Disney's POLYNESIAN VILLAGE RESORT Information & Questions

[DrunkJam]

We booked at the Poly for Christmas 2017.
Our previous two trips we stayed at WL (and I am scared I won't love the poly as much.
The poly IS expensive, but, Of those on the monorail, it is the one that works best for us (GF is just too formal, and the contemporary is too much like a convention centre)
The poly is relaxed, and a good and definite step back from the hustle and bustle of the parks. We also like Ohana.
The pool is lovely, (and the kids are super excited to try the slide in the volcano.)
We are travelling from the UK, so I think prices are different?
Anyway, it meets what we want and need (My husband now has leukaemia, and needs to be able to get back to the room for a rest easily, and my son has ASD and LOVES to ride the monorail. We will also spend a bit more time in the resort / room than others might, so, the surroundings are really important to us. )

 

[iloveeeyore]

I have a question regarding the pricing for Poly. Every time I check, it's always in the upper echelon of hotels in terms of per night rooms, but to me it just doesn't have that zing you would expect at the top shelf level in Disney hotels. I mean it's nice don't get me wrong, but seems very over priced compared to all the other Disney resorts. Am I missing something here?

LOL, yup, you're missing something!
Have you ever stayed at the Poly? If you have and you still don't get it, that fair, too, because everyone has their own taste and preferences. The theming might not be your cup of tea. Here is why we see it's worth the price vs. other Disney resorts:

First, the rooms are some of the largest on-property and easily accommodate 5 adults. They are refurbished every several years and are very appealing (to us) and get more so over time.

Second, the location is the BEST on property, with incredibly easy access to MK and also to Epcot, by virtue of the fact that you can walk to the TTC for the Epcot monorail. Even the other monorail resorts don't have such easy access to Epcot, as you have to switch monorails in both directions...which isn't that great a hardship, but harder than the Poly.

The views from almost every spot on the grounds are lush and tropical and from many places you can see the lagoon and then even MK...panoramically, I mean Space Mountain, train station, the castle...dead-on views of Wishes every night from many public spaces and a personal showing of the EWP.

Disney has spared no expense on the theming of this resort. Every little nook and cranny is tropical and genuine, while maintaining a laid-back relaxing vacation feel. We love the torches, the music, the restaurants and bars... the only thing we feel is lacking compared to the other deluxes is a signature restaurant (but they do have the Luau, which is cool!) Spend some time there, if you haven't. We have enjoyed many stays over the years and have never paid even close to rack rate, so the deals are out there, you just have to find them!

Aloha!

 

[cruella132]

Monorail Question-

We are staying in a studio villa from 9/7-9/13. I am reading that the monorail is currently closed on certain days. Does anyone know how long the monrail refurb is expected to last? Can anyone tell me how much the closures impacted their stay? I also see that the pathway to the TTC is currently closed. How did this impact people staying in the DVC villas?

We have three children under four and were really counting on using the monorail to get back and forth quickly for nap time and breaks.

 

[dansdad]

Monorail Question-

We are staying in a studio villa from 9/7-9/13. I am reading that the monorail is currently closed on certain days. Does anyone know how long the monrail refurb is expected to last? Can anyone tell me how much the closures impacted their stay? I also see that the pathway to the TTC is currently closed. How did this impact people staying in the DVC villas?

We have three children under four and were really counting on using the monorail to get back and forth quickly for nap time and breaks.

There has been no posted end date for the monorail modified schedule.

The path to the TTC is open and has been for about 18 months now.

 

[cruella132]

There has been no posted end date for the monorail modified schedule.

The path to the TTC is open and has been for about 18 months now.

Oh okay, thank you! For some reason the Dis closing list still has it listed as closed under the Poly section. Glad to hear that it is open!

 

[iloveeeyore]

Monorail Question-

We are staying in a studio villa from 9/7-9/13. I am reading that the monorail is currently closed on certain days. Does anyone know how long the monrail refurb is expected to last? Can anyone tell me how much the closures impacted their stay? I also see that the pathway to the TTC is currently closed. How did this impact people staying in the DVC villas?

