Just back from POLY w/ mixed review

[camdensmom]

I should preface this by saying that when I was a kid and we took our 1st Disney trip (circa 1983) we stayed at the Polynesian. I have forever associated with it as a very special place in my memory. We booked a short trip (was supposed to be 4 nights, but got to stay a 5th night because of snow in the northeast woohoo!) and decided that since it would be a perfect time to revisit the POLY. We had a flight credit from our March trip, 3 days left on an old park hopper and since we were only going for a few nights and it was "value season," it wasn't going to break the bank. What made it more special was that my parents were coming with us.

We had requested connecting rooms and a balcony. We had booked a lagoon view.

What I loved:

The Magical Express was very easy and since we had an early morning flight it was not crowded.

Check-in was very welcoming. I loved getting leis.

OUR ROOM!!!!!! We were unsure what "lagoon view" would translate into for us, but I couldn't have been more thrilled. We had a 3rd floor room in Tahiti with an amazing panoramic view of the the entire monorail line. Our view of the castle was unobstructed and since we were in early each night with a toddler we absolutely LOVED watching the fireworks from our secluded balcony. As a bonus there were several MVMCPs scheduled so we were able to see 2 shows most nights.

The room not only had a great view, but was nice all around. It was spacious, clean and very comfortable.

The grounds were lovely.

The pool was fantastic and I just love the way it rolls into the beach and is in the heart of Disney.

The cast members were all VERY friendly. Rather it was the front desk or a random groundskeeper we consistently were acknowledged with a smile and an 'aloha.''

What I Wasn't Jazzed About:
Mouskeeping: Upon arrival our room seemed very clean. However, they were less than stellar. Nothing drastic jumps out at me, but at the price that is paid for a deluxe hotel I was amazed that they didn't wash out the coffee pot or leave us clean mugs or more coffee. We also had to call daily for extra towels (and by extra I mean they left a set of 2 and there were 3 of us in the room). There were no towel animals or any special touches. The room was clean and they were friendly and courteous. I think I just expected a little more. I've had far better service at the other resorts including the values.

Transportation: We had been looking forward to staying on the monorail line since it was a short trip and we would be spending the bulk of our time at MK. We did take the bus to DTD and MGM. The lines were long. The buses crowded and we stopped at the Contemporary and Grand Floridian. It was very time-consuming and stressful at times because of the crowds. I don't remember ever waiting as long or having to stand on a bus at any other resort. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that many people travel to the monorail resorts even if they aren't staying there either to dine in one of the restaurants or get to the MK. This brings me to my next point.

CROWDS: Both Kona Cafe and 'Ohana have become very popular. Add in the luau and the fact that many of these boards have made mention of the fact that the beach at the poly is a great place to watch Wishes and it made for some major crowds in the evening. Our room (again in Tahiti) was secluded and quiet, but the lobby and upper level of the Great Ceremonial House was super loud and conjested every night. These people filtered into the gift shops and lounge. I just felt it was unfair that we were paying for a resort experience and the relaxation was taken away by such large masses of people from other hotels. Not blaming the people. I've been one of those people. Just saying.

What I LOATHED! [SIZE]
Capt. Cook's - I view Disney as genius when it comes to engineering and planning. I am amazed at how they design things so that they are able to house and transport such large numbers of people so quickly and efficiently. So with that said, I have no comprehension for what the thought process was behind Capt. Cook's. The layout is awful. You must criss cross to get your things. Seating is VERY limited for such a large resort and the food was below average.

It was so far from our room and we were so full from the dining plan that it was easy enough to avoid and wouldn't play a factor in my decision to stay at the poly again.

The room next to us (which connected to ours via a shared double door) decided to bring their yippy little dog on vacation. There was a Magic Kingdom wheelchair outside their room and I assumed it was a service animal. So the first night I said nothing and tolerated it's annoying little yap. My mother told me the next morning that she could hear the thing barking and she was on the OTHER side of me.

The next night we came back from dinner and it was still yipping away. The wheelchair sat idle. The TV in their room was BLASTING. I called the front desk at that point. They sent 2 men over who were very nice, but did very little. They confirmed the guests weren't there and that the dog was not apporved to be there. They also turned the tv off. They said that they would leave a message on the phone for them to call the desk when they get in. They left and the dog continued to yap. I called the desk again and was told that there was nothing that they could do until they found the guests and assure me the dog would be gone by morning...not a consolation since I too would be gone by morning.

I am not one who looks for compensation or anything, but I was a bit annoyed that they did not do anything about it other than leave a message. I wouldn't have wanted to pack up and change rooms at that point, but it should have been offered.

Anywho, overall it was a fabulous trip. I did love the resort and the view from our room made the less than perfect things I mention seem moot. The grounds were spotless. The cast was super friendly. The table service restaurants at the resort were wonderful. The room was large, well-equipped and VERY comfortable.

I am left questioning if I will ever be happy with a parking lot view at a moderate again, but at the same time now realize that aside from the view there are not a lot of other benefits to validate the cost difference.

