POLY Concierge is Worthless

H

hasabigrock

New Member
Original Poster
I would not recommend the POLY concierge based on their service. We stayed here a few years back and really enjoyed it, but is is not what it used to be. Very sad.

I'm actually typing this right now from Hawaii house 3rd floor, park view.

1) They are supposed to greet you at the valet/bell hop, they didn't. Valet told us that concierge was gone (before 9:30 PM) and to go to the front desk. This wasn't my first time in the POLY concierge so I just made my way directly to the Hawaii house to avoid standing in a 20 minute line to be told to walk to the Hawaii house.
2) I went to the Hawaii house concierge desk to ask for help with some fast passes. I started by saying do not delete my fastpasses, I just want to check. Well, they deleted them and couldn't get them back.
3) The food served by the concierge in the evening is frankly, "disgusting". Pretty much it is appetizers they make in bulk every couple weeks, freeze, then defrost them in a microwave and then put them out. Very little variety, and it disappears quickly. Seriously, the food at a Holiday Inn Continental breakfast is far better quality and selection than the POLY.
4) Went to go get some dining reservations for that night and next night and they said they only had very late slots open. Went back to the room, got on the web and found earlier times.

On a side note, the other night at midnight the Magic Kingdom started blasting the park opening sequence. I was really surprised how loud it was as it. It stopped, started again, took a 10 minute break, woke me up again and on and on until 3 AM. I called the front desk twice and grabbed a passing security guard. I was told they were training "float drivers" and there is nothing they could do about it. Not sure why float drivers need to opening sequence, and at full volume. Kept me up half the night. Manager comped me $100.
 
BuddyThomas

BuddyThomas

Well-Known Member
hasabigrock said:
3) The food served by the concierge in the evening is frankly, "disgusting". Pretty much it is appetizers they make in bulk every couple weeks, freeze, then defrost them in a microwave and then put them out. Very little variety, and it disappears quickly.
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This reminds me of that famous old Woody Allen line that goes something like - "The food was terrible, and there wasn't enough of it."
 
BuddyThomas

BuddyThomas

Well-Known Member
Glad to hear this has worked out for you. I had this vision of someone curled up in a shaking ball in the corner of the club room, tearing at his or her hair and clawing the walls, staring at a plate of grey beef and congealed gravy with red angry eyes. Now Go out and have fun, cause life is too short.
;)
 
George

George

Liker of Things
Premium Member
BuddyThomas said:
Glad to hear this has worked out for you. I had this vision of someone curled up in a shaking ball in the corner of the club room, tearing at his or her hair and clawing the walls, staring at a plate of grey beef and congealed gravy with red angry eyes. Now Go out and have fun, cause life is too short.
;)
Click to expand...

*Leaves work at a full sprint yelling, FREEDOM!*
 
rob0519

rob0519

Well-Known Member
We've been fortunate enough to have stayed at both the Poynesian and CR concierge locations. If you expect gourmet food at either location, you have your expectations set way too high. It's bascially continental breakfasts and appetizers. Both above average quality, but not spectactular. As for Concierge Services, for the most part, they cannot do anything you can do for yourself. This is not because they are incompetent, it's the restrictions put on them by the management. They cannot magically make an opening appear in a table service restaurant or get you a reservation to a show or other basic tasks performed by a concierge at similary priced resorts outside of Disney. Additionally, Conceirge service does usually end before 10:00 PM. Now I imagine if a major celebrity or corporate executive were on the Concierge Level, they more than likely have better success in getting that impossible dining reservation.
 
TP2000

TP2000

Well-Known Member
I've had similar underwhelming experience with Concierge level at the Contemporary, and an even more underwhelming experience with Concierge at the Grand Californian in Anaheim. I refuse to stay in Concierge rooms now because it's just a joke.

"Concierge" CM's at Disney hotels are concierge in name only. They aren't trained in the art of concierge service, they receive very little training over a regular front desk clerk, and they have almost no ability or authority to procure goods or services that you couldn't get yourself in two minutes with an iPhone.

A "Concierge" in a Disney deluxe hotel is just a regular CM with a little tenure, dressed up in a polyester suit (that's usually not tailored correctly), who smiles big cheesy smiles and taps at their computer before telling you something is booked, and then ends with "And have a MAGICAL day!"

Disney could call them Astronauts, or Nuclear Physicists, or Opera Singers, or anything. But just by labeling them a "Concierge" doesn't make them an actual concierge. Compared to any good luxury hotel in any mid-sized or larger city (Ritz, W, Four Seasons, Waldorf, Mandarin Oriental, etc.), the concierge service at a Disney Deluxe hotel is a joke. It should also be an embarrassment to Disney management, but since their occupancy levels are so high they don't actually care. They know they can get away with it cause people keep showing up.
 
