OK...Can't decide...Grand Floridian or Polynesian?

[punkyv]

After reading TripAdvisor, I'm now freaked out. So many people saying it is dingy, dirty & dated. Please tell me it is better than that... :o(

[aidensdaddy]

After reading TripAdvisor, I'm now freaked out. So many people saying it is dingy, dirty & dated. Please tell me it is better than that... :o(

Which one are you talking about?



One thing you should keep in mind when it comes to other people's opinions on which resort is better, or the best. It all depends on personal opinion. Like when I said that GF was better than Poly, to which a person replied that they disagreed. It goes on personal opinion or preference. No matter what review you read, or what suggestion from anyone you read on any site, only you can make your own judgment and choice. Two of the great things about the resorts at Disney World, is:

1.) There are so many to choose from, to provide some diversity and options. Each to appeal to a particular person's preference. And yes, it can be a downside as well, because there would be so many to like & to choose from, it can be hard to decide on just one.

2.)Which leads to the second one. Guests are welcome to visit any resort they wish to see, whether they are staying there or not. Simply tell the security at the gate you're having lunch/dinner there, and you're in as they welcome you with a smile. (It helps to have a California license plate, I guess.) So you choose one resort to stay at, and if there are others on your list you'd like to see, feel free to visit them when you're not in the parks.

When you're a guest at Walt Disney World, it can be said that the world is yours. Go to any park you wish to go to. Stay at any hotel resort you wish to stay at. Eat at whatever restaurant or eatery you wish to dine at. Just remember, the choice is yours, no matter what suggestions or opinions you see on the web. And when you're there, remember to take your time and enjoy every moment, soaking it up and living in every moment. When you are near Lake Buena Vista, and you first see Cinderella's castle standing there in all her grandeur, take that moment, close your eyes and let all your senses absorb yourself in that moment. Hear the train inside Magic Kingdom, the monorails as they pass by, & the boats on the lake. And be sure to smile from ear to ear when you realize "I am here, in Disney World." There's not many places like it in the world.

[punkyv]

Which one are you talking about?



One thing you should keep in mind when it comes to other people's opinions on which resort is better, or the best. It all depends on personal opinion. Like when I said that GF was better than Poly, to which a person replied that they disagreed. It goes on personal opinion or preference. No matter what review you read, or what suggestion from anyone you read on any site, only you can make your own judgment and choice. Two of the great things about the resorts at Disney World, is:

1.) There are so many to choose from, to provide some diversity and options. Each to appeal to a particular person's preference. And yes, it can be a downside as well, because there would be so many to like & to choose from, it can be hard to decide on just one.

2.)Which leads to the second one. Guests are welcome to visit any resort they wish to see, whether they are staying there or not. Simply tell the security at the gate you're having lunch/dinner there, and you're in as they welcome you with a smile. (It helps to have a California license plate, I guess.) So you choose one resort to stay at, and if there are others on your list you'd like to see, feel free to visit them when you're not in the parks.

When you're a guest at Walt Disney World, it can be said that the world is yours. Go to any park you wish to go to. Stay at any hotel resort you wish to stay at. Eat at whatever restaurant or eatery you wish to dine at. Just remember, the choice is yours, no matter what suggestions or opinions you see on the web. And when you're there, remember to take your time and enjoy every moment, soaking it up and living in every moment. When you are near Lake Buena Vista, and you first see Cinderella's castle standing there in all her grandeur, take that moment, close your eyes and let all your senses absorb yourself in that moment. Hear the train inside Magic Kingdom, the monorails as they pass by, & the boats on the lake. And be sure to smile from ear to ear when you realize "I am here, in Disney World." There's not many places like it in the world.

Thank you, I appreciate your advice!
I really like the location of the Poly. On trip advisor , the more recent posts said that the rooms were dirty & I became concerned. I'm hoping that they were just a few disgruntled guests who like to complain & not Disneyphiles like me. Yes, on one of my many stays at the DLH there were a few hygiene issues in the room but I did not let it ruin my stay & have stayed there many times since...

[tappenfeat]

As much as I love Trip Advisor and add my reviews there myself very often...please don't let the reviews get your down. The Poly is very lovely! I have found some people are not happy unless they are complaining and nit pick.

[foolishmortal]

Thanks to this thread we are going to do a 4 night stay at CSR! So my Q (off track from the ploy vs GF talk LOL) Is can you request a building to be in? We liked the local of the cabanas and would love to be in that area.

If it was me and I got the choice of ploy vs GF I'd go Poly with kids. and DH. We are blue jeans farmers and at DL the GCH is to high scale for my kids. They feel too uncomfortable there.

