RPH Luau

CDisney

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Joined
Apr 11, 2000
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261
We just returned from a fabulous 10-day vacation - seven nights at a four-bedroom pool home followed by three nights at RPH Club level.

The RPH is beautiful and the Club level staff exceptionally friendly. Our only disappointment was the luau, which my husband and I booked to celebrate our 9th anniversary. Our complaints:

Poor Service: Our server, Emily, was extemely slow, forgetful, and not friendly at all. She brought our first round of drinks when we were seated at 7 p.m. It was 8:40 p.m. before we finally managed to get her to bring us anything more to drink after asking several times. When she did bring the second round of drinks, the order was incorrect.

Lack of Ambience: Because of a threat of rain, the luau was moved inside a conference room that had not been made festive. Without the proper ambience, the show took on a cheesy low-budget feel. The acoustics of the conference room were not meant for the beat of Hawaiian drums.

Show's Focus: There was only about 40 minutes of dancing - the bulk of the time focused on audience participation rather than the skills of the dancers. There were three female dancers, one male dancer, three band members, and the master of ceremonies. The women demonstrated three or four cultural dances and spent the rest of their time coaxing nearly 20 stiffed-hip men to loosen up. The male dancer played an even smaller part.

I'm afraid they've got a ways to go before the luau measures up.
 
Just a few quick questions ...
  • What days/times are the luau scheduled for?
  • How much is the luau? Do you pre-book it or book it when you arrive?
  • What type of drinks are included? What kind of food was offered? Can they provide substitutions if one is allergic to seafood?
  • Where is it held if the weather is ok ... on a tropical beach setting?
  • Did they do anything special at all for your 9th Anniversary ... we'll be celebrating our 10th along with my brother/wife being on their honeymoon.
  • How much was the Club level room at the RPR? Was it worth it? How would you rate your stay there?
Sorry it didn't make your 9th more special. Any opinions on the above would be great.
 
This was the $49.50 per person luau that is held Saturday nights at the RPH. Unfortunately, the event was moved inside a conference room when there was a threat of rain.

Answers for the other questions:


What days/times are the luau scheduled for?
The luau is held every Saturday night with seating starting at 7 p.m. and dinner at 7:30 p.m.


How much is the luau? Do you pre-book it or book it when you arrive? The cost is $49.50 per adult and $29 per child 12 and under and includes tax and gratuity. The concierge booked our reservations for us that Saturday morning. Reservations must be guaranteed by credit card or room key and may be made by calling 407-503-3463.


What type of drinks are included? What kind of food was offered? Can they provide substitutions if one is allergic to seafood?

The dinner included wine, beer, and non-alcoholic beverages. I don't know if you can make any special requests for foods not on the menu.

The luau is a buffet featuring:
tropical fruits with minted papaya seed dressing
mixed native greens and hearts of palm with citrus
ahi tuna poke salad with ginger-soy vinaigrette
lomi lomi chicken salad with maui onions, tomatoes and green scallion
pit-roasted suckling pig with spiced rum infused pineapple puree (pork ribs)
whole roasted south pacific wahoo with kaffir lime and soy dressing
grilled pineapple stir fried rice
medley of vegetables with island spices and toasted almonds (stir fry)
freshly baked breads and rolls with sweet butter

There is also a dessert station with several choices, such as chocolate torte, tropical cheesecake, bread pudding, pineapple upside down cake.

There was a buffet set up for the children with chicken fingers, macaroni and cheese, pizza, salad, and fresh fruit.

The family that we sat with said they thought the selection and quality of the food was better than the poly luau. My husband enjoyed the flavor of the pork ribs and I liked the vegetable stir fry. However, the rice was undercooked and the entrees only luke warm.

Where is it held if the weather is ok ... on a tropical beach setting?
If the weather is ok, the luau is held on the wantilan entertainment area, which is on the same side of the resort as the putting green (not near the waterway). Overall, the landscaping of the resort is beautiful, but there's no tropical beach for the luau.


Did they do anything special at all for your 9th Anniversary ... we'll be celebrating our 10th along with my brother/wife being on their honeymoon.
We didn't forewarn the resort that we would be celebrating our anniversary. So, I don't know if you can expect anything extra special.

How much was the Club level room at the RPR? Was it worth it? How would you rate your stay there?

We were fortunate to get the $139 Fan Club rate for our Club Level room and we easily got our money's worth. I don't think we could have eaten or drank enough for the $269 rack rate.

My sons like the theme parks in small doses (about 4 hours at a time), so we took advantage of the Club Level amenities, including the continental breakfast, beverage service throughout the day, cocktails in the evening, and cookies and milk before bed. The selection is best for the continental breakfast. The Club staff was exceptional and made us feel very welcome.

We enjoyed the ambience of the resort and definitely would return. I spoiled my husband with the Club level. For him, the Club was like having a living room so he wasn't stuck sitting on a bed in a hotel room watching Sponge Bob with the kids.;) In the Club, the kids congregated at one end of the room with cartoons on one television, while the adults chatted at tables or watched sports/news on the other television.

I did not encounter any of the other problems some have mentioned on the board. Housekeeping was tiptop and provided turndown service without our request (the kids thought the resort had ghosts:) ). I was charged the quoted rate and my bill was accurate. Even with the discounted rate, I did receive my welcome gift of cookies and milk the evening of our arrival without the need for an additional reminder.

We truly enjoyed the resort, just not the luau.
 






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