Duckberg

Duckberg

Active Member
You would think WDW would require CM's with this title to perform MORE :confused: specific guest related services based upon rates :banghead: charged for those staying at the Poly!
 
rt06

rt06

Well-Known Member
You know, I stayed AK Club Level in 2013 and I was also expecting to be greeted upon arrival. I don't remember where I heard that from, but no one's ever confirmed that here, even though I've asked. I think it's just a rumor at this point.

The food was samples of Boma's menu so I must say, pretty darn impressive. They replenished trays like clockwork until time was up. It's like gorging yourself on the free samples at the Mall of America, but instead of Cinnabon and bourbon chicken, it's Boma. They also had a kids' platter (pizza bites and stuff) if the food was too exotic, which I raided as well. You could take food and drinks back to your room. And the menu changed constantly. They even got me soy milk from the back when I asked and from therein kept it stocked in the fridge. I didn't really imbibe in the cocktail hour.

I could see how concierge is useless. It took them a while to figure out the best bus to the mini golf course. I corresponded with them prior to my arrival via email having them set up ADRs and the Sunrise Safari. I must have been making a lot of requests and changes because they basically told me to use the website. I don't know if that was a suggestion to make my life easier, or their jobs easier, but it felt like an airport counter agent telling me I should go ahead and book my flight on Orbitz. And have a magical day.

I'm not going to say it's absolutely worthless. I mean, you're never going to get your money's worth. I certainly didn't take full advantage of the situation. Many servings missed and just a drop of alcohol consumed. Chilling in the lounge did leave me with a nice, warm, fuzzy feeling inside. I can't think of a better place to be during a downpour.
 
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EOD K9

EOD K9

Well-Known Member
Here is an uninformed person's question though. Is concierge expected to get you an unobtainable reservation or FP? Or is it to do it for you (normal resides) etc just so you don't have to?
 
KeithVH

KeithVH

Well-Known Member
At one time, the Hawai'i CMs could get you into places you might not by yourself. Those days are long gone. But, as people have pointed out, that's what a REAL concierge can do for you - things you can't do for yourself.

As for the Poly club as a whole, it has definitely been on a downhill slope for a while. We stopped staying there four years ago and have moved to the GF club. Several trips there have convinced us we made a good decision. That last trip, in some aspects, mirrored the OP. If we had never stayed there before, it would be one thing, but we've got a tough yardstick to measure against (the late 90s, early 2000s).
 
flynnibus

flynnibus

Premium Member
EOD K9 said:
Here is an uninformed person's question though. Is concierge expected to get you an unobtainable reservation or FP? Or is it to do it for you (normal resides) etc just so you don't have to?
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If it were only the later.. instead of paying hundreds of dollars to Disney... outsource to some chump for $50 to do your work for you :)
 
NMBC1993

NMBC1993

Well-Known Member
I've stayed in several concierges around WDW (Poly, Boardwalk, Beach Club, AKL, Wilderness Lodge, and Grand Floridian) as well as Grand Californian during a trip to DLR and have never had a problem with any of them. Although with that said, those visits were 10 years ago and the only reason we stayed at the WDW concierge to begin with was for the food and floor amenities since we're locals and had no need in booking reservations or anything like that.

I doubt it's still the same but during a stay in 2001 at AKL, concierge was like being treated as a king! When we checked in there was an African-themed gift bag in our room with all sort of games, toys, a big pencil made out of a tree branch, a AKL themed cup, even a plush safari Goofy! At the lounge, the CMs waited on our every need, making sure we had a great time and didn't need anything...it was fantastic!
 
rt06

rt06

Well-Known Member
NMBC1993 said:
I've stayed in several concierges around WDW (Poly, Boardwalk, Beach Club, AKL, Wilderness Lodge, and Grand Floridian) as well as Grand Californian during a trip to DLR and have never had a problem with any of them. Although with that said, those visits were 10 years ago and the only reason we stayed at the WDW concierge to begin with was for the food and floor amenities since we're locals and had no need in booking reservations or anything like that.

I doubt it's still the same but during a stay in 2001 at AKL, concierge was like being treated as a king! When we checked in there was an African-themed gift bag in our room with all sort of games, toys, a big pencil made out of a tree branch, a AKL themed cup, even a plush safari Goofy! At the lounge, the CMs waited on our every need, making sure we had a great time and didn't need anything...it was fantastic!
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Times have changed. Chocolate giraffes and turndown service.
 
J

Jakester

Well-Known Member
Remember, every single CM you see frontline (regardless if its a server at pecos, a crowd control CM on Main Street, a Engineer, ect) DOES NOT MAKE ANY RULES HOW TO DO THEIR JOB. There is only so much each of them can do for you. Like somebody already mentioned, Management places restrictions as to what So Said Department can Do/Not Do. Example, Don't go up to your typical CM bussing tables at Cosmics and start complaining how "Rides are all broken, Its too crowded, just all in all unleashing hell on the poor guy/gal" and expect free Fastpasses.
 

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