Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort Review
Polynesian Village Resort is a deluxe hotel at Walt Disney World themed to retro tiki culture and the South Pacific, with monorail access to Magic Kingdom. This review features room photos, thoughts on the amenities, and whether this expensive resort is worth the money. (Updated June 16, 2022.)
We’ll start with several updates. The good news is that Walt Disney World has finished the guest room and building component of the multi-year enhancement project at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort (or the Poly as it’s known by fans). This means that every hotel room is new–we’ve stayed in these overhauled accommodations, and share the experience in our Photos & Video: “Moana Makeover” Rooms at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.
Along with the new rooms, a number of upgrades have been made around the Poly in the last couple of years. The Great Ceremonial House received updates, a new porte-cochère and monorail station were built, and gardens around the front entrance were reimagined. While all of that is finished, more construction has begun and will continue until at least 2024…
This multi-year construction project at the Poly is the result of Walt Disney World’s plans to build a new DVC tower at Polynesian Village Resort. This will replace the Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show, and be built between the existing Polynesian longhouses and Wedding Pavilion, near the Grand Floridian.
In advance of this, Walt Disney World has updated its official site with this message: “As we prepare for the proposed expansion at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, you will see and hear construction at certain times of day. To minimize disruptions during your stay, activities that may create noise will not start earlier than 9 a.m.”
If you’re staying at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort anytime in the next 2 years, we’d recommend requesting a room that is not in the Aotearoa, Fiji, or Tuvalu longhouses. Those buildings are adjacent to the construction site, and the only ones that should be impacted in any material way. The DVC tower construction will be visible from other locations in the resort once it goes vertical, but the impact should otherwise be minor.
No construction timeline or other details have been announced for the Polynesian tower, but work has already started in Luau Cove, with the demolition of Spirit of Aloha. At present, the walkway connecting the Poly and Grand Floridian remains open–there’s just a fence on one side of it. At some point, that’ll almost certainly close entirely and the entire beach will be walled-off, too.
We’ll have an on-the-ground report with photos and video of the construction as soon as it kicks into high gear so you can see how intrusive it looks. For now, here’s our review of Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, along with everything you need to know about the hotel…
As one of Walt Disney World’s original hotels, the Polynesian has a rich history and is incredibly popular with Disney fans. Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is considered a village because of its sprawling layout comprised of 11 longhouses plus the over-the-water Bora Bora Bungalows, which radiate out from the Great Ceremonial House.
The Great Ceremonial House contains several restaurants, shops, an atrium lobby with many species of tropical plants, and access to the monorail station that services Magic Kingdom, the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC), Grand Floridian Resort, and Contemporary Resort.
Outside the Great Ceremonial House, you’ll find the Poly’s marina and feature pool, plus outdoor seating areas for a handful of the resort’s restaurants. There’s also a path that connects the Polynesian to Disney’s Wedding Pavilion, and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. (Note that this path will probably close at some point later this year.)
This path now connects all the way to Magic Kingdom, making it theoretically possible to walk from the Poly to Magic Kingdom (it’s about a mile-long walk–definitely doable in the winter months, but probably not ideal during the summer). This path actually starts at the TTC, meaning you could theoretically walk from the TTC to Magic Kingdom. If you enjoy serene strolls, it’s actually quite lovely. But we digress.
We have long been fans of the Poly. For me, it dates back to when I was a kid, walking from Shades of Green to the Poly for the monorail, and going to the Neverland Club while my parents went to Pleasure Island. We’ve since been back numerous times for dining and other purposes, and have stayed at the Poly both before and after the big “renewal” of the resort, on both the hotel side and DVC side of the property.
While there were some loses during that renewal (such as the lobby water feature) and DVC expansion, the Poly is still an excellent resort and one that now feels nicer and modern. Let’s start by taking a look at the positives…
The Poly is just a flat out cool resort. It has a ton of incredibly detailed tikis scattered around the grounds that were carved by Oceanic Arts in California. I could spend a morning just wandering around looking at these, and their cheeky designs always make me smile.
