Poly greatly over rated

[guynhawaii]

Aloha,

I'm sure this thread is going to upset the Poly Lovers, but for folks trying to do their resort planning they need to know the truth. I am currently enjoying an 18-night stay at WDW. Stayed 10 nights at CSR, four at the Grand and four at AKL. Visited Poly on three occassions for dinner and touring.

As a 15-year resident of Hawaii I was greatly disappointed in the Poly. It is really hyped by the Poly Lovers and the Poly failed to meet my expectations. Why?

1. From a HI resident point of view the Poly is very tacky. I was just shocked. It is way below WDW standards WRT accuracy.
2. Ohana. Way over the top. As for the food. No Hawaiian dishes. No terriyaki beef or chicken. No Filipino rice. Mashed potatoes? You have got to be kidding me!
3. Lack of hawaiian residents. So many WDW resorts (AKL, CSR, etc) have employees from the areas their resort represents. However, not the Poly (except for perhaps the swanky and silly Luau show).
4. Poor pool. The Grand and CSR pools are far superior.

My family and I were glad we didn't book the Poly. If you like a swanky over the top Hawaii theme then the Poly is it. If you are looking for a realistic Hawaiian theme then forget the Poly.

 

[kaysmommie]

I dissagree as I absolutely love the Poly. There some employess there that are from Hawaii. You went to 'Ohana, did you see Lipoa? She is from Hawaii. actually one of the small islands. Also the potatoes are not mashed!! I think the Pool at Poly is among the best. Also you didn't stay in a room at the resort so you can't acuurately review IMO. Personally I'm not crazy about the Luau, but others love it.

But I have to say everyone likes differents resorts that is why there are so many to choose from at Disney. Alot of people love the Poly, some like GF and some people like ASM. The Poly is my families favorite, as it is original Disney to us. There are lots of things that make the Poly special.

 

[SeaSpray]

This poster is brand new to the DIS Boards and obviously has his facts wrong. Many of his claims are simply not true, not to mention that most of what he said is simply his opinion and not fact. If I thought this was a person with sincere motives I'd take the time to explain to him where he's incorrect but I don't think this warrents the time it'd take me to type it.

 

[musicmom3]

We have visited the Poly for drinks or dinners and enjoyed being there very much. The pool looks wonderful, too. However, I am leery about the separate buildings. One of the things I enjoy about the deluxes is the corridor-style layout. While I loved CSR, for example, I did not like the separate buildings, even though we were in one that here on the boards is spoken of as "most convenient." I can't explain it, but there is something less "deluxe" about not having corridors. Am I a nut or does anybody else feel this way? We are actually considering the Poly for our next trip (sorry, OP, but since I have never been to Hawaii, the finer points of the detailing will be lost on me!), but I am fearful that I will have a bad reaction to the separate buildings. Poly people, am I making a big deal out of nothing?

 

[mickey2minnie1]

The Poly met and exceeded my expectations. We loved O'Hanas because it is about family.

The Volcano pool was awesome. My kids loved it.

The lush grounds were beautiful.

It is Disney, after all, purely magical!!!

I loved the separate longhouses. It made it more personal to my family. It felt like a resort with many places to venture. Walking around the paths with the tiki torches lit at night was the best. Soooooo relaxing.

 

[simonkodousek]

I can't explain it, but there is something less "deluxe" about not having corridors. Am I a nut or does anybody else feel this way?

I actually find it to be the complete opposite. Not having corridors from the lobby, but having seperate buildings with their own corridors seems nicer to me. IMO, the Polynesian promotes a sense of peace and tranquility that no other hotel in WDW has, and this is largely due to the fact that there are seperate buildings.

 

[momtoBrandon&Jacob]

Well, we have never stayed at the Poly but would absolutely love to. We do have an ADR at Ohana for our May trip and I'm sure we will love it. As to how it compares to Hawaii - who cares?! If I wanted to go to Hawaii I would not be going to Disney and vice versa. We stayed at POFQ on our last trip and I can honestly tell you that I have no idea how it compares to the real French Quarter in New Orleans - and once again I couldn't care less.

 

[Aliceacc]

I've never stayed at the Poly, nor have I ever been to Hawaii, so take it for what it's worth.

