Polynesian Island tower review.

[noahsmom]

We decided to stay at the new tower for 2 nights prior to our Disney cruise. We were very excited, the poly is one of our favorite resorts. We booked this room in January, theme park view studio.
Upon arrival bell services took our bags and directed inside to check in. A cast member was in the lobby with a tablet to check us in. A 3rd floor room was ready but we asked if there would be a higher room available. She checked and quickly smiled and said yes. She then got our magic bands set up to open the room door.

We went over to the grand ceremonial house to get a drink. We were notified shortly after our drinks arrived that our room was ready. On the 4th floor. A little disappointing but it was higher than the original 3rd floor.

Upon arrival to our room neither one of our magic bands worked on the door and our phones didn’t either. Husband went down to lobby. Came back with a room card for me and his magic band worked. He said the CM told him the phone app never works.

The room is ok, the view straight out our door is the contemporary. Once out our balcony we could see the magic kingdom if we go all the way to the right. We both stood on the balcony to watch the fireworks and I was pressed against the wall to see the fireworks, my husband couldn’t see much because the go off to the left of the castle. If I had paid the cash price for this room I’d be very disappointed.

The room itself is comfortable. It wasn’t cleaned well before our arrival. There’s pieces of plastic under the bed and the frosted toilet room door was not cleaned well. The sliding door is really difficult to open. We also don’t care for the shower.

We also miss not having a store on this building for snacks and drinks. There are vending machines but only for snacks. The grand ceremonial house isn’t far but with temps in the upper 90’s I’d like a closer option.

Yesterday we ate at Wailulu and the food was excellent. Our drinks were good but very overpriced. I got the banana old fashioned, very good, served in a rocks glass but the glass was only half full, $17. Husband ordered an Appleton estate rum and Diet Coke. Served in rocks glass. They charged $12 for the rum and over $4 for the splash of Diet Coke. Never seen a drink charged that way.

As I said at the beginning we were excited to stay here. Would we again - no, not at the island tower. I’d stay in one of the poly longhouses though.

 

[Mouseforward]

We also miss not having a store on this building for snacks and drinks. There are vending machines but only for snacks. The grand ceremonial house isn’t far but with temps in the upper 90’s I’d like a closer option.

One of the benefits of RIV. I am surprised they did not put a general store in PIT.

Even at the longhouses , I had a refillable mug but ended up getting soda from the machine when it rained. I had the same feeling about VGF 1

 

[MicheyMouse]

Almost sounds more like our preferred view room. That sliding door is a monster for sure!

For drinks, Wailulu seems cheaper than Enchanted Rose but I’d still go for Trader Sam’s even if it’s only the Terrace.

 

[Patmcpsu]

We also miss not having a store on this building for snacks and drinks. There are vending machines but only for snacks. The grand ceremonial house isn’t far but with temps in the upper 90’s I’d like a closer option.

It's amazing how Disney routinely cheaps out on money-makers which improve the guest experience. Operating costs for a little convenience store would cost them, what? Fifty dollars an hour (labor and electricity)? It's pretty hard to imagine this hypothetical store operating at a loss.

 

[RichVIII]

Thanks for sharing.

The disappointing room views (especially TPV) for the amount of points is incredibly frustrating. We were offered a first floor TPV (at 89 points for the night) and did get to the 4th floor eventually.

 

[bbn1122]

I own at BLT and Island Tower reminds me of that. DVC, but no QS or a place to get coffee. At BLT you need to walk over to CR and Island Tower you need to walk over to GCH.

I have only visited the Lobby and ate at Wailulu, which was fantastic.

Now I usually pack my own coffee etc for the morning, but sometimes you just want to grab something quick.
I agree that Rivera is set up perfectly, but it is its own DVC, it not added on to a pre-existing Deluxe Resort.

Rivera is my favorite.

I am planning on adding a short stay at the Island Tower next year.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I own at BLT and Island Tower reminds me of that. DVC, but no QS or a place to get coffee. At BLT you need to walk over to CR and Island Tower you need to walk over to GCH.

I have only visited the Lobby and ate at Wailulu, which was fantastic.

Now I usually pack my own coffee etc for the morning, but sometimes you just want to grab something quick.
I agree that Rivera is set up perfectly, but it is its own DVC, it not added on to a pre-existing Deluxe Resort.

Rivera is my favorite.

I am planning on adding a short stay at the Island Tower next year.

Thanks for sharing your experience.

I did just want to note that Wailulu is open for grab and go breakfast and coffee. There's also a Freestyle mug refill station next to the fitness center (yes, does require a short outside walk).

 

[airjay75]

We also miss not having a store on this building for snacks and drinks. There are vending machines but only for snacks. The grand ceremonial house isn’t far but with temps in the upper 90’s I’d like a closer option.

The more I have thought about PIT, the more I think this is the biggest miss. A small shop would have gone so far to make the PIT experience more enjoyable for guests.

I own at BLT and Island Tower reminds me of that. DVC, but no QS or a place to get coffee. At BLT you need to walk over to CR and Island Tower you need to walk over to GCH.

