from my very first trip to the Poly. Wow! It was absolutely Polytastic!
DW and I had a fabulous four night stay. We both (especially me) fell in love with this resort. From the very moment we stepped off the DME bus and were greeted with leis and alohas we knew that we were "home". I'll be doing a trip report later, but thought I'd pass along some observations.
...I had requested Fiji 3rd floor and got Raratonga 2nd floor (room 2821 -faces monorail).
For a moment I started to ask for another room, but figured I'd just go with the flow and see what kind of unexpected treat was in store. As it turns out we were very happy with Raratonga room 2821. The view included about 40 feet of beautiful trees and plants, and a wonderful view of the monorail. We didn't miss having a balcony or patio.
...Weather was outstanding. The cold snap shortly before we arrived was gone, and we experienced daytime temps in the 70's along with comfortable -although seasonably cool -evenings.
...We loved walking round the resort, especially at night while the tiki torches were lit. We strolled over to the Grand Floridian one night using the pathway that runs by teh wedding chapel and spa. Gorgeous and romantic walk!
...Staying at a monorail resort is something I loved so much that I may never go back to mods or values again! We never waited more than five minutes for monorail. It was so nice to be able to hop over to MK any time we wanted. We are fools for the MK and spent time there every single day.
...Our room had two light bulbs burnt out in the bathroom when we checked in. Maintenance came and fixed them right away, soon after we left for a park. Also, mousekeeping was a bit spotty. No shampoo or soap in the room, which we did not notice until we were ready to take a shower late our first night. Again housekeeping sent someone right up with lots of shampoo and soap. The marble countertop on top of the refrigerator cabinet had circles on it where folks had left drinks and had not cleaned up. The mousekeepers never did clean that. I didn't even mention this as I had already had to call twice (lightbulbs and toiletries) the first day and did not wish to be known as a complainer.
...The lobby and grounds were so relaxing. DW and I just sat in the lobby several times. sometimes sharing a bottle of wine and other times just gazing at the lovely waterfall. One afternoon a nice lady came and gave us free cookies! She gave me two because she said "men need them more".
...Now that I have watched Wishes from Poly beach I never ever want to see Wishes from Main Street again. Fantastic view! NO crowds! Just sitting on a swinging bench and hugging my honey.
...The hammocks were a mini-vacation unto themselves. A couple of times DW and I laid in them and took an afternoon respite from the parks. Just absolutely wonderful!
...We didn't eat at Ohana, but very much enjoyed breakfast at Kona. We each had ham and cheese omelets with potatoes and fruit. The fresh-squeezed OJ was delicious. The famed coffee was just OK by me. Better than the usual Nescafe, but nothing to jump up and down about IMO. They gave DW and I a little dessert after breakfast in honor of our anniversary.
...This is undoubtedly the most pampered I have ever felt on vacation. Between having the dining plan for the first time, access to the monorail, the lush Poly theme, the park hoppers, and impeccable CM interaction -this is the way I ALWAYS want to do WDW from now on. As far as I'm concerned I don't need to stay anywhere else but the Poly. If it costs a little more I'll just save up longer. My only little complaint was the housekeeping which I thought was something less than I would expect for a deluxe resort. But that concern was eased after the very first day.
Any questions? I'll be glad to answer.
I am glad your big surprise and planning had a excellent outcome. 
But there is plenty of other things at the Poly that keep me coming back!!
I really loved staying in the Hawaii longhouse too. Get ready for that gorgeous castle view when you check in at the concierge desk. 
What a great aunt and mom you are. I'm so glad your request was fulfilled!
