Polynesian questions

[blum74]

I'm overwhelmed by all this! Where do we want to stay at the Poly? I think I want to be close to the monorail. Any advice on that?

What restaraunts are good there?

How long will it take to get to the MK, AK and Epcot from the Poly? Does the monorail go to Epcot too?

I'd love any advice. I'll have a 4 and 7 yr old with me.
THanks.

 

[kirbydog48]

Google tikiman. Incredible website all on the Poly. Will answer all your questions.

 

[BCV23]

I agree with the above advice. But short answers...Kona, Kona, Kona. It is great for b,l & dinner.

Raratonga and Niue are closest to the GCH and therefore the monorail to the MK. But we never request a longhouse. Each has advantages.

The easiset way to Epcot is to make the short walk to the TTC and board the Epcot monorail.

I've never taken the bus to AK from the Polynesian. But the park itself is quite a ways from the MK area.

 

[mordux]

I also have to agree with.. Kona, Kona, Kona

We've been 3 years in a row and have never been disappointed, at breakfast, lunch or dinner.

If you include the 5 minute walk to the TTC, then board the EPCOT only monorail, total is maybe 15-20 minutes.

As far as bus to the AK, once you are on the bus, including other resort pickups, it is probably 30-35 minutes total to get there.

As far as which longhouse to pick, we loved Fiji all 3 times.

 

[Marty Joe]

Aloha blum74,
Kona is a great place to eat, but 'Ohana is great as well (excellant menu/fantastic view). If you're looking for a garden view room, give Fiji or Samoa a shot - both have great views, are close to GCH, and Samoa is between the volcano and quiet pools. Keep in mind that the Poly is not a huge resort and you can't go wrong with most any room.

 

[grimley1968]

For a 4 and 7 YO, the Poly can't be beat. If you're still pushing a stroller, you never have to fold it down to get to MK or EPCOT, assuming you ride the monorail. To get on the EPCOT monorail, just walk to the TTC next door.

I've read that the bus ride to AK has been slow to/from the Poly recently. But in fairness, it seems all bus rides to AK are slow, unless you're at AKL itself.

 

[NeverlandPixie]

Not sure if this is correct, so someone please correct me if this is wrong, but I was told that you could walk to the TTC and catch a bus to AK and DHS from there instead of taking the Poly bus.

 

[grimley1968]

Not sure if this is correct, so someone please correct me if this is wrong, but I was told that you could walk to the TTC and catch a bus to AK and DHS from there instead of taking the Poly bus.

Maybe you could, but why? That same bus is probably going to drive right over to the Poly to pick guests up there anyway. May as well save a little walking and wait at the Poly bus stop. I've watched many buses go to the TTC first, then come pick us up at the Poly.

 

[NeverlandPixie]

Maybe you could, but why? That same bus is probably going to drive right over to the Poly to pick guests up there anyway. May as well save a little walking and wait at the Poly bus stop. I've watched many buses go to the TTC first, then come pick us up at the Poly.

Ahhh, that's what I wasn't told. I assumed it would just go from TTC to AK.

Thanks for the head's up!

 

[corndog]

We just returned from the Poly. The majority of bus stops appeared to be CR --> Poly and WL --> GF. Occasionally, they would put all 4 on one.

The biggest problem with going to AK is that the bus stopped at BB, there and back.

I recall catching a bus from the TTC to MGM that went there directly (no resort stops). I'm pretty sure you can go directly to AK from the TTC as well.

 

[BCV23]

Ahhh, that's what I wasn't told. I assumed it would just go from TTC to AK.

Thanks for the head's up!

The TTC buses do go directly to AK and DHS. They are not shared with the resorts.

The park buses run every 20 minutes from the TTC.

 

[grimley1968]

I guess in the cases I've seen where TTC buses came over to the Poly, the TTC bus stops may have been empty, which probably happens fairly often at certain slower times of day.

In this case, the bus drivers may have realized that driving 30 seconds out of the way over to the Poly to pick up guests bound for the same park would be more efficient than driving with an empty bus.

I know I've watched buses come right over to the Poly from the TTC before. I just never thought to see if they actually picked up anyone at the TTC before heading over to the Poly.

 

[mousescrapper]

The TTC buses do go directly to AK and DHS. They are not shared with the resorts.

The park buses run every 20 minutes from the TTC.

Thanks OP blum74 for posting this thread and a ditto checking out tikiman's site on the Poly...very cool, tons of info and on all the longhouses to help narrow your decision if needed. Keep in mind that in the older longhouses, the 2nd floor has no balcony (only in newer buildings closer to GF)

We made a ressie for June 08 and requested 1st or 3rd in Samoa or Raratonga and plan to dine at Kona Cafe and O'Hana for the character breakfast, our olders kids love Lilo and Stitch.

Happy planning!

To BCV23 Thanks for the tip about the buses, I was concerned about that. We plan only 1 tour day to the Ak and 2 1/2 days to MGM. Our DS has some special needs and we will not have a vehile, so the less time we're actually on buses the better, in an emergency DH or I will just take him back in a cab...So Thanks, great to know. We'll be walking the TTC path alot.

 

[LJD2143]

Last September while staying at the Poly we missed the morning EMH at AK due to the buses. Although we arrived 40 minutes early at the bus stop, a bus did not show up until 45 minutes later. Then although the bus was full from the Poly, it still stopped at GF. Then it made a stop at TL, even though nobody got off there. Needless to say, by the time we arrived at AK, EMH was over and we entered the park with the "masses". This year, when time is of the essence, I plan on taking a taxi to AK.

Do you think the direct buses from TTC to AK run early enough for EMH, since EMH is a resort-only benefit?

 

[wishesUT]

We were a little dissapointed in the bus service at the Poly. One day we waited for quite a while for a Studios bus. It finally came after we'd seen two buses to AK and DTD. When the bus finally came we stopped at the GF and then on to the Studios. The day we went to AK we stopped at BB before AK and then on the way back to the Poly we stopped at BB again and then stopped at the CR. I didn't get that. A stop at BB both directions? It took much longer to use the buses than I had anticipated.

 

[BCV23]

Do you think the direct buses from TTC to AK run early enough for EMH, since EMH is a resort-only benefit?

That is an excellent question and I don't know the answer. If no one else chimes in, try asking on the Transportation forum. There are a couple WDW drivers who post there.

Grimley,whether a bus from the TTC to the parks or a resort bus for the Polynesian, all buses come down that same road in the same direction so I wonder if that is what led you to believe they were actually coming from the TTC. From the Polynesian bus stop, you would not be able to see the buses actually exit the TTC.

 

[amystevekai&bump]

The TTC buses do go directly to AK and DHS. They are not shared with the resorts.

The park buses run every 20 minutes from the TTC.

really thick but what is DHS???? I'll be thinking about that all night now!

 

[BCV23]

The new name for MGM...Disney Hollywood Studios.

I know it will take me a while to get used to the new name.

 

[amystevekai&bump]

ohhhh!!! I'd of been up all night trying to figure that out!! thanks alot!!