Long before Moana hit theaters, Mickey had a connection to tiki culture and the peoples of the South Pacific at Disney's Polynesian Resort.
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The hotel, affectionately called the Poly by Disney fans, is one of the ?original? of the complex idealized by Walt Disney.
Standing since 1971, the resort has been renovated twice, one of them very recently, and now presents itself as one of the most modern and luxurious Disney hotels in Orlando.
Do you want to know more about him? Then read on and find out whether or not staying at Poly is worth it!
Structure of Disney's Polynesian Resort
Poly is a very large resort, with around 11 ?longhouses? (as the buildings with the rooms are called.
Each of the longhouses has a significant number of rooms, totaling 380 spaces for visitors.
In addition to the rooms, the hotel has 3 restaurants, two swimming pools, two beaches and privileged access to the Seven Seas Lagoon, an artificial lake created by Disney.
Not to mention the bungalows that are on top of the lake and are available to a few lucky tourists who manage to book the places to stay.
In the following, we will talk in more detail about each item of the hotel structure. Follow the reading!
bedrooms
Rooms at Disney's Polynesian Resort are one of the hotel's highlights. After the last renovation, they looked amazing!
The mattresses are thick and comfortable, the rooms are spacious, as are the bathrooms.
The decor is really nice too and more subtle than previously.
The older version of the rooms had heavier South Pacific jungle decor. Now, however, there is still the same theme, but it is more subtle, without weighing the hand too much.
The highlight is the look of the bathrooms, which is absolutely incredible, in addition to being very spacious.
Pools
Poly has two swimming pools, both of very high quality. The main one is the Lava Pool, which gets its name from having a decorative volcano in its center.
Currently, the volcano has also been redesigned and is even more incredible than it already was, with a finish worthy of Disney.
The other pool is quieter and works as a kind of “pool to rest”. She is also wide and excellent..
Restaurants
In terms of restaurants, Poly offers some interesting options for its guests.
All restaurants are very well decorated and serve good food.
Typically, Disney-managed restaurants are held to a higher standard than those that are licensed to others.
Kona Island, for example, is an excellent place for a hearty breakfast. For other meals, they serve sushi to go, which can be a good option.
Trader Sam's Grog Grotto is a kind of bar, with some tasty snacks and award-winning cocktails known by tourists.
Tambu Lounge is also a bar, just like Trader Sam's. I think their snacks are a little tastier, but Trader Sam's drinks are better.
Poly's main restaurant is 'Ohana, inspired by Hawaiian cuisine.
For breakfast they serve amazing food and let people meet the characters from Lilo & Stitch.
At dinner, the dishes are more elaborate and follow the traditional style of starter, main course and dessert. They don't serve lunch, however.
Benefits of Staying at Disney's Polynesian Resort
Disney's Polynesian Resort is a luxury Disney hotel. In fact, it's one of the most expensive in the House of Mickey and Orlando in general.
To make up for the price (we'll talk about this at the end of the article), they offer some advantages over other hotels. Check out what they are!
Monorail
The Polynesian Resort, like the Contemporary Resort and the Grand Floridian, has a station for the Monorail.
It is the best option to get from the hotel to Magic Kingdom, as it goes practically straight to the park, instead of taking a bus and needing to stop at all the other hotels, including the Pop century, All stars and Art of Animation.
However, Poly still has boat transportation to the Magic Kingdom, which is quite a benefit. The tour is very nice and the route is beautiful.
Additionally, the Polynesian Resort is also very close to the Ticket & Transportation Center, with Monorail to Epcot. In other words: it is a very well located park to go to the two largest Disney parks.
Lake
Disney's Polynesian Resort is the Disney hotel that best takes advantage of Seven Seas Lagoon.
For those who don't know, this is the artificial lake created by Disney and which, around it, are located some of its main hotels.
What differentiates the Poly of the others, in addition to boat transportation to the Magic Kingdom, are the two artificial beaches and other activities.
The two beaches are excellent places to relax and rest a little after a busy day at the parks or a shopping session at the Disney springs.
If you still want to relax more, you can rent equipment to fish in the lake or stay in the bungalows that float above it.
bungalows
Bungalows are a bit of a removed part of Poly. They are rented separately and usually have a higher rate than standard rooms.
However, they have some incredible benefits. First, the location and view: they float over the Seven Seas Lagoon. It's fantastic just to walk there, imagine staying there!
The other advantage is that the bungalows are complete: they have a washer, dryer, kitchen and various other equipment for guests' convenience.
Decoration
Disney's Polynesian Resort is one of Orlando's and Disney's best decorated hotels, hands down.
There are hundreds and hundreds of special pieces made by a company that specializes in decor items based on South Pacific culture.
At every point of the hotel there is a bit of culture and storytelling waiting for guests.
History
Ah, we could not fail to mention that the Polynesian Resort is one of the most history at disney.
In addition to being one of the company's original hotels (and one of the oldest), some amazing things have happened to the Poly.
For example, did you know that the hotel was the scene of the end of the Beatles? So it is! It was there that John Lennon signed the documents that ended the band, accompanied by his son Julian and his girlfriend at the time.
Is it worth staying at Disney's Polynesian Resort?
Well, after all that we've said, the question remains: is it worth staying at Disney's Polynesian Resort?
This is a pretty tricky question to answer honestly 100%, but let's try.
Let's start at the beginning: yes, the Poly is expensive. It is the second most expensive Disney hotel, with an average rate of approximately US$$500 per night.
It's a lot of money, especially if you're going to be there a long time (like two weeks).
Is it worth paying all this? Well, the hotel has a lot of good things. It is absolutely beautiful, the rooms are nice and renovated, it is close to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot and so many other advantages that we have already mentioned here.
That said, however, $$500 per night is a lot of money. If you can get a discount, some promotion or catch a less busy season, it might be more worth it.
If you don't mind the price, go without fear of being happy. Because believe me, you will be happy at Poly.
If you're on a tight budget, you'll find other options cheaper than Disney's Polynesian Resort.
Video Tour at Polynesian Resort
Are you one of those people who like to visualize rather than read? Rest assured, we recommend this video that shows a lot of things there
So, what did you think of our article about this historic hotel? Leave a comment below with your opinion!
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About the Author Carlos Braga:
Unparalleled experience in Orlando and Disney! As a former Universal Orlando team member and a passionate devotee of the magic of Disney, I have become a true Orlando travel expert. Before becoming a renowned travel consultant dedicated to Orlando, I had already made hundreds of visits to the parks, cultivating my knowledge and passion mainly over the last 7 years as a consultant and specialist in Disney travel.
My journey into this enchanted world began in 1995, when I took my first trip to Orlando. Since then, my love for Disney and the city has only grown. In 2023, we celebrate the sixth anniversary of 'Partiu Disney Parks', consolidating our role as one of the main sources of information about Disney and Orlando Parks.
During these six years of existence, we have continued to offer quality and updated content, being the reliable source for all those looking for essential information to plan their trip to Disney and Orlando. With my vast experience and passion for this magical destination, I am here to guide you every step of the way towards the most incredible Orlando and Disney experience!
