By Princess Diva

I grew up driving to Disney World.  We would park and make our way to the Monorail at the Transportation and Ticket Center.  This would take us around Monorail Loop and the first stop was the Polynesian.  From those first trips, I have dreamed of staying at the Polynesian!

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, I finally had this dream come true.  The only problem was it wasn’t all I had made it out to be in my dream.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad I was able to experience this resort, but I have mixed feelings about it.

We arrived early in the day and check in was beyond wonderful!  Our bags were taken; we were presented with flower leis and escorted to the front desk to get our keys.  We had checked in online ten days prior to arrival, so everything was waiting for us (so was our stroller from Orlando Stroller Rentals).  We were excited and surprised to find that our room was ready for us at 10AM!

Speaking of our room… it was quite a ways away from the lobby, AKA the Great Ceremonial House.  Once we found our way to the Tahiti building, and our room, we sat on the balcony to enjoy the amazing view of Cinderella’s Castle and Space Mountain!  Score one for the amazing travel agent we used!

Besides the view, the best thing about the room was the size of the room.  Being a family of five, I sometimes worry about how cramped we will be in a room.  We had plenty of room for everyone, and didn’t even need a pack and play for Disney Baby!

There were two beds, a pull out couch, and the bathroom was large enough for multiple Disney Brothers to brush their teeth at the same time.

We had the nicest bellman bring us our luggage too.  He showed us all the little things in the room that we would need to know for our stay.  He showed us the trick to unfold the sofa, where to find all of the light switches, where the extra pillows and blankets could be found…all those things that at bedtime are good to know.  He really took his time to make sure that we were comfortable in our room!

Ok, down side…everything is SO far away from everything else in the resort.  Not having the rooms right off of the lobby made for a quiet evening because the lobby to the Polynesian is a happening place in the evening…almost to the point of too crowded, but it really wasn’t convenient being so far away.  No quick trips to the gift shop after the kids were in bed or running down stairs for a late night snack or drink.

Even the Monorail lost the convenience for me.  It was a long walk (and the walk to the Transportation and Ticket Center was just as close as the lobby Monorail).

I did love that Dole Whips are available at Capt. Cook’s, and that there is a Kona coffee bar (great for grabbing in the morning before you hit the parks, but closes at noon).

The Polynesian also offers some great shopping experiences like Boutiki, Wyland Gallery, Trader Jack’s, and Samoa Snacks and popular dining options such as Kona Café, Kona Island, Capt. Cook’s, ‘Ohana, Tambu Lounge, Barefoot Pool Bar, and Disney’s Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show.

Overall, I am glad that I finally got to stay at the Polynesian.  Lying in a warm bed watching fireworks over Cinderella’s Castle is A-MA-ZING!

So my recommendation? MAKE SURE YOUR ROOM IS CLOSER TO THE LOBBY! Otherwise, the Poly still holds all the love of Disney for me as it always had!

Have you ever stayed at the Polynesian?  What were your favorite things about this resort?