What it is like at Disney’s Polynesian overwater bungalows

A few of the solely overwater bungalows in the USA are positioned the place you might least count on it — Walt Disney World Resort in Central Florida. Sure, in Central Florida.

Imagine it or not, sitting on the shore of Disney’s Seven Seas Lagoon, there are 20 true overwater bungalows at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort at Disney World referred to as the Bora Bora Bungalows. And if what you affiliate with Disney World lodgings are cartoon-decorated, in any other case fairly normal lodge rooms, you may be shocked while you stroll down the dock and open the door of those bungalows.

Not solely do these well-appointed two-bedroom Polynesian overwater bungalows that first opened in 2015 include a novel overwater setting and out of doors non-public plunge pool, that is Disney World, so additionally they include a view of the night fireworks at Disney’s Magic Kingdom, full with piped-in music timed completely with the fireworks overhead.

I’ve stayed in lots of Disney accommodations starting from very good resorts to some budget-friendly choices, however these bungalows appeared like a dream manner too large to ever dream.

So, when TPG’s long-time DVC factors rental companion, David’s Trip Membership, reached out and supplied me an opportunity to do this bungalow utilizing a few of their factors, I could not have presumably stated sure and prolonged an current journey by an evening quick sufficient.

This is the whole lot you might need to find out about Disney’s Polynesian overwater bungalows, together with the much-asked query of simply how a lot they price (spoiler alert: it is so much) and a manner you may probably e book for nearly 30% much less by renting Disney Trip Membership factors as an alternative of paying the going money charges.

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Disney’s Polynesian Bungalows are laid out on the shore of the bigger Polynesian Village Resort. To search out these bungalows, you may stroll in the direction of the ‘seaside’ space of the resort and search for the hard-to-miss gated dock that results in these bungalows.

It is not going you’ll get too shut to those villas with out a reservation, as you may must scan your MagicBand or keycard to get previous the gate.

Aside from barely totally different areas (which we are going to discuss extra about shortly), every of the 20 Polynesian Bungalows are primarily equivalent, with a dock resulting in the lined porch, full with a wind chime and a padded seat on the porch adjoining to the entrance door.

Moving into the bungalows, you may enter right into a hardwood floored hallway which leads into the open-concept front room and kitchen. The hallway is flanked on both facet by the 2 bedrooms.

There’s a vaulted wood ceiling and bits of Polynesian-inspired decor with an ocean-themed colour palette of blues and browns, more likely to signify the water and the seaside. Very like within the Copper Creek Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, these are finest regarded as mini high-end properties that occurred to be positioned on the Disney monorail loop with a view of the Magic Kingdom.

The kitchen has full-sized home equipment, silverware, cooking utensils, pots, pans and sponges, dishwashing cleaning soap and different requirements. There is a eating desk for eight, which can also be the utmost occupancy of the bungalow.

The lounge has a sofa which additionally serves as the situation for a pull-down Murphy mattress that may sleep two. Beneath the big front room TV is a pull-down single mattress with probably the most distinctive themes hidden inside … the traditional Electrical Water Pageant, which has been round because the park opened in 1971 and you’ll nonetheless see from the again porch of the bungalow every night.

The first bed room is sort of massive for a Disney bed room and has a king-sized mattress and a direct door that takes you out to the again deck. Thankfully, given what number of devices and gizmos households normally need to cost every night whereas at Disney, resembling the brand new MagicBand+ choices, there are many retailers to juice up your electronics.

A shining star of the first bed room is the en suite toilet which is beautiful.

There’s floor-to-ceiling ocean blue shimmering tile, double self-importance, a deep soaking tub, walk-in bathe and in-mirror TV. I’ve seen in-mirror TVs earlier than, however none as effectively performed and all-around improbable as this. I will admit, I watch recordings of the Disney welcome display screen on YouTube at dwelling as joyful background noise at occasions, so having it in my overwater bungalow’s toilet was simply #targets I did not know I had.

Throughout the corridor is the secondary bed room with a surfboard-inspired headboard over the queen-sized mattress and one other single pull-down mattress beneath the TV, this time with a Lilo and Sew theme hidden inside while you pull out the mattress. This room is extra compact than the first bed room however it nonetheless feels spacious, with a big window and a sitting space. It would not have an en suite toilet, however one is accessible from the hallway positioned between this room and the lounge.

In the identical space because the secondary toilet can also be a washer and dryer, which is an underrated amenity on a household journey.

Exterior on the big deck, you may discover two largely impractical and considerably uncomfortable (however nonetheless enjoyable) swinging chairs, two lounge chairs and a small desk for 4.

However the crown jewels out listed here are the view itself and the plunge pool, which at first could seem to be an afterthought because it’s neither heated nor massive sufficient to really swim in. However let me let you know, after coming back from Magic Kingdom on a 100-degree day, it was fairly improbable to take a fast dip there with out having to go all the best way to the primary pool.