 

[LukenDC]

It's a shame that that your neighbors were selfish and not only broke the rules by bringing a dog, but also allowed it to cause a disturbance. It seems like I am reading more and more reports these days of other guests infringing upon the enjoyment of others. Unauthorized pets, smoking in the bathroom, unruly children, etc.

 

[kaysmommie]

Your review is alot like mine from Our October trip. We loved the Poly but some thing s were just not at all deluxe and the housekeeping in our building was just horrible. Our room was so dusty on all the tables and the coffee pot looked like it wasn't cleaned for a year. Also the fridge was a sticky mess.
We loved the theme of the Poly and the being on the monorail. It is a beautiful resort and the pool is great too. I agree about how crowded the common areas are it's hard to enjoy them. We would go back to the Poly but not right away.

 

[disnut8]

I can't comment on the other things you weren't pleased about but Disney really couldn't do anything about the dog. Not if the owners weren't there. The dog wasn't in any danger. Yes, it was annoying but it wasn't being harmed. If the owners were unknown, then the dog could have been removed. Or if it was being abused.

I hope your neighbors were charged a hefty cleaning fee and kicked out not only of the Polynesian but also out of Disney World resorts. I am an animal lover and have four cats myself but those people were rude and inconsiderate. Unfortunately, those people probably will never change their ways.

 

[Here'sTigger2U]

Our family of 5 was their Dec 2nd-8th and the review I posted read alot like yours did...Loved the resort, it was beautiful, rooms were clean (we had a garden view out of the 2nd floor balcony of Rapa Nui)...the GCH at dinner time was nothing short of INSANE!! DW stated that for what we paid, did not feel "the magic". The Monorail convenience is the best (Rapa Nui is a 5 minute walk to the TTC so we never bothered w/taking two monorail rides to get to Epcot).

This is one of my favorite resorts...perhaps just the two of us next time .

Bob.

 

[flagrandma]

Over all it sounds like you had a wonderful stay at the Poly. I hoping to stay there my next visit to WDW. (Don't have a trip planned yet).

I'm sorry to hear about the dog issue. Hopefully the cm's took care of the situation. As a mother of an asthmatic dd I object to people sneaking in their dogs. Since dd was a small child (she's an adult now) she has suffered many asthma attacks. She's highly allergic to dogs. If we stayed in a room after a dog had been there, no matter how well it was cleaned, we'd end up in the ER. And who wants to listen to a dog barking!!! I love animals but don't want to hear them barking all day especially when I'm on vacation.

Glad to hear that you enjoyed your trip.

 

[princess mom of 4]

We were at the Poly December 15-20 also - We had two connecting rooms (one handicapped accessible) in the Nuie longhouse. We all had very high expectations of the resort, and almost all were met. I agree that Capt. Cook's has a very poor layout, but I do like the touch screen menus, especially ordering for my 4 children. We were able to get a seating at Kona Cafe one night without an ADR, and it was a very nice meal. Our rooms were very clean on check-in, and were straightened up fairly well each day - We did tip daily. The location of this longhouse was awesome - We were very close to GCH and could sit on our patio and watch my daughter run over to Capt. Cooks to refill our coffee mugs!

 

[tinkerbee]

My question is if it was a service dog, why was the dog left alone in the room for that long of a period?

 

[Susiesnowflake]

The dog was left alone all day and the wheelchair sat idle in the hallway all day? And the dog yapped all day? Every service dog I have ever seen has been extremely well-behaved. Sorry if I am considered suspicious, but I wonder if it was all a ploy to bring the dog on vacation! A ploy or not, the dog's behavior was a disturbance to you, your family and other guests, and none of you should have had to tolerate that. I would not have been happy at all.

 

[RSoxFan]

We stayed at the Poly for the first time Nov. 28-Dec 2nd and felt exactly the same way as you. The room was nice, but nothing special. Everything felt very old to me. And I was very disappointed in the transportation. We had to wait over two hours for a bus back from MGM one night! And it was because almost three quarters of the people in line were heading to the MK because it was open until midnight. Most of them weren't even staying on property. We found the lobby traffic frustrating too. When you're just trying to get to the monorail or to your room and you have to get through Ohana traffic or luau traffic, it can be really annoying.

 

[camdensmom]

My question is if it was a service dog, why was the dog left alone in the room for that long of a period?

I should have elaborated. It was not a service dog. It was a tiny little unauthorized lap dog yippy thing. I assumed it was a service dog b/c of the wheelchair on day 1 and that is why I didn't call and report it. Looking back I am sure this was their hope and the reason they left the chair outside the room. I think it was a prop. It was a Magic Kingdom chair.

 

[jewelmicky]

We are visiting the Poly in Feb....We have only stayed at POR aka Dixie Landings...and it has always been my favorite. This is a big multi-generation no holds barred, once in a lifetime (for my folks) vacation....so we are doing the Land/Sea. Our choice from the Deluxe list is the Poly for the theme and closeness to MK. Our hopes are high we will get our 2 requests for medical reasons....a balcony or patio and connecting rooms.

 

[MissionMouse]

... I agree about how crowded the common areas are it's hard to enjoy them. We would go back to the Poly but not right away.

