Disney's POLYNESIAN VILLAGE RESORT Information & Questions

[DisneyJColeMom]

Ugh... just saw this blurb on the Polynesian page on Disney's website....FYI!!!!

Kiki Tikis Splash Play Area will be closed while it undergoes refurbishment from February through March 2021. While Kiki Tikis is unavailable, Guests may enjoy the Lava feature pool and slide and the Oasis pool.

Does anyone have experience with whether or not Disney is pretty good with these timelines? We are supposed to be visiting end of April, do you think splash area should be back by then? I want to echo a question above as well, when you are staying in DVC rooms, how much are you seeing or hearing of construction?

 

[jani3]

Since Kiki Tikis is closed, how likely is it that they’ll let the Poly guests use the GF pool and splash pad?

GF has no openings for our dates in March and the splash pad at the Poly was one of the reasons we picked it. We have young kids so the splash pad would’ve been the main attraction.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Does anyone have experience with whether or not Disney is pretty good with these timelines? We are supposed to be visiting end of April, do you think splash area should be back by then? I want to echo a question above as well, when you are staying in DVC rooms, how much are you seeing or hearing of construction?

I’m generalizing here but from what I’ve seen over time Disney is usually good with resort work timelines. Are there exceptions - sure - but I wouldn’t say Disney has a rampant history of resort delays (note, I’m talking resorts, not theme parks here).

One ‘problem’ with that little blurb on their website is what does “through March 2021” really mean? I know why they don’t put a real date on the end, but I hate how vague that is for us guests.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

As for construction from DVC villas - we were there earlier this month and at that time (and still from what I’ve seen on blog posts) and the only work is at the front of the GCH and the three longhouses on the GF side of the resort. Pretty much little to no construction impact on the DVC villas at all - no noise, no construction traffic, etc.

Eventually they will move on to the longhouses in the middle of the resort, which will bring work much closer/adjacent to the DVC longhouses - particularly Tokelau. That will be something to watch/monitor as things progress.

 

[edgefamily]

The Poly is our favorite. We stay there every year. We have been booked for March 21-26. The studio set up is ideal for our family (me and my husband, 3 year old son, 1 year old daughter) as we have the mini kitchen and the extra bathroom for the pack and play. Now that the splash pad has closed, I rebooked at the Grand Floridian in a regular guest room (outer building- lagoon view). Now I'm unsure if the benefits of the amenities outweigh all of the room benefits. Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[petrola]

Hi all! just rescheduled our trip (for the 3rd time) to July 10-18. We were very much hoping to stay at Poly and looks like the reopening date is July 19 - the day after we leave! (of course!) I wonder if there is any chance at all that the date may change to be earlier... (wishful thinking, I know!!) thoughts?

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Hi all! just rescheduled our trip (for the 3rd time) to July 10-18. We were very much hoping to stay at Poly and looks like the reopening date is July 19 - the day after we leave! (of course!) I wonder if there is any chance at all that the date may change to be earlier... (wishful thinking, I know!!) thoughts?

Always so hard to say with construction. You go through times where stuff is happening super fast and other times where it looks slow as molasses.

You have a couple of major things going on right now: 1) the front entrance and monorail station construction and 2) resort-side room renovations.

Of course the DVC is open as are many of the amenities, so it’s not like it’s “closed.”

We’re sitting here in what is almost Feb 1 and they just finished demolition of the entrance/monorail platform. Little to no vertical construction has started so far. None of us know how long it takes to build a brand new monorail platform and the other entrance upgrades - 3 months? 6 months? With only being able to work at night?

I’m no construction expert but the demo part seemed awfully slow. It’d be nice to see some real progress on that in the next couple of months.

My guess is there won’t be any one moment where Poly reopens, but more of a gradual opening of things. The rooms on the GF side are being done now and will in theory be finished first. They haven’t started on the middle longhouses but will at some point. Assuming guests are allowed to check in 7/16, is that when everything is magically open/ready? Or work still taking place and they open some longhouses on a rolling basis as they are done?

TBD of course!

 

[jani3]

The Poly is our favorite. We stay there every year. We have been booked for March 21-26. The studio set up is ideal for our family (me and my husband, 3 year old son, 1 year old daughter) as we have the mini kitchen and the extra bathroom for the pack and play. Now that the splash pad has closed, I rebooked at the Grand Floridian in a regular guest room (outer building- lagoon view). Now I'm unsure if the benefits of the amenities outweigh all of the room benefits. Anyone have any thoughts?

I've stayed at the outer building, lagoon view room at the GF before. How bad do you need the microwave? I think you can fit the pack and play somewhere in the room but will your baby sleep if there's activity around her (as opposed to the quiet bathroom at Poly)?

But in your situation with the young kids, I'd want the splash pad at GF over the microwave at the Poly studio.

 

[bcuinohio]

I've stayed at the outer building, lagoon view room at the GF before. How bad do you need the microwave? I think you can fit the pack and play somewhere in the room but will your baby sleep if there's activity around her (as opposed to the quiet bathroom at Poly)?

But in your situation with the young kids, I'd want the splash pad at GF over the microwave at the Poly studio.

If a DVC studio is available at the GF, it is a similar layout to the Poly studio.

