The Resorts Gal Guide to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

The Basics at Disney’s Polynesian

Here are a few basic things you’ll want to know about the resort:

• Check-In (3:00 p.m.)
• Check-Out (11:00 a.m.)
• Self-Parking (Complimentary)
• Free Wi-Fi Internet
• Address: 1600 Seven Seas Drive. Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830

A Note on DVC Resorts

Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is home to the Polynesian Villas and Bungalows, a Disney Vacation Club Resort. Therefore, this section of the resort operates a little differently from the average Disney Resort Hotel. Members of Disney’s Vacation Club will have a first-come, first-serve choice of rooms when reservations become available. However, it is rare for rooms to fill up, so Disney makes these rooms available on a cash basis to regular resort guests.

So, you do not have to be a DVC member to stay at this or any other Disney Vacation Club Resort.

Polynesian Resort Benefits

Guests of Disney’s Polynesian and Polynesian Villas can participate in Disney’s early theme park entry, a perk extended to all Walt Disney World Resort guests.

Early Theme Park Entry: This perk allows resort guests to enter any Walt Disney World theme park 30 minutes before officially opening to the general public. This early entry provides several advantages:

1. Lower Crowds: Being among the first to enter the park allows you to experience popular attractions with shorter wait times. This will help you to check off must-see rides and experiences ahead of the crowd.
2. Photography Opportunities: If you love capturing the magic of Disney, the early hours provide a fantastic opportunity for photos in front of iconic landmarks with fewer people in the background.
3. Cooler Temperatures: Morning hours are often cooler, making outdoor activities more comfortable. But if you visit during cooler weather, don’t forget a jacket!

Extended Evening Hours: Disney Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resort guests, which includes those staying at Disney’s Polynesian and Villas, enjoy the privilege of spending extra time in select theme parks on specific evenings. During extended evening hours, these parks stay open later than their regular closing time, usually for an additional two hours.

This benefit offers several advantages as well:

1. More Ride Time: This allows you to enjoy additional nighttime rides and attractions when lines tend to be shorter.
2. Magical Nighttime Atmosphere: Disney parks take on a unique and enchanting ambiance at night, with beautifully lit landscapes. So you’ll have time to savor the nighttime magic for longer with fewer crowds. 
3. Less Rush: With extended hours, you can explore at a more relaxed pace.

Rooms

Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is home to some of our favorite resort rooms. The standard rooms throughout each village have subtle Moana theming. Here are the room types.

• Resort View: Views of a Garden, Monorail, or Parking Area
• Water View: Views of Pool, Marina, or Seven Seas Lagoon
• Theme Park View: Views of Magic Kingdom Park and Seven Seas Lagoon
• Club Level: All View Types (Resort, Water, Theme Park)
• Honeymoon Club Level: Views of the Marina
• 1 Bedroom Suite Club Level: Views of the Marina
• Ambassador VP Suite Club Level: Garden Views
• King Kamehameha Suite Club Level: View of Cinderella Castle and the Marina

Villas Room Types:

• Deluxe Studio: Lake View
• Deluxe Studio: Standard
• Bungalows

We have the following room tours for Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort if you would like to see more photos and specifics:

• Disney’s Polynesian Moana Room Photos
• Deluxe Studio at Disney’s Polynesian
• Bungalow Tour at Disney’s Polynesian

What is Club Level?

You might be curious about the room types listed as club-level offerings or access. The resort’s Kamehameha Club Level is located in the Hawaii building, which faces Seven Seas Lagoon. Guests staying at the club level will be placed in this building with the exception of a few suites. To access this building, you’ll have to scan your room key or Magic Band.

You’ll be privy to a private lounge as a club-level guest. The lounge is open daily from 7:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. They have multiple servings, including a hot breakfast and continental offerings. Snacks, beverages (including beer and wine), appetizer hour, and nightly desserts (with cordials) are included in the offerings. We have stayed club-level at this resort many times. If you want to learn more, read our review of the Kamehameha club level at the Polynesian.

Dining at Disney’s Polynesian

When dining at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, you’ll have plenty of options between the resort and the neighboring monorail resorts. Here is a summary of the dining options.

‘Ohana: This location serves breakfast and dinner. However, they are entirely different experiences. Breakfast is called The Best Friends Breakfast, a character meal with Lilo Stitch, Mickey Mouse, and Pluto. Dinner is an all-you-care-to-enjoy family-style meal where meats and noodles are brought to the table. Characters are only present at breakfast.

