Polynesian resort, please say it isn't so!!!!?!!!!

[Disney Padawan]

a lot of what's reported in the UG is based on reader feedback with our own witty commentary and opinions thrown in for good measure. you wouldn't believe some of the things i've had to read from surveys...

If you're allowed to share some, please do.

Oh, and thanks for the helpful tips too.

 

[Disney Padawan]

I appreciate all your posts, you guys are great.
I'm looking foward to reading more recent trip reports of the Poly, hopefully on this thread.

So many of you made valid points and I really didn't want to sound snobby by what I was saying. (high price should equal good service.)

It really wouldn't bother me if I was making this trip alone, but I'm not. Well, maybe some more recent trip reports will clarify if the Poly was just going through a bad time. I just wish Disney would pay their employees more, then maybe they wouldn't have so many CM issues. I think the Poly may have suffered some due to this.

Well, Thanks again for posting, your opinions are important to me, and I'm looking foward to reading some more. TTFN

 

[Stitch's Greatest Fa]

I am tired of people going on about noisy rooms. We have stayed ay Poly, POR and Pop and never had a problem. If you hear the odd toilet flushing then who cares?

 

[LeahA]

I have stayed at the POLY only 1 time and I did not experience anything negative.

 

[JerseySkiddie]

I probably shouldn't share but lets just say some people are INCREDIBLY particular and would complain over any little thing. If they get a sunburn its some how Disney's fault. Some people keep it simple with a few short lines but some literally write pages of comments on their trip. Its always interesting, that's for sure.

 

[Disney Padawan]

We stayed in Tahiti in a Garden View room. We heard the noise coming from the Speedway, as others have mentioned, but just barely. I'm putting a link to the TR I did from then...It should start right on page 12 where we checked in. There's pictures, etc. and if you want to weed through it, feel free...there's plenty of mention about our room and the noise, etc....Tahiti's in a good spot if you're on the lagoon. A bit of a walk to everything, but worth the view if you can get it...

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1262013&page=12&highlight=mulligan

Again, good luck with your decision!

WOW!!! You're trip report is amazing!!! You write very similar to someone I know really closely.

Anywho, as you would say, I'm sorry that you were kept awake so many nights by that crying baby and his parents. I guess it's the luck of the draw what kind of people you get next to you. Maybe since the resort is so old their walls are thinner than most, I don't know. I also recall you mentioning how unkept and worn out the hallways looked. Was this only in Rapa Nui or this you notice it everywhere?

Anyway, I know that many people love the Poly and I really do want to give it a chance, I'm just waiting for some more recent trip reports to fully make up my mind. (Although, all are welcome.)

Maybe it wouldn't be such a big deal if it cost the same as the CR or WL. Since, it is so expensive, (to me) I guess you would expect a little better. Sure you're paying for location and I can forgive the thin walls (though I pray my neighboors are quiet, if I go) but for that price, the customer service should be exellent & not how people have described it lately. (specially the links to the other threads.)

 

[disneyfan67]

This post isn't an effort to excuse or defend the Polynesian. I am a fan of the resort and while I always have had good service, I know there's room for improvement. The one thing I wanted to point out though, is some of the noise comments in the hallways, etc, is common among all the resorts.

Let's face the facts here, it is Disney World after all and a majority of the people who visit are families and they will be noisy. I noticed and heard people yelling, kids running down the hallways and noise through the walls late at night at all 3 deluxe resorts I have stayed at. AKL was the worst of the three I stayed at and wish there was something that could be done. The power toilet flushing is a problem, but it seems to be universal at all the hotels I ever stayed at. Since 1991 when Federal law had us switch over from the 3.5 gallon to the 1.6 gallon toilets, there have been problems. The power flush toilets are needed because the regular 1.6 gallon models wouldn't cut it in a commercial setting. Those power flush toilets and the noise they make are something we have to live with, unfortunately.

I am worried about the recent reports of spotty housekeeping and I hope Disney takes notice of it. To be fair though, I have cleaned carpet in a Marriott hotel in my area and you see the time constraints that the housekeepers are under. They only get to spend a certain amount of time in a room or come under fire from the supervisors and management. I have seen it with my own eyes while I was doing my cleaning. I'm not excusing it, but can sometimes understand a few missed spots. For what Disney is charging per night to stay at the Poly though, it does bother me that there is cleanliness issues.

As a big fan of the Polynesian resort, I do feel it's overpriced and that high price helps the magnify the dissatisfaction some feel. It's hard to be satisfied with spotty housekeeping or sometimes rude employees when your paying $400 plus a night. I'm sorry to see not everyone's stay at the Polynesian was as good as mine were.

 

[agnes!]

...One other note, and I'm not trying to make excuses, but Disney World employs 60,000 people. They have incredible turnover. It's a huge challenge to keep the entire resort staffed. This is a big reason Disney has turned to the Four Seasons and soon other hotel chains to build on there property because they simply can't keep up with staffing demands in the Orlando area.