This thought has crossed my mind too. But, at BLT, you have a covered walkway and you also get a BLT-only pool with a waterslide and small splash area. I suppose Wailulu takes the prize over BLT pool bar/snack stand, although when I'm hanging out at the pool with young kids running around, the BLT bar/snack stand is probably more what I need than a sit-down restaurant (of course, at RIV, you have both!). And, points chart is SOOO much better at BLT than PIT. Unlike PIT, where I've heard so many complaints about the views, with BLT, I routinely hear about someone who booked a resort view or preferred view, but still had a view of MK and the fireworks

I still think PIT is beatiful and I love the rooms, and I'm sure I will stay there at some point. Just some misses IMO. But, there's a lot of Poly lovers out there, and PIT is no doubt going to appeal to them.

 

[ParrotBill]

Thanks for the thorough review! Had not thought about it, but that is a long uncovered walk to the main house, compared to BLT and GFV, both of which are reasonable. It's more like Saratoga Springs for the long walk to stores and quick service food.

I remember as I passed by on the momorail during construction wondering what views they had created with the semi-circle facing the lagoon. If they'd made a series of stacked and angled rooms, they could all have faced the MK. Too bad.

I am laughing at the "higher floor"... but not too hard, as I have a 1BR at BLT in a month, with a request for "higher floor"... I now know what to say when I ask if a higher floor is available!!!

 

[peacefrogdog]

We tentatively have the PIT booked for a 3 night non park stay in February. We would likely pick up some groceries for snacks, so that we won't have to rely on going to the store at the GCH? How is the pool scene at the Tower?

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

My Theme Park View room was a RIP-OFF. Never wasting points on that again.

Funnily enough, I just stayed in Grand Floridian in a Preferred View... and it was the exact same view as my Theme Park View room at the Island Tower. Except now I was on the opposite side looking at Poly and the rest of Grand Flo.

 

[MarkNC2Disney]

My Theme Park View room was a RIP-OFF. Never wasting points on that again.

Funnily enough, I just stayed in Grand Floridian in a Preferred View... and it was the exact same view as my Theme Park View room at the Island Tower. Except now I was on the opposite side looking at Poly and the rest of Grand Flo.

What was your room #?

 

[Patmcpsu]

On yesterday's DVC show, they were talking about the rooms at PIT already being banged-up. It's the first I've heard of that; can anyone direct me to reviews/pictures of people saying that?

 

[kanerf]

I had similar issues when I stayed there. Why can't they put some drink machines in the large and under utilized lobby area? By the time you go over to the GCH to fill your mug and walk back in the 90 degree plus temps and no shade, you have already finished your drink.

 

[airjay75]

On yesterday's DVC show, they were talking about the rooms at PIT already being banged-up. It's the first I've heard of that; can anyone direct me to reviews/pictures of people saying that?

I heard that discussion yesterday too. They seemed to imply that RIV was built better (or, at least, did not get complaints the way PIT is). I'm a little skeptical that anything we're seeing with PIT is out of the ordinary for a newly built hotel that is simply working out the kinks or that RIV did not face similar issues.

I just looked up when RIV opened - I did not realize it was December 16th, 2019, just a couple of months before COVID stay-at-home orders started. Between everyone focused on the resale restrictions and then Disney closing from March to July, only to reopen with more limited capacity and other restrictions, I suspect there just wasn't the same ability for people to focus on that sort of thing with RIV. RIV almost certainly did not see the same demand and/or foot traffic during its first year the way PIT has seen since it opened.

 

[muppets3d]

On yesterday's DVC show, they were talking about the rooms at PIT already being banged-up. It's the first I've heard of that; can anyone direct me to reviews/pictures of people saying that?

The furniture is nothing special so I'm not surprised. Same thing is happening to the cabins.

 

[jennypenny]

RR had the immediate issue of the under-the-TV beds coming off the walls. I think they repaired them all within the first week. After that though, nothing notable.

 

[Phatscott25]

I had similar issues when I stayed there. Why can't they put some drink machines in the large and under utilized lobby area? By the time you go over to the GCH to fill your mug and walk back in the 90 degree plus temps and no shade, you have already finished your drink.

There are Coke Freestyle machines at the Tower, just to the left of the entrance to the fitness center.

 

[peacefrogdog]

On yesterday's DVC show, they were talking about the rooms at PIT already being banged-up. It's the first I've heard of that; can anyone direct me to reviews/pictures of people saying that?

Heard that too. I generally like the hosts but find that they scrutinize things to a much higher degree compared to the more average Disney traveller. Unless they have stayed in multiple rooms, even if they are banged up, that would be more of an issue with guests than the property itself.

 

[Mle8308]

I had similar issues when I stayed there. Why can't they put some drink machines in the large and under utilized lobby area? By the time you go over to the GCH to fill your mug and walk back in the 90 degree plus temps and no shade, you have already finished your drink.

You don't have to go to the GCH to refill your drink mug. There is a FreeStyle machine right outside of hten fitness center, across from the PIT pool.