Just back: Poly, & Cr (good, bad, & ugly) LONG

[mkymouse4ever]

Just back, quick notes on our resorts:

august 6> (7 nites) Polynesian resort

Checked in about 11am, had requested figi, marina view and faxed. We got it! 3rd floor, Great view. Nice room, clean. Best mousekeepers at the poly we have ever had. Friendly, efficent, quick, towels animal daily, extra (dbl) mickey soaps, each day. We love the Poly, can't say anything bad. Had never been on this side before, usually like to be closer to quiet pool, nice short walk to main building. Only down side is the people in line for the luau. We asked for turn down each nite at beginning of our stay and had it, very pampered! We were sad to leave.

2 nites Porto fino bay (US) Last year we loved this place, and in 1 year it really change. Mold on both pools, very evident, carpets needing a change in the room, chairs looking worn. We had a villa room on the 6th floor villa pool view, as requested. Maybe our room was just beat up, but it needed work. They did turn down the 1st nite and forgot the 2nd. (your suppose to get it here). Good cookies. Nice valet's and car guy's! Can't beat FOTL at US!

8 nites CR Tower, checked in early to request mk view, got there at 8am, could of gotten a room on bay side immediately, waited till 3pm for mk view. (mistake) I have to say this is our favorite resort and I always defend it. It kills me that our stay was less than it should of been. We kept plugging away, saying we got the mk view don't c/o.... Ok, keep your tally: got into room and went to turn on space age cool lamp, and its switch is totally busted off, unusable, also plug acess area of lamp is pulled out with cords hanging out exposed. Go into bathroom and the black granite counter in small sink area is 1/2 covered in dust? where facet is. Notice curtain stationary side is hanging 3 done not hooked we tried to hook them but its the rod broke. Called maintaneous to fix lamp, came up with light bulb, I told them what was wrong? But we could not open door when he got there? the door got stuck, finally got it open, he checked it said, " it needs to be re-hinged" that guy is here in the morning" It takes 2 trips and finally a whole knew lamp, for the lamp and then he has to move furniture to plug in the lamp etc... Next day Out to pool we go, go on boat, come back have 1 1/2 hr till high tea at gf, and our door is off, it's being rehinged, finally with 40 min. he says your lock is no good it isn't catching right I need a part and I will be back, I told him we need to shower and be somewhere and come back in 2 hrs. he agreed and it got done. Patio door: was not on the right track, you could push it open so far to squeeze out and then pull back, but didn't want maintaneous again so didn't call about the patio or curtain rod. Mousekeeping, was TERRIBLE our do not disturb sign was stolen after the first nite, (i believe she took it) everyone in our hall did not have it after they used it once. She banged on your door starting at 8am each 1/2 hr till you left, even if you said you where not going out till 10am etc... She called our room once cause she did not clean it while we were at the pool, and we came back we were showering at 12pm she called and said "I'm checking you don't want your room done today?" I said yes we do, you didn't do it while we were out, and we will be gone in 2 hours and then you can do it. Aside from changing towels, and making the bed, you could not tell someone was in the room. We had an item sent fom the MK to CR for pick up and no one called saying it came, the next day, so I called the front desk and asked where do you go, and I didn't get notified that the item came from the park, she told me the store on 4th floor, I went in there, showed the clerk our slip and told her I didn't know if it was there cause no one called and she said "we are really lazy about that here, never call anyone, opps" I almost fell out of my shoes. The Finall: 2 nites before checkout about 11:30 pm a large brown beattle? with wings about 1 1/2" crawls across the counter by the tv, we chased this thing down and I actually caught it, I called the front desk, she sent the bug guy we waited 1 hour for him I gave him 10 minutes and I was taking the cockroach hmmm pardum me beattle to the lobby myself. But he showed up. And told me "this beattle's are really prevealent in central florida!" Not 1 call or fruit basket from managment, not 1 sorry, not 1 cheese tray for the bag of fritos I threw out with the hmmm beattle crisis. As we checked out I asked to talk to the manager, didn't know about any of the above problems with our room! But whoever checked in at 3pm yesterday, has a new lamp, new lock, bug free, and clean enviorment, thanks to us not the CR!

MKY Presently rethinking about changing december ressies from cr tower.

 

[LvsTnk]

Wow, I remember a while back someone posting the exact same problems with their room there. They were there for their wedding.

Sorry you had such problems hopefully the room is fixed now.

 

[dianna112198]

Oh My Gosh that SUCKS!!!! And I was even thinking about staying at the CR next time. After that story I think I am going to REthink that. Ifmousekeeping was banging on my door at 8:30 in the morning and then continuosly thereafter....oh boy...there would be problems.

