When did the Polynesian get so expensive?

[GoofGoof]

That's silly. They didn't have phones back then, did they?

They looked like this:

I do remember that Disney didn’t have a 1-800 number so when you called you were charged for a long distance call when making your reservation. How many of you have no idea what I’m talking about with long distance charges? When did I get so old

 

[RobWDW1971]

They looked like this:
View attachment 428875

I do remember that Disney didn’t have a 1-800 number so when you called you were charged for a long distance call when making your reservation. How many of you have no idea what I’m talking about with long distance charges? When did I get so old

Or you could use a calling card - go to pay phone, dial (yes DIAL) a 1-800 number, then dial the number you want, then dial a 72 digit calling card number - oh, and if god forbid you make a single mistake or your finger slides out of the hole too soon, you get to start all over. Better plan to make an afternoon of it.

 

[GoofGoof]

Or you could use a calling card - go to pay phone, dial (yes DIAL) a 1-800 number, then dial the number you want, then dial a 72 digit calling card number - oh, and if you make a single mistake or your finger slides out of the hole too soon, you get to start all over. Better plan to make an afternoon of it.

I think we just lost a whole bunch more people when you mentioned a pay phone and a calling card

I think WDW was one of the last places I can remember to have regular pay phones. I guess because of the number of foreign guests who may not have had cell phones that worked in the US. I remember waiting for a table at Coral Reef when my kids were much younger (I want to say around 2013) and they had a pay phone in the waiting area near the restrooms. My kids were fascinated with it because they had never seen one.

 

[Jonathan Dalecki]

We spent one night at the Poly two years ago. We'd gone on a Disney cruise, then did the Poly and Mickey's Christmas Party. Even for that one night, it was easy to see why people stay there no matter how expensive it gets. The resort is gorgeous and just whisks you away to that feeling of being in the beautiful south pacific. The music, the themeing, and most especially the in-room amenities make it unlike any other resort

 

[RobWDW1971]

I think we just lost a whole bunch more people when you mentioned a pay phone and a calling card

I think WDW was one of the last places I can remember to have regular pay phones. I guess because of the number of foreign guests who may not have had cell phones that worked in the US. I remember waiting for a table at Coral Reef when my kids were much younger (I want to say around 2013) and they had a pay phone in the waiting area near the restrooms. My kids were fascinated with it because they had never seen one.

One of my kids asked me why we use the phrase "hang up the phone" - made me pause for a second to realize they had never hung up a phone, but just hit "end" or set it down. So I had to explain in ancient times the piece you spoke into hung from the side or front of a larger box and you hung it up on the little hook to end a call (or slam down for emphasis). Someday "landline" will be an unknown term as well....

 

[Nunu]

One of my kids asked me why we use the phrase "hang up the phone" - made me pause for a second to realize they had never hung up a phone, but just hit "end" or set it down. So I had to explain in ancient times the piece you spoke into hung from the side or front of a larger box and you hung it up on the little hook to end a call (or slam down for emphasis). Someday "landline" will be an unknown term as well....

Also the term "dial" sounds old fashioned nowadays, when you consider that it refers to a round instrument or disc.

 

[The Mom]

Once upon a time, I used to make last minute trips (I live about 3 hrs away) so would call the hotel directly and ask what was the best rate I could get for that night & the next if I booked the room (with a credit card) and got there before 6PM? I could sometimes get some great rates. I would just pack an overnight bag for my daughter & I, and tell her "Guess where we're going?" as I picked her up from school.

 

[Hcalvert]

We spent one night at the Poly two years ago. We'd gone on a Disney cruise, then did the Poly and Mickey's Christmas Party. Even for that one night, it was easy to see why people stay there no matter how expensive it gets. The resort is gorgeous and just whisks you away to that feeling of being in the beautiful south pacific. The music, the themeing, and most especially the in-room amenities make it unlike any other resort

This is exactly why we stay at Poly. I find the resort very peaceful and the people pleasant. Also, on our first night in January, we are going to After Hours and look forward to not being that far away from the resort when it is over. The last time we went to an After Hours event, we were staying at POR and thankfully caught a bus right before it was leaving, but some other guests told me that it took them over an hour to get back to their resort that night. We booked BLT in June 2020 partly because of being able to walk back when After Hours is over (and the price was $250/night).

 

[Hcalvert]

One of my kids asked me why we use the phrase "hang up the phone" - made me pause for a second to realize they had never hung up a phone, but just hit "end" or set it down. So I had to explain in ancient times the piece you spoke into hung from the side or front of a larger box and you hung it up on the little hook to end a call (or slam down for emphasis). Someday "landline" will be an unknown term as well....

