Absolutely unacceptable

[YankeePrincess]

Actually staying at the Poly you have it made.

Think about this. You can take the boat over to MK.

The Epcot monorail line is still open. You can just walk right to the ticket and transportation center to hop on that monorail. Nobody else can. They have to take alternate transportation to the TTC.

 

[a1tinkfans]

There is no way that Disney didn't know about this much earlier than announced. You can't believe that they are going to build a DVC resort and not plan things out. I may be wrong, but I don't believe that there was a notice until the day before the monorail closures were to start. I feel that they withheld the information so that the monorail deluxe resorts did suffer a major decrease in bookings. This just doesn't seem right to me.

I totally agree with you and unless people/the paying public actually start to complain "en mass" (like getting it on boards.etc) none of the typical disney procedure or policy regarding last minute changes/cancels will change...DIsney is $$$$ and having cancels/lost revenue at Deluxes is a BIG hit...
seriously....how many families/elderly/handicap specifically stay monorail...many I believe.....what a major inconvenience and utter DISgarce...very DISrespectful to their customers...opps.."guests" imho
Personally I am DISappointed

 

[YankeePrincess]

Doesn't the monorail close at 11am and open back up at 6pm? So you can take it to get to the park and you can take it to go home. I don't see why its a big issue.

 

[delaneyc52]

Good conversation everyone!!......but I have to say good night so I can get to work for that darned Fortune top 20 company that I work for tomorrow...hahhaha..... (I actually do love my job ) Let the debate continue without me.....all I leave you with is COMMUNICATION.

 

[ftballfan7]

Ugh

 

[bigtony777]

Doesn't the monorail close at 11am and open back up at 6pm? So you can take it to get to the park and you can take it to go home. I don't see why its a big issue.

The big issue is that our family, others and possibly the OP go back to the resort for a little afternoon down time. Without the monorail this could cause several more hours of travel time over a span of several days.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

Ahhhh....but those resorts cost quite a bit less the the Poly, GF and CR.....

Exactly!!! Why? Because the Poly, GF, and CR have monorail access!!!

Disney knows there is a difference.

 

[ftballfan7]

I work for a Fortune 100 company

Again...my Fortune 100 company is on a major river

Wink wink and no flames.....but I guess that's why my company is in the top 20 and Disney is 65 in the Fortune 100!

Good conversation everyone!!......but I have to say good night so I can get to work for that darned Fortune top 20 company that I work for tomorrow.

You wouldn't happen to work for a successful company would you?

 

[KellyNY]

The big issue is that our family, others and possibly the OP go back to the resort for a little afternoon down time. Without the monorail this could cause several more hours of travel time over a span of several days.

Obviously, but how much extra time it will actually take a day.

 

[mesaboy2]

You wouldn't have to work for a successful company would you?

Well, they did emphasize the importance of COMMUNICATION.

 

[ftballfan7]

OP - I would absolutely complain and try to get some sort of compensation. PM me what happens, as I'm sure you don't want to get flamed by posting it here on the Dis. I'm sure you will get something for your trouble.

Should all of the thousands of people at these resorts get something, or just those that whine about it enough?

 

[LittleMissMagic]

Not looking to "stir the honey pot" but $300 per night is actually a pretty decent price for the Poly in March! Rack rates for March are listed as $465-$585 for Garden View ($615-780 for Magic Kingdom view).

Poly is awesome! I would be disappointed, too. Hopefully, the monorail is up and running quickly and the interruption will be minimal!

Yeah, it is a good deal. I'm paying $428 weekdays, $468 weekends Garden View (and this also happens to be the one week they didn't off free dining...lol)!

 

[carrie6466]

If you are staying at a monorail resort and heading to the MK, the resorts are basically closer to the parks than the parking lot. Even if you "drive" to the parking lot of the MK, you still have to take a monorail or the ferry. There is not a parking lot directly in front of the park.. you must not have ever stayed at one of the monorail resorts or you would have known this. Disney usually doesn't provide a "dreaded" bus from one of the monorail resorts to the Magic Kingdom either.. or at least they didn't when I stayed at the Poly and the CR. I would assume they are only providing them now due to the closure of the monorail, that is if they are even providing it at all

When we stayed at GF in 7/09 and the monorails were down a lot because of the monorail accident, I believe they did provide busses to MK, as well as the boats, during the times the monorail wasn't running (which was a lot that week).

 

[kaytieeldr]

Definitely make the complaint. If nobody complains they won't even realize things like this bother anybody.

Really? Seriously?? Really??? Do you genuinely think Disney doesn't realize "things like this" bother people unless guests write to them and complain?

Plus, they might offer you something to try to make up for the inconvenience. That's not a guarantee of course, but you never know until you call/email them. Snail mail can be effective, but since you leave Friday there isn't really time for that. You can also talk to the desk when you check-in. You shouldn't complain just to try to get something, but at least if they do offer something you know they understand you have a valid complaint.

Considering everything that's being done to ensure there will be transportation between/among these resorts and the Magic Kingdom, there's likely no inconvenience for which Disney would need to compensate guests.

It's getting late and I have a headache, so I don't recall the details, but things like bus transportation doing the monorail route during the hours it's off; larger friendship boats; walking between CR & MK or Poly & TTC...

 

[walkdmc]

OP - I would absolutely complain and try to get some sort of compensation. PM me what happens, as I'm sure you don't want to get flamed by posting it here on the Dis. I'm sure you will get something for your trouble.