We have three children under four and were really counting on using the monorail to get back and forth quickly for nap time and breaks.

Wait, what? The monorail is closed on certain days? This is the first I am hearing this. How do we find out the schedule!?

 

[Lsdolphin]

Wait, what? The monorail is closed on certain days? This is the first I am hearing this. How do we find out the schedule!?

Not closed for a whole day just begins running later some days you can get monorail schedule from front desk.

 

[mmmears]

We were at the GF recently (but same monorail issue as the Poly) and we found that we used the launch boats more than the monorail. It was an issue at night when the resort monorail was down (yeah, this happened 2 out of 3 times we were leaving the MK) and there was a huge line for the little boat, but we don't have little kids anymore so it wasn't as a big of an issue for us. I never saw a schedule, but it was just not operation when we left the park at night.

 

[JSagitas]

We were at the GF recently (but same monorail issue as the Poly) and we found that we used the launch boats more than the monorail. It was an issue at night when the resort monorail was down (yeah, this happened 2 out of 3 times we were leaving the MK) and there was a huge line for the little boat, but we don't have little kids anymore so it wasn't as a big of an issue for us. I never saw a schedule, but it was just not operation when we left the park at night

What do you do when the monorail is down and you use a ECV? The boats are small and do not accommodate scooters.

 

[Lsdolphin]

What do you do when the monorail is down and you use a ECV? The boats are small and do not accommodate scooters.

Usually when the monorail is not running they use a larger boat and there is also the bus.

 

[disprincess2213]

Hello again everyone! I am just wondering....does the water pageant happen every night at 9pm even if wishes starts at 9pm? Do they usually run it at the same time as wishes?

 

[TJA]

Hello friends, I am home. Missing the Poly so much that I've been looking at my calendar to see if there is any way to sneak a trip in this fall or winter. In any event, we just had a split-stay starting off at BWI CL for 3 nights and moving to Poly CL for 4 nights including July 3 and 4. I posted a review of BWI CL in the BWI thread, and I also posted a comparison of these 2 CL's in the CL thread. Now, last but not least, I'll post a few words about the Poly portion of our stay.

Since we were moving from BWI, we left that resort on check-out morning and walked through Epcot (stopping to FP Soarin and TT) and hopped on the monorail over to Poly. Received the "room not ready" text while on the monorail. We decided to stop at Hawaii anyway to cool off in the lounge and grab a cold drink (it was exceptionally hot this trip without much rain). So we got off the monorail at Poly and went right to Hawaii. The desk CM buzzed us in and I explained we were checking in but our room wasn't ready. She was shocked that we weren't escorted back to Hawaii, but I explained we didn't even stop in the main building. So...she double-checked all of our info and we went to the lounge for a bit. Let me just say it was like heaven walking into the lounge. We just LOVE it. It's instant relaxation and excitement just to sit in that lounge with that view. While sitting there, my girls suggested we go to AK so we decided to check for FP's. Dinosaur was available, so we booked it and took off for that park. Must've been our lucky trip because the bus was just arriving at the stop and we got right on (this happened to us several times, shockingly!). We went to AK and had a great unplanned day there. I received our "room ready" text so we decided to head back to Poly. I was so excited to see we got our 1st floor request and we didn't get our usual 1503 room but were close by with 1505! I posted our view while we were there, but here's another pic just to keep everything organized.
Room 1505 CL Lagoon View, straight ahead:


To slight left


We had a welcome note and chocolates and also nightly turndown service.


CMs were like normal, some were friendly and some were not. Irv is back to working his normal hours after being laid off earlier in the year. The food was also like normal...not great like RPC, BWI and BC. The first night had meatballs and those potato triangles, plus the normal raw veggies, cheese, pineapple, grapes, pb&j...


