Forgive me but I didn't like it

[ducklite]

People are paying anywhere between $100-800 nighly for a room. Then, they are paying several hundred additional dollars for theme park tickets. This is an expensive vacation. Some people work 2 jobs for a year in order to save enough money to be able to go.

I don't think you have any idea how many people live. Too many, WDW is NOT an expensive vacation. I don't think a hotel room is beginning to get expensive until it hits around $400 a night, and I'm not wealthy by any means. Just in touch with how much things cost when you travel.

Anne

 

[skiwee1]

People are paying anywhere between $100-800 nighly for a room. Then, they are paying several hundred additional dollars for theme park tickets. This is an expensive vacation. Some people work 2 jobs for a year in order to save enough money to be able to go.

.

I don't consider WDW expensive. I pay around $300 a night for the Poly. I think I get my moneys worth because the number one reason I stay there is LOCATION. The fact that is has beautiful lush grounds, amazing views, fantastic pool, large rooms, good restaurants, room service, cheerful and most helpful staff, and many other amenities, is actually secondary. When I go for my cheesy yearly ocean vacation I pay over $350 a night for a Holiday Inn. Yep, a Holiday Inn. The only thing going for that hotel is location. Forget the great amenities in that place. There are none! I have always thought WDW to be a bargain. Compared to what I have to pay to take other vacations it is.

 

[LvsTnk]

Anne--I am defiantely on board with the "pool valet".

I love the cabana's that Portofino Bay Hotel offers at Universal. You come back from the parks, change, Stroll out to your cabana......only to find your lounge chairs covered in towels, little pillow made from a towel, stack of fresh towels!! Then there is the fridge(with soda's and water), bowl of fruit and bucket of ice on the table, t.v., and a fan blowing overhead. And it's yours all day with the CM's comming over to ask if everything is ok, can we get you anything?

 

[AnaheimGirl]

I'm going to compare apples to apples. At Cedar Point, and area with a cost of living somewhat lower than Orlando, they have a couple hotels run by Cedar Point. Their flagship hotel, the Breakers (which resembles the GF in architecture and design), does cost about 30% less than the GF, but does not offer any type of transportation to/from the airport, and their courtesy shuttle is on a first come first served space available basis, and they can't accomodate everyone. They do not hit the level of theming and elegance that the Grand Floridian does. There is no orchestra, no pianist in the lobby, which is rather stark. Rather than abundant live floral presentations there are some silk arrangements. The rooms are smaller and not as well appointed. There is no turn down service, triple sheets, or club level. Over all, service levels are lower, with many seasonal staff who really don't care all that much. There is no fine dining, the choices are "Beaches and Cream", or TGIF. While there are similar recreational facilities nearby, they are not as convenient, and there is no spa. It is not as clean and well kept.

So yes, perhaps you pay a little less, but you get a lot less for your dollar for what should in all rights be a comparable resort.

OK, again, I think we have to agree to disagree. I don't consider 30% of several thousand dollars to be "a little less", but if you do, more power to you. Lobby decor isn't that important to me, nor is turn-down service although room size is. Much of the rest is subjective, and as we've seen with the toenails, can vary within a given resort from time to time. Disney didn't have it's own airport shuttle service until recently either, and from what's been said on these boards, there will soon be a charge for it.

I haven't been to Cedar Point, but I'm curious about the shuttle service you mentioned. Is it as necessary as at WDW? WDW is so spread out, it's virtually impossible to get from one place to another without a vehicle of some sort. Is Cedar Point so spread out, or is it possible to walk to the park from the hotel?

 

[PaulaSB12]

Can someone enlighten me, what is turn down service???????????

 

[agnes!]

...(some passages edited)...
That said, I've always thought that was the one place WDW missed the mark, and I've said so many times here. They need to build a small, exclusive, luxury hotel. Maybe 300 rooms, all at least a jr. suite, with an adult only wing, butler service, some suites. The entire hotel would be a club level as far as service and amenities. It would offer a pool valet who would show you to a chair, your choice sun or shade, bring you chilled face cloths, etc. Housekeeping would be extraordinary in all respects. It would offer two restaurants, one casual, one fine dining with an enforced dress code. Entry would be restricted to those staying there and those with prearranged dining reservations. In reality I think they could keep two-three hundred rooms filled with clientele looking for this experience and willing to pay for it. They could target those who now stay at the Peabody, GF, and Ritz-Carlton who would rather either be on site of wish for an even more upscale experience but settle for the GF.

Anne

Yes, yes, yes!!!! Not that I could ever afford to stay there, but I really like this idea & have thought something along the same lines myself...

agnes!

 

[AnaheimGirl]

Can someone enlighten me, what is turn down service???????????

