The *ALL NEW* Polynesian Resort FAQ thread - *APRIL 2009*

[DisneyDreamer2]

Just back from 5 amazing nights at the Poly. I did online check in, but there was no line at all when we arrived at 1230am! LOL. We had a wonderful cast member give us our leis and our packet was completely ready. My requests were all met and we had a beautiful room in Tokelau. Our room was on the second floor a few rooms down from the elevator towards the lagoon. We faced the beautiful gardens between Tahiti and Rapa Nui. It was filled with blooming gardenias and the scent was heavenly. If I was on the far end of my balcony I could see the lagoon from my chair. At night the view was filled flickering tiki torches and was absolutely magical.

I mentioned how much I loved the gardenias the next morning when I was picking up my luau tickets at the front desk. Starting that night we recieved turn down service that included a gardenia scented linen spray. Our room smelled so amazing every evening when we returned. Loved it!

The tahiti beach was empty every afternoon. I would find myself in the hammock on the desserted beach, under the palm trees watching the castle and ferry as I dozed off for an afternoon nap. That is what my dreams are made of.

The boat launch ran every 10-12 minutes. they had two boats going and it was always faster than the monorail. They only had ONE resort monorail going the few times we took it. If we barely missed it, it would be a long wait and sure enough it was the same color monorail when it came back around. Our room was a short walk to the TTC to catch the Epcot monorail which was awesome. Boat launch to MK and walk to TTC to Epcot monorail made transportation fun and easy. Busses were shared with Contempory and Grand Floridian so they weren't that fast or efficicent, but they got us where we needed to go.

Volcano Pool was much colder than the quiet pool, but the slide was awesome. Got a few virgin pina colavas and and made huge dolewhips to enjoy pool side. Love it!

We also did the Luau which we loved! Many people complain about the corny story line but it made the show for our family. My mother was raised in hawaii but moved to the mainland in her late teens. When Aunty Winnie was talking about how you never forget your Hawaiian roots and Hawaii is always a part of who you are and then the girl does that special dance, my mom just cried and cried. The dancers were fantastic, the fire dancer amazing and the food was suprisingly very good. We were category one seats and were in the second row. It is definatley worth getting category one. the category 3 seats are waaay in the back on the second level.

I'll download my pics and post them later. Loved the Polynesian! Especially naps on the beach and the torch lit grounds at night. We did watch wishes from the tahiti beach and the music is played from the nearby TTC so we did hear the music along with it. The electrical water pageant was at the same time as wishes (9pm) and seemed to stop directly in front of the main beach for those who want a good view of it. It went dark before passing the tahiti beach.

Any questions, please ask. We will definately be back!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Just back from 5 amazing nights at the Poly. I did online check in, but there was no line at all when we arrived at 1230am! LOL. We had a wonderful cast member give us our leis and our packet was completely ready. My requests were all met and we had a beautiful room in Tokelau. Our room was on the second floor a few rooms down from the elevator towards the lagoon. We faced the beautiful gardens between Tahiti and Rapa Nui. It was filled with blooming gardenias and the scent was heavenly. If I was on the far end of my balcony I could see the lagoon from my chair. At night the view was filled flickering tiki torches and was absolutely magical.

I mentioned how much I loved the gardenias the next morning when I was picking up my luau tickets at the front desk. Starting that night we recieved turn down service that included a gardenia scented linen spray. Our room smelled so amazing every evening when we returned. Loved it!

The tahiti beach was empty every afternoon. I would find myself in the hammock on the desserted beach, under the palm trees watching the castle and ferry as I dozed off for an afternoon nap. That is what my dreams are made of.

The boat launch ran every 10-12 minutes. they had two boats going and it was always faster than the monorail. They only had ONE resort monorail going the few times we took it. If we barely missed it, it would be a long wait and sure enough it was the same color monorail when it came back around. Our room was a short walk to the TTC to catch the Epcot monorail which was awesome. Boat launch to MK and walk to TTC to Epcot monorail made transportation fun and easy. Busses were shared with Contempory and Grand Floridian so they weren't that fast or efficicent, but they got us where we needed to go.

