ALOHA! The Poly FAQ~ Spring 2010 Edition

[Zuzu03]

The Orlando Sentinel today has an article on how great it is to watch the July 4th fireworks from the Poly beaches WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY PARK ADMISSION, & especially for seasonal FLA passholders who might be blacked out of the MK for the holiday.

Sooner or later, the POLY is going to have to limit this practice so the paying POLY guests can better enjoy this experience at THEIR resort.

I agree, I think the Poly should absolutely limit access.

 

[hstrickland]

The Orlando Sentinel today has an article on how great it is to watch the July 4th fireworks from the Poly beaches WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY PARK ADMISSION, & especially for seasonal FLA passholders who might be blacked out of the MK for the holiday.

Sooner or later, the POLY is going to have to limit this practice so the paying POLY guests can better enjoy this experience at THEIR resort.

OMG! Unbelievable My thoughts exactly! If you are paying Poly prices for rooms, then the Poly guest should have 1st priority. I don't even have a problem with WDW Resort guest viewing fireworks from the beach....but the general public?? Interesting.....

 

[bluejasmine]

The Orlando Sentinel today has an article on how great it is to watch the July 4th fireworks from the Poly beaches WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY PARK ADMISSION, & especially for seasonal FLA passholders who might be blacked out of the MK for the holiday.

Sooner or later, the POLY is going to have to limit this practice so the paying POLY guests can better enjoy this experience at THEIR resort.

SO NOT COOL FOR PAYING GUESTS OF THE POLY!!!

 

[cyndisun]

Does anyone else out there watch Lilo & Stitch before their trip to the Poly? We do!

L&S holds a special place for DH & DS13. When we took our first DCL cruise (2002) they saw it alone together in the beautiful movie theatre onboard while I had a spa treatment. It had just been released. Then they took me to go see it on land (DTD, maybe?) when it was pouring one day.

Two years ago, before our Poly trip, DH made a Hawaiian Elvis CD for us to play in our room. Of course, it featured the additional L&S songs. It was so awesome! Now DS and I play it in the car when we need a pick-me-up.

Any other pre-trip movies that are a ritual for your family?

We have 5 weeks to go before our next visit and with DS's busy summer schedule, I need to start our Disney movie marathon!

 

[Stefy]

The Orlando Sentinel today has an article on how great it is to watch the July 4th fireworks from the Poly beaches WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY PARK ADMISSION, & especially for seasonal FLA passholders who might be blacked out of the MK for the holiday.

Sooner or later, the POLY is going to have to limit this practice so the paying POLY guests can better enjoy this experience at THEIR resort.

I am inclined to agree with you.

We spend enough money as it is to stay here and then to have our spots taken up by non guests is a bit annoying. I am not saying to completely ban them, but like Mai Ku Tiki says, they need to start monitoring this somehow.

 

[Minnie&Nana]

One of the nice things about staying at a Disney Resort is that most other folks are guests too. Of course, there are visitors and day guests dining, but if anyone and everyone is allowed to view the foreworks from the beach for holidays that brings waay too many day guests - we all know that means pool visiting too. Heck, why not make a day of it!!

 

[Stefy]

Does anyone else out there watch Lilo & Stitch before their trip to the Poly? We do!

L&S holds a special place for DH & DS13. When we took our first DCL cruise (2002) they saw it alone together in the beautiful movie theatre onboard while I had a spa treatment. It had just been released. Then they took me to go see it on land (DTD, maybe?) when it was pouring one day.

Two years ago, before our Poly trip, DH made a Hawaiian Elvis CD for us to play in our room. Of course, it featured the additional L&S songs. It was so awesome! Now DS and I play it in the car when we need a pick-me-up.

Any other pre-trip movies that are a ritual for your family?

We have 5 weeks to go before our next visit and with DS's busy summer schedule, I need to start our Disney movie marathon!

We're watching all the Disney Films in order of release date in anticipation for our upcoming trip and we will most prob watch L&S again to get in the Polynesian Mood

I have been trying to find some Hawaiian music too, so that we can have it playing on the dock when we are in the room

 

[Zuzu03]

One of the nice things about staying at a Disney Resort is that most other folks are guests too. Of course, there are visitors and day guests dining, but if anyone and everyone is allowed to view the foreworks from the beach for holidays that brings waay too many day guests - we all know that means pool visiting too. Heck, why not make a day of it!!

