The *NEW* Polynesian Resort FAQ thread - *2008*

[janiebegood]

Me TOO!

Picabo, your sig line makes me feel so much better about planning the next trip before I've even gone on the first one! When are you going in 2009? I'm hoping to book Dec. 12 - 19!

 

[MissyPooh5890]

Just wanted to share that I just booked our first trip to the Polynesian online for 7 nights in September '09. Hoping that "free dining" will be offered. Our family has always wanted to stay here and my husband is insisting on it this time (he's a keeper!). I requested the Tokelau building, upper floor.

Many thanks to all the posters on this thread - especially Seaspray.

 

[OneTreeHillAddict]

Nice pics!

 

[OneTreeHillAddict]

Bluewater - I know it is a lot to ask, but I sure would LOVE it if you could dig it out and let me know what to expect.

I am such a planner, that I like to know as much before I get there!


thank you thank you thank you

Julia....I'm just like you! I want to know everything before I go. This campfire sounds really cool! The kids would love that!

 

[jkstewart1800]

sure just PM me

 

[lustergirl]

For everyone that has stayed club level:

What are you thoughts, likes, dislikes about the lounge?

 

[Disneynut4ever]

What is the best building for getting a nice garden view -- without having all the plants right outside our patio/balcony? I really want my DHubby and I to be able to sit on the balcony and look out at a nice view. I don't want to sit out looking directly at plants. I think it might make be claustophobic.

What building(s) should I request to maybe avoid this? Would just requesting a 3rd floor balcony anywhere do the trick?

 

[Disneynut4ever]

I heard that September is "love bug season." Is this correct? If so, will there be too many on and around the balcony to sit and relax?

 

[Disuser]

We have not been to Disney World since Epcot was built. We are going to be staying at the Poly. Can anyone tell me if the monorail runs to Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studio? If not do you take a bus? Also does the monorail run downtown or is it a bus?
Thanks so much!

 

[MinnieMom]

We have not been to Disney World since Epcot was built. We are going to be staying at the Poly. Can anyone tell me if the monorail runs to Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studio? If not do you take a bus? Also does the monorail run downtown or is it a bus?
Thanks so much!

The monorail does not run to AK or HS. You do have to take a bus to AK, HS, and Downtown Disney.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

For everyone that has stayed club level:

What are you thoughts, likes, dislikes about the lounge?

My family and I thought the lounge was great because it had a lot of tables, great view of the Magic Kingdom and you can take the stairs from any floor to get there so no needing to use the elevator. As for any dislikes I can't think of them.

 

[DiznEeyore]

What is the best building for getting a nice garden view -- without having all the plants right outside our patio/balcony? I really want my DHubby and I to be able to sit on the balcony and look out at a nice view. I don't want to sit out looking directly at plants. I think it might make be claustophobic.

What building(s) should I request to maybe avoid this? Would just requesting a 3rd floor balcony anywhere do the trick?

It's hard to say, not knowing where the Poly groundskeepers have been doing maintenance. I mean, realistically, there can be palm branches in front of your room one day and none the next.

Last year we were in Rapa Nui and had a 3rd floor room that overlooked the grounds (the other side of the building overlooked the building entrance and then the parking lot beyond). Here is our view:

From inside the room

Out on the balcony

Looking to the left towards Tokelau

We thought it was a great spot -- lovely and kind of private, but we didn't feel closed in at all.

 

[nancyjo1998]

I heard that September is "love bug season." Is this correct? If so, will there be too many on and around the balcony to sit and relax?

What are these love bugs that I am starting to here about? Havent heard of them until the last month or so. I saw a picture from from OP cant remember where but there was an abundance of them. Do they bite, do they fly? I am not a big bug fan so any info will be helpful

 

[ppan77]

I need help from Poly lovers on which longhouse to request!! We are staying at the Poly in Jan. for 6 nights in a Garden View room and have two small children ds3 and dd9months. Being close to the pool isnt that important since I dont know if weather will be warm enough (it wasnt last Jan brrr), also thought a bottom floor would be nice for kids to play outside, but want to be near GCH and monorail. Are the elevators fast to get down to the first floor or should I just request to be close to GCH?

