PVB: Tell me why you love it!

[tgarre06]

We are considering PVB resale. Tell me why you love owning there or staying there! TIA!

 

[Spinster Travel]

My first DVC contract was Poly resale! In short, the Poly has always been my favorite resort. First trip to WDW was in 1984 ala Clarke Griswold style. We had the whole family along with the cousins, Aunts/Uncles and grand parents and headed down in three family trucksters from Virginia. It's been our favorite ever since. I love the theming and all of the amenities at the resort (monorail, the ability to get a Dole Whip, the shopping etc.) I think the Oasis Pool bar is one of the best on property and there are several other lounge options in Tambu and Trader Sams (we don't have kids, so this is of value. Usually my travel party is small, so we are fine with the studios, but some really have heartburn over the lack of a 1BR option here. The dual bathrooms in the villas are a huge plus. The points charts are higher as is the case with all the monorail resorts, but I've had no issues booking rooms at the 11 or 7 month mark. (The same cannot be said for other resorts....hello CC). The resale price per point is still very good over Direct, BUT keep an eye out as DVC has started to buy back Poly contracts via ROFR, so I suspect the resale price will start to rise a bit. I'll also add that the Poly is due for a soft refurbishment in the coming year, so that's a plus in my book as well. Good luck with your search!

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

I’m currently considering Poly for our next add on. We are a soon to be family of 4 so I love the large studios that sleep 5 with the split bathroom. I also love the monorail/boat access and all the food. It’s an iconic resort and we love the theme plus resale prices for Poly are really good right now. Just waiting for a good one with our use year.

 

[LillianBelle]

I am a new Poly owner; we had visited the resort countless times but stayed for the first time in December after buying resale. Things I loved:
1. The split bathrooms - convenient for getting ready but also extra storage. We put pop up hampers for the dirty clothes in there and it helped keep everywhere else tidy.
2. Wide corridors - Poly hallways are like 10 feet wide; some hotels are only five. It's light and open. Guests can leave strollers outside their rooms and not annoy their neighbours or block egress.
3. Wide studio bays - even when the fold down bed is out, there is plenty of space between it and the Queen bed. No shin bruises.
4. The Grand Floridian path - we knew it would be convenient, but the walk from Poly to the Magic Kingdom was surprisingly tranquil and scenic. Like the Skyliner, it makes transition between spaces an experience in and of itself.
5. TTC path - the lovely little route is charming. I would love to own an an Epcot resort too, but being able to walk this path to the Monorail will be the next best thing when the service resumes. I didn't fully appreciate that before buying.
6. Colour! I am not a fan of the homogenization of the Disney rooms as they become tastefully bland. Give me the Poly reds, oranges and blue bathrooms with mermaid lagoon art.
7. Signature treats - having a Dole Whips and Lapu Lapus mere steps away. Priceless.

 

[Cabius]

I love love love the Poly!

The rooms themselves are great. Roomy, well-decorated, with split bathrooms. I only have two little ones, but always felt like we had plenty of place to stretch out, even with the double stroller and inevitable popcorn buckets.

If you're looking for studio availability, that doesn't tend to be a problem at the 11-month window. I know a few resorts (*cough* CCV *cough*) have issues on that front. But while the Bungalows are point-hogs for sure, but most of the rooms are Studios and from what I've seen so far 11-month availability is good. Obviously nothing is guaranteed, but I'd say it's an advantage over the other resorts with similar expirations.

Location is wonderful -- easy access to MK and Epcot (via TTC monorail) to get there first thing in the morning, or to take a quick mid-day break back at your resort.

And if you're NOT an all-day theme park commando, there's no better resort at which to relax. Grab a dole whip, and sit out by the Ceremonial Lawn, or down by the beach, and listen to that Polynesian music just take all of your stress away. (My wife and I were just reminiscing about our last trip in January, and the memory of our little girls playing in the sand, with the music in the background and the Castle visible in the distance, was perhaps our happiest memory. Absolute peaceful bliss.)

The pools are great. The Lava Pool is a ton of fun, with a great kids' splash area, and the Oasis Pool is calm and relaxing. Zero-entry is awesome for little ones!

I know that a lot of the resorts do activities -- even if they're just pool parties -- but I think PVB is top-notch along with AKV. Plus, most of them are on the Ceremonial Lawn, so it's easy to watch little ones from the comfort of a table... and a dole whip... or those thai meatballs from Captain Cook's...

Speaking of food, the options are great! Captain Cook's is seriously one of my favorite QS on property (pro tip: you can get Tonga Toast for breakfast for waaayyy cheaper than at Kona Cafe), and the dole whips are a must-have. But Kona Cafe and 'Ohana are also crowd favorites, and Trader Sam's Grog Grotto is an absolute must-see if you're at all interested in adult beverages, and maybe even if you're not. (Even pro-er tip: watch 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea before you go, and be on the lookout for Ned Land's homemade guitar!)