After all, with the large and improbable Lava Pool a brief stroll away, the plunge pool could understandably not be the place you do the majority of your swimming. However, it is nonetheless fairly good to have, even when all you do is dangle your toes in it whereas having fun with an on-deck cocktail.

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• Actually the whole lot. You’re in an overwater two-bedroom villa with a full front room, kitchen and a plunge pool at Disney World. Life is nice when you’re staying at a Polynesian overwater bungalow.
• Extra particularly, having a lot house at Disney to sleep as much as eight individuals is a large luxurious. It is lots of enjoyable having a front room and personal deck to hang around with family and friends and chat over a glass of wine you may pour your self from the fridge.
• You’ll be able to take the boat or monorail from the Polynesian to Magic Kingdom or take the monorail to Epcot (when you stroll or take the monorail loop to the Ticket and Transportation Middle), making the situation principally nearly as good because it will get on a Disney property. Moreover, the facilities of the Polynesian itself, such because the eating places, swimming pools and basic theming, are top-notch, making it a spot so good I virtually do not advocate it because it’s onerous to ever return to staying elsewhere.
• It would not get higher than watching the Electrical Water Pageant and night fireworks at Magic Kingdom from your individual deck. You’ll be able to even pipe within the music timed to the fireworks in your patio, making probably the most magical place on earth tackle an entire new that means.

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Issues I did not love concerning the Polynesian Bungalows

I would have stayed in these overwater bungalows for so long as they’d let me, which sadly was only one evening, so take all the issues I did not love about them with an enormous grain of salt. However, if I have been to provide some constructive areas the place the bungalows might be even higher for these paying top-dollar to be there, the record would come with:

• We have been in one of many bungalows closest to the Ticket and Transportation Middle (TTC). From an hour earlier than early entry to the Magic Kingdom (7:30 a.m. on our date) till 90 minutes after the park closed (11:30 p.m. for us) you’d hear the frequent horns of the ferries taking individuals backwards and forwards to the park. It was loud and except you’re a heavy sleeper (or utilizing earplugs), it may make for fairly quick nights of sleep in case you are staying within the villas for a number of nights. I would request a villa far-off from the TTC, when you’ve got that choice.
• Including to the quick evening difficulty, there’s actually no good method to maintain out the sunshine and sleep in. The bungalows are appointed with considerably translucent window shades and there are hardwood slats on the door resulting in the deck, neither of which stored out the solar.
• The value. This in all probability goes with out saying, however as we are going to dive into subsequent, that is a very costly place to remain at Disney World that prices in a single evening what a complete Disney World trip may price for a household. In order a lot as I really like the bungalows, the percentages are quick that I may ever really afford to remain right here for actual.

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You’ll be able to e book these with Disney Trip Membership factors when you personal factors — and even when you simply need to lease another person’s DVC factors.

It is nonetheless dear, with stays beginning at 112 DVC factors per evening in the course of the least costly time of the 12 months (weekdays from Sept. 1–30). In distinction, the common studios on the Polynesian that extra intently resemble normal lodge rooms begin at simply 14 factors per evening throughout that very same lowest-priced time of the 12 months. So, one bungalow can price the identical variety of DVC factors as eight studio villas.

However let’s not let practicality get in the best way of attaining a bucket record purpose. Despite the fact that it does price lots of factors, it could actually nonetheless be cheaper to lease DVC factors to remain within the bungalow than pay the going money fee. It is also just a little simpler to seek out DVC availability than money availability.

David’s Trip Membership, who offered the factors for my keep, sometimes expenses $21 per rented DVC level for stays inside seven months ($23 per level for stays 7–11 months). At that $21 per rented level price, 112 factors would set you again $2,352 per evening for the villa. Distinction that to the bottom money fee I may discover at $3,272.75 all-in, and it can save you near 30% when you go the rented factors route.

That is nonetheless extremely dear for many trip budgets. Nonetheless, because it sleeps eight, it might be cut up by two households, after which it drops from never-would-I-ever costly to possibly once-in-a-lifetime for an evening or two type of costly.

Given {that a} common Disney lodge room at a deluxe resort can price $500–$700+ per evening (let’s assume that is inside your funds), then paying $1,176 when you cut up the bungalow in the course of the lowest-priced time of the 12 months with one other household for an evening is not that loopy if that is in your record of Disney targets.

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Do not stress if that is by no means going to slot in your funds, irrespective of what number of occasions you cut up it. Simply e book an ordinary room or studio on the Polynesian — which, once more, you are able to do for as few as 14 rented DVC factors within the lowest-priced occasions of the 12 months, coming to $294–$322 at $21–$23 per rented DVC level. Regardless of your room, you may nonetheless take pleasure in one heck of a keep at what is definitely my favourite Disney resort lodge.

From onsite Dole Whip, out of doors night motion pictures, watching the fireworks from the seaside, the swimming pools and splash pad, waterslide and extra, I would argue there is not a greater theme park resort anyplace.

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