Polynesian Owners Thread/FAQ

[disneynutz]

Disney will do what's good for Disney. If they could have a guaranteed 2 connected studios they would. Either software or logistics is keeping them from doing so.

Bill

 

[rfc0001]

This is what I believe also so it shouldn't have been any issue to have a connecting studio category. I know that many people believe they set aside and perhaps they used to but like you, I have yet to see a lock-off available when there hasn't been a studio and a 1BR and vice versa. What I have seen happen when I've cancelled a room that has one or the other lock-off components sitting there is that suddenly a lock-off becomes available.

So, the more I think about this, I think what they must do is have a maximum threshold of 2 bedroom lock-offs in order to ensure everyone requesting one gets one...otherwise room assignment would be impossible given various checkin and checkout dates of 1 bdrms and studios, and trying to get two to align for a 2 bedroom lock-off (or in this case connecting studios). Also, I think demand for Studios prevents 2 bedroom lock-offs from becoming an issue, with or without a threshold. However, since PVB is all studios, with Connecting Studios being "sold" as 1 & 2 Bedrooms substitutes, it's likely these will have proportionally more demand than 2-bedroom lock-offs, making booking/assigning challenging. This poses yet another problem with using requests instead of category for Connecting Studios @ PVB -- there will not be a request limit, it will literally be first come first served and you'll have no idea if they've reached the magic threshold where the cogs of the room assignment wheels break down. I am beginning to think @nalajms hit it on the head -- they just don't know what the threshold is going to be yet, so can't create a category no knowing what the limit needs to be...maybe I'm giving them too much credit, but that makes sense to me. That said, they are going to find out that limit, with us as unwitting participants in their experiment

Disney will do what's good for Disney. If they could have a guaranteed 2 connected studios they would. Either software or logistics is keeping them from doing so.

Bill

I really don't think it's technical per se (the booking tool/room assignment systems handle this perfectly well for 2 bedroom lock-offs). I think it's more they are taking a wait and see approach. We'll just have to wait and see

 

[zavandor]

He'll understand it when it starts hurting his ability to sell PVB. The policy will change once they realize this IMO.

No entierly sure.
Most purchases are made by impulse buyers. The guide will tell them that there are connecting studios. If someone asks if it's a problem to get 2 connecting studios, the guide will simply respond: no problem, just add the request when making the reservation. How many people will think about asking exactly: "Is it a booking category"? What is the % of people (outside the Disboards) who know what a Booking category is?

 

[nalajms]

I really don't think it's technical per se (the booking tool/room assignment systems handle this perfectly well for 2 bedroom lock-offs).

I believe it is more technical. With 2 bedroom lock-offs, you're done when the studios are booked. Only the 1bedrooms are left. There's no way to switch around reservations between a studio and 1bedroom. With Connecting Studios, if all but 2 rooms are booked, there's still a possibility of booking them as Connecting studios. You'd have to write an algorithm that pieces together all the reservations with different checkin/out during the booking period (a few days before and after), just to see if it's possible to offer a connecting studio. I can't even imagine trying to program that!

And I swear I read somewhere on this board that they allocate a certain percentage to 2 bedrooms versus separate studio/1bed. They'd have to right? because the points are different for a 2bedroom LO versus a separate studio/1bed. If they sold 1M points expecting all bookings to be studio and 1bedroom, but offer 2bedroom LO that book at 10pts less then that means owners are losing 10pts per night every time 2bedroom LO are booked. And I can't imagine they'd do the opposite, where there's 10 extra points to book them separately. That's 10pts they could have

No entierly sure.
Most purchases are made by impulse buyers. The guide will tell them that there are connecting studios. If someone asks if it's a problem to get 2 connecting studios, the guide will simply respond: no problem, just add the request when making the reservation. How many people will think about asking exactly: "Is it a booking category"? What is the % of people (outside the Disboards) who know what a Booking category is?

With enough complaints it'll end up like Boardwalk views. They had to create a new booking category because owners weren't able to get the boardwalk view that was promised during the sales pitch.

 

[rfc0001]

I believe it is more technical. With 2 bedroom lock-offs, you're done when the studios are booked. Only the 1bdrm are left. There's no way to switch around reservations between a studio and 1bdrm. With Connecting Studios, if all but 2 rooms are booked, there's still a possibility of booking them as Connecting studios. You'd have to write an algorithm that pieces together all the reservations with different checkin/out during the booking period (a few days before and after), just to see if it's possible to offer a connecting studio. I can't even imagine trying to program that!

