Disney’s Polynesian Resort Refurbishment – Updates & Info

One of Walt Disney World’s most beloved hotels is getting a BIG refurbishment. Find out how Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is changing and everything new coming to this resort for the 50th Anniversary!

In this post, we are going to break down everything we know so far about the Disney’s Polynesian Resort refurbishment and what is included in the project. Everything from the Moana-themed hotel rooms, the new porte cochere and monorail station will be included.

Just think, even though the Polynesian Resort underwent a substantial refurbishment only a few years ago, we are already getting more changes. Let’s hope they will make one of Disney World’s best Deluxe Resorts even better!

Before we get started, make sure to sign up for our FREE Weekly E-Mail Newsletter for the latest updates to Disney’s Polynesian Resort and our best Disney vacation tips. You can sign up here: Join our E-Mail Newsletter!

(UPDATE) – Polynesian Resort Opening July 19 and Monorail in August

Disney has recently announced that the Polynesian Resort is reopening on July 19, 2021, however not all of the areas from the refurbishment will be immediately accessible.

Of course, most of the newly remodeled Moana guest rooms will be ready by July 19, and so will the front-desk in the Great Ceremonial House.

Another of the big improvements is the new porte cochere which will be ready and receiving guests arriving via Disney Magical Express and valet.

On the other hand, the new monorail station will not be ready in time, neither will the new entrance. It seems that Disney is preparing to reopen the monorail station in mid-August, when bus service from the Polynesian to EPCOT stops.

If you are in the mood for a feast however, the popular ‘Ohana restaurant is now open, so head on over for some noodles and bread pudding! Stay tuned for more updates soon and keep reading for more details.

First Look at New Polynesian Resort Rooms

Recently, Disney has just shared some photos of the new Polynesian Resort refurbishment, complete with a look at the Moana-themed rooms!

As you can see, these newly reimagined spaces include a new color palette inspired by the Pacific Ocean and its many islands. Not only that, many of the details, patterns and textures throughout the room are from the hit Walt Disney Animation Studios film “Moana.”

The colorful patterns throughout the space really add new energy to the space, reminiscent of ocean waves and tropical flowers. It’s all done in a subtle way on the wall paper, curtains and furniture and done in a way even adults will enjoy.

These changes even carry into the bathroom, kitchenettes and hallway spaces.

The refurbishment doesn’t stop with the rooms however, as the whole resort is getting work done, including the Great Ceremonial House and monorail station.

Disney Imagineer Zach Riddley recently shared his thoughts on the design of the project:

“I’m thrilled to share the first look at the new arrival experience from our design teams coming to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort! As you can see in the rendering above, we were inspired by the iconic mid-20th century architecture that the Polynesian is famous for.

The colors, patterns and textures found throughout the resort are reflected in the design of the new porte cochere with a high-pitched open-truss roof covered in a thatch style and a bold façade that complements the Longhouses.

The monorail station will be transformed with bold new wooden screens covered with geometric patterns in bright, tropical colors. The Polynesian is a fan favorite and our Imagineering and Walt Disney World teams are excited to bring these new changes to life in this iconic resort.“

Reservations for the new Polynesian Rooms in July 2021 are already available for booking on the Disney World website.

The Polynesian Resort is participating in a change of the Walt Disney World hotels which are currently creating the “Disney Resorts Collection.” This is a concerted effort to bring the Disney magic more from the parks and into the hotels, concentrating on storytelling and the fantasy worlds the characters are inspired from.

Disney wants to more fully immerse guests into these worlds in every moment of their stay, including the hotels. Expect to see many more Disney characters worked into the hotel theming, like the “Incredibles” themed rooms likely coming to the Contemporary Resort.

We’ll have more details soon so stay tuned…

Polynesian Resort Refurbishment Overview

Here are the main details to know about the refurbishment at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort:

• The work is concentrated on the Great Ceremonial House
• New Moana-themed rooms coming
• New porte cochere
• Changes to the Monorail Station
• Bolder, more colorful facades on the Longhouses
• Enhanced gardens and fountains
• New chandeliers in the resort lobby

As you may know, like many Walt Disney World Resorts at the moment, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort has yet to fully reopen since the Disney World closure in March 2020. Disney has recently announced that the Polynesian Resort reopening has now been delayed until Summer 2021, with a big refurbishment coming to the Great Ceremonial House and rooms.

Since attendance and demand for hotel rooms in Disney World is at an all-time low, Disney has decided to use this time to refurbish the one if its most prized resorts.

