Disney’s NEWEST Resort - Island Tower at Disney’s Polynesian Resort
The long awaited Island Tower at the Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort has officially opened and BOY did this one blow away my expectations! This is Disney World’s Newest Vacation Club Resort and along with the beautiful theming and incredible views, it has some fantastic rooms, delicious eats, and some great perks too. Let’s take a tour of what all the new Island Tower has to offer.
Don’t forget to check out our full resort tour here:
Disney Vacation Club
Or more commonly known as ‘DVC’, this is Disney’s version of a time share. There are quite a few DVC properties around Disney including Bay Lake Tower, the Riviera, Old Key West, and more. You do NOT have to be a DVC member to stay at these resorts, but do know that they tend to be on the pricier end when it comes to rooms at Disney.
Another great thing about DVC properties is that they have villas that are not only larger (1 & 2 bedrooms) but they also have some home-like amenities as well like kitchenettes or full kitchens, in unit washer & dryer, and more.
We’ll get a little more into the rooms a bit later, but for now, just know that these operate just like any other Disney hotel, you may just see a little more of a ‘Vacation Home’ vibe as opposed to a full on Disney Resort.
Location
This is nestled right next to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort just a short monorail or boat ride away from the Magic Kingdom. The Location makes this an excellent one for those that like to take a mid-day break or simply want the proximity to Magic Kingdom.
This does mean that it has EXCELLENT views of 7 Seas Lagoon and of course that gorgeous Cinderella Castle. You also get great views of the Grand Floridian and Contemporary hotels and if you want to do some resort hopping, you’ll simply hop on the monorail over at the Poly or you can even walk!
Transportation
As I mentioned, this is located next to Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. It does have it’s own parking lot that is designated for guests staying at the Tower EXCLUSIVELY. If you are driving your own car, just be aware that you’ll need to park at either the Transportation & Ticket Center (aka Magic Kingdom Parking Lot) and take the monorail or walking path over, or if you have a dining reservation at the Polynesian you can park at that side of the resort.
If you are coming from another Disney resort, Park, or Disney Springs, you will take whatever transportation option is available to you to get to the Polynesian Village Resort and then you will walk from there to get to the tower.
The walk is actually pretty short and isn’t any longer than if you were staying at one of the outer buildings of the Polysesian (we’re going to call this Poly Proper from now on, ok?)
If you are familiar with Trader Sam’s, you’ll head to that side of the Great Ceremonial House at Poly Proper and head out towards the Grand Floridian. There is a pretty easy walking path to follow past the Marina, then the Cove Pool and then you are at the tower!
The Lobby
Typically DVC Resorts are known to have pretty lackluster lobbies, but this one did not disappoint! When you walk in you are immediately transported to a tropical paradise with a wide variety of earthy textures and colors from wood, stone, greenery, and more.
In the center of the lobby you’ll find four pillars with beautiful carvings on them to represent Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water.
When you look up, you’ll also see beautiful art of sea creatures and a stick-looking chandelier. This Chandelier is representative of a way-finding tool native to Polynesian Culture.
On either side you’ll find plenty of seating to relax while you wait for your room or just to hang out.
Off to the side of the lobby, you’ll find more seating and a gorgeous moss instillation that is made with real moss!
You’ll also find the stunning hand-carved 2 story mural featuring loads of sea creatures - including a few friends from Moana and even some hidden Mickey’s & Minnie’s!
This is also the area where you will find public restrooms and a water fountain with a water bottle refill station.
Off the lobby is where you will find access to the upper floors and rooms. Just be aware that you will need a magicband or key card to access the upper floors and guests not staying a the resort are not allowed past the lobby. (unless you are visiting a friend who is a guest of course)
The Rooms
Duo Studio
There are several different room types available depending on the needs of your family. The smallest being the Duo Studio. This is the smallest option and is great for couples who don’t need a ton of space.
This room sleeps up to two guests and when you walk in you may be nervous when you don’t see a bed. Don’t worry! The couch is a murphy bed and pulls down into a full sized bed.
If you’ve seen the Studios at the Riviera, these are very similar, but they did add a little extra space and square footage to the room so that you can still move around when the bed it down. They even extended the couch so that you would have somewhere to sit.
The Bathroom is somewhat of a split bath with the toilet & shower in the part with a door and the sink & vanity out in the room’s entryway. This makes it a little easier for those to get ready while still having a bit of privacy.
These rooms also do include a kitchenette! This is pretty small, but does have a mini fridge, microwave, coffee maker, and things like plates and utensils for you to use.
You’ll of course also have storage in the dresser and wardrobe areas to put your things and this is also where your extra blankets, iron, and safe will be located.
