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

[tete01830]

Can't wait! Leaving for WDW on Friday morning. We will be staying at the Polynesian from May 2 to May 11th and then transferring to the Yacht from May 11 to May 20th. I cannot wait to stay at the Polynesian. We have never stayed there before. I have heard great things about it. We are staying concierge and I am looking forward to the wonderful lounge I have heard so much about. We spend a good amount of time at our resort and I have wanted to stay there so I am glad we chose it this time!
I am just so excited and want to be there now!

WOW! I thought I was bad but you get the cake fellow Disser! 19 days!!!!Heaven!
We are doing the opposite as you! Staying YC Lagoon View Club Level from May 10-16 then Poly MK view to the 21st! I am excited because I have nevered stayed at the Poly before in all my trips! I will miss club level but I am hoping the view makes up for it! I am sure it will! Have a great trip and look for my Red Sox backpack with a Lime Green Mickey Head on it!

 

[padisneylover]

Can't wait! Leaving for WDW on Friday morning. We will be staying at the Polynesian from May 2 to May 11th and then transferring to the Yacht from May 11 to May 20th. I cannot wait to stay at the Polynesian. We have never stayed there before. I have heard great things about it. We are staying concierge and I am looking forward to the wonderful lounge I have heard so much about. We spend a good amount of time at our resort and I have wanted to stay there so I am glad we chose it this time!
I am just so excited and want to be there now!

We arrive CL the day after you do! Look for us. The couple with the husband with the cane and I should have a birthday button. We to spend a lot of time at the resort since my husband has dementia the parks can become over tiring for him.

 

[churchlady]

Have any of you taken advantage of this to stay at the Poly? I just joined AAA and hope the discount will make it worthwhile! We want to go to the Poly so badly , even if it takes a year of saving. Any advice on a split visit? Do you do budget first then deluxe or vice versa?

 

[BCV23]

Have any of you taken advantage of this to stay at the Poly? I just joined AAA and hope the discount will make it worthwhile! We want to go to the Poly so badly , even if it takes a year of saving. Any advice on a split visit? Do you do budget first then deluxe or vice versa?

We've often been able to get AAA rate at the Polynesian. I was often able to switch to an AP rate later though.

For split stays, I prefer to start out in a smaller room and then spread out in the larger room. Harder to go backwards.

Happy planning!

 

[MagicalEars]

Have any of you taken advantage of this to stay at the Poly? I just joined AAA and hope the discount will make it worthwhile! We want to go to the Poly so badly , even if it takes a year of saving. Any advice on a split visit? Do you do budget first then deluxe or vice versa?

Absolutely. Our upcoming stay in May (muhahaha...I love saying that, stay in May, it rhymes...hehe....I'm such a dork.) was booked using the AAA discount. Mind you it wasn't a HUGE savings, we saved around $300 for room only. If you went full package you would save a little bit more than that. We booked room only as we planned on picking up annual passes, but have since changed our mind....don't ask, my brain works in mysterious ways.

As far as split stays go, I think everyone will suggest going to a value first then onto the Poly. If you stay at the Poly first, you'll be highly disappointed with the value. Personally I could never do a split stay as I would do nothing but think about staying at the Poly the entire time I was at the value. Plus we don't do values....ever.

Also don't forget about all the other perks of AAA, things such as roadside assistance and discounts. In my area alone there are several stores that accept AAA discounts, it's their whole "show your card and save" thing. Now whether or not you remember to use the flippin card is another story. They also give you tour books, maps and Trip TiK which maps out your entire trip, turn by turn, for you. It's not as good as having a GPS, but it's not bad either, think of it as the stone age version of GPS.

 

[MagicalEars]

I also forgot to mention that I too booked the Poly photo shoot for May 14th. Of course I'll post back with the pics.

Also for those at the Poly between now and May 10th, you can get a free photo shoot done if you are a guest staying at the Poly. Don't know the exact details on this, but it was on their hold message when calling the Poly photopass number.

Speaking of pics, does anyone have any request for photos or information while I'm there? I'll be happy to snap pics of something that someone wanted to see or had a question about.

 

[jenn-n-okla]

Just curious what is the going rate for a mousekeeping tip? I don't want to be a cheepo but don't want to go overboard either.

 

[Crisgw]

I'm hoping that I don't switch my reservation again! I am really REALLY looking forward to the Poly! It's the resort I first wanted to stay at and finally ended up just going for it.
This is a great thread!

 

[jenn-n-okla]

Can't wait! Leaving for WDW on Friday morning. We will be staying at the Polynesian from May 2 to May 11th and then transferring to the Yacht from May 11 to May 20th. I cannot wait to stay at the Polynesian. We have never stayed there before. I have heard great things about it. We are staying concierge and I am looking forward to the wonderful lounge I have heard so much about. We spend a good amount of time at our resort and I have wanted to stay there so I am glad we chose it this time!
I am just so excited and want to be there now!

