MsStinkerBelle
Hittin' WDW Since Space Mountain was 'Coming Soon'
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2006
- Messages
- 2,491
Myself, my daughter, my god sister and two nephews just returned from a magical 7 night stay at the Polynesian resort! 
While for me the magic started when I walked up to the Grand Ceremonial House and let the foliage and waterfall relax me, the magic for the kids began when we checked into our room in the Samoa building (room 1609) with a stunning first floor view of the Nanea volcano pool!
View of Nanea Volcano Pool during the day from our room in Samoa (1609)
We arrived at the POLY around 12:30pm. Check-in went very smooth. The CM who checked me in was extremely friendly and let me know that my room request was granted but the room wasnt ready quite yet. I didnt mind that much that the room wasnt ready--I was just so glad that my request for a 1st floor room in Samoa facing the volcano pool was granted! Yay! The CM gave me a card with a number to call back after 4pm to check the status of my room. We checked in our carry-on luggage with the valet and went on over to the MK to have a little fun. I called from my cell phone at the MK around 4pm and yes our room was ready! When we got back to our room our bags were already there courtesy of Disneys Magical Express! Here are a few room photos...
The kids went nutz over the pool view and begged to go swimming. We did swim several times during the day and evening while we were there. The pool was most crowded during the day but it was still manageable. The lifeguards did an excellent job of patrolling the area. I could still see the kids in the pool from our room so that was an added benefit. The lifeguards were out early in the morning cleaning the pool area, straightening chairs and checking the water. Seemed pretty meticulous and put me at ease.
View of the Poly beach at Dusk
View of Nanea Volcano Pool at night from our room in Samoa (1609)
View of the pool at night facing the MK
Mousekeeping was quite good considering our room consisted of two messy teenagers and two messy tweens. Some days Mousekeeping was better than others in that some took more time to straighten the room but on all occasions the beds were made, towels restocked and the toilet and bathroom sink and tub cleaned well. My daughter had made Mousekeeping enevelopes ahead of time so we put those in the bathroom mirror each day. One day we got extra toiletries, another day we got a towel bunny and a Mickey Mouse head made of towels on the daybed my god sister slept on.
Towel bunny
Towel Mickey Mouse
On another day my daughter got a handwritten note from one of the Mousekeepers (I think it was Mousekeeper Kim from our December stay last year) and her stuffed bunny had a Jack Sparrow bandana and a pirate eye patch on it--parts of my youngest nephews costume that hed discarded on the floor the night previous.
Pirate bunny courtesy of suspected Mousekeeper Kim
I noticed the Samoa building seemed to have its rooms cleaned much earlier than Tuvalu but this may be due to the popularity of this longhouse. And/or its proximity to the GCH.
Great Ceremonial House -- Side entrance facing Nuie longhouse
Waterfall in the GCH
We ate at Ohana for breakfast once and for dinner twice. Breafkast was wonderful as always and we had the same waiter this time that we had last August, December and in April! If you get Mickey as a waiter during the Ohana breakfast, he is WONDERFUL! Our first dinner at Ohana we had a table right next to the window with a dead on view of the castle and a great view of Wishes! Our second dinner at Ohana (we have family in Florida who came down to have dinner with us) didnt have the same castle view but the food and the service were wonderful. Cliff and Pablo were our servers on two separate evenings and each of them went out of their way to make sure myself and all of the kids had a great time! We also had breakfast at Kona and it was also wonderful. Captain Cooks was busy most times but the CMs working there were friendly, helpful and constantly cleaning the eating areas. I did not, on ANY occasion see overflowing trash cans in Captain Cooks or around the pool areas. And this is with the resort at capacity (concierge excluded).
So what wasnt so wonderful about this resort? I cant think of much except some folks cutting in front of others at the check-in desk for Ohana. Some cast members didnt say hello or aloha when they saw us but these were few and far between. We did have a problem with ducks begging on our patio and hanging out in the pool at night. Another downside, if there was one, was that I didnt have the lagoon view I had in December.
Bell services was very prompt in picking up our luggage for the return trip home. Resort Airline Check-In was efficient and courteous (we flew Airtran). Before we left on ME for the return trip to OIA, we got a photo with Auntie Kaui! She loved the outfits the kids had on and she gave us leis and insisted we have our photo taken in front of the waterfall at the GCH. I was so honored to have a photo taken with her! One of the reasons I love the Polynesian resort is because Auntie Kaui looks exactly like my grandmother...all the way down to the shoes and hair.
Us with Auntie Kaui
It was so sad to leave the Polynesian. All the kids and myself were tearing up about having to leave. We truly had a wonderful stay and all of the CMs really went out of their way to make sure we all had a magical time. Were planning to return Christmas 2008 for a longer stay here and we WILL have a MK view. I cant wait!
Any questions? Just fire away!
It's so hard to say goodbye!
While for me the magic started when I walked up to the Grand Ceremonial House and let the foliage and waterfall relax me, the magic for the kids began when we checked into our room in the Samoa building (room 1609) with a stunning first floor view of the Nanea volcano pool!
