What Are the Booking Options at the Polynesian?

The Island Tower has opened at Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows. You’re understandably wondering whether you should choose the splashy new expansion tower or the classic Disney Vacation Club hotel rooms. 

For this reason, we’ll do something a bit different this time. This will be a two-part evaluation of the hotel’s expanded choices now that the Island Tower is open. We’ll start with the old-school rooms. So, what are the classic booking options at the Polynesian?

Let’s Talk about the Deluxe Studio

When the Polynesian joined the DVC program, its claim to fame were its two unique Room Types. Now that the Island Tower has expanded, the resort offers some more conventional rooms as well, but the first two remain distinctive.

The first is the Deluxe Studio, a 465-square-foot demonstration of DVC genius. These rooms feature the holy grail of all Studios: two bathrooms! Okay, technically, it’s just one and a half baths, but that’s splitting hairs.

People can shower and get dressed in two separate rooms, something that usually requires a Villa booking.

These Studios sleep up to five guests. So, that’s a huge asset when getting dressed in the morning. To a larger point, with 465 square feet of space, you can really stretch out and enjoy the room.

When you enter, the full bathroom is near the door. Keep walking and you’ll reach the half-bath with the glorious rainfall shower, my favorite in the DVC library.

Then, the bedroom area features a Queen bed and a pulldown kids will adore. That’s because they’ll feel like they’re having a sleepover with Lilo & Stitch. The wall art on the pulldown features the beloved duo. 

These Studios also include a seating area, a sofa bed, and a patio. In terms of base Studios, this is my favorite room in the DVC program. I’ve spent the most nights here of anywhere, too. 

Let’s Talk about the Two-Bedroom Bungalow

I’ve never spent the night in a Bungalow, although I’ve explored the room like so many of you. DVC happily offers tours at times when there’s an open Bungalow. The company knows you’ll want to buy more DVC Points once you visit this place. Here’s a video of it:

You’ll know these suites are special as you walk across the wooden bridge to your destination. Disney has built these Bungalows into the water. So, they’re the closest rooms at the hotel to Magic Kingdom, and your view includes landmarks like Space Mountain and Cinderella Castle. 

You’ll feel like you’ve got Walt Disney World to yourself due to the secluded nature of the room. Each Bungalow is an island unto itself at South Seas Lagoon, making them impeccably themed as well. 

The Bungalow sleeps up to eight guests via one king bed, one queen bed, one queen-sized pulldown, and two single pulldowns. In short, you and your loved ones can comfortably hole up in this 1,093-square-foot island paradise. 

Upon its introduction, the Bungalow instantly became the most decadent experience in the DVC library, and I include Grand Villas in that. There’s simply nothing like having an in-water hotel room right across the lagoon from Magic Kingdom. You’ll notice I’m not even being as specific as usual here since the experience is so inimitable and desirable. Stay here if you can!

Let’s Talk about the Room Types

The booking options at the Polynesian’s classic longhouses are straightforward. You can stay in a room with a standard view, which DVC now calls Resort View. Alternately, you can choose Premium View. Until recently, Premium View had a clearer title for this Room Type: Lake View.

Branding issues aside, Lake/Premium View is exactly what you’d expect. Your room overlooks Seven Seas Lagoon, providing a glimpse of Magic Kingdom. Obviously, the views aren’t as pristine in the Studios as you’d find in the Bungalows, but they’re still quite magical. 

You must decide whether you’re willing to pay a few DVC Points more during your visit for this view. For those of you who have never stayed at the Polynesian, I’d suggest you skip it during your first visit. 

I rarely provide such specific advice in these articles, but this Room Type is similar to BoardWalk View. Both can be loud. Some guests complain that the Electrical Water Pageant and Friendship Boats are distractingly noisy at night. My wife often refers to the pageant as the “noisy boats.”

I’ll add that this “con” is also a pro to many. You’ll enjoy a close view of the Electrical Water Pageant in a Lake View room. During your first visit, you can stay in a Resort View room and watch the boats from outside your Studio. Then, you can decide whether you mind the music. 

In part two, I’ll evaluate the new Room Types at the Island Tower. Please note that these rooms are brand new as of December 2024, whereas the longhouses are decades old. So, the choice really is as simple as “classic versus new.”