The hotel is in the Deluxe category at Disney, placing it in the more expensive tier of the Disney resorts (only the Grand Floridian is more). The higher room price is justified by several factors. For one thing, the Polynesian has some prime real estate. Situated directly across the Seven Seas Lagoon from the Magic Kingdom, the views from the resort beach area are inspiring. From many of the Polynesian's rooms, you can see the nightly fireworks over the Magic Kingdom.
The resort is a favorite of nostalgic Disney fans, as it is one of the original three resort areas in Walt Disney World (with the Contemporary and Fort Wilderness campgrounds). Although it has recently been refurbished, the hotel maintains the same ambiance vacationers will remember from the 1970s.
Transportation is quite convenient, particularly if you plan to spend a lot of your vacation time in the Magic Kingdom. Outside the main lobby building (the Great Ceremonial House), on the second floor, is a monorail station for trips to the Contemporary and Grand Floridian Resorts, and the Magic Kingdom. Using the monorail is a plus especially for families with strollers -- you can stroll right on board. Conversely, strollers must be folded before boarding the buses. This can be particularly inconvenient if you have a heavy stroller, more than one child, or a sleeping baby. When you do plan to visit the other parks, a bus stop is located on the first floor.
From the marina, you can catch a boat directly to the Magic Kingdom, for an interesting view and a fun change of pace. Rooms in the Rapa Nui, Tahiti, and Tokelu houses are a short stroll to the Transportation and Ticket Center, giving those guests the option of catching a monorail from there to the Magic Kingdom and Epcot, and buses to the other parks.
The rooms themselves are among the largest I've seen at Disney, at 407 square feet. We had plenty of room to spread out our luggage, baby supplies, and souvenirs without feeling cramped. The bathroom was also nice and roomy, with two separate basins and lots of counter space.
Read on for a snapshot look at the Polynesian Resort plus photos I took on my recent stay.
