Disney's POLYNESIAN VILLAGE RESORT Information & Questions

[Luv2trav]

What building are you in?

We are in Hawaii.

 

[hamilkm]

I am officially heading to the Poly for the very first time in April! We are staying 4 nights as part of a split stay with POFQ. We have a standard room (non-DVC) booked. It is just going to be me and my mom. She is possibly having foot surgery in February, so she could possibly be on a scooter this trip for the parks. I was wondering what a good longhouse would be for us to be convenient to transportation (we will mainly be going to epcot and MK from our stay at the POLY) and the pool (very important to mom. we will probably have a couple of pool/resort days). I am kind of lost trying to decide what requests to have my TA put on my reservation. Thanks so much!

 

[TIME2DISNEY]

So, I'm just back and absolutely loved the Poly! We'd thought about staying there on our first trip, way back in '05, and decided against spending the extra money. I'm very glad we didn't stay there then because I don't think the many lower-priced trips we've taken since would have happened - after staying at the Poly I'm thinking it would be worth going less often to stay there every time! Unlike our other deluxe stays, where we enjoyed the resort well enough but were left feeling like we could have stayed moderate and enjoyed the trip just as much, the Poly felt like it was worth every extra dime.

We were in Samoa on the volcano pool side, 3rd floor, second room from the Hawaii/beach end of the building. The view was fabulous and we didn't notice construction noise at all. Someone more sensitive to noises might have found the boat horns disruptive because we could hear them in the room, but we didn't mind at all (we live near a major shipping river so we're used to pre-dawn boat horns).

The pool was lovely. I really like the cave/waterfall area because I could lounge in the water and watch the kids without being in the sun, and the splash pad was perfect for my 7yo who still isn't quite up to braving the big slide. We scrapped our park plans for Thursday to spend the whole day swimming and enjoying the resort. I asked one lifeguard about the adult supervision rule and was told that officially it was 18 but no one was going to be asking for ID, and my 17yo had no problem being the 7yo's "adult" while I went up to grab lunch.

Capt Cooks was nice too, though we found the menu a bit limited for how much time we spent at the resort. I especially love their nachos. Whatever chips they use are so much better than tortillas! The best part was the 24 hour operating schedule, though - we were at MK until 2am one night, Studios until 11:30 on another, and those nights are a planning challenge at other resorts because the kids inevitably want a snack before bed but nothing is open at the value/moderate resorts. Being able to grab a bite and fill our mugs no matter what time it was suited us well.

The luau was a bit of a letdown. The food was good, but our server was terrible and the show wasn't quite our thing. The dancing in the final section was wonderful but the storyline part was cheesy and just not that interesting. The pulled pork was fabulous, though, and the ribs were wonderful.

The only minor issues I had were with the bathroom - with 5 of us in one room, I missed the split bath design I'm used to from other resorts, and I really didn't like the motion-activated fan in the bathroom because it doesn't sense someone in the shower so you come out to some very fogged-up mirrors. Also, the hot tub was closed on our last day, when the weather was cool enough that a soak in a hot tub sounded really nice, and we did encounter one monorail breakdown when trying to get to MK for morning EMH. Other than that it was a perfect stay in a beautiful resort that is a new favorite for our family.

It sounds like you had a wonderful trip!
Did you request Samoa pool view?
How was the weather, it evidently was warm enough for you to enjoy the pool?
My family and I love the Poly, but are thinking of trying the Grand Floridian for our next trip. After reading your review I don't want to try a new resort!

 

[Luv2trav]

Laying around pool today overheard cast member say a pump broke in hot tub and they have no idea how long to fix.

 

[Colleen27]

It sounds like you had a wonderful trip!
Did you request Samoa pool view?
How was the weather, it evidently was warm enough for you to enjoy the pool?
My family and I love the Poly, but are thinking of trying the Grand Floridian for our next trip. After reading your review I don't want to try a new resort!

I don't remember what requests I made... I think 3rd floor/balcony and near transportation. I didn't request a specific building because having a balcony was more important than location.

The weather was super warm when we landed. Tues-Thurs were in the mid to high 80s but with enough of a breeze not to feel too warm. Friday was cooler and rainy, off and on, but not unpleasant. Saturday morning was really cool, in the low 40s, but it warmed up to comfortable but not quite swimming weather once the sun was higher in the sky.

 

[mickeynut1]

We just booked a split stay, all at the Poly...TPV for the first half, Lagoon View for the second...anyone have any idea where those rooms might be located? We leave in 8 days!

Have a great trip!

We checked in 2 days ago. We are here til Wed. It's been great. Except hot tub is not working today.

We are staying in Hawaii building. If anyone had questions I will try to answer.

I love it here!!! We have stayed at many resorts over the years and this one is by far the best. Imo. I love everything about it. Location, atmosphere, dining, people, view and Disney feel.

Glad you're having a great time! I agree, the Poly is amazing. We've stayed at other resorts and while we've loved them all, the Poly will always be our favorite .