Volcano Pool was much colder than the quiet pool, but the slide was awesome. Got a few virgin pina colavas and and made huge dolewhips to enjoy pool side. Love it!

We also did the Luau which we loved! Many people complain about the corny story line but it made the show for our family. My mother was raised in hawaii but moved to the mainland in her late teens. When Aunty Winnie was talking about how you never forget your Hawaiian roots and Hawaii is always a part of who you are and then the girl does that special dance, my mom just cried and cried. The dancers were fantastic, the fire dancer amazing and the food was suprisingly very good. We were category one seats and were in the second row. It is definatley worth getting category one. the category 3 seats are waaay in the back on the second level.

I'll download my pics and post them later. Loved the Polynesian! Especially naps on the beach and the torch lit grounds at night. We did watch wishes from the tahiti beach and the music is played from the nearby TTC so we did hear the music along with it. The electrical water pageant was at the same time as wishes (9pm) and seemed to stop directly in front of the main beach for those who want a good view of it. It went dark before passing the tahiti beach.

Any questions, please ask. We will definately be back!

Thanks for posting your review and I can not wait to see your pictures.

 

[DisneyDreamer2]

Also wanted to mention that i had no problem getting the Ohana dessert at Kona. It was only 5.50! And that includes the bread pudding, ice cream and bananas foster sauce. Couldnt get reservations at all for Kona or Ohana before the trip, but easily got it as a walk up with only a 10 minute wait. Got the Tonga Toast at Captain Cooks each morning and found that a side of scrambled eggs (only 2.50 for a large portion) really helps balance the sweetness. splitting the Tonga Toast and eggs is a great and inexpensive breakfast for two. And so great to take back to the room and enjoy on the balcony.

 

[dfarner]

I can't wait to try one of the famous Dole Whips that I've read so much about. Do they have it in the Club lounge or just Captain Cooks? What about the pool bar?

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I can't wait to try one of the famous Dole Whips that I've read so much about. Do they have it in the Club lounge or just Captain Cooks? What about the pool bar?

They are only available at Captain Cooks.

 

[Sphyrna]

Just back from 5 amazing nights at the Poly. I did online check in, but there was no line at all when we arrived at 1230am! LOL. We had a wonderful cast member give us our leis and our packet was completely ready. My requests were all met and we had a beautiful room in Tokelau. Our room was on the second floor a few rooms down from the elevator towards the lagoon. We faced the beautiful gardens between Tahiti and Rapa Nui. It was filled with blooming gardenias and the scent was heavenly. If I was on the far end of my balcony I could see the lagoon from my chair. At night the view was filled flickering tiki torches and was absolutely magical.

I mentioned how much I loved the gardenias the next morning when I was picking up my luau tickets at the front desk. Starting that night we recieved turn down service that included a gardenia scented linen spray. Our room smelled so amazing every evening when we returned. Loved it!

The tahiti beach was empty every afternoon. I would find myself in the hammock on the desserted beach, under the palm trees watching the castle and ferry as I dozed off for an afternoon nap. That is what my dreams are made of.

The boat launch ran every 10-12 minutes. they had two boats going and it was always faster than the monorail. They only had ONE resort monorail going the few times we took it. If we barely missed it, it would be a long wait and sure enough it was the same color monorail when it came back around. Our room was a short walk to the TTC to catch the Epcot monorail which was awesome. Boat launch to MK and walk to TTC to Epcot monorail made transportation fun and easy. Busses were shared with Contempory and Grand Floridian so they weren't that fast or efficicent, but they got us where we needed to go.

Volcano Pool was much colder than the quiet pool, but the slide was awesome. Got a few virgin pina colavas and and made huge dolewhips to enjoy pool side. Love it!

