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

[brergnat]

Hello fellow Poly fans,
Please excuse me for this is my first try at posting and I have no idea if I am doing it right. We have a poly garden/club level room booked for August as room only ( with AAA rate-15% ). I thought maybe when the AP rates were released that I would look into it but I called Disney to have them price out the same room for May and it was only about a 10% savings. I thought the deluxe resorts were more like 30%. Any ideas? Thank you
Kathy

I've heard that, lately, Disney has become pretty stingy with the AP discounts. This is a major reason why I decided NOT to consider buying an AP for our trip in May 2009. Seems like the extra money spent over a 5 day park hopper is not going to be worth it in discounts. The AAA discount is better than the AP for this year...

 

[senecabeach]

Originally Posted by polyforme
Hello fellow Poly fans,
Please excuse me for this is my first try at posting and I have no idea if I am doing it right. We have a poly garden/club level room booked for August as room only ( with AAA rate-15% ). I thought maybe when the AP rates were released that I would look into it but I called Disney to have them price out the same room for May and it was only about a 10% savings. I thought the deluxe resorts were more like 30%. Any ideas?

I've heard that, lately, Disney has become pretty stingy with the AP discounts. This is a major reason why I decided NOT to consider buying an AP for our trip in May 2009. Seems like the extra money spent over a 5 day park hopper is not going to be worth it in discounts. The AAA discount is better than the AP for this year...

I don't agree...its all in the timing..
There are only a certain amount of rooms available to be discounted and the timing of your call is important. I would suggest calling again in a few days or next week...since...they add both resorts & rooms as time goes on.

In Oct, I called at least 6 times..at first there were NO discounts at delux resorts...then yes CR..not Poly...then Poly.. and wound up getting "AP room only" discounts..totalling at least $100. per night.. at the CR and Poly for my split stays.

I have, so far, always gotten a 40% AP discount for room only stays. As example I have a 40% AP room only PLC ressie for May for 5 nights and got a total of $536. "AP room only" discount. AP discounts are always better than any other.

 

[padisneylover]

I would just like to add as well that AAA discounts are also not avaliable at all resorts at all levels all the time. For instance I booked RPC level from the
8th of December through the 18th and there is no AAA discounts avaliable so I took an AP in hopes that they will become avaliable. There was also no AAA discounts for this same time period at that level 2 months ago when I tried. Yet in May of 2007 I got a nice discount at that level. So just because you have AAA will not mean necessarily that there will be a discount avaliable.

 

[polyforme]

Thanks to all for your advice!!!! I was so excited to have some answers and I don't feel totally lost in making the reservations now. I will stick with my AAA discount and every so often call about the AP rooms available.
Also does anyone have any thought to getting the dining plan now that you can get it with the AP ressie. I don't know if it will be worth it if we are staying at club level and have booked several signature rest.
Thanks again
Kathy

 

[jenn-n-okla]

Does anyone know if Poly has the same shampoo as POP, Music & Sports or is it "fancy, nicer" shampoo? This will determine if I pack enough for 5 people or if I will just use theirs. The ones at the POP last year just tangled my DD's age11 hair so I was glad I had brought ours from home. I do know that the toilet paper at Poly is better than at the value resorts.
Jenn

 

[senecabeach]

Thanks to all for your advice!!!! I was so excited to have some answers and I don't feel totally lost in making the reservations now. I will stick with my AAA discount and every so often call about the AP rooms available.
Also does anyone have any thought to getting the dining plan now that you can get it with the AP ressie. I don't know if it will be worth it if we are staying at club level and have booked several signature rest.
Thanks again
Kathy

Kathy...
Different family needs dictate wether to do DDP or not.

I don't use the DDP (which is a cost of $39. per adult, per day + kids cost). Its too much food for me and not worth the $$ since I dont expect to be paying $39. per day for food. Also some restaurants are 2 credits.

I do the DDE card(Disney Dining Experience), which costs me $60. per year with an AP and 1 card is good for up to 10 people in your party, which is a 20% discount on table services, including alcohol. I will always have at least 1 table service meal daily.
Throughout the years I have tracked my individual savings with the DDE and the minimum I have saved, on a 9 day trip, was $189. (me only). So...it works for me!!

5 days of my stay this year will be consierge and with that..yes there will be enough included for breakfast and snacks and the next 15 days of my stay will be in my DVC, so some meals will be in my unit and the DDE takes care of the ADR's.

Good luck in whatever decision you make.

 

[WickedWench]

Does anyone know if Poly has the same shampoo as POP, Music & Sports or is it "fancy, nicer" shampoo? This will determine if I pack enough for 5 people or if I will just use theirs. The ones at the POP last year just tangled my DD's age11 hair so I was glad I had brought ours from home. I do know that the toilet paper at Poly is better than at the value resorts.
Jenn

I don't know what they use at POP, but at the Poly they use ~H2O+ Bath Aquatics’. Just enter it in google if you want more info on their products.

 

[polyforme]

Thank you senecabeach for all the advice. I had no idea there was a DDE card you can purchase so if we go the AP route then that is what I will probably do. Thanks again!!!!
Kathy
Boston,Ma

 

[MsStinkerBelle]

I don't know what they use at POP, but at the Poly they use ~H2O+ Bath Aquatics’. Just enter it in google if you want more info on their products.

