ALOHA! The Polynesian Resort Information Thread: June 2013

[gkrykewy]

I just wanted to point out Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon have been using the RFID mugs for sometime now. Ever since they started offering the refillable mugs.

Last I heard the RFID mugs are suppose to be rolled out in waves by September 1. All the resorts have the machines but not all of them have the mugs and not all the machines are on.

We were actually staying at Poly when the new machines were put in. One night Captain Cooks had the old machines next morning RFID that just weren't turned on yet.

For me the 2 minutes isn't that big of a deal. Even if I suck a soda down having to wait a minute to a minute and a half more to refill isn't that hard. You can mix drinks because the machine knows how much it put out and will let you mix until your ounces are used up. I can even down 8 oz in 2 minutes so it isn't that big of a deal to me. Disney can't please everyone and 2-3 minutes seems to be a pretty insignificant wait.

Thanks- if that's how it will work, it sounds reasonable.

 

[bluejasmine]

Gonna try and be around to help answer questions today but not sure how long I will last, I have the double yukkies. Not only did my doc change my pain medication for my back but some sweet soul felt it necessary to share their cold with me. UGH!!

Feel better soon!!

 

[karriealex]

Feel better soon!!

Thank you sweetie. Oh to top it off. Last nigh there was one lanyard pin on the floor missing its rubber backing and sitting pin up. You can guess what happened. Yup full weight down on the pin. I'm sitting there howling, dh jumps out of bed runs over and has to remove said pin from the bottom of my foot. Only thing I can figure is my dog when she was playing with my old purse yesterday (heaven forbid she play with her toys) must have knocked the pin out of it and somehow the back came off. My luck has been a little off lately ROFL

 

[smallsy]

I think we've decided to go with the Poly in January despite construction! Now the question is what requests would you make if traveling with infants? From my own research and the awesomeness of this group, I'd think Tokelau would be a nice compromise... I guess we can always make a different request if we find that construction has begun and it's too noisy.

Things that are important:
- access to GCH and monorail (though both couples are used to walking)
- fairly quiet for afternoon naps/early bed-times
- away from smoking areas

Things that are less important:
- view (though I'm not going to lie, I'd LOVE a good view!)
- being near the pool (not even sure we'd want to use it in January)

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

We will be arriving October 13 for my birthday also. Have a great trip and a happy birthday!

Yeah! Another Libra! Have a great birthday and say hi if you see us!

 

[karriealex]

Yeah! Another Libra! Have a great birthday and say hi if you see us!

I had to laugh at your impteenth anniversary of your 29th. I have decided I am not going to age but go backwards but just until high school because I am NOT taking Algebra again! LOL

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

I think we've decided to go with the Poly in January despite construction! Now the question is what requests would you make if traveling with infants? From my own research and the awesomeness of this group, I'd think Tokelau would be a nice compromise... I guess we can always make a different request if we find that construction has begun and it's too noisy.

Things that are important:
- access to GCH and monorail (though both couples are used to walking)
- fairly quiet for afternoon naps/early bed-times
- away from smoking areas

Things that are less important:
- view (though I'm not going to lie, I'd LOVE a good view!)
- being near the pool (not even sure we'd want to use it in January)

Everyone has their favorite longhouse but I'll tell you why we like Tokelau:

1. It is still close enough to GCH but also an easy walk to the TTC to get the direct monorail to Epcot.

2. Tokelau rooms are slightly larger than the older longhouses. In May, they put us in Samoa and I refused to even put down my bags because that little bit of extra space was so noticeable to me. LUCKILY, they opened up Tokelau 45 minutes prior to me calling!!!

3. All rooms in Tokelau have a patio or balcony. This REALLY opens the room up. It allows for adults to sit outside while the kids are napping or to at least ease the crowdedness of the rooms when everyone is getting ready in the morning. Mom and Dad can have coffee while the kids are dressing or kids can have breakfast outside while others get ready - you get the idea.

4. The longhouse is next to the beach. Granted, it is perpendicular to the beach so there are a few rooms with a partial lagoon view, but the point is that you can just pop out one end and walk along the beach.

5. The longhouse is really close to the bus stop. If you pop out the other end of the longhouse, you barely have a 20 second walk to the bus stop.

6. The longhouse is right next to the East pool. Almost always you can find a shaded table to sit at and the bathrooms are really nice. But just in case you need something in the room, you can pop in and out of the longhouse (and even quicker if you have a patio room that faces the pool.)

7. The longhouse is right next to a grassy area with walkways. My kids like to run around, use their Ridemakerz cars on the walkways, or just play out there. And if you have a patio room on that side, you have all that room to 'play' when you are in your room.

As for the 'quiet' you seek....Tokelau is a big longhouse and in the mornings and evenings, families are leaving and arriving and it can be 'noisy' because of all the people walking and talking in the hallways. So if you want to sleep until 10, do not get the room on the first floor at either end of the hallway because people are leaving right near your room every morning. To avoid the walking/talking issue, ask for a 3rd floor room.

And my biggest complaint (which I am not sure about the other longhouses) are the JET TOILET FLUSHES!!!!! You can hear every toilet flush from every room - usually at night because there is no other noise to cover it up. I highly suggest a white noise app. Perhaps the 3rd floor has less noise from that???