We also did the Luau which we loved! Many people complain about the corny story line but it made the show for our family. My mother was raised in hawaii but moved to the mainland in her late teens. When Aunty Winnie was talking about how you never forget your Hawaiian roots and Hawaii is always a part of who you are and then the girl does that special dance, my mom just cried and cried. The dancers were fantastic, the fire dancer amazing and the food was suprisingly very good. We were category one seats and were in the second row. It is definatley worth getting category one. the category 3 seats are waaay in the back on the second level.

I'll download my pics and post them later. Loved the Polynesian! Especially naps on the beach and the torch lit grounds at night. We did watch wishes from the tahiti beach and the music is played from the nearby TTC so we did hear the music along with it. The electrical water pageant was at the same time as wishes (9pm) and seemed to stop directly in front of the main beach for those who want a good view of it. It went dark before passing the tahiti beach.

Any questions, please ask. We will definately be back!

Sounds like you had a great trip! Thanks for the review!!

 

[lissiesmum]

Hi guys, we're back!

We had an amazing vacation, and it was way beyond my expectations. We arrived at MCO 15 minutes early and ME checkin was fast and only waited about 10 mins for our bus to arrive. We got to the Poly by noon and there was no line at checkin. I was called over and I started to ask the CM if it was at all possible to get some kind of side view of the lagoon. He said, sorry it's not possible because you've been upgraded....to garden view concierge! I stood there dumbfounded because I didn't really know what concierge was. He explained it briefly, where Hawaii was, and that we'd be on the 3rd floor overlooking the quiet pool. So far, sounded great! Our room wasn't ready yet so he gave me a number to check back with, and we walked to Capt cooks for lunch and ate by the pool. I ordered the Hawaiian flatbread. Was just ok. We walked around and headed over to Hawaii to check out the concierge lounge where we were in awe over the view of the beach/castle! We indulged in some cookies, popcorn and that delicious orange/guava/passion juice and watched the boats come and go for a bit. Our room was ready at 1:30. We were so excited to see our view. We walked in to our room, 3521, and ran to open the curtains and...we had a tree view! Literally, all you could see was the giant tree and it's leaves/branches. I was disappointed at first, and almost went back and asked to skip concierge to get a room with a better view but DD was tired and she just wanted to rest and watch some TV. I'll have to post a pic later. I would definitely post it on the "worst room view" picture thread. That said, though, I grew to like the privacy and it kept our room cool and kept the sun out during the hottest time of the day. Every time we wanted a good view, we'd walk down the hall to the lounge and look out there

A few negatives about the building (not sure if it's like this in all longhouses). I had read about poor water pressure and I can confirm it is indeed poor. It literally dribbled out and it took me twice as long in the shower to get my hair completely wet. My only other complaint is noise. The room itself was quiet. I never heard people on either side talking, nor did I hear a TV set blaring. BUT...I was amazed at the inconsiderate people talking like it was twelve in the afternoon instead of twelve in the morning. Every night, I would be woken up again and again by children yelling, running, and people just talking like it was daytime. I always made sure that DD and I walked quietly, did not talk in the hallways, and I didn't slam my door shut if it was late. I guess that would happen at any hotel, but the noise just traveled and I didn't have a good night sleep for a week (and this was over the noise machine I had playing at full blast). I am a very light sleeper, so for others, the hallway noise might not be an issue, but I was exhausted and unrested when it was time to get up every day. But, these were my only two issues and I did not let it ruin my vacation, or my love for the Poly.

Ok, on to the good things (and I may have to quit any moment when DD wakes from her nap...she's still so tired from the trip!) The Poly itself is sooooo beautiful and relaxing. The grounds are so tranquil and the flowers smelled so fragrant. I loved walking at night with the torches lit. We spent many days frolicking on the beach, swinging in the hammocks and swings, and just playing in the sand and water. We swam in the volcano pool during the day, and the quiet pool at night(the quiet pool was much warmer than the volcano pool at night for some reason). That was our nightly tradition. We'd watch the fireworks from the concierge lounge while eating some treats, then head down to the quiet pool for a swim. The fireworks were so beautiful and I love how they pipe in the music into the lounge. We caught the EWP on Sunday night when it was not on the same time as the fireworks. We saw it every night, but when the fireworks were on at the same time, they did not play the accompanying EWP music. It was nice to catch it once by itself

