ALOHA! The Polynesian Resort Information Thread: October 2013

[ashnjam]

Page 3 rescue!! Is anybody getting excited for their trip? What are you most looking forward to? Also anybody have any traditions you do the first day/night of arrival?

 

[jandkmom]

I'm sure this has been discussed before but I haven't been back in a while and I'm starting to ponder our next trip to Poly now…

We go to WDW and stay at the Poly every year for my kids' bdays, usually at the end of Jan. We've stayed in both Hawaii and Tokelau several times. We love the quiet pool and the convenience of the monorail from both the GCH and TTC (we have a DD in a wheelchair so accessibility is key). With all of the construction happening, is it still worth it to stay at the Poly? What will still be closed at that time? Tikiman, your advice been incredibly helpful all these years so we appreciate anything you have to say on the matter. Thanks!

Oh and I haven't missed any deals released for that time yet, have I? I think it's usually Oct.

 

[athyng]

We leave in ten day and I can't wait! I can't wait to see my sons face when he sees the monorail, he's two. This is his first Disney trip and it will be so exciting to see everything through his eyes. The last time my husband and I went I bought a little onesie at the Polynesian knowing that one day we would have baby and someday we would have a family Disney trip. Even with the construction I am stilled excited- my son and I watch construction sites and shows just for fun! I have been keeping an eye on Tikimans FB page for updates( thank you! ) so I know roughly what to expect.

 

[LUVDisney1975]

Page 3 rescue!! Is anybody getting excited for their trip? What are you most looking forward to? Also anybody have any traditions you do the first day/night of arrival?

My trip is pretty far off but I'm still sooo excited!!!! I'm really looking forward to staying at the Poly! Two years ago we went to Aulani and absolutely LOVED it!!!! I'm thinking Poly will have the Aulani feel and it'll be like a two for one. Hawaii and WDW! What a great combo!!!!!

 

[Cluelyss]

My trip is pretty far off but I'm still sooo excited!!!! I'm really looking forward to staying at the Poly! Two years ago we went to Aulani and absolutely LOVED it!!!! I'm thinking Poly will have the Aulani feel and it'll be like a two for one. Hawaii and WDW! What a great combo!!!!!

"Hawaii and WDW" - that is exactly how we felt during our stay last year!!

 

[OnceUponATime15]

posted this earlier to another Poly thread....



Checked in to the Poly yesterday morning

Happy to try to answer any questions if I can..

We are truly enjoying it here the staff have gone way above & beyond to ensure our comfort & enjoyment of the Resort.

This morning we are at the quiet pool before heading to EPCOT this afternoon. There is most certainly construction noise, but it is def not obnoxious. You can tell there is allot going on at the Nanea (sp?) pool & can hear muffled indoor construction noises from Tokelau.

Having said that... we came back from AK yesterday at about 4:30pm and all was quiet & peaceful - it remained that way until this morning.

We have a full view of the Grand Floridian and the lagoon/beach from our 3rd floor room on Aotearoa - we were able to watch Wishes from our balcony last evening

We are here on that "August Special" from the TA not to be mentioned here...

Lagoon View, great building steps to GCH, not lacking for anything so far... $212 a night all taxes in -- we have no complaints!

 

[PrincessP]

With the monorail operating with limited hours....and resort monorails not starting until 8:30, how do you get from the Poly to the MK for an 8:05 ADR? The shuttle boats? Anyone know what time they start operations?
Thanks!

 

[MillauFr]

We are truly enjoying it here the staff have gone way above & beyond to ensure our comfort & enjoyment of the Resort.

We have a full view of the Grand Floridian and the lagoon/beach from our 3rd floor room on Aotearoa - we were able to watch Wishes from our balcony last evening

We are here on that "August Special" from the TA not to be mentioned here...

Lagoon View, great building steps to GCH, not lacking for anything so far... $212 a night all taxes in -- we have no complaints!

