Disney's POLYNESIAN VILLAGE RESORT Information & Questions

[_auroraborealis_]

The elevators were designed in ~1971. Different standards. The old longhouses aren't especially flexible to remodel due to their original construction methods.

 

[smidgy]

All three long houses have elevators. All DVC villas have balconies or patios.

The elevators were designed in ~1971. Different standards. The old longhouses aren't especially flexible to remodel due to their original construction methods.

thank you so much for your reply. so event he 2nd floor has balconies, not just a sliding door with a railing?
and I guess I really don't understand what you mean by the 2nd post. (as per the elevatora and flexible to remodel)

 

[_auroraborealis_]

thank you so much for your reply. so event he 2nd floor has balconies, not just a sliding door with a railing?
and I guess I really don't understand what you mean by the 2nd post. (as per the elevatora and flexible to remodel)

The elevators were a response to another post, complaining about the elevator size. The old longhouses were designed modularly, like the Contemporary and like cruise ships. In general, it's hard to retrofit elevators to be bigger, and in the framed model used for the first longhouses, I should think it structurally impossible, although I am no structural engineer.

The three DVC longhouses were built later. They are Tokelau, Moorea, and Pago Pago. They have balconies on the second floor, and were not built using modular construction. The elevators are still small though, so if that's a concern ask for first floor.

 

[mickeynut1]

I am getting ready to do our online check in requests for our poly stay and am so confused what to request?! We stayed in tokaleu last time before it became DVC and we loved the location....I am not loving any other longhouses and looking for advice...its just myself and my youngest child so I would prefer third floor as first floor makes me nervous by myself....however other then that I am lost what building to request?!? any help....we will be spending most days at MK with only epcot and one DHS day thrown in there. the other 3 days are MK days if that helps.

We love Samoa as it's just steps from both pools, GCH, the beach, and Captain Cooks .

Update: we have arrived and I'm feeling better! Our check in experience was not good- our cast member had zero personality. We had requested Fiji 3rd floor instead we got Tuvalu 3rd floor. Our room faced the Fiji building with a palm tree in the way. I called front desk to ask if we could please move rooms. The room was so dark I knew I wouldn't like it. We were moved Aerotoa 2nd floor but facing the lagoon. It's humid out I don't see us spending time on the balcony so I'd rather have the view. Over all I'm a little underwhelmed. The grounds are gorgeous but the buildings are dingy and look a little run down and the elevators are TINY. Hopefully after some rest and good I'll feel better but right now for the price I'm a little disappointed. Oh and apologies for the building names if they are misspelled.

Glad you're feeling better. I'm sorry your check in wasn't the best and that you're a little underwhelmed with the Poly. I hope things start to look up and you enjoy the rest of your trip .

 

[Farro]

Update: we have arrived and I'm feeling better! Our check in experience was not good- our cast member had zero personality. We had requested Fiji 3rd floor instead we got Tuvalu 3rd floor. Our room faced the Fiji building with a palm tree in the way. I called front desk to ask if we could please move rooms. The room was so dark I knew I wouldn't like it. We were moved Aerotoa 2nd floor but facing the lagoon. It's humid out I don't see us spending time on the balcony so I'd rather have the view. Over all I'm a little underwhelmed. The grounds are gorgeous but the buildings are dingy and look a little run down and the elevators are TINY. Hopefully after some rest and good I'll feel better but right now for the price I'm a little disappointed. Oh and apologies for the building names if they are misspelled.

Hopefully your trip gets better! Just focus on the beauty of the grounds, seeing the castle from the pool, etc.- you will have a nice time, I'm sure!

Perhaps the buildings seem dingy to you because it's a darker resort than the others, and the fact it's just about the oldest! For me, the dark, 1970's style longhouses give a Brady Bunch visits Hawaii feel and I love it! But it's definitely not for everyone.

As long as my room is fresh, clean and comfortable, I will be happy. I'm not going to get my heart set on any kind of view/location as I think that may set people up for disappointment.

 

[prgal0715]

I am getting ready to do our online check in requests for our poly stay and am so confused what to request?! We stayed in tokaleu last time before it became DVC and we loved the location....I am not loving any other longhouses and looking for advice...its just myself and my youngest child so I would prefer third floor as first floor makes me nervous by myself....however other then that I am lost what building to request?!? any help....we will be spending most days at MK with only epcot and one DHS day thrown in there. the other 3 days are MK days if that helps.

Raratonga could be a good fit for you - it's adjacent to GCH making transportation very easy to access. I agree with @mickeynut1 about Samoa, but it's the most requested longhouse making it more challenging to actually get. Fiji is very nice, too, but overall, I would recommend Raratonga. Hope this helps!

