POLY and Roll In Shower Rooms

[Trishtack]

HI - We have a stay booked at the Poly for later this year. My DH is paralyzed from the navel down. This is a new illness and he is still adjusting.

I was reading the POLY thread and asked about which longhouses were recommended for view, etc. My hope is that we can get close to the TTC and was hoping for the Hawaii. I received this response below. SO now I am quite concerned that we will get a room with an outdated or less than nice bathroom which is not acceptable with what we paid for the stay. We are paying rack rates. No discounts.

A number of the longhouses have accessible rooms now but Rapa Nui has the most. The good news is that the rooms there are huge, there is a parking lot right by it if you will have a car and the TTC for easy transport via ferry to the MK or monorail to Epcot is a two minute walk. The bad new is that the accessible bathrooms in Rapa Nui need some TLC.

Based on this I decided to call Disney and see if I could get additional information. Hmm..not a good idea. We booked using Small World and as 7 people (yes count them 7 people) informed me only the travel agent can request the specific room. I explained patiently and then not so patiently that I couldn't make my request to the travel agent if I didn't know what to ask for. Finally on the 7th call I was transferred to a Special Reservations agent who informed me that my agent..well you know. I guess he heard my frustration and checked and stated that we have a special needs room on hold for our stay in the Number 11 longhouse (which he didn't know the name but only that it is the one with the most rooms) so I am guessing that is the Rapa Nui. Which means no beach view possibility. I am so disappointed in how much effort it takes to get basic information from Disney. My questions can't be new.

SO can anyone help in regards to which longhouses have roll in showers and how many rooms are available and what is the general condition of the bathrooms at Rapa Nui. Also, DH will be in the room a lot. If we stay in the Rapa Nui, are there any decent views?

Thanks,

Trish

 

[mechurchlady]

When you book through a travel agency your reservations are the travel agent's reservations not yours and that is why everyone was telling you that they could not help you. Next time you need to contact the agency and have them talk to Disney for you.

 

[Trishtack]

I didn't know what to ask of the agent if I couldn't get info on the specific rooms available.

 

[Schmeck]

You have to ask the travel agent to get that info for you, then you decide what you want from the info you get, and then they do the calling to WDW for you. That's why we don't usually use a travel agent (except for Dreams Unlimited many years ago, and they were awesome!) - too much calling back and forth!

Unfortunately, just because you pay rack rate it doesn't mean you get more service or choice over those that booked with a code or discount deal. A certain view or building is not guaranteed unless it has its own price rate, and a certain view or building is not an accommodation under the ADA. I hope you do get your requests, but as they are, they are just requests.

With a large party, you also have to decide how important it is to be near each other, with connecting rooms, etc, or if having one room meet your requests is more important. WDW might not be able to meet all of your requests, so it is important to let your travel agent know what you want.

 

[Tissa]

This site should help you.
http://www.tikimanpages.com/tiki/

 

[taylor3297]

The Hawaii longhouse is CL rooms only. If you have not paid for CL then you will not get a room in that particular longhouse. The Tikiman website does give pros and cons for each of the longhouses. To me any room at the Poly is a good room.

 

[Trishtack]

Unfortunately, just because you pay rack rate it doesn't mean you get more service or choice over those that booked with a code or discount deal. QUOTE]


I certainly didn't expect to get better service or more choice over everyone else. Nor did I expect a view room other than the type we reserved. I simply want information so we can make the best request possible for my DH. If getting the best room for his needs means we upgrade then I fully expect to pay for that (although I certainly have read of upgrades happening and would not object). Just most of everything I have read says to know which rooms you want and ask for them 8 or 7 days out to see if you can get them. My whole point is that I don't have a clue what to ask for and 7 phone calls to the Polynesian who transferred me to housekeeping at one point etc should have gotten at least basic info. I don't mind the agent having to request the rooms, I just need to know what to tell her. And when paying for a Deluxe Resort, information should be available as a basic courtesy in my mind. I would expect the same from any hotel in a higher price range.

 

[Schmeck]

SO now I am quite concerned that we will get a room with an outdated or less than nice bathroom which is not acceptable with what we paid for the stay. We are paying rack rates. No discounts.

Unfortunately, just because you pay rack rate it doesn't mean you get more service or choice over those that booked with a code or discount deal. QUOTE]


I certainly didn't expect to get better service or more choice over everyone else. Nor did I expect a view room other than the type we reserved. I simply want information so we can make the best request possible for my DH. If getting the best room for his needs means we upgrade then I fully expect to pay for that (although I certainly have read of upgrades happening and would not object). Just most of everything I have read says to know which rooms you want and ask for them 8 or 7 days out to see if you can get them. My whole point is that I don't have a clue what to ask for and 7 phone calls to the Polynesian who transferred me to housekeeping at one point etc should have gotten at least basic info. I don't mind the agent having to request the rooms, I just need to know what to tell her. And when paying for a Deluxe Resort, information should be available as a basic courtesy in my mind. I would expect the same from any hotel in a higher price range.

I guess I misunderstood your first post then, sorry. Tikiman's website has all the rooms numbered, but it doesn't designate which rooms are the accessible ones. You could give a range of room numbers though, or a preference to floor. Since particular rooms are a request only, I would focus on which view you can afford, and which building you would prefer.

 

[mechurchlady]

Most hotels have categories of rooms. Look at the longhouses to see which one you prefer. You may want ont centrally located, one with the best view, or one near the TTC.

Six more rooms bringing the total of accessible rooms to ten. They are located in Niue (Garden View) Tahiti (Lagoon and Magic Kingdom View) and Hawaii (Garden Concierge) Room numbers: 1702, 1703, 1529, 1530, 1016 and 1017.

Handicap Accessible rooms are located in some of Rapa Nui, Niue Hawaii, Tahiti, Tokelau and Tonga Suites first floor rooms.

Look at the longhouses and see which one has your category of room such as Magic Kingdom and the garden view. There may only be one room in that longhouse and it may be occupied when you get there.

Rapa Nui is in the far right area and close to the TTC. Handicapped rooms are on the first floor and face the Tahiti building thus are garden view.

Niue is close to the main building/lobby and has not elevator. Small and garden view only.

Tahiti is on the bay and may have bay view and is centrally located. It is one of the newer 1980's buildings.

I need a break so look at all of them and remember that the resort was refubished over in the past. I have never heard a discouraging word about the Poly. Do talk to tyour travel agent. Have at hand your facts and explain clearly what you need then what you want. Have a list of things you would like such as type of shower, view, and location close to main area or TTC for example.