LOL, as DD (12) puts it "we're too okie to stay there". (sorry long time Napa rose joke with her)

If by myself or with just the DH I'd love the GF just for the beauty and romance of it.

I may take Boo over for tea there on our trip as a treat!


OPPS! Somehow I was in the CRS thread and got into this one to ask a Q! SORRY!
I do love the post by A'daddy ...just take it all in and enjoy!

[danyoung]

Absolutely you can request a section. I personally prefer the Casitas section, and request a room there as close to central as possible. But if you're taking advantage of the main pool, then the Cabanas section is the way to go. I usually don't bother with putting in a request early - I just ask them nicely when I check in, and have never had a problem.

[punkyv]

Absolutely you can request a section. I personally prefer the Casitas section, and request a room there as close to central as possible. But if you're taking advantage of the main pool, then the Cabanas section is the way to go. I usually don't bother with putting in a request early - I just ask them nicely when I check in, and have never had a problem.

I did read on the Tikiman's Pages (www.tikimanpages.com) that:

Room Requests
For those of you who want to know how the Polynesian does room requests, here is some info.

Rooms are typically assigned in order based upon the following:

Large Groups usually over 25 rooms
Multiple room or Magical Gathering requests
Any requests on the reservation and Faxed in requests
no requests
In 2010 a new system went online for handling your reservations. I hear it is a big improvement and makes it easier for you to get your request. It seems to be the number one topic online and question asked to my email so let’s go over a few things.


Many people call Disney or the listed “Polynesian Resort” phone number (407-824-2000). This does not get you to someone who is actually at the resort and they do not have access or ability to transfer you to the resort front desk. This is what I was told by more than one person at the Polynesian resort. Even when you call from your room you are often sent to a call center so that the front desk does not have to be disturbed by calls. Even with all the people I have met and info I have dug up I have only come across a few direct numbers and only one have I been able to give out and that was for lost and found at the resort. Club level has a phone number and email but that is only for club level guests. You can call the resort number and put in your request and they will get it to the room assigner but don’t start asking them a bunch of questions about views and details about the resort because I have found they do not know much about the resorts and may give you an incorrect answer.


The best way to request is by doing it through whoever you did your reservation (Disney or travel agent) With the new system in place requests can be taken at any time before you check in (in person or online). You can put in a request the day you book, 12 months away or 10 days before you get there. The new system uploads your reservation immediately and not 9 days out like the old system. If you check in online than you need to be within your 10 day window to do that and no requests can be submitted after you check in.


While faxing can still be done they told me that it is not the preferred method and there is a chance the room assigner will not get the request. The fax machine is way at the end of the hall and sometimes don’t make it into the right hands. While many say it works for them all the time, I have often heard of faxed requests getting lost or ending up in spam fax piles or just getting misplaced.


My method is to keep the request simple and have it ready when I book. If I want to see what else is available I can ask politely at check in.

The Tikiman's pages are AWESOME for Poly info!!!

[foolishmortal]

Absolutely you can request a section. I personally prefer the Casitas section, and request a room there as close to central as possible. But if you're taking advantage of the main pool, then the Cabanas section is the way to go. I usually don't bother with putting in a request early - I just ask them nicely when I check in, and have never had a problem.

Thanks! We were hoping to be near the pool and closer to the food and gift shop.

[aidensdaddy]

Please let me know your take, too!

Well, I finally have it for ya......


For most of last week, we were having real bad storms here. But yesterday and today it has been completely gorgeous which has practically made everyone go out for some fun. Today, we went to WDW for the day to see Downtown Disney Marketplace, and a couple of the other resorts I haven't seen yet. We then made our way up to the MK area of the resort, going back to Wilderness Lodge & the Contemporary. We got on the monorail again at the Contemporary and rode it to the TTC. I wanted to get off there to look around & we decided to ride the monorail to Epcot & back which was a real treat! Epcot is my favorite out of all of them and I haven't been there in 20 years. During that time, World of Motion, Wonders of Life, and my all time favorite Horizons have gone away. But I was able to ride around Futureland and see the new pavillions, making me all the more anxious to get my pass as soon as possible so I can go back. After we returned to the TTC, we got back on the resort monorail and rode it to the Polynesian.

Now here's what I think of it. I will admit, I was a bit impressed with the lobby. Granted, it was not as grand as the lobbies in Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, or even Grand Floridian. But it still had the feel of both old tradition from years gone by & being a tenured WDW resort, as well as the feel that I wasn't even in Florida anymore and within a resort in Hawaii. I felt that any corner I turn I could easily bump into a room full of singing birds & flowers and hear "In the Tiki Tiki Tiki room." The gift shop was really nice and the art gallery downstairs was completely gorgeous, with friendly staff. And the pool was oh so tempting. And as I walked around, I felt that it can be inviting to both young couples as well as vacationing families.

