Is Poly worth the extra money??

[brea]

Off topic, but I'm curious what cut backs did you notice? The increases in pricing is what I noticed most my last trip. We had dessert buffet reservations last March a year ago and it was still the cheaper price. At the higher price I'm tapped out.

Smaller portions, service cutbacks (Love Ohana dinner but this trip the table seated after us was cleaned up before we were brought any beef, chicken and shrimp - Ties to price/service) The server in this case was just off. It was early in the trip so I just chalked it up to her day.

Tonga Toast - One of the reasons the wife prefer's this resort. She commented that the Toast was off and she really didn't have the taste for it anymore. To find out later that Disney changed the bread to a cheaper bread in order to save cost.

Ohana breakfast - we went twice because the kids really loved this meal and stitch is one of the few to be seen here. Characters were distant and rushed through the tables only to bunch up a few down, and kind of stood there ignoring kids while waiting for the next table. to open up with the character in front of them. It was really sad to see. Earlier in the week we got several pictures of stitch with the kids from both ourselves and the photopass photographer. Second time around one from the photopass guy and he ran away. My youngest son actually chased him to the next table to give him a hug because he gave one to my older son which caught his attention and thus he wanted one now too. I don't need my kids to be the center of attention but again it ties back to price/service and it was easy to compare it to the experience earlier in the week.

Guy bringing my bags to and from our room, same guy, was complaining about cutacks to staff and part time work and it all happening related to Shanghai park cutbacks and staff was being told it was the case. When you consider above that all of my "bad" experiences above were at the Poly and here's a cast member explaining to me that the resort is being impacted by forces outside of it's control, then to find out it was true it made me wonder about the "machine" my money was going to. It puts it in your face that while the resort itself has improved in a lot of areas that your'e not necessarily paying to heighten your own experience but your paying the machine with some of your money going into what you get in return.

 

[21stamps]

Smaller portions, service cutbacks (Love Ohana dinner but this trip the table seated after us was cleaned up before we were brought any beef, chicken and shrimp - Ties to price/service) The server in this case was just off. It was early in the trip so I just chalked it up to her day.

Tonga Toast - One of the reasons the wife prefer's this resort. She commented that the Toast was off and she really didn't have the taste for it anymore. To find out later that Disney changed the bread to a cheaper bread in order to save cost.

Ohana breakfast - we went twice because the kids really loved this meal and stitch is one of the few to be seen here. Characters were distant and rushed through the tables only to bunch up a few down, and kind of stood there ignoring kids while waiting for the next table. to open up with the character in front of them. It was really sad to see. Earlier in the week we got several pictures of stitch with the kids from both ourselves and the photopass photographer. Second time around one from the photopass guy and he ran away. My youngest son actually chased him to the next table to give him a hug because he gave one to my older son which caught his attention and thus he wanted one now too. I don't need my kids to be the center of attention but again it ties back to price/service and it was easy to compare it to the experience earlier in the week.

Guy bringing my bags to and from our room, same guy, was complaining about cutacks to staff and part time work and it all happening related to Shanghai park cutbacks and staff was being told it was the case. When you consider above that all of my "bad" experiences above were at the Poly and here's a cast member explaining to me that the resort is being impacted by forces outside of it's control, then to find out it was true it made me wonder about the "machine" my money was going to. It puts it in your face that while the resort itself has improved in a lot of areas that your'e not necessarily paying to heighten your own experience but your paying the machine with some of your money going into what you get in return.

I'm extremely curious to experience the "new smaller portions". I may be in the minority but I don't have a problem with this- if it's nothing major-because so much food gets wasted- I can't think of one time when either kiddo or I finished our entire plate.

Also extremely curious about the Tonga toast. The 2 types of bread are so similar, and it's so fried and sugared I don't know if I will notice. Hopefully not!

Ohana was our absolutely favorite character meal so this makes me sad I'm hoping the experience will be just as good next time!