 

[chiisai]

I really like the quiet pool and the food there. Love Trader Sam’s (so do my teens). Captain Cook’s is pretty good. I didn’t actually like Kona Cafe, we tried it for breakfast and dinner. Being close to the TTC

The rooms- I like bathroom set up. My kid actually uses the Murphy bed there (at BWV they find it’s too cold as the air con blows directly on them). I enjoy the balcony. It’s very nice.

We will sometimes have split stays, and I like a stay at PVB and a resort leg at Yacht or Beach.

 

[HappyDisneyWife]

I love the Poly!! There have been many great shoutouts: dole whip, monorail/TTC access, awesome bathroom setup, sleeps 5 comfortably, good quick-service, great pool, beach, views of MK, and more ... but here are the 2 main reasons why I will always love it:

1. It’s my 2nd oldest daughter’s hands down, no contest, all time favorite resort!! (She loves the theming!)

2. It invokes a serious calming vibe. Truly. I can’t make the magic of that feeling real enough... after a long day, it seems to just melt stress away. Pure bliss.

 

[gisele2]

Never stayed there , but went dining and I love the theming . The landscape is beautiful too . You really feel on vacation there .

 

[BillPA]

Not a fan of Poly, lack of 1 and 2 bedroom units, noise from the boats, have to walk in the weather to get to dinning options.

 

[Yinn]

We are considering PVB resale. Tell me why you love owning there or staying there! TIA!

I'll go a different direction. It's extremely easy to rent out when you don't want to stay there.

 

[RoseGold]

Poly was my first contract because I had been watching a paid service where you rent points and had previously rented Poly points. Pre-Covid, Poly points were always in demand, demand, demand. When the right contract popped up, I jumped on it.

Of course, if 2020 has shown anything, it's that this is not the reason you should buy into DVC.

I just booked a fall 2021 stay, midweek in the middle of school, and it was $834/night cash. Poly can and does demand those kind of cash prices.

 

[Minniemoo15]

We LOVE the Poly! We bought a resale contract there a couple of years ago and are on the lookout for another. The studios are the best of any we have tried so far (BCV, AKV, SSR). The split bathroom makes getting ready in the morning so much easier and the studios (and balconies) are noticeably larger. I also love the fact that the studios connect. We always travel with my parents and the connecting studios work really well for us.

Other than that, the pools and splashpad are awesome. The location is fantastic with easy access to MK and Epcot. There are so many great restaurant options at PVB but also on the monorail loop.

One of the biggest reasons is that I just love the theming. Coming from our frigid Canadian winters, the Poly vibe feels like a true vacation.

 

[CaliAdventurer]

pros:
Awesome vibes
lush grounds
great pools
location best of all resorts- ttc, monorail, boats both big and small
dole whips
ohana
bread pudding
Trader Sams
walk to GF and all it offers such as spa and salon
spacious room
2nd shower
best gift shop on prop in lobby
cons:
dark rooms (not as dark as AK)
thin walls
studios only ( I have many points and still wont spend 200 on a bungalow for one night ever)
high point per night

It has way more going for it than against. Love it! Its my daughters favorite and in my top 5 which would go VGC, VGF, Aulani, Poly, BWV or BC which are a serious tie.

 

[MouseyMin]

There's nothing like walking out on the beach at night to watch the Electric Water Parade and the MK Fireworks. They pipe the music onto the beach. And walking through the resort with the Tiki lamps lit up at night is an amazing experience!

 

[bakerworld]

We love the Poly. The point value is so high that we stay other places but I love the room, the grounds and the eateries.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Not a fan of Poly, lack of 1 and 2 bedroom units, noise from the boats, have to walk in the weather to get to dinning options.

I’m not a fan either, but with me it’s all about theming. It used to be THEE best themed resort on the planet. Somehow, they managed to completely blow it. I’m afraid to see after the current refurb.

 

[Jelly563]

Poly does have an amazing smell to it. I love the tiki torches at night dancing in the slight breeze and the waterfall entrance. My daughter adores the Pineapple Lani and I love the Oasis pool. Pog juice hasn't been mentioned yet either. Cast members in the lobby are always better than anywhere else.... Top Knotch resort

 

[gisele2]

We LOVE the Poly! We bought a resale contract there a couple of years ago and are on the lookout for another. The studios are the best of any we have tried so far (BCV, AKV, SSR). The split bathroom makes getting ready in the morning so much easier and the studios (and balconies) are noticeably larger. I also love the fact that the studios connect. We always travel with my parents and the connecting studios work really well for us.

Other than that, the pools and splashpad are awesome. The location is fantastic with easy access to MK and Epcot. There are so many great restaurant options at PVB but also on the monorail loop.

One of the biggest reasons is that I just love the theming. Coming from our frigid Canadian winters, the Poly vibe feels like a true vacation.

I understand you ! It feels nothing like home and that is the magic.

 

[EM Lawrence]

The smooth, shiny stone floor in the lobby is one of my favorite things at WDW. Yes, really. It transports me every time I walk in there. The scale and proportion of everything in the GCH, from the lush foliage at the entrance to the wide staircases, speaks of a bygone era. Give me a greeter with some cheesy plastic leis and that lobby and I am a happy camper.