Back from AKL and Polynesian GV and LVC

[Tikiman]

Friday August 12th

I went from the airport right to the Polynesian for dinner at Kona. Since just a few days before this I was not planning on even being there it was sort of like it was not real. It took me a while to realize I was really there.I am sure some of you who live on the east coast it is not a big deal to shoot over to WDW but coming from California it is. After one of the best meals I have had at Kona we headed over to the MK since it was going to be open until 1 AM. Yes we parked at the Polynesian and went over to the park when we were not staying there yet but we did not go past our 3 hour pass and the parking lot was mostly empty and we parked against the back wall. Now if the place were full we would not have used up the space and if we were planning on staying longer than our 3 hours or if we were not already there for food we would not have parked at the Polynesian.

Well the extra magic hour was fun but sort of a waist. The lines were still long (tried to get on space mtn twice) and we only got on Splash Mtn the whole time we were in there. It was still nice to be there and just walking around.

We headed back to the AKL and we were way down one of the arms in a savannah view room. Nice view but long walk and small room. It was laid out just like the Grand Californian room but there was little room past the beds and furniture. It was room 3317.

On Saturday I spend all of the morning around the resort and after that I had enough of the AKL. I can spend a whole day at the Polynesian and not go to a park and never get bored but I had enough after a few hours at the AKL. The pool was how I remembered it and I relaxed a while until about 10:00 when the place got mobbed and 8 people next to me shared a lounge chair since none were left. The life guards were rude and yelled at everyone who did the slightest thing or if someone just had a question. For the rest of the day the place never got any less crowded until dinner time. I ate at The Mara and the food was good and the place is laid out well. That was the only place I have not tried before. The water slide is great for little kids but other than that is a joke. The standard room was a foot shorter in length and 2 foot 2 inches narrower with a 3 inch shorter ceiling and this is based on the smaller Polynesian room. I will get more into the dimensions of the Polynesian room later. I have all the measurements.

The busses to and from parks for the AKL took forever just like my last stay and I just don’t like the feeling of being all the way out there. I am sure some like it because of that. I just don’t feel like I am at WDW yet when I am there and that was the comment from my friend also.

I love the theme but it is not enough to get me to stay there again. The food is some of the best in WDW so I will always visit to eat. We ate at Boma and I have been there and Jiko before. It was great as usual and I hate buffets. The concierge at AKL is excellent also and I am told can be added on even in a standard room.

Remember this is just my opinion and there were many there that were loving the resort, I just like the feel of the resorts that are a little more in the middle of other things and have access to other resorts or parks.

Well I need to gather up my other notes and photos when I get home from work and I need to get some work done today so I will report on the Polynesian later.

Aloha

Steve

 

[helenk]

Welcome back, and we are anxious for your report on the Poly

 

[princessesrule4]

I am anxiously awaiting your Poly report as I have a GVC room on hold for Labor Day weekend. I am hoping Captain Cook's is not under rehab then and we won't notice much of the work! Can't wait to hear!

 

[Tikiman]

I will have this in the rest of my report when I get to the part about the Polynesian but Captain Cook's will not be closed and expanded this year. I cannot give any more details than that becasue I was asked not to.

It was sort of strange that from Friday to Monday I stayed in a standard AKL room than a Standard Garden view room (Rapa Nui) at the Polynesian and than a Lagoon view room at the Polynesian. The trip was a blast but I wish my family could have been there.

I even got a little scared because I went to look for our brick and they put something in its place (ticket machines) Some brickes were removed with some of them being relocated. I did find it with the help of a very friendly CM but I was a little worried it was gone.

Aloha

Steve

 

[Lewisc]

Steve--The standard rooms in AKL and WL are smaller than the other deluxe resorts and are less expensive. Your observation regarding the size of the rooms is accurate but not really fair since guests are paying less.

