Is there a bad view at Disney’s Polynesian Resort? That’s the big question we’re addressing in our review of a Polynesian standard view studio. Prior to this year, we never stayed at the Disney Vacation Club (DVC) portion of the Polynesian Resort. Well, on our last two trips to Walt Disney World this changed. On both trips, we spent a portion of our vacation at the resort in a standard view studio. Was it worth it? Did we feel like we were missing out by choosing a standard view room? Let’s find out. Without another further adieu, here’s our review of the Polynesian standard view studio.
Room Types
You’ve got two options. Well, three options if you include Bungalows. One day we’ll stay there… one day. Unique to the Polynesian Resort there are only two room types for its one-room size option. The room options are either a standard view or a lake view, both studios. The difference is simple in that the lake view studios overlook Seven Seas Lagoon, compared to the standard view rooms which have views of the resort. In our experience, there were no rooms with a “parking lot” view.
Unlike other DVC Resorts like the new Disney’s Riviera Resort, there are no other room sizes outside the Bungalows. All of the studios are located in one of two longhouses dedicated to DVC, Tokelau, and Moorea. We found the Tokelau longhouse to be more centrally located compared to the Moorea longhouse, which is located near the Transportation and Ticket Center. If you’re looking for a quieter option, we recommend requesting the Tokelau longhouse. Rooms can be reserved either with DVC points or cash. The DVC rooms at Disney’s Polynesian Resort would be considered Disney Deluxe room accommodations. For our review, we’ll be focusing on the Polynesian standard view studio.
The 447 square foot studio is the largest DVC studio. DVC chose to make these the largest studios to help with the lack of other room options at the resort. The room sleeps up to 5 people and includes one queen bed, one pullout queen bed, and a twin pulldown bed. The twin bed is definitely designed for younger guests or smaller adults. It was definitely not large enough for Nate, who is 6 feet tall.
Opening The Door
It’s the moment we all look forward to. The moment where you open the door to the place you’ll call home during the vacation. There’s only one word that comes to mind when we opened the door to our Polynesian standard view studio, paradise! We could feel our cares and worries drift away, as we stepped into our tropical getaway. Now, it could have been walking into the infamous Poly lobby or wandering the grounds in search of our longhouse that created this feeling, either way, it’s a feeling we could get used to.
Over the years, we’ve been fortunate enough to stay in a variety of different DVC studios, and hands down this invokes a feeling all to itself. After coming to our senses, we looked around and made a beeline to the patio. We had to see what standard view was all about. Peaceful, so peaceful. Stepping out onto our patio we had lush green grass, beautiful tropical flowers, and a view of the monorail passing by. If this is standard, we’re all about it.
The Beds
Like sleeping on a cloud! The only thing that carries more weight than the view, has to be the bed. It can make or break a room. The good news here, the mattress is top-notch. It was firm enough for Serena yet soft enough for Nate. A rare yet, fantastic moment, when we both find a bed equally as comfortable. There is something to be said about a Disney deluxe room mattress, as we’ve never found one that’s uncomfortable. The only downside was the location of the bed compared to the clock on the microwave. If you’re on the side closest to the center of the room, you may see the light from the clock shining on you. Easy fix though, we just put a small towel over it to block out the light.
Outside of the main bed, there are two other beds. One pullout bed and one pulldown bed. In our experience, the pullout bed is decent. As far as pullout beds go, this one is one of the better options, especially for kids. We’ve definitely spent many nights sleep on a Disney pullout bed over the years. We would like to see Disney make the same switchover to the pulldown beds here, as they are with the Saratoga Springs refurbishment.
The Bathroom
Better yet, we should say bathrooms! Yes, both the Polynesian standard view studio and lake view studio have two bathrooms. More like two showers sinks, and one toilet. Either way, we’re winning! It’s perfect for a family looking to get ready for a park day, or cleaning up prior to dinner. The best part is one of the showers is also a full tub for anyone looking to take a bath. The Polynesian was the first DVC resort where we saw Disney make the switch to two showers, over the standard one. They’ve carried this design-forward with Disney’s Riviera Resort and we would expect it in any other new DVC resorts.
Beyond the two showers, having sinks is also a game-changer. Each of the bathrooms has its own sink for getting ready. We could easily see a larger group getting ready in half the time compared to a regular DVC studio. For us, the bathrooms at the DVC portion of the Polynesian Resort were second best, only behind Disney’s Riviera Resort. Disney fine-tuned the two shower design with Riviera Resort.
The Kitchenette and Storage
Did we hear you say kitchenette? Yes, yes you did. All the DVC studios have a kitchenette area that includes in a mini-fridge, coffee pot, microwave, toasts, and sink area. Additionally, Disney includes paper plates, coffee cups, and utensils. The fridge is big enough for holding a few items like a small milk container for coffee, or leftovers from dinner. It’s a bigger fridge than standard resort rooms. We found it to be just enough space to hold food for a quick breakfast before heading off to the parks. You have the option of either enjoying your coffee and a meal at the bistro table within the room or on your patio. For us, we found ourselves out on the patio more often than not.
In regards to storage, the room has a good size closet when you first walk-in. Plenty of space for hanging your clothes. Alongside the bed is a side table with two drawers for clothes. Additionally, the bed has two drawers underneath it. For even more storage you can use the inside of the coffee table, as the top lifts open. If you’re a larger group or have larger luggage, we recommend using the area near the closet to store your bags. We ended up using the space for our golf bags.
Our Thoughts
A new favorite! After being DVC members for many years, we always stayed away from the Polynesian Resort, as the point per night is higher. Well, after one stay we’re hooked! Some may say the captain got us. Hooked, captain, oh how we crack ourselves up! For us, the Polynesian standard view studio is perfect, as we usually don’t spend a ton of time in the room. If we wanted a lake view we just headed down to the beach and pulled up a beach chair. The one thing to be aware of is the Moorea longhouse. As we mentioned it is near the Transportation and Ticket Center which makes it very convenient for hopping onto the Magic Kingdom Ferry Boat or express monorail to Epcot or the Magic Kingdom. However, it can get a little loud, as the Ferry Boat honks its horn every time it arrives and leaves port. On those early Magic Kingdom morning or late nights, it could wake you from your slumber. Alright, there is only one thing left to do, and that’s going to get a Dole Whip!
