Disney's Polynesian Resort (Disney Deluxe Resort) About This Page:

[Jennifer Marx]

The Polynesian is a lush, tropical paradise resting tranquilly on the Seven Seas Lagoon across from the Magic Kingdom.

Official Guidebook Review: Our official review of Disney's Polynesian Resort can be read in PassPorter's Walt Disney World guidebook (chapter 3).

Personal Review: We adore this resort! We feel it is hands-down the most convenient resort on property, and beautiful to boot. We'd stay here more often it were a bit less expensive. Our most recent visit here was in summer 2007.

Other Reviews: We do not yet have a feature article on file for the Polynesian Resort. If you're interested in writing one, please contact Belle*.

Photo Reviews: See our Polynesian Resort photo collection.

Your Review: What do YOU think of this resort? We want to know! To leave a review AND numerical rating, click the Review button below. Please avoid commenting on previously posted reviews. Tip: Include your pros and cons!

Results from these ratings and reviews will be factored into the ratings that appear in the guidebook, too!

[GoofyMom]

When you first arrive at the Polynesian Resort, you feel like you've arrived in Paradise. You hear water running, and the lush greenery is a sight to behold.

We stayed in Concierge, so we were in the Hawaii building. More lush gardens and a very impressive-looking volcano pool greeted us as we made our way to our building. You need permission to enter the building, so we pushed a button and a Concierge CM opened the door with a happy "Aloha" and let us in so we could check in. Our room was on the ground level so we had a lanai. I really liked the lanai as it overlooked the quiet pool and the kids could just run across the lawn between our room and the pool.

Our room was large. There were two queen beds and a daybed, as well as an armoire for the TV, a small fridge and a table with 2 chairs, plus a large closet and we still had lots of space left over for all our luggage! There was a surprise in the closet for us -- bathrobes for our use while we were guests. They came in very handy when we were using the swimming pools as it was quite cold during our stay. I would have loved a nice hot tub to soak in at the end of the day, but the Polynesian doesn't have one.

I was not fond of the decor, the browns and tans were not doing it for me. I thought it looked worn and tired. But that's a minor thing, and according to my PassPorter Guidebook the decor has been renovated since our stay. The main issue I had was the noise. You could hear everything through the walls and doors. Our neighbours had issues , and people would let their young children race up and down the hallway, and you could hear the thump, thump, thump as they ran. I thought that for $400 a night (we had a discounted value season rate) we might have a bit more peaceful sleeps.

The concierge lounge was amazing! The complementary food was delicious and the view of Cinderella's Castle from the large window was incredible! We spent a couple of nights sitting in the lounge with a glass of wine and a few tasty goodies, watching the fireworks and Electrical Water Pageant. The concierge staff were very helpful and friendly. I had mentioned to one during a small-talk conversation that it was my husband's birthday and we arrived to a wonderful little surprise for him at the end of the day (a balloon, a card signed by Mickey, and a chocolate surfboard).

I loved having the monorail right there. It was so convenient to just go into the Ceremonial House, up the stairs and zip off to the Magic Kingdom! They also have a boat taxi to Magic Kingdom, however we didn't use it. We had a car so we drove to the other parks, so I have no comment on the bus service. There is a quick service restaurant (Captain Cook's) which we never went to because of the Concierge lounge and two table-service restaurants ('Ohana and Kona Cafe), which we did eat at.

I did enjoy our stay at the Polynesian, although for us, it was a once-in-a-lifetime stay.

Pros:

• proximity to Magic Kingdom
• Monorail!!!
• the pools and gardens were lovely
• spacious rooms
• the Concierge!!

Cons:

• noisy
• expensive, even if you aren't paying for Concierge, and even if you have a discounted rate!
• there is no hot tub

[statelady01]

We have stayed at this resort 5 times since 2003. It is beautifully landscaped and the service has been consistently good, every single time we have stayed. Some of the best dining options are right here and the monorail access to MK and EPCOT is superb.

The rooms are some of the largest on property and our family enjoys the marina and pools. Very comfortable with lots of amenities and beautifully decorated.