In general, the Polynesian has a very enjoyable ambiance thanks to its many details and the general island ambiance that is so well conveyed, even if the resort is more a lighthearted caricature (not at all in a bad way) of island life than it is an attempt at authenticity. The feel of the Poly is a definite X-factor. In terms of theme and atmosphere, this is one of our favorite resorts at Walt Disney World.
In terms of layout, I think the Polynesian Resort will satisfy a variety of guests. I’ve stated in numerous reviews that I like resorts that are spread out, giving me plenty to explore in the mornings. I think this has perplexed a lot of commenters, who generally seem to favor compact layouts for the efficiency’s sake.
The Poly is not as spread out as Coronado Springs or Caribbean Beach Resort, making it easy to walk to the Great Ceremonial House in the morning no matter the longhouse in which you’re staying. Despite this ease of access, there’s still a lot to explore, making those who prefer the sprawling “resort” layout (like me) happy. The only resort that does a better job of striking this balance is probably Wilderness Lodge (Grand Floridian also does it well).
Exploring the Polynesian is a ton of fun, too. I’ve long held the opinion that sunsets at the Polynesian are more beautiful than sunsets anywhere else at Walt Disney World, and I’m convinced that the same is true of sunrises. One of the great things about staying at the Poly is getting up early and enjoying the resort with no one else around.
Whenever we stay at the Poly, I get up well before sunrise to walk around, take photos, and soak up the ambiance. If it weren’t for wanting to take photos, I could just lounge in a hammock listening to the relaxing background music for an hour or so as the sun comes up.
We also enjoy simply hanging out in the Great Ceremonial House. The open air atrium gives it a relaxed, spacious atmosphere. Around dinner time, it can get loud in here, but it’s generally pretty calming.
We do miss the waterfall that used to be in the middle of the lobby, but aside from this and the removal of some of the streams behind the Great Ceremonial House, the changes made to the Poly in the last few years have been generally positive.
The rooms are a big plus at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, and these might be some of the nicest at Walt Disney World now. Rooms now feature Moana-inspired decor, along with custom-made fixtures and furnishings.
The quality of these is mixed but mostly good. The furniture is heavy and substantial, feeling both high quality and durable. These do a great job of balancing theme and luxury, offering an upscale vibe of the tropics. They utilize textures and patterns nicely, without being overly busy or chaotic.
Functionally, there’s a lot to like about the rooms. There are tables with outlets on each side of each bed and reading lights in addition to lamps. There’s also uplighting from the headboard itself, which is fantastic as a single-source mood light for decompressing after a long day in the parks.
As with other Walt Disney World hotel redesigns, the beds are elevated with storage of suitcases. There’s also more storage space flanking the television and dresser, but this comes with a big potential drawback–no desk. (Personally, I think this was an unnecessary removal–this is a huge room and they added plenty of storage space. No need to also remove the desk for even more.) The chair and couch are both comfortable, and provide plenty of space for spreading out.
The additional storage space continues in the bathroom, where there are cubbies below the sinks and an elevated countertop above.
The backlit mirror provides ample lighting in the bathroom and the stone texture behind is a nice touch. The toilet is also now separated with a door, a simple but essential upgrade for larger parties.
In terms of commonalities between the old and older rooms, both are spacious, sleeping five adults with plenty of room to roam, and have space to sit, along with a desk for working and balconies with a table and chairs.
These rooms are among the largest at Walt Disney World, making them a good option for larger parties or those who will be spending a lot of time at the resort.
Above is a video that Sarah shot of the new Moana rooms at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.
Suffice to say, the Poly’s rooms are perfect for laid back, resort-centric stays. Whereas there are some hotels at Walt Disney World geared towards only sleeping, you could easily stay at the Poly and never visit the parks–these are rooms you don’t want to leave!
In terms of dining, the Poly has four options that we love (click the link for our full review of each):
- Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto – One of the best bars at Walt Disney World
- Kona Cafe – Table service restaurant that’s an unheralded gem
- Captain Cook’s – A good to great (depending upon what you order) counter service restaurant
- ‘Ohana – One of Walt Disney World’s most popular restaurants…but perhaps (controversial opinion incoming) a bit overrated.
