ALOHA! The Polynesian Resort Information Thread: June 2013

[bluejasmine]

So my trip in a few weeks is really coming together, Im super excited! I tried to make this trip all about my hubby b/c he has been so supportive and loving and he works a super laborous job!

I thought Id share the plans and the surprises for him!

Sept 6 we leave about 3pm Dh will get off work (works 10 min away) will shower immediately and Ill have car packed so we can leave by 345pm to make the 6 1/2 drive to Orlando! Check into CoCo Key resort.

Sept 7 up by 7 check out of CoCo Key but take their shuttle over to IOA have breakfast at Cinnabon and head straight to Harry Potter, lunch at Mythos at 1230 do rest of park and leave about 4/430 to get car and drive to Holiday Inn Express LBV check in and head to DTD, dinner at RFC (have a $25 birthday reward) meet friends at Paradiso 37 for drinks do a little shopping and turn in for the night.

Sept 8 check in at Poly CL by 730 am , breakfast in the lounge, head to MK lunch is at LTT at 1130 at 130 DH has a appt at the barber shop on Main (1st surprise) will go back to Poly after to unpack, swim. At 5 have apps in CL and head back to MK, share lobster roll at CHH and do a few more rides, Wishes Dessert Parry at 9, not sure if we stay for EMH or just shop our way down Main St on the way out.

Sept 9, breakfast in CL, walk to TTC to grab monorail to EP, future world rides then 1115 we have a Behind the seeds tour (surprise 2) lunch at Coral Reef then head into WS to do pick a pearl and grab our favorite sake Hana Awaka, do a few more countries then head back to Poly to swim and relax, 5 pm CL for apps, head back to EP, tour some countries, dinner at Les Halles in france, Illuminations

Sept 10- sleep in a bit , breakfast CL, I have a cabana rented for 10-2 (3rd surprise) at 2 shower and take monorail to GF to shop and walk around, 5 pm CL for apps and drive to DTD to shop a bit and dinner with friends at Ragland Road, Hallowishes from the Poly beach at 930

Sept 11-Drive to AK, Tusker House breakfast pre park opening, leave Ak around 1 to drive to DTD to share a meal at WGPE and play in DQ, back to resort by 5 for apps in lounge, shower and change Ohana at 750, wishes on the beach with friends

Sept 12-breakfast at Sunshine Seasons, tour Epcot lunch at Sunshine Seasons or Katsura Grill or Norway, back to Poly around 2 to swim, lounge at 5 for apps, back to Ep around 6 tour Mexico and have dinner at San Angel Inn at 7, then few more countries and Illuminations

Sept 13 (our anniversary) breakfast CL, head to HS, lunch at Sci Fi back to resort around 2, swim and relax, grab a glass of wine at 5 from lounge then at 520 meet Limo outside (Surprise for hubby) to take us to boardwalk where we have dinner at flying Fish then take boat over to HS for Villains party ( I LOVE THE VILLAINS)

Sept 14-1900 pf breakfast, then on to MK, fp for BOG lunch at 130, back to Poly around 330, CL at 5 for apps, back to MK rides and dinner at Pecos Bills around 7, more rides and shopping before heading out

Sept 15-sleep in breakfast at Kona for Tonga Toast, head to DTD for Earl of sandwich for the road and make the 6 1/2 hr drive home

 

[mickeynut1]

Yay have an amazing time! We are also leaving out soon headed to the Poly, leaving in about 6 hours! I can't sleep, obviously since I'm on here, so I'm playing online instead.

Have a great trip .

At the Poly now..love it but boy is the pool crowded!!! They were checking IDs and giving wristbands the first couple days of our trip but nothing since! I hope when the new pool goes in that it is gated off. I saw a whole gaggle of people with magic bands on in the pool the other day, all using the slide, making the line even longer not fair to my kids or anyone else paying for the Poly amenities. Sorry, vent over! 2 more days in paradise!!!! Will be sad to go home after 9 nights here.

I'm glad you like the Poly, but sorry about the pool. I hope you continue to enjoy your stay .

So my trip in a few weeks is really coming together, Im super excited! I tried to make this trip all about my hubby b/c he has been so supportive and loving and he works a super laborous job!

I thought Id share the plans and the surprises for him!

How exciting that your trip is getting close . I think your plans look great......I'm sure your DH will love all of the little surprises .

 

[karriealex]

So my trip in a few weeks is really coming together, Im super excited! I tried to make this trip all about my hubby b/c he has been so supportive and loving and he works a super laborous job!