 

[Wilma Flintstone]

Some years ago (back in '95, I think), the Contemporary was "being revamped". Chunks of debris were all over the main floor, as well as piles of wet tarp here and there. It was not a pretty sight. Our friends were staying on the 11th floor at the time. Armies of ants, beetles and a spider or two paraded nightly around their room, undoubtedly from the uprooting due to above mentioned "revamping". Let's not forget that this is an old hotel in dire need of serious overhaul. I stayed there in Sept. of '92 for the 1st Disneyana Convention and thought the hotel was just O.K. The view, however, was unbelievable!

It amazes me how many of the posters here adore the CR, although I do agree that the room size and views are a worthy plus for this grande dame of a resort!

Wish I could be there now, though
---Wilma

 

[Kimberle]

I was not impressed w/ housekeeping either during our stay. We were in the north garden wing.

After the first day, our room was never made up before 4-5pm. It was so discusting to come back from a day in the parks, all hot & sweaty (Aug) to a unmade room. No clean towels for a shower, etc. We did call, several times. They just gave us an stupid "excuse" about only having so many maids.

Other than that, we loved the resort.

 

[C.Ann]

Sure doesn't sound very "magical" to me.. How much do the rooms at CR usually run??

I'd have to be making some serious written complaints - not that anything would actually come of it anyhow..

 

[mkymouse4ever]

Tower Rooms at the Contempary Resort for 2003 list at $335.00!!! / per nite. With an ap discount of 30% I think I paid about $235.00 / nite with tax = $265.48 Totalling 8 nites = $2123.88 room only. Or without discount = $3028.40 for 8 nites.

That's a great discount, and as I said, CR is our favorite resort, I am usually one of its largest defender's on the DIS line, but have already dropped our ressie for late fall / winter to different resort's.

Hopefully, our room is an isolated incident? And maybe just really abused by the last guest, or the last few guest never reported problems. Housekeeping has never been one of CR's better qualities, and remains a problem. But the view is undeniable. And walkway acess is a great perk. In either case we have decided to take a break from CR and see if they decide to update, or rehab, before returning?

MKY

 

[musicmom3]

Wow! What a story! If our goal wasn't to vacation in every single deluxe resort, we would definitely skip CR! Well, maybe by the time we get around to it, it will have been refurbished and the... hmmmm.... beetles....taken care of. Yuck!

 

[Kay1]

Just a quick question. What did you mean about the people in line for the luau? Could you explain it to me, please? Thanks.

 

[GoodFairies]

I'm sure it was a palmetto bug, not a roach. They are everywhere in Florida in the summer; it's just something you have to deal with, like lovebugs at the end of summer or the lizards. Why didn't you request a room change if everything was broken so that maintenance could fix an empty room instead of inconveniencing you?

 

[Gillian]

I'm pretty sure Palmetto bugs ARE roaches. It's just a nicer name.

 

[jaguar9748]

Palmetto bugs are just BIG roaches! Some fly, some don't. They're just icky and yes they are everywhere in Florida - and since we don't have winter they NEVER die!!

Sorry to hear about your CR stay and the fact that your more recent stays weren't so magical.

We are typically moderate people, but last year we splurged to stay at the CR tower. The view was WONDERFUL! The walk to MK was fantastic! The room was huge! However, our stay was the worst ever in our many Disney stays. We had so many problems and like you never a care or concern by management. We wrote off CR and have had several moderate stays since that were wonderful and magical and a whole lot cheaper.

 

[dreamflight99]

How terrible, MKY. Sorry about all the problems you encountered on your trip. Even with discounts, that's TOO much $$ to accept all those blunders/problems. No guest should be inconvenienced to the degree you described.

We stayed at the PBH, (have each summer since opening), and LOVE the place. We always stay on the 5th floor in a Portofino Bay Villa suite, which overlooks the bay. These are immaculate and comfy. The HK is the best there, and the DND on the door is respected. I wish you would have called the desk to speak with the MOD @ this resort. They would have "upgraded" you without incident. Please, call in the future with any/all concerns. Loews is "top-rate" in the customer service department.

As for the CR...sad. We also stayed here this past summer, but in a 1 BR suite on the 14th. The HK was fabulous, and never disturbed us w/DND on the door. She would call and leave a message, and we would return the call for housekeeping at our convenience. I'm sorry for all the terrible problems you experienced. I've read similar posts in the past. Completely unacceptable.

I would urge you to contact WDW guest relations, and let them know exactly what happened. Your post is disheartening, as well as frustrating. Your vacation should have been more relaxing and less stressful. I must commend you for maintaining your perspective, and your positive outlook. Most persons would not only change their future resort plans, they probably would change their future destination plans.

