Underwhelmed with Poly

[CarolMN]

IMO, the Poly is a lovely resort. I'm glad we gave it a try last December and I enjoyed my stay very much.

That said, we won't be booking there again - it just costs too many points per night compared to our home resort (BWV) which we love. Not worth it to us.

 

[Kaigler]

Some of the allure is nostalgia. Unfortunately when I compare today's Polynesian with the Poly of 10 years ago, it comes up wanting.

Couldn't disagree more. The Polynesian of 10 years ago looked and smelled like a retirement home. I never wanted to stay there. After spending time there last summer when most of the refurb had been complete - I had a completely different view and we bought DVC direct the next day.

 

[abja09]

All experiences are different as many have said. I own at the Poly and have never stayed there before. I just stayed at the Poly one night post DCL cruise and loved everything about the resort! We are looking forward to our return for a week in November.

Now pre-cruise, we stayed BWV which I also love. When we arrived and walked off the magical express not one CM was there to say "welcome home?" I was very disappointed. The last night the people in the studio next to us were so loud I thought they were in our room. Maybe it was due to the connecting door but thank God it was the last night. I don't blame this on the BWV and will be happy to return.

It is what it is - bad experience can happen anywhere!

 

[CarolMN]

........(snip).......Now pre-cruise, we stayed BWV which I also love. When we arrived and walked off the magical express not one CM was there to say "welcome home?" I was very disappointed. The last night the people in the studio next to us were so loud I thought they were in our room. Maybe it was due to the connecting door but thank God it was the last night. I don't blame this on the BWV and will be happy to return.

It is what it is - bad experience can happen anywhere!

Very true. You may not get met at the Poly from now on either. And all of the Poly studios have a connecting door, too. Bad neighbors are just a chance we take when we stay anywhere!

 

[Tikiman]

We stayed at Poly last summer for 2 weeks in a regular room, not DVC. But we never heard our neighbours. Didn't have any problems.
I think with the new studios, a lot of the bedroom space is taken up with the addition of 2nd bathroom. The regular rooms with 2 queens have more living space.

The living space in the DVC studio and the Living space in the regular resort rooms are almost the same. The rooms are the same width but the 3 DVC longhouses have longer rooms and the difference in length is about the same as the second bathroom added so you end up with about the same living space.

 

[Sue M]

The living space in the DVC studio and the Living space in the regular resort rooms are almost the same. The rooms are the same width but the 3 DVC longhouses have longer rooms and the difference in length is about the same as the second bathroom added so you end up with about the same living space.

I guess the photos just made the new studios look smaller to me. I know the old rooms on that side, now DVC were larger/longer, so makes sense. Haven't stayed on that side since they made it DVC.

 

[lizandjason]

We stayed a Poly studio the week of March 13th and were disappointed. The service at the front desk was awful...a man from Canada left his passport on the counter and it got misplaced. All CM's were looking for it when I went to the front desk since our Magic Bands didn't open our door initially. It took forever to finally get in our room after getting the Magic Bands to work. We were almost late to our Via Napoli din

The walls seem very thin - we could hear everything next door. The teenage boy arguing on the phone with his girlfriend most nights. While we liked the two bathrooms, the rest of the room's color palette wasn't for me.
We don't think it's worth the point value and likely won't stay again. Looking forward to going back to our Boardwalk home in Oct.!

We stayed a Poly studio the week of March 13th and were disappointed. The service at the front desk was awful...a man from Canada left his passport on the counter and it got misplaced. All CM's were looking for it when I went to the front desk since our Magic Bands didn't open our door initially. It took forever to finally get in our room after getting the Magic Bands to work. We were almost late to our Via Napoli dinner.

The walls seem very thin - we could hear everything next door. The teenage boy arguing on the phone with his girlfriend most nights. While we liked the two bathrooms, the rest of the room's color palette wasn't for me.

We don't think it's worth the point value and likely won't stay again. Looking forward to going back to our Boardwalk home in Oct.!

Try to put yourself in the shoes of the Canadian traveler for a minute. You had a minor inconvenience while he was worried he wouldn't be able to make it home. The CMs were right to prioritize a missing passport over you being a little late for your dinner.

 

[holden]

Sadly, the Poly of today is not the Poly of the past. We learned that the hard way when we stayed there last year.

I grew up staying at the Poly. DH and I stayed there pre and post kids. We loved it up until the renovations started. It's just not the same for us anymore. Even the kids noticed the difference.

We found the CMs to be unfriendly and unhelpful, unlike the CMs of the past. We had issues with MBs and other items that were never fully resolved. Needless to say, I think our time there has come to an end.

We've stayed at BLT (our home resort), OKW, WL, and BC. So far (owners since 2014), BLT and WL are our top favorites. I really don't like the decor of BLT, but we love the 2 bathrooms in the 1BR unit, proximity to MK, access to restaurants on the monorail, TOWL and the helpful/cheerful CMs. Our stay at WL was wonderful as well.

Good thing there are different resorts for different tastes/experiences.

 

[DisneyLovingPreacher]

We are doing a three hotel trip this June. We are staying either a night or two at the Poly. Not only because of this post but also from some of the other reviews that I am hearing I am not excited at all about staying here. I love our home DVC at Beach Club. I have never had any issues there.

