OK we are back from our glorious Poly CL stay! I posted a little bit here and there during our trip, but now I'll give a more comprehensive review along with some pictures.
First, our room. I booked LV knowing that the 1st floor has been downgraded to this view rather than TPV due to the bungalows. We stayed 1st floor 2 years in a row (pre-bungalow, then post-bungalow) and then last 4th of July we stayed on the 3rd floor. Even though the 3rd floor view was incredible, we missed walking right out onto the beach....my girls are old enough that they could go on the beach themselves whenever we were in our room. It just changes the trip -- we find we look forward to being in our room because it's just so relaxing and everyone is happily doing what they want, i.e., kids outside in the sand, DH and I sitting on the patio with a drink....
Much to our surprise, we were given Room 1503 which is the SAME 1st floor room we've had the last 2 times we've stayed 1st floor!
Room 1503 LV:
View from laying on bed!
Backing up a bit, our room wasn't ready until 4:30ish (we arrived around 10:00 am), which is fine and understandable but just surprising because normally it's ready much sooner. Backing up even more, I posted this info during our trip, but there is no texting service offered at Poly CL at this time, sadly. In fact, my welcome letter didn't even give a phone number, much less a text number!! I spoke with several CMs/Managers about it (just to inquire) and they all gave me the same answers....that Poly isn't participating in this service right now. So for those of you wondering about the texting service, just go into it knowing that it's still in a testing phase and your resort might or might not be participating at the time of your trip. I do hope it's here to stay at BC CL because our Easter trip was incredible due to that service alone, and I certainly hope the other resorts adopt the service as well.
Also, I had originally done the online/streamlined check-in and was so excited about it, but it was exactly the same check-in as always. We sat at the desk while the CM went over everything and then handed us our papers.
My opinion on the pool gate and pool hopping? I think it has tamed the hopping only a tiny bit because there are some honest families out there who truly did not realize they weren't allowed to pool hop, and those families were turned away on July 4 when there was an actual CM inside one of the gates. This particular CM was an older woman, extremely nice and pleasant, but she didn't have a working Ipad to scan MB's!! She was simply asking people as they entered if they were staying at the Poly and if they said "yes" then she would give them a wristband. I happened to be lounging nearby, so I was listening, of course
. I overheard one family say they were staying at FW -- this was a family of 4 who seemed very nice and well mannered, almost shocked when the CM said there is no pool hopping. So they left.... Then another family who was already inside the gate was asked by the CM and that family replied they were staying at GF! The CM seemed kind of shocked and that family said it's their tradition to swim at Poly on July 4 and stay for the festivities afterward
. I finally approached the CM and thanked her for doing this because the pool gets SO crowded that I often wonder if the guests are staying at Poly. She nodded and said they're trying to come up with a solution. I do NOT think just the gate is a solution because people hold it for other people, open it for a guest having a problem getting in, etc. I had 2 CM's open it for me during our trip! I could've been staying anywhere, they didn't ask. I think the only way to end it is to have a CM standing at every entry point and scanning MB's.
Next, food and pictures from my phone, so I'll be back...again!
I think you'll really like BWI CL. The only issue I've ever had was a lack of seating during the rush. Not a huge problem for us because we like taking snacks back to our room anyway.