So, I'm just back and absolutely loved the Poly! We'd thought about staying there on our first trip, way back in '05, and decided against spending the extra money. I'm very glad we didn't stay there then because I don't think the many lower-priced trips we've taken since would have happened - after staying at the Poly I'm thinking it would be worth going less often to stay there every time! Unlike our other deluxe stays, where we enjoyed the resort well enough but were left feeling like we could have stayed moderate and enjoyed the trip just as much, the Poly felt like it was worth every extra dime.

We were in Samoa on the volcano pool side, 3rd floor, second room from the Hawaii/beach end of the building. The view was fabulous and we didn't notice construction noise at all. Someone more sensitive to noises might have found the boat horns disruptive because we could hear them in the room, but we didn't mind at all (we live near a major shipping river so we're used to pre-dawn boat horns).

The pool was lovely. I really like the cave/waterfall area because I could lounge in the water and watch the kids without being in the sun, and the splash pad was perfect for my 7yo who still isn't quite up to braving the big slide. We scrapped our park plans for Thursday to spend the whole day swimming and enjoying the resort. I asked one lifeguard about the adult supervision rule and was told that officially it was 18 but no one was going to be asking for ID, and my 17yo had no problem being the 7yo's "adult" while I went up to grab lunch.

Capt Cooks was nice too, though we found the menu a bit limited for how much time we spent at the resort. I especially love their nachos. Whatever chips they use are so much better than tortillas! The best part was the 24 hour operating schedule, though - we were at MK until 2am one night, Studios until 11:30 on another, and those nights are a planning challenge at other resorts because the kids inevitably want a snack before bed but nothing is open at the value/moderate resorts. Being able to grab a bite and fill our mugs no matter what time it was suited us well.

The luau was a bit of a letdown. The food was good, but our server was terrible and the show wasn't quite our thing. The dancing in the final section was wonderful but the storyline part was cheesy and just not that interesting. The pulled pork was fabulous, though, and the ribs were wonderful.

The only minor issues I had were with the bathroom - with 5 of us in one room, I missed the split bath design I'm used to from other resorts, and I really didn't like the motion-activated fan in the bathroom because it doesn't sense someone in the shower so you come out to some very fogged-up mirrors. Also, the hot tub was closed on our last day, when the weather was cool enough that a soak in a hot tub sounded really nice, and we did encounter one monorail breakdown when trying to get to MK for morning EMH. Other than that it was a perfect stay in a beautiful resort that is a new favorite for our family.

Thanks for your review. Glad you had a great time and enjoyed the Poly .

I am officially heading to the Poly for the very first time in April! We are staying 4 nights as part of a split stay with POFQ. We have a standard room (non-DVC) booked. It is just going to be me and my mom. She is possibly having foot surgery in February, so she could possibly be on a scooter this trip for the parks. I was wondering what a good longhouse would be for us to be convenient to transportation (we will mainly be going to epcot and MK from our stay at the POLY) and the pool (very important to mom. we will probably have a couple of pool/resort days). I am kind of lost trying to decide what requests to have my TA put on my reservation. Thanks so much!

If you think you can handle the construction (should the pool not be done by April), I think Samoa would be a good choice as it's very convenient to everything .

My family and I love the Poly, but are thinking of trying the Grand Floridian for our next trip. After reading your review I don't want to try a new resort!

We've stayed at both the Poly and GF and while the Poly is our favorite overall, we also love the GF. Depending on how long your trip is, maybe do a split stay starting with the GF? That would give you a chance to try the GF, but end your trip at a resort you love .

Laying around pool today overheard cast member say a pump broke in hot tub and they have no idea how long to fix.

Hope you're enjoying the pool . Hope the hot tub gets fixed soon!

 

[Luv2trav]

Hot tub fixed.

 

[tesquivel]

We are staying at the Poly but in a deluxe room with a standard view. Can someone tell me how these rooms are? From what I understand they are part of the DVC area. Are those rooms far from the main building?

 

[Trip planner]

what is the best way to make room requests to hopefully not get the second floor? We are headed back to the Poly (standard view) and we always spend a lot of time on the balcony while the kids are sleeping. I actually considered a different resort to guarantee a balcony but for a variety of other reasons we booked poly. The longhouse is not as important to me. I can't remember if the two possible room requests are "balcony and patio". Last year we sent a touring plans fax with a room number request and lucked out but I really want to emphasize balcony or patio.

 

[Tess]

what is the best way to make room requests to hopefully not get the second floor? We are headed back to the Poly (standard view) and we always spend a lot of time on the balcony while the kids are sleeping. I actually considered a different resort to guarantee a balcony but for a variety of other reasons we booked poly. The longhouse is not as important to me. I can't remember if the two possible room requests are "balcony and patio". Last year we sent a touring plans fax with a room number request and lucked out but I really want to emphasize balcony or patio.

Primary request should be balcony or patio. Alternatively, you could simply say NO 2nd FLOOR.