I don't think that Disney is going for absolute accuracy in its theming. I think they're trying to evoke a mood, not be a textbook model. So, as much as Epcot is NOT Europe, the Poly does not attempt to be an accurate Hawaiian (or even Polynesian) resort. Instead, I think they attempt to re-create the spirit of those places.

Otherwise, The Contemporay would look contemporary-- I'm guessing a Motel 6. Port Orleans would be showing the after-effects of Katrina, and so on.

I'm not going to WDW to find accuracy; I'm going for a little escapism. So if a place that caters to millions of kids sacrifices accuracy to serve my 4 year old some mashed potatoes, I can live with that.

 

[wdwlvr629]

Never been to Hawaii, but when I visit WDW and have dinner @ the Poly, I just love the overall ambience of the resort (both inside & out!). This past February was my first time staying there and I LOVE IT! Hands down, it has become my FAVORITE WDW resort, if I could manage to swing it ($$$) every visit, I would!!!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Last month my family and I had our very 1st stay at the Polynesian and we enjoyed it very much. While I don't agree with the OP's comments, that is their opinion and they are allowed to say it.

 

[pearlieq]

The OP in certainly entitled to their opinion. The beauty of WDW is that there are 20+ onsite resorts and thousands of off-site resorts and condos from which to choose. I'm glad the OP did find something that appealed to their tastes.

For me, the lure of the Poly doesn't have much to do with the points enumerated. I honestly don't care too much about the authenticity of the theming. As long as I find it attractive (which I do), that's enough for me. "Realistic" is the least of my concerns on a WDW vacation.

Personally, I find the main lure of the Polynesian (aside from an attractive design) to be the extremely convenient location with easy monorail and TTC access. Other factors that contribute for me are its relatively small resort size and generous room sizes.

I definitely agree with the OP that the food at 'Ohana is not at all authentic, but then again, I don't care. As long as the atmosphere is pleasant and it tastes good, I'm satisfied.

 

[MainStreetFireman]

First, let me say that I have never been in Hawaii.

Two trips ago, my DW and DD wanted to go to the Saturday morning hula lesson. DS and I followed along out of curiosity. What I was immediately suprised at was the large following this instructor had from CMs on their day off, particularly 2 Poly CMs of Hawaiian families who spoke about how authentic his class was. While he did provide a very basic class for the guests in the first two rows, he was also offering a few guests some more complicated moves. It was also clear that his regular students (in the back two rows) were very advanced and had been studying with him for a while. This was not my assumption. This is what I heard the CMs telling guests who remarked on the former's dancing skills.

As an amateur percussionist, I also enjoyed his explanations of the differing beats that he and his percussionist were using.

Yes, the luau is a bit kitschy; especially the first half. But the second half does showcase some very specific different styles of Polynesian dancing and dress that differ from the stereotypical hula dancer that might come to mind.

As far as offering foods that might not be completely indigenous to the polynesian part of the globe, I believe that you can also get pizza and fries at Animal Kingdom, can't you? While I am all for as much reality as possible, I always remember that Disney is providing entertainment for the enjoyment of the masses.

 

[Arvandor_Ilfirin]

My mom spent her entire childhood up until 20 in Hawaii, and she loves the Poly. It is hands down, her favorite hotel. (trust me, you can't drag her elsewhere) She adores the food at Ohanas, chatted with the singer and shared childhood memories of her favorite "home" and inquired if certain places she remembers are still there and just goes head over heels about the atmosphere. Sure, it's not authentic in every way, shape, or form. Regardless, it's meant to be a themed hotel for the average tourist.

Yes, many people are open-minded to new things, but there are many who aren't in comparison. Someone might cringe at the thought of trying a traditional dish they'd never heard of, replace that with a common food that has a bit of regional flair and they'll happily take it. Disney has to try their best to make everyone happy. I know that Mitsukoshi isn't " 100% authentic japanese everyday food", (as a matter of fact, I'd kill for a bit of okonomiyaki...mmm....) but I settle for having fun conversing with the Japanese staff, which in the end makes it even more enjoyable.

Disney World is nothing but fantasy...Could you really expect anything less of one of their resorts than to be an iconic representation of the spirit of Hawaii?

 

[guynhawaii]

Aloha,

I am thrilled for people who have been to the Poly and love it. As others have stated WDW has 20+ resorts for everyone's liking.

For those of you who have yet to attend the Poly just beware. Recommend for you to do additional research before you drop some major coin and be unhappy with your resort choice.

