ALOHA! The Polynesian Resort Information Thread: June 2013

[CJK]

Sooo excited!! We are booked for a quick 3 night stay this December with a RO discount!!!! We haven't stayed at the Poly for 3 yrs, so we are so excited! With all the DVC news, we wanted to stay here one more time before some of the big changes come to fruition. Anyone know when construction is supposed to start? We booked a standard room and requested Tokelau or Somoa. We've only stayed in Rarotonga before, so we wanted a change. We're slowly making the rounds, trying to stay at all Disney hotels (only 4 more to go!), but my beloved Poly remains my favourite. We're not even planning on spending much time in the parks so that we can really soak up the atmosphere. Just had to share my excitement! I look forward to reading more of your tips and hearing about all of your plans!!

 

[jl234]

We are staying here next month. I was vaguely aware of the upcoming changes but haven't seen anything about a timeline yet.

 

[tdunaway]

Thanks! We are CL TPV but didn't think we could make it back in time for it but thought I would ask the experts anyway!

 

[Missus Toad]

I wonder if they had a reservation at the Poly but their room wasn't ready? Or was that obviously not the case? I wish people who aren't staying at the Poly would stop using the pool!!

Sent from my Galaxy SII

The former is usually us. We tend to arrive early and bring a tote bag with swimsuits down to the pool so the kids can get some swimming in while we wait for our room. Please don't assume we're hopping!

 

[mickeynut1]

Sooo excited!! We are booked for a quick 3 night stay this December with a RO discount!!!! We haven't stayed at the Poly for 3 yrs, so we are so excited! With all the DVC news, we wanted to stay here one more time before some of the big changes come to fruition. Anyone know when construction is supposed to start? We booked a standard room and requested Tokelau or Somoa. We've only stayed in Rarotonga before, so we wanted a change. We're slowly making the rounds, trying to stay at all Disney hotels (only 4 more to go!), but my beloved Poly remains my favourite. We're not even planning on spending much time in the parks so that we can really soak up the atmosphere. Just had to share my excitement! I look forward to reading more of your tips and hearing about all of your plans!!

Congrats on the discount . We like trying new resorts and I eventually want to stay at all of the deluxes (we have stayed at all but 3), but the Poly is and always will be my favorite .

Thanks! We are CL TPV but didn't think we could make it back in time for it but thought I would ask the experts anyway!

You're welcome.....I hope you enjoy the luau .

 

[karriealex]

The people with the luggage by the pool were probably guests checking in who's room was not ready yet. We ran into a couple like that in Kona the other day. Poor couple had to drag their luggage around.

 

[karriealex]

The luau was great. The kids loved it and I had forgotten just how much I liked it. The food was pretty good. I especially liked the ribs. Our kids ratted us out for our birthdays and we had to go up and do a little dance on stage. Luckily there were lots of us. The kids also ratted us out on our anniversary and we went up and slow danced. They put dh and I front and center too. The dessert is now the pineapple bread pudding and is pretty good. I did like the lava cake though, but I am a chocolate maniac.

Oh also if you get the Tables in Wonderland card and you book the 8 PM show you get 20% off your bill and since tax and gratuity is already figured in the tickets you buy you actually get the whole 20% and it doesn't just save you on the tip. The card is $100 for AP holders and $125 for Florida Residents. Though we are FLA Residents we went for the cheaper AP price. It has saved us quite a bit of money on this trip. It normally takes 20% off your bill but adds on an 18% gratuity so you are saving really about 22% since you have between 18 and 20 tip and you are not coming up with a further 20% over the cost of the meal tip.

 

[karriealex]

We tried to make it back from the 8 PM luau to watch Wishes tonight but we didn't make it. We could hear them going off during the luau. The luau itself lasts about 2 hours and if they get even a couple minutes late start it makes the end time later

 

[karriealex]

I really hope we don't get a phone call! For one, I've been wanting to stay at the Poly for YEARS and have no desire to move to GF. But mostly it's because my mom and stepdad are going with us and we are surprising my mom when we get on the ME bus. She thinks we're staying somewhere else. I made all the reservations, paid everything off, and have her address listed as mine so all of her mail (ME tags, etc.) come to me. I'm just going to slap them on the suitcases when we check in at the airport and hope she doesn't notice what they say, lol. I also changed her email address so she wouldn't find out that way either. But I left her actual phone number on the account, so I could just imagine that conversation if Disney tried to call her first and move her! She'd be so confused!

Since we have two reservations, they linked them with a "traveling with" number, do you think they'd be less likely to try to move us?

