Reviews of Disney’s Polynesian Resort Concierge Level

Reviews

12

Rating

8.25 / 10

Recommended By

75%



Reviewed by hgwilt Review Date: 06/15/2019

Rating: (10)
Recommended

My family and I love the Polynesian! It was our first stay in 1998 with a land and sea package. We came back in January of 2018 and were able to book Club Level with the help of cast member pricing, wouldn't have been able to afford it otherwise. We felt special at arrival, we had requested first floor connecting room and were not disappointed! Up graded to theme park view and were able to watch fireworks from our room or the club room. We were staying 7 days so were able to enjoy all the treats. Lots of different kinds of food at each meal time and the alcoholic beverages were plentiful! I recommend the punch!! We had breakfast each day and enjoyed at least one other treat time or drink time each day. We were able to take back to our room or eat in the very nice lounge.

Pros:

Not having to buy breakfast each day. Lots of choices and alcoholic beverages!

Cons:

Lounge can get a little crowded.
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Reviewed by disneymom5 Review Date: 02/13/2019

Rating: (10)
Recommended

My family’s favorite resort, albeit expensive—even by Disney standards. Gorgeous grounds, wonderful location, relaxing and fully immersive theming, and some of the best and nicest Cast Members you’ll find in all of WDW.

However, since they built the bungalows on the beach, the views from Hawaii bldg rooms have been severely impacted, such that now only the third floor rooms have a true theme park view. You can no longer see the park and beautiful view of the water from the first floor rooms, and it’s obstructed from the second floor also. Why did Disney decide to place the bungalows DIRECTLY in front of Hawaii and ruin the views for so many club level guests?...it’s inexplicable. The beach is not even close to being the picturesque, serene retreat it once was, sacrificed just so they could build a few bungalows for the very tiny fraction of guests who can actually afford them. (Why didn’t they just put them on that peaceful, secluded strip of beach between the Poly and the Grand Floridian?? They had to put them right in front of the Hawaii building??...Really???) Of all of the changes to the Poly over the past 15 years, this and the removal of that stunning, huge water feature in the center of the great ceremonial hall, have been the absolute worst changes. But, other changes have been mostly positive.

Great pool, monorail, food and nearly everything else is conveniently located.

The King Kamehameha Club is a great lounge—but CM’s please, please PLEASE do something upon check-in to notify guests with small children that they need to supervise them in the lounge! CM’s should just make it part of their welcome comments upon guests’ arrival. Some parents inherently understand decorum in the lounge, while others clearly DO NOT, and it negatively impacts every other guest in the lounge. Not only is it a safety issue to have kids running around in the lounge, bumping into other guests, spilling and dropping food etc., but I’ve witnessed on numerous occasions, children just reaching up to the food trays and grabbing items with their bare hands; I’ve even seen them put things back! Yuck. I know first-hand it’s hard to travel with children; on our first trip, mine were 2, 4 and 6. But parents, please be mindful of where you are, be responsible. Watch your children. Help little ones by getting their food FOR them, so they’re not acting like they’re grabbing goodies from their kitchen counter at home. Club-level guests pay a hefty $$ premium just to be in this building, so please make sure your children are supervised and don’t allow them to take food with their bare hands; serving utensils are there for a reason.

Also, there are bins and silverware trays near the kitchen door so that lounge guests can take their own dirty dishes and silverware over to these the bins, and NOT leave them behind on tables. Please realize, this is standard practice in a club lounge, from other hotels and resorts to presidential lounges in airports... but for some reason, many guests seem to think the CM‘s in the lounge are there to “bus” the tables (they aren’t!) so guests leave stacks and stacks of dirty dishes behind. Please, don’t be that guest or that family. When you’re done eating, take your own (and you’re children's) dirty dishes and silverware and place them in the bins. The CM’s are only there to wipe off tables and prepare them for the next guests, so be considerate of both the CM’s and the next family that will use your table.

‘Ohana is fabulous for dinner and a must to visit at least once, especially if you have the table service dining plan. The character breakfast is fun and relaxing, and unlike other great character breakfasts such as Crystal Palace and Chef Mickey’s, this one brings the food to you! So there’s no chance of missing those photo ops because your kids are at the buffet.? (I recall many times, trying to round up my kids from a long and expansive buffet so they didn’t miss Pooh or Mickey!) Captain Cooks is a great counter service option, and one of only three locations on all of WDW property which is actually open 24 hours, at least at this point. (Another is Picabu in the Dolphin, I can’t recall the third).

