Disney Polynesian Resort Deluxe Studio Review
The beauty of the Disney Vacation Club covers many aspects of hospitality.
As you visit the various DVC resorts, you’ll discover countless amenities and magic moments at each location.
Just as importantly, you’ll enjoy your choice of dozens of different room types, guaranteeing you’ll find something to fit your travel needs.
Today, we’ll discuss one of my absolute favorites. Here’s a room review of a Studio at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.
About Staying at the Polynesian
The Polynesian claims a surprising historical footnote. It was (tied for) the first official Disney theme park resort ever built.
Walt Disney lacked the money to create Disneyland and the Disneyland Hotel simultaneously.
An oil baron and movie producer paid for the hotel, which Disney wouldn’t officially acquire for more than 30 years.
After the death of Walt Disney, his loyal employees weren’t about to repeat the mistake at Walt Disney World.
So, Disney’s Contemporary Resort and the Polynesian opened on the same date as Magic Kingdom.
Steakhouse 71 at the Contemporary actually pays tribute to this fact with its name.
In short, when you stay at the Polynesian, you’re paying tribute to a piece of Disney history. It’s a place where Disney hosted dignitaries in the early days.
In fact, John Lennon was staying at the Polynesian when he signed the paperwork to break up the Beatles. This hotel matters.
Why People Love the Polynesian
I’ll answer this one, as every DVC member has a favorite property. In many instances, it’s the family’s Home Resort. That’s not the case with me.
I don’t own at the Polynesian, but I stay here the most because it’s my first choice every vacation.
There’s something so comforting about the Great Ceremonial House. As I approach the building, I anticipate the fragrance I’m about to smell.
Disney uses Smellitzer technology to create memorable aromas across its parks and resorts.
You’ll know you’ve arrived here the instant you walk through the double doors and breathe in the scent.
Soon afterward, a cast member will hand you a lei, signifying that you’re staying at an exotic island getaway. It just happens to be one close to Magic Kingdom.
The Great Ceremonial House hosts two stores and three restaurants, plus a Dole Whip stand just past one of the doors.
Remarkably, the beloved ‘Ohana restaurant and Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto and Tiki Bar basically share a ceiling/floor. That’s a stunning two-fer a stairwell apart.
Disney packs a massive number of amenities in this giant lobby. Most notably, when you exit on the second floor, you’re at the monorail station.
Folks, that’s just the lobby! As you explore the campus, you’ll discover more wonders.
The beaches at the Polynesian persuade you that you’re staying on an island in the South Seas.
Then, you’ll look across the lagoon and notice Cinderella Castle. Should you walk further, you’ll discover something remarkable either way.
A walkway connects this resort to Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
When you go the other way, you’ll encounter the Transportation and Ticket Center with its monorail station.
People love the Polynesian because it’s got everything!
About the Studio at the Polynesian
When discussing a Polynesian hotel stay, there’s one oddity. The overwhelming majority of guests all stay in the same kind of room.
While the view varies, most people book a Studio because this property doesn’t offer Villas…yet. We’ll get them with the expansion tower in 2024.
For now, your choices are the super-expensive Bungalow or the Studio. Almost everyone chooses the latter, almost by necessity. There aren’t many Bungalows anyway.
Thankfully, Disney thought of the potential inconveniences caused by this decision. The Studios at the Polynesian are immaculate and spacious.
Each room covers 465 square feet of space and includes a full bathroom and a half-bath. It’s the inverse of typical half-baths in that there’s a shower but not a commode.
That thematic rainfall shower in the half-bath is so relaxing that you may find religion while using it.
That’s really the recurring theme in the Polynesian studio: tranquility. Disney has given this room a gentle island theme with some Lilo & Stitch thrown in for good measure.
In fact, the foldout bed here looks like a dresser. Then, you pull it down, and it’s a nearly twin-size bed with an adorable painting of Lilo & Stitch napping on a hammock.
Oh, that’s just the backup bed. There’s also a pulldown bed in the wall. It’s the opposite of the other in that it starts as a Stitch painting before you pull it down.
Little touches like this populate the entire Studio. Also, most of the rooms, excluding a few at Pago Pago, include a view of the gorgeous Polynesian campus.
You can open your sliding door and sit on the patio/balcony overlooking all the activity at this hotel.
Final Thoughts
I haven’t even mentioned the clever usage of space in the kitchenette area. It slots perfectly beside the closet and across from the half-bath.
More importantly, I should stress the significance of two bathroom areas.
Multiple parties can get dressed in front of a mirror and sink. That’s a massive benefit to DVC members traveling with a full room of guests.
Nobody will have to wait for someone else to finish getting dressed before they can start.
That’s reason enough to want to stay here. I’d love it if Disney made this a standard room design moving forward.
Something else you should know is that the DVC rooms at the Polynesian are located in the Moorea, Pago Pago, and Tokelau longhouses.
While Disney will never guarantee a room location, I’d rank the options as 1) Moorea 1A) Tokelau and then 3) Pago Pago.
That’s a polite way of saying that Pago Pago comes with a literal parking lot view in some instances…and even that has its advantages, especially if you’re driving.
Similarly, when you stay at Pago Pago, you’re a short walk away from the Transportation and Ticket Center.
When you’re visiting EPCOT, you hop on the monorail and go directly to your destination.
Still, I get a distinct motel vibe when I exit my room and am looking at a giant parking lot. So, it’s not my favorite.
Anytime I’m at the Polynesian, I don’t worry about such trivialities, though.
Ultimately, these rooms are massive, brilliantly designed, and overflowing with thematic touches. I love it here and highly recommend the Studio to everyone.
In terms of value for the DVC Points cost per night, I’d be hard-pressed to name any Magic Kingdom property that can measure up to the Polynesian.