Practically Perfect at the Poly? **UPDATE 7/28 -- And We're Back!!

[KatMark]

Plans sound great for the trip, Tina.

And, for little, Max, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[glennbo123]

Already? It seems like Max just had a birthday last year around this same time.

Happy Birthday Max!

 

[amandaw]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAX!!!

 

[eandesmom]

Plans sound wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Really well thought out to maximize location and relaxation!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Max!

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

Happy birthday Max!!!!!

 

[PopArtGal]

Happy Birthday Max!

 

[Missyrose]

Happy birthday Max!

The adventure book looks like such an awesome idea! P.S. I love that movie too.

 

[MEK]

Happy Birthday Max!

Sorry I'm late. I saw this yesterday but didn't post.

I have to say - I wish you had posted pics of some of that Italian food you made. It sounded amazing.

 

[tinacaplan]

Let me start this post with a short disclaimer: I know that the Poly inspires great love and fondness in the hearts of many a Disney traveller. I also know that not every resort is for everyone. In addition, I know that some of these things could happen anywhere. And let me say, too, that I really wanted to love the Poly and totally thought that after staying there, I wouldn’t want to stay anywhere else.

That said, let me let loose here... I love the Poly’s theme. I really, really do. I totally dig the whole Brady Bunch goes to Hawaii vibe. Mark really didn’t like it, pretty much from the moment we arrived. So, I acknowledge that his rather extreme, (and slightly inexplicable) dislike for the Poly did influence my opinions, as well. When we first got there, I was truly blown away by the beauty of the GCH and the surrounding landscaping both front and back. And I have to admit that the view of the castle is rather nifty. The landscaping is really top notch here, so I can’t complain about that. I mean, it really as lush and tropical as the pictures make it out to be.

And where else can one get a Lapu Lapu or a Dole whip on demand? Not to mention REAL coffee in the lobby every morning. Sweet! Oh, and Kona is rapidly becoming one of my favorite restaurants in Disneyworld. The monorail was super cool. It was hard (sniff...I know...its terrible) to go stay at SSR in April and not have super quick access to a park, as we had at the Poly and the Beach Club. Of course, watching the fireworks and the EWP from the beach was cool. But I did that after dinner at Kona in April!

But that pool....seriously? That’s it?? What the heck? I’ve been to people’s pools in their backyards that are bigger than the Volcano Pool. Granted, they lacked a volcano and a view of Cindy’s castle, but still. I realized on this trip just how important the pool is to me. I also knew going in that the actual volcano and slide were going to be under renovation while we were there. I briefly considered switching to a different resort because of it, but ultimately chose not to, believing that it wouldn’t make that much of a difference to us. Wrong again.

Our room was not in the greatest shape, as you can see here, with all the beat-up furniture:

And, yes, that IS a piece of plywood used to fix some sort of problem with the bed. Really, Disney? Plywood??? People pay truly obscene amounts of money to stay here (and if you’re paying rack rate there...well...just...wow) and they’re using plywood boards to fix the beds? Also, I saw the worst mousekeeping I’ve seen yet and hope to ever see. Mark picked up a towel the first day that definitely looked like it had dried blood on it and later on we found half of a little girl’s bathing suit in the bathroom. I’m not a clean freak by any stretch, but that bothered me.

I also realize that we could have called and complained, but everything was relatively minor. It was only by the last day that it all piled up. More to the point, I feel a bit like you do when you order a meal at a restaurant only to discover that you ordered incorrectly, because you really wanted something else all along. It really isn’t the restaurant’s fault, there’s nothing wrong with the food per se, just not what you wanted.

Its also about properly managing expectations. I had built up the Poly to this place of greatness in my mind, and when it fell even a little short, I was disappointed.

In the end, I have no one to blame but myself I suppose. Over the course of the trip I realized a few more things on my quest to create the perfect Disney trip, which I think, is what we’re all sort of after in the end. I know that nothing’s perfect, but practically perfect? I think I could get there!

