shortage of people willing to pay whatever Disney charges. None of them are worth what they're charging but that doesn't stop people from paying.

I agree wholeheartedly with this. I've stayed at a lot better. However, I pay the price to stay on property. The Polynesian and Grand Floridian are the most expensive because, with CR, they have the largest rooms and are most convenient to the most popular park--it's that simple. Why are Polynesian rooms more expensive than GF rooms when you're going next year, just because...Disney is probably raising the price to see what the price tolerance is for their guests. If the guests keep paying higher and higher prices, they'll keep going up and up. I think Disney does this all the time. I think a lot of rooms outside the parks--the Ritz, The Waldorf Astoria, the Four Seasons, all have nicer rooms than either the Polynesian or GF, but they don't have the theming necessarily and you can't get a monorail or boat to MK..it's that simple. I'm going to WDW in less than 2 weeks and I will probably book another December trip for next year at that time..one of the resorts I'm looking at for that trip is GF and I'll just cross-fingers that at some point next year, they come out with a discount. I'm just crazy, that's all.

Have fun planning and hope you get the room you want.

 

[mickeynut1]

It's more than the Grand Floridian for next May!

We love the Poly and wanted to stay there again in May now that most of the construction is finished. When I was pricing our trip - I ran all the monorail resorts TPV and the Poly TPV was THE most expensive!! Why is that? It used to be the middle of the pack or even sometimes the lesser of the 3 monorail resorts. Maybe I am just way out the loop on this one but I was surprised! what am I missing here? I just ran rack rates for 5/9/16-5/17/16.

I'm not sure when you priced it, but I just priced those dates on the Disney website and the cost is about the same for weekdays, but the GF is more expensive for weekends. Poly TPV is $752/nt weekdays and $802/nt weekends; GF TPV is $755/nt weekday and $894/nt weekend. They are comparable for weekdays, but the GF is $92/nt more for weekends. Standard rooms are still quite a bit cheaper as the Poly is $533/$585 vs the GF $628/$660.

 

[MillauFr]

What I mean by that is there are adults now that were taken there as children by their parents, ages ago. And they want to do the same with thier kids now. And thats great! And I do think the "reduced inventory" does impact the rates as well.

I will stay there one day, was going to this year, but changed my mind with construction. I have also read several threads talking about the food they have for the club level guest being under par verses the other club level hotels. Seems that the Epcot area resorts step it up a notch in that area because they have to. The Poly does not.

How much was your travel agent charging per night when you made the reservation? Wasn't it still about $200 per night. I would stay there again if the price was less $200 per night like it was when I stayed there last year.

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

I first stayed there in '72 and it was awesome. Stayed there 2 years ago and I think the DVC has ruined it and made it more expensive. Less rooms, plus all the renovations to the lobby (miss the water feature), volcano pool and the addition of Trader Sam's.

 

[cmarsh31]

What I mean by that is there are adults now that were taken there as children by their parents, ages ago. And they want to do the same with thier kids now. And thats great! And I do think the "reduced inventory" does impact the rates as well.

I will stay there one day, was going to this year, but changed my mind with construction. I have also read several threads talking about the food they have for the club level guest being under par verses the other club level hotels. Seems that the Epcot area resorts step it up a notch in that area because they have to. The Poly does not.

Yup - I'm totally one of those people. I remember my parents waking me up to watch the water parade from our room when I was 6. I dream of staying there with my kids (although renting DVC for a studio will probably be how we go).

 

[gdrj]

Reduced room inventory by over 360 rooms, approx 40% of inventory.
Guessing that many people avoided going during construction.
As well as other reasons mentioned above.

On a side note if the popularity of the Monorail resorts stays strong with the pricing I wonder if they will ever revive the 4th monorail resort plans? Seems like there could be a need.

 

[freediverdude]

I'm not sure when you priced it, but I just priced those dates on the Disney website and the cost is about the same for weekdays, but the GF is more expensive for weekends. Poly TPV is $752/nt weekdays and $802/nt weekends; GF TPV is $755/nt weekday and $894/nt weekend. They are comparable for weekdays, but the GF is $92/nt more for weekends. Standard rooms are still quite a bit cheaper as the Poly is $533/$585 vs the GF $628/$660.

I still can't believe we are talking over $800 per night at those resorts, for a room that is not concierge, not attached to the main building, not during peak dates like Christmas week or Spring break or 4th of July weekend, just a regular hotel room on a random night in May. Even the standard room "look out the window at a bush or the monorail beam" are $600+. Now granted a lot of people won't be paying that and will get some kind of discount, depending on what Disney feels like, but still some will end up paying that, probably more than we suspect.