The Official Polynesian Resort FAQ thread!

[DisneyDad in PA]

Hi,

We have booked our very 1st trip to WDW for April and will be staying at Poly. We have three kiddos who will be 5, 6 & 7 when we go. I think our reservation was for a garden view room (they said that was all they had available). Do you have any suggestions on which long house (is that what it is called?) we should request? I would prefer one of the rooms that has been redone and not the rooms without the balconies.

We chose the Poly because we needed 5 of us in one room and wanted to be on the Monorail. (And because it just looks so pretty!)

Thanks for your help!

I agree with WickedWench, all of the rooms at the Poly have been completed. Also if you have no other preferences then simply requesting a balcony should do.

If you want to be close to the monorail for access to MK then Rarotonga 1st or 3rd floor is a good request. It is close to the monorail via the GCH and the bus stop to catch busses to DHS, Animal Kingdom, the Waterparks and Downtown Disney.

If you want to be close to the TTC, with access to the monorail to MK and Epcot, then Rapa Nui may be an option. Know that this is pretty far from the volvano pool and the GCH. They do have balconies on both the 2nd and 3rd floors.

Please check-out tikiman's site when it comes back up. It has much more detailed information on each longhouse.

 

[Omma]

Thank you! I will watch for the Tikiman site to come back up and will call and see if I can attach a request for a balcony to our current reservation.

We are surprising our kids and my excitement is getting harder and harder to keep to myself!

 

[letthewookiewin]

We just booked our first trip to the Poly. We originally were going to stay at the WL, but since our dates change we changed resorts as well (this was done after a family vote). I reserved a MK view room. My question is, is there any certain long house I should ask for to get the best view? Thanks for any help on this, as I know nothing about this resort.

 

[DisneyDad in PA]

We just booked our first trip to the Poly. We originally were going to stay at the WL, but since our dates change we changed resorts as well (this was done after a family vote). I reserved a MK view room. My question is, is there any certain long house I should ask for to get the best view? Thanks for any help on this, as I know nothing about this resort.

I would say that Hawaii is probably the best for it's location. However, this building is the Concierge level rooms.

According to Tikiman (since his site is briefly down I'll include some info from it, be sure to check it out for more detailed information when it comes back up), the Tahiti is the best longhouse for MK views. I think he feels the benefits are numerous. To name just two, the access to the beach and the rooms are a bit larger than other buildings. One negative is that it is far from the GCH (about a 5 minute walk).

Another building to consider would be Tuvalu. This is a smaller longhouse right on the lagoon. The lagoon view rooms sit right on the water. You will have to walk around the Marina to get to the volcano pool (not a far walk) and you may hear some of the Luau activity at night.

 

[roryc]

We will have 3 adults and 2 children in our room and I'm wondering if there is an additional cost for a Pack 'n Play or crib for our 2 year old at the Poly?

I already know about the $25 add'l adult charge.

Our 2yo is small and still sleeps in a crib so I'm thinking it would make sleeping arrangements much easier. That way we could have 2 adults in one bed, 1 adult in the other, the 5 yo on the daybed and the 2 yo in the PNP; crowded, but at least everyone will have the opportunity to sleep.

 

[ConcKahuna]

I would say that Hawaii is probably the best for it's location. However, this building is the Concierge level rooms.

According to Tikiman (since his site is briefly down I'll include some info from it, be sure to check it out for more detailed information when it comes back up), the Tahiti is the best longhouse for MK views. I think he feels the benefits are numerous. To name just two, the access to the beach and the rooms are a bit larger than other buildings. One negative is that it is far from the GCH (about a 5 minute walk).

Another building to consider would be Tuvalu. This is a smaller longhouse right on the lagoon. The lagoon view rooms sit right on the water. You will have to walk around the Marina to get to the volcano pool (not a far walk) and you may hear some of the Luau activity at night.

Aotearoa also has some MK view rooms. It's set back from the beach some, but is closer to the GCH than the others. You also get a great view of the GF from there.

 

[fatty4iz]

My daughter is on the autism spectrum as well and based on our research and we have visited the Poly many times as a day guest we feel it is the perfect match for her. We have requested a room near the GCH since my DH has a bad knee and we often have to push DD in a stroller. We are all very excited about our trip!

We plan to have DD sleep in the daybed but will a bedrail fit it? She has to sleep with her back against something and will fall in the floor without a rail.