 

[Chrelaine]

I am getting ready to do our online check in requests for our poly stay and am so confused what to request?! We stayed in tokaleu last time before it became DVC and we loved the location....I am not loving any other longhouses and looking for advice...its just myself and my youngest child so I would prefer third floor as first floor makes me nervous by myself....however other then that I am lost what building to request?!? any help....we will be spending most days at MK with only epcot and one DHS day thrown in there. the other 3 days are MK days if that helps.

We stayed in 3rd floor Rarotonga. One end is super close to the bus stop, the other is steps from the GCH, the pools are close. No complaints about the building location.

 

[Chrelaine]

Update: we have arrived and I'm feeling better! Our check in experience was not good- our cast member had zero personality. We had requested Fiji 3rd floor instead we got Tuvalu 3rd floor. Our room faced the Fiji building with a palm tree in the way. I called front desk to ask if we could please move rooms. The room was so dark I knew I wouldn't like it. We were moved Aerotoa 2nd floor but facing the lagoon. It's humid out I don't see us spending time on the balcony so I'd rather have the view. Over all I'm a little underwhelmed. The grounds are gorgeous but the buildings are dingy and look a little run down and the elevators are TINY. Hopefully after some rest and good I'll feel better but right now for the price I'm a little disappointed. Oh and apologies for the building names if they are misspelled.

I have to admit, we had a lot of the same feelings. We loved the room size but were disappointed in the buildings. Overall, we really enjoyed our stay but will probably not splurge on the Poly again when we could be just as happy elsewhere. We know you pay for convenience and the Poly definitely offers that...but many of those things aren't so important to us. I think it's one of those things that you don't know until you do it!

 

[UK Carol]

We are from the Uk and have visited Florida every year sometimes twice for the last twenty years. we have always wanted to stay at the Poly and last October took the plunge and booked a week directly with Disney for this September and got the free Dining Plan.it was going to be our 36th wedding anniversary while we were there and they marked it on the reservation, we decided to splurge and booked a lagoon view room so I knew we would either be in Tuvalu or Aerotora, I didnt care which I was in as I was going to be at the Poly!
Fast forward to last Frida(23rd September) and we were finally checking in, I was a bit nervous as had read about housekeeping not being good, miserable cast members etc.
when we checked in the girl told us she had just started and she was understandably nervous. She told us we had a theme park view room in the Club Level building, Haiwai. I said oh I'm sorry that must be a mistake as we have not paid for that, she called her manager over who told us we had been given a free upgrade for our anniversary and they proceeded to give us beautiful freshly made leis, escorted us over to the Haiwai building where I am now sitting on my patio looking at the lagoon and still cant believe it! we have also received a lovely anniversary card from the staff, we have had a fabulous first couple of days and just seem to be getting more than our fair share of pixie dust! The resort is beautiful and so peaceful especially early on a morning, the parks are not too busy and the weather is beautiful.
What more can I say, we feel so blessed and cant believe our luck! Only problem is because we have the Dining Plan which is more than enough food we can't really take advantage of the club lounge ! what a problem to have!

 

[TraceyL]

Well I've checked in and I just want to cry.
The only request I made was for a high floor. I'm in moorea in a "lake view" ground floor in the corner with a view of a fence, people walking past the patio and bungalows. I can't even have the curtains open as everyman see in. I'm so disappointed after paying out all this money for my birthday trip. Check in staff said there was nothing they could do. It was a lake view as far as they were concerned.

 

[Day-Day]

I have to admit, we had a lot of the same feelings. We loved the room size but were disappointed in the buildings. Overall, we really enjoyed our stay but will probably not splurge on the Poly again when we could be just as happy elsewhere. We know you pay for convenience and the Poly definitely offers that...but many of those things aren't so important to us. I think it's one of those things that you don't know until you do it!

Us too. We visited September 17-23. We did not get any requests we made for a room but did have the CM change to another so we could have a balcony. We requested rooms to be cleaned before noon and this occurred about half the time. We stayed in Aotearoa which was okay except I only had lukewarm water for showering on two different mornings; the water was too cool for my wife to take a bath on those mornings. Resort Airline Check-in system was down on our departure day so I ws not able to drop checked luggage off; I was told this issue grew into the system being down at 10 other resorts as well.

The requests are not guaranteed so no big deal but things just added up to being not so great. The resort was fairly crowded. Our previous September stays at the Poly were before the latest addition of the DVC to the resort. I think this has made visits worse for standard room guests since there are fewer selections available and it may be why the place was so crowded during this visit. Captain Cooks is not equipped to handle large crowds and we had a few waits there that were longer than they should have been.

We used our car for visiting DHS and AK and would have been better in Rarotonga (standard room); plus this location is good for walking to the TTC to get on the EPCOT monorail rather than the long resort monorail ride.

 

[disny_luvr]

Well I've checked in and I just want to cry.
The only request I made was for a high floor. I'm in moorea in a "lake view" ground floor in the corner with a view of a fence, people walking past the patio and bungalows. I can't even have the curtains open as everyman see in. I'm so disappointed after paying out all this money for my birthday trip. Check in staff said there was nothing they could do. It was a lake view as far as they were concerned.

