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Disney's Polynesian ResortBar, Hotel/Motel, Restaurant, Themed Attraction & Floor Show
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Opened in 1971
Defunct tiki not included,
distances are as the crow flies.
Aug 26, 2006
Hotel buildings near the pool at Disney's Polynesian Resort in Orlando
March 2004, photo by Humuhumu
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Disney's Polynesian Resort, originally Disney's Polynesian Village Resort ("Village" was dropped from the name in 1985), is one of the high-end places to stay on property at Walt Disney World, just outside of Orlando. The resort is near the Magic Kingdom (Walt Disney World's analogue of Disneyland), and is situated on the Seven Seas Lagoon. It opened on October 1, 1971, the same day Walt Disney World opened.
The hotel is a sprawling complex, with 11 "longhouse" buildings named for Polynesian islands such as Rarotonga, Tahiti, Hawaii and Rapa Nui. Each building is two or three stories tall, and houses dozens of guest rooms; in all, the resort has 847 rooms. The heart of the hotel is the Great Ceremonial House, a massive two-level building that holds the hotel's reception desk, several stores and cafes, and 'Ohana restaurant. 'Ohana restaurant, and its adjacent Tambu Lounge, are on the upper level of the Great Ceremonial House. The restaurant is an all-you-can-eat affair, with great spears of meats brought around to your table for you to choose from regularly, and a pu-pu platter brought to your table to kick things off. There are activities for children, and it can get pretty loud. Tropical drinks are available, including one served in a pineapple, and a Tropical Itch, which comes with a backscratcher. The hotel's pool area is small, but a looming volcano with built-in water slide gives it some oomph. The grounds are landscaped with tropical plants and many tikis, giving it a very lush feel. Many tikis are copies of those found at the Enchanted Tiki Room's pre-show lanai in Anaheim, including Pele, Ngendi, Rongo, and even Uti. (Orlando's Enchanted Tiki Room has a few of these tikis around, but they are not part of the pre-show). There is a dinner-show luau performed regularly at the resort, called the Spirit of Aloha Show. The monorail to the Magic Kingdom stops at the Polynesian Resort.
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I recently returned to The Polynesian resort and braced myself for the worst...but I'm happy to report that it STILL has the magic that it did in the '70s. Sure, things have changed...but overall, it is still a wonderful place to hang out, drink, and enjoy the tropical ambiance.
TOP TIP: If you're not staying at the resort itself (indeed, if you're not staying at any Disney resort) but want to use the pool and facilities at The Polynesian, just drive up to the gates, and when the security guard stops you and asks if you're a guest, just say that you're hoping to check in and/or that you're just stopping for breakfast and/or that you're meeting friends there.
Then...just park the car and enjoy the resort!
The resort itself was very pretty, but you can gain access to it by telling security you have dinner reservations. We walked on the man-made beach and you can see the Disney castle in the distance--best place in Disney to see the fireworks!