5 Things That Surprised Me About the Polynesian

Now five years into my DVC membership, I have been fortunate enough to have stayed at most of the Walt Disney World DVC resorts.  One of the last ones to check off my list was the Polynesian.  Being an owner at Bay Lake Tower and the Grand Floridian, I thought it was about time that I finally completed the monorail loop and tried staying at the Polynesian.  Here are some of the things that surprised me about the resort.

The Walkability of the Resort

On a map, the Polynesian seems like quite a large resort with several separate buildings, especially when you include those that are part of the hotel side in addition to the DVC longhouses.  However, even the DVC longhouses that are furthest from the Great Ceremonial House (Moorea and Pago Pago) are really only a few minutes away.  

By the end of my stay in Pago Pago, I also figured out that it helped to make use of both of the longhouse’s exits–one was closer to the Transportation and Ticket Center while the other was slightly closer to the Great Ceremonial House.  It may seem minor, but the extra time in the AC was a perk.  

The Nice Standard Views

Walking around the resort, I realized that the Polynesian has some really nice standard views.  Most have a view of the resort landscaping or the Oasis Pool from Tokelau.  Pago Pago is the only longhouse to have any parking lot view, and even that side of Pago Pago had a neat view of the monorail as it cruised between the Transportation and Ticket Center and the Polynesian monorail station.  

The Deluxe Studio I stayed in at Pago Pago faced Moorea and actually offered a partial fireworks view.  I could see some of the higher fireworks from above Moorea (and behind a tree), and I could even faintly hear the Happily Ever After soundtrack coming from the beach.  

The Ease of Transportation

Of course, being on the monorail loop is a plus, but with many people complaining that the new Island Tower will make it overly crowded, I questioned how convenient the monorail would be from the Polynesian.  Although I never rope dropped, I didn’t have any issues with overcrowding on the monorail.  

Being in Pago Pago, I also found myself heading to the Transportation and Ticket Center for the monorail more often than heading to the Great Ceremonial House.  It was just quicker; for the Magic Kingdom, I could take the express monorail, and for EPCOT, there was no need to take the resort monorail around the full loop and then transfer to the EPCOT line.  

While I often prefer taking the walking paths from Bay Lake Tower and the Grand Floridian to the Magic Kingdom, in the hot June weather, the monorail was just fine at the Polynesian.  

The Lack of Storage

The Deluxe Studios at the Polynesian are among the largest studios of all the DVC resorts.  However, that didn’t quite translate to having a lot of storage.  Other than the closet, there were just the small nightstand drawers and coffee table.  There was no dresser if you like to unpack your clothes.  I’d actually argue that the very small Deluxe Studios at Bay Lake Tower have more storage since they have a closet, dresser, and all the shelves and cabinets in the kitchenette.

How Much I Am Looking Forward to Returning

I don’t have any resort reservations planned yet for the Polynesian, but I sure do look forward to that next stay whenever it will be.  I happen to love the look of the new Island Tower rooms and would be excited to try those out too in the future.  Until then, I’ll be dreaming of fireworks on the beach, some refreshing Dole Whip, and morning walks taking in the peaceful ambiance of the resort grounds.

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If you are a fan of the Polynesian, what do you love most about the resort?