One more note, during the Magic Kingdom fireworks, the CM’s make it extra magical for all in the lounge by turning down the lights in the room and piping in the music, so we can watch AND hear the show...and it’s wonderful. This is an amazing opportunity to enjoy the fireworks as few others can, so out of consideration for ALL the guests in the lounge, please respect the show and don’t have loud conversations that drown out the music. It always amazes me how inconsiderate and oblivious some guests can be, talking so loudly and not even realizing others do actually want to hear the music—it’s an essential part of the show! When the room is quiet, it just makes the fireworks so much more magical and truly memorable so please respect this long-standing tradition in the King Kamehameha lounge.

The beach is also a great place to see the show, and the music is on the speakers outside so that’s a nice option too. However, visitors all over WDW have also discovered this prime viewing spot and since most of the beach was taken up by the bungalows? it can get really crowded on the beach so grab your spot early.

Don’t forget to watch the Electric Water Pageant right before the fireworks, it’s not to be missed! It visits all the resorts on the water and stops at the Polynesian around 8:50 each night. Aloha!?

Pros:

Beautiful resort, fabulous location, great pool, spacious rooms

Cons:

In the club lounge, children running around and grabbing food with bare hands (CM’s, please help!) and loud guests during the fireworks
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Reviewed by ajrob Review Date: 01/20/2017

Rating: (9)
Recommended

My daughter and I visited 1/9/17-1/16/17. A cast member from the Front Desk at the Ceremonial house led us on the very short walk to the Hawaii building to meet with the Club Level concierge.

The Hawaii building is located in the center of the Poly resort. About a 2 minute walk to Ceremonial House, about 30 second walk for the boats to MK, and an 8 minute walk to TTC to catch the monorail to Epcot. It is also situated between both the lava pool and quiet pool.

We met a super friendly and informative concierge who then showed us the way to our room and the Club. I had made a request not to be on the ground floor and I was given first floor? After a quick phone call I was switched to a second floor room. I just don't understand that, I booked my room the very first day the 2017 schedule for Disney packages was available, I think it was June, was asked about requests and the only one I had was not to be on the first floor???

The rooms are a bit dated...I don't understand why as the resort underwent a massive reno in 2014? Maybe the light colors show too much dirt and stains. The room was clean, bright, spacious and the resort overall was very quiet.

The Club food was good and plentiful. The room is very pretty with massive windows to watch Wishes at night. Some issues with parents not watching or reprimanding their children while in the club. WE ALL SPENT MONEY TO BE THERE!!!

Mousekeeping did a superb job each and every day. We did get a towel creation one day. Turndown service was nice too.

Captain Cook's the QS restaurant had good food, and it was always clean with plenty of tables available. O'Hana was awesome as usual, and we ate breakfast at Kona which was delicious as well.

Overall we loved the Poly! The concierge was always helpful, whether I needed something picked up from a park or printing out my boarding passes. Food in the club was plentiful and always tasty. The room was always clean.

Only reason for a 9, was the room looked a bit worn and the supervision of children on the club level. There is always a cast member in the Club, yet nothing was ever said to the young children(or their parents) who were running up and down the hallway all hours of the day/night and taking food from the buffet, with their hands.

Would stay again!

Pros:

staff, location, club food

Cons:

rude children/parents
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Reviewed by EleanorofAquitaine Review Date: 12/27/2015

Rating: (10)
Recommended

We visited the Poly on Dec. 13-15 for our annual WDW Christmas visit and were blown away. We have stayed at the Polynesian many times, but this was the first time we have stayed at the Tonga building, the concierge level suites in the building right next door to the Great Ceremonial House. We stayed in a Princess Suite.

Wow, that was amazing. The view is spectacular. We watched the fireworks from our patio each evening and it was truly magical. The rooms were gorgeously appointed and there was plenty of room in the two bedrooms and sitting area for the four adults in our party. We could have brought more people and still been comfortable.

