Tell me why the Poly is so popular!

[jaguar9748]

Ok Poly fans - here's your chance to extole the virtues of your resort. I have been on the Poly grounds many times for mass. I have walked through the Great Ceremonial House and peeked in all of the shops and restaurants. I have walked through the grounds to the Luau Cove. I have ridden the boat to Magic Kingdom and the monorail to Magic Kingdom. For those who talk about the darkness of AKL, WL and POR (I've stayed at all 3), I think the Poly is really dark. I also find it very 70's (and I was a teen in the 70's!!). I just can't figure out why everyone loves this resort so much!! Okay, let me have it...

 

[Edina]

Actually jaguar I'm with you. For the life of me I can't figure out the attraction. I walked through it and looked at a room. It positively gave me the creeps! Dark, musty and that outdatted decor! To think that people pay over $200 to stay there. I much prefer the Yacht/Beach Club, Boardwalk Inn and Swan/Dolphin. Much nicer surroundings and I prefer the convenience of the Epcot/Boardwalk/MGM location.

Maybe it's nostalgic for some?

 

[ASFCurly]

I feel the same way, but to each his or her own.

 

[UncleKyle]

I don't know why but my family and I just love it. I love the smell, the restaurants, the monorail connection, the luau, the pool, the rooms, just everything! We've stayed at all three of the hotels on the monorail and we just like the Poly the best. The Grand Floridian was ok, just didn't seem like it was worth the money and the hype. The Contemporary was really cool but it just wasn't the poly. I think the fact that we've stayed there more than any other Disney hotel helps. But like it was mentioned above, each to his or her own I guess.

 

[CaliforniaDreaming]

I'm not sure, either. It's okay, I wouldn't describe it as great or anything. Some people just like the South Pacific theme. We paid almost $400 a night, money that would have been much better spent at the Grand Floridian next door. I'm not saying I'd never stay at the Polynesian again, because I know I will be returning to the resort sometime, but it just isn't a "favorite". I have mixed feelings about the place, part of me likes it, part of me doesn't. The "South Seas" part of me is more of present day Waikiki!

 

[CamColt]

Im a big Poly fan! Heres what I like

Tropical theming is my thing.
The view from the beach is breathtaking.
The pool is awesome. My kids loved it!
Kona Cafe is my favorite WDW restuarant.
Tambu Lounge is a great place to relax with a tropical drink while watching the castle change colors
The monorail makes transportation easy, as does the TTC being next door.
You can watch EWP and fireworks from the beach.
Torch Lighting Ceremony really adds to the atmosphere.
A personal thing is being there reminds me of my honeymoon.

I never can figure out the "dark" comment a lot of people make. Our room was fairly bright. I know outside at night walking with the torches lit it was dark, but thats the theming. Also, the GCH, like up at the Tambu Lounge was dimly lit at night, but again, thats part of the atmosphere. I wouldnt walk into any lounge or restuarant and expect bright lights anyway.
Can you tell I like the Poly?

 

[Ityldu]

I can't even start a vacation at Disney w/o going to the Polynesian first and smelling the lobby. To me, it's what Disney is all about. I don't think it's one bit dark, but inviting. I think the GF and BC can be blindingly bright. Polynesian is so relaxing to come back to. We have yet to be able to afford to stay there, but in June my dream will come true .

Yes, for me it is partly nostalgic - that's where we stayed as kids, but we also tried Cont. and hated it. It's so much more than nostalgia, you have the views of MK, EWP, monorail and speed boats.

Even though we have yet to stay there as adults, we spend a large portion of every vacation there. We eat at Kona Cafe at least 3X's/trip, we relax in the GCH and hang out by the pool bar (we never use the pool, just drool) and rent our boats from their marina. We watch EWP from the beach/hammocks.

I can't see what there isn't to love about the Polynesian, but I'm sure glad there are people that don't like it. I can't imagine what the price would be if it was everyone's fav. resort.

67 days and we'll be living our dream for our first four nights. I just can't wait to get a wiff of that lobby.

