One Of Disney World's Best Resorts Is A Florida Gem Beloved For Its Tropical Tiki Vibes

Walt Disney World has over 30 hotels to choose from, but only two of them date back to the resort's opening on October 1, 1971. Disney's Polynesian Village Resort is one of those original two, and it continues to place high in the ranking of all Disney World hotels. As cool as it is to see a monorail pass through the A-frame of the Contemporary Resort (the other opening-day hotel at Disney World), the Polynesian Village arguably has a richer, more cohesive theme. As its name suggests, it draws from Polynesian culture — "the spirit of the South Pacific," as Disney calls it — with Moana updates keeping it enjoyable for 21st-century character lovers.

This dynamic concept has helped make the Polynesian Village a guest favorite for over 50 years, with Disney Tourist Blog ranking it the number one deluxe resort and number two overall resort at Disney World. The hotel also occupies a place in music history, since it holds the unlikely Disney resort room where John Lennon officially left The Beatles. Conveniently located along the monorail loop around the Seven Seas Lagoon, the Polynesian Village is just two stops from the Magic Kingdom.

Take the tram in from one of the world's biggest parking lots, hop on the clockwise-running monorail, and the Polynesian Village will be your first stop after the Transportation and Ticket Center. The hotel also offers water taxis across the lagoon to the Magic Kingdom along with monorail connections to Epcot and buses to Disney's Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. You can even walk from the hotel to the Magic Kingdom in about 30 minutes. With all that the Polynesian Village has to offer, however, you may want to spend some time just hanging around the hotel.

When you step off the monorail at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, you'll cross a bridge to the second floor of the hotel's Great Ceremonial House. On the ground floor, palms grow, waterfalls flow, and tiki torches burn outside, while the lobby centers on a tiki statue that's holding a flower lei as if to welcome guests, Hawaiian style. "Hawaii" is also one of the resort's longhouses, which are named after real Polynesian islands like Fiji and Samoa. Fun fact: the longhouses are laid out in roughly the same geographical pattern as their island counterparts.

As a deluxe Disney resort, the Polynesian Village comes with perks like extended evening theme park hours. If you've got money to burn, you can sleep on the water in one of the exclusive Bora Bora Bungalows, which are part of the hotel's Villas and Bungalows section. These rooms jut out over the Seven Seas Lagoon and are accessible via a boardwalk that's only open to bungalow guests. They feature TVs built into bathroom mirrors, beds where the headboards are surfboards, and private decks with plunge pools where you can watch the fireworks over the Magic Kingdom at night.

Prices for the bungalows are Astro Orbiter high, anywhere between $3,590 and $5,718 a night in 2026, per MouseSavers. Less expensive (though by no means inexpensive) are the $564-plus rooms in the Polynesian's new Island Tower, which opened in December 2024. The tower's swimming pool area includes a splash pad with a life-size model of Moana and her canoe from the popular Disney animated movie. One way to knock some money off the price, even if you're not a member, is by renting the points to make a Disney Vacation Club reservation for the Polynesian.

Even if you don't stay at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, it can be fun to visit the hotel and soak up the atmosphere. One way to do that is by hopping over from another hotel for a shopping or dining excursion on the property. As you wander into gift shops like the punnily named BouTiki, you'll see grinning tiki idols. Moana Mercantile also sells plush dolls based on another Hawaiian-set Disney animated film, "Lilo and Stitch."

On our last trip to the Polynesian Village, we reserved the family-style character breakfast at 'Ohana, where Stitch, Lilo, and a Hawaiian-shirted Mickey Mouse are usually on hand for table visits. They also have a photo op outside the restaurant where you can get pictures with Pluto while waiting to be seated. Trader Sam's Grog Grotto is another popular venue that lures guests from outside the Polynesian with its appetizers, cocktails, collectible tiki mugs, and decorative artifacts. The bar is first-come, first-served, and it's best to arrive early, since Trader Sam's can have a waiting list as long as the line for a Magic Kingdom ride.

At Pineapple Lanai, you can snack on the fan-favorite frozen treat, Dole Whip. The Barefoot Pool Bar serves up fish tacos and margaritas at the base of an artificial volcano in the Polynesian Village. For its part, Kona Cafe has an onstage kitchen where you can watch a line of chefs hand-roll sushi for you. To enjoy the Big Kahuna Burger, you don't have to quote movie dialogue from "Pulp Fiction" (released by Miramax Films, which was then owned by Disney), but it certainly helps. Other options for drinking and dining at the Polynesian include the Tambu Lounge and Capt. Cook's, both of which offer late-night service.