We had our daughter sleep in the day bed last year and the bed rail supplied by the resort worked great.

 

[MEredhead]

It is nice getting to and from MK and Epcot. It is a big factor as to why we are going back this August.

We stayed in a Garden View last August. We requested Samoa Volcano Pool view on 1st or 3rd floor. (no balcony on 2nd) We got Samoa 1607, here's the view:

Samoa is close to the pool, the GCH, Captain Cooks and the monorail stop. It's not far from the buses. The walk to the TTC is not really that bad.

Thanks for the info DisneyDad! Considering all that I think being close to the Volcano Pool would be our first perference. We don't mind walking. We just don't really like sitting around waiting for busses - I guess that is the biggest reason we chose a monorail resort. With that in mind - Samoa sounds great. I read you that you can see the fireworks from the Volcano Pool - are you able to see them from your room in Samoa. The picture was great - it was just the cheering up I needed on Friday!!

 

[WoodysRoundup]

We will have 3 adults and 2 children in our room and I'm wondering if there is an additional cost for a Pack 'n Play or crib for our 2 year old at the Poly?

I already know about the $25 add'l adult charge.

Our 2yo is small and still sleeps in a crib so I'm thinking it would make sleeping arrangements much easier. That way we could have 2 adults in one bed, 1 adult in the other, the 5 yo on the daybed and the 2 yo in the PNP; crowded, but at least everyone will have the opportunity to sleep.

No, you will not be charged for the pak n play. Just MAKE SURE it's in your requests!

 

[MsStinkerBelle]

Another building to consider would be Tuvalu. This is a smaller longhouse right on the lagoon. The lagoon view rooms sit right on the water. You will have to walk around the Marina to get to the volcano pool (not a far walk) and you may hear some of the Luau activity at night.

Tuvalu is my #1 choice for a MK view. We stayed there in Dec '06 and having the longouse sit right 'on' the water was a truly unique view. We did hear the Luau but it was a faint noise in the distance--not blaringly loud.

Another plus is, as DisneyDadinPA pointed out, you are closer to the GCH. Just go outside of Tuvalu, walk along the marina for about 30 seconds and you're right at the side entrance into the GCH (next to Moana Mickey's and Captain Cook's inside).

We've requested 1st floor Tuvalu lagoon view for our December '08 stay.

Tahiti is nice but I agree with ConcKahuna about Aotearoa's location.

 

[MsStinkerBelle]

I read you that you can see the fireworks from the Volcano Pool - are you able to see them from your room in Samoa. The picture was great - it was just the cheering up I needed on Friday!!

You can definitely see the fireworks from the Volcano pool! The kids and I did this several times. I wasn't able to see them from my room in Samoa (1609, facing the volcano pool) but we just walked right outside and onto the beach instead.

BTW, DisneyDad and I were 'next door neighbors' at Samoa during our stay. ;-)

 

[DisneyDad in PA]

Thanks for the info DisneyDad! Considering all that I think being close to the Volcano Pool would be our first perference. We don't mind walking. We just don't really like sitting around waiting for busses - I guess that is the biggest reason we chose a monorail resort. With that in mind - Samoa sounds great. I read you that you can see the fireworks from the Volcano Pool - are you able to see them from your room in Samoa. The picture was great - it was just the cheering up I needed on Friday!!

No you can't see the fireworks from the patio. There are some shrubs and trees just to the right of this photo. But all you have to do is walk about 20-30 yards to the right and your on the beach.

 

[DisneyDad in PA]

You can definitely see the fireworks from the Volcano pool! The kids and I did this several times. I wasn't able to see them from my room in Samoa (1609, facing the volcano pool) but we just walked right outside and onto the beach instead.

BTW, DisneyDad and I were 'next door neighbors' at Samoa during our stay. ;-)

As my Poly neighbor MsStinkerBelle said, you can see the fireworks from the volcano pool. We actually watched some of the fireworks from the pool. Awesome!!

 

[MEredhead]

When you make your reservation tell the CM taking the reservation. If you have already made the reservation call back and have them add it to your reservation. The Resort looks at these and tries to fulfill when they can. If first floor is important be more general, request ????? View First Floor.

If Samoa, request "First floor Samoa." Samoa does have views of both Volcano Pool and the Quiet Pool.

Good Luck.

If I book through AAA - how would I go about adding a requesting to my reservations?

