Are the Polynesian Villas really that noisy?

[DVC Mike]

Are the Polynesian Villas really that noisy?

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One of the top complaints I've heard from people who've stayed the the Polynesian Villas is the noise.

The noise that most people complain about are the horns and whistles from the various ferry boats. There are numerous reports of people not being able to get enough sleep due to getting woken up due to the noise.

For those of you who have stayed in a DVC Lake View Studio at the Polynesian Villas, did you experience this issue? Were you woken up by the boat horns blasting late at night or early in the morning?

I don't recall this being a huge issue when the longhouses were hotel rooms. Did the DVC rehab reduce the amount of noise insulation?

Are only the rooms closest to the TTC affected, or most lake view studios?

My first stay at PVB is coming up, and I'm wondering if I need to bring ear plugs.

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[bobbiwoz]

We had a lake view studio two weeks ago. We were not bothered by the noise at all. We noticed horns at times. On our last morning, we woke up at 7:20 to the sound of a ferry horn. We had our alarm set for 7:30.

Both of us are fans of the Poly studios. We loved the resort and the friendliness of the staff and the food choices. We liked the transportation options, we did them all, monorail, bus and small boat to MK!

 

[BWV Dreamin]

We have a standard view booked. I'll let you know in 3 weeks ( waving at ya!)

 

[LargoLori]

We just checked out of 3016 lake view. The noise did not bother us at all.

 

[wildernessDad]

I noticed this when we recently stayed in a bungalow (once in a lifetime opportunity). It was somewhat annoying at first, but I got used to it.

 

[wilma-bride]

We stayed 4 nights in a lake view studio (Moo'rea - although I think all the LV studios are in that building). To be honest, although the horns didn't bother me, they did start really early and stop really late. And I was surprised at just how long and loud they blew. Out of a 4 night stay, I only actually heard them on 2 mornings. It may be that I was so tired the other mornings I didn't notice, or maybe I was just awake already and didn't notice because I was already up (if that makes sense). The fireworks were also pretty loud (for anybody who likes to go to bed early - we travel from teh UK so the first couple of nights we were in bed quite early and Wishes didn't start until 10). If I were you, I would bring earplugs - my husband ended up using them a couple of nights as the noise DID bother him.

FWIW, it would not deter me from staying there again. We had the most perfect view and that totally outweighed the noise. For me, it now ties for favourite DVC resort with Boardwalk Villas and I am already considering a return trip next year.

 

[Donna M]

We were on the second floor center of the building, lake view, and the ferry horns woke me at around 11:00 pm with the normal sound level, then again around 5:30 am with a slightly more quiet and shorter blast. I had ear plugs in and was still annoyed. I wouldn't stay in a lake view again for that reason and a poor lake view. I think the grounds are beautiful, but I still wouldn't chance a stay there until they reclassify the parking lot view to standard.

 

[gdrj]

Stayed Poly Lake View very close to Ferry. Can you hear it yes, did it bother me no. I found the Boardwalk View Villas at BWV to be louder with boats and people in the evening... My next trip to BWV is Boardwalk View by the way. I enjoy the unique sounds. Its vacation, enjoy the experience. If you are a lite sleeper or want complete quiet, you may want to choose different accommodations.

 

[1971DBday]

I wanted to dress in a black ninja outfit, grab a baseball bat, and go take those horns out after day 2. I am a light sleeper and these woke me up multiple times each night! They tried moving us after 2 days and that didn't help. Two months prior we were in Moorea standard view, closest to Hawaii and I didn't hear a thing. I will never waste the points on a water view again.

 

[1971DBday]

By the way here is video of me frustrated at 5 am. The horns had already gone off multiple times this morning. I am mid-way point in the building but still closer to Hawaii. Even though you can't hear the horns in this video, you can hear the voices and music of the people prepping the boat for the day.

 

[Sammie]

I don't the noise level changed at all, I just think you have a new group of guests that have never stayed near the boats before. They don't bother me.