It is not an easy task to attempt to choose which resort is better for either yourself, or as I laid mention the other day, for someone else. In the latter, like I said before, it is up to the person themselves which is better. But trying to decide for one self, is a task itself. They have so many to offer, each with their own theme, each with their own advantage and disadvantages, and each so very tempting. Does one want easy access to transportation other than just the bus if they don't want a rental car, such as the monorail? Or does one want to stay away from the hustle & bustle of the Magic Kingdom area and take in the peace and quiet around Animal Kingdom? Or stay in amongst it all and be in a resort in the Epcot area? And of course, how much money can a person afford, or how much they are willing to put in for quality, luxury, & convenience?

Earlier in the week, my family & I went to Universal for the early part of the day and went to WDW to go to Downtown Disney for a bit. Now, when we went early last month, we went to Animal Kingdom Lodge and what we thought was the main lobby was just another building. Last week when we went to DD, we went back to the lodge and saw the main lobby and it was breathtaking. I ventured outside to one of the many animal viewing areas and it was so peaceful and quiet. So for anyone who goes to WDW, no matter what resort you stay at, if you give yourself plenty of time for both fun and relaxation, you must go to the AK Lodge, go to the Jamba house, and go sit outside and watch some of the animals while you enjoy the peace and quiet. And their pool was rather nice too......

So today when we were there, while we were at Wilderness Lodge, I kept thinking to myself how much I love this place. And then while we were at the Contemporary, I'm thinking how much I love that place as well. I'm also trying to choose which one is better in my mind, and I can't even decide that; they're both tops in my books. But now, I sit here and try to place Animal Kingdom Lodge there, and it's a very close third.....or is it second? LOL I do not know.

Any of the resorts in the MK area have the convenience of the monorail which is a major selling point in anyone's book when it comes to picking a resort. All of them, yes including the Polynesian, are gorgeous & stylish in their own unique way. Each of them, with the exception of WL and Fort Wilderness, have monorail access. They all have bus access, and what I find as a very good factor common in all of them, they all are within hearing range of the Magic Kingdom. Whether laying on the beach at Floridian or Polynesian, being at poolside or just in the parking lots of any of them, you can hear the trains & steamboat from Magic Kingdom. Giving you that sense of longing, that pull, and the friendly reminder that dreams and smiles are only a short monorail or boat ride away. Or knowing that a trip to a land of the future, or a world of many cultures is a relaxing monorail ride away.

I got to see the Yacht & Beach Club resorts today for the first time and they looked very nice. Granted their lobbies are not as grand as others I have mentioned, but I still felt I could relax there and unwind. And the fact alone that they are not only right next to each other, but across the lagoon one can see the Boardwalk Resort and the Swan & Dolphin resorts when they are lit magnificently at night, and that is a major selling point for those two. Not forgetting the fact at they're a boat ride away from Epcot, I think. Ohhhhh, what to choose, what to choose, decisions decisions. Whatever is a Disney fan to do? :)

[tappenfeat]

Wow! Thank you for sharing the lovely thoughts! I felt like I was there!!! And, I feel exactly the same way about AKL!!! So peaceful with the animals about. Love the lobby and scents coming from Boma...ok, now I have the Disney Blues...need to go back like NOW! :eek:

[punkyv]

Thank you so much!!! I am itching to get there & check out EVERYTHING!!! So glad you have such a wonderful time!!!

[cbarry]

As much as I love Trip Advisor and add my reviews there myself very often...please don't let the reviews get your down. The Poly is very lovely! I have found some people are not happy unless they are complaining and nit pick.

I saw something on TV recently that didn't mention Trip Advisor specifically, but it was a travel industry individual who admitted that he used to frequent Internet travel boards and bad mouth his competition even though he had never even been to the resorts that he was badmouthing. He did it many times. In his opinion, this was a fairly common practice on travel boards. Not to say it's happening on Trip Advisor, but it's food for thought the next time you read a bad review out there. I've actually gone back to Trip Advisor and other sites after I've stayed in hotels, and read reviews. The reviews were horrible, and the hotel was just fine. Many times the reviews were way off base. So, who's to say that I didn't come across a bogus review like this person was talking about.

That's why places like this are so good and helpful.

[punkyv]

Thank you! I know...that is why I trust MP reader's opinions & ask here. Thank you for the perspective & the info! Good to know!

[tappenfeat]

Absolutely! Better in here...and since I've heard on a radio talk show that people are getting paid to make bad reviews on one hotel to boost up other hotels really got me. That's an honest job?