Because there are double rooms linked together I would think they would probably not try and change you to the GF. I seriously think they are calling people and trying to book them into the GF because of construction going on at the GF and not anything at the Poly. We keep going past it on the monorail and its all torn up on one side with lots of heavy machinery. I think people are shying away from the GF due to their construction and the rest of the deluxe resorts are filled. I know I would not pay GF prices to see and listen to all the construction. If you need me to check on anything for you I am here until Sunday morning.

 

[karriealex]

We also found out something the other day. If anyone is driving into the Poly and is disabled with a handicapped placard or license plate Bell Services will Valet park your car and it is free instead of the 15.00 a night it normally is. Bell services told dh about this and re-parked our car the other day when he and dh went to the car to get our luggage and Bell Services noticed my handicapped license plate. I thought it was sweet of them to tell us.

 

[maxsmom]

Finally! We came back and for the 1st time had a nice cold fridge. Keeping my fingers crossed that it stays that way.

On another note. We got a late O'Hanas ADR for this evening. We hadn't had one booked but after we were able to switch from AoA at a couple of weeks out we had to try. So it was 9:50. Well if you arrive then they pretty much just brought all the food at once. The salad was there before the bread was all served. Then as soon as the salad hit one plate the noodles, veggies, wings and stuff werenthere. Before we could even touch that plate they were bringing the meat around. It's not like we were taking our time w/ the salad b/c I was the only one eating it. So with in 10 min we had everything. Then of course our daughter who's 6 wanted to participate in the activities and we were at the 1st table directly behind the bar. I didn't feel comfortable sending her off on her own so our food was completely cold by the time we actually got to eat it. I could have told her no, but that's part of the fun of eating there. So I don't recommend going that late.

On a side note lunch was the opposite. Normally we don't have 2 TS meals in one day but we had already booked T-Rex a long time ago and it was at 1:00 so we thought that was a big enough gap and we'd all be hungry again. Well that lunch took us 2 hrs! That is crazy and we got right in at our ADR time. So our meals were both good but also both a bit frustrating today. Let's hope BOG goes better tomorrow!

 

[TigrLvsPooh]

The former is usually us. We tend to arrive early and bring a tote bag with swimsuits down to the pool so the kids can get some swimming in while we wait for our room. Please don't assume we're hopping!

Oh don't worry, I would never assume that, these people I saw came from the TTC, we were just coming back from Epcot and they walked in front of us the whole way. There was no doubt in my mind they weren't Poly guests, they even looked nervous!

 

[bluejasmine]

I'm sorry I don't believe ppl that have luggage at the pool are Poly guests who's rooms aren't ready any time our room isn't ready bell services still take our luggage.. If I need something out of it I let them know before they take it away so there isn't any need to drag luggage around the resort.. Lol.

Sept 2013 Poly, 2012 Disney Fantasy, BC CL, GF CL, POR, 2011 Poly CL, CR, Poly CL, AKL, 2010 Poly CL, ASMu 2009, SSR 2008, Pop 2006, POR , Asmo 2005, Asmo 2003, offsite 2000, 1999,1989, Poly 1980, offsite 1979

 

[Chavaleh]

I'm sorry I don't believe ppl that have luggage at the pool are Poly guests who's rooms aren't ready any time our room isn't ready bell services still take our luggage.. If I need something out of it I let them know before they take it away so there isn't any need to drag luggage around the resort.. Lol.

We plan on having a swim if we get there before our room is ready and if I hadn't been reading the DIS Boards I would have had no idea that it was even possible to leave my luggage with bell services. It just wouldn't have occurred to me.

 

[Sandy55]

Just FYI for anyone who is interested. Due to all the information coming in about construction and potential longhouse closings in September I called last night regarding our September 21-28 reservation. We had requested Tahiti longhouse standard view and I had originally thought we would stick with it even if it wasn't refurbished but after hearing it might be closed during our visit we began to rethink this and decided to request a refurbished one. I asked about the people that are being "upgraded" to GF and he told me that was for the week before our visit so there should be no problem. Now I know they don't often have the most updated information so take that for what it's worth. I did go on the WDW website page and the room availability info did seem to correspond to what he was saying. There were no Poly rooms available at all the week before our arrival. The week we are there they are listing only standard view rooms available. Again, take it for what it's worth but I figure the more information we share the better. We're hoping to be able to stay at the Poly - any longhouse. We'll see what happens.

