Reviews of Polynesian Deluxe Studios (Disney Vacation Club)
Reviewed by Tasha Review Date: 04/16/2020
Rating: (5) Not Recommended
We adore they Polynesian resort have stayed 3 other times in the Hawaii building, this time we rented DVC. We were shocked to see how worn the inside of the DVC buildings were, the elevators were scratched up and dirty, carpets were dirty. We had stayed 4 nights at disney grand floridian villas before checking into the Poly Villas and the GF Villas had been open longer and didnt show the wear like the Poly villas did. It was kind of disappointing. We still really loved the rest of the resort like we always did but wont stay in a Poly Villa again it will be on the hotel side again, those rooms seem to be more taken care of
Pros:
Its the POLYCons:
very wornReviewed by monorailmom Review Date: 09/12/2015
Rating: (5) Recommended
We stayed here for one night on 8/17. We are DVC members, and a family of 6, so had to book 2 studios to accommodate all of us. We had never stayed here before, and were pretty excited about trying something new.
We were in Tokelau, bottom floor, standard view. We were facing the construction of the new pool. It wasn't loud, but again, we were only there for one night before switching over the AKV for the rest of our stay. Noise was not a problem. Fortunately we were granted our request of connecting rooms. They were beautiful, really. Loved the decor and the split bathrooms.
I can only say that while I enjoyed it here, it is definitely not on my favorite resort list. I miss the option of a 2br villa, allowing my family to stay in one room. We tend to stay 9 nights in the summer, and for a trip that long I want my full kitchen and especially my washer and dryer. I also was disappointed in the pool area. It was very, very crowded. Finding a table/chairs for six of us was not easy. Resort refillable mugs are a pain here: there is no refill station at the pool, and the bartenders won't refill them either. You have to go to Captain Cook's. Well, my son was all wet, and Capt. Cook's is a decent little walk from the pool. This didn't really seem fair. My DH went and got my son a soda, but really, for the price of those mugs, it shouldn't be so hard to fill them here.
The transportation options here are great, but I'm not sure how soon we'll be back.
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—Reviewed by MWS Review Date: 02/23/2017
Rating: (6) Recommended
We are not Vacation Club members, but I found a good rate for the Deluxe Studio on Disney’s website and since we’ve never stayed at the Poly, I booked the room. We arrived in the morning and since our room was not ready, they claimed they would text us when the room was ready. I never heard from them, I finally called Disney’s customer service around 3:30 and discovered our room had been ready for quite some time. The deluxe studio is large and the split bathrooms are a big plus, the room was kept clean but housekeeping didn’t usually come until after 4 each day. We were very close to the TTC and found it easier to catch the monorail from that location instead of walking back to the Ceremonial House. There isn’t much in the way of sound proofing so we often heard our neighbors on each side and in the hall way. The pull down bed was nice, but there wasn’t much storage in the room. All Cast Members we encountered were very friendly and we had zero problems with transportation. However, for the price, there are nicer places to stay at WDW.
Pros:
LocationCons:
NoiseReviewed by tiggeress Review Date: 01/19/2017
Rating: (6) Recommended
First off, before this trip I LOVED the Poly. I've stayed here 6 times previously, and never wanted to stay anywhere else. I was too afraid I wouldn't love a different resort as much. However, I hadn't been here for 10 years, and my husband had never even been to Disney World. I planned to make this trip extra special, hoping he would love it as much as I do.
Check in was speedy and courteous. Gone are the days of driving you and your luggage in a golf cart to your room. Bags were brought after we called bell services from our room. The pools are definitely bigger, and better, at least in some ways. The quiet pool used to be pretty quiet, and it still is. However, with the addition of the whirlpools, more children are there, believing the whirlpool is a kiddie pool. The whirlpool is kept at 104 degrees, to hot and not safe for children. It would seen totally appropriate for the quiet pool to become for adults only, especially with the addition of the bar, and in the absence of lifeguards, similar to what Aulani has done. Give us empty-nesters something.
The rooms are nice, and the split bathroom is handy. I did not like how the fan went on by motion. At night its just too loud. The room was very nice, but with the addition of the split bath, it was! now smaller than their normal hotel rooms. There are a couple of small drawers in the nightstands and in the washrooms, but the two deep drawers under the bed are impractical, making clothes storage a problem, especially if you had three to five people in the room. Give us a dresser!