One of my other favorite aspects of the Polynesian is that it truly reminds me of nostalgic Disney as it was when the resort opened in 1971. Yet, modern amenities and updates have been done so the resort has kept up with the times. The atmosphere is authentic from tiki torches lined along pathways to the island music piped in just about everywhere on the grounds.

My only lower ranking is in the affordability category. It's expensive, even with a discount but yet, I feel like whatever I pay for the nightly rate, I always get my money's worth.

The Polynesian ranks # 1 for us at Walt Disney World!

[Colexis Mom]

We made our first trip to the Polynesian in August 2006, just coming off our 4-night cruise on the Disney Wonder. Prior to that, I had stayed here numerous times as a child with my parents (and spent countless hours in Moana Mickey's Fun Hut)!!

Upon arriving at the gate, we encountered problem number one. They couldn't find our name on the list They just waved us thru anyway after looking at my ID. Upon check in, they couldn't find my reservation. Come to find out, our name was spelled wrong on the reservation (which I didn't catch) and once I presented my confirmation letter (see - always bring them with you) they found me!! One thing I liked about the check in was it appeared that the CM checking you in had the ability to choose the room right there for you. Everywhere else it has seemed that the room was pre-assigned. We were given a room in Fiji (I had paid for Garden View) and we were soon on our way!

One thing the Polynesian has going for it is the huge rooms They had just refurbished the rooms not too long prior, so there was a flat panel TV, as well as updated bedding. We had plenty of room to store our belongings, and had a great room overlooking the luau area and the Wedding Pavillion at the GF. We did have an issue with housekeeping though. The desk that pulled out from under the counter was covered in sticky goo. One of the lights was out in the bathroom, and the bathroom fan had a constant dripping noise.

The Volcano pool at the resort is nice, however I would consider it quite small for a resort that size. Having stayed at both the BC and AKL where there were large pools, we were taken aback by the size. The kids did enjoy the slide, and having the zero point entry was a nice feature, especially with little ones. I needed to borrow a "bubble" for my DS, and they were only available from the marina (on which I had to leave an ID) and the marina was only open until 5. Again, just not what we were accustomed to at BC (where we had it for length of stay) or AKL (where there were boxes of them in the open).

At the time of our visit, Captain Cook's was under renovation, and the only option for quick meals was at the Tangaroa Terrace. The food was great and I had a yummy salad. It was just a bit of a walk from Fiji! This trip, we decided to cancel our ADR at 'Ohana, although we've eaten here in the past (for both breakfast and dinner) and always had a great meal. We've never made it to Kona Cafe yet......hopefully one of these years!! We also experienced the luau (something we always did as kids too). The kids had a great time, and we enjoyed great food too! I'd highly recommend it!

Being on the monorail line was convenient. And being able to walk back from the TTC was also a nice option that we did a number of times. This gives you accessibility to really two parks (Epcot and MK).

We got to watch Wishes from the beach a couple of times. This is a must do if you're staying here! We found the music to be louder in the marina area than the beach area, but it was still faint enough that you could follow along!

I think we just had a rough stay at the Polynesian and we'll have to give it another try! Here's a link to my trip report......it starts at post #70 for the Poly. http://www.passporterboards.com/foru...-11-6-a-4.html

Pros:

• Location
• Room Size
• Good Eats

Cons:

• Pool Size
• Expensive
• One Laundy area - opposite end of resort from where we were staying.

[Juan's mom]

My favorite place to stay. I loved the look and feel of the entire resort. I loved our room with the balcony. We stayed in 2006 and there were some renovations going on to at least one of the long houses, but we were to busy having a great time to notice.

The Kona Cafe was great, and in fact became my favorite restaurant.

The volcano pool was very busy, but the 3 y.o. loved it.

pros: The monorail and the ease of getting around, especially walking to the TTC
Beautiful grounds
Great cast memebers, especially in the Kona Cafe

con: boy, is it pricey for an older resort.

[CANDYTLEW]

We have decided that the Polynesian is our favorite! The only thing I would change is the lack of a hot tub. The scenery is absolutely beautiful and the service is great. Very quick commutes to MK and Epcot. O'hana and Kona cafe are right there and the food is very tasty. The Polynesian is everything you could ask for.