Don’t get us wrong–we really enjoy ‘Ohana. But the price has increased exponentially over the past several years and the quality has decreased in that same time. It’s still a ton of fun and if money were no issue, we’d highly recommend it.
In addition to these favorites, there’s Barefoot Pool Bar, Oasis Bar & Grill, Tambu Lounge, and a few snack spots.
Most notable of these is the Pineapple Lanai window, which is one of the few places outside the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World to get a Dole Whip.
While none of the aforementioned restaurants are fine dining options, there are plenty of those at the Grand Floridian and Contemporary, which are a short monorail ride or walk away.
Fine dining in the Polynesian would be nice, but given the proximity of the other options, we aren’t penalizing the Poly for its lack of fine dining.
The pools at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort used to be simply fine, but are now top notch. The main pool with its volcano slide was totally re-done, and now looks more authentic, while containing more areas that–I think–feel relaxing.
It’s not just a loud, family pool. The quiet pool is nothing special, but it’s not bad. The refurbishment has pushed the Poly to the head of its class in terms of Deluxe Resort pools near the Magic Kingdom.
Transportation is a complaint we have about every Magic Kingdom-area and Epcot-area Deluxe Resort, and that these high-priced hotels share buses while Pop Century (a Value Resort) does not continues to puzzle us. We feel this is a serious fault of all of these Deluxe Resorts, and something that Disney should correct.
Fortunately, the Poly has convenient monorail or boat transportation to the Magic Kingdom, and many longhouses are a short walk from the Ticket & Transportation Center, which also offers monorail service to Epcot. Getting to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and the water parks is less convenient, but the convenient access to two theme parks is a huge plus.
Far and away the biggest downside of the Poly is pricing. Discounted rates start at over $500/night and only go up from there–and that’s if discounts are even available. The Poly is frequently excluded from special offers, in which case you’re looking at rates in the $600+ range. For the Polynesian Village Resort’s room rates, it should be a luxury-class hotel. Although the theming is fun and as a fan of Disney history I love all of the little details, the Poly isn’t on par with similarly-priced real world hotels.
However, this is a common refrain we have when it comes to Walt Disney World hotels, especially on the Deluxe end of the spectrum. It only becomes more pronounced with the most expensive hotels. Some nights, the Poly is double the cost of the Four Seasons Orlando or Waldorf Astoria–and it does not offer commensurate luxury.
It is a fair point to contend that the location, monorail transportation, and theming compensates for the lack of luxury. Historically, Walt Disney World hotels have gone for themed design rather than upscale amenities.
It’s also fair to say that location plays a huge role in price–most real world hotels don’t have Cinderella Castle visible in the distance, nor do they have a monorail whizzing past them. (If you want the best of both worlds, see our King Kamehameha Club Level at Polynesian Resort Review.)
Conversely, if you’re trying to do Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort on a tighter budget, your best option is unquestionably renting Disney Vacation Club points.
This will give you the chance to stay at the Polynesian Villas (which we prefer to the regular rooms, anyway) at less than half the price of the main hotel. If you have a larger party and want something novel and fun, consider the Polynesian Bora Bora Bungalows (we didn’t love our one stay in those, but we had an ‘unfortunate incident.’)
Overall, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is a great option for those who want to splurge on a trip, but want a resort with a more laid back and relaxed tropical vibe as opposed to an opulent and luxurious one. The Poly is pricey, but other than that we don’t have major complaints about the resort. Its theme and ambiance are exceptional and very much to our tastes, and it’s a great place to simply hang around and wander.
Beyond that, the Poly scores major points from a functional perspective. The rooms are among the best at Walt Disney World, the pools are great, and the dining options are diverse and fun (minus the lack of fine dining). Walkability and transportation also cannot be overstated–the ability to conveniently catch a monorail to both Magic Kingdom and Epcot is huge, an advantage you may not fully appreciate until having experienced it. All in all, these factors are why the Polynesian Village Resort ranks so highly on our List of the Best & Worst Deluxe Hotels at Walt Disney World.