 

[Tikiman]

That is a good point but I was not comparing them by cost. I am just looking at it from the standpoint of if you were to decide on a resort because of the room there was much less space in the AKL. I did know this before I just never knew how much. Last visit we had a one bedroom suite so space was not an issue. I am not sure how posting my opinion and facts about the size are not being fair. It is just an observation. I never said that you get more for the same money at the Polynesian. Sorry I did not clarify that.

 

[WANNABE@WDW]

Steve,
I'm dying to know about the Poly rooms! I'm glad you had a good trip!
Kim

 

[HeatherPage]

Steve, have you ever thought of moving to the East coast just for your love of Disney/Polynesian? Of course I know family, jobs, etc. keep alot of people where they already are. If my family didn't live here in N.C., we'd probably already have moved to Florida by now.

 

[Tikiman]

I have thought about moving there but I love California too much. I also think if I went to WDW more often it would not be the same special feeling I get when not going multiple times a year.

 

[HeatherPage]

Good point!

 

[princessesrule4]

about Captain Cook's! I noticed you usually stay LVC and wondered if you had heard about any mustiness or bad smell from GVC rooms. We have GVC booked but are thinking of switching to LVC. We all have allergies so hopefully there is no musty smell like another poster reported! We usually stay GF lagoon view but since this is such a short trip we wanted to try something different and also heard there is a great Lagoon view in the lounge! I figured we could do without the lagoon view for such a short stay! DD is excited about the Volcano Pool! Thanks!

 

[Tikiman]

I have not been in every GV room but I have visited people in them. I did not notice any smell in the building at all and no LV room I have been in had any smell or any room that someone I know has been in. That does not mean there is not a room with something that someone else would consider a musty smell and I cannot answer what they smelled but I don’t believe there is an issue with just garden view rooms. I love a lagoon view but it would be easy to use the lounge to enjoy the music and fireworks (the music for the fireworks was even in the hall of the Hawaii longhouse) or you can even just walk out to the beach since the longhouse is so close to the beach. I also had no problems with the temperature in the room and I have stayed twice now with the new air system. If I wanted to adjust the temp I just pressed the arrow up until the temp read what I wanted.

One of the couples we were talking to had just tried the GF concierge and they said they won’t be back to the GF. They felt the Polynesian concierge was the best. I am sure some people think I am saying that because I love the Polynesian but I would have reported it if they had told me the opposite. I just found that everyone I encountered this trip was more than happy with the Polynesian.

 

[grimley1968]

Good info, Steve. I look forward to your full trip report later. Thanks.

 

[princessesrule4]

Glad to hear that people think highly of the Polynesian Concierge! We actually are staying GF Concierge in December which we are excited about but another reason why we wanted to stay Polynesian Concierge - to try something different! The good news is that we have never stayed Concierge before so we have really no expectations or anything to compare it to! ( high hopes of course!) I know you said you have work to do so I'll leave you alone and look forward to reading your report!

 

[balletgirl33]

Hi Steve,

I agree with you completely about the AKL. I like to try different resorts for a night before I check into the Polynesian and the last time I stayed at the AKL , I left saying I would not stay there again. I think the rooms are really small for a Deluxe resort...yes the Polynesian is more expensive but you are on the monorail. The AKL is just too far removed from everything for me and I really like to be on a lake...it is really nice to return to your resort at night via boat. Plus nothing beats sitting by the volcano pool with the castle across the lagoon and listening to the sounds of main street! This is just my opinion...I know many people love the AKL.

Anyway, this is a little off topic but I was wondering do you feel you get special treatment at the Polynesian due to your website and friendships with staff...I hope you do because of all the work you do with your website...Do you try to be anonymous like a food critic? You don't have to answer...the reason I am curious is because I visit frequently and everyone is so nice and some of the castmembers and managers call me by name which is very nice but sometimes I would love to be anonymous.

I am glad you had a great trip...although pretty short when you come from the west coast. I am looking forward to your report on the Polynesian.