The contrast between the concierge level here and in the main concierge building, Hawaii, was striking. There are only something like seven or eight suites in the building, so it was QUIET and tranquil. The location was so convenient to everything--- from the pool bar (yum!) to the monorail to the boats across to the MK to Kona. Heavenly!

There were no hot snacks, but the lounge was seldom busy and we got lots of cold snacks, just like at the Hawaii building and had access to that main lounge in Hawaii if we had wanted to go get some hot foods at any point. Why would we? As others have said, there you have to battle noisy, rude children and guests strolling in to snatch up all the snacks in sight to cart bac to their rooms. At the Tonga house, there was none of that. We had great fruit platters and delicious cheese, the wine and punch was out where it was easily accessible in the evening, and the morning spread was plentiful and yummy. We toasted bagels each morning and slathered them with cream cheese or peanut butter and there were croissants, fruit, and cereal in abundance. Why walk over for hot oatmeal?

Because of the smaller number of guests, the fridge was always stocked with bottled water, soft drinks, and beer, and we could help ourselves all day. They couldn't make it that accessible at Hawaii or the kids we have encountered on previous visits would pick them clean. And since we had TWO mini-fridges in our suite, which housekeeping kept stocked as well, we were never far from a cool beverage.

This experience has spoiled me. thank you, Polynesian, for a magical visit.

Pros:

great view, beautiful rooms, convenience

Cons:

cost
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Reviewed by TRAVELPOP99 Review Date: 12/19/2015

Rating: (6)
Not Recommended

THE ROOMS AND VIEW WAS GREAT.....STAFF WONDERFUL..THIS WAS OUR 13TH VISIT HERE AND WAS OUR WORST.....THE LOUNGE WAS ALWAYS SO CROWDED AND KIDS WERE RUNNING AROUND UNATTENDED,,,,PICKING AT FOOD WITH THEIR HANDS AND TOUCHING EVERYTHING......THE OFFERINGS WERE SLIM AND NOT VERY GOOD.....VERY DISAPPOINTED AND WILL NOT RETURN TO THIS HOTEL AGAIN...

Pros:

VIEW,ROOM,STAFF

Cons:

CLUB LEVEL OFFERINGS
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Reviewed by Dispro Review Date: 11/08/2014

Rating: (8)
Recommended

We stayed a couple of days at the Poly before checking into Grand Floridian. We had not stayed at the Poly since the rooms were updated, and we were really impressed! We had avoided the Poly because the rooms used to be very dark and only had one sink in the bathroom. Now the rooms have been brightened up without losing the Hawaiian vibe, and the bathroom has been completely redone!
The view from the club lounge is one of the best on property (really nice for fireworks viewing). I will admit that the construction is annoying and takes away from the beauty of the resort, but this will not last forever. We were able to go to Blizzard Beach free of charge since the volcano pool is under construction, but there was a warm front when we were there a few weeks ago, so it was 90 degrees outside. With cooler temps coming, swimming May not matter to you. If you want a magic kingdom view room, request one closer to the lounge to avoid views of the construction. But if you want to sleep in, request a room on the garden side at the opposite end from the lounge. I based my rating on the club level alone, and tried not to let the construction influence the club level rating too much. The club level itself was good. When there was a problem with our room ( I have older kids that like to sleep in and were disturbed by morning construction) they quickly moved us to another room. The staff was very nice and the food offerings were ok. The mid-day snacks were extremely slim compared to other club levels on property. They had goldfish crackers and wasabi snack mix. However, my husband liked their selection of beer, and I loved the Tropical/island sangria. You can't get the sangria anywhere else. I will say that we would try to avoid the resort until after the construction, but because of the construction, it seems a little easier to get a room there.... Rooms in the monorail loop book up fast.

Pros:

Location, view from the lounge

Cons:

Disappointing mid-day offerings/snacks
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Reviewed by jayro Review Date: 10/30/2014

Rating: (5)
Not Recommended

Husband and I visited from 10/26-10/28. We have stayed here many times over the years, but were disappointed at the extent of the construction (about which WDW was far from full disclosure, IMO); it was not only disruptive, but very unsightly despite all of the screening. Most of the lobby (Great Ceremonial House) was closed off due to remodeling--as were the water features at the front entrance. The entire area around Volcano Pool also was closed off, which meant you couldn't walk along the beach from the concierge building to the launch, had to walk through a couple of other buildings (or go way around) to get from the concierge building to the lobby, etc. As for the accommodations...the remodeled bathrooms are great, but the beds and bedding (comfort) are a step down, and the food offerings in the lounge (early evening service, especially) have really gone downhill (mini corn dogs? two nights in a row?! REALLY??!?), as have the quick service offerings at Captain Cooks compared to years past (although this seems to be the case for the quick service venues in other resorts, as well, based on this and a previous trip this year). We still love the resort and will return--but not until the construction is completed.