Need help planning your dream Walt Disney World vacation? Let a professional help you for free. Click here to get a quote from a recommended, no-fee Authorized Disney Vacation Planner. They get their commission from Disney, so there is no charge to you for them to book your trip and help you plan!
Want to do it yourself, but not sure which Walt Disney World hotel is right for you? Check out our Walt Disney World Hotel Reviews page, which offers quick-hit capsule reviews of the strengths and weaknesses of every Walt Disney World hotel, plus links to our reviews and photo pages for every hotel we have reviewed. Looking for comprehensive Walt Disney World vacation tips? Make sure to read our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide.
Your Thoughts
How do you feel about Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort? Do you think it’s overpriced for what it is, or do you think it’s such an awesome place that it justifies the high nightly rates? What are your pros & cons for the Poly? Thoughts on transportation or dining here? Do you agree or disagree with our resort review? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
We stayed for one week at the Poly for a December Christmas trip. The grounds are lovely but we were located a far walk from the main building. Short walk to the transpo centre however which was nice. The pool was lovely and the grounds beautiful but our family did not like the food court at all. We prefer to save money and stay at a moderate resort, and we also like the slightly “funner” atmosphere we feel at mods.
Surprised that you didn’t like Captain Cook’s, but I think the point about ambiance at the Moderates being nearly as good (or just as fun) is a good one. Personally, I prefer the ambiance of the Polynesian, but for the money, I’ll take a Moderate!
We just stayed for four nights at a discounted rate during the week after labor day. This was our second time to the Poly. The only other visit to Disney, we stayed in AKL. We have two boys, who on the first trip were 9 and 6 and the second 14 and 11. It was fantastic, and I’d choose it over the AKL for transportation convenience alone. The theme is so fun. We stayed on the concierge level the second time, and they were soooo accommodating! The continental breakfast and dessert bar at night in the concierge lounge came in handy for us, to get breakfast quickly and on our way in the am. Our room looked out over the lagoon, right at the castle, and it WAS magical. It IS expensive, and they almost priced themselves out of the running for us, but it was worth every penny. Much better for us than AKL which is a cool hotel, but I didn’t like the bus rides, and it didn’t quite measure up to the Poly for me. Ohanas and Captain cooks are favorites. Also you can walk to the GF to their restaurants as well. Die hard Poly lover here!
Very good, honest review. While I don’t agree with any of the areas being dated since I know how often things are replaced around the resort, I think this is a good review and I would like to share it with my readers.
I do agree it is getting too expensive there. That is the only reason I am considering DVC. Otherwise I agree I will not be staying there unless I get a big discount.
You should be happy to know that Trader Sam’s is going into the Polynesian and I also hope they make it bigger but I’m not sure the area they are putting it into will allow it to be much bigger at all.
Aloha
Steve
Our family stayed at the Poly decades ago when I think the rates were about $240.00 a night. At the time, it seemed to be worth the money. We rented boats there, swam in the lake as well as the pool, did the luau etc. The restaurant wasn’t called Ohana back then, but we ate the marvelous original version of Tonga Toast at a character breakfast hosted by Minnie I believe. The kids loved it! The location was sublime with the TTC and monorail. Trust me, bringing home two kids after midnight and a full (EEMH Unofficial Touring Plans) day of touring is much easier at a monorail hotel. Here’s the kicker though. The year we stayed there was the last year the main Poly pool had a ten foot deep end with a diving board. The year after that, the diving board and 10 foot deep end were removed for insurance reasons. They also had one or more nice slides in a rock formation. In adition we were chastized for swimimg in the lake that year by our Kissamee resident relatives. Seems there was a very dangerous water parasite problem in Florida lakes that year. We have stayed at the Beach Club resorts with its “Mini Waterpark.” I think it has the Poly beat, but if they could only get that monorail to stop there. Change is constant, but all change is not for the better.