[rlk]

My family enjoyed staying at the Poly last year. We loved the ease of going to & from MK; break time was so much easier to manage. My two boys loved the Volcano pool and access to the beach. For me the best part was being able to go back to our room, sit on our balcony and watch Wishes & EWP.

[MickeyWatch]

We try other hotels at Disney but keep coming back to the Poly. We love the volcano pool and adjacent beach area. The door is a little dated, even with the updated rooms but it does have a wonderful tropical feeling. The location is even better than the other monorail resorts because of the ability to walk to the TTC and get on the Epcot Monorail. We usually rent a car and avoid the bus system entirely.
Like any other place at Disney you do need to make dining reservations in advance or you will end up at the snack bar every night.

[Lori Jakiela]

We stayed at the Poly April 9th thru 16th. The Housekeeping department left a whole lot to be desired. The room counters and frig were sticky when we got there which really turned me off. I don't expect to go to a deluxe resort and have to dig out my chlorox wipes! Housekeeping did nothing asked unless a sizable tip was left. I have a problem compensating less than acceptable work. Not being a clean freak this says something! This was my biggest disappointment....paying peak prices and theme park view and having a dirty room!!!

The rooms are spacious but dark. Not nearly enough drawer space and although there are to closets one is only half because of the safe and shelving. The bathroom could use better lighting. Beds were soft but comfortable, although my husband thought the twin bed was the most comfortable because he likes an extra firm mattress.

We had a theme park view and a patio room which was fine. The beach at our door was great for the kids. The pool was great but small, the kids loved it!

The food was just okay unless you went to the Kona Cafe. The most friendly CM;s were those at the restaurants ..Ohana and Kona. The Concierge was great but the front desk left a whole lot to be desired also. I was expecting those friendly Aloho's you hear all about and there were none. They weren't busy at the desk when we checked in but appeared to be awfully frazeled!

Sitting on the beach at night and gazing across te "pond", can't help thinking I would have been happier across at the Grand Floridian!

[katsunderthestars]

The Polynesian is one of my all time favorites. There is nothing like waking up to the lush tropical gardens and coming back at night to tiki torches. It's extremely relaxing and exquisitely beautiful. Since it is one of the first resorts at WDW, the rooms are slightly larger than the rest of the resorts.

The pool is nicely themed, however, one disappointing feature is that there is no hot tub. Some of the resorts (such as WL) have 2 or 3 hot tubs. For someone, such as myself, that enjoys a relaxing dip in the hot tub after a long day in the parks, this is a big disappointment.

Being on the monorail is amazing and being within a hop, skip and jump to TTC, no transfer to Epcot monorail is needed.

Overall, this resort is top notch and will always hold a dear place in my heart.

[AGentlRose]

This was my first return stay at the Polynesian (and Walt Disney World) since the mid 90's and I just hoped that the resort would not show it's age (37 years old), and Disney's TLC of the resort made it exceed my expectations. We were greeted at check in with a warm Aloha and a silk lei, reminiscent of Hawaii. Check in was swift and efficient. I requested, and received, a room on the third floor of Rarotonga, garden view, which was basically landscaping with a view of the monorail going by. The rooms had been refurbished a few years ago and were very comfortable. A/C worked fantastic and the ceiling fan added to the temperature comfort. The room had a coffee maker and refrigerator, iron, ironing board, small safe and a large screen TV. The room had 2 Queen beds and a daybed and lounge chair, with a small table with 2 chairs on the patio. Mousekeeping was great, rooms were always done up in a timely fashion and if I requested extra coffee cream, it was always left in abundance. However, we never got any towel animals, not even when we first checked in. The best thing about Disney's Polynesian was it's location on the monorail, you could be at the Magic Kingdom within minutes. Or if you prefer, there is a boat launch that travels between the Magic Kingdom, Polynesian and Grand Floridian hotels.
Captain Cook's was the counter service dining option that we used a lot, especially since we purchased the refillable resort mugs, I think they are a bargain, $12.49 for the mug and you can refill as many times as you want during your stay, with coffee, tea, hot chocolate, iced tea or soda. The Poly also has 2 restaurants: Ohana, an all you can eat table service and Kona Cafe. We didn't spend that much time at the hotel, so I can't comment on the restaurants or pools, although the Volcano pool looked fantastic. Another perk of the Polynesian is the ability to watch from the beach, the fireworks at the Magic Kingdom as well as the nightly Electrical Water Pageant.
Would I return to the Polynesian? You bet, we're going back in February.
As a side note, we utilized the services of Disney's Magical Express from the airport to the hotel. I was a little worried since I was unfamiliar with the service but it was great. They send you luggage tags that you attach to your checked luggage, once you check in at your home airport, you don't have to deal with. You bypass baggage claim, Disney picks up your luggage and delivers it right to your room. You do need to pack a carryon with anything you would need upon arrival since it takes time for the luggage to reach your room. We also used the resort check in returning home and again, I can only say good things about this service.