 

[Anal Annie]

I'm really looking forward to our first stay there in June. The Poly is a big points splurge for us and to "afford" it we booked early June before the points go up (we usually vacation in mid-late August). Since DS is now in college it's the first time he's out of school early enough to go in early June and now with college starting in mid-August we are changing our vacation habits...gonna be weird to go so early in the summer - but still thinking that we're really gonna like the Poly. Worst thing about that idea is that we don't own enough points to go there very often.

 

[jscottnc]

The hallways were completely gutted also during the renovation of the buildings. I have photos that you can see from one end of the building to the next with no walls inside the entire building, Everything on the interior was replaced.

Really? My wife did notice new carpet but the walls and elevator looked the building age. We stayed in Tokelau(sp?). I remember your photos showing the building gutted. That is what surprised me about the condition of the corridor walls.

 

[Missymoe4]

We stayed a Poly studio the week of March 13th and were disappointed. The service at the front desk was awful...a man from Canada left his passport on the counter and it got misplaced. All CM's were looking for it when I went to the front desk since our Magic Bands didn't open our door initially. It took forever to finally get in our room after getting the Magic Bands to work. We were almost late to our Via Napoli dinner.

The walls seem very thin - we could hear everything next door. The teenage boy arguing on the phone with his girlfriend most nights. While we liked the two bathrooms, the rest of the room's color palette wasn't for me.

We don't think it's worth the point value and likely won't stay again. Looking forward to going back to our Boardwalk home in Oct.!

Although I have not stayed in a studio at the Poly, I noticed major noise issues in the standard rooms. We were on the third floor, and thankfully so. We could hear people up and down the hallway. I typically stay in the Contemporary and have NEVER had a noise issue (not even from Chef Mickey's or the monorail), and even at POFQ and POR the noise was minimal (except for a room door slamming here and there). I felt that the Poly was nonstop noise. I thought it was just an incidental occurrence, but maybe it isn't?

 

[Missymoe4]

We stayed at Poly last summer for 2 weeks in a regular room, not DVC. But we never heard our neighbours. Didn't have any problems.
I think with the new studios, a lot of the bedroom space is taken up with the addition of 2nd bathroom. The regular rooms with 2 queens have more living space.

Ditto.

 

[Missymoe4]

for our first disney trip in '14, the poly was my first pick. the exotic setting made it feel like we would get a "beach" vacation with our "disney" vacation. little did i realize how little we would actually *be* at the resort. there were renos so i crossed it off the list - i didn't want a closed pool, less food options or worse - construction noise on my holiday.

we stayed at the contemporary instead and i found the rooms remarkably quiet. in fairness, we had garden view, at the end of a long "pier" and about as far away from the main building as possible. so we loved the quiet and privacy, but others would complain the walk was too far.

I stayed in the last room of the Garden Wing this past summer. Whew, it is a long walk. But super quiet. My family felt all alone. It was neat. But that walk down to the mainframe was a little rough....but then again, it could have been worse....

 

[tb1972]

Try to put yourself in the shoes of the Canadian traveler for a minute. You had a minor inconvenience while he was worried he wouldn't be able to make it home. The CMs were right to prioritize a missing passport over you being a little late for your dinner.

No one is blaming the traveler for the lost passport...I sincerely hope my message wasn't misconstrued, but perhaps it was. The point being the check in area was chaos. Aside from the initial experience at the front desk, the proceeding interactions throughout the entire week were no different for us.

 

[clapton]

Just came back from the Poly. Haven't stayed in a very long time, stayed in a DVC studio. Now the Poly has never been my favorite resort but we stayed because my daughter and her husband bought DVC at the Poly. They love it there, but the theme is not really my cup of tea. The new Oasis pool was great, everyone was extremely helpful and friendly but my heart is still at my favorite resort the GF. We own DVC there and will be staying in the Fall, can't wait!!

 

[jerseygal]

Just came back from the Poly. Haven't stayed in a very long time, stayed in a DVC studio. Now the Poly has never been my favorite resort but we stayed because my daughter and her husband bought DVC at the Poly. They love it there, but the theme is not really my cup of tea. The new Oasis pool was great, everyone was extremely helpful and friendly but my heart is still at my favorite resort the GF. We own DVC there and will be staying in the Fall, can't wait!!

HAPPY to hear about the new Oasis pool! CAN'T WAIT till May! Have heard that the bar and the food are good! YUM!

 

[Jennasis]

I'm looking forward to out stay there this September. We own BLT, which some folks aren't fans of. We ADORE BLT and are a little sad we aren't staying there LOL. We have a trip next month staying at BWV and I'm concerned. I actively DISLIKE that resort, but it was all that was available near Epcot for our F&G stay.

 

[clapton]

HAPPY to hear about the new Oasis pool! CAN'T WAIT till May! Have heard that the bar and the food are good! YUM!

Yes, the food at the bar was delicious!

 

[clapton]

I'm looking forward to out stay there this September. We own BLT, which some folks aren't fans of. We ADORE BLT and are a little sad we aren't staying there LOL. We have a trip next month staying at BWV and I'm concerned. I actively DISLIKE that resort, but it was all that was available near Epcot for our F&G stay.

We have stayed at BWV and love it! The villas have been redone and are beautiful, you won't be disappointed. The location is great. Have a great time!