 

[StevieD]

We stayed at the Poly for 2 weeks in the fall of 2000 (week before and week after Halloween - MNSVSHP was the best!). We picked the Poly because, after all was said and done, this was the one resort my wife and I had always dreamed of going to when we were kids. My wife is from Miami, and was about 10 years old when WDW opened - her parents always stayed offsite and so she always wanted to stay there. Although I didn't grow up in FL, I had seen a Wonderful World of Disney short on the Poly when I was about 10 or 11 - and thus I too wanted to go.

So although we convinced ourselves that we wanted to go for a host of other reasons (great location, larger rooms, great pools, the Luau, Neverland Club for our DD, etc.) - it was really to fulfill the fantasy.

OK - reality....It was nice, but not great. We liked the size of the room, the view (we had a great view of the Castle), the proximity to MK, and the Neverland Club. The pools were nice, but not outstanding. Location was terrible from a restaurant perspective - getting to Epcot, Boardwalk, WL, MGM, etc. was just not that easy. And the walk from our longhouse (I think it was Tahiti) to the GCH was quite a little distance.

This year we stayed at the Dolphin. Granted, the location to the MK wasn't quite as good (but the difference between the bus, vs. the walk to GCH and monorail wasn't all that much) - however the location to other things (restaurants, Boardwalk, Epcot, MGM) was so much better!! The grotto pool was much better than the Poly pools. And the Epcot Illuminations view was almost as nice as the MK view. We decided right there that, even though we spend more time at the MK (our daughter is 5) than the other parks, we wouldn't stay anywhere else other than one of the Epcot area resorts (we are on the verge of buying into BCV).

SO, to sum up...Do the nostalgia trip at least once. To each his own, but once you stay at one of the Epcot resorts, I don't think you will ever go back!!

 

[Wish Upon A Star]

We've only stayed at the Poly once, BUT we totally loved it! I didn't think I would . . .we stayed at the GF in 1999 and the following year we decided to go to Poly because it was a slight bit cheaper and we wanted to cut back a bit. When I first made my ressies for the Poly for 2000, I was a bit leary . . .it was a completely different resort than what we had just experienced the previous year.

The Poly was very inviting and the feel to it . . .I cannot even describe it, we actually felt like we were really on vacation. The nightly tiki torch ceremony, the sandy beach with hammocks and palm trees, the spectacular lobby . . .the awesome view of the Castle from our room . . .the pool . . .our first experience with the Luau, hearing the drums . . .eating great meals at Kona and Ohana's . . .learning the shaka (sp?) and going around saying ALOHA a gazillion times a day . . .everyone was your "cousin". The kids had a blast! Hmmmmmmm just thinking of it . . .makes me want to switch my July 4th ressies to Poly . . .

We decided to go with GF for this July trip because I really loved that resort . . .walking the grounds . . .and we wanted to check out the new pool . . .and I assumed the Poly would be a little bit musty with the heat and humidity we will experience in July and with my DS having allergies I didn't think it would be a good idea to stay there . . .although when we stayed in April 2000 in Tuvalu we had no "smell" or problems . . .I guess each one of us has their favorites . . .but after these two upcoming trips, I'm heading back to Poly April 2004. . . .hmmmm unless of course I do end up changing my ressie . . .

 

[Tikiman]

I grew up in the 70's. Tell me one thing at the Polynesian that is a look that came from the 70's.

 

[StevieD]

You might be too young to remember, but the whole "Tiki Bar" concept was popular in the mid 70's.

 

[Disney-Kim]

My dh is a Tiki freak. He loves everything Hawaiian and Tiki. He collects Hawaiian shirts too.
It was his dream to stay at the Polynesian and I wanted to stay on the monorail. So thats why we picked it.

and.....I have read a lot of positive experiences at the Polynesian and I am hoping to experience some fun memories on our honeymoon in a couple weeks.

 

[Tikiman]

I know all about the "tiki bar" stuff but my point is that the design of the tiki bar stuff is modeled after polynesian culture so how else is the Polynesian supposed to look?

That is as bad as the comment about the Polynesian looking like the Brady Bunch just because they went to Hawaii once.