The next night had crab Rangoon and conch, not our favorites so we ordered the Ohana twilight feast (which was great). The next night was July 4 which brought in people out of the woodwork -- wow every CL room must have been occupied and every single person in each room must've been in the lounge! The decorations were festive and the food was good. Thank goodness there was chili this year to help me like boiled hotdogs, plus a big bowl of redhot. Mac & cheese, chicken wings, and I always love the salad but this year they put crumbled blue cheese all over all 3 salads and I don't like blue cheese, So...no salad for me this time. It seemed very popular, though, because they kept refilling 3 large bowls.





Our last night was sushi, which we don't like so we went to MK and ate at Liberty Tree.

 

[TJA]

Breakfast was the norm...my staple there is cantelope, honeydew, and eggs

The juices are orange, cranberry, and they have skim milk and maybe 2% milk. Also had bagels, cereal, either muffin or cinnamon rolls, oatmeal, bowls with yogurt in them along with some toppings to add.

I posted while there, but 4th of July was well done by Poly staff this year. Here is a dark picture showing people watching the show without anyone allowed on the Hawaii grass.


Even though the CL at BWI had superior food and CMs, the Poly CL still wins for us due to lounge and room views, large patio/balcony, location of room and ease of getting to lounge, both pools, and transportation. I know the Poly rooms could use some sprucing up, the lounge food could be better, and the housekeeping could be better....but there is just that special something about Poly that makes us keep wanting to return. No resort is going to be perfect and each family has different priorities that make trips special. For us, Poly fits our desires, and to put it simply -- Poly CL is our happy place!

 

[hamilkm]

Just wanted to give a quick check in. We checked into our DVC studio yesterday. We got Tokelau like requested and the location is perfect for us. A couple of small issues. The tv wasn't working (mom uses it to go to sleep at night), but someone came and fixed it while we were at MK last night so all is well. There has also been a tray of food by our door since we have been there. Will be calling on that this afternoon.

I was the one worried about getting to my early Epcot breakfast this am. Well I am currently on a bus to Epcot! Went to the concierge last night and was told busses would leave from TTC. Got to TTC this morning and no signs, nothing. Found a nice cast member who went to ask for us. She directed us to a stop and a bus came along and asked us where we needed to go. Now my mom and I are on our own bus to Epcot. It was definely long and confusing but we should be there by 7:30. I would recommend a cab or uber if possible, but the bus was much easier with mom's ECV. The cast members were great getting us where we needed to be!

 

[johnsonet]

Thank you for the excellent report. TJA
It's so great that you feel so at home and relaxed at the Polynesian. I agree it's a very special place.

We stayed BWI CL a couple of times and loved it. Very polished and very nice. But the MK resorts are extra magical.
Hallelujah that they finally got serious about the grass spaces during the fireworks. Happy for you

Too bad about those silly bungalows blocking the view

 

[johnsonet]

Just wanted to give a quick check in. We checked into our DVC studio yesterday. We got Tokelau like requested and the location is perfect for us. A couple of small issues. The tv wasn't working (mom uses it to go to sleep at night), but someone came and fixed it while we were at MK last night so all is well. There has also been a tray of food by our door since we have been there. Will be calling on that this afternoon.

I was the one worried about getting to my early Epcot breakfast this am. Well I am currently on a bus to Epcot! Went to the concierge last night and was told busses would leave from TTC. Got to TTC this morning and no signs, nothing. Found a nice cast member who went to ask for us. She directed us to a stop and a bus came along and asked us where we needed to go. Now my mom and I are on our own bus to Epcot. It was definitely long and confusing but we should be there by 7:30. I would recommend a cab or uber if possible, but the bus was much easier with mom's ECV. The cast members were great getting us where we needed to be!

Thank you for this information and have a great time at breakfast and Epcot! Hope your mom loves GG

 

[Dave006]

Hello again everyone! I am just wondering....does the water pageant happen every night at 9pm even if wishes starts at 9pm? Do they usually run it at the same time as wishes?