It's when they come into your room in the evening and turn down the bedcovers for you, usually leaving a chocolate on your pillow.

 

[AnaheimGirl]

I don't think a hotel room is beginning to get expensive until it hits around $400 a night, and I'm not wealthy by any means. Just in touch with how much things cost when you travel.

OK, so we're out of touch, then, eh?

 

[Sammie]

Do the studios include a jacuzzi tub?

No, the bathrooms in a studio are very similar to the bathrooms at the Grand Floridian. Standard tub and toliet in one room, double vanity outside the bathroom.

Only the one bedrooms and 2 bedrooms and grand villas have the large luxury baths.

The studio bathrooms at Old Key West are different from the others with the vanity in the bathroom and a somewhat larger room.

 

[bringerofdreams]

I don't think you have any idea how many people live. Too many, WDW is NOT an expensive vacation. I don't think a hotel room is beginning to get expensive until it hits around $400 a night, and I'm not wealthy by any means. Just in touch with how much things cost when you travel.

Anne

For a family of five, it's expensive. You will pay a MINIMUM of $150 per night (reasonable for 2 rooms at a Value Resort) to well over $300 (if you want room to move anyway). Plus the cost of the tickets. It's expensive. Most vacations are expensive. I consider $400 for a hotel room outrageous, not just expensive considering I can stay at a Ceasars resort in a Champagne Tower with complimentary champange breakfast in bed, a champagne glass whirlpool, sauna, huge shower for 2, fireplace and a private swimming pool in my villa for $500/night. And every time I have stayed there the rooms have been impeccable and the service stellar.

I am in touch with how much things cost as well. And Disney is expensive. Maybe no more expensive than 6 flags or Universal, but expensive never the less. It CAN be done for reasonable costs if you stay at a value, use base tickets and make use of the dining plan, but that is not what I am talking about here.

The thread starter stayed at a Disney Deluxe with the minimum cost of $304/nt during value season. Sorry, that's expensive. To pay that kind of money to encounter dirty rooms and less than helpful staff is just inexcusable. And it seems to happen frequently at Disney.

 

[Sammie]

. To pay that kind of money to encounter dirty rooms and less than helpful staff is just inexcusable. And it seems to happen frequently at Disney.

I would not say that the reviews reported here lately about problems at Disney with staff and clean rooms would warrant that it happens frequently. In fact with the thousands of guests that come and go I would be more than willing to say it happens rarely but makes good press here and is shared more often than the good visits are. There will never be a resort anywhere that never has a complaint, but very few have Internet forums devoted to the discussion of them.

Another thing to consider that cleaniness is something that can be measured objectively. I agree that if a room is dirty anyone can determine that. However a helpful, friendly staff etc. is purely subjective and will vary from guest to guest as to what is acceptable. It also seems to vary upon what is asked of the staff. If a staff is deemed less than helpful because they are unable at the last minute to secure a reservation at a restaurant that books months in advance, then I don't see that as a fair evaluation. All restaurants at Disney have some inventory for walkups and those tables can not be booked even by concierge.

 

[Ladyhawke10]

considering I can stay at a Ceasars resort in a Champagne Tower with complimentary champange breakfast in bed, a champagne glass whirlpool, sauna, huge shower for 2, fireplace and a private swimming pool in my villa for $500/night. And every time I have stayed there the rooms have been impeccable and the service stellar.
.

I have stayed in one of these!!! So funny to have it brought up on here because it's an experience I always tell people about--my son still remembers having our own swimming room in our hotel room, and the jacuzzi champagne glass that was two stories tall (the suite was two stories and the bottom of the glass started on the first floor). It was quite an adventure for us. There was also one of those steam room showers, a personal sauna (next to the swimming pool), mirrored ceilings with little glass stars etched in them (that were filled with lights, because you could turn off the regular lights and turn on just the stars). There was also multi colored and varying types of lighting--my son laughed that he could make the whole place red, but it scared me when it looked like that!

 

[ducklite]

OK, again, I think we have to agree to disagree. I don't consider 30% of several thousand dollars to be "a little less", but if you do, more power to you. Lobby decor isn't that important to me, nor is turn-down service although room size is. Much of the rest is subjective, and as we've seen with the toenails, can vary within a given resort from time to time. Disney didn't have it's own airport shuttle service until recently either, and from what's been said on these boards, there will soon be a charge for it.

I haven't been to Cedar Point, but I'm curious about the shuttle service you mentioned. Is it as necessary as at WDW? WDW is so spread out, it's virtually impossible to get from one place to another without a vehicle of some sort. Is Cedar Point so spread out, or is it possible to walk to the park from the hotel?