We just got back. It should be a bit quieter now that our family has checked out of the Poly. The construction noise/dust was a complete non issue for us. I guess it just depends on what you are used to. We live in the middle of a big City (Seattle) and we are used to construction and freeway noise. The Poly seemed liked a quiet Oasis compared to what we live with on a daily basis.

We were also in Aotearoa on the ground floor facing the Monorail. We enjoyed the east pool, the quick trips to Magic Kingdom and Epcot using the monorail, eating at Captain Cooks, Kona Café, and Ohana. The staff was awesome and I enjoyed chatting with some of them. You could tell the job was more than just a paycheck for these people. They truly seemed to consider it a privilege to work at the Poly.

 

[Cluelyss]

With the monorail operating with limited hours....and resort monorails not starting until 8:30, how do you get from the Poly to the MK for an 8:05 ADR? The shuttle boats? Anyone know what time they start operations? Thanks!

I've heard they have busses running to all parks for early morning ADRs, starting around 715/730.

 

[soniam]

I've heard they have busses running to all parks for early morning ADRs, starting around 715/730.

They actually start at 6:30am.

 

[ashnjam]

My trip is pretty far off but I'm still sooo excited!!!! I'm really looking forward to staying at the Poly! Two years ago we went to Aulani and absolutely LOVED it!!!! I'm thinking Poly will have the Aulani feel and it'll be like a two for one. Hawaii and WDW! What a great combo!!!!!

Lucky!! We've never been to Hawaii (the flight to Disneyland was long enough for us lol) but it's the main reason we picked the Poly.

 

[BlueSkies]

Thank you, BlueSkies!

You are very welcome!

Page 3 rescue!! Is anybody getting excited for their trip? What are you most looking forward to? Also anybody have any traditions you do the first day/night of arrival?

page 3!!! ...lol....We are excited after years of WDW trips to finally be trying the Poly... ....so no Poly traditions for us..yet!

We leave in ten day and I can't wait! I can't wait to see my sons face when he sees the monorail, he's two. This is his first Disney trip and it will be so exciting to see everything through his eyes. The last time my husband and I went I bought a little onesie at the Polynesian knowing that one day we would have baby and someday we would have a family Disney trip. Even with the construction I am stilled excited- my son and I watch construction sites and shows just for fun! I have been keeping an eye on Tikimans FB page for updates( thank you! ) so I know roughly what to expect.

Have a wonderful trip! There is nothing like seeing the "World" through the eyes of your child! Sounds like you have been planning for this special trip for a long time..getting the onesie ..how very nice!

My trip is pretty far off but I'm still sooo excited!!!! I'm really looking forward to staying at the Poly! Two years ago we went to Aulani and absolutely LOVED it!!!! I'm thinking Poly will have the Aulani feel and it'll be like a two for one. Hawaii and WDW! What a great combo!!!!!

I agree..a great combo!

posted this earlier to another Poly thread....



Checked in to the Poly yesterday morning

Happy to try to answer any questions if I can..

We are truly enjoying it here the staff have gone way above & beyond to ensure our comfort & enjoyment of the Resort.

This morning we are at the quiet pool before heading to EPCOT this afternoon. There is most certainly construction noise, but it is def not obnoxious. You can tell there is allot going on at the Nanea (sp?) pool & can hear muffled indoor construction noises from Tokelau.

Having said that... we came back from AK yesterday at about 4:30pm and all was quiet & peaceful - it remained that way until this morning.

We have a full view of the Grand Floridian and the lagoon/beach from our 3rd floor room on Aotearoa - we were able to watch Wishes from our balcony last evening

We are here on that "August Special" from the TA not to be mentioned here...

Lagoon View, great building steps to GCH, not lacking for anything so far... $212 a night all taxes in -- we have no complaints!

Thanks for taking the time to pop in and fill us in on your Poly stay...Sounds wonderful... From the view to that awesome room rate!

I personally am so happy to hear that the construction going on has not impacted your trip very much...as we will be there in just a few months...

Hope that you continue to have a terrific time!

