Need Poly experts

[Naisy68]

Hello,
My DH and I and our DD(6) will be staying at the Poly for the first time over Labor Day weekend and I have no clue where to request. We don't need a super nice view but don't want to look over a parking lot either. We really don't feel we will need concierge either. We just want to be at the Poly in a nice room with 2 queen size beds that is not too far away from the main building/food court etc. We have been to this resort for the Polynesian Luau and for a character meal at O'hanas. We fell in love with the resort then. We don't know too much about it from that point.
Please can I get some suggestions? -- Thanks, Renee

 

[polineedyan]

You can get a map of the resort, either thru a google search, or disney site, or maybe even here, on the faq's for polynesian. I think you can make a request about a week beforehand, either by phone or fax. I dont think the request is a guarantee.

 

[disneyfan55]

A garden view is not the parking lot or the most expensive lagoon view. That should insure no parking lot for the least dollars.

 

[huntconn]

I recommend requesting either Samoa, Niue, or Raratonga based on what you said you were hoping for. All 3 are close to the Great Ceremonial House (lobby). Almost all Garden View rooms have very nice views because of the beautiful landscaping/foliage at the Poly. If you get Rarotonga, you may be able to see some of the parking lot but only through the landscaping. Even if that is the case you will also have a great view of the monorail which I believe makes up for it. We stayed in Aotearoa years ago and loved watching the monorail go by from our 1st floor patio. Keep in mind that Samoa is the most frequently requested longhouse. We have requested it several times but have never gotten it!

 

[drcandon]

Well, I guess the choice all depends on how much you are willing to spend or go in debt ..

Serioulsy though...my personal recommendation is the Tokelau, at the far end near sunset point. If you are lucky you can get a room facing towards the lagoon/beach and actually can see the light parade at night without paying lagoon room view prices. If not and you get on the other side you get a nice very quite view of the "gardens". Also on other side you can get a view of the adult pool which during non peak times is very quite, even during conventions. If it is just adults in the party stay away from the volcano pool side of Hawaii, Samoa, Nuie or Raotonga..very noisy even during slow season.
Tonga is near the GCH but has parking lot on one side and the marina on the other. Aotearoa is very quite but a bit of a walk away from the GCH , but if you are going to the Lua, close to that and within walking distance of the GF.

Now if you want to be within walking distance of the TTC - which saves a lot of time messing around with Disney transpo. The Tahiti and the garden side only of RapaNUi are the way to go..

Do not get on the parking lot side of RapaNUI, they load and unload garbage at 4 in the morning and is also a smoking area...unless you are smokers.

As far as being near the GCH..well almost all the "lodges" are not really that far away..Maybe a 10 min walk at the most.

As far as lagoon or MK views - the POLY can't seem to make up its mind on which is CL level rooms are which are not. Some years it is certain floors in Hawaii, Tahitii and Tokelau - some years just Hawaii.

Lagoon view rooms are mainly available in Tuvalu ( our favorite) or the aformentioned lodges - when they are not designated CL...yea I know confusing..

One trick... the higher floors on Aoteoroa used to have a semi lagoon view for garden view prices - check out the map of the POLY and you will see what I mean.

 

[cara loves the poly]

Out of all of the hundreds of rooms at the Poly, there are only a handful with "parking lot" views. They are not the parking lot. They are beautiful landscaping with the parking lot in the far off distance. The views are as follows:

Garden
Lagoon
Magic Kingdom
Concierge garden
Concierge Lagoon

You will LOVE the Poly! Oh, and all rooms have 2 queen beds and are very large.

 

[drcandon]

Out of all of the hundreds of rooms at the Poly, there are only a handful with "parking lot" views. They are not the parking lot. They are beautiful landscaping with the parking lot in the far off distance. QUOTE]

Sorry to disagree with you but from direct personal experience the top floor of the Rapa Nui offers a wonderful view of the garbage pickup in the morning, the monorail zooming by and the equally wonderful staging area for buses. Yes, there are all sorts of trees trying desparately to block it but not to much success.

You are correct that the parking lot views for the Raratonga and Aoteoroa are in the distance and Disney does do a very good jog of hiding them with palms and other trees, but you can still see the parking lot.

Not trying to get a flame thread going here but just want everyone to have the best experience possible..If they know what they are getting ahead of time, then they are prepared..

And unless you are going at very slow times and get a really good front desk person they will not upgrade you. The Poly until recently had the worse upgrade history..because of the popularity of the resort

 

[disneyfan67]

From my experience, I would request the Samoa longhouse. Either side would be good, IMO. You have the volcano pool on one side and the quiet pool on the other. Great views and the landscaping is beautiful with no bad views, IMO. The quiet pool view has less traffic due to the popularity of the very unique volcano slide pool and more low key. Samoa is close to the GCH and is the building of choice for my family.

 

[kaysmommie]

I like Samoa, Fiji, or Rarotonga for a nice garen view that is close to the main building and pools. Here is our view from Samoa 3rd floor facing the volcano pool from last year. Fiji also has some good water/ Marina views and you can usually see Electrical Watar Pageant from your balcony.

 

[disneyfan67]

I like Samoa, Fiji, or Rarotonga for a nice garen view that is close to the main building and pools. Here is our view from Samoa 3rd floor facing the volcano pool from last year. Fiji also has some good water/ Marina views and you can usually see Electrical Watar Pageant from your balcony.

I darn near had the same view you did at the Poly on my spring 2005 trip. I believe my room number was 3605 and I really enjoyed the view of that pool in the morning while having my coffee. I would get up early and let my family sleep in a little while just enjoy the sights and sounds of the morning. That 7 day trip still lives on in my mind as one of the best vacations I ever had. It was a sad day when it was time to check out and come back to home to reality. I had a once in a lifetime opportunity to stay in a GVC room last July and while it was really nice and the concierge lounge a bonus, I think I will stick to the Samoa building in the future. That's unless that once in a lifetime opportunity, turns into two of them.

With the expectation of the high prices, you just can't go wrong staying at the Poly. Cost wise, I think it's a better deal to pay for a GV room overlooking the volcano pool than to have a GVC room in the Hawaii building. That's just my opinion of course.

 

[MHTeacher]

We stayed in Tokelau, facing the quiet pool. It was a great location; not too far from the GCH, and a five minute walk to the TTC to catch the direct Epcot monorail.