Can you go back down and ask them if there is another room available in the category you booked? I'm sorry things are off to a bad start.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

1/3 of the DVC lake view rooms are those first floor rooms. It is a frequent complaint in DVC bookings at Poly that those 1st floor rooms are considered Lake View, because there is a glimpse of water between the bungalows.

It's a risk with the LV category for the DVC units, because since DVC is built to operate at nearly full capacity. I know this doesn't make you feel better, but it's something for others to be aware of when debating the cost difference. The Lake View DVC category is not truly equivalent to Lagoon or TPV at the hotel side.

 

[TraceyL]

There are no other studios available. What a waste of money this was. the fence makes it even worse as it is the end room.

 

[disny_luvr]

There are no other studios available. What a waste of money this was. the fence makes it even worse as it is the end room.

Can you ask to switch rooms tomorrow?

 

[TraceyL]

So disappointed

 

[Surgie2]

Yikes - these recent threads are making me really nervous to book 3 rooms (not DVC) at the Poly in 2018 for $$$$$. I'm sure there are great reviews...I haven't made it back through the 400+ pages but I'll be really bummed if we feel like it's a sub-par experience. I don't have expectations of getting the exact room requests we submit. But I do expect clean rooms, friendly CMs, and an atmosphere that corresponds with the price paid compared to value resorts. Our priority is location to transportation which is what puts us at a monorail hotel. Fingers crossed...

 

[Deb & Bill]

So disappointed

Think of it as your own privacy fence. It should make you feel better about leaving your curtains open to enjoy your little view. You might even see some fireworks tonight.

 

[TJA]

We are from the Uk and have visited Florida every year sometimes twice for the last twenty years. we have always wanted to stay at the Poly and last October took the plunge and booked a week directly with Disney for this September and got the free Dining Plan.it was going to be our 36th wedding anniversary while we were there and they marked it on the reservation, we decided to splurge and booked a lagoon view room so I knew we would either be in Tuvalu or Aerotora, I didnt care which I was in as I was going to be at the Poly!
Fast forward to last Frida(23rd September) and we were finally checking in, I was a bit nervous as had read about housekeeping not being good, miserable cast members etc.
when we checked in the girl told us she had just started and she was understandably nervous. She told us we had a theme park view room in the Club Level building, Haiwai. I said oh I'm sorry that must be a mistake as we have not paid for that, she called her manager over who told us we had been given a free upgrade for our anniversary and they proceeded to give us beautiful freshly made leis, escorted us over to the Haiwai building where I am now sitting on my patio looking at the lagoon and still cant believe it! we have also received a lovely anniversary card from the staff, we have had a fabulous first couple of days and just seem to be getting more than our fair share of pixie dust! The resort is beautiful and so peaceful especially early on a morning, the parks are not too busy and the weather is beautiful.
What more can I say, we feel so blessed and cant believe our luck! Only problem is because we have the Dining Plan which is more than enough food we can't really take advantage of the club lounge ! what a problem to have!

Wow - congrats! Poly CL TPV is one of the best rooms in WDW, in my opinion! Maybe you can re-adjust your ADR's so you can take advantage of the lounge a bit. We usually make our "big" meal of the day ADR in the afternoon hours. That way, we can enjoy the Poly lounge for breakfast and also stop by at night between 5-7 for appetizers. You can always use your QS credit for "dinner" if you're still hungry after 5-7 appetizers.

Note that beer/wine is only put out between 5-7 at night, but you can simply ask a CM for some at other times and they'll get it for you. Be sure to try the adult Pog juice too! And grab some desserts from the lounge to enjoy on your balcony while you watch Wishes each night!

 

[Day-Day]

Yikes - these recent threads are making me really nervous to book 3 rooms (not DVC) at the Poly in 2018 for $$$$$. I'm sure there are great reviews...I haven't made it back through the 400+ pages but I'll be really bummed if we feel like it's a sub-par experience. I don't have expectations of getting the exact room requests we submit. But I do expect clean rooms, friendly CMs, and an atmosphere that corresponds with the price paid compared to value resorts. Our priority is location to transportation which is what puts us at a monorail hotel. Fingers crossed...

I'm one of the recent somewhat negative posters...

If it is your first stay at the Polynesian, there is a "wow" factor that you will get which I think has faded a little for us since we have stayed at the Poly several times but it is not gone completely for us. Also, we park hop and often return to the resort when the parks get hot and crowded; the use of the monorail and boat transportation is a benefit that we really enjoy. I think you will be happy with the Poly but it will be interesting to see if you can get rooms close together.

Our recent visit was just the wife and I. When I've paid for multiple rooms for the rest of the family, I've stuck with moderates or values, (Port Orleans Riverside and POP Century are my favorites in these categories.)