My grandparents still have a rotary phone that they use in their house as well as a cordless. My son does find both of them fascinating when he visits them as we haven't had a landline for about 7 years.

 

[The_Jobu]

They looked like this:
View attachment 428875

I do remember that Disney didn’t have a 1-800 number so when you called you were charged for a long distance call when making your reservation. How many of you have no idea what I’m talking about with long distance charges? When did I get so old

That's still the case outside the US.

 

[GoofGoof]

Once upon a time, I used to make last minute trips (I live about 3 hrs away) so would call the hotel directly and ask what was the best rate I could get for that night & the next if I booked the room (with a credit card) and got there before 6PM? I could sometimes get some great rates. I would just pack an overnight bag for my daughter & I, and tell her "Guess where we're going?" as I picked her up from school.

And I thought I was getting a gold star for taking my kids to Rita’s for a Water Ice on the way home from school

 

[gdrj]

IMO opinion another reason for the price jump, the number of rooms have been cut down with so many now DVC. While yes you can rent from an owner, the average guest doesn't do that. Reducing regular rooms means being able to drive the price higher. I havent looked to WL but I would suspect that could be the case there as well as close to 1/2 the hotel was converted to DVC.

 

[disney4life2008]

I will say it again anyone who pays more than $200 to stay in a bugalow on man made water at the Polynesian is crazy.

 

[Lilofan]

I will say it again anyone who pays more than $200 to stay in a bugalow on man made water at the Polynesian is crazy.

Add another $1K a night and that's the going rate last time I check. Alligators nearby to add to the mix.

 

[drizgirl]

IMO opinion another reason for the price jump, the number of rooms have been cut down with so many now DVC. While yes you can rent from an owner, the average guest doesn't do that. Reducing regular rooms means being able to drive the price higher. I havent looked to WL but I would suspect that could be the case there as well as close to 1/2 the hotel was converted to DVC.

Funny how that works.

 

[StarshipDisney]

I don't know if you can say exactly when the Poly got so expensive. Disney has seen a steady progression of price increases.

I know that my wife and I had our Honeymoon at the Poly in 2000. We had the honeymoon package they had back then and the cost for 6 nights with park tickets was only $2400. I bet the cost of something like that now would be at least 4 times that if not more. That averages out to roughly 15% yearly inflation.

In comparison, I also know for a fact that a club level room at the Contemporary has gone up $3000 since we stayed there in 2016. We paid $7,000 back in 2016 and the same now is $10,000. Even there we are over an average of 14% yearly inflation.

Disney prices go up significantly every single year. But I can't say much when I am planning trips there in 2020, 2021, and 2022; so guess I am just not to the point yet of not paying what it takes to go. At this point I am not sure if old age or prices will one day cease my trips there.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

Demand. 847 rooms x 365 days = 309155 Room Nights a year. Average length of stay 5 nights = 61,831 people (rooms) checking in every year (assuming 100% occupancy, which its not - so the number is actually lower). It's not really that much when you think about it.

 

[disney4life2008]

It's pretty bad when sports is charging upwards $150 or more. As recent as 2009, I paid $45 a night in January with my annual pass.

 

[disney4life2008]

We spent one night at the Poly two years ago. We'd gone on a Disney cruise, then did the Poly and Mickey's Christmas Party. Even for that one night, it was easy to see why people stay there no matter how expensive it gets. The resort is gorgeous and just whisks you away to that feeling of being in the beautiful south pacific. The music, the themeing, and most especially the in-room amenities make it unlike any other resort

You are lying right? Lol. I go there at least once a semester for dinner while it does a great job at the theming, I actually find the Marriott grande vista significantly better.

 

[Little Green Men]

Oh, my gosh! I had completely forgotten about paper airline tickets! They were in triplicate on very thin almost tissue paper, with red ink that turned to pink by the third copy, full of all sorts of weird airline codes, and slid inside a swanky ticket jacket from the airline. I also suddenly remember TWA's ticket jackets used to have gold leafed swoopy-loopy font that said "Royal Ambassador Class" on the front, as if the ticket was made for the Queen of England.

Funny the things you had forgotten from decades ago that all of a sudden come flooding back so vividly. I bet there's Millenials out there who don't even know what a ticket jacket is, much less the triplicate carbon copy ticket inside.

Millennials are born between 81 and 96. As one myself I vividly remember going to a travel agent with my parents to plan our WDW trips. I also remember pre 9/11 regulations like keeping the cockpit open.