Polynesian DVC Disappointment

[DougK]

We just returned from our second DVC stay at the Polynesian Village Resort and I must say once again I was disappointed with one particular but to me major thing. For the second time we spent the extra points for a “lake view” room. Let me interrupt myself briefly and add that I do not understand why DVC calls these rooms “lake view”. There is no lake in front of the Polynesian resort, however there is a lagoon. It is a man-made lagoon. It was dug out by Disney in 1970 and 1971. It is named the Seven Seas Lagoon, not the Seven Seas Lake. But yet everywhere you look on any official DVC charts the rooms are referred to as “lake view”. I wish DVC knew the history of this resort better than I do. But I digress.

As I said this is the second time we have spent extra points for a lagoon view room. It is also the second time we have requested the third floor. It is also the second time we have not gotten the third floor. I requested the third floor so our view would be of the water (whether they call it a lagoon or a lake, it is still water). We are paying to see the water not the bungalows. So there we were on the first floor staring right at the bungalows. Now you have to understand that we used to stay in this exact building (it was called Tahiti then, now it’s called Moorea) back before DVC took it over. Every time we stayed there I requested the third floor and every time we were granted that request. At the time of course there were no bungalows to deal with but still we liked the higher floor and those trips were very special to my wife and me. This is why we were so excited when DVC took over that part of the Polynesian Resort, we thought we could continue to get our favorite view but use points instead of cash to book it.

I want to explain that when we were assigned the first floor room we of course asked to be moved to a higher floor. We were told there was no availability. I said how about tomorrow? We had booked a five night stay and we were actually willing to move after the first night to get the higher floor for the rest of the trip. The person at the front desk explained requests are not guaranteed but he made a few phone calls and pushed quite a few buttons on his keyboard. Then like magic he said “sorry nothing is available”. Well it wasn’t exactly magical but you get the idea. So I said we will move ANY of the upcoming four nights, even the last one, and once again he sprinkled his pixie dust…and said no. Now I find it hard to believe that NOBODY was moving out of any of the third floor rooms over the next few nights. I began to wonder if the requests not being guaranteed applied only to us because Disney apparently decided they could not move anyone else to accommodate our request.

So here is my point. I understand that due to the bungalows blocking the view of the lagoon many people may be requesting the higher second and third floors in Moorea. And I also understand that all requests may not be able to be filled. But assuming that approximately 1/3 of the rooms are on the first floor that means 2/3 of the lagoon facing rooms are on the higher floors. Now this is where I am at a disadvantage, I have no way of knowing the numbers. Only Disney knows how many requests they get. And I am sure some people actually request the first floor so you would think it would even out a bit. However if Disney is really getting more than 66% of room requests for the higher floors then they must be disappointing a lot of people. I think it would only make sense to adjust the points chart accordingly if that many people are requesting a higher floor. It would seem logical in that case to charge more points to guarantee the higher floor view. But I have to say I really doubt this is the case. I think they just didn’t want to bother accommodating us even after we made it clear at the front desk that this room request was really important to us.

Just to be fair I will say that we were able to see the fireworks from our patio but what made me the maddest was when the Electric Water Pageant came by at 9:00. We could hear it, but we couldn’t see it. The bungalows blocked it. Now I do understand we could have walked down towards the west side of the resort to see the water pageant but that is not the point. The point is we paid a premium to have a water view and it was awfully disappointing not to have it. Disney is expensive, points are expensive, I hate to waste them. I am not going to say it completely ruined our trip but I will say we were really disenchanted this time.

 

[com_op_2000]

Make sure you send this to DVC Member satisfaction through the website.
I am thinking that enough people complain that DVC will change the designation of those "lake view" rooms to garden view.

 

[dizfan]

I agree with com_op_2000. Send this to DVC member satisfaction. At BLT, people complained about view categories for several years before they finally corrected some mistakes they made. Only way we have a chance of getting them to change is for people to contact member satisfaction and let them know of the issues. The more people who let them know, the better chance they will eventually change things.