I am forever spoiled by the monorail, although the entire week there were "technical difficulties" and "safety checks" being performed and we almost missed our CM ressies one night because we were stuck on the monorail for 20 minutes between the MK and CR. (on a side note, we also got stuck on Pirates of the Caribbean for 20 mins with all the lights on because the ride was experiencing technical difficulties!) more later, DD's awake

 

[DisneyDreamer2]

LOL that you talk about being woken up by others noise. On our first morning we were woken by two loud children who sounded like they were literally on our balcony. I couldnt believe how thin the walls were, at least until i finally got up and opened up our curtains. My mom had left our balcony door open all night! Those kids we heard literally were right next door on their balcony. After we learned to close thge balcony door at night we had no more noise issues.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Hi guys, we're back!

We had an amazing vacation, and it was way beyond my expectations. We arrived at MCO 15 minutes early and ME checkin was fast and only waited about 10 mins for our bus to arrive. We got to the Poly by noon and there was no line at checkin. I was called over and I started to ask the CM if it was at all possible to get some kind of side view of the lagoon. He said, sorry it's not possible because you've been upgraded....to garden view concierge! I stood there dumbfounded because I didn't really know what concierge was. He explained it briefly, where Hawaii was, and that we'd be on the 3rd floor overlooking the quiet pool. So far, sounded great! Our room wasn't ready yet so he gave me a number to check back with, and we walked to Capt cooks for lunch and ate by the pool. I ordered the Hawaiian flatbread. Was just ok. We walked around and headed over to Hawaii to check out the concierge lounge where we were in awe over the view of the beach/castle! We indulged in some cookies, popcorn and that delicious orange/guava/passion juice and watched the boats come and go for a bit. Our room was ready at 1:30. We were so excited to see our view. We walked in to our room, 3521, and ran to open the curtains and...we had a tree view! Literally, all you could see was the giant tree and it's leaves/branches. I was disappointed at first, and almost went back and asked to skip concierge to get a room with a better view but DD was tired and she just wanted to rest and watch some TV. I'll have to post a pic later. I would definitely post it on the "worst room view" picture thread. That said, though, I grew to like the privacy and it kept our room cool and kept the sun out during the hottest time of the day. Every time we wanted a good view, we'd walk down the hall to the lounge and look out there

A few negatives about the building (not sure if it's like this in all longhouses). I had read about poor water pressure and I can confirm it is indeed poor. It literally dribbled out and it took me twice as long in the shower to get my hair completely wet. My only other complaint is noise. The room itself was quiet. I never heard people on either side talking, nor did I hear a TV set blaring. BUT...I was amazed at the inconsiderate people talking like it was twelve in the afternoon instead of twelve in the morning. Every night, I would be woken up again and again by children yelling, running, and people just talking like it was daytime. I always made sure that DD and I walked quietly, did not talk in the hallways, and I didn't slam my door shut if it was late. I guess that would happen at any hotel, but the noise just traveled and I didn't have a good night sleep for a week (and this was over the noise machine I had playing at full blast). I am a very light sleeper, so for others, the hallway noise might not be an issue, but I was exhausted and unrested when it was time to get up every day. But, these were my only two issues and I did not let it ruin my vacation, or my love for the Poly.

Ok, on to the good things (and I may have to quit any moment when DD wakes from her nap...she's still so tired from the trip!) The Poly itself is sooooo beautiful and relaxing. The grounds are so tranquil and the flowers smelled so fragrant. I loved walking at night with the torches lit. We spent many days frolicking on the beach, swinging in the hammocks and swings, and just playing in the sand and water. We swam in the volcano pool during the day, and the quiet pool at night(the quiet pool was much warmer than the volcano pool at night for some reason). That was our nightly tradition. We'd watch the fireworks from the concierge lounge while eating some treats, then head down to the quiet pool for a swim. The fireworks were so beautiful and I love how they pipe in the music into the lounge. We caught the EWP on Sunday night when it was not on the same time as the fireworks. We saw it every night, but when the fireworks were on at the same time, they did not play the accompanying EWP music. It was nice to catch it once by itself

