Disney's POLYNESIAN VILLAGE RESORT Information & Questions

[Disney loving Iowan]

Tokelau would still be my request despite my commentary above. It’s a big building with lots of good views with just a few looking towards that smoking bench. The rooms on the north end are more preferable in my opinion given you’re closer to the water with views looking left or right depending on your side of the building.

Sounds good. Thank you!

 

[bcuinohio]

I’ll be the unnecessary downer I guess but just noting Tokelau is a long building. @bcuinohio shared a lovely pic from that end of the building. Last time I stayed there my room had a nice view of the roaring blowers from the pool pump facility and the smoking benches. So, less magical. Still lovely, big rooms though and the central Tokelau location makes for a really nice Poly home base.

Enjoy your stay!

That was definitely the better view of the two times we stayed there. The first time was a second floor room I don’t remember the room number. Looks like it wasn’t far from the one you mentioned .

 

[GADisneyDad14]

That was definitely the better view of the two times we stayed there. The first time was a second floor room I don’t remember the room number. Looks like it wasn’t far from the one you mentioned .

View attachment 776661

Ha! Yes, towards that way. I mean, still a pretty darn good grounds view though, so hard to complain! I’m just picky and the exhaust fan noise from that building annoys me.

 

[kylenne]

I don't know if I mentioned this or not after we got back since I was squarely in post-trip funk, but I had a long talk with a front desk CM the night before we checked out last month and I was paying down our magic band charges with the last of our gift cards. We got talking about the DVC tower and I was lamenting how I never got to see Spirit of Aloha because our reservation was for the doomed 2020 trip. CM said there were rumors going around Poly cast that they may bring it back in some capacity in the new tower. I know this sounds like bus driver talk and wishful thinking so I wouldn't put too much stock into it but it's fun to contemplate. Even if Spirit of Aloha is gone, another dinner show in the tower would be really welcome (as well as a signature restaurant).

 

[Dave006]

CM said there were rumors going around Poly cast that they may bring it back in some capacity in the new tower. I know this sounds like bus driver talk and wishful thinking so I wouldn't put too much stock into it but it's fun to contemplate. Even if Spirit of Aloha is gone, another dinner show in the tower would be really welcome (as well as a signature restaurant).

A new dinner show makes sense as there is a current dinner show at the Aulani DVC resort in Hawaii. The name is some what of a mouth full and I had to look it up but it is know as KA WA‘A – A Lū‘au on Oʻahu at Aulani.

Link: https://www.disneyaulani.com/activities/luau/

Dave

 

[kylenne]

A new dinner show makes sense as there is a current dinner show at the Aulani DVC resort in Hawaii. The name is some what of a mouth full and I had to look it up but it is know as KA WA‘A – A Lū‘au on Oʻahu at Aulani.

Link: https://www.disneyaulani.com/activities/luau/

Dave

I really hope we get something similar. I know the old show was not popular but we were really bummed out that we never got to see it. And there was the trickle down effect that we lost the torch lighting ceremony too. Things like that were what made the Poly really special.

I've been pretty down on the new tower, mainly out of selfishness because of the loss of Luau Pointe for weddings, but I'm trying to stay positive about the value it will add to the resort as a whole.

 

[Grace&Carolinesmom]

I've been pretty down on the new tower, mainly out of selfishness because of the loss of Luau Pointe for weddings, but I'm trying to stay positive about the value it will add to the resort as a whole.

You're a better person because I am still salty that they took the best 3 longhouses, turned them into DVC, and then ruined the view with those outrageously priced water bungalows. Had they the foresight, it would have made a LOT more sense to convert Aotearoa, Figi and Tuvalu into DVC. And with the new (ugly) tower, that whole side of the resort would be DVC. I would even throw in Tonga as a bonus DVC. Just sayin'......

 

[kylenne]

You're a better person because I am still salty that they took the best 3 longhouses, turned them into DVC, and then ruined the view with those outrageously priced water bungalows. Had they the foresight, it would have made a LOT more sense to convert Aotearoa, Figi and Tuvalu into DVC. And with the new (ugly) tower, that whole side of the resort would be DVC. I would even throw in Tonga as a bonus DVC. Just sayin'......

I think for me it's easier to not be upset about that because our first stay wasn't until 2018, so well after they added the bungalows and all that. I had nothing to really compare it to so I didn't know what I was missing. Heck my family only stayed at the Dolphin when I was a kid so in general I don't really have the same lifelong nostalgia for Disney resorts that a lot of people do. It's strictly based on when I started staying in them as an adult.

 

[Grace&Carolinesmom]

I think for me it's easier to not be upset about that because our first stay wasn't until 2018, so well after they added the bungalows and all that. I had nothing to really compare it to so I didn't know what I was missing. Heck my family only stayed at the Dolphin when I was a kid so in general I don't really have the same lifelong nostalgia for Disney resorts that a lot of people do. It's strictly based on when I started staying in them as an adult.

Very valid point. Even though I am from SC, I never visited WDW as a child and my first trip was as an adult in 2006. Our family visited Poly in 2007 (and again in 2009) and instantly fell in love. Once the DVC changes occurred, our "love" turned into "like." We have a lot of magical memories from those 2 Poly visits.

 

[Carrie772]

Should I be concerned about a "resort view" room? Will we be looking squarely at the construction all trip?

 

[kylenne]

Should I be concerned about a "resort view" room? Will we be looking squarely at the construction all trip?