The main problem with any lack of good service is the fact that Disney has over built the ability to hire quality help. They have 60,000 employees and they are still about 3000 short in housekeeping and maintenance and resorts in general.
The sad thing is they keep building though; without the necessary manpower to staff the resorts. It makes those that are there, over worked and frustrated.

Going off-topic here.
OK, this thinking on the part of Disney Corporate continues to puzzle me.
So...
Disney has run out of people to hire in the Orlando area.
Therefore they are getting the Four Seasons group to run a new deluxe resort.
WHERE are the Four Seasons people going to get these somehow now-abundant "5-Star" employees? Won't they have to hire people from the same labor pool as the WDW-run resorts? I have seen others post, in reference to housekeeping issues and trash at the parks and some CM's attitudes, along the lines of "Disney is scraping the bottom of the barrel", "They can't be as picky as they used to be", "Disney has built beyond capacity", etc., etc.

agnes!

 

[Disney Padawan]

Going off-topic here.
OK, this thinking on the part of Disney Corporate continues to puzzle me.
So...
Disney has run out of people to hire in the Orlando area.
Therefore they are getting the Four Seasons group to run a new deluxe resort.
WHERE are the Four Seasons people going to get these somehow now-abundant "5-Star" employees? Won't they have to hire people from the same labor pool as the WDW-run resorts? I have seen others post, in reference to housekeeping issues and trash at the parks and some CM's attitudes, along the lines of "Disney is scraping the bottom of the barrel", "They can't be as picky as they used to be", "Disney has built beyond capacity", etc., etc.

agnes!

I wonder the same things myself.

 

[CoolPool]

Just a guess, but 4 seasons employees would be just that 4 seasons employees and not under the same staffing/hiring constraints/wage constraints as disney. Haven't I seen it here that disney offers health benefits but low wages? Again, just a guess.

 

[huntconn]

Disney Padawan (great username btw),
Ok, I'll say it....drum roll please.... "It isn't so!!!!" lol

 

[kaysmommie]

OP I would go ahead and try the Poly if money is not that tight. If you really have to stretch your budget then go to WL. Which I think is just as nice with better housekeeping. We stayed at the Poly last fall after staying at WL previously and we did like Poly only slightly better because of the monorail and theme. ALso it's a Disney original. The housekeeping was not that great but I'm a bit of a clean freak. Let's just say they never vacuumed all week and I had to write a note for them to even change sheets . We do tip everyday too but it did not matter. We stayed in the Samoa building, which you could hear pool noise from. I'm hoping for either Tokelau, Fiji or Samoa this trip. We are staying again in October since we got a really good pincode rate otherwise I would have staed at WL. I do prefer to stay deluxe.

 

[minnie61650]

Going off-topic here.
OK, this thinking on the part of Disney Corporate continues to puzzle me.
So...
Disney has run out of people to hire in the Orlando area.
Therefore they are getting the Four Seasons group to run a new deluxe resort.
WHERE are the Four Seasons people going to get these somehow now-abundant "5-Star" employees? Won't they have to hire people from the same labor pool as the WDW-run resorts? I have seen others post, in reference to housekeeping issues and trash at the parks and some CM's attitudes, along the lines of "Disney is scraping the bottom of the barrel", "They can't be as picky as they used to be", "Disney has built beyond capacity", etc., etc.

agnes!

I also think Disney has built beyond capacity.
CP's working at Disney told me last fall that at Disney was short at least 3,000 - 5,000 employees. (so my numbers agree with Sammie's numbers.)
In fact the rumor from the CP's who were working there was Disney was quite worried how they would be able to keep all 4 parks open during busy season and being so short of help. The college program use to help make up some of the shortage but now that program seems to be falling short also.It is my opinion that may be one of the main reasons Disney is starting to outsource a lot of their workers.

Four Seasons most likely will hire a lot of experienced employees. Four Seasons is known for it's stellar customer service. In order to maintain their high customer satisfaction Four Seasons has a well experienced staff. A lot of the new employees of the Four Seasons will relocate in order to work at the Four Seasons resort.

JMHO

 

[Disfan3]

I suggest Fiji if you are looking for a great garden view and quietness. We stayed in Fiji in a remodeled room, it had just opened. There were some electrical issues but they were always taken care of in a PROMPT manner. Fiji had great view of the lagoon, GF, and monorail zooming by. It was not as close to the TTC or GCH as some others BUT it was not a LONG walk by any means.

Mousekeeping has always been good IMO. We never had issues with noise or cleanliness at the Poly during our 2 stays.

I cannot believe someone would say it should be in a MODERATE category!!
The location alone sets it apart, not to mention the new rooms there are amazing!! The tv's are great, lots of plush pillows, great lighting and great polynesian theme through the room itself. Not to mention the sq footage of the Poly vs say at POR room (I have done both resorts).

Now...I can say that POR is amazing too! Not knocking that one bit but the two just really do not compare. You have to take each resort and each experience for what it is worth.


(I do prefer the bathroom set up of POR for a family of five) but that is not what you asked about, huh?


Anyway what I am saying is we loved our stays at the Poly. We had such a magical time there.


