Just back from a 2 week trip. 4 days at Best Western Lake Buena Vista Resort, 10 days at the Poly.
BWLBR - 0 complaints. Great hotel, huge room (2 queens, daybed, minifridge, microwave) amazing views of fireworks from MK, EP and DHS in their "Disney View" rooms. Quiet resort, lots of amenities, 5 minute walk to Disney Springs. $89/per night. We stayed there while visiting SeaWorld parks (SeaWorld, Discovery Cove and Aquatica). Loved it, will go back for sure when visiting non Disney parks.
Polynesian..... Ughhh.....
So, to start, I reserved a Pool/Marina view to get the free dining deal. I really wanted Rarotonga due to my knee injury, but knew by changing from Standard to Pool/Marina my chances would be slim.....and they were. We arrived and checked in at 10:30am and went to the MK until our room was ready around 3. We were given a beautiful 3rd fl room in Samoa. We walked in, everything was beautiful, then went directly to the balcony to see the "View". As soon as I opened the door, I was literally hit in the face with a plume of smoke from the Oasis Grill. I stood there for a moment trying to figure out what it was and thats when the burning smell hit my nose. Nope.... not for me. I was going to be there for 10 relaxing days and I did not want to not go outside. I went to the front desk and asked if there was any way I could swap rooms to anything the other side of the building, facing away from the oasis pool....or Rarotonga
. They said I could go to Rarotonga, but I paid for pool/marina and that would be a downgrade. I told them I didnt mind and feel free to upgrade someone else with my room! They checked and nothing in Rarotonga was available until the following day. They then told me I could go to Fiji, but it was a bit further in distance. I didnt care at that point, I just wanted to be settled somewhere.
I took the Fiji room, facing the marina with a slight view of the lagoon and MK area, especially Space Mountain. Seems like they cut back the trees over by MK to give Poly guests a better theme park view! I saw more of the castle than I had ever seen before from the pool area.
One thing I learned, which I never knew before, is how the room numbers worked. They are 4 digits
1st number = floor number
2nd number = building number
3rd and 4th number are your room number
Moorea - Building 0
Pago Pago - Building 1
Aotearoa - Building 2
Fiji - Building 3
Tuvalu - Building 4
Hawaii - Building 5
Samoa - Building 6
Niue- Building 7
Rarotonga - Building 8
Bora Bora - 7000's
Tonga - Single and Double digits only
If you get a text with a room number starting with 7, start freaking out!!!
We once again grabbed our luggage and started heading to the side entrance near Trader Sams and were greeted by CM and what looked like a security officer asking us where were were going. I told them to our room in Fiji. They let us by! OMG...could it be true? Crowd control at the Poly? This was going to be great!!!
We get to the exit door and again, another CM and security asking where were were going. I told them and they told us to take the ramp instead of the stairs. Duhhh... we had our luggage and could not get it down the stairs! But something was off. I looked at my husband and said "I think something is going on here". We got to our room and were pleasantly surprised it overlooked the marina.
I dont have more photos uploaded yet, but this was looking off to the side one morning. We were directly facing the boats towards the end of the marina.
So we drop our luggage and head out to Captain Cooks to get our refillable mugs. We were greeted at the staircase by Trader Sams by security who asked us where were were going. I said to Captain Cooks. I was then told they were closed. Huh?? They are open 24 hours?? I said we had just checked in and were going to get our mugs. I was told we could go around the main pool area, over to the oasis pool to get a drink, but could not get mugs until the next day. So off I went, now limping, to the Oasis pool. On the way back, we were not allowed beyond the lobby area to cut across to our room, around the main pool/Marina again to get to Fiji. My knee was then shot. Done for the day. Luckily I could rest a couple of hours before dinner at the Wilderness Lodge. We planned to take the monorail to the Contemp, then ferry to WL, but decided to take the car to avoid the extra walking. When we got back from dinner, we had to go around the pool area again
Trader Sams, Pineapple Lanai and CC never reopened that day. We were never told what was going on, but I read online there was a water leek somewhere???
