The Official Polynesian Resort FAQ thread!

[kaysmommie]

Tahiti does have two sinks and although having two of them would be nice, none of them help me when they're in the darn tub area.

I'd rather have one, and it be on the outer area. Are all of the other older resorts the same way?

I think the oldest resort I've stayed at has been POR, back when it was Dixie Landings.

Believe me I'm not thrilled with the sink being in the bathroom either. Especially with DH there. It will make getting me and the kids ready hard when he thinks he has to sit in there for a half hour

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Believe me I'm not thrilled with the sink being in the bathroom either. Especially with DH there. It will make getting me and the kids ready hard when he thinks he has to sit in there for a half hour

We must be married to the same man! He grabs whatever is handy - be it my Glamour, my Us, or the telephone book, and sits there for a half hour too.

 

[MickeyMaz]

OK, nuff said about Dad's Habits. I am going to WDW in the second week of december. Last time I was there was in 1976. Should I care which building my Garden View room is located in?

Thanks

 

[kaysmommie]

DasiyD, Ihave a question for you. I know you stayed in Samoa 3rd floor. How early did you check in to get that room? We requested Samoa 3rd floor but are not checking in until 1pm. Really hoping to get our request. Thanks in advance.

 

[DaisyD]

DasiyD, Ihave a question for you. I know you stayed in Samoa 3rd floor. How early did you check in to get that room? We requested Samoa 3rd floor but are not checking in until 1pm. Really hoping to get our request. Thanks in advance.

We always check in around noon. Sometimes we get what we request and other times not. I add our requests onto our reservation. I don't bother faxing. When I check in I reiterate what we are looking for. Good luck!

 

[suffolkprincess]

any word on the accuracy of MousePlanet's information that Captain Cook's will reopen in its usual location (with mugs I presume) on August 15?

I'd go right to your website but for same reason my computer here won't let me...

 

[Grumpy'n'Goofy]

FWIW, in his latest email update (sent out yesterday), Tikiman mentioned that there may be a soft opening of Captain Cook's in November.

 

[DaisyD]

any word on the accuracy of MousePlanet's information that Captain Cook's will reopen in its usual location (with mugs I presume) on August 15?

I'd go right to your website but for same reason my computer here won't let me...

The manager of CC's told me 3 weeks ago that they are trying for a December opening. I seriously doubt they will be open in August. I am going back in October and will not be expecting it to be open. I cant' wait to see it though!

 

[mrstbalt]

What is a soft opening??

 

[bamabelle]

OK, nuff said about Dad's Habits. I am going to WDW in the second week of december. Last time I was there was in 1976. Should I care which building my Garden View room is located in?

Thanks

Visit tikiman's site to see which rooms face where. We just returned from the Poly and were in Samoa, 2nd floor, quiet pool view. We honestely were not in the room enough to worry about the view. A really neat garden view room choice is Fiji, marina side or Luau Cove side. The LC side gives you an awesome view of the beach and GF wedding chapel. The marina view gives you a view towards the lagoon and volcano pool view. You really can't go wrong with any GV room. Samoa is a great, centrally located building that is clean, refurbished and quiet. At least we thought so!

 

[bamabelle]

DasiyD, Ihave a question for you. I know you stayed in Samoa 3rd floor. How early did you check in to get that room? We requested Samoa 3rd floor but are not checking in until 1pm. Really hoping to get our request. Thanks in advance.

We just returned from six days at the Poly and it was fantastic!! We requested by phone and fax Samoa 3rd floor, volcano side but we got Samoa 2nd floor, quite pool side. At first I was ticked, but after we got settled, it was fine. We were not in the room enough to enjoy the view so our location was great. If you are actually planning to sit on your balcony and people watch or whatever, you want to do all you can to get that location. But, if you are going to actually USE the volcano pool rather than look at it, any location in Samoa will be fantastic. We found that building to be the MOST centrally located on the property. At times it rained, we could walk through Nuie to get to the GCH and not get wet. It was also a short cut!! We would request Samoa again and not really care what floor or side we were on. You will love it no matter what!

 

[Angel16]

How long are the longhouses down for rehab? We are going to be at the Poly in late November and I am curious about Tahiti. Does anyone think it might be done by late November?

I know, just thinking if they started yesterday, that gives them about 3 1/2 months to complete it in time for Thanksgiving guest.

 

[DaisyD]

We just returned from six days at the Poly and it was fantastic!! We requested by phone and fax Samoa 3rd floor, volcano side but we got Samoa 2nd floor, quite pool side. At first I was ticked, but after we got settled, it was fine. We were not in the room enough to enjoy the view so our location was great. If you are actually planning to sit on your balcony and people watch or whatever, you want to do all you can to get that location. But, if you are going to actually USE the volcano pool rather than look at it, any location in Samoa will be fantastic. We found that building to be the MOST centrally located on the property. At times it rained, we could walk through Nuie to get to the GCH and not get wet. It was also a short cut!! We would request Samoa again and not really care what floor or side we were on. You will love it no matter what!

Now see, we have been on the quiet side of Samoa twice and thought it boring. Once we had a huge palm in front and we saw nothing. We are in the volcano pool every day for at least 3 hours but we still love sit on our balcony and enjoy the volcano pool view and most especially the lagoon that comes with that side. After getting the crummy view the second time we vowed never to stay on that side again even if it meant moving the next day. Also we cannot survive without a balcony at the Poly. We'll settle for a patio but for us we really enjoy sitting out there and listening to the sounds of the Poly.

 

[helenm29]

Has anyone stayed in the Hawaii bldg lately? I believe that is the one for Lagoon View Concierge. Anyone have any tips on what room to ask for to get a great view? which floor etc.? thank you! Helen

 

[BionicEar]

Has anyone stayed in the Hawaii bldg lately? I believe that is the one for Lagoon View Concierge. Anyone have any tips on what room to ask for to get a great view? which floor etc.? thank you! Helen

Yes, the Hawaii longhouse is the concierge longhouse.