Have a great day!

 

[lynr]

Steve:

I have to agree with you 100% about the AKL. I found the rooms to be small and dark for me, but I too just love the Polynesian.

I can't wait for your report on the new rooms at the Polynesian.

Lyn

 

[4eeyore]

We got back last week from a stay at Poly GVC. We had never stayed concierge before so we had no expectations. My family loved the lounge and loved the resort. The volcano pool was great! The pool was busy but never felt overly crowded and we always were able to get chairs. The location of the Hawaii building is the best. We did, however, notice a strange odor in our room from time to time. Nothing bad, but hard to describe. You have to love being on the monorail!

 

[Lewisc]

Sorry I wasn't clearer. AKL and WL have deluxe rooms which are closer in price and size to the rooms in the other deluxe hotels. I don't think it's fair to compare a standard, less expensive room in one of those resorts with a standard room in the POLY without mentioning that, for whatever reason, you wound up staying in a "value room". One of the reasons guests select the standard rooms at the AKL and WL is to stay in a deluxe hotel but save some $$$.

No problem with your opinion, I just think a room size comparison would be fairer if you compared a deluxe room or at least mentioned that the smaller room was less expensive than the rooms at the POLY and larger rooms are available. Sort of like comparing the dining experience at Mara with Kona.



Did you just stay at AKL for one night?

That is a good point but I was not comparing them by cost. I am just looking at it from the standpoint of if you were to decide on a resort because of the room there was much less space in the AKL. I did know this before I just never knew how much. Last visit we had a one bedroom suite so space was not an issue. I am not sure how posting my opinion and facts about the size are not being fair. It is just an observation. I never said that you get more for the same money at the Polynesian. Sorry I did not clarify that.

 

[Tikiman]

I really am not happy to report my disappointment with the AKL because I use to love that resort and I recommend it often but I just had to be honest with what my opinion was. I would have been happier to come home and tell everyone that the AKL was as great as my last trip but this was the first time I spend that many hours just at the resort and I started to feel like there was nothing else to do. At other resorts I have been able to walk over or ride the monorail to other resorts and activities but the AKL was just too isolated to spend much time at the resort alone.

Balletgirl,

Much of the big surprises we have gotten like upgrades and gifts in the room were done for us before my web page existed so I believe lots of magic happens at the Polynesian to random people (especially in concierge). As I got to know the staff, yes I believe they went a little further to make my stay special and comfortable but I think it is more because of being a repeat guests than the web site because even the first few years of the web page they had not seen the site themselves. I also know the special things they have done for other repeat guests. Repeat guests that treat them with respect and friendliness are treated like family.

I would say very few of the things I get or the way I am treated now is because of the web page. Only my last 2 visits has the web page been a big topic around the Polynesian and the staff. I was honored to meet some of the staff that enjoys my pages and that I try and set things right when they read misinformation on here often. There were some new CMs in concierge that had no idea about my web page and even asked if I had ever been there before and they were beyond friendly and helpful. I do try to be anonymous and I never tell anyone about my site unless they ask or figure it out themselves. I had a great conversation with a couple in the lounge that they never knew and still do not know I have a web page about the resort. They were the ones who had tried other concierges but now have a favorite at the Polynesian.

Lewisc,

That is a good point also but since the standard room at the Polynesian is the cheapest room and the majority of the rooms it seems like its comparison would be the standard room at the AKL. I do see your point that they offer a room with a better value. I did not my report on the size was a big issue. There are larger rooms available at all resorts that cost more but I am not going to compare a suite or deluxe room to a standard at the Polynesian but if you would like to post the price differences and size differences I am sure others might find that information useful.

Am I the only one who has to clarify their trip reports to this detail? I was just mentioning the rooms sizes. I was asked to take measurements and I am sharing my info.

 

[bdlily]

Tikiman- WELCOME BACK! I'm excited to hear what you have to share with us about the Poly. Have a great day!