Polynesian Room Request Disappointment

[dianna112198]

Just a warning to those of you who are headed to the Polynesian : we were there from 8/15 - 8/22 and requested rooms in Tokelau, Fiji, Samoa or if none of these were available, then any room facing AWAY from the parking lot. Now I know a room request is just that...a request, but I wasn't asking for all that much (a room not facing the parking lot). Well we checked in at 9:30 am. Our room was ready at 2:45. They assigned us a room in Aotearoa facing a highway (no trees to block the view), but we had to leave that room anyway becuase the people staying there before us had smoked in the room and it smelled of smoke. So they moved us to "the only other room they had available" in Rarotonga....looking directly at the parking lot. Now I am not one to complain but this was a pretty big disappointment to me and it didnt help that there was a screaming baby in the room next to us. SO the next morning I went down to the front desk and asked if there were any rooms available in Tokelau and thankfully there was and we moved but , boy, was it a hassle. (And BTW they weren't very nice to me when I called the 1st time because our room smelled like smoke. You pay close to $300 a night, you think they would be a little more accomodating!) But once we got settled in everything was ok.

 

[freediverdude]

Sorry it was a hassle. I do think they should at least make a pretense of being nice about it when somebody asks for something different. But I guess Disney can afford to not be that way.

 

[dianna112198]

I know . You know what I think it is...I remember going to Disney years ago and everybody was just so bright and cheery. I always remember them being so accommodating and I guess thats what I was expecting. Don't get me wrong, they weren't mean or nasty but they just weren't super pleasent like I remember them. I miss the old Disney

 

[LadyLt]

As you said, the resort was full and yet you complained about two different rooms. Sometimes it is hard to be "super pleasant" when someone is complaining and there is nothing that they can do about it. It is not their fault that a guest smoked in a non-smoking room and then you complained about a crying baby. This is the reason that Disney does not guarantee requests. Sometimes it is just not possible, especially when the resort is sold out.

 

[dianna112198]

Here's the deal though...I did not complain at all .I was actually very pleasant. I explained....very nicely...the situation and I even told them I understood that it was not their fault. You have to understand after waiting around for 6 hours it is a little upsetting when you finally get into your room you have to turn around and go right back out becuase the stench is so bad. And, the CM's have to understand that. I was definately not going to stay in a room that I paid top dollar for only to have a migrain headache for the first couple of days. I was also not disappointed when I got into Rarotonga ( the screaming baby, though, was just not helping thing) and the next afternoon I NICELY asked if by any chance they had any other rooms available ( if not, I told them it was no big deal). The word "complaining" does not even begin to describe my actions. Trust me, I work with the public and I know complaining when I see it. And even if the resort was full and they couldn't fulfill any of my requests, all they had to do was tell me that when I checked in. I would have understood. The reason for this post was there are MANY asking what room? which longhouse? what view? etc. I just want them to know that it is very possible that the resort might not fulfill even your first request (even if it is just asking for a non parking lot view). Also, since this is a Deluxe resort, I expect deluxe service. Why pay extra to stay at a resort if your getting the same quality of service that you would be getting at a resort half the price? I thank you for your opinion but I hope you see where I'm coming from.

 

[freediverdude]

Yes, that's what I meant too. Even if for some reason, like the resort is completely full, they can't move you, they don't have to be snippy about it. They should just say, "ok, let me see what I can do", and then if there isn't any way to move you, then they can just say, "I'm sorry, but every other room is taken, so we can't move you right now". And if you looked not happy, maybe they should offer to try and move you to a different resort or something. We're not asking the impossible, just to be nice about it LOL. Now if the guest is being rude, then I know it's harder to just grin and bear it, and that's a little different.

 

[dianna112198]

You took the thoughts right out of my head freediverdude (cool name). A little niceness goes a looonnngggg way

 

[Mamu]

Dianna my feelings are your the one paying for the room. You paid for a GV you should get a GV, not a highway or parking lot.

At the other resorts parking lot views are cheaper.

I am not a complainer, but I would not have settled for these room either.

 

[Tinkbell]

Maybe the Polynesian should change some of their garden view rooms to "standard" view rooms. A chance of a parking lot view sounds like standard to me. Of course, they would have to offer those cheaper and probably don't want to do that. I guess if you can spot a few trees and bushes in the distance, they still consider it "garden view". I know that when I book a standard at the other deluxes I might be viewing the parking lot and am prepared for that. GF uses the term "garden view" for its standards too, but there really is no views of the parking lot at that resort.