Which is why we’re staying at the Beach Club in July. We truly love the Beach Club. We love being that close to EPCOT. For us, going to the MK, by and large, is something we like to do first thing in the morning and be out of there by early afternoon. Its not the park I’m going to go to specifically for dinner or a drink or a quick ride on Spaceship Earth, as we do at EPCOT. We love the light, bright feeling we get from that whole area. We love Storm Along Bay. I know its more of a water park and shouldn’t be compared to any other pool on property, but it is amazing. We also loved the CMs we met at the Beach Club, particularly the greeters who were happy to say hello and, well, greet us when we came and went each day.


Even taking that into consideration, I have to admit that this was probably our best trip yet. We had some of the best meals we’ve had so far, much better than we had last July. We had a great time in the parks each day. We got to see Karin and Tom again, which was fantastic. Everything went very smoothly. This is also the trip where I somehow convinced Mark that upgrading to APs made total sense.

I would not want to do five days again, though. I didn’t realize until after the fact (talk about a duh moment) that arriving on Monday and leaving on Friday meant we only had three days where we weren’t travelling. Kind of a quick turn around, as all of our previous trips have been for a full week. That said, five days was great for my semi-solo sojourn in April and I think it will work out pretty well in October, too. Travelling with just yourself is a little different than travelling with a small child, in tow, even one who is rather accustomed to air travel.

Oh..and I knew I’d be back in just six weeks! Crazy!


While I had no planned on doing a TR for April, I realized that I had to tack on a few updates to the end of this one, as I took a smattering of really great photographs and we had some truly magical moments.

 

[tinacaplan]

Happy Birthday to my handsome little friend Max!!

Thanks!

Tina, did I dream it, or did you say that you will have vacation time in February?
I thought I had read it somewhere, but cannot find it again now. Duh ..... the end of the school year really seems to have gotten to me, if I start halluzinating.

Oh, and btw - I LOVE all your plans, just wish you would go in August instead of July. We would love to spend more time with you all.

Give Max a HUGE hug from Tom and me!

I'm not sure which of your reports I posted it on, but YES!!! I did get my February vacation back! Apparently, someone screwed up and had looked at New Haven, California's information, not New Haven, Connecticut. And even though we're a charter school, we always follow our host district's calendar. I'm just thrilled, really, because if we had the calendar as it was first proposed, I would not have had a single vacation with Mark. Yuck.

That said, whether we return in February is really up in the air. I'm even having a hard time justifying it. However, our APs don't expire until the Wednesday of that week, so if we got there Saturday, we'd have five days of park time with our APs and then we could have a couple of days at the end of just resort time to relax. I'm hoping that I really like AofA and we could do the first five days there in a Little Mermaid standard room and then move to either the Beach Club or, even better, AKL for the last few days.

We'll see.

Plans sound great for the trip, Tina.

And, for little, Max, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Aww...thanks, Kathy! I'm really looking forward to our July trip!

Already? It seems like Max just had a birthday last year around this same time.

Happy Birthday Max!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAX!!!

Thanks, Amanda! Again, I really can't get over him being five!!

Plans sound wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Really well thought out to maximize location and relaxation!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Max!

Thanks! I think our plans for July look pretty good, if I do say so myself.

Happy birthday Max!!!!!

Thank you!

Happy Birthday Max!

Thanks!

Happy birthday Max!

The adventure book looks like such an awesome idea! P.S. I love that movie too.

Actually, Max asked for the adventure book, so it was really his idea.

Happy Birthday Max!

Sorry I'm late. I saw this yesterday but didn't post.

I have to say - I wish you had posted pics of some of that Italian food you made. It sounded amazing.

You're not late... Its funny, I didn't even think about taking pictures of the food. I've made it so many times, it doesn't seem like anything special. It was just a long time since I'd done it, so I had forgotten how much work it is.

 

[amandaw]

I really enjoyed your review of the Poly. I've been very torn on whether or not I would want to stay there. The pool doesn't bother me much since we're not big pool people. But that beat up furniture & bad mousekeeping does indeed bother me. Especially that plywood! WTH?!?

Despite the Poly not being perfect, I'm glad y'all had a fantastic trip!

I'm already looking forward to your next TR for the July trip!

Thanks, Amanda! Again, I really can't get over him being five!!

I understand completely. I'm already thinking about Reid turning 5 in March.