• ‘Ohana Breakfast Review
• ‘Ohana Dinner Review

Kona Cafe: This table-service restaurant is located on the second floor of the Great Ceremonial House. It serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The menu is Polynesian-inspired, and there is a sushi bar. But don’t let that deter you from dining here if you have picky eaters. Kona has plenty of American cuisine on the menu.

Tambu Lounge: Tambu Lounge is the open bar and lounge for Ohana. This back corner of the second-floor lobby is often packed with guests picking up their favorite tropical drink, the Lapu Lapu, which comes in the core of a pineapple. The menu offers a fabulous selection of cocktails unique to the Polynesian, some dating back to 1971 when the resort opened.

Capt. Cook’s: This fun resort quick-service restaurant is located on the first floor of the Great Ceremonial House. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. While their indoor dining room is pleasant, you might enjoy dining out on the terrace when the weather is pleasant! Trust me, you won’t regret it.

• Capt. Cook’s Review

Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto: This original bar is a classic. Guests line up around the corner from the entrance to get a seat. When crowded, a cast member will take your information and text you when a seat becomes available. It’s that cool of a spot!

Trader Sam’s Tiki Terrace: We prefer the casualness of the Tiki Terrace, which is outside and adjoins the terrace for Capt. Cook’s. Grab a seat, and a cast member will come by to take your order. This location is usually open from mid-afternoon until late evening. A very limited selection of seats offers a view of the Electrical Water Pageant as it passes in the evening. Expect unique cocktails and appetizers.

Barefoot Pool Bar: This popular bar serves as the poolside bar and quick service for the Oasis Pool. This location is inside the pool gates. However, it has a walk-up bar near the Marina side where anyone (resort guest or not) can order a drink.

Oasis Bar & Grill: This bar serves as the poolside bar and quick service for the Oasis Pool. It is within the pool gates and only available to resort guests.

Pineapple Lanai: Dole Whip, anyone? This location is on a small patio next to the resort-side entrance of the Great Ceremonial House. They serve Dole Whip and a variety of concoctions made with the tropical treat.

Kona Island: This island stop is a kiosk. It’s near the monorail entrance. They serve coffee, including a special Kona blend and a variety of other treats.

*Most of the restaurants at the Polynesian are available on the Disney Dining Plan. Rapid Fill Mugs are available at Capt. Cook’s. We have a separate guide to refillable mugs for Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. It details the location of refill stations along with the current price and drink options.

Learn More>> Disney’s Polynesian Restaurant’s Guide

Transportation

The following forms of transportation are available at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort:

• Monorail
• Resort Watercraft
• Disney Bus Service

Monorail: Guests can take the monorail to Magic Kingdom and the surrounding monorail resort. For Epcot, guests will need to walk or take the resort monorail to the Transportation and Ticket Center. From there, you’ll take another monorail to Epcot. In most instances, it will be quicker to walk from the Polynesian to the TTC.

Resort Watercraft: Guests can take the resort watercraft launch (behind the Lava Pool and marina) to the Magic Kingdom and the Grand Floridian. The boat stops at the Magic Kingdom first, then the Grand Floridian, and then returns to the Polynesian.

Disney Buses: Guests can take Disney buses from the Polynesian to Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney Springs. A transfer bus is provided to Disney’s water parks. This bus service is shared with the Grand Floridian. So the bus picks up at the Polynesian, then stops at the Grand Floridian before continuing to the destination. The Polynesian will be the first resort stop on return from the destination.

We have a guide that teaches you how to efficiently use the transportation options at Disney’s Polynesian. We consider it the most beneficial guide when planning a trip to this resort. You might also like a copy of our Polynesian Village Resort transportation map.

Recreation at the Polynesian

Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort has two stunning pools, a marina, and tropical grounds. Guests can choose between the Lava Pool, which is the resort’s primary pool, and the Oasis Pool. The Lava Pool features a volcano with a waterslide that runs through it! One end of the pool has a zero-depth entry that faces Cinderella Castle. The secondary pool, the Oasis, is the smaller of the two pools. However, it’s still a decent size. Our only complaint about the pools is that they are often crowded. The Polynesian could definitely stand to install another pool on its grounds. We’ve found it challenging to get a seat at the pool during the warmer months of the year.

Learn More>>The Pools at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort