My polly visit...no flames please

[STEVEMED]

This is not meant to upset anyone, just my view of the Polly concierge building...We had a wonderfull 6 night visit to the Beach club and I had always dreamed of staying at the Polly, so on the last two nights of our vacation myself, wife and two daughters pack up and headed to the Polly.I know this hotel is old but the smell of the must and mold in the common areas of the Hawaii building was awfull.The hallways smelt like wet dog.That being said our room did not smell at all.....untill the next mornig when we woke up.The AC had shut off with no movement of air in the room,it smelled just as bad as the hallway.
I went to the concierge desk and told them about the problem(by the way one of my daughters has allergies and this made the situation worse)the concierge was very nice and they moved us to the GF at no extra charge for our last night(wich by the way was wonderfull)Again this is not meant to upset anyone,just my observations.

 

[Lives4Disney]

Thanks for sharing your experience. No flames here. We stayed there for the first time last year and I agree with your comments. My daughters and I are going to WDW by ourselves this August and they really wanted to do the Poly again so I gave in to split our stay and spend 3 or 4 nights in the Hawaii building. I do really love the Polynesian atmosphere - especially in the warmer months - but I have concerns and you brought them up!! My girls would love to stay anywhere in WDW so that really isn't too much of an issue. I just know there are so many people here on the DIS that are Poly fans I figured maybe our "fair" stay there last year was irregular and the Poly might deserve a second try. There is a thread regarding overriding the AC. I would definitely jot that down for use!!

How did you find the concierge staff? Oh, I know you weren't there long, so maybe no opinion?? On our last stay, they weren't the most informed or nicest CMs we have met by far. It sounds like they were pretty good, though, to get you into the GF (my personal favorite). The CMs we met were one of the reasons our stay was just so-so. Not a lot of "O'hana" spirit for us.......I think the staff can make a big difference regarding the stay at a resort.

Well, glad you enjoyed most of your trip!! Were you in Beach Club concierge?? How was that? I am interested because I am thinking about splitting a 7 night stay between an Epcot resort and MK resort. THANKS for any info!!

Lives4Disney

 

[STEVEMED]

lives4disney: to answer some of your questions....The staff at the polly was very nice.We were in Concierge at the polly but when they moved us to the GF they didn"t have any concierge rooms,but we went anyway.As nice as the polly staff was, I found the GF staff even nicer.I will be making the Gf a stop on future trips.
As for the beach club, we stayed in the villas,so we had no contact with the concierge.
One more thing...anyone thinking of staying at the GF,go for it.We didn't find it stuffy at all, as others have posted.

 

[DVC-Don]

We had the same issues with a short stay at the Poly in December of 1999. But ours was the room as it had a musty, moldy smell. It was awful.

 

[Tikiman]

Aloha Steve,

Sorry for your experience. I never noticed any of that my self and my wife says I have a super sniffer but hopefully what ever you noticed will be fixed when they redo the building in the Fall and maybe you will try it again but if not it sounds like you found a few other great resorts to return to.

Wanted to say I found it funny that we are a few days apart on the birthday. Mine is July 8, 1970.

Aloha

Steve

 

[Lives4Disney]

STEVEMED Thanks for the info. The GF has become my absolute favorite for many reasons. I am glad you had a nice stay there!! I don't think it is "stuffy" either.


TIKIMAN - My birthday is July 8, 1966!!! Yay for those July Bdays!!

Lives4Disney

 

[RichKoster]

Well, I've stayed at the Polynesian's concierge building only one time -- and this was way back when it wasn't even called "Hawaii" so that gives you an idea how long ago it was! Even though it didn't have concierge service then, my wife Carol and I kept looking at each other saying, "We're gonna pay how much a night to stay at the Polynesian!?!"

Of course, the price per night we paid back then would be considered a huge bargain nowadays!

So, for what it is worth, I'll add to this discussion with a brief comment that when we stayed there we had no problems at all, odors or otherwise, and we totally loved the view and spacious room. Carol, myself and our DS were all invited with other members of a Disney forum I hang out on quite a bit by two of those fellow Disney mouse ear-loving friends in to see their concierge room. It was great, complete with that same view of the Seven Seas Lagoon which Carol and I remember to this day. In getting to the room, I hope we didn't break any rules, but our hosts led us through the concierge lounge -- and I was very much impressed from what my eyes were able to take in as we quickly passed through that area.

On a slightly related matter, I've found over the years (including the very recent past) that the water coming from the tap at various rooms we've stayed in at the Polynesian Resort seems to vary quite a bit. Some longhouses it has been just fine but in others it tasted terrible to us! We put up with it, though, and it wasn't so much a big deal that we felt the need to complain about it -- and it certainly didn't ruin the good times we've had at my favorite resort, even the time we stayed right next to the recent construction the Hawaii longhouse was undergoing in its last renovation.

 

[Tikiman]

Lives4Disney,

Well I will be thinking about you on our birthday.

Aloha

Steve

 

[SeaSpray]

Hey! DH's and my Anniversary is July 8th! And that's part of the reason why we'll be in Disney World, at the Polynesian concierge, on this trip!


Stevemed: Sorry you didn't like the Polynesian, due to the smell. I'm curious to see if we notice any mold in the Hawaii building when we're there next month. DH, DSs, and I are all allergic to mold, and I can smell it in an instant. I'm hoping it won't be too bad, if at all, while we're there. I'm glad that the concierge staff was helpful when you told them about the smell, and how they assisted you in the move.

Regarding what you said about the Grand Floridian, I totally agree. We stayed there when our DSs were 12 and 9, and we did not feel like the resort was "stuffy" or "snobby" or any of the other adjectives I've seen it described as. I'm glad you enjoyed your stay there

At any rate, my entire family and myself are very excited and looking forward to our trip to the Polynesian concierge! And to the Wilderness Lodge concierge too, can't forget about that.

 

[Lives4Disney]

SEASPRAY - wow!! July 8th is truely popular!! Have a great Bday trip!
My older daughter's birthday and my husband's is on July 1st. She REALLY wanted to go to WDW for her birthday, but I am just leary of those July 4th crowds. Let us know what you think of those holiday crowds, please. We may just try it next year if it's not too bad!! A week from July 1 - 8th would be a triple bday treat for us. I will also be interested in your experience at the Poly concierge!! Not too much longer!


TIKIMAN - no kidding,on July 8th I will be thinking of you and Seaspray's family in WDW for their bday trip!!

Take care & happy birthday to all!!

Lives4Disney

 

[SeaSpray]

SEASPRAY - wow!! July 8th is truely popular!! Have a great Bday trip!
My older daughter's birthday and my husband's is on July 1st. She REALLY wanted to go to WDW for her birthday, but I am just leary of those July 4th crowds. Let us know what you think of those holiday crowds, please. We may just try it next year if it's not too bad!! A week from July 1 - 8th would be a triple bday treat for us. I will also be interested in your experience at the Poly concierge!! Not too much longer!


TIKIMAN - no kidding,on July 8th I will be thinking of you and Seaspray's family in WDW for their bday trip!!

Take care & happy birthday to all!!

Lives4Disney

Thanks! And I'll definitely be reporting back after our trip, I'll be mentioning how the crowds and heat are. We're expecting heat and crowds, which is why we chose to be so close to the parks, for those midday breaks!

We're going for our anniversary, by the way, not birthday! July 8th is our anniversary

I just noticed Stevemed's birthday is July 10th. That's my niece's birthday too. LOL

"...it's a small world, afterall.....it's a small world afterall...."

 

[Lives4Disney]

SEASPRAY - oh - sorry!! DAH on me. Happy anniversary!! I just quickly read your post and thought you said DH's birthday!!

Well - what a wonderful way to spend your anniversary! Hope it is fabulous!!

Lives4Disney

 

[WDW LifeLong Fan]

Sorry your stay at the POLY was less than magical.

 

[lovesdumbo]

Aloha Steve,

Sorry for your experience. I never noticed any of that my self and my wife says I have a super sniffer but hopefully what ever you noticed will be fixed when they redo the building in the Fall and maybe you will try it again but if not it sounds like you found a few other great resorts to return to.

Wanted to say I found it funny that we are a few days apart on the birthday. Mine is July 8, 1970.

Aloha

Steve

Steve-when do you think they will redo Hawaii? We're booked for 10/14 to 10/23. Where would they do CL if not Hawaii? Would the replacement building already have the new look?

 

[Tikiman]

Let me say first off without sounding like I don’t believe Steve’s report (because I do believe it) that the smell that is sometimes reported is from the air conditioning system and it is like starting up your air conditioner in a hot car and it smells musty. I myself have never noticed the smell in Hawaii but I have talked to someone familiar with the maintenance and this is what they told me. Also in 2003 when they closed Hawaii to redo the foundation, and take down all the wallpaper and tear up the carpets, this was done to all the original longhouses to eliminate the moisture trapped in the building. Also to replace all the room materials so I would doubt that the smell is actually mold. I have sever asthma and I would be up coughing all night if there was a hint of mold and I have never coughed at the Polynesian. Now the Dolphin is another story, could not sleep through the coughing. With that said maybe the issue they are having with the new air system will be worked out. We had no problem controlling our room temp last August.

