Raratonga that bad??

[skiwee1]

I need advice! I am booked for a Poly gardenview in 6 days!! I can't wait! Anyway, I wanted Raratonga as it is non smoking, very close to the GCH and to the laundry. My mother has bad knees so every little extra walking I can save her will help out in the parks. I read last month a post about how nice their room was in Raratonga and felt happy I made the decision to try for that building. Now I read that Raratonga is really run down and in desperate need of a rehab. Which is it? I really need to be close to the GHC for the monorail and snack bar. Anyone? Tikiman? Help! Thanks!

 

[zulaya]

Raratonga is part of the older set of longhouses. Fiji and Aotearoa are finished rehabbing and both are close to the GCH.

I think one person's opinion is just that...one person. A room that someone thinks is shabby will look just fine to someone else.

I look at it as I am not living here, so as long as everything is clean and working, I am not going to complain about wear and tear. It happens.

If you think Raratonga is the place for you, then request it. You probably won't be disappointed.

 

[infoseeker]

We stayed in Raratonga in August and found the rooms to be just fine. Everything was clean and housekeeping was great. We were on the 3rd floor with a view of the monorail (which the kids thought was great). We really liked being close to the main building (easy access to refil the mugs) and being close to the volcano pool. We would definately stay in Raratonga again.

 

[skiwee1]

Thank you both for your responses! I feel much better about my choice. That is, until others come on here and tell me how horrible Rarotonga is! Just kidding! I'm going to request it and not worry! Thanks again!

 

[madcoco]

We stayed in Raratonga for a couple of nights last year on the front end of a stay over Halloween and the GV room was just fine. We moved to Hawaii concierge LV and had to be moved because someone left a big wet smelly stain(won't go any further) in the middle of the floor upon checkin and no one bothered to clean it up.Moved 2 rooms down and the rest of the stay was wonderful.Enjoy your stay at the Polynesian.

 

[DancingBear]

Don't know anything about the Poly buildings, but did want to suggest that you consider asking at the Poly for a wheelchair to spare your mom's knees. It's free at the resorts, and you can take it to the parks if you wish. Mom doesn't have to use it all of the time but you know how that WDW walking sneaks up on you!

 

[Ozymandias]

We just returned from Rarotonga a few weeks ago and I enjoyed it thoroughly. If location is your number one concern then it is the way to go. The rooms were very nice and clean and we were the last room on the end next to the GCH. We were about 10 seconds away. You can't bet that!

 

[TweetyB]

We just got back a little over a week ago and it is a good location. It is close to the GCH and everything. I would suggest that you request a first floor room for your mother. We were on the third and the elevator was out of service one day. The stairs are partially outside so if it is raining, you will get wet. Also, the elevator is kind of small.

On the whole we liked the building, it was just not as clean or as in good of condition as other rooms we have stayed. I just think that for the amont of money you have to pay to stay there it should be in excellent condition. That is just my opinion.

Also, we were facing the monorail which was fun to watch.

We did experience noise from outside early in the morning. Not too bad, but noticeable.

 

[NHBelle]

I agree with Tweetyb. The location of this building is excellent, BUT the rooms are a bit run down. To me they were very musty and had a really "wet" feel. The elavators are incredibly small, can only fit one family at a time and it was broken twice while we were there in August. I agree that the rooms need rehab (which I believe is in the works for the future) especially for the price you pay and considering this is a deluxe resort.

 

[chris44]

I just returned on Oct. 5 from the Poly, and we stayed in the Rarotonga building. I would agree with requesting a first floor room for your mother, because the elevator was out of order at least one day while we were there. (We stayed on the first floor, so we were not affected.) I had requested a first floor room facing the quiet pool so that my little girl might get to see the ducks, and we were not disappointed! The ducks paid us several visits on our patio.

We loved the fact that Rarotonga is so close to the GCH and within easy walking distance of the TTC. Having said that, I do have to agree that our room smelled very musty and mildewy when we first arrived. I thought we were going to have to request another room due to the smell. But then I decided to open the patio doors and air it out for quite a while, and this really helped. After that, it simply smelled like I would expect a hotel in the Florida humidity to smell, so we did not change rooms.
(As far as the rooms being "run down", one of our bedspreads had a large hole in it, but that really didn't affect our visit.)

I also spoke with a couple of people staying in the Tokelau building (which is also a good location) and in the newly refurbished Aeteoroa building, and neither of them had noticed a musty smell in their rooms. (However, the lady in Aeteoroa had to request a room change, because the people next to her were chain smoking, even though it's a non-smoking building!)

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Polynesian, and the housekeeping manager (Jeff) was really great to bring my daughter a stuffed Minnie Mouse and an autographed photo of Minnie when he found out my daughter was confined to the room sick with a stomach virus.

However, personally, I think I will request the Tokelau building next time, or perhaps by the time I go again, the Rarotonga will have been refurbished.

 

[Tikiman]

I am sure there are still some great rooms in Rarotonga (it is a big longhouse) but I have been hearing bad things about room condition and housekeeping in Rarotonga. I am the last one to say bad things about the Polynesian but I have to be honest in the reports I am getting. Also don’t expect any of the room conditions to change any time soon. Rarotonga is scheduled for rehab in September 2003. I am sure they will try to fix the elevator but the rooms will not get gutted for another year.

Steve

 

[wareagle]

We just returned yesterday and stayed in Niue, which is right by Rarotonga. We did have a second floor room, but you could request a first floor room. Our room was very clean, and had a fresh smell every day. The housekeeping was excellient and we loved the convenience to everything. When I did laundry, I did cut through Rarotonga to go to the laundry room. Niue is right beside the GCH and close to both pools. It is a non-smoking building and had nice views from both sides of the building. If you are placed here, I think you will be pleased.

 

[SueM in MN]

Don't know anything about the Poly buildings, but did want to suggest that you consider asking at the Poly for a wheelchair to spare your mom's knees. It's free at the resorts, and you can take it to the parks if you wish.

If you think your mom might benefit from a wheelchair, you might want to also take a long the phone nunmber of the outside medical equipment companies that rent them. If is true that the WDW resorts have wheelchairs for loan, they can't be reserved ahead of time and are first come, first serve. Some DIS posters have posted that the wheelchair they were offered was not in the best condition. In addition, you get what they have - which might be an extra wide wheelchair when you need a regular one or vice versa.
Here is contact info for the companies DIS posters report renting from:
Care Medical:
http://www.caremedicalequipment.com/

Walker Mobility:
1-888-726-6837
www.walkermobility.com

RANDY'S Mobility is in Kissimmee 407-892-4777
http://randysmobility.com/

Colonial Medical
http://www.colonialmed.com/about_cms.html