I thought Id share the plans and the surprises for him!

Sept 6 we leave about 3pm Dh will get off work (works 10 min away) will shower immediately and Ill have car packed so we can leave by 345pm to make the 6 1/2 drive to Orlando! Check into CoCo Key resort.

Sept 7 up by 7 check out of CoCo Key but take their shuttle over to IOA have breakfast at Cinnabon and head straight to Harry Potter, lunch at Mythos at 1230 do rest of park and leave about 4/430 to get car and drive to Holiday Inn Express LBV check in and head to DTD, dinner at RFC (have a $25 birthday reward) meet friends at Paradiso 37 for drinks do a little shopping and turn in for the night.

Sept 8 check in at Poly CL by 730 am , breakfast in the lounge, head to MK lunch is at LTT at 1130 at 130 DH has a appt at the barber shop on Main (1st surprise) will go back to Poly after to unpack, swim. At 5 have apps in CL and head back to MK, share lobster roll at CHH and do a few more rides, Wishes Dessert Parry at 9, not sure if we stay for EMH or just shop our way down Main St on the way out.

Sept 9, breakfast in CL, walk to TTC to grab monorail to EP, future world rides then 1115 we have a Behind the seeds tour (surprise 2) lunch at Coral Reef then head into WS to do pick a pearl and grab our favorite sake Hana Awaka, do a few more countries then head back to Poly to swim and relax, 5 pm CL for apps, head back to EP, tour some countries, dinner at Les Halles in france, Illuminations

Sept 10- sleep in a bit , breakfast CL, I have a cabana rented for 10-2 (3rd surprise) at 2 shower and take monorail to GF to shop and walk around, 5 pm CL for apps and drive to DTD to shop a bit and dinner with friends at Ragland Road, Hallowishes from the Poly beach at 930

Sept 11-Drive to AK, Tusker House breakfast pre park opening, leave Ak around 1 to drive to DTD to share a meal at WGPE and play in DQ, back to resort by 5 for apps in lounge, shower and change Ohana at 750, wishes on the beach with friends

Sept 12-breakfast at Sunshine Seasons, tour Epcot lunch at Sunshine Seasons or Katsura Grill or Norway, back to Poly around 2 to swim, lounge at 5 for apps, back to Ep around 6 tour Mexico and have dinner at San Angel Inn at 7, then few more countries and Illuminations

Sept 13 (our anniversary) breakfast CL, head to HS, lunch at Sci Fi back to resort around 2, swim and relax, grab a glass of wine at 5 from lounge then at 520 meet Limo outside (Surprise for hubby) to take us to boardwalk where we have dinner at flying Fish then take boat over to HS for Villains party ( I LOVE THE VILLAINS)

Sept 14-1900 pf breakfast, then on to MK, fp for BOG lunch at 130, back to Poly around 330, CL at 5 for apps, back to MK rides and dinner at Pecos Bills around 7, more rides and shopping before heading out

Sept 15-sleep in breakfast at Kona for Tonga Toast, head to DTD for Earl of sandwich for the road and make the 6 1/2 hr drive home

Sounds awesome. You seem to do the parks and resort the same way we do.

We rarely if ever stay at the park all day. Ds and I did that only once on our last trip. Dh was very cranky and moody and I got a bit angry and said I was going back to the resort and off I went in the wheelchair. Eldest ds called me and asked where I was. By that time I was near Spaceship Earth. He asked if he met me there if we could ride. I said yes. We met and did ride and then there was something else and then something else he wanted to do so he and I spent the whole rest of the day wandering around Epcot and riding rides. Dh and younger ds actually did go back to the resort LOL. We met back up in Epcot and had dinner at Rose and Crown and then did a few things after. Actually what happened that day wasn't all that bad. It got dh and I away from each other for awhile and allowed me to have some one on one time with my eldest ds. Dh was fine the whole rest of the trip. Something was up with him that day and the best thing I could have done was to just remove myself from the situation.