The EWP follows the schedule below, please check with the Guest Services for times during your stay. weather can cause cancellation of the pageant.

Polynesian Resort -- 9 PM
Grand Floridian -- 9:15 PM
Wilderness Lodge -- 9:35 PM
Fort Wilderness -- 9:45 PM
Contemporary Resort -- 10:05 PM
MK -- 10:20 PM (only during extended MK park hours)

Note: When the Fireworks are scheduled for 9 PM, the EWP runs about 10-20 minutes later. The barges circulate beginning at the Poly and finish at the MK.

Dave

 

[mickeynut1]

I'm trying to extend our August stay one more night. I feel like we need more resort time. I think I'm obsessed, lol!

Hope it works out, it's always fun adding Disney days .

It is one of the most expensive resorts at WDW. I understand what you are saying. I didn't "get" it until we stayed there; until then we would visit for Ohana, but thought it just seemed "ok." When we actually stayed at the Poly, we really appreciated the incredible views, lush gardens, beach and pools, and the general laid back atmosphere. I don't think it's for everybody, but we have really enjoyed our stays at the Poly.

I agree!

We booked at the Poly for Christmas 2017.
Our previous two trips we stayed at WL (and I am scared I won't love the poly as much.
The poly IS expensive, but, Of those on the monorail, it is the one that works best for us (GF is just too formal, and the contemporary is too much like a convention centre)
The poly is relaxed, and a good and definite step back from the hustle and bustle of the parks. We also like Ohana.
The pool is lovely, (and the kids are super excited to try the slide in the volcano.)
We are travelling from the UK, so I think prices are different?
Anyway, it meets what we want and need (My husband now has leukaemia, and needs to be able to get back to the room for a rest easily, and my son has ASD and LOVES to ride the monorail. We will also spend a bit more time in the resort / room than others might, so, the surroundings are really important to us. )

You will love the Poly! We've stayed at both Poly and WL and while the Poly is our favorite, we still love the WL. I think you'll have a great time .

First, the rooms are some of the largest on-property and easily accommodate 5 adults. They are refurbished every several years and are very appealing (to us) and get more so over time.

Second, the location is the BEST on property, with incredibly easy access to MK and also to Epcot, by virtue of the fact that you can walk to the TTC for the Epcot monorail. Even the other monorail resorts don't have such easy access to Epcot, as you have to switch monorails in both directions...which isn't that great a hardship, but harder than the Poly.

The views from almost every spot on the grounds are lush and tropical and from many places you can see the lagoon and then even MK...panoramically, I mean Space Mountain, train station, the castle...dead-on views of Wishes every night from many public spaces and a personal showing of the EWP.

Disney has spared no expense on the theming of this resort. Every little nook and cranny is tropical and genuine, while maintaining a laid-back relaxing vacation feel. We love the torches, the music, the restaurants and bars... the only thing we feel is lacking compared to the other deluxes is a signature restaurant (but they do have the Luau, which is cool!) Spend some time there, if you haven't. We have enjoyed many stays over the years and have never paid even close to rack rate, so the deals are out there, you just have to find them!

Aloha!

These are all the reasons we love the Poly .

Hello friends, I am home. Missing the Poly so much that I've been looking at my calendar to see if there is any way to sneak a trip in this fall or winter. In any event, we just had a split-stay starting off at BWI CL for 3 nights and moving to Poly CL for 4 nights including July 3 and 4. I posted a review of BWI CL in the BWI thread, and I also posted a comparison of these 2 CL's in the CL thread. Now, last but not least, I'll post a few words about the Poly portion of our stay.

Even though the CL at BWI had superior food and CMs, the Poly CL still wins for us due to lounge and room views, large patio/balcony, location of room and ease of getting to lounge, both pools, and transportation. I know the Poly rooms could use some sprucing up, the lounge food could be better, and the housekeeping could be better....but there is just that special something about Poly that makes us keep wanting to return. No resort is going to be perfect and each family has different priorities that make trips special. For us, Poly fits our desires, and to put it simply -- Poly CL is our happy place!