The monorail was inoperable for one and a half days. I suppose that can happen. The worst part of our transportation was one night when we were headed over to MK for the evening. From dinner we planned on taking the monorail. We went upstairs and found approximately 150 people waiting to board. Figured out is was right after the early luau was over. I think for the money you spend to stay there, and with the implementation of the magic bands, Poly guests should get priority boarding during times like this. The other hotels on the resort loop don't have large gatherings getting out at the same time. We had to then walk back to the TTC to get to the MK to make our first FP time.
In the past, I always felt the magic here, and felt like I was in paradise. I didn't feel that this time. The landscaping, while still neat, lacked the flowers and beauty from the past. Staff never once greeted with "Aloha". The beach area is almost an afterthought, especially since most of the view is blocked by the bungalows. We had a couple meals at the GF, and found that for the same, or just a little more money, it felt much, much more special overall. From the holiday decorations, to the live music in the lobby, and the beauty of the landscaping, the GF will be the next place we stay.
I never thought I'd say it, but I don't believe we will be staying at the Poly our next trip, and it breaks my heart.
Pros:
Location, Nice RoomsCons:
Transportation Problems, Decline of "Magic", Lack of Drawer SpaceReviewed by DisNanaofTN Review Date: 02/11/2021
Rating: (7) Recommended
This was our first time staying here. I liked that the room had a murphy bed for my son, but did not like that there was no place at all to unpack anything. The sofa became our suitcase holder. Otherwise, the room had adequate space. The double showers were nice and the handicapped shower was arranged better than 90% of the ones I have been in. Kuddos to Disney on that. The dark decor made it difficult to see without a light turned on. The cast members were great. Parking was convenient.
Pros:
ADA automatic door Nicely arranged ADA shower Adequate room space Great cast members who remembered our names Comfortable bedCons:
No overhead lighting Dark decor led to lighting and vision difficultyReviewed by skipperina Review Date: 03/18/2020
Rating: (7) Not Recommended
I think I expected more. I have always wanted to stay here and I was a little underwhelmed. I am glad I stayed here, but I don’t feel the need to go back for a while.
Pros:
The pool, the grounds are nice, watching the fireworks from the beach, the glow event for kids at nightCons:
The resort is dated and feels old (not in a charming way); the monorail was not very convenient - broke down a lot, stinky, not much faster than the buses in our experience; prices are high (you can get more for your money at other resorts); dining is just okReviewed by hello12345 Review Date: 03/28/2017
Rating: (7) Recommended
We stayed in a studio for two nights over Thanksgiving. I checked in around 2:30 and our room was ready. Having two bathrooms is great. The quick service meals at the resort are also above average. The main pool was nice, but busy all the time. We stayed in a building close to the parking lot near the TTC. The staff felt the need to do landscaping/tree trimming outside our patio door at 7:00 am. However, we heard the rumble of John Deere Gators going past our room around 6:45. Nice resort overall, but I think it's hyped up too much due to its location.
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LocationCons:
severalReviewed by NOSaintsfan1970 Review Date: 11/29/2016
Rating: (7) Recommended
My wife and I have always wanted to stay at the Polynesian. It wasn't what we had expected our stay wasn't horrible but it wasn't what we expected. We had lake view and could see the castle and fireworks every night and that was one of the things my wife and I enjoyed. We like the location because a short monorail trip to the MK and a short monorail ride to Epcot. We had some friends that came with us and the family that stayed next to them were so loud it was almost as if they were in the room with them. Well she called the front desk and they were able to move them to another room which I thought was nice. Now our friends understand that this is a place for kids and they are very understanding and patient but after a couple of days with no sleep I understand their frustration. Well with that being said we would stay there again and maybe it will be different next time.
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NoiseReviewed by kekmouse Review Date: 04/28/2019
Rating: (8) Recommended
We stayed in Tokelau, second floor, with 5 people (2 adults, 3 under 16) from 4/20 to 4/27 2019. Our room was ready upon arrival at the resort and was surprisingly spacious, even with the couch as a third bed. Both bathrooms were large enough with great vanity lightening and wonderful water pressure in both showers. Our two general issues with the room were limited space for clothing (two drawers under the bed, two small bedside tables, and closet with a few hangers as we used the chest in the room for souvenirs/luggage to keep the floor clear) and some of the outlets weren't working. Bring a power strip to be safe. The one major issue we had was the mini fridge broke about halfway through the trip. The staff replaced it within a half hour of us calling, but as we didn't get back to the room until late that day, we lost perishables. Check them every morning before you leave.