The Lobster Roll at CHH is very good and not expensive at all. My sis introduced me to them in NY earlier this summer and the one I had at CHH was better than the one in NY and a lot cheaper LOL

I see you like Japan too. It is our favorite country in WS. We always make it a point to go there and we always buy something. It is the only place I can get Leachee candy. What saki do you recommend? The last one we got there was way too dry and had kind of a fishy taste to it believe it or not. We had a plum saki there one time that was so good but now we can't find it to buy it. lol

 

[karriealex]

We noticed the pool as exceedingly busy when we were there too and is a lot of the reason we did not use it on this trip. In all the trips I have taken this is the worst the pool has ever been. Not sure why that is. Maybe more pool hoppers? I would have thought though that the whole resort and Disney would have quieted down a bit now that Florida kids are back in school but I guess since the Northern kids don't go back till after Labor Day that it is still busy. Guess we Floridians don't make as much of an impact as I thought we did. LOL I am glad they were checking keys and wish that they would do that every day until they put up the wall around the pool. It really isn't fair to spend the kind of money we do to stay there and have someone from POP Century etc...taking up pool space. They really need to get this pool hopping, fireworks watching stuff under control. We pay for these amenities and also for the peace and quiet that is getting disrupted by people who do not belong there.

 

[karriealex]

I would love to go to the Poly for the 4th of July but after the reports from this year we will not be doing that. The Poly does not seem to have any control measures in place to keep those that don't belong at the resort away from the pool and the beach especially that week. I heard about people standing in front of people's patio's in Hawaii so that they could not see the fireworks, people stealing the chairs from people's patios, the inability to even move through the area because of the amount of people, and about the beach and grass area actually being trashed by towels etc.... No way am I going to pay those prices to get stuck in something like that. They seriously need to do something about it. Even if they have to put up a wall of CM's to check room keys etc...would be better than angering the people who are staying there and making things miserable for them. We stayed at CR one time for the 4th and it was nice. We actually went out into the parking lot to watch the fireworks that night. It was quiet and not crowded.

 

[monorailsilver]

At the Poly now..love it but boy is the pool crowded!!! They were checking IDs and giving wristbands the first couple days of our trip but nothing since! I hope when the new pool goes in that it is gated off. I saw a whole gaggle of people with magic bands on in the pool the other day, all using the slide, making the line even longer not fair to my kids or anyone else paying for the Poly amenities. Sorry, vent over! 2 more days in paradise!!!! Will be sad to go home after 9 nights here.

When we were there a few weeks ago, the cm said they only check on the weekends. I noticed that the weekend the pool was empty. Ok not really empty but mid week and night/fireworks time the pool was super crowded. I watched them kick someone out.

I can't wait for a gaited pool and hopefully gaited beach!

 

[DznyCrzy11]

At the Poly now..love it but boy is the pool crowded!!! They were checking IDs and giving wristbands the first couple days of our trip but nothing since! I hope when the new pool goes in that it is gated off. I saw a whole gaggle of people with magic bands on in the pool the other day, all using the slide, making the line even longer not fair to my kids or anyone else paying for the Poly amenities. Sorry, vent over! 2 more days in paradise!!!! Will be sad to go home after 9 nights here.

Just wondering, how do you know they were not guests at the resort? Even if you are guests you can still wear your magic bands to the pool, that way you wouldn't have to carry a wallet with your room keys.

I would love to go to the Poly for the 4th of July but after the reports from this year we will not be doing that. The Poly does not seem to have any control measures in place to keep those that don't belong at the resort away from the pool and the beach especially that week. I heard about people standing in front of peoples patio's in Hawaii so that they could not see the fireworks, people stealing the chairs from peoples patios, the inability to even move through the area because of the amount of people, and about the beach and grass area actually being trashed by towels etc.... No way am I going to pay those prices to get stuck in something like that. They seriously need to do something about it. Even if they have to put up a wall of CM's to check room keys etc would be better than angering the people who are staying there and making things miserable for them. We stayed at CR one time for the 4th and it was not all that bad. We actually went out into the parking lot to watch the fireworks that night. It was quiet and not crowded.

I agree, it's out of control. Thanks to people like that I don't see any other way but to gate off the pool and beach area. Luckily, when we've gone the 1st week of September nothing has been very crowded so hopefully it's that way this year as well!! Ok, so I'll admit, we've never used the pool, that's right, this will will be our 4th stay and we've never used the pool, LOL. I told my DH I'm probably better off staying in a value resort but now I've been too spoiled by staying deluxe to ever go back, haha. We do like to go back to the resort in the afternoon for a break and just sit out on the balcony, but like I told my DH, I'm always more excited to get into the parks. This time we will definitely try the pool!!! I do love getting a drink at the pool bar and watching Wishes!!

