Just arrived this afternoon! A bit disappointed that again we did not get our room request, or even close, and this is our fifth trip to Polynesian. I really don’t think they even look! Anyway we are here and will have a magical vacation - just don’t take too much stock in the room requests. They do not work - or haven’t for us! 
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Keyword: request.
Also you are there at one of the very busiest times of the year. Makes it harder to meet the requests.
Finally, fifth trip to Poly? So much to be thankful for even if you got the very worst room at that resort
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Absolutely!!! Enjoy!!
It is disappointing to not get your request, but only for a few minutes, b/c if you did not request at all, you would have arrived with no expectation of what you would get (even though you know it really is only a request). That happened to me once at POR, requested Mansions section, top floor, got alligator Bayou section lower floor on other side of the resort. Disappointed but only b/c I asked and didn’t get my request not because of the room itself. Just a different perspective! Staying at the Poly is on my bucket list, and I’ll do it when my travel party can fit in one regular room! Have a great time
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I think some room assigners ignore the the faxes, and some try to honor them. I agree that Poly often ignores them (AKL seems to try to honor them). I am curious why you would be disappointed in the fax service? The fax service does not guarantee that the resort will be able to honor the request?
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I suspect in a way that the disappointment is similar to what seems to have led Disney to disable the request drop downs in online check-in. I strongly suspect too many people were not fully comprehending that it was only requests and did not mean that they would get a room that met those.
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I believe you are right!
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So funny because I’ve never had an AKL request even come close. But I love AKL so it’s not a big deal. I figure it’s worth putting in a request because if it is ignored that’s no different than not putting in request.
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I guess I’ve never really cared much about room locations. I typically don’t spend very much time in the room, so the view doesn’t really matter very much to me. The one exception is AKL - but if I’m staying there I suck it up and pay extra for a savanna room…
I am curious, what have you requested at AKL? Are you requesting standard view rooms? I ask because there are a few issues with the TP map.
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Yep–standard view rooms. I noticed the issue with the TP maps since we’ve stayed there a number of times–so I knew not to request rooms that truly are classified as savanna view. I emailed TP about the mistakes on the site–not sure if it’s fixed yet.
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This summer I used the TP fax to request a room at the Poly and one at YC.
My Poly room location was awful: nothing like I asked. My YC room location was fantastic: better than I hoped.
Make of that what you will.
We’ve had a lot of success at BWI and OKW, but zero success at AKL. I was even told by an AKL cast member a few years ago that they ignore them as a matter of policy. (Which Len refuted here in the forum. And while he’s certainly in a better position to know than I, I’m certain the cast member believed it at the time.) I still like AKL. In fact I’ll be there again in a few weeks. But I don’t even bother making a TP room request there anymore.
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I wonder if the success is when we edit to multiple floors/same hallway.? A number of us have made that same request with pretty consistent success?
Edited to add: the last two times I stayed at Poly they were not even accepting online check in. They wanted each guest to go to the desk.
Couldn’t say. In the most flagrant and ridiculous example, I made a general area request according to the TP room request guidelines for our 24th wedding anniversary (we booked a savanna view room). However, I was very clear that above all, regardless of our ultimate room assignment, we wanted a king bed in a quiet area (wedding anniversary, remember?) When we got to our room it was a two queen bed room next to the elevator with a “savanna” view of the interior corner of the opposite wing of the hotel. I’m not saying they intended it as a F!!! You gesture. In fact I highly doubt it. But if they had they could hardly have done a better job.
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Like I said, we were disappointed only for a little while - just thankful that we were able to have this magical vacation. It just seemed like such a waste of time pouring and pondering the room photos, etc and thinking - just maybe this one time we would be close to ceremonial hall (recent knee surgery). I am,by no means complaining - just a little disappointed! We understand it is a request but you’d think after five trips, we would have our preference honored at least once lol! Not blaming anyone - just won’t spend time trying to decide again.
No, not blaming the fax service at all - just doesn’t seem to work for us - ever!
I don’t generally make room requests. think it’s great that Disney makes as much of an effort as it often does to honor them, though. I travel quite a bit, and except for my Marriott standing room request which they ask you about (high floor, they went nonsmoking a long time ago) I don’t ask for a specific room except categories that actually affect the room rate, of course. If I were a frequent traveler (several times a year) to a certain hotel I might have requests I would expect to be honored, but other than that I’d assume any room specification is very much at their discretion. ADA rooms are also an obvious exception.
A traveler at a certain standard of hotel expects a certain level of amenities- if I check in and find something unacceptable given the room rate and type of establishment, then I’d definitely complain. But I guess Disney, like most quality hoteliers, is going to give me what I paid for. I did have to switch rooms at the YC once when they gave us a room for 4 when there were 5, and they knew there were 5 of us.
I guess what I’m trying to say is I’d feel lucky if they honor any special request.They don’t have to.
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There is a certain logic to not digging a hole, before one even arrives, for disappointment to jump into. Maybe I won’t do a fax room request after all…why risk starting a great holiday in a downer?
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I was thinking about it just to get the “right” balcony- but then the tradeoff is not being near the club lounge- it’s a tossup. It’ll be great however it works out. I think this situation with Disney and room requests is really unique, I just don’t see that expectation in many places, of course I could be wrong but few places have as an intense a fan base as WDW!
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We went to All Star Sports in June and I requested a room they only offered 4 or 5 of the ADA room I reserved so I thought it would be easy to get my room. Ha yea right not even the right building. I went back after my trip to see if the room I stayed in was even listed as a Prefered room. All the room numbers were incorrect. TP had my room in a different wing. So I think the room finder is off.