I am forever spoiled by the monorail, although the entire week there were "technical difficulties" and "safety checks" being performed and we almost missed our CM ressies one night because we were stuck on the monorail for 20 minutes between the MK and CR. (on a side note, we also got stuck on Pirates of the Caribbean for 20 mins with all the lights on because the ride was experiencing technical difficulties!) more later, DD's awake

Thanks for posting your review and even though the view in your room was not the best, congragulations on the upgrade.

 

[dfarner]

They are only available at Captain Cooks.

Thank you

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Thank you

You're welcome.

 

[BreezysMom]

Welcome back! I love the reviews.

 

[dfarner]

Hi guys, we're back!

We had an amazing vacation, and it was way beyond my expectations. We arrived at MCO 15 minutes early and ME checkin was fast and only waited about 10 mins for our bus to arrive. We got to the Poly by noon and there was no line at checkin. I was called over and I started to ask the CM if it was at all possible to get some kind of side view of the lagoon. He said, sorry it's not possible because you've been upgraded....to garden view concierge! I stood there dumbfounded because I didn't really know what concierge was. He explained it briefly, where Hawaii was, and that we'd be on the 3rd floor overlooking the quiet pool. So far, sounded great! Our room wasn't ready yet so he gave me a number to check back with, and we walked to Capt cooks for lunch and ate by the pool. I ordered the Hawaiian flatbread. Was just ok. We walked around and headed over to Hawaii to check out the concierge lounge where we were in awe over the view of the beach/castle! We indulged in some cookies, popcorn and that delicious orange/guava/passion juice and watched the boats come and go for a bit. Our room was ready at 1:30. We were so excited to see our view. We walked in to our room, 3521, and ran to open the curtains and...we had a tree view! Literally, all you could see was the giant tree and it's leaves/branches. I was disappointed at first, and almost went back and asked to skip concierge to get a room with a better view but DD was tired and she just wanted to rest and watch some TV. I'll have to post a pic later. I would definitely post it on the "worst room view" picture thread. That said, though, I grew to like the privacy and it kept our room cool and kept the sun out during the hottest time of the day. Every time we wanted a good view, we'd walk down the hall to the lounge and look out there

A few negatives about the building (not sure if it's like this in all longhouses). I had read about poor water pressure and I can confirm it is indeed poor. It literally dribbled out and it took me twice as long in the shower to get my hair completely wet. My only other complaint is noise. The room itself was quiet. I never heard people on either side talking, nor did I hear a TV set blaring. BUT...I was amazed at the inconsiderate people talking like it was twelve in the afternoon instead of twelve in the morning. Every night, I would be woken up again and again by children yelling, running, and people just talking like it was daytime. I always made sure that DD and I walked quietly, did not talk in the hallways, and I didn't slam my door shut if it was late. I guess that would happen at any hotel, but the noise just traveled and I didn't have a good night sleep for a week (and this was over the noise machine I had playing at full blast). I am a very light sleeper, so for others, the hallway noise might not be an issue, but I was exhausted and unrested when it was time to get up every day. But, these were my only two issues and I did not let it ruin my vacation, or my love for the Poly.

Ok, on to the good things (and I may have to quit any moment when DD wakes from her nap...she's still so tired from the trip!) The Poly itself is sooooo beautiful and relaxing. The grounds are so tranquil and the flowers smelled so fragrant. I loved walking at night with the torches lit. We spent many days frolicking on the beach, swinging in the hammocks and swings, and just playing in the sand and water. We swam in the volcano pool during the day, and the quiet pool at night(the quiet pool was much warmer than the volcano pool at night for some reason). That was our nightly tradition. We'd watch the fireworks from the concierge lounge while eating some treats, then head down to the quiet pool for a swim. The fireworks were so beautiful and I love how they pipe in the music into the lounge. We caught the EWP on Sunday night when it was not on the same time as the fireworks. We saw it every night, but when the fireworks were on at the same time, they did not play the accompanying EWP music. It was nice to catch it once by itself

