Disney's POLYNESIAN VILLAGE RESORT Information & Questions

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This was our biggest issue as well! We just returned from a stay from 10/21 - 10/29. We were also in Fiji. We found our biggest frustration during the whole trip was with dining/lounge crowds. After being in a crowded park all day we just didn't expect to have to deal with the same at our resort. The hallway near Trader Sams was packed form 330p on with people filling up the hall to wait in line to get in and for the first couple of days there were lines wrapped around the building even earlier due to the Hitchhiking ghost mugs. Even the patio and the to go window were packed in the evenings with to people waiting to watch the fireworks. Finding a relaxing place to get an adult beverage after a long day in the parks was quite the adventure. We stayed with a group of 12 people and 4 of them were teenagers ages (15 - 18) and we felt uncomfortable letting them walk from the patio to our rooms in Fiji at night due to the amount of off site people milling around during the late hours. I understand that they are public places and it is to be expected. I suppose we may have noticed it more because we were staying in Fiji and had to constantly walk through it to get to and from our room. We didn't seem to notice the crowds as much when we stayed in Tokelau. With all that said, for the most part, we did enjoy our stay but are now considering The Wilderness Lodge for our upcoming April Trip.
Yes! Totally agree with you and @Farro. The crowds at the main house were was unexpected annoyance. Our last stay was at WL, which is also a destination for dining and somehow that was never an issue there. Maybe it's the combination of the monorail stop + the restaurants all in one area? Versus at WL, the bus stop or boat launch are in a different location?
 
Ok, I'm a Poly newbie and WDW novice. Getting a little overwhelmed trying to track down a clear answer, so can any of you help?

How far in advance of rope drop would you have to leave the Poly for each park?
(Not looking to be first in line, because we are handling hardest to get rides at each park via FP and will have people with us who can't walk terribly fast. Just want to be there at opening to maximize low crowd time.)

And, which is better for MK rope drop: monorail or boat?
For Magic Kingdom: We left walked out of our rooms around 7:20am for an 8am MK opening day. We took the monorail and were standing outside of the touchpoints by 7:40. I think allowing for 30 minutes total travel time gives you more than ample time. For other trips to/from MK, we used both the monorail and the boat. The boat is a dream. We waited very little for boats (both directions) and it's a quick ride. It's also kind of nice to be out in the open air when you've been surrounding by crowds. The boat is direct to MK on the trip out, but stops at GF first on the return to Poly. It's still a quick ride.

For Epcot: The ride to Epcot is short, but the bag check lines are long. You can take the resort loop monorail straight from Poly to the TTC and then switch to the Epcot monorail line. OR, you can walk to the TTC from Poly (a very short, easy walk) and then get straight on the Epcot monorail. One thing to know is that the bag check at TTC is LONG around park open, so it may actually be faster to take the monorail resort loop and transfer at TTC. Then you have bag check AGAIN at Epcot, which is also long at opening. I'd allow 45 minutes for Epcot due to bag checks.

For DHS and Animal Kingdom: We quickly figured out that we much preferred taking a Taxi or Uber to these locations during the morning rush. Though people here will tell you that buses start running around 6:30am, the first bus to DHS on our park day didn't arrive to Poly until 7:40am. We had an 8am ADR, which forced us to go with a Taxi and it ended up being a great move. The DHS taxi stop is a bit of a walk to the park entrance, though. If you opt for a Taxi, it will be $20 (after tip) and you need only 15 minutes from the time you walk out of your room until you're there. AK is about the same price/time for a Taxi, though the taxi stop is right in front of the park entrance, which is nice. We did see more AK park buses early in the morning than DHS while we were there.
 
For Magic Kingdom: We left walked out of our rooms around 7:20am for an 8am MK opening day. We took the monorail and were standing outside of the touchpoints by 7:40. I think allowing for 30 minutes total travel time gives you more than ample time. For other trips to/from MK, we used both the monorail and the boat. The boat is a dream. We waited very little for boats (both directions) and it's a quick ride. It's also kind of nice to be out in the open air when you've been surrounding by crowds. The boat is direct to MK on the trip out, but stops at GF first on the return to Poly. It's still a quick ride.

For Epcot: The ride to Epcot is short, but the bag check lines are long. You can take the resort loop monorail straight from Poly to the TTC and then switch to the Epcot monorail line. OR, you can walk to the TTC from Poly (a very short, easy walk) and then get straight on the Epcot monorail. One thing to know is that the bag check at TTC is LONG around park open, so it may actually be faster to take the monorail resort loop and transfer at TTC. Then you have bag check AGAIN at Epcot, which is also long at opening. I'd allow 45 minutes for Epcot due to bag checks.