The Poly is expensive but the price is not nearly as bad when considering the cheaper Deluxe Resorts only sleep 4 for standard rooms and you have to upgrade to a suite or club level room pushing up the cost significantly. For my wife and three boys, the Poly is one of the most economical Deluxe options and we are super excited for our trip this December.
It’s my understanding that about half of the Deluxe Resorts sleep 5. I’m not sure which ones, but I know it’s more than a couple.
You are right. But the 2 deluxe resorts you mention as some of your favorites (Animal Kingdom Lodge and Wilderness Lodge – my favorites too by the way) only sleep 4 in a standard room. All of the rest of the deluxe resorts can accommodate 5. For our family of 5, either of the lodges would have been 800+ for a suite which is the level that can accommodate 5.
Too bad too because I love the lodges. We will be making trips to eat and spend some time in the incredible surroundings there since we can’t splurge on the suites.
Don’t forget the garden wing of the Contemporary – we stayed there in 2012, and it was by far the least expensive Deluxe option for a family of five.
The Poly is expensive (bordering on ridiculously expensive) but it’s a worthwhile splurge every few years. We stayed there when our daughter was 8 weeks old. She was obviously too small for a parks vacation, but the convenience of DME, luggage delivery, and nice restaurants where others wood have kids made us opt to visit WDW and do a resort only stay.
We had a balcony where we could watch the palm trees. We rode the free resort boat that crosses Seven Seas Lagoon to MK. We rode the TTC boat and could walk back to our room. We walked along the path by Luau Cove and the wedding pavilion to visit GF for their restaurants. Wevwatchedvthe Electric Light Pageant at night. There was so much to do, we didn’t miss the parks.
We would never stay at Poly if it were a park focused vacation, but for a resort only trip, it’s perfect! It was like going to Hawaii on a short flight and cost less.
For our family, we view the Poly more as a destination than potential lodging after being priced out due to the cost. We try to “make a night” of visiting the Poly for dinner, Water Pageant and Wishes and have gotten to the point where it is as much of a attraction for the kids as the actual parks.
Great write up, and the DVC angle is intriguing. I’m sure they will offer a small monetary incentive for joining the Poly early, but if it’s point chart is anything like the Grand Flo’s then with the minimum 150 point purchase you could only stay for a full week during two of the five seasons, and that’s with a Standard View. Pretty pricey if you ask me…
Great review. I’ve never stayed at the Poly but have stayed at other deluxe resorts, and just the pool alone at the Beach Club is enough for me to choose that hotel over the Poly.
Ahhh…the Polynesian. I agree it’s too expensive, but I just can’t help but love it! And you’re so right about the sunsets and sunrises – completely magical. Glad you liked my photos of the new room design, thanks for including the link!
My husband and I stayed at the Polynesian for our honeymoon this past summer – we loved it! We got offered a lower rate at other hotels, but wanted to stick with the Poly since both of our parents also spent their honeymoons at the Polynesian. It’s really a sweet coincidence 🙂
We loved our stay and love that we have carried on a “family tradition”
While we likely will not stay there on every visit, it will always bring up happy memories!
We adore the Polynesian, and I keep bugging my husband that when their DVC opens, that’s when we’ll sign. We’ve been to Hawaii several times and the Poly makes me feel like we’ve just stepped off the plane, its wonderful! We also got engaged on the Poly’s beach, so it will always hold a special place in our hearts.
I wonder what the point charts and demand will look like for the Poly. We’d love to stay at the DVC there, but would only buy more points via resale, and it wouldn’t be our home resort.
As a DVC member I’m happy the Poly is going to be DVC because like most people I wouldn’t stay there because the cost of the room is completely absurd. I love the Poly. We go every trip to Kona and O’hana (The Spirit of Aloha show is good to experience just ONCE). But I’m 100 percent you will have to sit in front of your computer and sleep with your phone trying to get a reservation.