I agree. Staying at the Poly has changed as non resort guest are increasingly flooding into this resort throughout the day in greater numbers. It is like the population of two resorts are using the PR...to a point of abuse of paying resort guest. Our post trip survey response identified their shortcomings in this area along with other ones.

 

[unicorn1]

Regarding Captain Cooks: I like the touch screens and found the seating areas to be ok, except for one crisp morning when we ate breakfast outside and we would have preferred inside, but no seating available. We visited GF, and unless I'm missing something their seating area isn't half as large and shares the space with an arcade. The downside to me at Captain Cooks was by the end of the week I was wishing there were more menu choices. We were not on a dining plan and ate at Captain Cooks a lot to utilize the refillable mugs & for convenience, and I was ready for a diet change by the time we left.

My challenge at Poly was trying to find a lounger on the beach that the seagulls hadn't left their mark on, and don't plan to snack on the beach or you will have about 100 new best bird friends. I like the birds, but they had taken over the beach area when we were there.

 

[brittsmum1998]

I should have elaborated. It was not a service dog. It was a tiny little unauthorized lap dog yippy thing. I assumed it was a service dog b/c of the wheelchair on day 1 and that is why I didn't call and report it. Looking back I am sure this was their hope and the reason they left the chair outside the room. I think it was a prop. It was a Magic Kingdom chair.

Not to mention leaving the tv on full blast with noone in the room. Also, didn't the hotel say the dog was not authorized? Someone else trying to beat the system.

We stayed at the Poly and were not impressed either last year.

 

[Ilovestitch]

That's crazy that someone would bring a dog and leave it in the room-- what about mousekeeping? If I was the owner I'd be scared an employee would enter the room and my dog would run out and be gone. Guess they didn't worry about that- poor little dog.

When we stay at the Polynesian we hardly eat at Capt Cooks-- I think since we are so close to the MK if we are gonna eat a meal, we go there instead. We usually end up going there late at night to refill our mugs and get a little midnight snack.

I think the mousekeeping at the Poly can be hit or miss. We were in Rarotonga last month and one day we got no towels-- literally zero towels on the rack. I called mousekeeping and they apologized profusely and sent someone right up with TONS of towels. Each day after that we had like 20 towels in the bathroom -- they would fill the rack and then put a huge stack on the counter too

 

[marvel]

Thanks for that very insightful review. We plan on staying at the Poly in April but now I am having some reservations about it. But there doesn't seem to be a deluxe that compares with all the pro's of the Poly other than the GF which is much dearer. Probably have to just wish for the best.

 

[camdensmom]

Thanks for that very insightful review. We plan on staying at the Poly in April but now I am having some reservations about it. But there doesn't seem to be a deluxe that compares with all the pro's of the Poly other than the GF which is much dearer. Probably have to just wish for the best.

I did really enjoy it overall and the pros outweighed the cons. However, I think the thing I really loved was my view of the castle and the monorail line. That was such a treat. If we hadn't had that view then I would be hesitant to stay again since the price difference between the poly and the moderates is so drastic.

I'm sure you'll have a lovely stay. I don't regret staying there at all. I was just afraid that I wouldn't be able to go back to a moderate after splurging on the Poly and can now safely say that I can...which is a good thing

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Your review is alot like mine from Our October trip. We loved the Poly but some thing s were just not at all deluxe and the housekeeping in our building was just horrible. Our room was so dusty on all the tables and the coffee pot looked like it wasn't cleaned for a year. Also the fridge was a sticky mess.
We loved the theme of the Poly and the being on the monorail. It is a beautiful resort and the pool is great too. I agree about how crowded the common areas are it's hard to enjoy them. We would go back to the Poly but not right away.

I was going to post the same thing. While we enjoyed our June stay, I was very much less than pleased with Housekeeping in both our room, and outside of Captain Cooks. (Urine left on the toilet seat for days at a time, sand left on the dresser never cleaned up, etc.)

I did email Disney, and while I won't go into details, I did get a call back and while I was satisfied, I'm disappointed to hear that the same issues are still on-going. The whole point of me complaining was for them to open up their ears and realize that there is a problem.

 

[dclfun]

As someone who must travel with a service dog I am disturbed to have read several posts lately of people smuggling pets into WDW. It's bad enough that "comfort animals" or family pets are in the parks illegally but even worse that they're in a resort room illegally. I worry about people with allergies too and always notify reservations and Mousekeeping because I assume and am hoping there is a special cleaning done when we vacate a room as you would not necessarily see dog hair but there would be unseen dander. Someone with a service dog has the dog with them so they can do their job and even if there were some circumstance where the dog was left behind, someone should have stayed with the dog. It's my responsibility, for instance, if my dog isn't feeling well that I take care of her just like a child and not just leave her in the room by herself to recover. As to the issues with the Poly I know my expectations would be really high to stay there as it would mean alot of scrimping and saving to have such a vacation. While I can understand crowds and lines, having a clean room isn't a luxury and there should be across-property standards at WDW for what is cleaned, etc. I've always had my coffee pot washed and coffee packets replaced for instance. I'm sorry the OP didn't get what they paid for.---Kathy