For DHS and Animal Kingdom: We quickly figured out that we much preferred taking a Taxi or Uber to these locations during the morning rush. Though people here will tell you that buses start running around 6:30am, the first bus to DHS on our park day didn't arrive to Poly until 7:40am. We had an 8am ADR, which forced us to go with a Taxi and it ended up being a great move. The DHS taxi stop is a bit of a walk to the park entrance, though. If you opt for a Taxi, it will be $20 (after tip) and you need only 15 minutes from the time you walk out of your room until you're there. AK is about the same price/time for a Taxi, though the taxi stop is right in front of the park entrance, which is nice. We did see more AK park buses early in the morning than DHS while we were there.

I think this is an excellent summary of morning transportation options coming from Poly. The only think I’d add is that Uber/Lyft will usually (but not always) be cheaper than a taxi, sometimes by quite a bit (eg, $20 taxi from Poly to AK vs $9 Uber for same route).
 
The only think I’d add is that Uber/Lyft will usually (but not always) be cheaper than a taxi, sometimes by quite a bit (eg, $20 taxi from Poly to AK vs $9 Uber for same route).
For DHS and Animal Kingdom: We quickly figured out that we much preferred taking a Taxi or Uber to these locations during the morning rush.

So, what I’m hearing is that I should just drive to HS and AK. (We’ll have a car.) is that correct?
 


So, what I’m hearing is that I should just drive to HS and AK. (We’ll have a car.) is that correct?
IMO... Yes. Or take Taxi or Uber, which are both even easier than driving. And if you're only having 1 morning each when you're trying to get to AK and DHS at RD, then the expensive is very minimal and 100% worth it. Then you can bus back when you're ready to leave.
 


So, what I’m hearing is that I should just drive to HS and AK. (We’ll have a car.) is that correct?

Well, driving yourself has its own set of small challenges. Dealing with the toll plaza, using the trams, etc. I’m a little biased to cabs/Uber since they get you pretty close to the entrance without much hassle. I find that the busses are fine too, it’s just that cab / Uber / Lyft let you, to some extent, control the timing more than busses so that can be a bonus first thing in the AM.
 
And I don't know how, but you saw our view in Fiji, and then my brother and sister both got their rooms - both had third floor Samoa Lava pool views! And they both booked standard with no requests.

Just luck I guess!

oh and this is us! Hi! Thanks for all of your help!
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I am so excited, we are taking younger dd on a 16th birthday trip (Keys to the Kingdom tour) that is only 4 nights. Normally we stay at Pop just for cost savings. Younger dd said she didn’t mind if her older sister came, but she her only request was that she didn’t have to share a bed with her sister. Dh and I talked, and decided to try and rent DVC, and the only one with the trundle bed that had availability was Poly!

I can’t tell you how excited I am that we are going to be able to stay here. Anything to keep in mind for our stay?
 
I am about to start looking into requesting a room using touring plans fax request. We have booked a standard room. Is that considered a "garden view" on touring plans? I know we want 3rd floor, but that is really all I know. Any ideas on what to request?
 
I am about to start looking into requesting a room using touring plans fax request. We have booked a standard room. Is that considered a "garden view" on touring plans? I know we want 3rd floor, but that is really all I know. Any ideas on what to request?
They don’t have the new categories loaded yet. The garden views will be split into standard, pool, and lagoon views (I think anyway). Len at TP told me they’re working on it and hope to have them loaded in the next few weeks.
 
They don’t have the new categories loaded yet. The garden views will be split into standard, pool, and lagoon views (I think anyway). Len at TP told me they’re working on it and hope to have them loaded in the next few weeks.

thanks! I wonder how I should do the request? Maybe it will be loaded soon. We have 26 days left.
 
thanks! I wonder how I should do the request? Maybe it will be loaded soon. We have 26 days left.

Do you have a TP membership? If so, post a question in the forum and tag @Len and he should answer.

But, I thought the room categories weren’t changing until 2018. If that’s the case, garden view would be what you’d want. But I’m not sure on that at all.
 
Do you have a TP membership? If so, post a question in the forum and tag @Len and he should answer.

But, I thought the room categories weren’t changing until 2018. If that’s the case, garden view would be what you’d want. But I’m not sure on that at all.

thanks, I do have a membership. I really haven't used the site much other than for dining reservation searches. I will post over there.
 
Hi everyone! I'm so excited to be able to join this thread! I just secured a reservation today for the Poly next October through renting points! This is my first time renting points and at the Poly. My girls and I (ages 9 and 12) will be coming down for the MNSSHP and to do 3 more days in the parks.
This is our first time without DH and I'm just hoping for something close to the lobby for transportation reasons. Is the Poly a huge resort when it comes to getting from some of the outer buildings to the lobby?
We have previously stayed at POP (hated it), POR, POFQ and SSR. So we aren't strangers to big resorts and are happy to
Forego a view for a more convenient location. Any suggestions for us?
 
Does anyone know what time Tambu starts serving food?
There was a very limited menu around noon when we stopped at the Tambu (sorry I don't remember the exact time). We had sticky wings and dumplings. They said the full menu wasn't until later when the Ohana kitchen opened.
 
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