View of Nanea Volcano Pool during the day from our room in Samoa (1609)
We arrived at the POLY around 12:30pm. Check-in went very smooth. The CM who checked me in was extremely friendly and let me know that my room request was granted but the room wasnt ready quite yet. I didnt mind that much that the room wasnt ready--I was just so glad that my request for a 1st floor room in Samoa facing the volcano pool was granted! Yay! The CM gave me a card with a number to call back after 4pm to check the status of my room. We checked in our carry-on luggage with the valet and went on over to the MK to have a little fun. I called from my cell phone at the MK around 4pm and yes our room was ready! When we got back to our room our bags were already there courtesy of Disneys Magical Express! Here are a few room photos...
The kids went nutz over the pool view and begged to go swimming. We did swim several times during the day and evening while we were there. The pool was most crowded during the day but it was still manageable. The lifeguards did an excellent job of patrolling the area. I could still see the kids in the pool from our room so that was an added benefit. The lifeguards were out early in the morning cleaning the pool area, straightening chairs and checking the water. Seemed pretty meticulous and put me at ease.
View of the Poly beach at Dusk
View of Nanea Volcano Pool at night from our room in Samoa (1609)
View of the pool at night facing the MK
Mousekeeping was quite good considering our room consisted of two messy teenagers and two messy tweens. Some days Mousekeeping was better than others in that some took more time to straighten the room but on all occasions the beds were made, towels restocked and the toilet and bathroom sink and tub cleaned well. My daughter had made Mousekeeping enevelopes ahead of time so we put those in the bathroom mirror each day. One day we got extra toiletries, another day we got a towel bunny and a Mickey Mouse head made of towels on the daybed my god sister slept on.
Towel bunny
Towel Mickey Mouse
On another day my daughter got a handwritten note from one of the Mousekeepers (I think it was Mousekeeper Kim from our December stay last year) and her stuffed bunny had a Jack Sparrow bandana and a pirate eye patch on it--parts of my youngest nephews costume that hed discarded on the floor the night previous.
Pirate bunny courtesy of suspected Mousekeeper Kim
I noticed the Samoa building seemed to have its rooms cleaned much earlier than Tuvalu but this may be due to the popularity of this longhouse. And/or its proximity to the GCH.
Great Ceremonial House -- Side entrance facing Nuie longhouse
Waterfall in the GCH
We ate at Ohana for breakfast once and for dinner twice. Breafkast was wonderful as always and we had the same waiter this time that we had last August, December and in April! If you get Mickey as a waiter during the Ohana breakfast, he is WONDERFUL! Our first dinner at Ohana we had a table right next to the window with a dead on view of the castle and a great view of Wishes! Our second dinner at Ohana (we have family in Florida who came down to have dinner with us) didnt have the same castle view but the food and the service were wonderful. Cliff and Pablo were our servers on two separate evenings and each of them went out of their way to make sure myself and all of the kids had a great time! We also had breakfast at Kona and it was also wonderful. Captain Cooks was busy most times but the CMs working there were friendly, helpful and constantly cleaning the eating areas. I did not, on ANY occasion see overflowing trash cans in Captain Cooks or around the pool areas. And this is with the resort at capacity (concierge excluded).
So what wasnt so wonderful about this resort? I cant think of much except some folks cutting in front of others at the check-in desk for Ohana. Some cast members didnt say hello or aloha when they saw us but these were few and far between. We did have a problem with ducks begging on our patio and hanging out in the pool at night. Another downside, if there was one, was that I didnt have the lagoon view I had in December.
Bell services was very prompt in picking up our luggage for the return trip home. Resort Airline Check-In was efficient and courteous (we flew Airtran). Before we left on ME for the return trip to OIA, we got a photo with Auntie Kaui! She loved the outfits the kids had on and she gave us leis and insisted we have our photo taken in front of the waterfall at the GCH. I was so honored to have a photo taken with her! One of the reasons I love the Polynesian resort is because Auntie Kaui looks exactly like my grandmother...all the way down to the shoes and hair.
Us with Auntie Kaui
It was so sad to leave the Polynesian. All the kids and myself were tearing up about having to leave. We truly had a wonderful stay and all of the CMs really went out of their way to make sure we all had a magical time. Were planning to return Christmas 2008 for a longer stay here and we WILL have a MK view. I cant wait!
Any questions? Just fire away!
It's so hard to say goodbye!
. I do have a question for you. Where their ducks on your ist floor patio? That is the only thning that worries me about any first floor room, duck poop. . Well critters getting in also. We where in a 3rd floor room last stay and I went to use the bathroom furing the night and there was a small green lizard over by the commode 
! So I guess they can get in on any floor 
. Anyway your review and pictures have me so excited for our stay in 33 days 
I requested a ground floor room because my daughter has an Autistic Spectrum Disorder and I felt more comfortable with a first floor room than a balcony. Much easier to watch her from the first floor and I didn't have to worry about her possibly falling off the balcony. 
I admit I'm quite neurotic about that happening.
We were in 1st floor Samoa facing the Volcano pool, but maybe a few doors toward the GCH. The pool would have been slightly more to the right from our room facing out. Awesome, awesome location.
Here I thought you would say something like the patios are bigger than the balconies or you like the vegetation around the patios.
