Disney World Polynesian Resort

As soon as you walk into Disney's Polynesian Resort hotel you feel relaxed. This South Seas themed hotel has a welcoming atmosphere. You are surrounded by lush landscaping both outside and inside the resort. Even the lobby is designed as a tropical rain forest with a beautiful water fall feature. Warm colors and tropical woods make you feel as though you have been transported to the South Pacific.

The lobby is located in the four story Great Ceremonial House which is the main building housing shops, restaurants and guest rooms. Most of the guest rooms are in one of the eleven 'longhouse' buildings. Each longhouse is either 2 or 3 storys high. Some are part of the original 1971 building but Tahiti, Rapa Nui and Tokelau were added more recently.

The address of the Polynesian Resort is 1600 Seven Seas Drive, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830. The direct phone number is 407-824-2000, and the fax number is 407-824-3174.

The Polynesian resort rooms are large, even by Disney luxury resort standards. The smallest rooms measure a very generous 410 square feet. However if you are looking for even larger rooms then the 476 square feet rooms are located in the Tokelau, Rapa Nui and Tahita buildings.

They can sleep up to 5 with 2 Queen beds and a daybed in each room. A child up to the age of 3 can also be accommodated in a crib.

Suites are also available in the Hawaii longhouse. Concierge rooms are in the Tonga and Hawaii buildings.

As this is one of the older Disney World resorts many of the rooms do not have balconies. In many of the longhouses there are no balconies on the second floor so make sure that you request one at the time of booking.

Most of the rooms have very good views. A favorite is the Lagoon view where the rooms overlook the Seven Seas Lagoon. Some rooms also have great unobstructed views over the Magic Kingdom.

Garden View rooms are a little more difficult to pinpoint - they can have a view over the gardens, the pool, the marina or even the parking lot.

How do you get the best view room? Well remember of course that certain classifications of room are at a higher price. But when you speak with your Disney cast member to make your reservation always specify the type of view within that category that you want. So for example if you want a view of the marina within the Garden View category then make that request. No requests are guaranteed but it often helps. You can also follow up your request with a fax to the Polynesian Resort on 407-824-3174 and request the room view that you would like. It often works.

All the rooms at the Polynesian Resort were refurbished in 2006.

Room rates vary according to the season and room type but range from $340 for a standard room right up to almost $3000 a night for the King Kamehameha Suite in Holiday Season.

Remember that not all rooms have a balcony - most of the rooms on the second floor only have false balconies so if this is important to you then request one on the third floor if you are staying in one of the older longhouses.

So which longhouse is best? Well there is no simple answer to this! For families who like to be closer to the pool then Samoa is nearest. If you like to be nearer to the Grand Ceremonial House building with restaurants, shops and the monorail stop then Fiji, Tonga, Rarotonga, Niue and Samoa are your best bets.

If you can then avoid rooms in the Rarotonga longhouse which are on the monorail side and the parking lot view rooms in Rapa Nui.

Is it worth the extra cost for a concierge room at the Polynesian Resort? Most guests seem to agree that it is. In addition to the services of the concierge staff you will enjoy complimentary breakfast items,afternoon snacks and evening hors d'oeuvres, hot appetizers and wine. The dessert service which is available from 8pm to 10pm is particularly popular!

Certainly having snacks available can save you money on food. Having 3 children I do like concierge level for this reason. But the Polynesian Resort concierge level is very special for another reason. The location of the second floor lounge has a fabulous view of Magic Kingdom Castle. This is the perfect place to watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks. Only concierge guests have access to this, and the other third floor lounge.

There are 2 pools at the Polynesian resort. The lush landscaping of the resort creates a welcoming tropical feeling.

The most popular resort pool is the Nanea Volcano Pool complete with waterfall, water slide and volcano! The pool is a lot of fun but it is pretty small and does tend to get crowded. There is another pool which is a lot quieter though for those guests who want somewhere a little more relaxing.

The Polynesian doesn't have it's own fitness center but guests can use the facility at the Grand Floridian hotel.

The Never Land Club offers supervised activities for children aged 4 to 12 years old. The cost is $11 per hour. To make reservations call 407 WDW DINE. They do have a strict cancellation policy of $20 per child unless you cancel 24 hours in advance. Walk ins are sometimes available but if you have a special dinner planned that you want to just be for the adults then make sure you make your reservations ahead of time.

