Anyone with reports from the Poly from July 3rd or 4th?

kniquy

DIS Veteran
Joined
Dec 15, 2014
We will be booking the Poly for next 4th of July and I'm just trying to gather some resort guest experiences on how crowded it is. I did see a FB picture from Tiki man and it appeared there was fencing up and chairs for the Club level guests. Is there also an area fenced off for other resort guests? did they give out wrist bands? was it insanely crowded - so not enjoyable?

We really want to make our next trip relaxing and enjoyable so being able to just grab a dole whip or adult drink and watch the fireworks is something I am looking forward too. I guess I am hopeful that the resort does something to control and manage the crowds.
 
I've only seen pictures form NYE and they do rope off the beach for Poly guests and I've heard they do the same for the 4th. I haven't seen it or pictures though to confirm.
 
I haven't stayed at Poly during 4th of July, but I stayed there for the most recent New Years Eve on December 31, 2018 and can tell you what they did then.

They roped off the beach in the red circled area for guests of the Polynesian Resort and the Poly DVC Villas. Resort guests were issued yellow wristbands to indicate they were allowed entry into this area. The yellow wristbands were waiting for you in your room when you checked in. If for some reason you didn't get one/lost it/etc, there was a designated place to go to by the pool where you could confirm you were a resort guest and get issued the wristbands. It's possible within that red circled area there was another roped off area for those who might have been Club level or those who paid for some kind of extra experience, but I don't quite remember. But I can confirm there is crowd control for the red circled area of beach and it is designated for confirmed resort guests only. It was obviously a popular spot to be and a lot of people were there, but they were enjoying themselves. It was, in my opinion, definitely not to crowded to the point of it being unenjoyable or to ruin the party spirit of the night. There was room to lay down a blanket, or to walk around with your drink, and for the kids to play. It wasn't like guests were being packed in like sardines, shoulder-to-shoulder as in the parks.

I did not notice any kind of crowd control for other areas at Poly. If there were CMs going around checking magic bands to confirm you were a resort guest then it was subtle. But even outside of the designated red circled area it wasn't crazy crowded to where, as a resort guest, I felt like people who were not staying at the resort were somehow ruining my experience. I assume if they did have mass crazy crowds then CMs would have been going around and checking magic bands.

I noticed a number of people watching the fireworks from (both areas circled in black) the boat launch and top of the hill behind the bungalows. I didn't think to check west beach (circled in yellow) to see what was going on there. My favorite spot to watch the fireworks was the small portion of the beach closest to the Ticket and Transportation Center, circled in blue. I could hear the show music and narration being pumped in by speaker from all of these locations. If you don't like whatever spot you've selected for the first fireworks show, move around and pick a different spot for the second show.

My favorite thing about being at Poly for the NYE show (and they also do this in the 4th of July show) was the fact that you get the most amazing view of the dazzling display of perimeter fireworks and the fireworks being set off from one of the islands in the Seven Seas Lagoon. You wouldn't know it if you were watching the show inside Magic Kingdom, but there's a lot more fireworks happening during these shows besides what is being set off behind the castle. In my opinion, these kinds of shows are much better visually (and also better with respect to crowds!) from places like Poly or TTC than from inside the park. I think you'll have a great time at Poly for the 4th of July fireworks!
 

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We’ve stayed at the Poly over July 4th. They did issue wristbands but I did not notice anyone checking them. Beach was crowded but not crazy. I highly recommend splurging for a lake view. That’s what we did, which allowed us to watch the fireworks from our private balcony. No crowds and spectacular view!
 
We’ve stayed at the Poly over July 4th. They did issue wristbands but I did not notice anyone checking them. Beach was crowded but not crazy. I highly recommend splurging for a lake view. That’s what we did, which allowed us to watch the fireworks from our private balcony. No crowds and spectacular view!
Chiming in as a non- DVC owner who rented points last year and did this!! It was truly awesome. We had a lake view- make sure you get 2nd or 3rd floor so you are high enough to see over the bungalows!

They pipe in the music on the speakers in front of the rooms for the 3rd and 4th! They did not do this for the regular fireworks. I'm glad we watched on the 3rd as well because the 4th was super rainy/thunderstorms and got delayed. They didn't pipe in the music that day because of it.
The wristbands for the beach were left in our room on the 3rd. We just didn't want to deal with the craziness.

HTH!!!
 
I thought that they always piped in the MK show on balcony at Poly. I am trying to decide if lake view is worth it.
 


I thought that they always piped in the MK show on balcony at Poly. I am trying to decide if lake view is worth it.

When I did LV, they did not pipe in the music. Perhaps you are thinking of BLT where you could get the music on the tv or they do pipe in the music at the beach/pool areas.
 
Thanks. I had also heard that the noise from boats is loud all through the night. Not sure if that is true either. So, I get the feel the lake view is not worth it?
 
Thanks. I had also heard that the noise from boats is loud all through the night. Not sure if that is true either. So, I get the feel the lake view is not worth it?

We really enjoyed the LV rooms and did not think the boat horns were loud/disruptive at all. We were more bothered by the SV room we got in Pago Pago that faced the parking lot. People getting into their cars early in the morning were so loud and often woke us up.
 
This has been so helpful! Any suggestions to have the best view of fireworks and best location? I know to try to get a higher floor. Any other suggestions?
 
We're there every July 4th week and have been for years. 10/12 of us. (Pre DVC as well)

We usually are at/in the pool to watch the Fireworks. Fantastic and expansive view. You really get the full effect of the scope of the show.

They've done better at managing the crowds, but they can still remain an issue as the resort has open access via the monorail, Boat to and from the MK, and walking from the TTC.

Over the years we've witnessed huge crowds, stampedes of people flocking to the Beach, attempting to gain access to the Pool, and taking chairs off of patios to the beach (Resort Visitors) :oops:

We've seen it all.
:D
 
Oh my. As far as getting a good standard view room, anything I should request in room preferences?
 
We're there every July 4th week and have been for years. 10/12 of us.
OP here - We are all booked for next 4th of July!! Excited to go for this holiday but worried about the heat, but we will manage. So I didn't even think about the pool area as an option. So how are the crowds in the pool area managed. I would presume it is mainly resort guests, but I am sure there are some non-resort guest who sneak in there. Our plan is to watch at the resort on the 3rd and head off to a park for the 4th. Maybe we will see you and your clan there pixiedust:
 
OP here - We are all booked for next 4th of July!! Excited to go for this holiday but worried about the heat, but we will manage. So I didn't even think about the pool area as an option. So how are the crowds in the pool area managed. I would presume it is mainly resort guests, but I am sure there are some non-resort guest who sneak in there. Our plan is to watch at the resort on the 3rd and head off to a park for the 4th. Maybe we will see you and your clan there pixiedust:

I think it depends on who's working at the pool. I've seen them watch closely and deny entry for non resort guests, but I've also seen them ignore them. For the most part it's the POLY Beach that is inundated by non resort guests.

Yes, hopefully we'll see you there. We're the group with six adults and 6 kiddos ages 1-7, and usually in the pool for hours each evening!
 

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