[MinnieJen]

We had just spent 3 nights at AKL and wanted to finish the trip closer to MK and on the monorail. Our room was so much bigger then the AKL room and made it much easier with our two little boys. Our littlest was in a pack and play and takes up some precious room space. They transfered our luggage over and it worked great. The room was clean and I enjoyed the theme. We did notice that the bathroom door would not latch closed properly. Our 12 month old figured this out quickly too and I was very concerned as I did not want him to have access to the bathroom. He likes tossing things in the potty. So I called to alert them. Over the next 24 hours they tried to fix it but it needed a new part ordered. I was not willing to wait 3 days for the part so they found us a new room. They upgraded us to Club level lagoon/park view! It was wonderful. We had been Club level at AKL and it was so nice. They were very helpful in helping us move to the new room with a great bellman and they even worked around our dinner plans as we were going to the luau that evening (very cute and worth it IMHO).

We LOVED being on the monorail!! We were able to zip back to the room for nap time. We had dinner at the Grand Floridian twice and quickly made it back to our room for bedtime. My older son (3) loved the monorail rides and the boat rides too. the pools were crowded but clean and great for kids. They have cute poolside kids activities too. They taught how to draw Mickey in chalk the afternoon we were there. So cute.

Kona Cafe was super yummy and the Tonga Toast was very good. We did room service a few times and it was always fast and hot and very good quality. I loved the chicken wings.

We also enjoyed being able to see the light parade and the MK fireworks from the beach and even from our room.

We would go back for sure. I do want to try other resorts just because I love to try new things, but this one is high on our list and we had a great time.

[Sue M.]

Over all, we loved our stay. Jan 20 2010. 6 nights. We got a great AP rate, making it more affordable. Without a good discount I wouldn't stay here. Rack rates are way to high IMO.

We had a GV room in Tokelau, close to beach end, facing Hawaii. Could see some of the higher fireworks from balcony. Mostly trees blocking view. Great central location, close to everything, GCH, quiet pool, main pool, and path to TCC.

My only complaint, is that the hallway was always dirty. For a deluxe resort, I felt the halls should be kept clean. (really for any level of resort). Same debris on the carpet for days. Also the back of our bathroom door could have used a fresh coat of paint. I've stayed at WL & AKL, and common areas were always spotless.

Other then that, we loved everything about the resort. Room was great. Very spacious. I was a little concerned because our room was a connecting one, and thought we'd hear noise from next room thru door, but we didn't hear a thing. Mousekeeping was excellent. No towel animals, but our room was kept spotless, and well supplied.

Loved watching Wishes and Electric Water Parade from beach. Also enjoyed the hammocks on beach. Great spot for an afternoon rest.

We did manage to go to the pool twice even though it was Jan. Some afternoons warmed up quite a bit. Volcano slide was great fun. Also being able to see the Castle from the pool. I did wish they had a hot tub.

The resort is beautiful, esp. the lit torches at night. Lobby is beautiful, CMs very nice. Kona is one of my fav. restaurants, and thought Capt. Cooks was good. Being able to get Dole Whips was great! Coffee bar upstairs is great. Nice to be able to get real coffee!

