Poly Concierge Question

[oneeyedguy]

I am leaving next week for 4 nights at Disney and the trying out the Wonder for 4 night cruise. We are staying Lagoon View Concierge. Should I call the Poly to request a room or wait till I get there?
What's the best room to ask for? It will be me DW, DS(5 about to turn6), DD(4). Is first floor better or 3rd floor? Would like to see fireworks from the room. Don't want to be blocked by any trees.

 

[kpm76]

You will love the Poly....we stayed LV concierge in September and had room #3502.....though I obviously have not stayed in every room on Disney property, I think this has to be one of the best rooms/views available...we had a beautiful, unobstructed view of the castle.....here's a picture from our balcony......

 

[oneeyedguy]

Thanks any other suggestions out there? Tikiman where are you?

 

[Tess]

Thanks any other suggestions out there? Tikiman where are you?

Rather than waiting on Steve to visit you, why not hop over to his site and check out his room critiques? He lists the views from the various rooms and suggests the best and less desirable rooms. Third floor is smoking optional--if that doesn't bother you, then go for a 3rd floor request. I know others disagree, but I prefer the views from 3 to those on 1. I avoid 2 like the plague--must have a balcony or lanai--a personal preference!

Here's the link to Tikiman's site: Tikiman's Website !

 

[ducklite]

Tess, the third floor is NOT smoking optional.

There are twelve rooms at the end of the floor away from teh elevator, six of each view, that are smoking optional.

The rest of the rooms are all non-smoking. We were in the first room, closest to the door to the lounge which is non-smoking, and never smelled smoke.

In fact I walked down to the far end of teh hall to see if I could smell it, and could only smell a hint of smoke outside the very last door at the far end of the hallway.

NOW, with that said, the views from most of teh rooms on the 3rd floor are GREAT, BUT--some are partially blocked by trees. The first floor rooms don't have this problem.

Anne

 

[Pattymouse]

Good Morning,

We stayed at the Poly LVC last Nov/Dec (2005). We had room # 3505. It was great. We had a clear view of the castle with no obstructions at all. I loved the 3rd floor. It was quiet and we loved being able to sit on our own "private" balcony. However, we had no kids. Just us two (fun!). If you have kids and are going where swimming/naps will be a part of your daily routine you may enjoy the 1st floor more. No way would I enjoy it more! We enjoyed the Poly LVC. It was definately the nicest and most relaxing stay of our lives. Just looking at the lagoon in the evening and watching the lighted boats gliding along in the lagoon was magical.

Enjoy!

Pat

 

[Tikiman]

Second floor rooms are the least desirable but not as bad as everyone says. You Can still open up the big sliding glass door and sit at the railing, you just lose the extra space of the outside balcony. The 3rd floor is great and has great views but there are a few rooms that are blocked directly by the tops of the palm trees but only a few and yes the first half of the 3rd floor is non-smoking ever since it opened back up from the last rehab (over a year now). I use to love the upper floors but to me nothing beats the open patio and most of the ground level rooms are completely free of obstructions. Also I hear people say they did not feel the lagoon view would be worth the money because they go to the lounge or the beach to watch the fireworks, well most of the time I do also but I don’t have to take an elevator down and walk around the building (not that it is that hard) but I just walk right from my patio to the beach. It is all a personal preference. Most of the trees and bushes are down toward the lounge end and the other end is mostly open but there are some great rooms near the lounge as stated above. Even our favorite room is only 5 down from the lounge but we also look right between trees to either side of the view. I would show you what I am talking about on my web page but it is down due to increased traffic this month and will be off till the 4th of April. You can try to request a specific room but the rooms in Hawaii are limited and there may not be much they can do.

Aloha

Steve

 

[SeaSpray]

Speaking of the third floor, which rooms have the partial obstruction? We are not opposed to being in a smoking-optional room and have that noted on our reservation, so we may end up down that end of the building. (DH smokes once in a while, {only if DSs aren't around}, so that's why we aren't opposed to a smoking-optional room).

I'd love the third floor and have requested it, so I'm wondering which rooms have the partial view.

 

[Tikiman]

SeaSprey,

From what I remember the end where the smoking rooms are is a clearer view so you would be better off down there. Here is what I wrote when I reported after my last trip in August.

This is what I took notes on as I stood at each room and looked out. I also tried to figure out some of the upper views by lining up things that may be in the way of the view toward the castle.

Here are Hawaii views:
1518-3518 Has some small plants on the edge of the patio but do not block the view at all but the trees out on sunset point are surrounding the castle in the view but you can see the castle through them as well as fireworks and EWP.
1517-3517 have a clear view of the castle
1516-3516 have a clear view of the castle
1515-2515 look through many trees on the beach and garden area but 3515 may be up enough to see over these short trees.
1513-2513 is blocked by trees but 3513 may be up high enough to see over them
1512-3512 have a clear view of the castle
1511-3511 have a clear view to the castle
1510-2510 have a good view to the castle with some trees to the left
3510 Is blocked by tree tops.
1509 looks at the castle through the tree trunks
2509 is blocked by more of the tree top
3509 may be high enough to be looking over the trees.
1508 is a good view through some trees. Not sure about 2508 and 2509 above it.
1507-3507 is a good view of the castle
1506 is a good view around some trees but the rooms above it (2506-3506) look blocked.
1505-3505 are good views of the castle
1504-3504 are good views of the castle with some trees to the left
1503-3505 are looking through trees
1502-3502 are looking through trees
1501-3501 are view through trees with the ground floor room having foliage next to the patio and partly in front of the patio.

