Here's a review of the Poly from a mid August 2007 stay. Posted on this thread
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1584541
Party: DD8, DS10, DW40, Me39
Time frame: Check-in 8/17 -- Check-out 8/25
Room Type: Garden View
Special Request: To be in Samoa 1st or 3rd floor facing Volcano pool when I made reservation.
Package: MYW Plus dining, added discount code when it was released
Ratings (five stars):
Room: * * * * *
Restaurants: * * *1/2 (Captain Cooks and OHanas)
Pool: * * * *1/2
Transportation: * * * * (only 4 because bus service was a little lacking)
Value: * * * *1/2
We arrived at the Poly via Magical Express after stopping at the Contemporary. Upon arrival we headed straight for the front desk to check-in at around 1:30pm. We waited around 5 minutes for the next CM to become available and then we started the check-in process. The CM was very pleasant and greeted us with an Aloha.
As she was checking us in she commented on how we received a great room. I asked which building and she said Samoa. I then inquired to which room number and she said 1607. Our request was honored and we could not have asked for a better location. I based my request on information I got from a website we cannot discuss here at the Dis.
After completing the check-in we went straight to the room. Not a long walk from the GCH to Samoa. The room had two queen beds and a couch which turned into a twin sized bed. The room was clean and not as dark as I had expected.
The bathroom had a separate area for the toilet and one sink. We had plenty of towels and soap. There was a refrigerator just as you enter the room enclosed in a cabinet. Man did that cabinet get warm every day. I actually left it open to keep it vented while we were out of the room. It was big enough to hold everything we needed, leftovers and water bottles. I actually moved a shelf in order for use to be able to put water bottle in standing upright.
Housekeeping did a good job everyday. I left an envelope each day for a tip and we received plenty of refills on the soap and shampoo.
The location of Samoa building was the key for us. We came back almost everyday for a midday break and being able to simply walk out the sliding glass door and straight into the pool was very nice. It was also convenient to be able to sit on the patio and sip margaritas we got from the poolside bar after our return in the evenings. It was also very nice when we got back midday or in the evening to be able to walk a short distance to Captain Cooks to refill our mugs.
The pool was not that big but it didnt seem to be too crowded for my kids. They actually made some friends while we were there and swam with them and played water games. While I did not try the slide it was reported to me by my slide experts, DS and DD, that it was a lot of fun. Several of the evenings we watched the MK fireworks out by the pool and on a couple of occasions while swimming in the pool. The music from the show was played on speakers out by the beach.
On our resort day, my DW rented a Searaycer and took the kids out on the lake for rides. The first Searaycer she rented was not that fast. She returned about 10 minutes after leaving and exchanged it for another and she switched kids. Then she took my son back out on the faster one later. She initially rented it for 30 minutes then they charged in 5 minute intervals. She returned finally after about 40 minutes but they only charged her for 30 minutes.
After that, my daughter got a couple hair wraps put into her hair at the hut near the poolside bar and marina.
Captain Cooks was adequate for breakfast and lunches. We ate breakfast there a couple of mornings and the service was fast and the food was okay. Lunches were good also. My only complaint about it was the layout was very confusing and when they were a little busy it made it very difficult to maneuver around. We didnt have a problem finding a table but I could see where that may be an issue during busier times.
Ohanas was okay. We did the Character breakfast one morning and we ate there for dinner one night. The food at either was nothing to write home about. The atmosphere was nice and the character interaction at breakfast was very nice. The dinner was actually not that impressive. The food was not what I had expected. It didnt stand out and in most instances it was overcooked and dry.
We did not try Kona Café or room service this trip.
I did go to Samoa Snacks and buy some snacks a couple of days. There was an okay selection nothing that extensive. But they had chips, pretzels, candy, nuts, etc. The basic snack food selection. They had a cooler where you could buy beer, wine, soda and milk.
Transportation at the resort was a big deciding factor in staying at the Poly. After our trip last September I realized that we would spend most of our time in MK and Epcot. We would spend a day and half in MGM and a half day or so in AK. With most of our time at MK or Epcot this resort made the most sense. We saved so much time with the monorail it was worth it.
When we went to MK we simply jumped on the monorail and never waited longer than 5 minutes. When we went to Epcot we walked over to the TTC and got the Epcot monorail from there. Now this was a longer walk since we were in Samoa but it was worth it. We waited at the TTC usually around 5 minutes for the next monorail.
The bus transportation was a bit different. We used buses to get to MGM, AK and Downtown Disney. We waited a minimum of 20 minutes for these to arrive and on a couple of occasions at least 30 minutes. We then had to stop at the Grand Floridian to pick up more guests and on a couple of occasions there not everybody could get on because the bus was crowded. We also had stops at the Contemporary or Wilderness lodge on the return trips. We stayed at AKL last September and never had an issue with buses there.
When we went to HDDR and mini golf/Boardwalk we took a cab. We never waited more than 10 minutes for a cab if one wasnt already there.
We utilized the Neverland Club one evening so DW and I could go out to eat and the kids really enjoyed it. My DD made a craft and played games while my DS played video games the whole evening. They were fed dinner and a snack during the evening.
Overall, the appearance and cleanliness of the resort was top notch. I never noticed anything out of sorts while we were there. On our resort day I walked around the resort and took pictures and really soaked in the Polynesian feel.
In closing, I would say that our stay at the Polynesian was very, very nice. We all enjoyed staying there and definitely plan to stay there again.
. I think he's just being cheap...
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