If you are looking for a little more space or have a family of 4 or 5, then you may want to look into a Deluxe Studio. These rooms are going to be very similar, but they will of course be a little bigger and have a stationary bed like a normal hotel along with the Murphy Bed, and a pull down Twin sleeper.
2 Bedroom Villa
If you have a bit bigger family, then a Villa might be what you are looking for. These come in a few different sizes from 1 Bedroom to 2 Bedroom and you can even book the 2 Bedroom Penthouse Suite that covers two floors!
We were able to tour a regular 2 Bedroom and boy were these gorgeous!
This room can sleep up to 9 guests and include a family room, kitchen, main bedroom, secondary bedroom, and three bathrooms, PLUS in-unit washer & dryer.
The Main Bedroom is absolutely stunning with gorgeous artwork, it’s own balcony, and light and airy decor. You’ll find a King sized bed and a bathroom off of the bedroom.
The bathroom was just as stunning with a shower, duel sinks, and a tub featuring a floral mosiac as the centerpiece.
The second bedroom has 2 Queen sized beds with a long dresser for storage. You also have great views and access to the balcony and there is a bathroom off to the side of this one as well.
Although not quite as grand as the main bathroom, this one is still beautiful with a walk in shower and plenty of counter space.
The main family room has a pull down murphy bed where the couch is and then another pull down twin bed under the TV. The pull-down beds make this an excellent flex space for both family time during the day and a place to sleep at night.
You’ll also find the kitchen and dining area where you can opt to make your own meal for a night in. The dining table can sit around 5 guests and features another gorgeous art piece.
The kitchen has everything you would need including an oven, electric stove, refrigerator, microwave, dish washer, coffee maker, and of course all the cooking utensils, plates, silverware, etc. that you may need.
You will also find the third bathroom right off the dining area with another walk in shower and vanity. I especially loved the details in the shower in this one!
This room overall is super spacious and a great option for large families!
As a bonus for resort guests, there are a few lounge type areas that are PERFECT for catching the Magic Kingdom Fireworks! These spaces are for resort guests only, so should be pretty chill and a great place to relax with some fresh air.
The Beach
Outside you will find a super calm and relaxing space to unwind from the business of the parks. There are several seating areas as well as a few hammocks along the sandy beaches. I’m hoping that they will eventually add a few more chairs along the beach too!
This is one of several great spaces to watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks from at this resort and a good option if you don’t have a theme park view room.
Just around the corner you’ll find the Cove Pool. This is a pretty chill pool with a Hot Tub and a Moana themed splash pad! This may be a great option if you have really little ones that you can have a more controlled environment than the larger splash area at Poly Proper.
There is also a grassy area inside the pool that is the PERFECT place to watch the fireworks! Just be aware that like the rest of the pool area, this is for resort guests ONLY.
There are public pool bathrooms with showers right across from the pool with a water fountain and water bottle refill station as well as Coke Freestyle Machines to fill up your resort refillable mug (Or get cold filtered water and ice).
The Fitness Center is super nice! You’ll find all kinds of workout equipment from free weights to machines, and you’ll even find some complimentary towels, snacks, and water too.
Wailulu Bar and Grill
And finally we have the Wailulu Bar and Grill! This is the only restaurant at this resort, but it is fantastic! It features both indoor and outdoor seating, however I think the outdoor seating is superior with incredible views of the water and Magic Kingdom (hello more great firework viewing!) as well as a beautiful infinity water edge feature.
This restaurant operates from a walk-up wait list that you can access in the My Disney Experience App or you can simply walk up to any open seating at the bar.
Breakfast is mostly grab’n’go pastries that you can purchase at the bar, so if you are looking for something a little more filling, you may want to head over to Poly Proper to grab breakfast at Capt. Cook’s, Ohana, or Kona Cafe. Breakfast is served from 7am-11am.
Lunch and Dinner are again, part of that walk-up wait list, so make sure you check in about 20 minutes or so before you want to dine (it can sometimes be a little longer depending on how busy they are).
We dined here for dinner and had some fantastic eats from the Sweet Potato Hummus, Short Rib Loco Moco, and delicious Chocolate Cake.
They also have a full bar with specialty cocktails like the Banana Old Fashion and the Pandan Gin Gin Mule.
The food and drinks were delicious and absolutely worth a visit in my opinion! Lunch & Dinner is served from 11am-10pm and the Bar is open from 11am-11pm.
What do you think? Would you stay here? I know I would in a heartbeat! At the very least, I think it’s a great option to pop by if your doing a Monorail crawl or looking for something new to try.