When is the Project Starting?

The refurbishment is already underway and started on the Polynesian Great Ceremonial House and guest rooms in October 2020.

Moana-themed Rooms

At this point, we have most of the details about the project and know that the guest rooms are being re-themed to Disney’s Moana. The rooms will be complete with details, textures, and patterns from the film and include a move to a Pacific Ocean-inspired color palette.

It’s unclear if EVERY room will get the Moana treatment or select rooms like the Little Mermaid rooms at Art of Animation. From what we understand it will be ALL, the rooms, but we have to confirm that.

Guests have been complaining for years that the Disney World Hotel rooms are boring and too much like standard hotels you can find anywhere in the country, and this move definitely changes that line of thinking.

I’m torn because on the one hand, I want to see more immersive, themed hotel rooms at Disney, but on the other hand, I’m not sure I want them ALL to be based on an IP. I guess it will depend on how “in-your-face” the new theming is and we’ll hold final judgment until we see them.

New Porte Cochere

One of the main components to the Polynesian refurbishment is the newly designed Porte Cochere, or car port, which will be front and center when guests arrive.

This is the description given by Disney:

“We were inspired by the iconic mid-20th century architecture that the Polynesian is famous for. The colors, patterns and textures found throughout the resort are reflected in the design of the new porte cochere with a high-pitched open-truss roof covered in a thatch style and a bold façade that complements the Longhouses.”

The Lobby

Here is a description of what more changes come to the hotel entrance:

“Enhancements will also be made to the lush gardens and fountains that have welcomed guests to the resort since opening day.  The open and airy design of the entryway will feature dramatic lighting elements, including beautiful chandeliers inspired by glass floats, fishing nets and oversized bamboo elements.

The new chandeliers will match the existing grand chandelier in the resort lobby, artfully bridging interior and exterior spaces.”

Monorail Station

Starting on November 2, 2020, the monorail stop at Disney’s Polynesian will be temporarily closed due to construction happening at the Great Ceremonial House.

The official description says “the monorail station will be transformed with bold new wooden screens covered with geometric patterns in bright, tropical colors that complete an exciting new composition that will greet you when you arrive.”

It sounds like it will be pretty eye-catching once it’s done.

Originally, the monorail station at the Polynesian was expected to reopen in July 2021. However, in the latest update from Disney they said it will not be ready in time even though the rest of the resort is reopening.

A large part of the work is concentrated on the Great Ceremonial House (Main Lobby). That is the building where the monorail stop is located, so at least for a while during the construction period, that stop will not be available to guests.

At this time Disney has not announced an official reopening date for the monorail station at the Polynesian Resort, however, it looks like it will be ready in Mid-August. That’s when Disney has scheduled to stop bus transportation from the Polynesian Resort to EPCOT and the only other way to get there is by monorail.

Guests will have a few options for transportation during the refurbishment…

Options for getting to the Magic Kingdom or Ticket and Transportation Center include by boat or by walking, using the new Grand Floridian to Magic Kingdom walkway.

Disney also is offering bus transportation to Magic Kingdom Park and the other 3 theme parks from the Polynesian through Mid-August.

Is Anything Staying Open at the Polynesian Resort?

We do know that the Villas and Bungalows at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort will remain open during the refurbishment, so you still can plan a trip to the resort in the next few months.

The restaurants are a bit of a problem because they are located in the Great Ceremonial Hosue, right where the majority of the work will be taking place. Guests will still be able to dine at the restaurants located there, but they will be on limited hours and closing earlier than usual.

When Will the Polynesian Resort Refurbishment End?

Originally, the Polynesian Resort was supposed to reopen on August 12, 2020, then it was delayed until October 4. The current refurbishment is now scheduled to be complete on July 19, 2021.

We understand the change in plans as it just doesn’t make sense to open the resort right now during Disney World’s phased reopening. If Disney had these upgrades it wanted to get done to the Polynesian Resort, this is the perfect time to do it since reservations are extremely low right now.

Once we get closer to Disney’s World’s upcoming 50th Anniversary in Fall 2021, demand will start coming back and there will be a need for the Polynesian, so it’s better to get these things taken care of now.

Your Thoughts

I want to know what you think about the refurbishment happening at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort…

• Are you looking forward to the new changes?
• What other improvements should they make?

Let us know in the comments section below!

If you enjoyed this article, as always I appreciate it if you’d share it with others via social media.  I work hard at making this website into a useful resource for you and your family to plan your visit to the Disney Parks and I hope it can help you! Thanks 🙂