I’ve stayed at the Poly 3 times, each for a week or more. It was expensive, no doubt about it. There is just something about it that makes it worthwhile, the theming, yes, maybe it’s just that with the buildings arranged as they are and shade of all the trees, etc. it doesn’t seem as hot, even when it’s steamy, but I don’t know, it’s just very relaxing, regardless of when you are there. It may also have to do with having a grand time on our honeymoon there and I’m just nostalgic.
The size of the room is also nice if you have kids, gives them a little space to play during downtime. The space from the foot of the bed to the dresser/desk is one of those little things you could easily overlook, but makes a big difference in terms of how you feel in the room. The ability to walk around one another easily is a small thing, but one that silently makes your stay better.
The main reason we stay is for those reasons, but also the monorail stop can’t be overvalued as far as my family goes. Not having to worry about planning time to wait for and go all over on the bus is big (at least to Epcot and MK). I don’t know if it makes the higher price worthwhile on its own, but when we’ve gone there, it was at my wife’s insistence and I love it, so you won’t get an argument from me. That said, we went once for a shorter stay at the Wilderness Lodge and loved that, too.
I would LOVE to see a Trader Sam’s go in there! I’ve only seen photos of DL’s, but it looks great, can’t wait to see it in person someday. It would fit perfectly at the Poly, of course. I’m not as sure about Disney Springs, because of that theming, but who knows.
I’m not sure if we’ll be able to stay at the poly again or not, we’re certainly not as wealthy as staying there 3 times would suggest, but I’m grateful for the times we have stayed there.
I can’t disagree with anything you said in this article, though. I would add that the Spirit of Aloha is worthwhile, similar to Hoop-de-doo, it’s great to experience at least once. The food is decent and the show, while a little hokey in spots, is pretty entertaining, especially the fire dancer. We’ve been to it each time we stayed there and after the last one, thought that we could probably live without it next time. Not because we don’t like it, but for the price, it doesn’t hold up as well with repeated visits, unless you’re really really into the fire thing.
My only word of caution would be that if you have infants and toddlers that will be asleep early in the evening and are light sleepers, look at the map of the resort and ask to avoid the sides of the longhouses that face the Luau Cove. The show is pretty loud and I can imagine what a headache it would be trying to get a little one to sleep when suddenly BOOMBOOMBOOM dingadingadingadinga BOOMBOOMBOOM of the drums. We had one facing it on our honeymoon, so it didn’t really bother us then, but if we’d had one when we were there with my daughter, it would have been insane.
Dave
Trader Sam’s definitely wouldn’t fit thematically at Disney Springs, except in the sense that regardless of what backstory they try to paint on the Springs, it’s going to be an eclectic mix of stuff.
I just think it’s more likely to wind up there, if anywhere. I hope I’m wrong, as the Poly is a much better fit. Actually, there are a few hotels that would be much better fits–but Poly is the best.
For all the love that trader sam’s receives due to its theme, which is phenomenal, I think people who have never been there need to realize-
1. No reservations
2. Most nights you are lucky to find a table or a seat at the bar
3. It’s crowded, and the servers are overwhelmed and unlikely to pay you much attention
4. The sheer volume of guests at WDW could potentially make experiencing a visit to trader sam’s more of an exercise in frustration than enjoyment.
5. It is the polar opposite of a family friendly atmosphere- expect drunken college students and bachelorette parties, not vacationers
There would definitely need to be significant changes to Trader Sam’s to make it work at WDW. A size increase is probably chief among those.
Since it is becoming a DVC spot, will people still be able to stay there that are not in the DVC?
We stayed at the Poly 20 years ago at the suggestion of a friend. W were not impressed at all. I think somehow we managed to get the farthermost possible room away from the monorail and I felt like we had hiked getting to the mono and back. The kids were 7 & 8 at the time. Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom Lodge quickly became our year “go to resorts”. Now the kids are grown and now for our yearly trek to Disney (Feb for the Princes half marathon) we always stay at the Beach and Yacht Club. WE love the quick entrance close to the wine and beer.
