Poly MK view or lagoon view, club level--which would you choose, and why?

[Linus Van Pelt]

I'm suddenly faced with a bit of a choice: Due to the Visa discount codes just released for May, I could either keep our guaranteed theme park view room (and our requested--and I know it's just a request--building of Tahiti), or, for just a little more, I could decide to go with a lagoon view room, where I may or may not luck into a MK view, on the club level. Now, I admit it would be nice to be able to visit the concierge lounge whenever we pleased (and, of all the concierge food offerings I've seen pictures of on these boards, the Poly has the most impressive looking choices). But we're on the deluxe dining plan, so we're already going to be ingesting enough food during our stay to give a sumo wrestler pause. And it would be quite nice to be assured that every evening we'd be able to watch Wishes from our room (and, if we get our request, from our balcony).

So, if you were us, what would you do, and why? What are the views like in the concierge buildings? And how awesome, or not, is concierge service/amenities?

Any and all info would be greatly appreciated! TIA!

 

[TaraZ]

Here is my disclaimer... I have not yet been to WDW... BUT... I am staying in the Poly for our trip, and I have been dealing with the same issue...

If it were me, I would DEFINITELY go for concierge. The services, the location, the food options... no question for me. Right now the rates for me are $150+ more for concierge-- I'm just not quite ready to make that leap.

Can't wait to hear about your trip though!!!

 

[Linus Van Pelt]

Here is my disclaimer... I have not yet been to WDW... BUT... I am staying in the Poly for our trip, and I have been dealing with the same issue...

If it were me, I would DEFINITELY go for concierge. The services, the location, the food options... no question for me. Right now the rates for me are $150+ more for concierge-- I'm just not quite ready to make that leap.

Can't wait to hear about your trip though!!!

Thanks for the opinion! Honestly, I'm seriously considering taking the plunge. It's just that the rooms are bigger, and have two sinks, in Tahiti, and if I would decide to go with the Hawaii concierge and wound up with a second floor room, I wouldn't be able to sit on my balcony and watch Wishes. And, as I said before, being on the deluxe DDP and all, allocating, and subsequently consuming, food will not exactly be a problem.

 

[LowesChevy]

Well we love the Tahiti building for MK view rooms and lagoon view rooms, so I am a little partial. We have also stayed in the concierge level a few times as well to make it even.

You really have to decide whether or not the extra $150 a night is worth it to your family. With the deluxe dining plan, will you use the morning service like for juice, coffee, fruit, and pastries? In the afternoon there are snacks hot and cold ones, soda etc, but you will probably have a ts lunch and be full. Same for dinner at night they have desserts and milk, but the dining plan includes desserts for each person for ts. Unless your family drinks a ton of soda, coffee and water, with the deluxe dining plan you may not need to spend the extra cash.

The concierge also offers its services for you, which include adrs, special activities or any questions you need answered. Since most of your adrs will be made before arrival, you probably will not need their assistance much.

The concierge building Hawaii has its own lounge for viewing the fireworks, but it was always crowded and full of kids when we went there. It was not really relaxing watching kids yelling and dropping food all over the floor. Might have just been the crowd that was there the same week we were. If you keep the MK view room you can view the fireworks from your own room in the peace and quiet with your family. You can turn the daybed around to face the lagoon for extra seating .

You can definetely call CRO and add a request for a 1st floor or 3rd floor room and hope you get one. We always requested the first floor and always received one in the past 5 years staying there.

We like a ts breakfast, dinner and often lunch, so the concierge is not important to us. Our adrs are made 180 days out and have been to WDW many times so we do know our way around. We rent a car, so for snacks and beverages we go to Goodings for provisions.

Good luck with your decision, I think you will love the Poly either way

 

[Native NYer]

Thanks for the opinion! Honestly, I'm seriously considering taking the plunge. It's just that the rooms are bigger, and have two sinks, in Tahiti, and if I would decide to go with the Hawaii concierge and wound up with a second floor room, I wouldn't be able to sit on my balcony and watch Wishes. And, as I said before, being on the deluxe DDP and all, allocating, and subsequently consuming, food will not exactly be a problem.

This is exactly why we booked a theme park view room at the Poly and requested Tahiti 3rd. We did the deluxe dining last month, stayed at the Poly in a garden view room, and would NEVER have taken advantage of the food offerings in the lounge. We had so many snack credits we didn't know what to do with them! I think that option is great for people who are not doing a dining plan. Also, a guaranteed theme park view is MUCH better than a possible one.

It also shocks me that the rooms are bigger in Tokelau, Tahiti, and Rapa Nui than they are in Hawaii. No double sinks in Hawaii. No second floor balconies. I would think the CL building would have the same.