Sent from my Galaxy SII

 

[mickeynut1]

I would love to go to the Poly for the 4th of July but after the reports from this year we will not be doing that. The Poly does not seem to have any control measures in place to keep those that don't belong at the resort away from the pool and the beach especially that week. I heard about people standing in front of people's patio's in Hawaii so that they could not see the fireworks, people stealing the chairs from people's patios, the inability to even move through the area because of the amount of people, and about the beach and grass area actually being trashed by towels etc.... No way am I going to pay those prices to get stuck in something like that. They seriously need to do something about it. Even if they have to put up a wall of CM's to check room keys etc...would be better than angering the people who are staying there and making things miserable for them. We stayed at CR one time for the 4th and it was nice. We actually went out into the parking lot to watch the fireworks that night. It was quiet and not crowded.

I would love to go over the 4th as well and might consider it for next year, but I do agree it's out of control sometimes (especially over the 4th).

When we were there a few weeks ago, the cm said they only check on the weekends. I noticed that the weekend the pool was empty. Ok not really empty but mid week and night/fireworks time the pool was super crowded. I watched them kick someone out.

I can't wait for a gaited pool and hopefully gaited beach!

We've only stayed at the Poly once at the very end of September into October and we didn't find the pool crowded at all, but I'm sure it get crowded plenty of other times. I don't want to see a fence go up around the pool as it would somewhat hinder the pretty view (IMO), but if that's what it takes to restrict the pool to resort guests only, I'm all for it .

Ok, so I'll admit, we've never used the pool, that's right, this will will be our 4th stay and we've never used the pool, LOL. I told my DH I'm probably better off staying in a value resort but now I've been too spoiled by staying deluxe to ever go back, haha. We do like to go back to the resort in the afternoon for a break and just sit out on the balcony, but like I told my DH, I'm always more excited to get into the parks. This time we will definitely try the pool!!! I do love getting a drink at the pool bar and watching Wishes!!

We love the Poly pool as it's our favorite . I love how it backs up to the beach with a distant view of the castle . We've stayed at the BC and while a lot of people say the BC is hands down the best pool on property, we love the volcano pool more. I hope you get to experience it this trip .

 

[karriealex]

Just wondering, how do you know they were not guests at the resort? Even if you are guests you can still wear your magic bands to the pool, that way you wouldn't have to carry a wallet with your room keys.



I agree, it's out of control. Thanks to people like that I don't see any other way but to gate off the pool and beach area. Luckily, when we've gone the 1st week of September nothing has been very crowded so hopefully it's that way this year as well!! Ok, so I'll admit, we've never used the pool, that's right, this will will be our 4th stay and we've never used the pool, LOL. I told my DH I'm probably better off staying in a value resort but now I've been too spoiled by staying deluxe to ever go back, haha. We do like to go back to the resort in the afternoon for a break and just sit out on the balcony, but like I told my DH, I'm always more excited to get into the parks. This time we will definitely try the pool!!! I do love getting a drink at the pool bar and watching Wishes!!

Sent from my Galaxy SII

As far as I understood Magic Bands are not yet being tested at the Poly so the person that had it could not have been staying at the Poly. Even if you do a split stay and the first resort does have magic bands they stop working when you go to the resort that doesn't yet have them. I do believe the Poly is on schedule to get the bands soon as I thought one of our posters said she got the ability to choose them but I believe it is later in Sept.

 

[4Joyces]

As far as I understood Magic Bands are not yet being tested at the Poly so the person that had it could not have been staying at the Poly. Even if you do a split stay and the first resort does have magic bands they stop working when you go to the resort that doesn't yet have them. I do believe the Poly is on schedule to get the bands soon as I thought one of our posters said she got the ability to choose them but I believe it is later in Sept.

My Magic Bands for our Poly stay in 3 wks should be arriving today!

 

[karriealex]

My Magic Bands for our Poly stay in 3 wks should be arriving today!

I thought they were going to start soon. I knew I had seen someone post about it. Seems they are starting about mid Sept. then.

 

[Day-Day]

Got our magic bands yesterday for September 7 arrival at the Polynesian. Also got the letter yesterday advising that refrigerators may not be available.

Any additional updates from current or recent visitors regarding refrigerators?

 

[momtobrynncess]

Got our magic bands yesterday for September 7 arrival at the Polynesian. Also got the letter yesterday advising that refrigerators may not be available.

Any additional updates from current or recent visitors regarding refrigerators?

We are here now and we have a working fridge.

 

[karriealex]

Got our magic bands yesterday for September 7 arrival at the Polynesian. Also got the letter yesterday advising that refrigerators may not be available.

Any additional updates from current or recent visitors regarding refrigerators?