Enjoy your future stays, and keep the MAGIC inside your heart.

TTFN...

 

[mkymouse4ever]

The Luau line: the luau is to the right side of the polynesian resort and a line of people form for each show time to be taken out there, in large mass groups? Or maybe they just do this when it rains? Caused it rained everyday we were there. So when you go past the shops in the great cerimmonial house out the left door toward the other long houses (rooms) there is a mass amount of people awaiting a show / dinner. Standing in line in front of the shops, doorways, and outside in front of the other long houses. ok, once in a while, but after a 100 excuses me's daily does get a little old.

Why we didn't move: Easy the view. CR tower is all about 1 thing the view. Our odds of getting another park side view very slim to none if we demanded to be moved. remember "view is a request, not guarranteed at the CR." We were on the 10th floor middle of building, non-smoking, so should of been a perfect location.

We have cancelled our ressies at the CR already, and will be returning to the Polynesian resort this fall / winter.

MKY (thanks, for all the comments, and suggestions)!

 

[n2mm]

I was sad to read your post about the CR. We stayed there this summer (late July/early Aug) for the first time ever and loved it. We even plan to stay next summer. We stayed in the South Wing, and though we did have a hard time getting a room, the front desk worked with us. Our first non-smoking room smelled of smoke, so they moved us. The second one, was not ready as they said it was, so they moved us. The third one was perfect. (We had a "gauranteed non-smoking for medical reasons so would not budge on this.) All the moves where within checkin in time (and only took less than 1 hour total for all 3 changes) and we never got our suitcases out of the car. We were notified by the store when our packages where ready for pick up. Our rooms where cleaned before 11:00 AM every morning for 7 mornings. And received towel designs (not animals, but often a boat or a shirt and tie--funny). Everything worked fine in our room, so after reading your post, I guess we were lucking. Maybe when SOG opens, they will start renovating the CR, which is probably much needed.

 

[blessedby3]

Im sorry to hear of the bad experiences at the CR. We stayed there this past April and have nothing but good things to say about this resort. We had no problems with mousekeeping- our room was cleaned early each day and was CLEAN. The only complaint I would have would be the closet doors. They are heavy and hard to slide- or at least ours were. Everything else was in perfect working order and no bugs to be found. The only thing that went wrong was the kids on the 12th floor right above us having a jumping/fighting thing going on. We called the front desk after listening to this for quite some time. We couldnt get to sleep and couldnt believe a parent would be letting a child/children act like that in a hotel. After 11pm my husband called the front desk and it was taken care of with a quick phone call from the desk to that room. Within 2-3 mins. we werent hearing that anymore and were able to get to sleep.

Just wanted to post that we had a great stay at the CR and cant wait to stay there again. Hopefully the problems are few and far between.

I agree with the other poster also- if there was someone waking me up every morning at 8am by banging on my door I would be making a call to management!!

 

[Kay1]

Thanks for answering my question about the luau line. Your answer jogged my memory as I once experienced exactly what you described. My imagination got carried away when I read your first post and for some reason I imagined a line of people standing outside your room staring in or gawking at people in the pool.

 

[AllyandJack]

We stayed there for 3 nights before our wedding and our wedding guests stayed there for the whole trip. The staff was great - we all got upgraded, all the guests were put on the same floor. There weren't any complaints about the rooms, but there were about Housekeeping.

We all constantly had to beg for Do Not Disturb signs. We finally resorted to putting the latch lock on so we didn't get surprised by the Housekeepers. We didn't have this problem, but our guests also said that Housekeeping knocked on their doors multiple times during the morning. My two friends actually called the front desk and told them to have them knock it off.

My guests were on the 6th floor and every time the monorail came through the entire room shook. They were also forced awake every morning by Chef Mickey's. We were on the 8th floor and we didn't have any of those issues.

I loved it there. I would probably stay there again. I would just bring a stockpile of Do Not Disturb signs!!

 

[MandaPerry]

I HAVE TO RE ASK THE QUESTION WHY DID YOU NOT ASK TO CHANGE ROOMS? IT SEEMS THAT YOUR ROOM WAS UNSUITABLE AND EVEN A LITTLE DANGEROUS (EXPOSED WIRES). YOU DID MENTION THAT IT RAINED EVERY DAY YOU WERE THERE THATS WHEN THE FLYING ROACHES COME INSIDE. THEY CLING TO CLOTHING OR WAIT BY DOORWAYS FOR A CHANCE TO GET INSIDE WHERE ITS NICE AND DRY. SURE ITS GROSS BUT ITS A FACT OF LIFE IN FL. I HOPE YOUR TRIP IS BETTER NEXT TIME