 

[Disneynut4ever]

It's hard to say, not knowing where the Poly groundskeepers have been doing maintenance. I mean, realistically, there can be palm branches in front of your room one day and none the next.

Last year we were in Rapa Nui and had a 3rd floor room that overlooked the grounds (the other side of the building overlooked the building entrance and then the parking lot beyond). Here is our view:

From inside the room

Out on the balcony

Looking to the left towards Tokelau

We thought it was a great spot -- lovely and kind of private, but we didn't feel closed in at all.

That view looks very nice. I saw some pictures where it seemed the foilage surrounded the balcony -- or maybe it was a patio and that's why it looked so closed in. Do you think just asking for a 3rd floor balcony anywhere would be okay?

 

[shyjade]

What are these love bugs that I am starting to here about? Havent heard of them until the last month or so. I saw a picture from from OP cant remember where but there was an abundance of them. Do they bite, do they fly? I am not a big bug fan so any info will be helpful

You can Google "love bugs" for the specifics, but in a nutshell:
They are black bugs which do NOT bite. However, they spend a lot of time, um, "loving"...you will usually see 2 attached so it looks like they have 2 heads...and yes, they do fly, and have no problem "taking care of business" on humans.

Lovebug season tends to be May & September, with September being worse. They like light colored clothing. They will NOT harm you, but they tend to be "everywhere"....And they are nearly impossible to get off the front of your car/windshield.

They were super bad when we were there Sept. 06 and no, we couldn't go out on the balcony (at AKL) because when we opened the door, they'd get into our room. And quite honestly, all you could hear was "crunch, crunch" when stepping onto the balcony (the sound of stepping on them and squishing them...they were that bad). The good news is they don't last all month, and we noticed a big improvement during the 4 days we were there.

Are they bad enough to keep us from going that time of year again? Nope, the heat takes care of that for us. I knew what to expect with the lovebugs (used to live in FL as a kid - I remember they would stick to our tanning oil when we were at the beach, so we'd have them ALL over us, but they don't bite, honestly) so I warned my DD8 about them before we went. She didn't like them, but she didn't freak out like some other guests did, who didn't know what they were.

Here are a few photos I took...

Bus stop railing at Epcot:

DD8 "cutting up" the bugs with her fan. See the black splotches on the ground? Those are squished lovebugs (not from her fan, but just from being stepped on by guests).

 

[shyjade]

Yes! We just returned last night. There was definitely a campfire on the beach in the evening. Smores available for purchase. They newsletter they gave us at check-in said "come sing your heart out" - or something like that. We didnt make it. Were always in the parks. I think i brought the schedule home. Want me to dig it out? Still haven't unpacked.

Yes please!!

 

[lustergirl]

for some reason the lovebugs are attracted to the color white. They will sworm your white socks and/or white shoes.

 

[DiznEeyore]

That view looks very nice. I saw some pictures where it seemed the foilage surrounded the balcony -- or maybe it was a patio and that's why it looked so closed in. Do you think just asking for a 3rd floor balcony anywhere would be okay?

I don't see why not. You might end up without any foliage, but if that's okay, you should be set!

 

[DiznEeyore]

What are these love bugs that I am starting to here about? Havent heard of them until the last month or so. I saw a picture from from OP cant remember where but there was an abundance of them. Do they bite, do they fly? I am not a big bug fan so any info will be helpful

I agree that the love bugs can seem gross, but at least they don't bite. The ones I have trouble with are the no-seeums. On one trip, I forgot to use bug spray one night and the next day I woke up with huge bites all over my legs (I had like 2 dozen) and apparently I'd been scratching in my sleep 'cuz several were large and pulsating. One literally covered my entire kneecap.

We went to Walgreen's offsite and showed the pharmacist, and he set me up with hydrocortisone cream and Benadryl! Those suckers took two weeks to go away and it was miserable.

So if you have trouble with bugs -- don't forget the bug spray!!!!!!