Great stay. Here are two helpful tips I wish I would have known from the beginning of our stay:
1. You can easily walk to the transportation center stop on the monorail and get to/from Epcot faster. This short walk avoids changing trains and making the full circle. Time saver for sure.
2. You can easily walk to the Grand Floridian. If you have dinner with Cinderella or want to use the 24/7 fitness center, it’s a short walk along the “beach”.
These are great tips for staying at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort! The location of this Resort is absolutely perfect for getting to a multitude of destinations. Being walking distance from the Transportation and Ticket Center makes access to the Epcot monorail a breeze. Plus, you can easily get to any of the nearby Resorts and Magic Kingdom Park by monorail or watercraft. Add to that amazing theming and delicious dining options, this Resort is the place for you!
We'll look for your among the islands again soon!
Kaitlyn
Disney Social Reviews
We stayed in a standard view room. We requested 3rd floor so we could have a balcony. We didn't get our request. We got Niue longhouse. Ground floor. But, I must say that we were very happy with the room. It was very close to pools, restaurants and shops. Staff was helpful. We attended the Spirit of Aloha dinner (fun and food was good). We ate at Ohana for breakfast and supper. All the food choices were good. The room was a decent size, 2 queens, 1 sofa bed. (one bathroom was kind of a pain). I thought the decor was cute. I spent some time on the patio outside our room and really enjoyed it. Saw all the people walking by, could see the quiet pool. there was a self serve beverage area by the pool, but just across the sidewalk from our room. I think we are ruined to stay anywhere else. Loved it!!!
Nothing makes me happier than seeing our Guests describe their visit as “magical” – one of our favorite words! While it was not exactly what you were hoping for, I’m thrilled to see your room allocation ended up being just the right fit for your family’s needs. This is my favorite of our Resorts, and the amazing food is a huge reason why – everything you can try here is always delicious. With beautiful, bright decor and access to the Monorail, you really can't go wrong.
We can’t wait to welcome you back with a warm “Aloha!” Until then!
Jenn
Disney Social Reviews
We are part of the Disney Vacation Club (DVC), our points are at this Resort. That been said, this is a great Family Experience. Has the flexibility of two pools, one with slides for the kids and a quite one for relaxing, both with comfortable hot tubs.
Restaurants at the Polynesian are great, consider the meal plan, you will save on the long run. Captain Cooks is more for the every day breakfast, Kona Island is for the people who can't live without Starbucks, Kona Cafe is a table seat restaurant, awesome for casual dinner (great steaks). Ohana is the best of all the restaurants on-site, breakfast is with Characters (Lilo, Steach, Micky and Goofy), dinner is Brazilian style, excellent shrimps and all the meats.
I'm not adding pictures of the restaurants as I'll do a separate review, as for the rooms, they are cozy, accommodate 5 if you are traveling with kids. The only down side with the DVC is that you are on a cleaning schedule, you can get as many towels and toilet treat (shampoo, conditioner, lotion, etc.) but not room cleaning every day (make your own bed. :-)
The monorail to Magic Kingdom stops at the Polynesian, no need to pay for parking. As you will be staying on Disney property, Magic Hours apply, nice extra. Bus services to other places or parks run every 20 minutes.
Concierge services earned an A+, helping with dinners and recommendations. The entire staff earned high marks.
Thank you for being a Disney Vacation Club Member! I’m so happy you enjoy your home Resort so much. Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is one that I love, too. The relaxing theming and the incredible meals are what bring me back time and time again. I couldn’t agree with you more—‘Ohana is the best! I think dinner there is one of my favorites on Disney property. It’s delicious, fun and a unique dining experience. I appreciate you mentioning the Disney Dining Plan. This allows Guests to pre-pay for a wide variety of meals during their visit. I know for a fact that without a Dining Plan, I would not have eaten at some of my now all-time favorite restaurants. It’s an excellent deal and gives you the opportunity to try so many places!