You're absolutely right - ugh, I hope the Poly monitors this!!!

 

[jenjen212]

I am inclined to agree with you.

We spend enough money as it is to stay here and then to have our spots taken up by non guests is a bit annoying. I am not saying to completely ban them, but like Mai Ku Tiki says, they need to start monitoring this somehow.

I agree. The thing is that it would be near impossible to monitor. Non-Poly guests can make ADRs at any of the resorts - so that will give them at least a 3 hour parking pass, if they are driving. We usually will purposely make our ADRs for Ohana in the timeframe so that by the time we finish dinner, we can walk down to the beach and watch the fireworks.

But, since resort visiting is encouraged - especially around Christmas time to see all of the different decorations and activities that the resorts have, it will be hard to monitor who is there for what.

I think that it was wrong though, for that journalist to report that anyone of the general public should just come to the Poly to watch the fireworks. But, then how would they get there? Park at TTC? They still have to pay for parking. Or they could also eat at one of the restaurants at the Poly and then stay for fireworks too. Not sure how many ppl would actually do this though, especially if they weren't already doing something on Disney property anyways.

I'm curious if this article really made an impact on crowds (even though it would have been crowded anyways), was there anyone who was at the Poly watching the fireworks on Sunday that noticed an abnormally large difference?

 

[Carrie772]

The Orlando Sentinel today has an article on how great it is to watch the July 4th fireworks from the Poly beaches WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY PARK ADMISSION, & especially for seasonal FLA passholders who might be blacked out of the MK for the holiday.

Sooner or later, the POLY is going to have to limit this practice so the paying POLY guests can better enjoy this experience at THEIR resort.

SO NOT COOL FOR PAYING GUESTS OF THE POLY!!!

My concern is of course the crowding that night but also what do we see on the beach the next morning? Are the lounge chairs replaced? Are the bottles and cans and cups cleared away? How hard do the CMs have to work to get the beach and pool area back to standard? Any time you get a mass of people together, there is wear and tear. I can stay away from crowds, but the beach and pool area the next morning is what affects me the most.

 

[maiapapaya]

The Orlando Sentinel today has an article on how great it is to watch the July 4th fireworks from the Poly beaches WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY PARK ADMISSION, & especially for seasonal FLA passholders who might be blacked out of the MK for the holiday.

Sooner or later, the POLY is going to have to limit this practice so the paying POLY guests can better enjoy this experience at THEIR resort.

Well considering they don't monitor the pool usage (which would be sooo easy to do with an armband system .. ) I wouldn't hold out much hope that they would crack down on non-Poly guests for fireworks viewing. Like jenjen212 said too, it would be almost impossible to do - how do you determine who is there for what. And no pool hopping is already a policy - which is rarely, if ever enforced. Fireworks for Poly guests only is not a policy. I don't think they would do it unless the beaches became dangerously mobbed on the 4th.

 

[maiapapaya]

Does anyone else out there watch Lilo & Stitch before their trip to the Poly? We do!

Oh yes! Lilo & Stitch is one of our fav Disney movies & DD7 is a huge Stitch fan!
We watch the movie before we go & we have the L&S soundtrack on our ipod so we can listen to it to get in the Poly mood & to listen in our room once we're there.

 

[Mai Ku Tiki]

Well considering they don't monitor the pool usage (which would be sooo easy to do with an armband system .. ) I wouldn't hold out much hope that they would crack down on non-Poly guests for fireworks viewing. Like jenjen212 said too, it would be almost impossible to do - how do you determine who is there for what. And no pool hopping is already a policy - which is rarely, if ever enforced. Fireworks for Poly guests only is not a policy. I don't think they would do it unless the beaches became dangerously mobbed on the 4th.

Maybe at least the POLY could have a roped area (as they do for special groups watching Illuminations at times) where you'd have to show a room key or some other ID? (Like at certain rock concerts to be near the stage haha!) And enforcing simple occupancy rules isn't impossible. POLY used to do it frequently (Hi! May I see your room key?)

It is a slippery slope from DELUXE to WHATEVER as a resort category!
In spite of it all, I still wish I was there EVERY DAY! Enjoy, all you lucky people!!!