Resort view covers what used to be classed as standard so yes you have the potential of ending up looking at construction. Aotearoa, Fiji, and Tuvalu all have resort view rooms and are on the side of the resort where the tower is going up. Aotearoa and Fiji have rooms that literally look at it. That little grey rectangle on the far left hand side is where the construction is happening.



You want Rarotonga or Niue. Aside from being on the other side of the resort where construction noise won't be an issue, they are very convenient to the lobby for dining/shopping and catching the monorail, they are also close to the pools and bus stop. If you don't have a Touring Plans sub for their request service, I would request "close to transportation/bus stop".

 

[ddluvsdisney]

Resort view covers what used to be classed as standard so yes you have the potential of ending up looking at construction. Aotearoa, Fiji, and Tuvalu all have resort view rooms and are on the side of the resort where the tower is going up. Aotearoa and Fiji have rooms that literally look at it. That little grey rectangle on the far left hand side is where the construction is happening.

View attachment 776920

You want Rarotonga or Niue. Aside from being on the other side of the resort where construction noise won't be an issue, they are very convenient to the lobby for dining/shopping and catching the monorail, they are also close to the pools and bus stop. If you don't have a Touring Plans sub for their request service, I would request "close to transportation/bus stop".

How about Samoa? That isn't DVC is it?

 

[trishadono]

How about Samoa? That isn't DVC is it?

Most if not all are pool or water view/ not std/resort.

These name changes lol

 

[PolyRob]

You're a better person because I am still salty that they took the best 3 longhouses, turned them into DVC, and then ruined the view with those outrageously priced water bungalows. Had they the foresight, it would have made a LOT more sense to convert Aotearoa, Figi and Tuvalu into DVC. And with the new (ugly) tower, that whole side of the resort would be DVC. I would even throw in Tonga as a bonus DVC. Just sayin'......

Tikiman had the old proposed DVC plans posted a long time ago. Sadly Luau Cove was always on the chopping block (he noted an indoor experience like @kylenne heard) and the newer buildings on the right side of the resort were always part of the conversion. Pago Pago (then Rapa Nui) was going to be knocked down (kinda like the North CR Garden Wing) and ANOTHER tower was going to flank the right side of the resort.




At least this concept art fit the theming a bit better...

 

[Grace&Carolinesmom]

I didn't care for the original DVC plan either but at least the tower concept art seemed to blend well with the surrounding buildings and it left the beach in front of Hawai'i untouched. I think it would have made more sense to utilize the whole left side of the resort for DVC. They could have removed Aotearoa and made a much larger tower that wrapped around the natural curve of the monorail and lagoon.

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

Have I told you guys yet just how excited I am to be staying at the Poly in February?! LOL. I mean just a little bit. I have been reading all of your posts and watching a bunch of videos. TimTracker just stayed there over the 4th and I watch their videos from there. One of my favorites is from 4K where it is just a quiet walking tour of the Poly. I have also been listening to the video that plays the ambience music. So excited!!!!!

 

[Dave006]

How about Samoa? That isn't DVC is it?

No Samoa is not a DVC building but a regular resort building that runs North/South with pool views of the Volcano or Oasis pools. It also a small building with 18 rooms only Niue is smaller with 11 regular guest rooms.

Only the Tonga CL Suites have fewer rooms.

Dave

 

[kylenne]

How about Samoa? That isn't DVC is it?

Samoa isn't DVC, but it's classed as Water View. You can't request it with a Resort View. It actually used to be the old equivalent of Resort View back in the day but in 2018 or so they added the Pool/Marina view category almost entirely to get more money from people because it was the most requested Standard building due to the stellar location.

I will say that if there's availability and you can afford the extra cost, I would upgrade to Water View. You're significantly decreasing your chances of ending up with construction views in Water, since only Samoa and the front side of Fiji are classed that way. At worst, you might get some daytime noise in Fiji, but you'd avoid it altogether in Samoa.

We actually stayed in Samoa last month (we were on the side facing the Oasis pool) and I can't speak highly enough about it. Only Rarotonga approaches it as my favorite. It's just so convenient to everything.

 

[PPFlight75]

Have I told you guys yet just how excited I am to be staying at the Poly in February?! LOL. I mean just a little bit. I have been reading all of your posts and watching a bunch of videos. TimTracker just stayed there over the 4th and I watch their videos from there. One of my favorites is from 4K where it is just a quiet walking tour of the Poly. I have also been listening to the video that plays the ambience music. So excited!!!!!

Poly is my favorite! The music is so relaxing and makes me so happy. You will have an amazing time!!!

 

[trishadono]

Samoa isn't DVC, but it's classed as Water View. You can't request it with a Resort View. It actually used to be the old equivalent of Resort View back in the day but in 2018 or so they added the Pool/Marina view category almost entirely to get more money from people because it was the most requested Standard building due to the stellar location.

I will say that if there's availability and you can afford the extra cost, I would upgrade to Water View. You're significantly decreasing your chances of ending up with construction views in Water, since only Samoa and the front side of Fiji are classed that way. At worst, you might get some daytime noise in Fiji, but you'd avoid it altogether in Samoa.

We actually stayed in Samoa last month (we were on the side facing the Oasis pool) and I can't speak highly enough about it. Only Rarotonga approaches it as my favorite. It's just so convenient to everything.

I had studio for our 11/28-29 mvmcp party with AP. The water view just came up so for 15 I switched. I traded a guaranteed balcony for guaranteed 2 beds.

Hoping for Samoa!

Your post pushed me over the fence