ALOHA! The Poly FAQ~ Spring 2010 Edition

[Tess]

Views from our room #2502 last year


hope you guys enjoy!

Nice to see you got a photo without the downpour! Bet that didn't last long last year. . .

 

[GreyGooseCosmo]

Do you have to have a certain carrier to use this service?

No - just a smartphone like a Droid or BlackBerry. They have an app for BlackBerry, PalmOS, Android, and Windows Phone.

Google EasyTether and you should get the link to the app. If that specific software isn't available for your model, try PDANet. I've used that before too and it worked OK.

 

[carlnix30]

Nice to see you got a photo without the downpour! Bet that didn't last long last year. . .

That was a heck of a week, last year! Wasn't it Tess! Hope this year is better!

 

[Tess]

That was a heck of a week, last year! Wasn't it Tess! Hope this year is better!

I will pray for you if you pray for me. Honestly, I'm grateful to have had the week before to enjoy before the rain that would not end. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been a happy camper.

 

[msvlg]

Views from our room #2502 last year
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hope you guys enjoy!

Thanks for sharing the beautiful view. Did you have a TPV or Lagoon view CL? I have TPV booked but I am thinking of switching to LV CL. Do you know ow far the Hawaii building is from the GCH? Do you think the location of the hawaii building is better than the Tahiti longhouse? We have stayed at several disney resorts but this will be our first time at the Poly. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. THANKS!!

 

[carlnix30]

Thanks for sharing the beautiful view. Did you have a TPV or Lagoon view CL? I have TPV booked but I am thinking of switching to LV CL. Do you know how far the Hawaii building is from the GCH? Do you think the location of the hawaii building is better than the Tahiti longhouse? We have stayed at several disney resorts but this will be our first time at the Poly. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. THANKS!!

That was CL TPV.. Hawaii bldg is about two minutes from the GCH Just a quick stroll around the pool. I have never stayed in Tahiti but everyone that stays there is exstatic! It is further from the GCH but closer to the TTC! you really cant go wrong with any bldg you choose or you allow to be chosen by the staff! the Poly is a gorgeous resort and all longhouses have advantages. the ones farthest from GCH is closest to the TTC. the ones closest to GCH is two steps from the pool.

We stay in CL because we have familiarity with the staff and the building. also it is nice to come back from the parks sit in the lounge drink a cold beer, have a snack and watch the fireworks. we send the kids to the lounge to get drink or snack when they bug us.

welcome to the Polynesian crowd!

if anyone is interested here is a link to a map of the polynesian resort map.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/maps/PolynesianMap.pdf

 

[dizneechic]

So if we are staying in Hawaii and want to head over to HS or AK, how would you go about it?

Walk to TTC and take a bus to the park?
Are those buses direct or do they make other stops?

Take the bus from the Poly to each park?
I assume these buses stop at GF as well...

Take the monorail to Epcot and a bus or boat to HS?

Take a cab.

Which was is the easiest and/or quickest?

We have ALWAYS rented a car for our trips, I'm not a fan of crowded buses (and get motion sick on them), but may try to be reliant on Disney transportation for this trip. I still haven't ruled out renting a car just so we can easily head to HS one day, but if it won't take forever to get there from the Poly maybe we'll give the Disney transportation a try.

Can you share your experiences and what you feel works best? We're a family of 5 so that's another concern trying to hop onto crowded buses.

 

[SurfinTX]

Just a few days to go until our first stay at GV CL! This seems to be the longest week of my life!

I'm counting on busy parks but nice relaxing breaks in the lounge.

Thanks to everyone on this this thread for all the info and helping me plan this once in a lifetime trip!

 

[JeffGoldblum]

So if we are staying in Hawaii and want to head over to HS or AK, how would you go about it?

I love the Poly, it is my favorite place on property. I stay there 9 out of 10 trips. It's fantastic, amazing, beautiful.....but for the price you pay, their bus service is ridiculous. Not only does it seem to take FOREVER for a bus to come, but you share that bus with GF and Contemporary. (can someone tell me why, a $400+ a night rack rate has to share a bus, but an $89 POP Century does not?). We always try the bus, to see if it has improved, but it never does. Spend the few min. extra and walk to the TTC. It might take 5 mins to walk there, but you save 15+ mins of waiting for a bus and multiple stops.

 

[SurfinTX]

I love the Poly, it is my favorite place on property. I stay there 9 out of 10 trips. It's fantastic, amazing, beautiful.....but for the price you pay, their bus service is ridiculous. Not only does it seem to take FOREVER for a bus to come, but you share that bus with GF and Contemporary. (can someone tell me why, a $400+ a night rack rate has to share a bus, but an $89 POP Century does not?). We always try the bus, to see if it has improved, but it never does. Spend the few min. extra and walk to the TTC. It might take 5 mins to walk there, but you save 15+ mins of waiting for a bus and multiple stops.

We will be driving to HS due to what we have heard. I'm surprised we have to share with all 3 Lagoon resorts! Thanks for the tip to head over to TTC. I think the only time we might bus is to AK anyway.