The smoking rooms are only half the upper floor of Hawaii now and I looked to see which rooms were non-smoking. They start at the lounge end with 3501-3510 along the lagoon side and 3527 (right across from 3510) till the end 3534 on the garden side. The floor had no smoke smell what so ever and I was told the rooms that are non-smoking have no smell since they were redone before they opened back up as non-smoking.

Now I will keep helping with views as long as I don’t find out people are driving the Polynesian crazy with room requests and getting upset if they do not get that exact room. It is very difficult to shuffle everything around there to get all requests honored and I supply the info to give you an idea of what to try for or see if it is available but not everyone will get the perfect view every time.

 

[SeaSpray]

Thanks Steve! I definitely will not give the Concierge staff a hard time over room location but if given a choice it's good to know which views might be better than others

 

[Tess]

Tess, the third floor is NOT smoking optional.

There are twelve rooms at the end of the floor away from teh elevator, six of each view, that are smoking optional.

The rest of the rooms are all non-smoking. We were in the first room, closest to the door to the lounge which is non-smoking, and never smelled smoke.

In fact I walked down to the far end of teh hall to see if I could smell it, and could only smell a hint of smoke outside the very last door at the far end of the hallway.

NOW, with that said, the views from most of teh rooms on the 3rd floor are GREAT, BUT--some are partially blocked by trees. The first floor rooms don't have this problem.

Anne

I'm sorry that you felt so strongly about my post, but yours seems a bit terse!

I guess I didn't feel the need to set forth the exact number of rooms on 3 that are smoking vs nonsmoking. FWIW, however, I was told by concierge that they DO overflow rooms with folks who smoke IF the need arises. They do this on the third floor despite the fact some rooms are delineated as NS. In point of fact, when we were there last, there were two rooms LV 3507 and 3508, I think (but don't quote me on the #s--I may be off by one or two on either side and I sure don't wish to be corrected again) that did house smoking families. All of the limited number of smoking rooms were already occupied. I'm guessing the staff "overflowed" these two families to these two rooms. The rooms, btw, were near the entrance to the lounge and the elevator.

So, while technically you are correct--i.e., the entire floor isn't "smoking optional", a portion of it is AND if you are "bothered" by that--you should request another. I was simply trying to let oneyedguy know that 3 will house those who choose to smoke. Since someone had already offered a specific #, I just wanted him to be "aware" of the possibility someone will be smoking on 3. This seems to be a BIG issue with lots of folks and a realtively minor one for others.

Sorry the post set you off Anne. In any event, Steve has cut and pasted the information and saved oneyedguy the trouble of stopping by his website. Problem solved. . .I stand by my "smoking optional" statement however. . .based upon past experiences.

 

[ducklite]

Well, I had a guaranteed non-smoking room at the Polynesian, 3rd FL LV Hawaii last summer. My room (1501) was guaranteed for medical reasons through special services, and I highly doubt they would have put me there if smoking had been allowed in the room prior to my arrival.

If they are allowing people to smoke in non-smoking rooms, they should be ashamed of themselves. I actually wonder if that doesn't violate Florida's clean air laws.

Smokers should get the same reservation courtesy as non-smokers, its a request not a guarantee--and sorry, smoking is not a medical condition REQUIRING a smoking room. If there's no smoking room available they should simply have to go outside and away from others to smoke.

Anne

 

[Tess]

Smokers should get the same reservation courtesy as non-smokers, its a request not a guarantee--and sorry, smoking is not a medical condition REQUIRING a smoking room. If there's no smoking room available they should simply have to go outside and away from others to smoke.

I'm with you on that one. . .unfortunately, at Disney and all other resorts, a blind eye is turned and I've read on the boards many, many times that people were told to simply smoke on their balcony. I just know what I have been told and witnessed.

Well, I had a guaranteed non-smoking room at the Polynesian, 3rd FL LV Hawaii last summer. My room (1501) was guaranteed for medical reasons through special services, and I highly doubt they would have put me there if smoking had been allowed in the room prior to my arrival.

I really don't know whether anyone has ever smoked in 3501. . .but I know that just a few doors down people were smoking last summer.

The bottom line is--Disney (and all other resorts for that matter) can label a room whatever they choose--whether or not the guests comply is another matter.

I'm not going to debate the smoker's rights vs the nonsmoker's rights. I was simply trying to give a heads up to a fellow Polynesian guest IN CASE he (or his family) had those same medical reasons as you and needed a nonsmoking room.

 

[ckret01]

Well I stayed at the CR 12th floor conceirge last Oct 2004. I asked for a smoking room b/c I SMOKE ....well I also asked for a MK view and the CM told me she had a great room but it was non smoking......but she said " YOU COULD JUST SMOKE ON THE BALCANY"!!!!!!!! So not every CM is in sync with eachother and the so called "rules"!

 

[NCombs]

May I suggest we get back to the point of the original post or take the smoking debate to a separate thread. I'm not intending to offend anyone but things seem to have gotten off the point of the original thread which can be frustrating for people who subscribe to the thread because of the original subject matter. Thanks, guys.

 

[oneeyedguy]

Thanks for all the help. I don't consider myself a smoker, but I do enjoy an occassional cigar now and then. Smoke does not bother me, however it may bother my wife. I called the Poly and they plan to put me right in the middle. I just want a great view of the castle so the kids can watch the fireworks. If I find a great cigar and it's ok to smoke out on the balcony without offending the wife or neighbors then great, but I can live without it.