It does not bother me if everyone does not want to go to the Polynesian. More room for me.

Steve

 

[WilmaBud]

Well, I'm a child of the '70's too, and I think it looks 70's-ish. I think part of it is the earth tones. They were huge in the seventies. Brown was a big color back then. I bet if the Poly were being built today, they would use different colors. I don't think it was "bad" to say the Poly looks "very 70's." it's an honest, valid opinion.

 

[donnamerry]

Having lived in Hawaii for 8 yrs this place is the next best thing to being there. It does give me the feel of "Hawaii" and I'm happy with it. I think they did a great job. It's just the "ambiance" of the entire resort that you either feel or you don't! Aloha!

 

[Tikiman]

I am not going to argue this anymore. Everyone is entitled to his or her opinion. I happen to believe it is a false judgment. I think if the Polynesian were built today it would and should look very similar. We had a big discussion about the themeing a while back.

http://198.65.131.237/showthread.php?s=&threadid=182742

They went through much research on Polynesian culture and the décor is reflective of many of the Polynesian islands (not just a Hawaii theme). Saying that earth tones were popular in the 70’s does not make the Polynesian look 70’s. The theme is supposed to be old Polynesia not modern day Hawaii. The colors and materials are what they would have used in the islands.

Read the link above and you will see why it looks the way it does. I am sure you will still disagree.

Steve

 

[CamColt]

Brady Bunch? ROFL!!!!

Donnamerry, Im so glad you posted that! For my honeymoon I wanted to go to Hawaii(not WDW, gasp). DH wanted to do a cruise. He convinced me to do the cruise by saying we could go to WDW too. The only way I would agree to that was if we stayed at the Polynesian, hoping to get some of the Hawaiin feel. Glad to know I was close.

 

[donnamerry]

CamColt,
If Hawaii interests you then you did the right thing staying at the Poly. You will enjoy the polynesian, Hawaii 'feel' and also enjoy being at WDW at the same time! I call this the "best of both worlds"! BTW, congratulations!

 

[mirlow]

This will be our 4th trip to WDW. Every trip we stay at the Polynesian. I want to stay somewhere else, but we just can't do it (we did stay 2 nights at ASMO in Jan). I even like most of the other resorts from what I have seen, but they just don't offer the same amenities that the Polynesian offers to our family. I'm sure once our children get older we will venture out!
I love the location. I love feeling like we are staying where there is a lot of action going on. You can see the MK and the GF and CR resorts
You can't beat the transportation. You have both monorails in walking distance and you can take the boat to and from the MK. We spend most of our time at the MK so this is important. We can stroll right on the monorail and head back for a nap
I love how casual the GCH is. I love the sound and the smell of the waterfall. Many resorts to me have rather boring lobbies
I think both restuarants are very good.'Ohana's is a must for us
I enjoy the music on the grounds and when the CM's smile and say "Aloha"
I love the foliage on the grounds. It's so relaxing to walk around
I love the beach, my kids love the beach and what about those hammocks
We think the pool is great. My favorite is the zero-entry. The slide is a little fast, but my dd loves it. The pool is open late even in the off season, and it won't close because of a convention. We like to watch the fireworks from the pool at night
The room size is great. I like that they don't put food out or other items for sale in our room. That's all I need is an expensive snack bill! I am probably in the minority here, but I like that the sinks our in the bathrooms. I can get ready in the morning while my kids are still sleeping.
Our favorite reason why we always stay at the Polynesian is because of their concierge. There are many reasons why that is our favorite but that is another discussion http://www.disboards.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=75652.
I realize that many people our put off by the theme, but as my dh and Tikiman always say "more room for us

 

[JayCT]

I think the reason everyone says the Poly looks dark and dated is because the walls in all the other hotels are painted stark white or light biege. This gives the allusion of brightness and newness. Any decorator will tell you this. Personally I think white and beige are boring and ugly, but that is what most people want. From what I have seen of the rooms in the newer hotels, they look like those in any hotel in any city across the country. If that is what you want when you visit DW, fine. We will be off to the Poly in a month and can't wait!