Polynesian Review

BJP

Earning My Ears
Joined
Oct 10, 2005
Messages
10
Just returned from 10 days at Polynesian and 4 days at Universals Portofino with my wife, daughters 16 and 18 (celebrated 18th whilst at Polynesian) and son 9

I’ve been reading these boards for only two months (didn’t know it existed until my US travel agent forwarded the link) and in that time have been grateful for all of the fantastic information and advice that’s been posted so decided to post a brief review in the hope that it may be useful to other Disney novices like us.

The Polynesian really is a beautiful resort with a great relaxed atmosphere. Upon arrival I was apprehensive about room allocation (I’d read a few reports on room requests and how a room could make or break the vacation) Well I needn’t of worried as the CM at reception was extremely helpful and very flexible with our room – It was great to have a selection of rooms to choose from. I was told that the new rooms became available the day we arrived (24th September so not bad timing!) We decided upon a newly refurbished room – Fiji 3315 – The view of the harbour and lagoon was breathtaking, I’d highly recommend Fiji to anyone. Don’t be afraid to ask what rooms are available, the CM was genuinely pleased to help ensure I was happy with the room choice.

We’d not stayed in the older style rooms at The Polynesian so can’t comment on the difference between the two, only that they looked great with plenty of room for us all – and with three women together that’s saying something. The sofa flipped over into a very comfortable bed for my son – he loved it! Housekeeping was efficient and when we had a problem with a fuse maintenance arrived within 15 minutes to fix it.

We all loved the pool area, water slide, beaches and boat hire at the harbour was great fun. All of the above plus the convenience of having the monorail on our doorstep made the Polynesian an excellent choice worth every penny.

Only one negatives to report – Ohanas is so popular, we found that the Tambu lounge bar was swamped from 5pm every night leaving absolutely no seating area for a relaxed cocktail or two. There are strollers and queuing diners everywhere! (is it always like this or because of the free dining plan?)

We also dined at Ohanas and found ourselves with five different servers all running around us like headless chickens, none of them knowing what the other had served us…. It was mayhem and they knew it! (I’ll save this and other dining experiences for the other board)

We visited a few other deluxe resorts during our stay, most looked great with fine amenities but lacked the unique Polynesian atmosphere….. we will return one day!


showphoto.php
 
So glad you enjoyed your trip and the Poly! I loved it there and can't wait to return and try out one of the new refurbished rooms. It truly is a unique resort! I visted the other Deluxes also, and the WL would be the only other one I think I would like. :)
 
Thanks for the review. We are staying there for the first time in July.

After eating at Ohana and soaking up the atmosphere, I felt like it was the resort for me. I can't wait!
 

Glad you enjoyed your stay! Those new Fiji rooms are getting wonderful reviews! And people really seem to like it's location. The Polynesian is my favorite resort for so many reasons! 7 more weeks and I return! Yipee! :)
 
BJP..we were right down the hall from you it looks like. We were there from 9/30-10/8 with the screaming kids in 3318...sorry. :goodvibes

Anyway, did you guys stay at Universal after the Poly? We did that last year, and we hated the HRH, most likley because we just left Disney. Just wanted to see your thoughts. If we were to do it again, I would stay Universal first, then the Poly.
 
Thanks for the review. Loved your photo.

Do you think an adult would find the daybed comfortable? We off the Polynesian on Friday! Can't wait to return. :cool1:
 
PolyGuy

The Portofino was a very beautiful hotel but too much of a contrast and a little formal after experiencing the Poly. I think that you’re spot on with your view of staying at Universal first and finishing the vacation at Polynesian / Disney. Being able to bypass the queues as a hotel resident was a fantastic bonus though!


Lovesdumbo

An average size man or woman would probably be ok on the day bed for a few nights. From the photos that I’ve seen of the old day beds the new ones look bigger and more comfortable. A busy day in the parks and maybe a glass of wine with dinner and they’d sleep like a baby! – have a great trip
 
Really enjoyed your review. Glad you liked the Polynesian so much. We love it, too.

More Fiji fans!
 
BJP said:
PolyGuy

The Portofino was a very beautiful hotel but too much of a contrast and a little formal after experiencing the Poly. I think that you’re spot on with your view of staying at Universal first and finishing the vacation at Polynesian / Disney. Being able to bypass the queues as a hotel resident was a fantastic bonus though!


Hi, We did just that back in Sept. We stayed at the Portofino and then over to WDW. I loved the Portofino, yes it was really nice being able to bypass the lines because of being a guest of the resort. Doing it Portofino then WDW was the best, because you could relax after being so formal.
 












Receive up to $1,000 in Onboard Credit and a Gift Basket!
That’s right — when you book your Disney Cruise with Dreams Unlimited Travel, you’ll receive incredible shipboard credits to spend during your vacation!
CLICK HERE


New Posts







DIS Facebook DIS youtube DIS Instagram DIS Pinterest DIS Tiktok DIS Twitter DIS Bluesky

Back
Top Bottom