I am forever spoiled by the monorail, although the entire week there were "technical difficulties" and "safety checks" being performed and we almost missed our CM ressies one night because we were stuck on the monorail for 20 minutes between the MK and CR. (on a side note, we also got stuck on Pirates of the Caribbean for 20 mins with all the lights on because the ride was experiencing technical difficulties!) more later, DD's awake

I was just wondering this morning if you and your daughter had a good trip. How exciting for your "gardenview" CL upgrade. I can't wait to see the picture and hear more about your trip.

 

[MsStinkerBelle]

I mentioned how much I loved the gardenias the next morning when I was picking up my luau tickets at the front desk. Starting that night we recieved turn down service that included a gardenia scented linen spray. Our room smelled so amazing every evening when we returned. Loved it!

Oh wow, that sounds absolutely lovely! Glad to hear you had such a wonderful trip...and piled it on where the Dole Whip was concerned.

 

[KSBelle]

Welcome Back DisneyDreamer2 and lissiesmun
Thanks for the trip reports. Can't wait to hear more and see your pics.
lissiesmum-Wow, an upgrade--everyone's dream even with a less than spectacular view.

 

[tinawv]

Hi guys, we're back!

We had an amazing vacation, and it was way beyond my expectations. We arrived at MCO 15 minutes early and ME checkin was fast and only waited about 10 mins for our bus to arrive. We got to the Poly by noon and there was no line at checkin. I was called over and I started to ask the CM if it was at all possible to get some kind of side view of the lagoon. He said, sorry it's not possible because you've been upgraded....to garden view concierge! I stood there dumbfounded because I didn't really know what concierge was. He explained it briefly, where Hawaii was, and that we'd be on the 3rd floor overlooking the quiet pool. So far, sounded great! Our room wasn't ready yet so he gave me a number to check back with, and we walked to Capt cooks for lunch and ate by the pool. I ordered the Hawaiian flatbread. Was just ok. We walked around and headed over to Hawaii to check out the concierge lounge where we were in awe over the view of the beach/castle! We indulged in some cookies, popcorn and that delicious orange/guava/passion juice and watched the boats come and go for a bit. Our room was ready at 1:30. We were so excited to see our view. We walked in to our room, 3521, and ran to open the curtains and...we had a tree view! Literally, all you could see was the giant tree and it's leaves/branches. I was disappointed at first, and almost went back and asked to skip concierge to get a room with a better view but DD was tired and she just wanted to rest and watch some TV. I'll have to post a pic later. I would definitely post it on the "worst room view" picture thread. That said, though, I grew to like the privacy and it kept our room cool and kept the sun out during the hottest time of the day. Every time we wanted a good view, we'd walk down the hall to the lounge and look out there

A few negatives about the building (not sure if it's like this in all longhouses). I had read about poor water pressure and I can confirm it is indeed poor. It literally dribbled out and it took me twice as long in the shower to get my hair completely wet. My only other complaint is noise. The room itself was quiet. I never heard people on either side talking, nor did I hear a TV set blaring. BUT...I was amazed at the inconsiderate people talking like it was twelve in the afternoon instead of twelve in the morning. Every night, I would be woken up again and again by children yelling, running, and people just talking like it was daytime. I always made sure that DD and I walked quietly, did not talk in the hallways, and I didn't slam my door shut if it was late. I guess that would happen at any hotel, but the noise just traveled and I didn't have a good night sleep for a week (and this was over the noise machine I had playing at full blast). I am a very light sleeper, so for others, the hallway noise might not be an issue, but I was exhausted and unrested when it was time to get up every day. But, these were my only two issues and I did not let it ruin my vacation, or my love for the Poly.