That guy should be FIRED. ASAP. That is unprofessional, unacceptable, and downright ridiculous. I didn't complain over a snake in my room, but I would have complained if someone from bell services was whining about their job and talking about "cutbacks". Ridiculous.

How long ago did this happen?

 

[brea]

I'm extremely curious to experience the "new smaller portions". I may be in the minority but I don't have a problem with this- if it's nothing major-because so much food gets wasted- I can't think of one time when either kiddo or I finished our entire plate.

Also extremely curious about the Tonga toast. The 2 types of bread are so similar, and it's so fried and sugared I don't know if I will notice. Hopefully not!

Ohana was our absolutely favorite character meal so this makes me sad I'm hoping the experience will be just as good next time!

That guy should be FIRED. ASAP. That is unprofessional, unacceptable, and downright ridiculous. I didn't complain over a snake in my room, but I would have complained if someone from bell services was whining about their job and talking about "cutbacks". Ridiculous.

How long ago did this happen?

Before I go any further please keep in mind that if staying at a Monorail resort the poly is the choice. I've stayed at the contemporary and poly. GF is just not the wifes cup of tea which is ok by me. I would stay there but only to round it all out at this point. I would consider staying at the contemporary if we got a garden view room for the price difference but otherwise it's the poly. As I've said they do have a lot of good things. My kids still talk about the Disney water slides (ages 2-4-6) which was the new kids play area.

Breakfast - It's also possible that the difference was going at the beginning of the week vs. the end of the week. We added the end of the week at the kids "request" . the service at the beginning of the week was memorable.

I'm just explaining what my wife told me and I later found out. I'm not a Tonga toast fan.

You may be right about the guy needing to be fired and I will admit that the conversation put the experiences we had and I later read about into perspective which raised questions about the value. All of that being said we will still go back.

This was in March of this year.

 

[21stamps]

Before I go any further please keep in mind that if staying at a Monorail resort the poly is the choice. I've stayed at the contemporary and poly. GF is just not the wifes cup of tea which is ok by me. I would stay there but only to round it all out at this point. I would consider staying at the contemporary if we got a garden view room for the price difference but otherwise it's the poly. As I've said they do have a lot of good things. My kids still talk about the Disney water slides (ages 2-4-6) which was the new kids play area.

Breakfast - It's also possible that the difference was going at the beginning of the week vs. the end of the week. We added the end of the week at the kids "request" . the service at the beginning of the week was memorable.

I'm just explaining what my wife told me and I later found out. I'm not a Tonga toast fan.

You may be right about the guy needing to be fired and I will admit that the conversation put the experiences we had and I later read about into perspective which raised questions about the value. All of that being said we will still go back.

This was in March of this year.

I'm worried bc our Ohana reservation is for 11am. So I don't know if we will feel rushed. I think last year it was around 7:45 and I didn't feel rushed at all.

The volcano slide and the play area were my son's most talked about memories of the trip. We are staying at CR this time (bc I want to avoid the pool) and hopefully he enjoys it just as much!

 

[brea]

I'm worried bc our Ohana reservation is for 11am. So I don't know if we will feel rushed. I think last year it was around 7:45 and I didn't feel rushed at all.

The volcano slide and the play area were my son's most talked about memories of the trip. We are staying at CR this time (bc I want to avoid the pool) and hopefully he enjoys it just as much!

It's Disney, he'll enjoy it. I'm sure that Captian Hook and Pan had some adventures at the CR pool areas that would make him just as excited. Enjoy

 

[MrHappy]

Depends on your travelling habits. We literally just shower and sleep in our room so spending money on a deluxe would be a waste for us.

This is an excellent point. I recently came back from a split DVC stay at GFV and BLT. I'm telling you, I had the most luxurious 30 seconds in a hotel room each day. It's my fault that I didn't plan appropriately to truly enjoy the room and the resort. We had our moments but for the price, you need to figure a half day (or at least schedule your time that you don't feel rushed) just enjoying the resort.