Good points.

I don't know for sure how it's implemented for 2bdrm lock-offs, but can easily envision one possible way it could be implemented:

• For every 2bdrm lock-off added to DVC inventory (each physically connected Studio/1bdrms), they would increment each counter for Studios, 1bdrms, and 2bdrm lock-offs by 1
• For every 2bdrm lock-off booked, they would decrement each counter for Studios, 1bdrms, and 2bdrm lock-offs by 1
• For every 1bdrm or Studio booked, decrement the 1bdrm or Studio count respectively, and if you exceed the number of dedicated studios or 1 bdrms respectively, decrement the 2bdrm lock-off as well.

For Connecting studios, the logic would be identical, just replacing 1bdrm with Studio and 2 bdrm lock-off with Connecting Studio:

• For every 2bdrm lock-off Connecting Studio added to DVC inventory (each physically connected pair of Studios), they would increment each counter for Studios, 1bdrms Studios, and 2bdrm lock-offs Connecting Studios by 1
• For every 2bdrm lock-off Connecting Studio booked, they would decrement the counter for Studios, 1bdrms Studios, and 2bdrm lock-off Connecting Studios by 1
• For every 1bdrm or Studio booked, decrement the 1bdrm or Studio count respectively, and if you exceed the number of dedicated studios or 1 bdrms respectively, decrement the 2bdrm lock-off Connecting Studio count as well.

And I swear I read somewhere on this board that they allocate a certain percentage to 2 bedrooms versus separate studio/1bed. They'd have to right? because the points are different for a 2bedroom LO versus a separate studio/1bed. If they sold 1M points expecting all bookings to be studio and 1bedroom, but offer 2bedroom LO that book at 10pts less then that means owners are losing 10pts per night every time 2bedroom LO are booked. And I can't imagine they'd do the opposite, where there's 10 extra points to book them separately. That's 10pts they could have

In the case of PVB it would be much simpler, since they could just double the point chart for studios for Connecting Studios since the only reason 2bdrm lock-offs don't add up is becsause they have to be pegged to 2bedroom points, which can be modified independently of studios and 1bdrms. My guess is initially they actually did add up, which is when the points were determined and sold.

With enough complaints it'll end up like Boardwalk views. They had to create a new booking category because owners weren't able to get the boardwalk view that was promised during the sales pitch.

Good to know there is precedence for this -- that predates my DVC experience

 

[rfc0001]

No entierly sure.
Most purchases are made by impulse buyers. The guide will tell them that there are connecting studios. If someone asks if it's a problem to get 2 connecting studios, the guide will simply respond: no problem, just add the request when making the reservation. How many people will think about asking exactly: "Is it a booking category"? What is the % of people (outside the Disboards) who know what a Booking category is?

Yeah, I'm really referring more to the existing DCV members who are comparing it to other 1bdrm and 2bdrm options, and saying they would never add-on PVB because of lack of 1bdrms or 2bdrms, and this issue just puts a nail in that coffin. For me, being in that boat (we only stay in 1 or 2 bedrooms), this was definitely a key factor in the decision, although our current use for it is going to be to offset the points used during Premier spring break week by staying in a relatively cheaper studio, which is the largest in DVC, so still tolerable in lieu of a 1bdrm. However, it was still a consideration for when our plans require a 2 bdrm in the future, considering we have to anticipate our need for 51 years

 

[DVC Mike]

I couldn't find a Poly owners/booking thread/FAQ, so sorry in advance for creating another Poly thread .

Hi Russ.

 

[rfc0001]

Updated based on initial booking experience.

 

[aroundtheriverbend]

Hi, saw your #1 post, did you try to book connecting studios today and they gave the same answer that they can't guarantee? Just curious, as I haven't found anyone yet who tried connecting today. Thanks!

 

[rfc0001]

Hi, saw your #1 post, did you try to book connecting studios today and they gave the same answer that they can't guarantee? Just curious, as I haven't found anyone yet who tried connecting today. Thanks!