 

[bethclayton]

carlnix, thank you so much for the menu. it is very helpful! btw, i'm a former northeast philly girl myself... oxford circle, to be exact!

for anyone who has stayed CL at both the GF and the Poly, can you tell me how the food compares? I know when we stayed at the GF we totally felt like we could have probably eaten nearly all our meals at the CL lounge, there was so much variety at each setting. All 6 of us lamented that we had even bothered with the dining plan, and left MANY CS meals unused. For those who have stayed at both, did you feel that the Poly had a comparable spread? Looking at the menu carlnix posted, it doesn't seem like that much variety, or that many "new" selections each night, but perhaps seeing it in print vs. in person is the problem. I just seem to remember 2 new hot selections every night and at least 3 new cold selections every night at the GF, whereas the Poly's menu seems to have 3 "new" selections each night and the rest are the same every night.

thanks in advance for the help!

 

[carlnix30]

I love the Poly, it is my favorite place on property. I stay there 9 out of 10 trips. It's fantastic, amazing, beautiful.....but for the price you pay, their bus service is ridiculous. Not only does it seem to take FOREVER for a bus to come, but you share that bus with GF and Contemporary. (can someone tell me why, a $400+ a night rack rate has to share a bus, but an $89 POP Century does not?). We always try the bus, to see if it has improved, but it never does. Spend the few min. extra and walk to the TTC. It might take 5 mins to walk there, but you save 15+ mins of waiting for a bus and multiple stops.

The reason we share buses with GF and CR and the $89 a night doesn't is due to the volume of passengers at each resort. If you have stayed at the $89 a night resort you will know that you dont share a bus but you are packed like sardines On any given day due to the volume of rooms.

I have been frustrated with buses from time to time while staying at Poly. I look at it like this, I am on vacation so I try not to be in a hurry for anything. I live in philadelphia and am running around in a hurry all the time!

The buses are provided with our room rate I agree but they could charge the same amount and not offer transportation to the parks!

 

[mousketexan]

9 more days for us! Suitcases are out and the pre-trip laundry has begun.

 

[PolyndianPrincessJes]

The reason we share buses with GF and CR and the $89 a night doesn't is due to the volume of passengers at each resort. If you have stayed at the $89 a night resort you will know that you dont share a bus but you are packed like sardines On any given day due to the volume of rooms.

I have been frustrated with buses from time to time while staying at Poly. I look at it like this, I am on vacation so I try not to be in a hurry for anything. I live in philadelphia and am running around in a hurry all the time!

The buses are provided with our room rate I agree but they could charge the same amount and not offer transportation to the parks!

Isn't it just Pop that doesn't share? If it's the volume of passengers, then why do the All-Stars share?

I definitely think bus service at the deluxes could be plussed. We always have our own transportation, so we tend to drive to those parks that we aren't connected to by quicker means (i.e., monorail, foot, etc.). I know Disney deluxe isn't real world deluxe, but HEY DISNEY!! More bus service!!!

 

[melham]

Hi, everyone. We are getting ready to leave on our trip soon and I remember when I was on before there were schedules for the nightly events. Now that I am ready to look, I can't find them Thanks for any help.

 

[DVC Mary]

Not sure if this is what you are looking for:

http://www.tikiman2001.net/tiki/amenities-quick/quick-activities


Warning: I am now in my truly excited + my head is filled w/ way too many questions, so please excuse me if I post a lot of questions. I'm less than 48 hours from my 1st Poly stay!

Family has decided they want to try to MK for early EMH.

What's the fastest way to be there as early as possible?

Since we'll be in Hawaii, do you suggest taking the monorail usually to get to MK or the monorail?

Any tips on what times of day are faster for which type of transportation?


And yes I know this quite ridiculous since we'll be so close to MK, but these are the things that plague my brain when I can't get to sleep. Tomorrow is the last of final exams for this . One more day of grading. Lots of working packing up my classroom & then Wed am meetings which will be probably involve me daydreaming of Disney & not paying attention. Yes, teachers sometimes don't pay attention, but usually not for very long & then we feel like we should be taking notes--even when we don't have to.

Thanks again to everyone on this thread for all the tips & to carlnix for all the help.

 

[DVC Mary]

Since we arrriving so late--around 10 or 11 pm, will the valet still take us directly to Hawaii for checkin in we are CL or will we check in at main lobby?

 

[goopysolelady]

9 more days for us! Suitcases are out and the pre-trip laundry has begun.

Lucky you! Have fun.

 

[Tinks]

Since we arrriving so late--around 10 or 11 pm, will the valet still take us directly to Hawaii for checkin in we are CL or will we check in at main lobby?

This I can answer: the main lobby. Unfortunately, the concierge staff leaves for the night and all check-ins have to be done in the main lobby. It's kind of a bummer because the club level check in makes you feel all special. But it's great no matter what, right?

 

[DreamnDisney]

2 more sleeps and I'm off for my first Poly stay!