WOW! 19 days. I can't even fathom how much fun that would be. Now if I could just afford to stay that long that would be the ticket

 

[Poppinsme]

Just curious what is the going rate for a mousekeeping tip? I don't want to be a cheepo but don't want to go overboard either.

We gave $5.00 a day. And had great mousekeeping!

 

[jenn-n-okla]

We gave $5.00 a day. And had great mousekeeping!

We left $4/day last year at POP so I think $5/day at Poly will be good. I already made the envelopes from another persons link....sorry I forget which one.

 

[liznboys]

Have any of you taken advantage of this to stay at the Poly? I just joined AAA and hope the discount will make it worthwhile! We want to go to the Poly so badly , even if it takes a year of saving. Any advice on a split visit? Do you do budget first then deluxe or vice versa?

We currently have a AAA rate for our Poly stay this June. Of course an AP rate would be even better...

For a split stay I think ideally it's better to do the deluxe last, so you aren't "downgrading".

 

[RachelTori]

We currently have a AAA rate for our Poly stay this June. Of course an AP rate would be even better...

For a split stay I think ideally it's better to do the deluxe last, so you aren't "downgrading".

Hey there Liz!

I'm adding another vote for saving the Deluxe for last. A couple years ago, we stayed at YC first, then moved to CSR So now we know better!

 

[KELLY]

I so want to come up with the extra 1500.00 to upgrade to the poly. We are staying at POFq during free dining. Poly is my dream resort. We also own DVC so I have stayed almost every level of hotel. Except a monorail one. A girl can dream.

 

[liznboys]

Hey there Liz!

I'm adding another vote for saving the Deluxe for last. A couple years ago, we stayed at YC first, then moved to CSR So now we know better!

Hey Laura! I see you've got a Poly & SSR stay coming up, two of my favorite resorts!! We did the same split last year! We were first at SSR in a 2 br for 6 nights, then the Poly for 2 nights. We would have rather had the Poly part first (because we were doing the 2 br and then all of us in one room at the Poly...so a bit of shrinking down there. lol) but the way our dates fell and the points worked we had to do it that way. It ended up being fine though. We're staying at the Poly this June and then going home to SSR later this year!

 

[RachelTori]

Hey Laura! I see you've got a Poly & SSR stay coming up, two of my favorite resorts!! We did the same split last year! We were first at SSR in a 2 br for 6 nights, then the Poly for 2 nights. We would have rather had the Poly part first (because we were doing the 2 br and then all of us in one room at the Poly...so a bit of shrinking down there. lol) but the way our dates fell and the points worked we had to do it that way. It ended up being fine though. We're staying at the Poly this June and then going home to SSR later this year!

With my smaller family, we can make due with a Studio or 1-bedroom - we must stretch those points!! We'll be in a 1-bedroom, then move to Poly Club Level!

OT for a moment -- I can't believe your little guy is 2 already! (when we had that DisMeet, you only had 3 sons! ) I'm looking at the ages 8, 6, 4, 2........ I see a pattern!

Hope our paths will cross again one day at WDW!

 

[honeybee30]

Have any of you taken advantage of this to stay at the Poly? I just joined AAA and hope the discount will make it worthwhile! We want to go to the Poly so badly , even if it takes a year of saving. Any advice on a split visit? Do you do budget first then deluxe or vice versa?

I just saved $600 with AAA on our 10-night vaction package at the Poly in August, which means more souvenir money for me!!

 

[liznboys]

With my smaller family, we can make due with a Studio or 1-bedroom - we must stretch those points!! We'll be in a 1-bedroom, then move to Poly Club Level!

OT for a moment -- I can't believe your little guy is 2 already! (when we had that DisMeet, you only had 3 sons! ) I'm looking at the ages 8, 6, 4, 2........ I see a pattern!

Hope our paths will cross again one day at WDW!

Woohoo! You've got a wonderful trip planned!!

About the OT...I'll pm you...

 

[cutedisneygirly]

I just saved $600 with AAA on our 10-night vaction package at the Poly in August, which means more souvenir money for me!!

How many nights are you booked for? I really want to stay at the Poly for my Disneymoon, we are AAA members, and I am wondering how much they will save us for a 10 night trip.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Angel16]

It's $25 if you pre-purchase a PhotoPass CD (with proof) and $125 if you don't. They take pictures of your party around the Poly, GF or SS. They're not professional photographers, but it is a nice way to get a PhotoPass person to yourself for 20 or so minutes (the man I talked to yesterday said 30 minutes, but I've been seeing 20 posted elsewhere). There are different numbers to set up the appointments at different resorts. I posted the Poly number a few posts back, I think. I don't have it in front of me at the moment.

What a super great idea. I wish they would have started this when we did our big family surprise Nov/Dec 2006. So now I have to plan another trip for the entire family.