It's pretty spread out. Cedar Point amusement park is larger than Epcot. You can walk to some things but not to others. It's a long walk from the Breakers to the marina or many of the resturants. My point is that your room rate at WDW or any hotel covers more than the room, even if you don't use the other amenities such as the lobby and turndown service. I should have said up to 30%, because during peak seasons, they are only about 10% off from each other. Housekeeping is better at WDW resorts.

Anne

 

[ducklite]

OK, so we're out of touch, then, eh?

I never said anyone in particular. But it amazes me some of the people on these boards who want to pay $110 a night for the GF, and are depressed when they can't stack four "codes" to get it. That's unrealistic for a resort of that calibre in any location.

Anne

 

[bringerofdreams]

I have stayed in one of these!!! So funny to have it brought up on here because it's an experience I always tell people about--my son still remembers having our own swimming room in our hotel room, and the jacuzzi champagne glass that was two stories tall (the suite was two stories and the bottom of the glass started on the first floor). It was quite an adventure for us. There was also one of those steam room showers, a personal sauna (next to the swimming pool), mirrored ceilings with little glass stars etched in them (that were filled with lights, because you could turn off the regular lights and turn on just the stars). There was also multi colored and varying types of lighting--my son laughed that he could make the whole place red, but it scared me when it looked like that!

Yes, they are awesome aren't they? Dh and I are now "Forever Lovers" since we have stayed there more than 3 times. Usually for our anniversary, but this year we are going to Disney instead. So I am hinting that I wouldn't complain about a weekend for my birthday but I may be pushing my luck.

 

[AnaheimGirl]

I never said anyone in particular. But it amazes me some of the people on these boards who want to pay $110 a night for the GF, and are depressed when they can't stack four "codes" to get it. That's unrealistic for a resort of that calibre in any location.

You're kidding? Yes, that is very unrealistic.

 

[ducklite]

You're kidding? Yes, that is very unrealistic.

No, unfortunately I'm not kidding.

I've also seen people upset that they couldn't find a clean, safe off site with airport transportation, free shuttle to WDW, free breakfast, a room that sleeps six, and a pool with a slide for under $49/night.

Anne

 

[erikthewise]

I just spent a few days at the Poly Conceirge tacked onto the end of a 7 day western cruise. I almost feel bad because I really didn't like the Poly. I know it has a most loyal following so please don't anyone base a decision on my post, I am very much in the minority.

You're forgiven! Although I love the Polynesian, I'll admit you're probably not as much in the minority as you think.

Concerning the view, there are a lot of pictures posted taken with telephoto/zoom lens. If you don't know that, they seriously misrepresent what you actually see with the naked eye from the Polynesian. The castle is pretty tiny from there (but still nice).

I completely sympathize with the smoking room issue. I know I could not tolerate it. That's why we requested to not be placed on the third floor in Hawaii. I interpreted "smoking optional" as meaning "someone smoked in it just before you arrived and you have to like it".

We had a much better reception experience than you did and yours should have been better.

 

[Merylj]

I`ve just read your post but not all the reply`s. Thankyou for your views. We has planned to stay at the Poly for two nights after our western cruise. In the end I could`nt justify the cost, I know alot of people love it there but I thought I might spend my time thinking is it worth it!
I know how you feel about tipping for every step and stage of luggage transportation, we stayed at POR, the bellman there refused to take a tip off us for taking our luggage into storage. I would`nt deny anyone a tip, but that was a refreshing change!

 

[iliketoby]

I wouldn't compare Cedar Point and WDW. I live near Cedar Point, so I never stayed in their hotel (or is it hotels now?), but geez...it is just an amusement park. No different than a Six Flags or anything. It isn't a big deal.

I compare WDW hotels to other Orlando hotels. You can get bigger rooms for less money that are just as clean and have just as friendly a staff. Maybe the good location, extra park hours, and Mickey wake-up calls make it worth the extra expense to someone, maybe they don't. That's a personal choice. But it is definately more expensive.

I'm not comparing them to hotels all over the world. No American hotel can hold a candle to the luxury hotels in, say, China or Malaysia. Duh.

But heck, yeah, I compare the "deluxe" hotels to other "luxury" hotels in the good ol' U.S. of A. If you don't think they're selling them as "luxury" watch the DVD, especially the GF part. When WDW starts saying, "Our service isn't as good as other 'luxury' hotels," then we can stop holding them to that standard.

Until then, they've got a little measuring up to do, concierge-wise (or club-level, or whatever the hotel calls it.)

Yes, concierge staff oughtta be able to get you in to sold-out restaurants. That's what they're for in real hotels -- they get the traveler a ticket to a sold out show, that kind of thing. Otherwise you're paying about $100 a night for cookies and a mint on your pillow.

I have completely given up on WDW concierge, and stay in regular rooms now, and haven't noticed any difference, except for having to bring my own cookies and gummy worms.