Good luck with your choice!

 

[Tinkerbellie16]

I had to laugh at your impteenth anniversary of your 29th. I have decided I am not going to age but go backwards but just until high school because I am NOT taking Algebra again! LOL

I don't mind the number and I actually quite like getting older (so much easier to deal with everything and be happy with one self!) but I'm not digging on gravity and those age spots! I'm also quite annoyed that I keep upping my runs and all it does is keep me at the same spot - so not enjoying that slowing metabolism! Of course, my son said to me yesterday, "Wait...you mean you only run so you can eat?" So rather than him biking 3 miles with me while I ran, he biked the whole 6 miles so he could have some candy. Ugh, I'm sitting here and NOT running so need to go. It takes awhile to run 6 miles and it is HOT out!

 

[karriealex]

I don't mind the number and I actually quite like getting older (so much easier to deal with everything and be happy with one self!) but I'm not digging on gravity and those age spots! I'm also quite annoyed that I keep upping my runs and all it does is keep me at the same spot - so not enjoying that slowing metabolism! Of course, my son said to me yesterday, "Wait...you mean you only run so you can eat?" So rather than him biking 3 miles with me while I ran, he biked the whole 6 miles so he could have some candy. Ugh, I'm sitting here and NOT running so need to go. It takes awhile to run 6 miles and it is HOT out!

LOL I have to agree I really don't mind getting older but gravity, age pots, and slowing metabolism is the pits. It does help that I don't look my age either due to good genes. When I say my age people don't believe me. It only really showed a bit when I let my hair go gray. Wont make that mistake again. Someone at my docs office told my dh that they put his MOM in a room. Colored my hair soon after LOL

 

[karriealex]

Never noticed the toilet flushes in the Hawaii building but then again our toilet is loud at home so it may be I just didn't notice.

 

[karriealex]

I was sitting thinking (never allow me to do this) but I was wondering what the Poly does if someone in a wheelchair wants to rent a cabana? The only one accessible to a wheelchair is the big one. Never dawned on me while I was there because I don't always have to use my wheelchair. I am able to walk some and the night I took the pictures I was walking.

 

[CNAGEY]

Thanks for the responses on the September Pool concerns we had! We went to the Poly for the first time a year ago and fell in love with it. Not being able to use the Pool and watch Wishes was going to be a bummer!

 

[Jrabbit910]

Hi Tinkerbellie, I just read your post about Tokelau rooms and that was my first request. Would you keep that request knowing construction was going to be close?

 

[karriealex]

Hi Tinkerbellie, I just read your post about Tokelau rooms and that was my first request. Would you keep that request knowing construction was going to be close?

I am still planning to ask for that longhouse in December but will ask for the side that faces the quiet pool and not the other side.

 

[karriealex]

Thanks for the responses on the September Pool concerns we had! We went to the Poly for the first time a year ago and fell in love with it. Not being able to use the Pool and watch Wishes was going to be a bummer!

Unless you wanted to watch Wishes from the pool your ability to watch Wishes would not be effected if the pool were closed

 

[karriealex]

Flipping through my pictures of the Poly to take my mind off the fact that I feel so incredibly rotten. The Poly really is my happy place.

 

[smallsy]

Thanks for that super awesome summary tinkerbellie16!

I think that's the way we'll go. I figure we can always try to change if we learn something new about the construction. And I don't think the toilets will be a problem. DS sleeps with white noise anyway, his sleep sheep. Whenever we hear him stir on the monitor, one of us will nudge the other and mumble "sheep!" to go turn it back on.

 

[karriealex]

Thanks for that super awesome summary tinkerbellie16!

I think that's the way we'll go. I figure we can always try to change if we learn something new about the construction. And I don't think the toilets will be a problem. DS sleeps with white noise anyway, his sleep sheep. Whenever we hear him stir on the monitor, one of us will nudge the other and mumble "sheep!" to go turn it back on.

I'm sorry I just find this incredibly funny. I can't stop giggling. It also sounds like something that would happen in my house

I actually think I find this so funny because of what happened when my kids were newborns. They always slept right next to my side of the bed. When they would cry my husband would always nudge me and say "baby" I always wanted to say "NO really?? Would have though him screaming in my ear would have been my first clue" ROFL Never did but really wanted to,

 

[wendybeth75]

Thanks for that super awesome summary tinkerbellie16!

I think that's the way we'll go. I figure we can always try to change if we learn something new about the construction. And I don't think the toilets will be a problem. DS sleeps with white noise anyway, his sleep sheep. Whenever we hear him stir on the monitor, one of us will nudge the other and mumble "sheep!" to go turn it back on.

When my DS was 6 and we returned from Disney World, my Mom asked what his favorite thing was to which he answered "the toilet".! He was so impressed with how it would suck the water down and would spend lots of time flushing it over and over. We still laugh about that.

 

[jw50]

Do you see anything going on around Tahiti and Rapa Nui? Or the beach and sunset pointe?

As of last Friday there was no indication of any construction anywhere at the Poly, and Tahiti and Rapa Nui were both occupied. You will just have to wait and see if anything starts in Sep.

There is still a lot of work being done on the DVC building at the GF but it is really only noticeable if you are on the monorail or walk over to the GF.