 

[dizfan]

We were third floor on the side away from TTC. With ear plugs, we could bare sleeping through it. Without ear plugs, we could not. With sliding door closed, curtains closed, we could hear word for word the neighbors conversation on their balcony. I thought they were yelling, so I opened the door only to realize they were talking at normal volume.

I am in the category that believes some rooms probably have good insulation and sound proofing. Other rooms, I believe the contractor or worker did not do the job they were hired to do.

In the GCH, there is a store with grocery items on the second floor. They sell packs of ear plugs.

 

[freediverdude]

I'm at the Poly right now in a lake view room, and while you can hear the boat horns inside the room, it doesn't seem like it would keep most people from sleeping, unless you need absolute quiet. I am on the side next to Tokelau though, don't know how much of a difference that makes. I have a lot of pics and videos up on Instagram at Instagram.com/freediverdude if you want to see the room and view.

 

[freediverdude]

Actually I'm more annoyed by the paper thin walls with my neighbors than I am at the boat horns. If somebody coughs kind of loud or has intimate relations, lol, I can hear it. But I guess you get that at about any hotel.

But the view is just amazing. 2nd and 3rd floor lagoon view rooms at the Poly (both hotel and villas) imo have the best views of any rooms at WDW. Even with the bungalows there. No parking lot like at CR, no sideways crane your neck to see the castle view like most at GF, just perfect centered view of the castle with lake in front and fireworks right above it.

And that rain shower, don't get me started on how awesome that is. And how are the lights embedded in the mirrors like that, never seen that before, maybe I'm just not up to date. And I desperately want one of those tiki lamps, but I don't think they sell them.

 

[SaintLouie]

We just checked out yesterday (Moorea 3019) and didn't find the horns to be a problem. We could definitely hear them, but it wasn't something that woke us up or kept us from sleeping. The only sound that was powerful enough to wake me up was Wishes. We had gone into a food coma after an early dinner at Ohana on Sunday. Once those fireworks started pounding the room I nearly fell out of bed I was so startled. But it was great because we had an amazing view from our third floor balcony! Loved it there and would definitely stay again.

 

[davidl81]

They were not bad, but they did get a little annoying some times. I think it is mostly due to the of the room bein g so quite. If there was a ceiling fan or even a table fan making a little bit of noise then I bet I would have never noticed the boats. That being said I would stay in that room anytime. I loved the poly and the view is awesome.

 

[Sammie]

Saratoga Springs has the quietest rooms of any resort. Extra sound proofing was added at the time it was built due to the fact at that time they had NYE every night at Downtown Disney and were worried about noise complaints. Many times we think we are the only ones in the building and that is on the ground floor.

 

[wilma-bride]

Saratoga Springs has the quietest rooms of any resort. Extra sound proofing was added at the time it was built due to the fact at that time they had NYE every night at Downtown Disney and were worried about noise complaints. Many times we think we are the only ones in the building and that is on the ground floor.

We moved to Saratoga Springs directly after our stay at the Poly and I couldn't help but notice how different it was in terms of quietness. It really was so peaceful.

 

[steves100]

Not the same but building same issue. I HATED the noise when we had a BAY view at Grand Floridian. I would NEVER use more points for it again. The ships are WAY to loud!

 

[deedisneydream97]

The regular small boats that shuttle between poly, GF and MK....their horns were hardly noticeable. However, the ferry horn blasted at 5:15 in the morning....we had lake view, end room...AWAY from the ferry. That was in the spring. Maybe they have toned it down because of complaints. Can't figure out why it was blasting so early in the morning....the MK didn't open for another few hours.

And it was probably always loud there....its just that this is the DVC forum and maybe DVC members didn't stay there much? I guess the answer could be found on the regular resorts forum...but not important to me, as I most likely will not stay there again. One night was too many points as it was. Fantastic view of the fireworks, though.