 

[eandesmom]

The beauty of Disney is that there are so many choices for resorts. I think Jeff felt a little bit like you did on our last trip, he expected to just love WL and other than our balcony...it fell a little flat, all little things but overall...flat. Nothing bad, nothing awful, nothing that would keep me from staying there again but not the magic we felt at the YC.

It will be interesting to see how our all villa trip compares and I'll look forward to your mini April updates!

 

[MEK]

I have to admit that I do get irritated by beat up furniture. I know it happens and its just something that has to be tolerated until the next refurb, but that worn feeling bothers me none the less. I find the plywood thing peculiar and I would have to stop looking at the underneath of the bed from that point on.

I do understand your love for the BC. Although I am on a mission to try every resort, I thought the costumer service at the BC was outstanding. They really have their A game on there.

I do like the Poly pool. I think the view is the best and I like the whole idea of sitting in the sand but also being able to go in the pool. I don't think I've met a Disney pool I don't like. BLT was probably my least fav.

I see that your trip is get over a week away. Woo Hoo!

 

[tinacaplan]

Um... is it just me or does the Dis mess with the smilies on a regular, almost daily basis, lately???

I really enjoyed your review of the Poly. I've been very torn on whether or not I would want to stay there. The pool doesn't bother me much since we're not big pool people. But that beat up furniture & bad mousekeeping does indeed bother me. Especially that plywood! WTH?!?

Despite the Poly not being perfect, I'm glad y'all had a fantastic trip!

I'm already looking forward to your next TR for the July trip!



I understand completely. I'm already thinking about Reid turning 5 in March.

There a lot of great things about the Poly and different aspects of a resort matter to different people. We, for example, make good use of the pool, so its really important to us and after SAB, well...that's hard to compare anything to. That said, we really loved our stays at CSR, too. But, then again, they have a pretty spectacular pool, too.

The beat-up furniture was really the biggest issue, for me. Plywood...seriously???? Still don't quite get that one!

The views are amazing, though, and for a lot of people seeing the castle from their patio and being able to step outside to watch Wishes every night is serious , but less important to us.

And, yes, what is it about turning five that seems like such a big deal to me?

The beauty of Disney is that there are so many choices for resorts. I think Jeff felt a little bit like you did on our last trip, he expected to just love WL and other than our balcony...it fell a little flat, all little things but overall...flat. Nothing bad, nothing awful, nothing that would keep me from staying there again but not the magic we felt at the YC.

It will be interesting to see how our all villa trip compares and I'll look forward to your mini April updates!

I agree that Disney certainly offers a lot choices and sometimes its just really about managing expectations. Like I said, I had built the Poly up so much in my head and then it was just sort of "meh" for me.

I'm looking forward to your take on the villas, as well. I was not expecting to like SSR at all, but it was lovely. Go figure?

I have to admit that I do get irritated by beat up furniture. I know it happens and its just something that has to be tolerated until the next refurb, but that worn feeling bothers me none the less. I find the plywood thing peculiar and I would have to stop looking at the underneath of the bed from that point on.

I just think that given what you pay for a night, especially at a deluxe, you shouldn't have to tolerate furniture in that condition. I suppose the plywood was a really quick, cheap solution to some sort of problem with the mattress or the plywood.

I do understand your love for the BC. Although I am on a mission to try every resort, I thought the costumer service at the BC was outstanding. They really have their A game on there.

I do like the Poly pool. I think the view is the best and I like the whole idea of sitting in the sand but also being able to go in the pool. I don't think I've met a Disney pool I don't like. BLT was probably my least fav.

I see that your trip is get over a week away. Woo Hoo!

Mark had a good point about the Beach Club. Because of the way its set up, with the main lobby that you pretty much always come and go through, and the greeters, you have no choice but to interact with a lot of CMs. The Poly was a lot different. With the buildings so spread out, we could easily go days without interacting with many CMs.

There is no doubt that the Poly pool has the best view on property. With a five year-old, I don't do much sitting. I actually thought the Poly pool was pretty romantic and would be great if you were on some sort of couples only trip. But, here again, and I take full responsibility for this, the slide was under a refurb that I was 100% aware of before the trip. I had suggested to Mark that we switch because of it, but he just sort of waved the idea away, and I let it go. I think I might have felt differently about the pool if the slide had been open.