 

[Wanna be Ariel]

Just FYI for anyone who is interested. Due to all the information coming in about construction and potential longhouse closings in September I called last night regarding our September 21-28 reservation. We had requested Tahiti longhouse standard view and I had originally thought we would stick with it even if it wasn't refurbished but after hearing it might be closed during our visit we began to rethink this and decided to request a refurbished one. I asked about the people that are being "upgraded" to GF and he told me that was for the week before our visit so there should be no problem. Now I know they don't often have the most updated information so take that for what it's worth. I did go on the WDW website page and the room availability info did seem to correspond to what he was saying. There were no Poly rooms available at all the week before our arrival. The week we are there they are listing only standard view rooms available. Again, take it for what it's worth but I figure the more information we share the better. We're hoping to be able to stay at the Poly - any longhouse. We'll see what happens.

WOW those are the dates that we will be there too! I can't believe that is all that is left. CL is totally sold out(we have a GVCL booked) It is gonna be crowded.
But anyway, say hi if you see us Have a good vacation!

 

[samacita]

90 days!!! Getting closer...

 

[mommy2mygirls]

Does your step dad know where you are staying? If so, could you maybe tell him there's a possibility that Disney will call and if he answers to just to the CM he's not interested in moving? Or maybe you could call and change the phone number to your number just to be safe. If you get the call, I'd just tell the CM that you want to stay at the Poly and maybe explain the situation with your mom so hopefully they won't call her as well. Good luck .

Yes, my stepdad knows, so he's been intercepting any mail that has slipped by. But the phone number on the account is my mom's cell phone. They don't have a home phone. Maybe I will either change the number to mine or my stepdad's just in case! We've thought about telling her beforehand, but we really want to do it when we get on the ME. We think it will be so fun to tell her there!

 

[Tikiman]

Steve the information I got about the pool was from staff and IPO. The marina handles all the rehabbing on the pools and when they called down to them last week they were told that it was put off indefinitely. This is probably due to DVC and them not being sure yet exactly what will happen with the quiet pool. I double checked this today and was told the same thing. There is no date set for a rehab of the volcano pool at this time. I wanted to make doubly sure about the information I posted.

That is a reliable source for sure but head of recreation (who is incharge of the Marina also) was the one that had the information about the pool rehab being moved to January. Its possible that has changed again but since that was the latest information I was given I will stick to that until they tell me otherwise. Thanks for sharing your info though. They have to start sometime next year and I would be surprised if they don't start in the winter and push it off to summer.

 

[mickeynut1]

The luau was great. The kids loved it and I had forgotten just how much I liked it. The food was pretty good. I especially liked the ribs. Our kids ratted us out for our birthdays and we had to go up and do a little dance on stage. Luckily there were lots of us. The kids also ratted us out on our anniversary and we went up and slow danced. They put dh and I front and center too. The dessert is now the pineapple bread pudding and is pretty good. I did like the lava cake though, but I am a chocolate maniac.

I'm glad you had a fun evening and had a great time at the luau. Too funny about your kids ratting you out.....but I'm sure it was a lot of fun .

Finally! We came back and for the 1st time had a nice cold fridge. Keeping my fingers crossed that it stays that way.

On another note. We got a late O'Hanas ADR for this evening. We hadn't had one booked but after we were able to switch from AoA at a couple of weeks out we had to try. So it was 9:50. Well if you arrive then they pretty much just brought all the food at once. The salad was there before the bread was all served. Then as soon as the salad hit one plate the noodles, veggies, wings and stuff werenthere. Before we could even touch that plate they were bringing the meat around. It's not like we were taking our time w/ the salad b/c I was the only one eating it. So with in 10 min we had everything. Then of course our daughter who's 6 wanted to participate in the activities and we were at the 1st table directly behind the bar. I didn't feel comfortable sending her off on her own so our food was completely cold by the time we actually got to eat it. I could have told her no, but that's part of the fun of eating there. So I don't recommend going that late.

On a side note lunch was the opposite. Normally we don't have 2 TS meals in one day but we had already booked T-Rex a long time ago and it was at 1:00 so we thought that was a big enough gap and we'd all be hungry again. Well that lunch took us 2 hrs! That is crazy and we got right in at our ADR time. So our meals were both good but also both a bit frustrating today. Let's hope BOG goes better tomorrow!

Yay for a working fridge . Glad both your T-Rex lunch and Ohana dinner were good, but sorry everything was brought all at once at Ohana. I hope your DD had fun with the activities .

90 days!!! Getting closer...

It will be here before you know it .