Pros:

beautiful theming, convenient location, staff

Cons:

extensive construction, food quality in lounge
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Reviewed by Rosebud Review Date: 10/15/2014

Rating: (10)
Recommended

We visited the Polynesian in later August. It is a beautiful property - stayed there before. We had two adjoining rooms (party of 9), 3rd floor, view of MK. This was a first visit for my son-in-law and my 4 grandchildren (ages 4-9). Despite the construction and pool closure, we were more than happy with the quality of our stay. Lounge food (and drinks) very good, staff very accommodating. The concierge was cooperative and informative. Housekeeping spot on, everyone very friendly. Finally, Kona and Ohana better than ever!

Pros:

Location, view of castle, lounge, concierge

Cons:

None
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Reviewed by EleanorofAquitaine Review Date: 07/07/2013

Rating: (8)
Recommended

We stayed at the Poly on June 6 through 9th. We got a tremendous surprise when we arrived-- we had been upgraded to club level! As many times as I have stayed at the Poly (about a dozen over the last 5 years), that has never happened before, although we did stay at club level once before and paid dearly for the privilege. This time was much nicer, especially because I wasn't paying concierge level prices. I was grinning from ear to ear as they drove us in one of those little carts from valet parking back to the Hawaii building. How comfy! I felt special right off the bat. That's how Disney does it.

The newly remodeled rooms are lovely They updated them without losing the Polynesian feel. The bathroom is gorgeous, although I could live without the mirrors going all the way across the one wall, which meant not only did I have plenty of mirror when i was getting ready in the morning, which is great, but that I was staring at myself when I sat on the toilet, which was not great. Also, the towel rack is directly under the sink, so it poked my hubby as he was brushing his teeth. There isn't a towel hook next to the gorgeous shower. Still, the room was great, and we were right next door to the lounge, which meant we could go by and pour ourselves some lovely cordials in the evening and take them back to our room to view the fireworks. And the view is amazing. We had the perfect castle view. Wish there was a balcony, but we were on the second floor. 🙁

Service was excellent. Mercy was particularly nice in the lounge, as well as one of the young men whose name has escaped me. The snacks were nice, but not as abundant or as special as last time we stayed at club level. I have to wonder if that may be because some people just pounced on every plate of food that came out. Kids would appear out of nowhere, elbow me out of the way, and fill entire plates with all the pigs in blankets or skewers of beef or whatever they could fit on there. It was like watching locust descend. And it wasn't just children, although they were the most frequent offenders. Grownups too rushed to snap up mass quantities of food and were not friendly or polite to their fellow guests.

The club level was lovely and I am extremely grateful for the upgrade. But I do not think I would spend the money to stay there again any time soon. As nice as it was, it is still very expensive, even by Polynesian standards, and I don't want to have to pay that much just to have fruit trays and beer close at hand, since we had to battle our fellow guests to get our share.

Pros:

convenience, spacious rooms, nice remodeling

Cons:

families running wild in lounge
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Reviewed by Trishadono Review Date: 06/05/2013

Rating: (10)
Recommended

Took my daughter for mom and me trip for her 18th bday. So fun to be met outside and walked to the Hawaii building to check in. Our request for 3rd floor balcony was met too!

We loved the new rooms. Fresh looking! The new brown sheers on the sliders are a nice relaxing touch. The new bathrooms have lots of counter space.

The lounge was just so beautiful I would sit there and just look out the windows at that fantastic view of the castle and seven seas lagoon area. The staff was great, the food tasty and there was always plenty of seating.

I made a special request which was honored too 🙂

All in all, the birthday was so special in such a great place!

Pros:

Newly remodeled lounge and rooms

Cons:

some construction going on
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