Disney Polynesian Resort

The Disney Polynesian resort combines Disney magic with South Seas magic.  Imagine -- palm trees sway, a white sand beach calls and thatched roofs abound.

What about volcanic rocks, orchids, banana trees and koi ponds?  They just add to the lush, tropical theme.

Disney's Polynesian resort is a popular place to stay, and not just because it's close to the Magic Kingdom -- let's see why.

Walt Disney World Polynesian Resort Rooms

Sorry, the Polynesian doesn't have private tiki huts available, but the resort does have 847 rooms. This makes it one of the smaller (guest-wise) resort hotels at Disney.

All the rooms and suites are located in 2- and 3-story buildings, which look like South Seas longhouses.  Not quite a tiki hut, but at least on a much grander scale!

The rooms at the Disney Polynesian resort are roughly 350 square feet, and have either two queen-size beds or one king-size bed. (However, the king-size bed is only available in the suites.)  Occupancy is up to four people per regular guest room.

The Polynesian Resort was renovated in 2006-2007.  As part of the renovation, all the rooms received big flat-screen TVs, if you have some "down time" while you are staying here.

Suites are also available at the Polynesian that sleep up to nine people. There is also a concierge service at the Polynesian resort.

As with almost all Walt Disney World resorts, high-speed internet access is available for an extra fee, billed on a 24-hour basis.

Spirited Dining at the Disney Polynesian Resort

There are five dining options at Disney's Polynesian, and one truly stands out. It's "Disney's Spirit of Aloha Show". It's a dinner show in the open-air theater, featuring all-you-can-eat food with a Polynesian twist.

And the show! Think fire dancers, hula demonstrations, music and native songs, the Luau is so special that people from other resorts travel to it! However, be aware that if the weather turns bad, the show may be cancelled; after all, it is in an outdoor theater.

The fast-food court is called "Captain Cook's Snack Company ". The special restaurants are "'Ohana's" and "Kona Cafe". (It seems that there was always a line for "Ohana's" when I was there, but the "Kona Cafe" almost never had a wait.)

Character dining is also available as "'Ohana's Best Friends Breakfast With Lilo and Stitch" (bet you can guess who the characters are).

Things to Do / Activities

Disney's Polynesian resort has two heated pools for your pleasure. One of the pools is themed -- the Nanea Volcano Pool.  It has a waterfall, caves and a slide through a grotto.  There's also a quiet pool, and a children's "wet play" area.

And don't forget about the white sand beach, either (there are several)!  And here's a hint -- if you want some quiet time, check out the beach between the Fiji building and the Luau Cove.  It's small, but it's more relaxed.

Other activities at the Polynesian include:

• Watercraft rentals, including a specialty cruise -- available at the nearby Bay Lake Marina
• Fishing (catch and release)
• Jogging
• Tennis
• Volleyball
• Arcade
• Spa and Health Club

Getting Around Disney

I mentioned that the Disney Polynesian Resort is close to the Magic Kingdom.  The transportation to the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT is by monorail, and other Disney locations is via bus.  There is also a boat that travels between the Polynesian and the Magic Kingdom.  (You can also take the same boat to the Grand Floridian, if you like.)

Being right on the monorail line is a great (and convenient) plus.  And get this -- the monorail depot is on the second story of the main resort building -- cool!

The bus stops are out front -- go through the lobby to main entrance, and then take a left.  The bus stops are a short walk.  There are some covered benches, but not a whole lot.

Have a great vacation at the Walt Disney Polynesian resort!

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More Photos of the Disney Polynesian Resort

I decided that Disney's Polynesian needed to have some extra photos, so I created a separate page for them. 

You should be fine if you are on broadband, but if you are dial-up you might need to wait awhile for all the pages to load. 

Here's the link for the Walt Disney Polynesian Resort photos.

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