You can definitely see the fireworks from the Volcano pool! The kids and I did this several times. I wasn't able to see them from my room in Samoa (1609, facing the volcano pool) but we just walked right outside and onto the beach instead.

BTW, DisneyDad and I were 'next door neighbors' at Samoa during our stay. ;-)

Thank must have been fun running into somehere from here! I never thought we run into someone we know at Disney - but we happened to run into our neighbors at Blizzard Beach last May. The room you had at Samoa - was that considered a garden view or lagoon view? Just trying to get an idea of the type of view we might have since we reserved garden view.

 

[DisneyDad in PA]

I would tell your AAA agent to add it when they make the reservation. I have never used an agent, perhaps someone else who has can be more definitive.

Those rooms in Samoa are Garden View rooms.

Funny thing is we didn't know we were neighbors until we posted room views on the Poly Pic thread. It would have been nice to run into her there after meeting on the board. We could have compared notes.

Another funny things is, on our Septermber 06 trip we ran into someone I know fairly well at Hollywood Studios. Then during our Aug 07 trip my DD saw someone she knows from school.

"It's a small world after all!!!"

 

[Dizneydawn]

I would like to take my kids to the Poly for 2 nights in Dec....we have DVC stay at a 2 bed at OKW the rest of the stay...Never been and really wondering if conceierge is worth it...

Plus I am thinking of taking my DBF to the Poly for 3-4 days as a total surprise in August when we will be there for a work conference...(might as well stay longer!!! )

What is one of the most romantic longhouses??? View. quiet location, near beach....maybe Tokelau?? Or how bout the Conceierge for that or for maybe the time w/ 3 teens who eat non stop??? I posted a thread but this may be a better location for more advice...!!!

Thanks for any and all help!!!

 

[DT83097]

We just booked our first trip to the Poly. We originally were going to stay at the WL, but since our dates change we changed resorts as well (this was done after a family vote). I reserved a MK view room. My question is, is there any certain long house I should ask for to get the best view? Thanks for any help on this, as I know nothing about this resort.

We stayed in Tahiti (first floor) last April and had a great view of MK - we watched Wishes every night and the kids played on the beach in front of the lagoon. The entire resort is beautiful so I'm not sure you can go wrong with any building!! The only real 'inconvenience' for us came when we wanted to fill up our mugs later in the evening - it's not as close as some of the other building mentioned, but it's a very short walk just the same and the grounds are beautiful. Enjoy!

 

[letthewookiewin]

Thank you for the responses, I will make sure to ask for Tahiti. I'm not sure how much we will use the refillable mugs, but I'm sure the beauty of the walk will make it seem shorter. Also, with all the food you get n the Deluxe DDP, the more walking the better.
I am an overplanner, and not only buy a planning guide but make a customized one. We were going to stay at the WL, but when the dates changed the resort changed as well. So now I have to make a section about the Poly instead of the WL. The moe pics I see of the Poly, the more I can't wait to go.

 

[DisneyDad in PA]

I would like to take my kids to the Poly for 2 nights in Dec....we have DVC stay at a 2 bed at OKW the rest of the stay...Never been and really wondering if conceierge is worth it...

Plus I am thinking of taking my DBF to the Poly for 3-4 days as a total surprise in August when we will be there for a work conference...(might as well stay longer!!! )

What is one of the most romantic longhouses??? View. quiet location, near beach....maybe Tokelau?? Or how bout the Conceierge for that or for maybe the time w/ 3 teens who eat non stop??? I posted a thread but this may be a better location for more advice...!!!

Thanks for any and all help!!!

I'm going to guess that perhaps Tahiti, Lagoon View, 3rd floor, would be a nice pick. There is no walkway between the building and the beach thus not as much foot traffic.

Another option might be Tuvalu, Lagoon view, third floor. It's right on the water.

Tokelau is near the quiet pool but has alot of paths and walkways around it. The views are mostly garden view, with a couple on the end of the building near the lagoon which can have a view of the lagoon.

 

[Aliceacc]

We're going in August... our first time at the Poly and our first trip to WDW since 1990.

I'm not even sure what I would request in a room. (We booked Garden View.) My kids would love to be near the pool, but probably not so near that the noise keeps them up at night.

My husband and I would love to be able to get tired kids off a monorail or bus and right into bed.

And, of course, a balcony with a view would be nice.

So... do I just leave it to chance and assume that whatever I get will be great?