 

[petrola]

Always so hard to say with construction. You go through times where stuff is happening super fast and other times where it looks slow as molasses.

You have a couple of major things going on right now: 1) the front entrance and monorail station construction and 2) resort-side room renovations.

Of course the DVC is open as are many of the amenities, so it’s not like it’s “closed.”

We’re sitting here in what is almost Feb 1 and they just finished demolition of the entrance/monorail platform. Little to no vertical construction has started so far. None of us know how long it takes to build a brand new monorail platform and the other entrance upgrades - 3 months? 6 months? With only being able to work at night?

I’m no construction expert but the demo part seemed awfully slow. It’d be nice to see some real progress on that in the next couple of months.

My guess is there won’t be any one moment where Poly reopens, but more of a gradual opening of things. The rooms on the GF side are being done now and will in theory be finished first. They haven’t started on the middle longhouses but will at some point. Assuming guests are allowed to check in 7/16, is that when everything is magically open/ready? Or work still taking place and they open some longhouses on a rolling basis as they are done?

TBD of course!

yes, all great points, (as usual) thank you! It definitely makes sense to open on a rolling basis, especially given the Villas and pools are still open. I did call and speak with a CM and he indicated that the monorail platform is scheduled to be open on July 19, so I'm thinking maybe that is the date when "everything" will open? as you noted, it is hard to say. All I can say is we miss our Disney trips and the Poly - that's for sure. My kids love having their Dole whip while watching EWP!

 

[Grimigrinningghostie]

I looked through this thread and I didn’t see anything, but is the Polynesian giving pins to people staying during construction? In the past I have stayed at Wilderness Lodge and Coronado during construction and they gave us sets of three pins with characters in little construction outfits and I was wondering if the same was happening here.

 

[Cabius]

I looked through this thread and I didn’t see anything, but is the Polynesian giving pins to people staying during construction? In the past I have stayed at Wilderness Lodge and Coronado during construction and they gave us sets of three pins with characters in little construction outfits and I was wondering if the same was happening here.

If it costs Disney money, then I assume no, not this year, but I'll defer to somebody who has gone recently!

 

[BridgetBordeaux]

I was watching some videos of the temporary check-in area at Pago Pago and saw a couple of rooms directly off that area. Does anyone know if those are in regular rotation, absolute last resort, or held empty? It seems like they would be horrible with all the check-in noise going on.
Asking because I'm debating checking the "room ready early over requests" box, but not if that means it could be one of those rooms that opens into the check-in area.

Been here for a split stay since late January.........4 nights......1 night out in town...........7 nights.
You need to talk in person to the folks at the check in area.

You do not want any room in Pago Pago facing the parking lot.

You will hear conversations, trunks closing, doors closing, DME diesel busses pulling in and out from sunrise until bedtime.

I speak from experience!

I also encourage you to check in early in order to have that conversation with a CM.

Many rooms are ready by 11am since the vacancy rate is high.

 

[dbtex83]

yes, all great points, (as usual) thank you! It definitely makes sense to open on a rolling basis, especially given the Villas and pools are still open. I did call and speak with a CM and he indicated that the monorail platform is scheduled to be open on July 19, so I'm thinking maybe that is the date when "everything" will open? as you noted, it is hard to say. All I can say is we miss our Disney trips and the Poly - that's for sure. My kids love having their Dole whip while watching EWP!

All DVC booking availability for studios and bungalows is now shut off from mid-August to mid-September (I would assume for the refurb of those buildings), so I'd imagine they would be planning to have the hotel side generally up and running by then.

 

[edgefamily]

I

Since Kiki Tikis is closed, how likely is it that they’ll let the Poly guests use the GF pool and splash pad?

GF has no openings for our dates in March and the splash pad at the Poly was one of the reasons we picked it. We have young kids so the splash pad would’ve been the main attraction.

I called Saturday night and spoke to a CM. They let me know that guests at the Poly would NOT have access to the splash pad or pool at GF and would only be able to use amenities that were still open at the Poly. Disappointing for sure! Thankfully, there were available dates at the GF and we switched.

 

[jeanylaser]

This is will be awesome hotel for my family next year for my birthday!

 

[AVACWDW]

Polynesian Transportation update:
Ticket & Transportation Center (TTC) monorail & ferry start 30-45 minutes prior to Magic Kingdom(MK) opening. Currently MK opens at 9:00am, security, health check and transportation starts between 8:15-8:30am.
There is a Gold Route bus that starts at 7:00am runs to Grand Floridian to Contemporary to Polynesian until 30 minutes prior to MK opening.
Watercraft Service from Polynesian to MK to Grand Floridian starts 30 minutes prior to MK opening.

 

[mrsap]

Construction update:

https://www.wdwmagic.com/resorts/di...ment-at-disneys-polynesian-village-resort.htm

 

[GADisneyDad14]

They best be hurrying up. Deadlines people.

 

[Dug720]

The best be hurrying up. Deadlines people.

I decided to control my own fate rather than wait, hope they get done on time, and risk being stuck with whatever was available if they figured out closer in that they weren’t going to be done. Since it is for my 50th. I moved to AKLKidani in a Savanna View 1BR and it was slightly less than the TPVat the Poly!

(I will still fulfill my Poly dreams - staying there for 5 nights starting on Friday!!)