We just got back. It should be a bit quieter now that our family has checked out of the Poly. The construction noise/dust was a complete non issue for us. I guess it just depends on what you are used to. We live in the middle of a big City (Seattle) and we are used to construction and freeway noise. The Poly seemed liked a quiet Oasis compared to what we live with on a daily basis.

We were also in Aotearoa on the ground floor facing the Monorail. We enjoyed the east pool, the quick trips to Magic Kingdom and Epcot using the monorail, eating at Captain Cooks, Kona Café, and Ohana. The staff was awesome and I enjoyed chatting with some of them. You could tell the job was more than just a paycheck for these people. They truly seemed to consider it a privilege to work at the Poly.

Another good review.... Very reassuring to those of us who have decided to brave the construction...lol... and go Polynesian! Nice to hear about the staff too...I think that WDW has many cast members who really do love what they do... Luckily for all of us!

 

[mickeynut1]

Hey mickeynut1 going to book standard room at the Poly for Feb. where should I request to stay so i don't get a view of the parking lot lol?

Hey there

Sorry I'm so late posting back, but I agree with dinsy_luvr about Samoa. We stayed Samoa, first floor, facing the quiet pool and we loved it. We loved the location as we found Samoa to be convenient to everything .

Page 3 rescue!! Is anybody getting excited for their trip? What are you most looking forward to? Also anybody have any traditions you do the first day/night of arrival?

We are heading back to the Poly in July 2015 and I am very excited . We've only had 1 stay at the Poly and while we've enjoyed all the resorts we've tried, the Poly is still our favorite and I can't wait to go back. I am most looking forward to just walking around the Poly grounds again and enjoying the beautiful tropical atmosphere .

I'm sure this has been discussed before but I haven't been back in a while and I'm starting to ponder our next trip to Poly now…

We go to WDW and stay at the Poly every year for my kids' bdays, usually at the end of Jan. We've stayed in both Hawaii and Tokelau several times. We love the quiet pool and the convenience of the monorail from both the GCH and TTC (we have a DD in a wheelchair so accessibility is key). With all of the construction happening, is it still worth it to stay at the Poly? What will still be closed at that time? Tikiman, your advice been incredibly helpful all these years so we appreciate anything you have to say on the matter. Thanks!

Oh and I haven't missed any deals released for that time yet, have I? I think it's usually Oct.

I know the main pool will still be closed in January, but I'm not sure about anything else. Hopefully someone else will be able to give an update on what else will still be close .

You have not missed any deals as nothing has come out yet for January .

We leave in ten day and I can't wait! I can't wait to see my sons face when he sees the monorail, he's two. This is his first Disney trip and it will be so exciting to see everything through his eyes. The last time my husband and I went I bought a little onesie at the Polynesian knowing that one day we would have baby and someday we would have a family Disney trip. Even with the construction I am stilled excited- my son and I watch construction sites and shows just for fun! I have been keeping an eye on Tikimans FB page for updates( thank you! ) so I know roughly what to expect.

Have a great trip!! Seeing WDW through a little one's eyes is priceless .

My trip is pretty far off but I'm still sooo excited!!!! I'm really looking forward to staying at the Poly! Two years ago we went to Aulani and absolutely LOVED it!!!! I'm thinking Poly will have the Aulani feel and it'll be like a two for one. Hawaii and WDW! What a great combo!!!!!

It's never too early to plan and although it seems to be far away, I'm sure the time will go fast and you will be at the Poly before you know it . I agree that the Poly does have a nice, Hawaiian feel to it .

"Hawaii and WDW" - that is exactly how we felt during our stay last year!!

Checked in to the Poly yesterday morning

Happy to try to answer any questions if I can..

We are truly enjoying it here the staff have gone way above & beyond to ensure our comfort & enjoyment of the Resort.

This morning we are at the quiet pool before heading to EPCOT this afternoon. There is most certainly construction noise, but it is def not obnoxious. You can tell there is allot going on at the Nanea (sp?) pool & can hear muffled indoor construction noises from Tokelau.

Having said that... we came back from AK yesterday at about 4:30pm and all was quiet & peaceful - it remained that way until this morning.