As far as CL planning services, we made our own ADRs because we don't trust anyone else to do them for us. And I don't necessarily think the staff can help you more than you can help yourself. Last month, while waiting to be seated at 1900 Park Fare for an 8:00 am ADR, a man was telling the CM at the podium that he'd been trying to get a ressie for breakfast for two weeks, but had been unlucky. He said he was a CL guest at the GF and the CL staff told him to try to go over to the restaurant himself. The CM told him that she was sorry, there weren't any tables. I was shocked that the CL staff would send him over to try to get a ADR and not help him out more. This kind of turned me off to CL.

 

[Native NYer]

Well we love the Tahiti building for MK view rooms and lagoon view rooms, so I am a little partial. We have also stayed in the concierge level a few times as well to make it even.

You really have to decide whether or not the extra $150 a night is worth it to your family. With the deluxe dining plan, will you use the morning service like for juice, coffee, fruit, and pastries? In the afternoon there are snacks hot and cold ones, soda etc, but you will probably have a ts lunch and be full. Same for dinner at night they have desserts and milk, but the dining plan includes desserts for each person for ts. Unless your family drinks a ton of soda, coffee and water, with the deluxe dining plan you may not need to spend the extra cash.

The concierge also offers its services for you, which include adrs, special activities or any questions you need answered. Since most of your adrs will be made before arrival, you probably will not need their assistance much.

The concierge building Hawaii has its own lounge for viewing the fireworks, but it was always crowded and full of kids when we went there. It was not really relaxing watching kids yelling and dropping food all over the floor. Might have just been the crowd that was there the same week we were. If you keep the MK view room you can view the fireworks from your own room in the peace and quiet with your family. You can turn the daybed around to face the lagoon for extra seating .

You can definetely call CRO and add a request for a 1st floor or 3rd floor room and hope you get one. We always requested the first floor and always received one in the past 5 years staying there.

We like a ts breakfast, dinner and often lunch, so the concierge is not important to us. Our adrs are made 180 days out and have been to WDW many times so we do know our way around. We rent a car, so for snacks and beverages we go to Goodings for provisions.

Good luck with your decision, I think you will love the Poly either way

Now I'm really happy that I'll get to watch Wishes from my room!

 

[LowesChevy]

Now I'm really happy that I'll get to watch Wishes from my room!

Yes it is really awesome. We are usually back at the room, relaxed and sitting outside on the lounge chairs; instead of standing at the park with tons of people and then facing huge lines exiting the park afterwards. My mom and I are only 5' tall so we cannot see much anyway when there is a ton of people lol.

 

[Timon-n-Pumbaa Fan]

Concierge Level is a must if you have the means. We stayed there last year and it was so nice. We really enjoyed the fireworks view from the lounge and the Poly Punch was so addictive, especially the spiked version. I want to go back again!

 

[princessesrule4]

I'll be honest, we did Poly LVC once and that was enough for me. If we ever go back there we would probably do a TPV.

I think the best concierge food offerings there are at supper and we usually aren't around at that time to enjoy them, we're back at the park by then! The rest is nothing exciting - goldfish, cookies, etc. The pineapple bread is good at breakfast if you like pineapple.
The view was beautiful ( we were 3rd floor so we had a balcony) but in the lounge, people were very noisy and WISHES wasn't very enjoyable from there IMHO. If you are on the dining plan, I wouldn't bother with paying the extra for concierge. And we are big GF concierge fans, but we don't do the dining plan.

Hope this helps!

 

[disneydreamin247]

Thanks for the insight, as I was weighing the option of either adding another night to our trip or getting an LVC room instead of our GV. We will have the DxDDP. It's only going to be me and DS who is only 4 so we really wouldn't need the extra snacks or what not. We will probably order room service just to use our food credits! Thanks for the help. I would definitely rather have another night in heaven...I mean WDW!

 

[CinderellyCinderelly]

OK I am confused...Isn't the Lagoon View Concierge the same as a theme park view? I mean, can't you see the castle if you can see the lagoon and vice versa?

 

[Linus Van Pelt]

First, to everyone who has replied with your opinions, a big and thank you! You have definitely helped me to make up my mind not to upgrade to LVC, and to instead just stick with our TPV reservation.

And, to CinderellyCinderelly, I think you're pretty much right on the money--LVC (specifically, the Hawaii building; not sure about the suites) rooms provide views of the castle, as do the other TPV rooms. But the big difference for me was the fact that, at least in the Tahiti building, the second floor rooms come with a balcony, but the second floor rooms in Hawaii do not. That, and the fact that (as was stated previously) we're on the DxDDP (already going to be eating a lot of food) and have already made all of our ADRs and have even purchased our Cirque du Soleil tickets (hence, little, if any, need for the services of the CL staff), pretty much sealed the deal for us. We're staying with what we already have.

 

[Native NYer]

Enjoy your theme park view room (hopefully in Tahiti) Linus!!!

 

[csmmom]

We have done them all and this summer we have a standard garden view room. We just don't think the added cost for the view or service is worth it.