My family and I stayed at Disney’s Polynesian Resort in April 2022. Spring Break can be a very temperamental time of year to travel to Orlando. Weather-wise, it can vary. I have also found that it is one of the most expensive times to fly to Orlando, other than the holiday season. I wish I had known during this trip that I would be recounting my experience so I could have gotten better photos and videos during that time. It wasn’t until October 2022 that I would have begun my journey as a travel advisor. Never fear; I will return to the Polynesian Fall of 2023 and update everyone on our experience and capture better Resort Room photos. That being said, I can still give you plenty of information on the Polynesian Resort.

The Polynesian Resort has always been one of my absolute favorite resorts to visit. I remember looking at this resort and telling myself I’d stay there one day. So it was a dream come true when we were able to stay in this luxurious and tropical paradise. This resort feels like a vacation within a vacation. It is very easy to fall into “Island Time” during your resort days at the Polynesian Resort. With the two zero-entry pools, one being the quiet pool or the Oasis Pool with cabanas to rent. The other is the family-style pool, the Lava Pool. The Lava pool was still relaxing even though the two pools were more active. We sat in lounge chairs under an umbrella, watching the kids enjoy themselves in the pool all day long. There’s a 142-foot-long waterslide, a nearby lounge with snacks and drinks, and poolside activities. My favorite drink was the lime dole whip margarita. There’s also a fun splash pad area for your little ones.

We stayed in a Deluxe Studio - Standard View Resort Room. It had one queen bed, a queen bed pull-down bed, and one single pull-down bed. For our family of 4, it was the perfect size. It sleeps five adults. However, I think sleep-wise, it sleeps four comfortably. There was a table with two chairs that was a great catch-all for our bags and snacks from our park day. The pull-down single bed is so cute. It has a sweet nighttime beach scene of Lilo and Stitch sleeping in a hammock. My son LOVED it, and we made the kids take turns sleeping in the single bed. The pull-down queen bed was quite comfortable, and I think it’s an upgrade from the other pull-out options. A small kitchenette area had a sink, storage, mini fridge, and microwave. The storage closets were convenient, but I still felt like I needed more drawers. We hung up a lot of our things and packed our own hangers. My husband and I’s clothes were kept in the drawers under the main bed. Same with our suitcases.

There was plenty of bathroom space. In our room, we had two bathrooms. One has a toilet, tub/shower combo, and a single sink and vanity. The other bathroom had a sink, vanity, and a nice shower. The rain shower head was incredible, and so were the H2O products in the shower room. There was a lot of storage in the room with the shower, so I kept the kid’s stuff in there. All in all, we made it work. I am one of those people who unpack on vacation and get everything settled. I know some live out of their suitcases, and that is absolutely fine. If that's your preference, there’s enough space to do that, but I am OCD and need to have everything in a certain place. The room, in general, was spacious, and once everything was put back up (beds), the room was quite spacious. However, we didn’t do that. We kept everything laid out so we could come back to the room each night and crash. Naps are a must, especially with littles, if you plan to rope drop and close down the parks daily.

Decor we were some of the first to stay in the newly renovated, soft touches Studios. The “Lilo + Stitch” touches were subtle and on par with the rest of the Polynesian decor and color palettes. The standard rooms are “Moana,” and I have seen these rooms. They are great as well and not at all as “loud” as everyone says they are. It is still a Disney Resort, and both resort types mesh well together. The lobby’s aesthetics are luxurious and tropical. Perfect for a luxury resort that has the overtones of a tropical resort. I do feel like they have the lobby themed to a very upscale tropical resort. The shopping is my favorite of all of the Deluxe resorts. My favorite little shop is Pineapple Lanai. The ability to get a dole whip at your resort is top-shelf for me.

The resort had some of the most amazing restaurants. ‘Ohana is the most well-known of the Polynesian Resort restaurant options. We love ‘Ohana! However, on this trip, we went to Tambu Lounge and grabbed the ‘Ohana wings, noodles, and pot stickers instead of going through the entire dining experience. We saved some cash but still got to eat some of our favorites. I have to say Kona Cafe is the one place that surprised me. We had dinner there one night before heading to the Magic Kingdom. The sushi and poke bowls (Husband’s favorite) were fresh and delicious. My kids had wings, a little different than the ‘Ohana wings, but a great choice. They have the same cocktails from over at ‘Ohana and were also great—the quick service option at Capt. Cook’s does the job thoroughly. They have chicken wings, Thai coconut meatballs, and pulled pork nachos, which are amazing. You can’t forget about Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto! I have yet to experience this establishment personally, but it’s on my list. We had Trader Sam’s Tiki Terrace on our first night. It was quite chilly that evening, thanks to a cold front. However, know that you can still get access to the drinks and lounge bites outside. There was a ukulele player, a waterfall for aesthetics, and Magic Kingdom fireworks.

All in all, we had the best time. Weather-wise, it was pretty perfect. It was a bit chilly our first few days, but it didn’t bother us that much. The kids still swam in the pools, which are heated year-round when necessary. By the end of the week, it was back to standard Orlando, Florida weather. We enjoyed being able to walk back to our resort after the Magic Kingdom fireworks those evenings. That was a huge perk instead of standing in line for an hour for the TTC (Transportation & Ticket Center) or the resort monorail, which can still get backed up. There is a resort boat, walking, or monorail option to the Magic Kingdom. Having three options during your day is a huge perk for guests, especially with littles who need a nap during the day. There is a bus to Hollywood Studios, Disney Springs, and Animal Kingdom. However, people often forget that the Polynesian is right next to the TTC, where you can grab the monorail to Epcot. That’s what we did, and it was a very quick option for our Epcot morning and back that evening. You can also take an Uber, Lyft, and the Minnie Van to the other Parks and/or Resorts. It’s hard to beat being on the monorail. I recommend a monorail bar crawl. Regardless if you drink or not. Seeing the other monorail resorts and being able to explore those are quite the perk. I’ve got to add that we are going back, and we can’t wait!

If this sounds like something you’d like to book for your family, please contact me. This is just the beginning of where I come in.

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Caroline Christiansen; Professional Advisor for Glass Slipper Concierge