Please read the reviews with a grain of salt because let me tell you

I own the UG but never even thought to send in a review of how WONDERFUL the resorts were....but had they been less than magical....maybe I would have written a review?? WHO KNOWS. My point is...

It was an amazing resort and we loved it. Check into Fiji for a romantic, excluded feel to your vacation....

 

[Sammie]

Just a guess, but 4 seasons employees would be just that 4 seasons employees and not under the same staffing/hiring constraints/wage constraints as disney. Haven't I seen it here that disney offers health benefits but low wages? Again, just a guess.

True and the Four Seasons will not have 60,000 employees. And as Minnie said they will bring in experienced workers from other Four Seasons locations. One reason the turnover at Disney is so high is the stress level. It is also the reason the College program is not as desirable as it used to be.

Working at Disney is high stress. Guests are extremely demanding and hours are long.

 

[kstinw19]

We stayed there in May 2007 and September 2006 and had a wonderful experience!

The one thing that the review does seem accurate on is the fact that the front desk is always backed up, extremely slow and the folks aren't too friendly. Last May we stayed in the concierge level and had to go to the front desk initially. They had a special line for concierge folks, and it was still very very long.

As far as housekeeping goes, we had great service and never had to complain, except that the first night we arrived we had to call them three times to deliver the crib, which I had requested before we arrived.

But the rooms were always clean, it was done before we got back in the afternoon from the parks and in concierge they were bending over backwards to give us extra towels, turn down our beds, etc.

It is quite expensive but I think it is well worth the money.

 

[kstinw19]

True and the Four Seasons will not have 60,000 employees. And as Minnie said they will bring in experienced workers from other Four Seasons locations. One reason the turnover at Disney is so high is the stress level. It is also the reason the College program is not as desirable as it used to be.

Working at Disney is high stress. Guests are extremely demanding and hours are long.

It is true that Disney is a pretty high stress environment. Unfortunately, while guests come first at Disney, employees (especially entry level) often come last, IME. As a former employee, I can just say that one of the huge draws to working at Disney was their benefits package. While pay wasn't that great, their benefits were unmatched. BUT...this was costing them too much money and the way they dealt with this was to make most employees "CT's", or casual temporaries, which means that they work "seasonally" but get no benefits. An employee could work all year for 5 years and still be considered a CT, just to avoid giving them benefits.

I think that combined with low pay, and the attitude I saw, which was "go ahead and quit...there are others lined up to work here" has definitely hurt their workforce and ability to woo new employees. Hopefully they have learned this and are working on making it more beneficial for new hires. That may help with the shortage and, in turn, help with bringing the hotels back up to the standard people have come to expect.

 

[HappyTrouble]

I just saw yesterday that Disney is recruiting bus drivers by offering a $1,000.00 sign on bonus. Now it isn't paid until you have worked for them for 6 months but maybe they are headed in the right direction by offeing incentives for employess.......I would love to work for Disney someday in the future, I think housekeeping would be just fine. I would love to make a families day by arranging stuffed animals or towel animals but while I am vacationaing at Disney I do keep in mind that is the last thing I expect from the housekeeping dept. 1st and foremost I want a clean room and don't expect anything else.......

 

[disneyfan67]

It is true that Disney is a pretty high stress environment. Unfortunately, while guests come first at Disney, employees (especially entry level) come last. As a former employee, I can just say that one of the huge draws to working at Disney was their benefits package. While pay wasn't that great, their benefits were unmatched. BUT...this was costing them too much money and the way they dealt with this was to make most employees "CT's", or casual temporaries, which means that they work "seasonally" but get no benefits. An employee could work all year for 5 years and still be considered a CT, just to avoid giving them benefits.


I think that combined with low pay, and the attitude I saw, which was "go ahead and quit...there are others lined up to work here" has definitely hurt their workforce and ability to woo new employees. Hopefully they have learned this and are working on making it more beneficial for new hires. That may help with the shortage and, in turn, help with bringing the hotels back up to the standard people have come to expect.

Excellent post and point well made. Disney much like other companies has used this philosophy and while it saved the money in the short term, it has come back to bite them in the butt. I bet working on the front line dealing with guests everyday at WDW, has to be not only stressful, but one of the hardest jobs around. You have people who pay the high price Disney charges for the privilege of visiting the "Happiest place on Earth" and the expectations are high from the get go. Those poor CM's have no control over the high prices, the crowds, the heat, etc. Yet they're the ones who take the brunt of it all. I don't envy them at all.

I see the Disney corporation is making some changes and I hope that better pay and benefits are one of those changes. We as guests, would all benefit from Disney hiring better qualified CM's and the only way you can do that is to pay better and offer better benefits. The housing market around Orlando is quite expensive. I couldn't imagine trying to live in that area and survive on what Disney pays you. Passion and the love of working at WDW will only get you so far. It won't pay the bills or put food on your table.

 

[Disney Padawan]

Disney Padawan (great username btw),
Ok, I'll say it....drum roll please.... "It isn't so!!!!" lol

Thanks.