Guess I am wrong again. They must be starting early September. Not sure why but I got the feel when I talked to them about it before we left that it was going to be later rather than earlier in September. I had asked about the bands for our trip in mid August. I had seen other posts about it and they were staying later in Sept so I thought what I had been told was right. Now I am hearing differently. Oh well. I should know better than to depend on what the CMs tell us as they are notoriously wrong due to lack of information given to them.

 

[DznyCrzy11]

As far as I understood Magic Bands are not yet being tested at the Poly so the person that had it could not have been staying at the Poly. Even if you do a split stay and the first resort does have magic bands they stop working when you go to the resort that doesn't yet have them. I do believe the Poly is on schedule to get the bands soon as I thought one of our posters said she got the ability to choose them but I believe it is later in Sept.

Oh yeah, that's right. Magic bands for Poly start in September. We'll be there starting September 5th and we received our magic bands yesterday.

Sent from my Galaxy SII

 

[karriealex]

Oh yeah, that's right. Magic bands for Poly start in September. We'll be there starting September 5th and we received our magic bands yesterday.

Sent from my Galaxy SII

I knew from when I talked to them before a I left that it was going to be September but they made it sound like late September and then when the poster said she had gotten the ability to choose hers and I thought her trip was later September I thought the info I had been given was right. I am glad to hear that they are trying them out sooner rather than later. I hope we still have the ability to get them when we go in December. Anyone know if the resorts that were doing it stopped doing it when they put another resort on to test it. Like CR. I know they were doing it this month and wonder if they will stop now that the Poly will be testing. I would figure by December there would be another resort testing them and wondered if they would still be doing it at the Poly. I am dying to try out those bands. I want a purple one! LOL

 

[momtobrynncess]

I have to say, being here now is so special. I simply cannot imagine staying anywhere else!

About our stay so far, I have no complaints whatsoever. The room was perfect, the fridge works, the transportation so far has been GREAT! Mousekeeping has been great, we got two towel animals. I called this morning to have some laundry picked up and they showed up in 10 minutes. We got locked out of our safe, called to have someone fix it and he was there within 20 minutes.

The pool was crazy packed yesterday, and tables/chairs were hard to find, but it was one in the afternoon, the hottest part of the day, so I'm not sure I should expect anything less. I would love to see them checking/wristbanding but that's another thread.

So far, our stay has been outstanding!!!! Sooooo happy to be here!!!

 

[momtobrynncess]

As far as I understood Magic Bands are not yet being tested at the Poly so the person that had it could not have been staying at the Poly. Even if you do a split stay and the first resort does have magic bands they stop working when you go to the resort that doesn't yet have them. I do believe the Poly is on schedule to get the bands soon as I thought one of our posters said she got the ability to choose them but I believe it is later in Sept.

Good point! I know they are definitely not available at Poly right now, so unless I'm missing something, that would be a good indicator they are not staying there. And the fact that they are only checking on weekends is disappointing.

 

[ZZUB]

I have to say, being here now is so special. I simply cannot imagine staying anywhere else!

About our stay so far, I have no complaints whatsoever. The room was perfect, the fridge works, the transportation so far has been GREAT! Mousekeeping has been great, we got two towel animals. I called this morning to have some laundry picked up and they showed up in 10 minutes. We got locked out of our safe, called to have someone fix it and he was there within 20 minutes.

The pool was crazy packed yesterday, and tables/chairs were hard to find, but it was one in the afternoon, the hottest part of the day, so I'm not sure I should expect anything less. I would love to see them checking/wristbanding but that's another thread.

So far, our stay has been outstanding!!!! Sooooo happy to be here!!!

We got locked out of our safe as well. My eldest daughter who thought she knew the code we used re-locked the safe but then when we came back that night, no combination we used re-opened it. They had someone in our room in about 10 minutes to open it for us and she was as nice as she could be.

We were there the 2d week of August and they were wristbanding people at the pool. And each time they did it, the place started to clear out.

 

[karriealex]

We got locked out of our safe as well. My eldest daughter who thought she knew the code we used re-locked the safe but then when we came back that night, no combination we used re-opened it. They had someone in our room in about 10 minutes to open it for us and she was as nice as she could be.

We were there the 2d week of August and they were wristbanding people at the pool. And each time they did it, the place started to clear out.

Must be a kid thing. My youngest did the same thing with the safe. We could not get it open. Thankfully that day we didn't have anything in there. Did you hear that they caught a mousekeeper stealing from a safe at the All Star? The Poly safes are great just don't leave your room key around because I believe you can use that to bypass the lock on the safe.