Next day, my BDay, we get up to go to GF for breakfast. We walked over to GCH to catch the monorail and were told it wasnt running yet (8:30ish??). We walked back, past our room and over to the GF for breakfast. After breakfast, we go upstairs to get the monorail and was told it wasnt running. period. They suggested we take the boat. We get to the boat area and there is a line a mile long. We decide to walk it. Now my leg is about to fall off. I wasnt prepared for all that walking so did not take advil or have my knee brace on. Luckily I planned an afternoon at the pool for that day (I rented a cabana at the oasis pool, but cancelled it the day before due to the smoke). We went to the main pool (10:30ish) and there was not a chair to be found. I couldnt stand for too long on my leg, so I went back to the room and my husband called me when a chair became available, about 40 minutes later. I went back to the pool area and was so happy to see it was a real chair, not a lounger, and table
I swam a little, which helped my knee, then relaxed at the table. I did notice many many many people scanning there bands, then standing there calling for people inside saying "My band isnt working can you open the door for us?" and people letting them in....with their backpacks, park shopping bags etc... Clearly not guests. We stayed for about 1.5 hours and left. We went into the lobby, towards the back corridor and surprise...a security guard asking where we were going. Ughhh...to FIJI !! Nope, back around the pool! Another man and his family were there saying they were trying to get to Capt Cooks. They were told it was closed. He then asked where the nearest bathroom was, and was told to go to the 2nd floor. They turned around and were walking side by side with me when he said to his family "Well, that plan was a bust". Not sure what plan he was talking about??? They went out the front door.
After that, the monorail and all venues were up and running for the remainder of our trip.
The folllowing are my pros and cons...
Cons first (I like to end on a good note!)
Poly, as usual, is super crowded at all times. Hundreds of people in the GCH morning, noon and night. HUNDREDS. Monorail lines can get quite long at peak dining times and after luaus end. Crowded beach area nightly. The back corridor by Captain Cooks is always filled with people waiting to get into Trader Sams....and it smells like a brewery back there. Really stinks. The bathroom by Captain Cooks always has a short line in the hallway, plus companions waiting for their friends/family to get out of the bathrooms. If you are staying in Aotearoa or Fiji and use the back hallways to get to your room be prepared to battle the crowds/strollers to get out the door! Once youre out, youre free
Grill smoke fills the Oasis pool arrea and drifts over to Main pool in spurts throughout the day. When its bad, its really bad, but then youll get an hour or so break before they do whatever it is they are doing to create the smoke and smell, This is about 11am until 6pm.
Forget about going to Pineapple Lanai until about dinner time! The line is minimum 30 minutes. (If your order the swirl or twist, it is vanilla/pineapple swirl..not vanilla/chocolate like I assumed. My error, live and learn. I told the CM I thought it was chocolate/vanilla and he said "Nope" and pushed it further towards me. I took it, turned around and in the trash it went!)
Forget about going to Captain Cooks until after dinner time. The line is also minimum 20 - 30 minutes. During lunch, everyone in their wet bathing suits goes in and the floor is a wet filthy mess. No tables to sit at either. Contemporary QS has much more seating, better menu, and less guests overall. But their monorail queue is currently under construction and when getting off the monorail, you have to go down a flight of stairs, then back up to the 4th floor.
Moanas Mercantile has been downsized and they did away with the photo stand, pin station and special merchandise outside to make more room for.......people! ( waiting for dining/lines to the monorail)
All sofas and seating in the GCH is taken by families waiting for something. I noticed a lot of luggage too, so they either checked out and are waiting to leave (ME??), or checked in and are waiting for their room. Of course all the SoA and Ohana guests are waiting there too. They even opened a bar area on the first floor for waiting guests!
The 2 elevators in the GCH hold about 1 double stroller and 3 guests each. If you cant walk the staircase, the wait for the elevator can be long.
Pros....
Rooms are spacious and lovely as always.
The theme is beautiful, grounds and background music are tropical and relaxing. CMs go above and beyond and are always friendly.
The resort is rather small, so even the furthest building is not too far from the GCH/pool area.
My magical pixie dust moment was when my DD bought a gift for her teacher at DHS (trophy like award stating "best teacher". We went to Fantasmic after we bought it and somewhere between there and getting back to the Poly, it broke in the bag. We did not have plans to go back to DHS, so I went to the front desk and asked if there was any way to order a new one to be delivered to our room. I would pay for the new one and extra for the delivery, if it was possible. They happily said they would replace it free of charge and we had a new one in our room the following day when we returned from wherever it was we went. I felt really badly as I wanted to give a big tip to whoever brought it to us, but I never saw the person. I inquired at the front desk and was told not to worry about it
It was very kind, above and beyond for them to do this for us.
Im sad to say, this will be my last trip there. I loved it as a child and returned many times as an adult hoping things would change back to the quiet days when I was a child, but it is never the case and I just can not relax while Im there. Other than the 2nd day, we didnt attempt the crowded pool area again and never once went to CC for anything other than to refill our mugs as the lines were too long.
To quote someones post recently, something so true..."its really an extension of the MK." Much too busy for my liking, at my age. I wished the whole time I had returned to the YC..so quiet! AK is also incredibly beautiful, but sadly so far from everything
