Disney's Polynesian Village Resort

When I started planning my first WDW trip this was my dream resort. And when I found out I could rent DVC points, I immediately booked my last 2 nights here. My expectations were high, but I knew this was one of the oldest resorts at WDW. I have also vacationed in Polynesia, so I have a pretty good idea of the experience of a (true) Polynesian resort. What I can tell you is that Disney always amazes me with their perfect scenarios. The resort is gorgeous and in great shape. The older elevators and somewhat dark hallways did not bother me at all, I simply felt they were part of the experience of staying at a resort that was built in 1971! The deluxe studio was spacious, had a balcony and 2 bathrooms. We were close enough to the Main Hall, pools and restaurants. I spent a lot of time simply wondering around the beach, bungalows and marina. The resort is even prettier at night. I used the monorail twice, back from the contemporary and back from Epcot, when we exited through the TTC and simply walked a couple of minutes until we got to our room. I did not find the Monorail to be a great transportation option, in fact transportation wise this was one of the worst resorts we stayed at (if you don´t want to go to Magic Kingdom). Uber and Lyft are cheap, so no worries at all. We each got a Lei at check in, such a nice touch! Anyway my only negatives were 1) The wait time at Ohana for Breakfast. It seems to be acceptable to wait 30 minutes even if you arrive at your designated time. Well, sorry but not for me. If I could wander off, grab a drink or go to the pool and then come back I would agree, but standing there looking at the time is not an option. That was quickly solved when I spoke to the manager. 2) We hadn´t been to the pool until our last morning there so I asked if we could have another hour after checkout (we would leave at 12 pm). They refused. That was fine,as we simply spoke with housekeeping and managed to stay a bit longer, maybe 20 minutes, and were able to go for a (short) swim. I know late checkout is simply a possibility, but check in is at 4 pm, so that was not very magical. Captain Cook is nice and we also had a tasty quiet lunch at Kona Café. Great resort! Read less

This is the best resort in WDW by a country mile. The service is true always true to Disney style and is incredible, the resort itself is very close to Magic Kingdom and is on the Monorail line. The resort is very lovely and beautifully set and would suit anyone on the travels to WDW. The rooms were incredibly spacious and the amenities were just as expected for a high end hotel. Read less

Incredible extended family (8) vacation. The true “magic” of Disney is that you have fun at any age. Did Hollywood Studios, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Magic Kingdom. All were wonderful. Disney is any expert in people moving, BUT, you must use Fast Pass, you must do your homework and plan your ride and restaurants ahead, to make your visit optimal. Staying at a Disney hotel, any of them, is well worth the money, plus easy free transportation to all parks. Remember, save up and plan ahead. Read less

I should start by saying I am a big Disney fan, granted, I am technically now a middle aged man but I am getting to relive my youth through my own kids, which is awesome. my eldest is now 6, so after a 20 year hiatus I have been back to Disney the last 5 years, and loving it to the dismay of my wife!as a kid I always wanted to stay in the poly, despite visiting Disney most summers I never had the opportunity to stay in a Disney hotel. this year I dragged my wife from the luxury of the four seasons for a couple of days in the poly (comparable in price). I figured I would get my childhood fix and thought staying on monorail loop would be way more convenient. unfortunately it wasn't, I have to say the monorail even the resort loop can have you waiting for long periods. as regards the hotel itself, the main building is themed well and was great to see in person but buildings housing the rooms are very poor and very dated despite the recent refurb. ours was not clean either. dark and dreary, they feel their age. original lifts don't help either. the pool area is great for kids and agin super theming but it was very busy as was the whole resort really. capt cooks was very nice and staff at check in were lovely but imho its hard to see the value. there is no comparison at all between the 4s and the poly for the same price and the convenience just isn't there either. I'm still a huge Disney fan and am planning the next trip now but this time I think I will skip the Disney resort. Read less