ALOHA! The Poly FAQ: Fall 2010 Edition

[LittleStinkerbelle]

OMGosh!!! There seems to be a theme forming...WTHeck?

I was just thinking the same thing. We had a wonderful stay last year so I'm hopeful for the best in January too. My parents are coming with us and this is their first stay at Poly (or any deluxe!) since they took me there in the 80s. My dad is a tough customer so I'm more worried about him than myself in that sense.

 

[maiapapaya]

OMGosh!!! There seems to be a theme forming...WTHeck?

If I have 2 unacceptable rooms in a row...we will switch resorts!

ITA, it is very disturbing to hear about two rooms during the same time period (in two different longhouses) in which the bedding hadn't been changed (and in one case, the room not cleaned at all). This happening just once is unacceptable (and disgusting!!) What has happened to the mousekeeping/maintenance staff?!

I know what my first order of business will be when we get our room - a through inspection, and not just for bedbugs!!

While normally I take bad reviews/complaints as isolated incidents (that can happen anywhere - and that tend to stand out because people with satisfactory experiences tend not to report it) it is worrisome that there seem to be more and more posts lately pointing to lax or bad management at the Poly. Rooms not being cleaned, maintenance issues in others, loud, intrusive music all day at the pool (that management has apparently ordered) ... I am keeping an open mind and want our next Poly experience to be just as great as our last, but if it's not, we will not hesitate to complain and change resorts if necessary.

 

[maiapapaya]

We arrive on Saturday and I am currently debating doing the online check in. I am a little worried in light of the current issues with the online dining reservations getting "lost" and I don't want that to happen with our online checkin. Are they two completely different systems for dining and resort reservations?

Thanks,
K

BTW, thanks for the heads up grace&philipsmom wrt the ADR problems! I checked ours and two aren't showing up. I am trying to be patient and not worry. I will try to wait until they are done their 2nd outage on the 20th and will check again before I call (as apparently WDW is saying they should show up again after that - though a few ppl are reporting theirs are completely gone - the dining CM's can't even retrieve them ).

 

[paras4ri]

BTW, thanks for the heads up grace&philipsmom wrt the ADR problems! I checked ours and two aren't showing up. I am trying to be patient and not worry. I will try to wait until they are done their 2nd outage on the 20th and will check again before I call (as apparently WDW is saying they should show up again after that - though a few ppl are reporting theirs are completely gone - the dining CM's can't even retrieve them ).

I just checked and one of mine was MIA. I called and the CM at Disney Dining found it with no trouble.

 

[PolyndianPrincessJes]

ITA, it is very disturbing to hear about two rooms during the same time period (in two different longhouses) in which the bedding hadn't been changed (and in one case, the room not cleaned at all). This happening just once is unacceptable (and disgusting!!) What has happened to the mousekeeping/maintenance staff?!

I know what my first order of business will be when we get our room - a through inspection, and not just for bedbugs!!

While normally I take bad reviews/complaints as isolated incidents (that can happen anywhere - and that tend to stand out because people with satisfactory experiences tend not to report it) it is worrisome that there seem to be more and more posts lately pointing to lax or bad management at the Poly. Rooms not being cleaned, maintenance issues in others, loud, intrusive music all day at the pool (that management has apparently ordered) ... I am keeping an open mind and want our next Poly experience to be just as great as our last, but if it's not, we will not hesitate to complain and change resorts if necessary.

We will complain as a group!! Power in numbers, right?

 

[BelleRocks]

Maybe it would be better if those of us who are typically "not complaining" types at least let the mgmt know if there are any issues, esp with mousekeeping. Maybe too many people just blew it off, and now it has escalated. Just a thought! There does seem to be a bit of trend.

 

[PolyndianPrincessJes]

Maybe it would be better if those of us who are typically "not complaining" types at least let the mgmt know if there are any issues, esp with mousekeeping. Maybe too many people just blew it off, and now it has escalated. Just a thought! There does seem to be a bit of trend.

I can honestly say I've never had a room that required complaint, Poly or otherwise, in my WDW hotel history. I'd definitely let it be known if there was an issue, though, instead of coming and complaining on the DIS. Gotta get it taken care of here and now (or there and then, I guess).

 

[Kurby]

I can honestly say I've never had a room that required complaint, Poly or otherwise, in my WDW hotel history. I'd definitely let it be known if there was an issue, though, instead of coming and complaining on the DIS. Gotta get it taken care of here and now (or there and then, I guess).

we've only had a problem in one resort - Movies.