 

[rainboots]

48 hours until the secret is out & the countdown with the kids is on! I cannot wait to see their reactions! I cannot wait to actually talk to them about it! They will have 36 days to wait until we are actually at the Poly! I am bursting with excitement!

 

[aguilara1313]

What is going on with the "monorail modified schedule"... Anyone there lately heard this or know?

 

[kkayluvsdis]

Quick question for all the Poly pros...when staying at the Polynesian do you usually purchase park hoppers?? We typically only get base tickets but with our upcoming April stay I'm thinking hoppers would be a great benefit. I just feel like it will be so tempting for "quick trips" over to MK even after visiting a different park for the day. Would love to hear opinions.

Thanks!!!

 

[kcpinwdw]

hen staying at the Polynesian do you usually purchase park hoppers??

I'm not a "pro" but we do one park a day for all our trips. But, like you, staying at the Poly has me rethinking that. Last time at the Poly was short, part of a split stay, so the one park a day thing was fine. But next big trip we are staying there the whole week, and I went ahead and got hoppers for the first time. Not sure we will need them, but I want the flexibility on this resort-centered vacation. I am thinking it would be so easy to RD MK in the mornings and then spend our afternoons elsewhere. I like the first two hours at MK, then I am usually ready to come back to the POly. Then in the evenings we can go to various parks for our FPs and dinner.

 

[Tess]

Quick question for all the Poly pros...when staying at the Polynesian do you usually purchase park hoppers?? We typically only get base tickets but with our upcoming April stay I'm thinking hoppers would be a great benefit. I just feel like it will be so tempting for "quick trips" over to MK even after visiting a different park for the day. Would love to hear opinions.

Thanks!!!

We are AP holders but that said--I would always opt for the PH. Since you are staying at the Polynesian it is great to hop over to MK whenever the mood strikes.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Quick question for all the Poly pros...when staying at the Polynesian do you usually purchase park hoppers?? We typically only get base tickets but with our upcoming April stay I'm thinking hoppers would be a great benefit. I just feel like it will be so tempting for "quick trips" over to MK even after visiting a different park for the day. Would love to hear opinions.

Thanks!!!

I agree with the PP. Have stayed at Poly at least once a year the last 3 years. DS was 3,4 and 5 during those trips and we tend to enjoy the parks in smaller / half day segments, we're not commandos. We like to plan some but not all of our daily details (within reason), so the park hoppers really allow us the flexibility to move about (somewhat) on a whim - which adds a nice balance to the otherwise need for structure/pre-planning. For us it's more about the smaller moments we can "pop in" a park (mainly MK and EP), not big shifts in our schedule.

 

[mickeynut1]

Hot tub fixed.

Glad the hot tub is fixed .

We are staying at the Poly but in a deluxe room with a standard view. Can someone tell me how these rooms are? From what I understand they are part of the DVC area. Are those rooms far from the main building?

I can't answer your question, but hopefully others will be able to help .

what is the best way to make room requests to hopefully not get the second floor? We are headed back to the Poly (standard view) and we always spend a lot of time on the balcony while the kids are sleeping. I actually considered a different resort to guarantee a balcony but for a variety of other reasons we booked poly. The longhouse is not as important to me. I can't remember if the two possible room requests are "balcony and patio". Last year we sent a touring plans fax with a room number request and lucked out but I really want to emphasize balcony or patio.

I would request "no 2nd floor" .

48 hours until the secret is out & the countdown with the kids is on! I cannot wait to see their reactions! I cannot wait to actually talk to them about it! They will have 36 days to wait until we are actually at the Poly! I am bursting with excitement!

How exciting!

Hope you have a great trip .

What is going on with the "monorail modified schedule"... Anyone there lately heard this or know?

I don't have any information, but hopefully others will be able to help .

Quick question for all the Poly pros...when staying at the Polynesian do you usually purchase park hoppers?? We typically only get base tickets but with our upcoming April stay I'm thinking hoppers would be a great benefit. I just feel like it will be so tempting for "quick trips" over to MK even after visiting a different park for the day. Would love to hear opinions.

Thanks!!!

We always get park hoppers as we like the flexibility. With that said, I think park hoppers are a great idea for a Poly stay as you can quickly hop over to MK anytime, even if it's for a short time .

 

[strine56]

The only complaint I hear about the new Polynesian Bungalows is that the noise coming from the boats is to loud.

 

[holbie18]

48 hours until the secret is out & the countdown with the kids is on! I cannot wait to see their reactions! I cannot wait to actually talk to them about it! They will have 36 days to wait until we are actually at the Poly! I am bursting with excitement!

38 days for us (from today). Guess we are there the same time. I am hoping to surprise my kids the day of the trip. It will be their second trip to Disney and our first stay at the Poly. I can't wait!

 

[jennad4]

20 days until our first ever stay in a Deluxe. Reading all of this has made me glad we picked Poly!!!!!