 

[smfnj]

Originally posted by Tinkbell
Maybe the Polynesian should change some of their garden view rooms to "standard" view rooms. A chance of a parking lot view sounds like standard to me.

Several years ago the Poly had 4 or 5 different views, they've now got it down to 2, not including concierge. I believe they had Parking Lot, Garden, Water, Lagoon and Magic Kingdom Views.

steve

 

[*Fantasia*]

Poly Lagoon View Concierge or GF LV Concierge...All Stars... $50 or $900, it doesn't matter. Disney should show their Disney customer service. To show concern and a smile on their face or their voice does goes a looong way.

BTW...they were solid book during the time you were there. Iwas there about the same time in Disney. I walked up to the front desk to ask about their availability for Aug 15. CM said they are solid book. I even called CRO and they said that there is no room available.

Maybe if you asked for a diff bldg, maybe they might have put you where the room is facing the garden view or even better. But since the resort is fully booked, the rooms availability is very limited and that means the choice is very limited too.

 

[dianna112198]

even the parking lot views aren't that bad, but I definately think that they should be just a little cheaper than the other rooms. It did take away from that secluded Polynesian feel that I got when I stayed in Tokelau. Any other resort I don't have a problem with overlooking the parking lot. A couple of years ago I stayed at the Port Orleans Frenchside overlooking the parking lot and I absolutely loved our room. Buts thats a hustleing and bustleing resort no matter where you stay, so it really didn't make a difference.

 

[dianna112198]

*Fantasia*
I wouldn't doubt that it was booked. After we saw the crowds at MK and Epcot, I wouldn't be surprised if every Disney resort was booked!
Oh yeah, and I requested any building besides the ones facing the parking lot. But it doesn't matter because it all worked out in the end. I just feel bad for the people that got parking lot views and did not get a balcony or a patio...now that would REALLY stink!

 

[goofy4tink]

We were there the same time you were (8/15-8/23). We were in Tokelau, second floor. I did request a non-smoking, balcony room and did get one. However, we faced Hawaii and the workers. It was not so pleasant being on your balcony looking at concrete workers and having to make sure your curtains were closed before changing all day!! They were also doing some room repair underneath us at 11:00 PM one night!!! Much pounding and banging for quite awhile. And we had the neighbors from you know where next to us!!! But, we sure did like the convenience of the Polynesian.

 

[dianna112198]

goofy4tink that stinks! Thankfully, the only banging we did hear was during the day and, yes, if privacy is an issue, then you might want to try and avoid Tokelau because certain rooms, especially on the second and third floor will give you a direct view of the workers. And unless you are an exhibitionist you will have to be closing your curtains a lot (and especially if you like me and change your outfit about 5 million times because you cant decide what to wear )

 

[luvmarypoppins]

So sorry to hear about your room troubles. We have stayed in Aeorotora once and had a parking lot/monorail view. We usually stayed in Niuie but not since it turned into smoking. This time we asked for Samoa. It was on our reservation 2 months ago. I always fax ahead of time to the room assignor but this time I didnt do it. I was a little nervous. We told them we wanted this bldg. because ds has asthma and I was afraid that after swimming he would be so out of breath so I wanted something close to the pool. We we check in 8/10 around 12 noon. Juan told us we got Samoa but wanted to give us 2nd floor. I said no, (I knew it didnt have a balcony) so He said we could have 3rd floor today and switch to the 1st floor room on mon. I said well o.k. but it really must now be 1st floor. (I am explaining my insistence because of ds and the asthma thing. So he types etc. etc. and wouldnt you know it, magically there is a room on the lst floor for us all week but it wont be ready to later, like 3 isish, I said thank you so much that is just perfect et.c etc. So it pays to be nice with explanations, thanks and persistence in a nice way. I hope your next trip is what you wish for. But the Polynesian is such a great place. I found our new room was really inconvenient to the new bus stop for us. It was so much better when it was right in front of the Grat Ceremonial House.

 

[dianna112198]

You know that is really funny how you mentioned another room being magically available becuase that just reminded me of something. At around 1:45 I checked to see if my room was ready and it was not. The guy at the front desk told me if I came back in a little bit that "maybe we can negotiate something". What the heck did that mean? They also told me that if something was wrong with the Rarotonga room (which was apparently the only room left) that I should come back and we could, once again, negotiate something. hmmmmm does that mean that there was other rooms available??? Maybe they set a couple of rooms aside for emergencies (like the asthma incident, or the smoking problem)