We stayed there the first year we brought dd 4 years ago and there was a mold problem in the bathroom.

it took 2 calls and VIP cleaning to get it taken care of. They did ask if we wanted to be moved but we totally over packed (being our very first trip with dd) and this room was on the bottom floor and close to where we parked our car and what they were offering was way into the resort on the 3rd floor. so we declined - just get it fixed and we'll be ok.

if it had been worse then we would have moved

 

[maiapapaya]

I'm pretty tolerant about little things ... a scratched piece of furniture, a loose handle, a little bit of dust that was missed etc. I know there's always cut backs and I'm sure there are busy times when mousekeeping/maintenance have trouble keeping up and rush through their rounds and maybe don't do the best job that they could/should. But, I do draw the line at a dirty bathroom, mould, or unchanged sheets!! (just ewwww). I should say I haven't personally heard about mould at the Poly, but at other resorts (seriously, how can mousekeeping repeatedly miss mould in a bathroom?!). But reports of uncleaned rooms/unchanged beds at Poly is something I'm not happy to hear about. Neglecting basic cleanliness is inexcusable, and with the rates ppl pay to stay at a deluxe should NEVER happen.

 

[Alli76]

YIPPEE!!! Yesterday JetBlue opened up flights until September of next year... Who cares you say.... I do!!! I was finally able to book my flights for my May trip to Disney!!! I had been watching every day - I was so exicited when I saw it. Somebody beat me to the punch though - according to the seat selection - looks like we were second to book! (My parents were 3rd!) The only small letdown was they moved the one flight a day a couple hours later. Meaning less time at the pool on our first day - the good news is that it won't be as long a day - and probably won't stay at an airport hotel the night before.

The trip seems even more real now!! Just waiting to book ADRs!!! Ohhhh how I can't wait to walk into the GCH.

 

[jfoofj]

ACK! We leave Wedsnesday for the Poly and I am not happy with the reviews I am reading. I am tempted to try to get our ressie changed over to the Beach Club. Is it one building primarily that is having issues, or the whole resort? I haven't made any kind of room requests at all this trip, and now I am afraid I will end up with a cruddy room in a bad area of the resort.

 

[Capt. Barbosa]

Did you know that the official documents that broke up the Beatles were signed at the Polynesian?

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/femai...non-May-Pang-breaks-silence-relationship.html

John, Julian and I left New York the following day to spend Christmas in Florida. On December 29, 1974, the voluminous documents were brought down to John in Florida by one of Apple's lawyers.
"Take out your camera," he joked to me. Then he called Harold to go over some final points.
When John hung up the phone, he looked wistfully out the window. I could almost see him replaying the entire Beatles experience in his mind.
He finally picked up his pen and, in the unlikely backdrop of the Polynesian Village Hotel at Disney World, ended the greatest rock 'n' roll band in history by simply scrawling John Lennon at the bottom of the page.

 

[Thominator'sMom]

Hi Poly friends!

It's just 3 days until our family trip to the Poly and, well, I have to stop reading the boards. The spate of negative Poly reviews is stressing me.

I love the Poly and have always said it is the only place that I want to stay at WDW. My husband and I are pretty easy going and believe that we are in control of our vacation experience!

We are trying some new things this trip due to the fact that we now have kids - DS(6) & DS(2). So I will be sure to report on our experiences with babysitting, crib rentals and the Neverland Club.

To anyone else traveling this week - have a great trip!

 

[mom2travel]

Hi Poly friends!

It's just 3 days until our family trip to the Poly and, well, I have to stop reading the boards. The spate of negative Poly reviews is stressing me.

I love the Poly and have always said it is the only place that I want to stay at WDW. My husband and I are pretty easy going and believe that we are in control of our vacation experience!

We are trying some new things this trip due to the fact that we now have kids - DS(6) & DS(2). So I will be sure to report on our experiences with babysitting, crib rentals and the Neverland Club.

To anyone else traveling this week - have a great trip!

Have a wonderful trip!! I hope your experiences at the Poly are as great as ours have always been!

 

[Darkfirewolfe]

We leave on our vacation to the Poly tomorrow morning! SO excited!!

I have almost everything packed already and I'm trying to calm down my excitement and focus.

I'm thinking of trying to do a semi-live trip report and if I do, I'll post a link here. I know the trip reports help me live vicariously and keep my cravings down.

 

[Heatherwags]

So many people at the Poly this next week. I guess the good news is that we're all reading reviews here. So if it's truly bad, Poly Mgmt is gonna get an earful, LOL.