Thanks for your review, glad you had a great trip. Hope another trip works out and you can get back to the Poly soon .

Just wanted to give a quick check in. We checked into our DVC studio yesterday. We got Tokelau like requested and the location is perfect for us. A couple of small issues. The tv wasn't working (mom uses it to go to sleep at night), but someone came and fixed it while we were at MK last night so all is well. There has also been a tray of food by our door since we have been there. Will be calling on that this afternoon.

I was the one worried about getting to my early Epcot breakfast this am. Well I am currently on a bus to Epcot! Went to the concierge last night and was told busses would leave from TTC. Got to TTC this morning and no signs, nothing. Found a nice cast member who went to ask for us. She directed us to a stop and a bus came along and asked us where we needed to go. Now my mom and I are on our own bus to Epcot. It was definely long and confusing but we should be there by 7:30. I would recommend a cab or uber if possible, but the bus was much easier with mom's ECV. The cast members were great getting us where we needed to be!

Sorry about the small issues, but glad you are making your breakfast ADR. Hope the rest of your trip is great .

Hallelujah that they finally got serious about the grass spaces during the fireworks. Happy for you

I agree .

 

[jerseygal]

Just wanted to give a quick check in. We checked into our DVC studio yesterday. We got Tokelau like requested and the location is perfect for us. A couple of small issues. The tv wasn't working (mom uses it to go to sleep at night), but someone came and fixed it while we were at MK last night so all is well. There has also been a tray of food by our door since we have been there. Will be calling on that this afternoon.

I was the one worried about getting to my early Epcot breakfast this am. Well I am currently on a bus to Epcot! Went to the concierge last night and was told busses would leave from TTC. Got to TTC this morning and no signs, nothing. Found a nice cast member who went to ask for us. She directed us to a stop and a bus came along and asked us where we needed to go. Now my mom and I are on our own bus to Epcot. It was definely long and confusing but we should be there by 7:30. I would recommend a cab or uber if possible, but the bus was much easier with mom's ECV. The cast members were great getting us where we needed to be!

ENJOY Tokelau! We stayed in Tokelau twice, most recently May and LOVED it! Would definitely request it again on a future trip. ENJOY your trip! PS. Let either housekeeping or front desk know about the tray of food. If I see that in any of the resorts for a long time, I pick up the phone and call housekeeping or front desk. It is unsanitary for trays to be kept in the halls, not to mention the smell of food and the fact it looks LOUSY!

 

[Cluelyss]

Just wanted to give a quick check in. We checked into our DVC studio yesterday. We got Tokelau like requested and the location is perfect for us. A couple of small issues. The tv wasn't working (mom uses it to go to sleep at night), but someone came and fixed it while we were at MK last night so all is well. There has also been a tray of food by our door since we have been there. Will be calling on that this afternoon.

I was the one worried about getting to my early Epcot breakfast this am. Well I am currently on a bus to Epcot! Went to the concierge last night and was told busses would leave from TTC. Got to TTC this morning and no signs, nothing. Found a nice cast member who went to ask for us. She directed us to a stop and a bus came along and asked us where we needed to go. Now my mom and I are on our own bus to Epcot. It was definely long and confusing but we should be there by 7:30. I would recommend a cab or uber if possible, but the bus was much easier with mom's ECV. The cast members were great getting us where we needed to be!

Glad you found a ride to Epcot! We had an issue getting there last week for a PPO ourselves - front desk told us busses would start running at 7 from Poly to Epcot (which I knew wasn't true from our last stay), but decided to check anyway. No Epcot bus on the board, so we asked the driver of the first bus that showed up. He called in and told us one should be there at 7:30. We grabbed a cab instead. Love the location and convenience of Poly, but getting to Epcot in the morning has been a challenge for us every time we've stayed there!