 

[KatMark]

Thanks for the recap, Tina. You are right...not every resort is for every person. We had the same type of room at the Contemporary our last stay there (over 20 years ago) where the furniture was all beat up, the light switch didnt' work, etc. But at least you tried it and you now know it probably is not a repeat visit.

And, as much as I do love the Poly, I agree with you....the pool is much too small.

 

[glennbo123]

Hey, at least staying at the Poly solidified your love for the Beach Club as the best resort for you guys. I've visited both, but haven't stayed at either. From what I've seen at the Poly, a visit to go to 'Ohana or Kona or the luau is all I need....I'm not itching to stay there.

 

[amandaw]

Um... is it just me or does the Dis mess with the smilies on a regular, almost daily basis, lately???

It's not just you. And it's driving me crazy.

And, yes, what is it about turning five that seems like such a big deal to me?

For me, I think it's the whole fact that Reid will enter kindergarten once he turns 5. To me, that really says "big boy". Not that he's a little baby anymore but it just makes them seem so much older once they start real school.

 

[Stringbean&Wingnut]

As you already know, I completely and totally understand your feelings on the Poly. We did not experience the same room cleanliness problems that you did!!!

The Epcot resort area is much more of our favorite place to stay while at Disney as well!

 

[natebenma]

Um... is it just me or does the Dis mess with the smilies on a regular, almost daily basis, lately???

OMG, yes! I used to know exactly where my favorites were. I suppose I could just memorize the codes, but do we really need on the front page???

Thanks for your very comprehensive and well-thought-out review of the Poly. I couldn't agree with you more about the Beach Club! Duh!

I do love the theming of the Poly, and the restaurants, and the fireworks from the beach and the monorail. The Poly definitely makes the list of resorts I would like to stay at "some day".

Oh, almost forgot- Very Happy Birthday to Max!!!

 

[tinacaplan]

Thanks for the recap, Tina. You are right...not every resort is for every person. We had the same type of room at the Contemporary our last stay there (over 20 years ago) where the furniture was all beat up, the light switch didnt' work, etc. But at least you tried it and you now know it probably is not a repeat visit.

And, as much as I do love the Poly, I agree with you....the pool is much too small.

Yeah, we're both totally spoiled by the pool at CSR!

Hey, at least staying at the Poly solidified your love for the Beach Club as the best resort for you guys. I've visited both, but haven't stayed at either. From what I've seen at the Poly, a visit to go to 'Ohana or Kona or the luau is all I need....I'm not itching to stay there.

It did, although I am "itching" to someday stay at AKL. And right after I hit the lottery, I'll book my MK view room at the Contemporary. Or maybe just upgrade at the Beach Club.

One of the upsides of the Poly are definitely the restaurants. Some of the best on property are either at the resort, or a quick monorail ride away. This is part of the reason why we're headed back to Kona our second night.

It's not just you. And it's driving me crazy.



For me, I think it's the whole fact that Reid will enter kindergarten once he turns 5. To me, that really says "big boy". Not that he's a little baby anymore but it just makes them seem so much older once they start real school.

Whew...glad I'm not the only who noticed the nonsense with the ever-moving smilies.

And I know what you mean about kindergarten. Lucky for me, Max is going to stay at his present center because they have all-day kindergarten and our local public district doesn't.

As you already know, I completely and totally understand your feelings on the Poly. We did not experience the same room cleanliness problems that you did!!!

The Epcot resort area is much more of our favorite place to stay while at Disney as well!

Yep...love the Epcot area. I think part of it and for me, its a HUGE part of it, comes down to what your favorite park is. And Epcot is absolutely ours.

OMG, yes! I used to know exactly where my favorites were. I suppose I could just memorize the codes, but do we really need on the front page???

Thanks for your very comprehensive and well-thought-out review of the Poly. I couldn't agree with you more about the Beach Club! Duh!

I do love the theming of the Poly, and the restaurants, and the fireworks from the beach and the monorail. The Poly definitely makes the list of resorts I would like to stay at "some day".

Oh, almost forgot- Very Happy Birthday to Max!!!

Yes, you certainly do understand my love of the BC! The restaurants at the Poly are absolutely one of the Poly's main selling points.

And thanks..he had a very nice birthday!