We have a full view of the Grand Floridian and the lagoon/beach from our 3rd floor room on Aotearoa - we were able to watch Wishes from our balcony last evening

We are here on that "August Special" from the TA not to be mentioned here...

Lagoon View, great building steps to GCH, not lacking for anything so far... $212 a night all taxes in -- we have no complaints!

Thanks for checking in, sounds like you're having a great time and enjoying the Poly .

We just got back. It should be a bit quieter now that our family has checked out of the Poly. The construction noise/dust was a complete non issue for us. I guess it just depends on what you are used to. We live in the middle of a big City (Seattle) and we are used to construction and freeway noise. The Poly seemed liked a quiet Oasis compared to what we live with on a daily basis.

We were also in Aotearoa on the ground floor facing the Monorail. We enjoyed the east pool, the quick trips to Magic Kingdom and Epcot using the monorail, eating at Captain Cooks, Kona Café, and Ohana. The staff was awesome and I enjoyed chatting with some of them. You could tell the job was more than just a paycheck for these people. They truly seemed to consider it a privilege to work at the Poly.

Glad you had a great trip .

We are excited after years of WDW trips to finally be trying the Poly... ....so no Poly traditions for us..yet!

You will love it .

 

[jandkmom]

Thanks so much, mickeynut1!

 

[ashnjam]

Thanks Mickeynut1 when i called to book yesterday i requested Samoa first or third floor *fingers crossed*.

 

[mickeynut1]

Thanks so much, mickeynut1!

You're welcome . Hope you have a great trip .

Thanks Mickeynut1 when i called to book yesterday i requested Samoa first or third floor *fingers crossed*.

You're welcome .

I also wanted to add that sometimes requests get overlooked, so if you check in and you aren't assigned a room that meets your requests, you can always ask if a different room is available. When we stayed at the Poly I requested "Samoa, first floor, facing volcano pool" in that order. When we checked in (it was late, around 1:00 am), we got Samoa, first floor, facing the quiet pool. I inquired about a volcano pool facing room and got a very nice and helpful CM. While there wasn't a room available at the time, the CM offered to move us the next morning. We decided to settle in and keep our room (which we loved, as the quiet pool was a pretty view), but I thought it was great that they were willing to do their best to accommodate us. So, it never hurts to ask for a different room as Disney is always willing to help accommodate you if they can .

 

[ashnjam]

Great i will keep that in mind!

 

[BlueSkies]

Yet another page 2 rescue!!!!!

I know that for many... trip planning is all about the parks..and of course the FP+... and while that is important part of the planning for us too...its really always about the food....lol...

With that in mind...I have been reading not so great reviews about O'Hana for dinner....and I am now considering changing our ressie from there to Kona which we already know that we enjoy....

Love some feedback from anyone who has had any recent dinner experience there???

Thanks!

 

[disny_luvr]

Yet another page 2 rescue!!!!!

I know that for many... trip planning is all about the parks..and of course the FP+... and while that is important part of the planning for us too...its really always about the food....lol...

With that in mind...I have been reading not so great reviews about O'Hana for dinner....and I am now considering changing our ressie from there to Kona which we already know that we enjoy....

Love some feedback from anyone who has had any recent dinner experience there???

Thanks!

We just ate at 'Ohana at the beginning of August and we thought it was great! I was starting to have my doubts, too, but decided to keep it and try it for myself. The food was great - hot and not overcooked. Our server was great and very attentive. We waited about 20 mins. for a table but I didn't think that was bad. I'm so glad we kept it. We'll definitely be eating there again on our next trip.

 

[Bamagirl43]

Our family of 4 ate there at the end of July. It's a tradition for us, but I'll admit I was apprehensive after reading all the recent bad reviews. We checked in early and I asked to be seated in the main dining room and the CM said she would give us a table by the windows. Our server was super sweet and helpful. The food was good, not 5 star, but better than most table service meals we ate. Our DS7 loved the coconut race and the atmosphere was the same as I remember. Despite a very busy time, it was a wonderful family meal.