I feel badly for those who stay at POLY thinking they'll have guaranteed access to & then have to fight for their place on the beach. A good reason for paying guests (specially those in TPVs to stay away during peak times!)

 

[Minnie&Nana]

One of the things they could do over very busy holiday times is to reinstate showing a resort guest ID required to board buses, monorail or water launch. This would not leave out other Disney Resort guests, but it would cut down on day guests visiting the resorts during a exceptionally busy seasons. I know day guest enjoy seeing the holiday decorations, but they can visit at other times in December or July etc.

For the first several years we stayed at Disney Resorts an ID was always required to board a resort bus, resort monorail or resort water launch....even getting on a monorail from the resort we had to show our ID!

 

[Mai Ku Tiki]

One of the things they could do over very busy holiday times is to reinstate showing a resort guest ID required to board buses, monorail or water launch. This would not leave out other Disney Resort guests, but it would cut down on day guests visiting the resorts during a exceptionally busy seasons. I know day guest enjoy seeing the holiday decorations, but they can visit at other times in December or July etc.

For the first several years we stayed at Disney Resorts an ID was always required to board a resort bus, resort monorail or resort water launch....even getting on a monorail from the resort we had to show our ID!

I remember! And I like it!!!

 

[iloveeeyore]

When we're in count-down-to-a-trip mode, we love to watch our favorite OLD vacation planning video, the one that was done for the Happiest Celebration on Earth, the one with Erin, Stacy, Luke and Dave. We love this video, and watch it about weekly once we get inside the 2-month mark or so.

We are also huge Lilo and Stitch fans. So much so that our brother and sister kitties are named...Lilo and Stitch! (Sometimes I call Stitchy Lucifie, but only when he really deserves it!)

 

[swald91]

I remember! And I like it!!!

I agree with you guys on showing your resort id as well...unfortunately, for as many times as we have been-we've never been asked to show it-for anything! The pool has been an issue that I've read alot about-not too much on the buses though. I do know that the Poly beach is ALWAYS crowded for the fireworks-it is a bit unfair for those Poly guests that pay to stay there & then don't have a decent spot......

 

[swald91]

When we're in count-down-to-a-trip mode, we love to watch our favorite OLD vacation planning video, the one that was done for the Happiest Celebration on Earth, the one with Erin, Stacy, Luke and Dave. We love this video, and watch it about weekly once we get inside the 2-month mark or so.

We are also huge Lilo and Stitch fans. So much so that our brother and sister kitties are named...Lilo and Stitch! (Sometimes I call Stitchy Lucifie, but only when he really deserves it!)

Ohh!!! I think we'll be there at the same time!!!!

 

[iloveeeyore]

Ohh!!! I think we'll be there at the same time!!!!

Come check in over here:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2469452

Can't wait to see you at the volcano pool!

 

[figment82]

We were on the beach July 3rd for the fireworks, and there was a lot of people but I didn't feel crowded. It added to the atmosphere to have the excitement of the crowd cheering around me, and we had enough space around us to move. I also thought it was funny seeing CMs selling the light up toys and food and stuff on the beach - someone in marketing realized they could make money by setting up at the resorts!

It should be mentioned, though, that it didn't feel very crowded anywhere the whole weekend, especially given our expectations based on reports from previous years' for the holiday weekend. We had decided to watch from the beach on the 3rd because we were concerned the crowds were going to be insane at the Magic Kingdom, but when we left the park at 8 Main Street was still fairly empty. The weather had a lot to do with it (it was anywhere from drizzling to pouring all day) - but we had a fantastic trip with low crowds, cooler weather there than at home in Philadelphia and a constant drizzle to keep off the humidity.

We were on the beach in front of Hawaii, so further down from where most of the non-resort guests were; it looked more crowded by the marina.

Also, I always felt like I didn't need to stay at the Poly because I could just come visit for the restaurants and beach (we always stay on property, but this is my first magic kingdom-area stay.) I've totally changed my opinion on that. It's a completely different feel when you're actually staying there. Being able to walk out onto my balcony and watch the fireworks from there if I wanted because I was too tired was a little piece of heaven. Sure, I could have layed on a hammock with my husband for the afternoon even if I was just visiting, but I wouldnt be able to walk 30 seconds back to my room when we were done! The whole atmosphere was just relaxing.