The big downside for PVB studios is they priced the points very similar to VGF (same most of the year, slightly less some times, slightly more other times of the year). To solve their mistake, they would need to adjust points around. PVB studios could become higher than VGF studios. DVD had an opportunity to do something to make them worth more than VGF studios (European W/D, larger kitchenette, ...). Unfortunately, they wasted a great deal of space in the main bathroom. With the bungalows being high points, they have a real challenge on correcting their mistakes. I hope I am wrong, but I think DVD will not do anything. Different DVD management today than they had a few years ago.

Like you, I have fond memories of that building. My father's last family trip we stayed in Moorea (name prior to Tahiti). The bungalows certainly changed the view, but that's water under the bridge.
We were fortunate to have a 3rd floor room in May. Even with the 3rd floor room, don't expect to see the entire Electric Water Pageant (or at least not when it's at Poly). We could see it when it was at MK, but had only a partial view of it at PVB.

I hope you have better luck in your future stays.

 

[disneynutz]

The best thing that you can do is understand the resort, the booking categories, the relationship between DVC and Disney resorts, and the fact that DVC was given those room to convert for a reason, cash guests would not put up with the view/location.

Another issue may be that only 40% of the rooms are declared into the association.
dvcmembersatisfactionteam@disneyvacationclub.com

Bill

 

[DenLo]

I can see with your past Polynesian Tahiti stays that your DVC stays are a disappointment. I think room assignments can be tricky because some guests stay longer than others. I know that when we stay longer at a resort, it seems like we rarely get our request. I expect it is because it is really difficult to get us into the same room that many nights. Whereas its pretty easy to fit in someone staying four nights or less.

We travel quite a bit, and it is not uncommon in the hotel industry to label something as a particular view even if you have to lean over the balcony and look far to you left to see it. I think DVC isn't that bad, but if you see water its lake view. I was disappointed when the dropped MK view at BLT, but understand the ease of using the same terminology at each resort. These changes are not the same policy Disney has had for years to make each resort unique and highly identifiable and fun for their guests. But do people understand them more? Not all guests are regulars at the same resort so it could be less confusing. But being a Disney fan I like those little quirky names too.

So based on your experiences, we will assume that we will be staying on the first floor in our Moorea Lake View room for our upcoming trip next week. But please send us some pixie dust for a higher floor.

 

[southerngirl528]

We travel quite a bit, and it is not uncommon in the hotel industry to label something as a particular view even if you have to lean over the balcony and look far to you left to see it. I think DVC isn't that bad,

Excellent point, Denlo. What immediately came to my mind are "ocean view" rooms at beachfront locations around the world. Lots of resorts, including some very nice ones, call a room "ocean view" even when one has to be out on their lanai and craning their neck one direction or the other to get that "ocean view".

 

[WIcruizer]

I'm not sure I understand. You REQUESTED 3rd floor, but you know they can't guarantee a room on the 3rd floor. Or 2nd floor. So, I'm sure it is frustrating, but I think you managed to disappoint yourself with unreasonable expectations.

 

[freediverdude]

One thing you might try, if you end up going back, is to request 3rd floor, but if not that, then 2nd floor as a second request in your email. That's what I did, and ended up with 2nd floor, which was still acceptable. Actually a little more convenient via the stairs then going up and down 2 flights, and still similar view. And no, even with the higher floors you can only get glimpses of the water pageant, so don't even expect that.

I think part of it is the limited number of rooms that are lake view, which makes it difficult for the room assigners to give everyone their preferences, and part of it is that they have had a history already at the Polynesian since the DVC opened of people throwing fits at the front desk when they get the first floor, so they're less likely to feel like moving people I think. It's easier for the front desk clerk to just say nothing is available and end the discussion.

I did like the perfect view of the castle on the balcony, but I'm not sure that I will use the points and chance it in the future. I think I would rather be able to stay an extra night than use the points for a 66% chance of the perfect view. Of course now that I've decided on standard view, I'll get put in the parking lot view rooms, lol.