We stayed there last year and loved it. I travel frequently for work, and my biggest concern is bed bugs right now. When I hear about a hotel not changing sheets- esp with all of the bed bug epidemics out there- it completely flabbergasts me!! I don't know how any hotel could get away with it- be it a 1 star or 5 star.

I'm trying to stay calm right now and just hope it all goes smoothly!!! 5 more days! I still have to get some dining reservations (booking last minute trips suck for those), but overall, I am totally excited!

 

[BelleRocks]

Leaving Wednesday morning! Wa-hoo! I refuse to worry about the rooms and will just see what happens...

Honestly when I was 20-something, I went to Mardi Gras in New Orleans and stayed at the cheapest hotel we could find. I still had a great trip! (Although the giant Huricane drinks may have helped!)

Thanks for all your help here!

 

[disneymagicgirl]

I'm pretty tolerant about little things ... a scratched piece of furniture, a loose handle, a little bit of dust that was missed etc. I know there's always cut backs and I'm sure there are busy times when mousekeeping/maintenance have trouble keeping up and rush through their rounds and maybe don't do the best job that they could/should. But, I do draw the line at a dirty bathroom, mould, or unchanged sheets!! (just ewwww). I should say I haven't personally heard about mould at the Poly, but at other resorts (seriously, how can mousekeeping repeatedly miss mould in a bathroom?!). But reports of uncleaned rooms/unchanged beds at Poly is something I'm not happy to hear about. Neglecting basic cleanliness is inexcusable, and with the rates ppl pay to stay at a deluxe should NEVER happen.

No kidding about the mold...spray some tilex on it and its gone!

 

[Dawgdad]

We're here and can I just say my whole family loves the Poly! We have a beautiful theme park view in Tuvalu (room 3413).

IMO the best view at WDW is from Tuvalu 3rd floor. We were in 3409, 10, 11 last March. Next week we hope to be in Tahiti MKV (decided to go with the larger room and bigger bathroom this trip).

 

[poeticeclipse]

We got back from the Polynesian Resort on Saturday. What a wonderful week stay! I really have a hard time hearing all of these "bad" reviews simply because our stay was so pleasant.

We arrived around noon and our package was ready as well as our room. Being contest winners I think they already had our room keys and everything all bundled and set for us. When I inquired about my gift card they seemed to not be able to find it anywhere. They said they would call me and let me know when they track it down. They also couldn't find our Garden Grocer order right away even though I had gotten a call from GG saying they delivered our packages. When we got up into the room 5 minutes later, a Poly CM was dropping off our now found GG packages. So nice! Great staff. Later that night our gift card had been tracked down and delivered to our room and was waiting for us when we got back.

Our room was spotless. No bed bugs, barely any chipped paint/wood on anything, no foul smells. We were in Autoeroa on the 3rd floor with a lagoon view. Room 3221. Though, if you stood on the left side of the balcony you had a clear view of the castle. I really liked that longhouse with it being so close to the GCH. I didn't like how long the walk was to the TTC. It was tiring and after being at Epcot so late on some nights, the walk back to our room was horrible. I didn't find the noise from the luau to be unreasonable at all. I could hear a little music if I had the glass door open but that was it.

After our first full day we realized that our fridge wasn't keeping our Garden Grocer food cold so the next morning we asked the front desk about getting a new one and they sent one right up. That afternoon my mother in law decided she would like to inquire about a microwave. When I went to ask the front desk they were awesome and checked right away. By the time I got back up to the room they were dropping off the microwave. It was great service all around and everyone was really polite and helpful.

All around the resorts and parks were really much more busy than I had expected and from what I heard, Disney wasn't expecting it either. The volcano pool was quite busy all of the time and we seemed to have to search a bit to find a few lounge chairs on the beach mid-day. The quiet pool on the other hand was not crowded much at all and was really pleasant. I preferred swimming there simply because it was much more mellow. I do agree that the music at the volcano pool was too loud. I felt the need to talk loudly to my family when we were laying on the beach. Our last night, my husband and I got a dole whip and layed on the beach to watch Wishes. That was really magical and I suggest that everyone do that.

Went to Tambu Lounge and got a lapu lapu. The bartender was so wonderful and was very chatty with my husband and I. The pineapple he grabbed wasn't hallowed out very much so he told me he used almost all rum in it. After 15 minutes of drinking it boy could I tell! It was probably the strongest drink I'd ever had. Definitely got my monies worth! 'Ohana was pretty good. I felt like the bread and noodles were cold. Even the second bowl of noodles was cold. Everyone got stuffed though and we had a great meal in general. I miss Chef TJ though!

Anyone have any questions or anything? I will post pictures soon!