Being on monorail is very convenient for getting to MK, or ADRs at GF & CR. And just a short walk to TTC for Epcot monorail. We also used the boat from MK a couple of times. Nice on a warm afternoon.
One night we walked back to Poly from GF. Nice path, you go by wedding Pavillion and the Spa.

I would stay here again with another great discount, but in summer because of lack of hot tub.

[pixie08]

We were lucky enough to get a deal 40% off concierge so we got to stay in the Hawaii building. We stayed in a Garden view (as opposed to Mk view) and saved the extra money to eat at some signature places and do the MK dessert party, spa etc.

From the Hawaii building lounge there is a two story window with views of the castle, and music piped in for wishes, but our favorite place to watch the fireworks was the beach. We noticed we took the boats to MK a lot, a spent a lot of time at Mk because of the accessibility.

*Pros...there is nothing better than resting in a hammock, pina colada in hand, watching the castle in the distance. The grounds are beautiful and so are the rooms. The pool was a lot of fun as well. Nice dining options, and loved the sushi bar and coffee bar.

*Cons...the main building is a zoo. It would discourage me from staying there again. We couldn't even get through the lobby to get the monorail because of O'hana, Kona and the luau. Also I think a "Deluxe" resort such as the ploy should have a signature restaurant but at least CTR and GF are nearby.

Overall, it was an amazing stay but I gave it an 8 instead of a 10 because for the value I think I would chose the Grand Floridian instead, but the theming is beautiful and it is nice because it is an original Disney resort so the history is nice for Disney buffs. The resort is one of those were you don't want to be spending every waking hour at the parks, if so save the money and stay at a mod. The Poly is the type of resort that is a destination and the fact that you are in Disney is a major bonus!

[Winston]

Ah, the Polynesian Village. Wait, they haven't called it that in years! Now it's "Disney's Polynesian Resort" which will likely see variation again when the Disney Vacation Club renovation/expansion is complete. I'll always remember this hotel from my childhood in the 1970's and 80's when it was smaller, secluded, intimate, and one of only two hotels on all of WDW property. I can still recall the sound of the monorail above us when my dad would pull up in the car for check-in. I remember being shuttled to our room in the golf carts with floral patters on the side. In my mind I can still see all the original tiki sculptures and fountains that could be found throughout the resort and in the Great Ceremonial House.

Today, the Polynesian is bigger, less private, more expensive (of course!), but still an amazing place to stay at WDW. It still has a 1960's/1970's retro feel to it in some aspects, but both the classic elements and updates work together to make an incredible resort. The rooms are among the largest on property (415 to 465 sq. ft.), and all have double sinks - a must for families or even couples traveling together. The longhouse buildings are spread out, but walking between them is pleasant and manageable, and room requests give you a good chance of being close to the Transportation and Ticket Center, the Great Ceremonial House, the boat dock, or the beach/pools, depending on what you find most convenient.

Although there is no signature restaurant at the hotel, there are quick service and table service options, along with room service. Kona Café, one of the most lauded spots for breakfast in all of WDW, is located at the Polynesian, along with 'Ohana. If you're looking for something special, Narcoossee's, California Grill, Citricos, and Victoria & Albert's are just a monorail ride away.

Transportation, especially to Magic Kingdom Park, is unparalleled at the Polynesian. The Magic Kingdom is just two monorail stops away, and the Epcot and express monorails can be boarded next door at the Transportation and Ticket Center. Watercraft will take you to the Magic Kingdom and the Grand Floridian, while buses are available to all other parks and Downtown Disney. If you have a car, there's plenty of convenient parking behind the hotel in a gated lot.

If you're looking for luxury, pampering, or extra attention, the Polynesian has a club level and suites, and the Grand Floridian's spa is a short walk or monorail ride away. Room service is available until midnight. If you want a view of the grounds, Seven Seas Lagoon, or the Magic Kingdom from your room, Disney has you covered.

I rated the Polynesian an 8 in affordability because I've never stayed there as an adult when a generous room discount wasn't available. I've always been able to save at least 25% off the rack rate, and usually much more than that. If you can travel during "Value Season" (when rack rates are lowest) and find a discount or promotion, then one of WDW's best hotels just got a lot easier to pay for!