Walt Disney World Polynesian Resort -
Why it's Dad's favorite

Sponsor Ads

The Walt Disney World Polynesian Resort is Dad's Favorite Hotel. Anywhere. Period. Why, you might ask, are you so passionate about this hotel, Dad? Good question. Keep reading for the answer.

Disney World is full of cheap hotels. It's not hard to get a great deal on one of the Disney Resorts. It's hard to find discounts on the Poly, but Dad still says it's Disney's best.

Reviews of the Polynesian at TripAdvisor

Why Dad Loves the Walt Disney World Polynesian Resort

Christmas decorations at the Walt Disney World Polynesian Resort

Photo by Jeff B.

Dad's Walt Disney World Polynesian Resort main page

Location, Location, Location

The biggest reason Dad loves the Walt Disney World Polynesian Resort is it's location.

Monorail Access to the Magic Kingdom and Epoct

One of Dad's favorite things at Walt Disney World is the monorail. The monorai to the Magic Kingdom runs right through the resort. (Well, not literally through it, that's the Contemporary.)

But it's not just the Magic Kingdom monorail that Dad loves, it's the proximity to the Epcot monorail that really make this resort Disney's best. You can walk from the Poly to the Epcot monorail. It's just a short walk, and if you stay in the Rapa Nui building it's closer to the Transfer and Ticket Center than it is to the Great Ceremonial House.

Dad's Disney World Monorail page

Water Access to the Magic Kingdom

Beside the monorail, you can get to the Magic Kingdom by boat, not one but two ways. At the Transportation and Ticket Center you can catch one of the big ferry boats that shuttle back and forth across Seven Seas Lagoon all day long. Also every 30 minutes a launch departs from the dock for a short trip to the Magic Kingdom.

The Best View of Wishes

OK, so you can get to the Magic Kingdom by monorail or boat, Dad, you can do that from the Contemporary and the Grand Floridian too. Yeah, but the Epcot thing is special. But there is another big plus to the location of the Poly, that's the view you can get of Wishes every night. Wishes is the fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom. From the beach (see below) you get a perfect angle to watch the magical firework show explode right over Cinderella Castle, just like it does when you're watching from Main Street USA.

The monorail to both the Magic Kingdom and Epcot, the ferry and launch access to the Magic Kingdom, makes the Walt Disney World Polynesian Resort the hotel with the best location in all of Walt Disney World.

That Island Feeling

This one is just too obvious, but let me spell it out for anyone that needs some help. When Uncle Walt first designed Disney World he designed 2 hotels. The Contemporary Resort was designed to have a modern feel and the Polynesian Resort was designed to have a Hawaii or an island feel. Uncle Walt was one smart man.

When you drive up to the hotel, there is a unique feel. Usually you will be greeted with an Aloha. That sets the tone for your whole experience. As you enter the Great Ceremonial House, you walk through tropical gardens complete with a stream that has live fish in it, and inside there's even a waterfall. The foyer is packed with lots of green growning plants. You can almost smell the salt air wafting off the ocean. (I'm surprized that Disney hasn't added something like this to the hotel.)

When you walk through the resort, Tiki Torches line the walkways. Tropical plants are everywhere. The longhouses have a truly island look. It's just a great relaxing experience.

The only real difference between Hawaii and Orlando is, in Orlando the buildings are air conditioned.

The Beach

The beach at the Walt Disney World Polynesian Resort is the best of all the beaches at any of the 25 Disney World hotels. When Uncle Walt originally drained Bay Lake, he and the boys found the lake to be sitting on miles of beautiful white sand perfect for creating beaches. Walt used this sand to create all the beaches around Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon.

The Poly has miles (or so it seems) of that beautiful white sand. Disney has set up chairs, hammocks, and even has a paved walkway just the right distance from the water. The beach is a great place to spend an afternoon just chillin' with a cool drink reading that favorite book. (Or whatever it is that people do at beaches. Dad's not real beachy.)

There are even lights on the beach so you can enjoy it after dark. Disney pipes in music all day and late into the evening. When Wishes starts, you can hear the music of the show.

Sponsor Ads

Dad's Bottom Line

Dad is a big fan of saving money and you won't save a lot of money by staying in this hotel. But, this is still Dad's favorite hotel anywhere, and it's the best hotel/resort at Walt Disney World.