 

[Sammie]

You said you booked a 5 night stay, what day of the week did you check in? If it was Sunday, those 5 night stays are the most booked of DVC so the chances of someone moving out of a 3 floor room during your stay were truly very low.

Obviously Disney calling the lagoon a lake seems to bother you a good bit and honestly I don't see that as a problem. They probably just do it to be consistent with other water/lake views across property. Even though it is named Seven Seas Lagoon I can assure you someone has complained that it looks nothing like a lagoon. The thing is the view faces the lagoon/lake and has some obstructed view of the water. As to whether after the resort is sold out will they reclassify those obstructed views, depends on how many members complain.

I will say getting requests with DVC rooms is very much never guaranteed and sometimes you get lucky and many times you don't. You also went during a very busy time for DVC bookings.

 

[DisDadDVC]

We just returned from our second DVC stay at the Polynesian Village Resort and I must say once again I was disappointed with one particular but to me major thing. For the second time we spent the extra points for a “lake view” room. Let me interrupt myself briefly and add that I do not understand why DVC calls these rooms “lake view”. There is no lake in front of the Polynesian resort, however there is a lagoon. It is a man-made lagoon. It was dug out by Disney in 1970 and 1971. It is named the Seven Seas Lagoon, not the Seven Seas Lake. But yet everywhere you look on any official DVC charts the rooms are referred to as “lake view”. I wish DVC knew the history of this resort better than I do. But I digress.

As I said this is the second time we have spent extra points for a lagoon view room. It is also the second time we have requested the third floor. It is also the second time we have not gotten the third floor. I requested the third floor so our view would be of the water (whether they call it a lagoon or a lake, it is still water). We are paying to see the water not the bungalows. So there we were on the first floor staring right at the bungalows. Now you have to understand that we used to stay in this exact building (it was called Tahiti then, now it’s called Moorea) back before DVC took it over. Every time we stayed there I requested the third floor and every time we were granted that request. At the time of course there were no bungalows to deal with but still we liked the higher floor and those trips were very special to my wife and me. This is why we were so excited when DVC took over that part of the Polynesian Resort, we thought we could continue to get our favorite view but use points instead of cash to book it.

I want to explain that when we were assigned the first floor room we of course asked to be moved to a higher floor. We were told there was no availability. I said how about tomorrow? We had booked a five night stay and we were actually willing to move after the first night to get the higher floor for the rest of the trip. The person at the front desk explained requests are not guaranteed but he made a few phone calls and pushed quite a few buttons on his keyboard. Then like magic he said “sorry nothing is available”. Well it wasn’t exactly magical but you get the idea. So I said we will move ANY of the upcoming four nights, even the last one, and once again he sprinkled his pixie dust…and said no. Now I find it hard to believe that NOBODY was moving out of any of the third floor rooms over the next few nights. I began to wonder if the requests not being guaranteed applied only to us because Disney apparently decided they could not move anyone else to accommodate our request.

So here is my point. I understand that due to the bungalows blocking the view of the lagoon many people may be requesting the higher second and third floors in Moorea. And I also understand that all requests may not be able to be filled. But assuming that approximately 1/3 of the rooms are on the first floor that means 2/3 of the lagoon facing rooms are on the higher floors. Now this is where I am at a disadvantage, I have no way of knowing the numbers. Only Disney knows how many requests they get. And I am sure some people actually request the first floor so you would think it would even out a bit. However if Disney is really getting more than 66% of room requests for the higher floors then they must be disappointing a lot of people. I think it would only make sense to adjust the points chart accordingly if that many people are requesting a higher floor. It would seem logical in that case to charge more points to guarantee the higher floor view. But I have to say I really doubt this is the case. I think they just didn’t want to bother accommodating us even after we made it clear at the front desk that this room request was really important to us.