Ok, on to the good things (and I may have to quit any moment when DD wakes from her nap...she's still so tired from the trip!) The Poly itself is sooooo beautiful and relaxing. The grounds are so tranquil and the flowers smelled so fragrant. I loved walking at night with the torches lit. We spent many days frolicking on the beach, swinging in the hammocks and swings, and just playing in the sand and water. We swam in the volcano pool during the day, and the quiet pool at night(the quiet pool was much warmer than the volcano pool at night for some reason). That was our nightly tradition. We'd watch the fireworks from the concierge lounge while eating some treats, then head down to the quiet pool for a swim. The fireworks were so beautiful and I love how they pipe in the music into the lounge. We caught the EWP on Sunday night when it was not on the same time as the fireworks. We saw it every night, but when the fireworks were on at the same time, they did not play the accompanying EWP music. It was nice to catch it once by itself

I am forever spoiled by the monorail, although the entire week there were "technical difficulties" and "safety checks" being performed and we almost missed our CM ressies one night because we were stuck on the monorail for 20 minutes between the MK and CR. (on a side note, we also got stuck on Pirates of the Caribbean for 20 mins with all the lights on because the ride was experiencing technical difficulties!) more later, DD's awake

Thanks for the review and great upgrade. We will be there June 3, and are really getting excited for our trip. This will be our first stay at the Poly or a deluxe for that matter.

 

[MsStinkerBelle]

We got to the Poly by noon and there was no line at checkin. I was called over and I started to ask the CM if it was at all possible to get some kind of side view of the lagoon. He said, sorry it's not possible because you've been upgraded....to garden view concierge!

Congrats on the pixie dust/concierge upgrade you got! Wasn't it an amazing feeling? In my case I knew what concierge was but it didn't stop me from still looking 'stunned'. Isn't the lounge view amazing? Sorry to hear about the palm tree view from your room.

Oh, regarding the 'noise', we had that during our stay as well. It amazes me how inconsiderate some people can be that late at night but--that's an issue with hotels anywhere. I feel for you being a light sleeper. I'm a heavy sleeper so fireworks could go off outside and I wouldn't notice...

So glad to hear you guys enjoyed your trip! Did your DD get to use the Neverland Club at all?

 

[BCV23]

DisneyDreamer2, what a wonderful review. Interesting about only one monorail train running. I have never seen that. Aren't the launches fun?!

The story of your mother's reaction to the Luau brought tears to my eyes. The aloha spirit is very special. We haven't been to the Luau for many years...long before it became the present version. Perhaps it's time to return.

lissiesmum, glad your trip was beyond your expectations. What an amazing upgrade.

 

[tcolling]

We decided to do the Wildlife excursion that is offered to CL guests. We have not been to DAK yet so I think this will be the a great addition to our trip!

I did the conceirge extended wildlife safari two years ago and loved it. If you have the time, you may wish to schedule another day for seeing the Animal Kingdom.


It is great to have a leisurely tour of the wildlife areas, but the lines really build up for everything else. On our most recent trip without doing the backstage safari we were able to see much more of the other park areas.

Since you mentioned this is your first visit to AK, it may not hurt to schedule two mornings for it if your plans allow.

 

[tcolling]

I am forever spoiled by the monorail, although the entire week there were "technical difficulties" and "safety checks" being performed and we almost missed our CM ressies one night because we were stuck on the monorail for 20 minutes between the MK and CR. (on a side note, we also got stuck on Pirates of the Caribbean for 20 mins with all the lights on because the ride was experiencing technical difficulties!) more later, DD's awake

When we were there the week before Easter we twice had monorail issues. Once was at 7:50 in the morning going to Epcot. The monorail in front of us broke down and they had to dispatch the monorail tow truck. (It was somewhat interesting to see the tow vehicle pass us on the other monorail track.) The nice thing is that if you ever have difficulties like this, don't hesitate to ask a cast member for consideration. Once we disembarked at the Epcot monorail station I found a cast member who gave us a Pinnochio themed "no strings attached" certificate that let us use a fast pass line later in the day for the attraction of our choice.

The other monorail issue was after getting on at MK. The monorail sat there for several minutes before slowly moving forward.