The Poly reminds me of the Atlanta Olympics. The IOC was exceptionally unhappy at how tacky the entire Olympics became at Atlanta. However, a lot of USA citizens were happy with the Olympics and didn't see anything tacky about Atlanta's presentation what so ever. It all deals with each individual's perception.

If you are looking for a true classical Hawaiian representation the Poly is not the answer. If you are looking for tacky entertainment on the cheap then the Poly is for you.

As for the pools. A lot of people are very interested about pools. IHMO the pools at the Grand and CSR are far superior to the Poly's. That's just my opinion.

As for mashed potatoes. Folks, trust me! My family and I were served mashed potatoes Saturday night at Ohana. I asked the server about it (no rice, only mashed potatoes!) and she stated it was a new menu change. I know what I am talking about. Once again, if you love mashed potatoes then Ohana is fine for you. If you are looking for a true Hawaiian experience Ohana is not for you. By the way the meat was very dry and tough.

As for being new to the board. My ego is not tied to this board. I have been a lurker since June of 2007 when I started to do research for my family's $10K 18-PM vacation to WDW. This board has been superlative for my research and I have most strongly recommended this board to countless friends entertaining thoughts of travel to WDW.

This board and TGM have my strongest endorsements for WDW planning. They both made my family's Christmas vacation to WDW a great success.

You don't have to be a mega poster to know what you are talking about. It's quality that counts. I'm quite confident there are thousands of lurkers out there that are exceptionally intelligent and smart about WDW and don't need to have 10,000 posts on this board to prove their worthiness.

 

[SeaSpray]

You don't have to be a mega poster to know what you are talking about. It's quality that counts. I'm quite confident there are thousands of lurkers out there that are exceptionally intelligent and smart about WDW and don't need to have 10,000 posts on this board to prove their worthiness.

I agree with this; but I don't take seriously someone who starts to bash a resort that they haven't even stayed at, and who is new to the boards. If you've been lurking for a long time here then you realize that trolls will post in a very similar manner. Sorry, it's just the way it is.

 

[Tinker-pin]

We just returned a few days ago from a week stay at the Poly. It was our first trip to Disney. We loved it so much that I switched our upcoming trip in March from AKV to the Poly. The AKL is beautiful, we had dinner there one evening, but it simply cannot compare to the convenience of the Poly. Plus seeing the fireworks from your own room is awesome.

 

[DisneyBride'03]

My Poly experience is an emotional one, as I was married there, Sunset Pointe, and it was my first WDW stay.
I have visited the resort on my last trips, cause I love the beach and the ambiance.
My Dh doesnt quite care for it, the theme and decor....and during our visits, the pool appeared crowded for our taste, and DH misses the hot tub and kiddie pool.
There are so many resorts to choose from......I would stay here again, Dh would most likely not. He would probably stay at GF if given the choice, however, I dont think I could ever get him to pay cash for a room again!!! lol DVC points or bust.

Anyway, with all due respect to all posters, I really dont think the OP as "bashing" the Poly...just giving his opinion.
Everyone has a different experience, thus a different opinion

 

[frdeb1999]

Here's my 2 cents. We stay at the Poly all the time and absolutely love it. We don't stay there because we're trying to be in Hawaii....if we wanted that we'd go there. This is WDW and they try to make the resort theming fit for all types of people. We go to this resort for the monorail, beach area, resturants, room size as well as for many other reasons. I honestly would never try to rate a resort I have never stayed at....as I honestly would just be guessing in most cases. As for the food we absolutely love it and I think you can go into any themed resturant on WDW property and say it's not 100% authentic. We still love the Poly and I will continue to recommend it to others. Everyone has a right to their opinions....this is mine.

 

[cara loves the poly]

Great don't book there!!! More room for me!!

 

[Shell0616]

I would like to say thank you for posting your opinion. I have never stayed at Poly and only been there to eat at Kona. ( I love Kona) I would probably never stay at Poly because I think the rates are way to high. It also looks like the Brady Bunch version of Hawaii to me but I say that never having been to Hawaii. I am going to Hawaii in June so I'll have more of an educated opinion when I get back.

I also think that IMHO a deluxe hotel would not have you walking to another building from the lobby. Again these are just my opinions. No need to flame someone one for having them.

Again,thanks for sharing and I hope you had a great time!

Shellie