Lovesdumbo,

As of right not (subject to change) Hawaii is supposed to get all the room interiors done in the new decore and the halls and lounge redone in September. They are still saying it might be later and they are not sure what will happen with concierge or if it will move. When I get a firm answer it will be posted to my web page (sorry can’t give the link because someone in here complained to the webmaster and I was asked to remove it). As the time gets closer I should know and if it is closed then I would suggest saving your money and staying non-concierge or moving to another resort concierge.

Aloha

Steve

 

[eeyoresmountainpals]

Tikiman ~ Do you perhaps have any of your "insider" tips/info on how the Hawaii renovations will be done??

We have ressies for Poly LVC in mid-October. I emailed the "WDW Polynesian Island Planning Office" two days ago and asked about up-coming renovations. I received an email back yesterday saying that at this time they are planning the renovations for "the end of September into the first week of October." She also said that the renovations schedules are changing on a "daily basis." I questioned how the renovations would be done, closing the whole building, or one floor at a time or whatever. She said that she didn't know and that all she could say is that "the concierge service will remain the same." I was just wondering if you had heard the "how" part about the renovations.

 

[Tikiman]

I wish I could tell you more but some of the things I was told I was asked not to repeat and I can understand that because the minute I post something and even if I say it is not for sure or it could change, I end up seeing the information posted in other places as if it were fact and writen in stone. The information does change daily becasue either they are not sure how they are going to do it or maybe they don't want to say.

Sorry I am not more helpful and sorry Steve to get your post off track.

Aloha

Steve

 

[vegasnw]

Thank you for sharing your experience. I have always enjoy the Polynesian and although I have never had the experiences you have at the resort, I was sorry to read you had.

Again, thanks for your post.

 

[mlwear]

Hoping more will post that the smell and water taste isn't bad. If you did NOT notice a bad smell or taste bad water please post. We are staying LVC in August and I always get very nervous about my choice when I read these threads. This is our first family trip to Disney So far reviews of the view and ease of transport seem to be consistently good. I know everyone has a different opinion and that's fine, I am glad to read them all. But, when I read a bunch of posts about terrible smell and dirty rooms with only a smattering of "I didn't experience that" I wonder if I chose the right resort. DH isn't that picky, but if something is really really bad, he won't be thrilled with my planning and having a second trip will be less likely. (BTW, I don't want to split trip by going to two resorts. Son is autistic and that is just too much change.) Does anyone else get this nervous about their choice or did you when planning your first trip?

 

[SeaSpray]

Does anyone else get this nervous about their choice or did you when planning your first trip?

I don't want to get too off-topic, but I want to say that when I was planning our first big family trip to Disney World back in 2001, we had decided that we loved the look and theming of the Caribbean Beach Resort. Well you wouldn't believe all of the negative reports and comments about that resort! LOL At that time, it was *the* resort to hate. lol And probably many of the complaints were legitimate, I don't know. lol So it did make me stop and really think about whether CBR would be a good choice for us or not.

After reading every single review and trip report that I could find about CBR at that time, I determined that this still was the resort for us! The "negatives" were not enough to compare with what we saw as the "plusses". From reading so many reports, I knew in advance that the rooms were older and in need of refurbishment. I knew in advance that the resort was very large and spread out, so I specifically requested a building close to the main building/main pool area. I had heard bad things about the bus service, etc etc. Our room turned out to be fine!! Although maybe the carpet was a bit worn and maybe the paint might've needed freshening, the curtains, bedspreads, shower curtains, etc looked great and appeared to be practically brand new. So even before the major refurbishment, our room was still great!

So...armed with that previous knowledge of what to expect, we went on our trip and absolutely LOVED CBR!! And following our stay there they have since totally refurbished every single room there, and then they remodeled the food court, and built a new sit-down restaurant to replace the old one.

My point in this long post, is that you should gather as much info as possible about the resort that you want to stay at. The good and the bad. And then, knowing all of the "possibilities", make an informed decision. There are NO resorts on this message board or any other message board that get ONLY good reviews.

Personally, my advice is to choose a price range, then choose the theming and location you'd prefer. With the moderates, location isn't as important. But with the deluxe resorts, you might want to choose to be near the MK or Epcot or MGM, etc.

And finally, to try and keep this on topic, I want to say that I've been reading about the Polynesian resort for years. My family and I visited the Polynesian resort a few times and even were given a tour by a Front Desk CM, including checking out the rooms themselves and the pool area. And after all this research, my DSs, DH, and I unanimously voted to stay there for our trip next month We are splitting our stay with the Wilderness Lodge concierge for the first 2 nights because Polynesian concierge was not available for the first 2 nights of our stay, and this works out well because my DH has always wanted to try out the WL. We've never been to that resort before, so it'll be fun to explore that one for the first time, while we're staying there. Then we'll still have the Polynesian lagoon concierge to look forward to, for the rest of the trip

Hope this helps, and I hope you have a wonderful trip!!