Although I might be biased, since the Polynesian was my first DVC purchase, I wanted to share the top 5 reasons why I love this resort.
Theming.
I could stop there, everyone who steps foot in the Polynesian Resort knows that Disney gets the theming right. From the music to the décor, even the tropical landscaping and the Polynesian influenced dining options all tie into the island vibe. I believe the theming is so captivating, you could vacation here and not even visit the parks. I will admit I am not sure I could do that, as the proximity to the Magic Kingdom is way too tempting. 😊
Room Layout.
The Poly offers two-room type options, either a studio villa or a bungalow. Unless you are stacked with DVC points, the likelihood of a bungalow working out for your family is probably not realistic. (On average a Bungalow runs 146 points per night, ranging from 115 – 227) However, the studio villas here are by far my favorite compared to other DVC studio villa rooms. The studio villa sleeps 5 and is 447 square feet, which is one of the largest studio villas on property. My favorite part is that it has two bathrooms! One bathroom has a sink, toilet, and tub (and I must add is rather spacious) while the second bathroom has a sink and gorgeous shower with a rainfall showerhead. For my family this is a huge selling point, being able to have two people shower and get ready at the same time is a plus. Additionally, during our mid-day breaks, we will wheel the crib into the second bathroom so that my daughter can take her nap in peace while my husband and I watch TV or do some laundry in the main living space.
Walkway from Pago Pago to the TTC
Transportation options.
Traveling around Disney property is my least favorite part of my Disney vacation, I’m sure everyone feels that same way. I always consider what my game plan is and what resort will make my time traveling from place to place the most enjoyable. This is another reason why the Poly is so high on my list as there are many ways to get around. You can take the monorail or water taxi to get to Magic Kingdom, EPCOT you can walk to the TTC and pick up a monorail, and of course you can take a bus to Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios (you can also bus to EPCOT as well, we just prefer to take the monorail from the TTC.) A few of the times that we stayed at the Poly our room was closer to the TTC than it was to the Great Ceremonial House (main building) which is where you would pick up the monorail to get to Magic Kingdom. If your room is in the Moorea or Pago Pago building, the TTC is much closer. One tip I discovered my last vacation, if you are staying at Moorea or Pago Pago and you are like me and can’t wait to get back to your room at the end of the night, I would recommend getting off at the TTC as it is one stop before the Great Ceremonial House.
Location.
I find that my family likes to spend a decent amount of time at the Magic Kingdom each trip. Which is why the location of the Poly is a huge plus. Most days we do a half-day at Magic Kingdom and half of the day at a different park. Since we also take a mid-day break this helps save us time rather than busing back and forth to the same park twice in a day. Another tip to those traveling with strollers, staying at a resort on the monorail is great as you do not need to fold up the stroller. (You have to fold your stroller on all buses and on some of the water taxi’s.)
Fantastic dining options.
Lastly, the dining options here at the Poly are phenomenal. From Captain Cooks quick service to O’hana’s family-style character dining, everything that we tried has been amazing. I almost forgot to mention Pineapple Lanai’s where you can get your dole whip fix and Trader Sam’s tiki bar if you want to have a fun cocktail. All of these options are unique and something I look forward to each trip.
This will conclude the top 5 reasons I love the Polynesian. If you haven’t stayed I would highly recommend giving it a shot. As I mentioned, I would even recommend this resort to someone who isn’t interested in visiting a park and just wants a relaxing vacation by the pool.
We’ve stayed in multiple Disney resorts, plus the various Hilton properties at Disney Springs (I get lots of Hilton points from business travel).
Although we loved the Polynesian, and they were very accommodating for my service dog, our all-time favorite is the Hilton Buena Vista Palace.
Well, not exactly true. During W Bush’s Great Recession, WDW discounted so much that I could afford the Grand Floridian. It does not get any better than that.