I do agree the grounds at the Poly were very nice. My son was 8 and he took an entire roll of film with a disposable camera of the ducks walking around. We still laugh at this because we are from the South and live on a farm. Ducks are not unusual for us.
I totally agree with this review. I have never actually stayed at the Poly, but I too, enjoy spending time there. When I’m staying at a deluxe resort, I’d rather stay at one of the Epcot resorts. The ability to walk to and from TWO theme parks is invaluable – especially during busy seasons when transportation is crowded.
I think the Poly is more popular with Disney nerds who feel nostalgic about their childhood trips to the “Vacation Kingdom of the World” than the general population. We had some first-time-to-Disney friends stay there not long ago while we were staying at Pop, and when we took them for drinks at Victoria Falls and dinner at Sanaa, they were stunned to find out that the AKL was much less expensive than the Poly. They thought the Poly was nice, but to them it seemed dated and was always crowded with people either visiting or staying there.
If you can only travel during busy seasons, the Poly is just insane. Our friends paid $580 per night this past June, which just seems completely insane. We were there the same week they were and paid that much for our entire 5 night stay at Pop. Granted, we had an entirely different resort experience, but if you’re taking a trip where visiting the parks is the focus, it’s hard to justify the Poly at almost any time.
Wow!! $400 per night! I have always said when I win the lottery I will have 3 weeks at the Grand Floridian but I had no idea the Poly was so expensive! I genuinely thought the AK Lodge would have a higher rate. I am pretty stunned! (Although I have been travelling to Orlando from the UK since 1989 and never stayed on site at WDW – maybe I am jaded) 🙂
It’s amazing when I think that when I was a kid in the 1970s, my parents made reservations for the Poly. My guess is that if the 1970s rates were adjusted for inflation, it wouldn’t be anywhere near $400/night. Couldn’t do that today.
It was MUCH cheaper back then, even accounting for inflation. In fairness, though, I’ve seen rooms from the 1970s, and even by those standards, the rooms were very, very basic. I know everyone (myself included) likes to look at Walt Disney World’s past with rose colored glasses, but the Poly’s rooms back then look pretty plain and ordinary.
While I agree somewhat with the argument the Poly is by far my favorite resort. But this is because it is a child’s paradise. My kids love everything about the Poly, especially the volcano pool and the monorail that comes directly to the resort. Also the rooms fit 4-5 people very comfortably. My daughter would live at the Neverland Club if she could. If I can afford it it is the only place we stay.
Given that your comment about the concierge is spot on. I planned most everything by myself over the web, because the concierge was worthless. They called me for the first time 30 days out, almost everything was in stone by then. If you are paying for the club rooms there should be benefits, that is not one.
I’ve always wanted to stay there but that price point is just absurd. We are staying at Wilderness Lodge in January for a fraction of the Poly Price and i will take Beach and yacht any day over the Poly for the price.
Have you heard any rumblings on the potential addition of a Trader Sam’s at the Poly with the DVC remodel? I’m conflicted; I so wish we had a TS in WDW but kind of like that it is specific to DLR.
I’ve heard rumblings, but I think it’s all wishful thinking. I think it’s more likely to be built at Downtown Disney…hopefully with more capacity.
This is one thing that I think should be “cloned.” I highly doubt Disney would have many details that overlapped, so it basically would be a different version of the same concept. That would work for me.
One of my favorites trips we stayed at the Poly, and my best memories of that trip involve the Poly. Yes, it has flaws, but the ambiance and feeling you get staying there outweigh those for me.
As you mentioned, deluxes often have transportation problems. Often times people want a monorail resort, and outside of major theme differences, transportation can be a deciding factor. The Contemporary wins first place for walking to the Magic Kingdom. Being able to walk to the TTC gives the Polynesian second place. I suspect Grand Floridian is dead last for transportation of ALL Disney resorts.
The next several years will be an important time for the Polynesian. The most upsetting aspect of this may be the rumored loss of the lobby water feature, which contributes so much to the ambiance of the resort. It will be an unfortunate loss of Walt Disney World history.