I didn't sorry. I should have asked. That said, the booking availability tool is now showing resort availability for Poly, and still does not have a connecting category. Based on the previous conversations I've had where I asked very specific questions and got very specific answers, I'm 99% sure it's not going be a category (at least for now), and will be a request honored first come first served (whatever that means -- booking order?). Honestly, I don't think it will be a problem but is more of a nagging concern they might as well avoid.

 

[coubogle]

I booked this morning got 5 nights at the end of May. I wanted 2 studios standard view, she had to book them 1 at a time, when she went to book the second one she said there was no more standard views for those dates. So she booked a lake view and then went back to check for another lake view so I could have connecting studios, which she put in as a request.

Also called right at 9:00am waited only 15 mins

 

[Park&Syd]

According to my husband's experience this morning, it is definitely NOT a booking category. He called to book 2 connecting SV studios for Marathon Weekend (one for 2 adults and 2 children and the other for 2 adults). The CM had to book both rooms separately. She linked the two reservations, noted that we were family, and made the request for connecting studios. She said that while it is likely that we would be assigned connecting rooms, it is still a request and could not be guaranteed.

 

[rfc0001]

I was redialing at 8:59 until I got through and was connected immediately (after a longer than usual 20 second delay of dead air where I thought I got disconnected). I wasn't booking opening week, so was able to get 1 Lake View day in June and 6 Lake View days the week before Christmas. The call still took 45 minutes or so since it was the first time MS was doing it

 

[dizfan]

A quick solution for the connecting studios would be to start by allowing someone to book two studios in a single transaction. This would help tremendously during the high booking days, 11/7 months F&W, holidays, marathon.

 

[rfc0001]

Booking Theme Park Views

Per http://www.tikimanpages.com/poly/Tahiti, the previous Tahiti (Now Moorea -- which all Lake View rooms are currently in) rooms corresponding to Theme Park and Lagoon Views were:

•Lagoon view rooms: 1015,1016,1019,1020,1025,1026,1029,1030,1037,1038,2015,2016,2019,2020-2024,2029-2032,2037,2038,3015,3016

•Theme Park view rooms: 1017,1018,1021-1024,1027,1028,1031-1036,2017,2018,2025-2028,2033-2036,3017-3038

Here is a room map that these correspond to:
http://touringplans.com/hotel_maps/disneys-polynesian-resort

EDIT: after talking to @Tikiman sounds like the obstructed views are going to be different for Moorea than Tahiti due to newly installed palm trees obstructing *3rd floor* views of the theme park, and bungalows blocking 1st floor views. So, right now he thinks 2nd floor is probably your best bet for unobstructed views of the theme park. Which means, calling MS to put in room request and not using online check-in preferences since your only option is upper floors. I'll try to do some reconnaissance in April to determine which rooms are unobstructed. So, if you see a strange man in a Hawaiian shirt standing in front of Moorea peering into the windows, you'll know why

 

[dizfan]

Yesterday, Tikiman did a podcast where he talked about Poly and answered a bunch of questions.
http://www.enchantedtikitalk.com/mobile/e/episode71-poly-want-an-update/

 

[pooh2001]

I know this is early - but when DIS'ers start to stay at the Polynesian - please post pictures of the new pool & grounds
And for DVC DIS'ers - please post pictures of the DVC pool, Poly villa studio, etc....

Thank you so much for those going to the Polynesian until we can afford it !

 

[florep1]

Can you order groceries from DVC at the Poly like you can at other DVC resorts for delivery to your room? I'm only interested in a few things, not enough to warrant Garden Grocer delivery or a rental car.

 

[rfc0001]

I know this is early - but when DIS'ers start to stay at the Polynesian - please post pictures of the new pool & grounds
And for DVC DIS'ers - please post pictures of the DVC pool, Poly villa studio, etc....

Thank you so much for those going to the Polynesian until we can afford it !

I'll be posting photos after my trip in April! It's a tough job, but someone has to do it

Can you order groceries from DVC at the Poly like you can at other DVC resorts for delivery to your room? I'm only interested in a few things, not enough to warrant Garden Grocer delivery or a rental car.

According to https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/polynesian-villas-bungalows/services-amenities/ you can.

 

[florep1]

When I tried that link for grocery orders, it takes me to VGF order form. I'm wondering if they're combining this service for both resorts or they just haven't u
Dated it yet. Thanks!