Pop has an H20+ formula for the Shampoo/Conditioner in a bottle. The H20 Aquatics line at the Poly is definitely much nicer as the Shampoo and Conditioner are in separate bottles plus the formula is richer. My hair is pretty coarse so I'm always asking Housekeeping for extra conditioner.

 

[CinderellyCinderelly]

I loooove H2O products! I have a friend who works for them and so I always get samples and end up loving everything!

Also, I took a nap this afternoon and had a dream that we arrived at the Poly and that my room was TERRIBLE! It was like right next to the jungle cruise ride or something and there were kids screaming EVERYWHERE! And then I felt terrible because I am the one who practically forced my family to try the place instead of the usual GF or YC!! I hope this doesn't really happen next week when we arrive!!

 

[packerbeth]

Does anyone know if Poly has the same shampoo as POP, Music & Sports or is it "fancy, nicer" shampoo? This will determine if I pack enough for 5 people or if I will just use theirs. The ones at the POP last year just tangled my DD's age11 hair so I was glad I had brought ours from home. I do know that the toilet paper at Poly is better than at the value resorts.
Jenn

The deluxe version of toiletries is indeed nicer than the Values. I still have some left over from our January 2007 trip to the Beach Club, and I take it with me to the gym; it helps bring back the memories of our trip! If I were honest with myself, I would say that getting those toiletries (and not the ones at the moderates) is one of the reasons I upgraded from POR to the Poly! It's good stuff!

 

[brergnat]

Does everyone know that you can BUY those toiletries?

www.h2oplus.com

I actually bought some like the one they have at Disneyland's GCH. It's the same stuff they have at GF. I can't live without it! And, it reminds me of Disney.

 

[MsStinkerBelle]

Does everyone know that you can BUY those toiletries?

www.h2oplus.com

Sure can! Which is why I embedded the link to the H20+ site in my last post.

 

[Mousecat]

You can also order online at:

www.disneyresortcollection.com

 

[SeaSpray]

Hello fellow Polynesian resort fans

I haven't been on much lately because I've been dealing with health issues which actually would be causing me to want to postpone my May trip until the fall, if it weren't for the fact that our DAunt(75) has her heart set on this trip and I really don't want to disappoint her. Anyway, along with the health issues have been a lot of medical bills (not to mention the $700 brake job on my van last week! lol) which have eaten up a lot of vacation $$$ so just tonight I emailed our travel agent to see if she can switch us from lagoon concierge to garden concierge. It'll still be nice, right?? I know I'll REALLY miss that lagoon view, but there are much worse things in life than having to change from lagoon concierge to garden concierge at the Polynesian resort. lol I just wish I could change the entire trip to another time period, such as the fall, when I hopefully would be feeling better too, but I really just can't disappoint a wonderful old woman like that.

I love to read this thread and see that it's still going strong. Thanks to ALL of you who post here, whether it's to ask or answer a question.

I've been in a lot of pain, and have had little energy, but once I do hopefully feel better (I am the eternal optimist! lol), I'll start linking some of the longhouse reviews that I've read, over to the Index on Page 1.

Ok, to get this post back on track I'll ask a Polynesian resort question!

Those of you who've stayed garden concierge, which floor were you on, where was your room located, and what was your view? Not that it matters really, but I'm curious now Thanks!

 

[XxDisneyFan00xX]

I still have my Lemon H20 hand cream that I bought last may. Im afraid to use it all up before I go in December.

 

[CinderellyCinderelly]

Seaspray! I hope you are doing better. This thread you created has been so helpful to me and we leave next week. I can't wait to report back! I think your vacation will be fine, and if you have done lagoon view before then it will be worth it to try something new!

 

[DiznEeyore]

Hello fellow Polynesian resort fans

I haven't been on much lately because I've been dealing with health issues which actually would be causing me to want to postpone my May trip until the fall, if it weren't for the fact that our DAunt(75) has her heart set on this trip and I really don't want to disappoint her. Anyway, along with the health issues have been a lot of medical bills (not to mention the $700 brake job on my van last week! lol) which have eaten up a lot of vacation $$$ so just tonight I emailed our travel agent to see if she can switch us from lagoon concierge to garden concierge. It'll still be nice, right?? I know I'll REALLY miss that lagoon view, but there are much worse things in life than having to change from lagoon concierge to garden concierge at the Polynesian resort. lol I just wish I could change the entire trip to another time period, such as the fall, when I hopefully would be feeling better too, but I really just can't disappoint a wonderful old woman like that.

SeaSpray/Terry:

I just wanted to say I'm sorry you've been feeling badly and hope that things turn around so you can enjoy your trip in May! Even though we consider our family Poly vets, I've still gotten so much from the info you provide and just wanted to let you know we appreciate it (and you!)!

 

[brergnat]

You can also order online at:

www.disneyresortcollection.com

It's cheaper to order them from H20's site! They mark them up, when you compare ounce for ounce! Beware...

 

[brergnat]

SeaSpray,

Another thanks for this thread! Because of it, I booked at the Poly for May 2009 .

I'm sorry you've not been well. I hope you feel better soon.

Good luck "slumming it" on the Garden side of concierge with the other "common folk". I'm sure you'll have a great time regardless. There's always the lounge for the view.