Honestly, though . . . I don't think there's a bad view from any of these rooms. Remember, though - a request is just that... a request.

 

[pkp]

Got back last week from a weeks stay at Poly. My first time to that particular resort. Although I found the grounds to be stunning, and the views of the lake and MK to be great (as well as the atmosphere in general), I probably won't stay there again.

1) It is too spread out! I know this is part of the atmosphere, but the only thing less than a 15 min walk was the quiet pool (we stayed in Rapa Nui sp?) and we only went there twice for about an hour. The walk to the TTC or the resort's monorail was about the same, but since you have the transfer to go to Epcot, we usually just walked to the TTC.

2) Although the rooms are refurbished, they are still simply not worth the cost. The sheets were stained and had holes in them (and the beds were not very comfortable), the ceiling fan did not work, there were was no air vent or exhaust in the bathroom (which means you are sweating when you get out of the shower. The refurb seemed like little more than a fresh coat of paint and a new TV.

We had a great time, and the Poly was lovely, but on our next trip, I think we might shoot for the more compact Cont or GF. Or maybe even the Swan/Dolphin or Boardwalk, which are closer to our favorite two parks - MGM and Epcot. I stayed at the Swan in 97 and it was great. I haven't stayed at the Cont since I was a kid and never at the GF, but everything seems much closer and I understand both have rooms that are in a little better shape.

Just me two cents!

 

[JerseyGirl114]

2) The sheets were stained and had holes in them (and the beds were not very comfortable), the ceiling fan did not work, there were was no air vent or exhaust in the bathroom (which means you are sweating when you get out of the shower. The refurb seemed like little more than a fresh coat of paint and a new TV.
QUOTE]

Wow, that's really surprising. Did you make a complaint about this? I would have never stayed in the room like that! It seems to me this could have been fixed during the day while you were either at the pool or parks

Sorry you had such a bad experience there, it really is a great place to stay!

 

[Tikiman]

Got back last week from a weeks stay at Poly. My first time to that particular resort. Although I found the grounds to be stunning, and the views of the lake and MK to be great (as well as the atmosphere in general), I probably won't stay there again.

1) It is too spread out! I know this is part of the atmosphere, but the only thing less than a 15 min walk was the quiet pool (we stayed in Rapa Nui sp?) and we only went there twice for about an hour. The walk to the TTC or the resort's monorail was about the same, but since you have the transfer to go to Epcot, we usually just walked to the TTC.

2) Although the rooms are refurbished, they are still simply not worth the cost. The sheets were stained and had holes in them (and the beds were not very comfortable), the ceiling fan did not work, there were was no air vent or exhaust in the bathroom (which means you are sweating when you get out of the shower. The refurb seemed like little more than a fresh coat of paint and a new TV.

We had a great time, and the Poly was lovely, but on our next trip, I think we might shoot for the more compact Cont or GF. Or maybe even the Swan/Dolphin or Boardwalk, which are closer to our favorite two parks - MGM and Epcot. I stayed at the Swan in 97 and it was great. I haven't stayed at the Cont since I was a kid and never at the GF, but everything seems much closer and I understand both have rooms that are in a little better shape.

Just me two cents!

I won’t respond to the comments on the room because I don’t want to offend or seem argumentative but I will just add a comment that I walked the paths of the resort to every longhouse and from one end to the other at a slow to normal pace (kids were passing me up) and even stopped to talk photos and it was 7 minutes to walk from one end to the other. I even have a video on my site showing the walk from the TTC path to the GCH and you can time it yourself. If you walked 15 minutes from any longhouse you would be beyond the resort. Every other resort we have stayed at (AKL, Dolphin, Yacht Club) had as long or longer walk to get to other things in the resort, or at least from the room we had.

Sorry if this offends you. I just wanted this info for others who have not been there.

 

[BionicEar]

I will just add a comment that I walked the paths of the resort to every longhouse and from one end to the other at a slow to normal pace (kids were passing me up) and even stopped to talk photos and it was 7 minutes to walk from one end to the other. I even have a video on my site showing the walk from the TTC path to the GCH and you can time it yourself. If you walked 15 minutes from any longhouse you would be beyond the resort. Every other resort we have stayed at (AKL, Dolphin, Yacht Club) had as long or longer walk to get to other things in the resort, or at least from the room we had.

Sorry if this offends you. I just wanted this info for others who have not been there.

I'm with Tikiman on this. I disagree with pkp about the resort being "too spread out." If you did walk for 15 minutes, then you would definitely be outside of the resort. It took my 8yo dd & I 15 minutes to walk from the GF to the Poly! (We decided to take a leisurely walk after a visit to the salon there. And we walked at a normal pace.)

I found the rooms to be quite wonderful. I also find it hard to believe that there were "holes in the sheets" but I'm sure that could have been missed by mousekeeping. Did you ever bring that up, or complain about the sheets if you didn't find it to your liking? I thought the beds were pretty comfy.

We weren't sweating when we got out of the shower.

If you think the Poly is spread out, you should go check out the Yacht/Beach Club. Now THAT is spread out. I remember walking down LONG winding hallways to get to our BC room from the front desk and the bus stop.

 

[ConcKahuna]

Well, the poly has 10 seperate buildings, GF has 6, and the CR has 9. While the GF has the smallest number of buildings, I dont think it's really much smaller than the Poly as far as the grounds go. As for the CR, even if you stay in the "Tower", the travel times using the elevators/escalators can be quite long.

Just be glad you didnt stay at CBR. That one's almost as big as FW, but without the golf carts and late-running internal busses!