The big hit with the kids was the pool. We didn't venture to the main pool b/c it looked a little rowdy for us in terms of crowds and noise so we stuck to the Oasis Pool b/c it was literally right outside our building. The water was always clean, there was space to both swim and lounge, and there were always plenty of chairs and umbrellas. Also, the Jacuzzi was heaven after a day of park walking. Be warned, there is no lifeguard at this pool so younger children will need to be supervised. My personal favorite part about this resort was the beach part b/c we had amazing views of the Wishes firework show every night it ran. We could hear it from our room the few nights we didn't go so if you're sensitive to that, it might be wise to bring earplugs or some noise-canceling device. If you do attend the show, go down at least an hour early if you want one of the chairs or benches, otherwise bring a blanket for the sand.
We are personally not a table-service family so the night we ate dinner at the hotel, we went with quick-service. They have the standard nuggets/hot dogs/ mac and cheese for kids so they were happy with that but the adult menu is a bit more limited unless you like more South Pacific food. Loved the flatbread pizzas, though. We liked the breakfast much more b/c you get really great portion sizes for what you pay. My mother especially loved the Tonga toast, their specialty item. They also offer the luau at the Luau Cove most nights. We didn't have an interest in the menu or long show, but we did notice that the lobby gets very hectic before each of the showtimes with incoming guests so plan trips to the Great Ceremonial House strategically during those times.
Transport was a mixed bag, but I find that it is at most Disney properties so it didn't really affect our trip b/c we planned for it. We found it was easier and quicker when going to Epcot to walk to the TTC b/c we would have gone on the whole loop otherwise. Buses to Hollywood and Animal Kingdom ran fine, we just had issues with buses to Disney Springs. Very long wait times for those for some reason. My one big surprise was even though we planned on using it, we did not use the Minnie Van service provided by Disney b/c for us, it ran much more expensive than using Lyft. For the few reservations, we had at other locations, the Lyft drivers were both cheaper and much less wait times. When we were done, we took the bus to Magic Kingdom to get back to the hotel. I would recommend to anyone going to Disney to download a rideshare app b/c it was a huge timesaver for us and probably a money saver, especially if your party is four or less.
All in all, I had a really great trip to this resort. It was our first deluxe resort and on the whole, it was a good investment in terms of how much more comfortable we were. If you're a Magic Kingdom fan, this is the perfect resort for you.
Pros:
Beautiful location, very close to Magic Kingdom, great pools, comfortable rooms, friendly and helpful staff, easy to navigate.Cons:
Further away from other parks, some noise issues, limited Quick-Service options, no arcade for kids.Reviewed by disneymom35 Review Date: 11/17/2015
Rating: (8) Recommended
I waited my entire adult life to stay at the Poly, but that was the old Poly, the one with the magnificent waterfall and foliage in the lobby. Don't get me wrong, it is a pretty resort. The transportation options are great. A short walk to the TTC and you can jump on the Epcot monorail. There's a relaxing water taxi to get you to the MK. Kona Cafe is a great hidden secret, but you do need to get reservations. Drinks on the pineapple lanai were perfect (Trader Sam's was over capacity).
Pool area was okay. We actually had a mother and father leave their three kids who looked to be around 5 to 7 years old by themselves and then didn't come back for them for well over an hour. Hot tub was usually either closed or full with children.
Unfortunately, part of what used to be a great beach view is now obstructed by the new 2-bedroom DVC villas.
We stayed in Pago Pago. Everything was new but kind of felt "cheap." Also, we were not only able to hear several neighbors toilets flushing, we could hear our next door neighbor's muffled conversations, as well as anytime anyone walked across the floor upstairs (or ran). If someone was on the balcony either upstairs or to the side, it sounded as if they were actually in our room. And that's why it only gets an 8, because I associate the Polynesian with relaxation and peacefulness and it was definitely not either of those.