I agree. I'm sure Disney is going to be compensating a lot of people for transportation inconveniences during this period of growth. I don't see how anyone can disagree that staying at a monorail resort then finding out the monorail will be out for 6+ prime hours/day is a major PITA. The main reason I chose the Poly as my first onsite resort 4 years ago was for the monorail.

Anyway, Disney will make up for any compensation they dispense over the next few weeks. I'm sure they have it all figured out.

 

[goofyernmost]

I think the most amusing thing in all these "frustrated/angry" posts is the idea that you pay X number of dollars to stay at a MK resort because of the monorail service. News flash here...the price would be the same even if the monorail didn't exist. You are paying the higher price because you are staying at a high end resort, that overlooks the lagoon and MK. Try staying at a value resort and tell me you don't see the difference. It's all overpriced anyway, but unless one is seriously wealthy you don't spend that kind of money strictly because of a convenient access to the monorails.

Due to the configuration of the monorail routes, staying anywhere other than the Contemporary would take longer to get there then the launches and only slightly more convenient.

I understand that if you really like the monorail then it would be disappointing, but one cannot expect all of Disney's construction plans to be coordinated with ones personal agenda. Since the pricing does not include "extra charges" for monorail transportation there is no need to attempt to guess what the motivation would be for staying there other than a nice accommodation with a lot of perks built in already.

Those that stay at the Contemporary, a place that is easy walking distance from MK actually spend more time getting to MK via the monorail by a significant number of minutes.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I do not think it's "sad" to expect to be reasonably compensated for not getting something that is considered a big selling point for the resort you are paying top dollar for (imagine how upset GF guests must be). I personally would politely call and ask them what they thought a fair discount would be to make up for the lack of monorail service during certain hours of the day.
So, in my opinion, no one is in the wrong here. I'd be willing to bet that WDW put the dates out there as soon as they had something they were somewhat confident in. And the guests should get something in consideration for the imposition.

Which is fine, but don't be surprised when the response is, "none".

Guests will still be able to get between the two points they wish; just, during some hours of the day, alternate teansportation will be used.

 

[LittleMissMagic]

I think the most amusing thing in all these "frustrated/angry" posts is the idea that you pay X number of dollars to stay at a MK resort because of the monorail service. News flash here...the price would be the same even if the monorail didn't exist. You are paying the higher price because you are staying at a high end resort, that overlooks the lagoon and MK. Try staying at a value resort and tell me you don't see the difference. It's all overpriced anyway, but unless one is seriously wealthy you don't spend that kind of money strictly because of a convenient access to the monorails.

No, they aren't "high end resorts." A Ritz Carlton or a Four Seasons is a high end resort. I don't think any of those three resorts are that much nicer than say Animal Kingdom Lodge or Beach Club Resort (heck, these resorts are even newer)- but they are more expensive. Why? Monorail.

All of the deluxe resorts are about the same in "luxury." But, when it comes to individual pricing, convenience to the park does matter. The most expensive are of course those on the monorail loop. The next most expensive are the walkable Epcot resorts. Then the other deluxes.

 

[jujube]

I think the most amusing thing in all these "frustrated/angry" posts is the idea that you pay X number of dollars to stay at a MK resort because of the monorail service. News flash here...the price would be the same even if the monorail didn't exist. You are paying the higher price because you are staying at a high end resort, that overlooks the lagoon and MK. Try staying at a value resort and tell me you don't see the difference. It's all overpriced anyway, but unless one is seriously wealthy you don't spend that kind of money strictly because of a convenient access to the monorails.

Due to the configuration of the monorail routes, staying anywhere other than the Contemporary would take longer to get there then the launches and only slightly more convenient.

I understand that if you really like the monorail then it would be disappointing, but one cannot expect all of Disney's construction plans to be coordinated with ones personal agenda. Since the pricing does not include "extra charges" for monorail transportation there is no need to attempt to guess what the motivation would be for staying there other than a nice accommodation with a lot of perks built in already.

Those that stay at the Contemporary, a place that is easy walking distance from MK actually spend more time getting to MK via the monorail by a significant number of minutes.

There are expensive Disney resorts but high end, no.

 

[kaytieeldr]

The big issue is that our family, others and possibly the OP go back to the resort for a little afternoon down time. Without the monorail this could cause several more hours of travel time over a span of several days.

Figuring several = several ('several' more hours over 'several' days) calculates out to about an hour a day.

First, this temporary teansportation shift doesn't affect guests like yourself who may want to go back to their resort for a mid-day rest in March 2012 but who aren't staying in a Magic Kingdom-area resort.
The guests who could be affected - those staying at the three resorts in question who want to rest - will actually probably SAVE time:
The time to walk from the MK gates to the monorail plus the wait time for train to arrive (generally) plus the boarding time plus the transit time to the Contemporary is about the same amount of time it takes to walk from the Magic Kingdom to the Contemporary.
The (larger than the typical launches) traveling from MK to GF to Poly to MK... run that loop only, with GF guests arriving at their resort in about fifteen minutes - not the typical 25 or so it takes via monorail. When the monorail is mechanically operational .
Polynesian guests can use this boat or opt for the ferry - with a dock between the resort and the monorail ramp.

Honestly, that's a LOT of transportation options, and I haven't even mentioned the bus.