Add to all of this the convenient monorail access, the amazing views, the pools and fantastic Cast Members. You can’t get any better! Thank you for sharing your experience with us. I can’t wait to see you again soon!
Kaitlyn
Disney Social Reviews
We’ve stayed at a lot of Disney resorts and I’ve come to enjoy the feeling you get as you ‘come home’ to a richly decorated and inspiring lobby. From the Wilderness Lodge to AKL, those Disney lobby’s are works of art. Then there’s the Poly; you arrive literally under the monorail and enter a comparatively small, low ceiling room that has some really ugly decorations. No inspiration here but I guess it does deliver on the theme as much as it can.
The lobby and main pool and dining area can get crazy crowded. We would have to stalk tables and race to beat others to get a seat.
The so called transportation advantage of being on the monorail is of limited value as we found the monorail to be highly unreliable.
Rooms were ok but nothing really special. The theming did grow on me and I prefer it to the bland theme of some of the room updates and other Disney resorts. But the room just felt old.
Staff were generally nice even during times when it was crazy busy and they were being run of their feet.
And it is super expensive. Not worth it and not a place we would return to.
While I'm glad the theme of Disney's Polynesian Village Resort grew on you and our amazing Cast Members always provided you with outstanding service, I'm sorry to hear you weren't thrilled with your stay. As you mentioned, there's something about walking into a beautiful lobby and just feeling home. Disney's Wilderness Lodge and Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge truly have grand entrances, but the amazing part of staying in different Resorts is that each has a different feel to it. It's so important to find the Resort that matches your family's needs!
During your next visit, I do hope you'll consider returning to Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge since it's a place you've come to love over the years. Between the grand lobby, the incredible views of animals and the delicious dining locations, it's truly one of my favorites and I can't imagine a better place to spend a magical week.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts. No matter where you stay next, we can't wait to welcome you back!
Darby
Disney Social Reviews
In 1986 we stayed here when I was 12 years old. At the time, I was ecstatic to be in Disney World but didn't appreciate the Polynesian. As a kid who had never been to the South Pacific I just didn't get the retro Tiki theme. I could care less.
But now that I've been to 4 of the Hawaiian islands, I have a totally different perspective on Disney's Polynesian Village. Combining Florida's hot humid climate, the fabulous gardens, Hawaiian music, Tiki torches, and whimsical decor really transported me back to Hawaii. Sure, we were there to experience the Disney theme parks, but it's quite a novelty to ride rides in the Magic Kingdom and then go to bed in Hawaii.
The rooms were well furnished, and were big enough that we didn't feel cramped. The pool is magnificent (especially for kids!) and be sure to check out Trader Sam's-- it's easily the best Tiki bar I've ever been to.
My only complaint is that there was a distinctive perfume in the lobby that was a bit too strong. It's a pleasant fragrance, but they should dial down the intensity, so that it's more subtle.
Shopping for a hotel at Disney World is really really tough because there are so many themes to choose from. I was tempted to stay at Contemporary Resort, Art of Animation, Animal Kingdom Lodge, and Boardwalk Inn. But I'm really glad I picked the Polynesian, and without hesitation I'd stay there again.
If retro Tiki culture doesn't appeal to you, then the Polynesian is definitely a waste of money. But if you like the idea of combining a tropical island in the South Pacific with a Disney theme park, then you'll the Polynesian. I can't wait to go back.
Mahalo for submitting your review of Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort! The theming of this Resort is one of my personal favorites, it perfectly captures the relaxing Polynesian vibe our Guests love. The Lava Pool is definitely a Guest favorite, with a towering volcano and a thrilling 142 foot-long waterslide, I am thrilled you and your family were able to enjoy that amenity. I am delighted you were able to enjoy a relaxing sip at the ever-entertaining Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto.
With so many sights and sounds throughout the Resort, you forget you aren’t on a tropical island. May I suggest, the next time your family stays here to enjoy Happily Ever After from the beach for a whole new view of the fireworks.
Sam
Disney Social Reviews