Just to be fair I will say that we were able to see the fireworks from our patio but what made me the maddest was when the Electric Water Pageant came by at 9:00. We could hear it, but we couldn’t see it. The bungalows blocked it. Now I do understand we could have walked down towards the west side of the resort to see the water pageant but that is not the point. The point is we paid a premium to have a water view and it was awfully disappointing not to have it. Disney is expensive, points are expensive, I hate to waste them. I am not going to say it completely ruined our trip but I will say we were really disenchanted this time.

tl;dr version: you didn't get your room request

 

[Minniesgal]

I think requesting higher floor in a Lakeview is a bit like requesting close to the lobby in Kidani, pretty much everyone does it so a fair few will be disappointed. I think very few people will book a lake view and request first floor. If i needed first floor i'd book a standard view.

The bungalows exists this is a fact of the Poly and they obstruct the views of some rooms, unless DVC reallocate those as firework view or something some people are going to be disappointed every trip.

A room request is a request is a request. We don't make them and keep an open mind on room allocation that way we don't set ourselves up for disappointment.

As for Lake Lagoon as far as I'm concerned same thing.

 

[DougEMG]

We've just stayed at the POLY (Moorea) in a lake view room and had requested the top floor and managed to get it. The view was great, but there is no way that those first floor rooms should be the same point value as the top 2 floors. The views are not the same.

Once the construction is completed, I would only ever book a standard view room because I know I would be MAD to be paying the points to look at the bungalows.

What makes this whole issue around the first floor rooms even more annoying is that Disney already knew about the problems people had with the views there before the bungalows were built.

 

[supersnoop]

tl;dr version: you didn't get your room request

tl;dr version: first floor rooms shouldn't be considered "lake view."

I'd complain, but that's really all that needs to be said.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

We stayed there at the end of Oct. I also had of course put in a high floor request.....and got 1st floor. As far as I could tell, no one in a Lake view room should think they'll see the water parade.

 

[Sammie]

We've just stayed at the POLY (Moorea) in a lake view room and had requested the top floor and managed to get it. The view was great, but there is no way that those first floor rooms should be the same point value as the top 2 floors. The views are not the same.

Once the construction is completed, I would only ever book a standard view room because I know I would be MAD to be paying the points to look at the bungalows.

What makes this whole issue around the first floor rooms even more annoying is that Disney already knew about the problems people had with the views there before the bungalows were built.

What was wrong with the view before the bungalows were built?

 

[Sammie]

The best thing that you can do is understand the resort, the booking categories, the relationship between DVC and Disney resorts, and the fact that DVC was given those room to convert for a reason, cash guests would not put up with the view/location.

Another issue may be that only 40% of the rooms are declared into the association.
dvcmembersatisfactionteam@disneyvacationclub.com

Bill

Considering there are only 22 rooms on the 3rd floor, that definitely would not leave many choices.

 

[wdrl]

Considering there are only 22 rooms on the 3rd floor, that definitely would not leave many choices.

There are actually 24 Lake View studios on the third floor. In addition, one of studios (Villa #3024) is an Handicap Accessible villa.

As previously posted, only 40.71% of PVB's total points inventory has been declared for the DVC inventory. This means that on any given Use Day no more than 40.71% of PVB's total residential space can be booked using DVC points. However, its virtually impossible to determine how this limit impacts members' ability to book specific villas. The Reciprocal Use Clause that applies to all DVC villas lets DVC members access inventory that has not yet been declared in exchange for letting DVD access the DVC inventory. In theory, members might be able to book all 72 Lake View studios, or they could be limited to a much smaller number.

 

[robndani]

Never stayed there, but going in May. This is why we got a standard view!

 

[Mac30188]

I am sorry for your frustration, but hopefully it was still a very enjoyable trip. It would make sense that those are two different view categories since they are very different experiences. It seems unfortunate that it becomes a luck of draw on which side of the fence you fall for the same point cost.

 

[DougK]

Make sure you send this to DVC Member satisfaction through the website.
I am thinking that enough people complain that DVC will change the designation of those "lake view" rooms to garden view.

I did contact DVC with my concerns. I have not heard back from them but I only contacted them yesterday.