Considering Poly, worried about main / lobby house craziness

[mousefan73]

We are tossing ideas back and forth for our next trip. We just got back with a split AKL/POR split stay. One night we did Ohanas. We were super excited to go as we really wanted to check out the Resort as we has always wanted to stay there. We were only able to be in the Main house, we had planned to walk the grounds but my son wasnt Feeling well, so we ate and left.

To be honest, this experience now turned us off the Poly. In comparision to AKL, the main Lobby area was like some busy crazy Airport! Very loud, crowded. Restaurant Level had 3 Restaurants jammed together, Ohana lines taking up a third of the Level.

Now did we not get to see more of the Lobby. We came in by reception, shopped in the store to the right, and headed upstairs.

AKL in comparion was so laid back and Relaxing. We really like the look of the new rooms at Poly so are now a bit torn.

 

[RJP77]

Got to say I agree with your sentiment about the Poly. It feels very crowded and busy when you go in there. Certainly it is not as relaxed as AKL, but that probably has to do with the size and layout of the lobbies at the two resorts. AKL is very open and spacious. It is very similar in design to Wilderness Lodge. If you are looking for laid back and relaxed I would put WL on par with or ahead of AKL.

 

[grannyminnie]

I agree too, especially when you're comparing it to the AKL or WL lobby, for example. Everything else about the Poly is pleasing tho.

 

[pepe of ohio]

Biggest turn of for on our Poly stays.... Just too much congestion at the GCH and resort area, and they are mostly day visitors ....

When you're paying quite a bit for room and board, I don't want to experience day visitors throughout the whole resort.... Not being able to get into a breakfast shop without an ADR.. ( Kona )....same with pool being jammed, no seats, beach crowded ....

Nope, we gave up on the Poly years ago, just too much cross visiting for the money ...

 

[Funky Chicken]

Hard to compare Poly lobby (on monorail line and home to arguably the hottest ADR on property in 'ohana) to AKL, a resort that doesn't see very much traffic from people not staying there. No day or offsite guests wandering around AKL or WL to speak of.

 

[Tikiman]

There are times the lobby can be quiet but pepe of ohio is right. It has become congested with non-resort guests just walking the grounds, checking out the beach or eating there. The perfect storm is evenings when you have the huge line for ‘Ohana, the Luau is getting ready to start and people are showing up to check out fireworks on the beach. I can be like the mall the week before Christmas.

Animal Kingdom Lodge has the advantage of being isolated. They also check for a reservation for a room or dinning at the gate when you try and drive in. Not too many people are just walking down to the AKL to check it out.

 

[mousefan73]

There are times the lobby can be quiet but pepe of ohio is right. It has become congested with non-resort guests just walking the grounds, checking out the beach or eating there. The perfect storm is evenings when you have the huge line for ‘Ohana, the Luau is getting ready to start and people are showing up to check out fireworks on the beach. I can be like the mall the week before Christmas.

Animal Kingdom Lodge has the advantage of being isolated. They also check for a reservation for a room or dinning at the gate when you try and drive in. Not too many people are just walking down to the AKL to check it out.

You know, we were there right at this time. Around 7:30ish Masses of people in lines for various events and wishes. It did seem like half of magic kingdom got dumped in there.

 

[MickeyMinnie1971]

Biggest turn of for on our Poly stays.... Just too much congestion at the GCH and resort area, and they are mostly day visitors ....

When you're paying quite a bit for room and board, I don't want to experience day visitors throughout the whole resort.... Not being able to get into a breakfast shop without an ADR.. ( Kona )....same with pool being jammed, no seats, beach crowded ....

Nope, we gave up on the Poly years ago, just too much cross visiting for the money ...

When we first started staying at the Poly it didn't seem this way at all. I agree it is a big problem over recent years and continues to get worse. We love the Poly and continue to go back, but it's very frustrating when you can't even find a parking spot at your own resort.

 

[sndral]

Hard to compare Poly lobby (on monorail line and home to arguably the hottest ADR on property in 'ohana) to AKL, a resort that doesn't see very much traffic from people not staying there. No day or offsite guests wandering around AKL or WL to speak of.

There actually are a lot of visitors to AKL - there's Jiko & Boma plus animal lookers. Likewise GF which is on the monorail and has 5 sit down restaurants compared to Poly's 2 gets a lot of traffic especially at Christmas time yet I didn't feel unable to sit and enjoy the lobby of the GF when I stayed there, the Poly's lobby is a madhouse - one of the reasons it's not one of my fav.s. Although size and layout help minimize the packed feeling I think the impact a busy popular buffet can have on a lobby is to compare BC w/ Cape May Cafe to YC - YC is much less hectic than BC yet the lobbies are about the same size.