Another fun thing to do at the Polynesian resort is to rent a water craft to sail around the Seven Seas Lagoon. Fishing is also available.

If you have any energy left after visiting the Disney parks then there is a jogging trail to the Grand Floridian.

The beach at the Polynesian is a great place to watch the Electrical Water Pageant which sails by the resort each day around 9pm.

The location of the Polynesian Resort is excellent as it is one of the Disney hotels located on the monorail system which links the Grand Floridian, the Contemporary resort and the Polynesian to Magic Kingdom and the Transport and Ticket Center TTC. So it is also very easy to get the monorail to EPCOT via the TTC.

You can easily walk to the TTC from the Polynesian Resort but you can't walk to Magic Kingdom as you can from the Floridian and the Contemporary resorts - unless of course you walk right around the Seven Seas Lagoon which is quite a long way!

It is also a lot of fun to take the resort boat from the Polynesian to Magic Kingdom. A very relaxing way to arrive.....

Disney resort buses are available to Disney Hollywood Studio, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Typhoon Lagoon, Blizzard Beach and Downtown Disney from the Polynesian resort. You can also reach any of the other Disney resorts from the TTC. Transportation times vary according to the destination and mode of transport - some guests do comment that getting to the other parks can take a lot of time, but of course the location for the Magic Kingdom really is excellent.

You certainly won't go hungry at the Polynesian resort - there is a good selection of eating choices and of course you are within very easy reach on the monorail of both The Grand Floridian and The Contemporary Resort.

The Kona Cafe is a full service restaurant offering breakfast, lunch and dinner which is located in the lobby of the hotel. Breakfast here is around $10 and upwards for an entree with American cuisine with a south seas twist. A guest favorite is Tonga Toast a variation of French Toast with sourdough stuffed with banana served with strawberry compote. Lunch entrees are around the $15 range with dinner starting at $20. Fish and steak with an Asian influence is the specialty.

Captain Cook's Snack Company is a 24 hour fast food place with quick service and reasonable food. It serves the usual breakfast favorites of pancakes. For lunch and dinner you can choose from salads, sandwiches and burgers.

'Ohana is a character meal for breakfast where your hosts will be Lilo and Stich. Breakfast is served family style and is a lot of fun. Dinner is also family style but no characters are in attendance. The specialty is food on skewers with dips which are brought to you by your server. There is a fire pit right in the center of the restaurant, and you will be entertained with hula hoop contests and coconut races. All the main action goes on in the center of the restaurant ask for a table in the middle of it all if you don't want to miss the entertainment!

If you are a fan of sushi the the Kona Island Sushi Bar is the place for you. Open from 5pm until 10pm each day it offers the usual sushi favorites and a selection of sake,cocktails and wine.

The Tambu lounge offers drinks and appetizers and for those guests who want a drink whilst relaxing by the pool then the Barefoot Bar is the place to go.

The Resort is home to The Spirit of Aloha Polynesian Luau - a popular Disney Dinner Show. The show features Polynesian music and dancing and lasts approximately 2 hours. The food is served family style and brought to your table.

The food, as you would expect, has a tropical theme. It includes pineapple coconut bread,barbecued pork ribs,roasted chicken and Polynesian rice. The meal price covers beverages including beer and wine.

The cost of the Polynesian Luau is based upon one of 3 seating categories with Category 1 being the closest to the show. The rate for adults ranges from $50.99 to $59.99 and for children aged 3 to 9 from $25.99 to $30.99. This includes tax and gratuity.

The Disney dining plan can be used for Category 2 and 3 seating only. Note it will use 2 Disney dining credits per guest. If you want to have Category 1 seating you will have to pay separately even if you are on the Disney Dining Plan.

The Polynesian really does inspire a sense of calm! Even if you are not staying at the resort it is worth getting of at the hotel stop on the monorail and taking a look at the beautiful landscaping and architecture. Or watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks from the sandy beach.

You can arrange a Disney wedding or vow renewal at the Polynesian Resort. The beautiful location for your ceremony will be Sunset Pointe on the shores of the Seven Seas Lagoon. Wedding Escape packages start from $4500 which includes the ceremony and the basic amenities package.

The hotel rooms were constructed off site and later brought onto the resort and fitted into the framed construction. The Contemporary Resort was also constructed in this way.