Post #101163 by donhonyc on Mon, Jul 12, 2004 1:40 PM

Speak of the (tiki) Devil! I was just at the Polynesian Village myself for the first time right before 4th of July. I have been to Disney World about 10 times I since first visited around 1973, and had never stepped into the Polynesian. This time around we did a little side trip over there late in the afternoon after galavanting around the Magic Kingdom for the whole day. I thought it was pretty cool place. Tikis-a-plenty. I didn't really have time to do as good a study of the place like some of you on this thread did. I wanted to get back to the Magic Kingdom to catch up on some rides we missed earlier in the day beofre the park closed. The only place I really saw was the Ceremonial House where the monorail drops you off. Had a few drinks and appetizers in the Tambu lounge which was cool but not the most ass kicking tiki bar in the world (I had been to Mai Kai a few days before). The Mai Tai was okay, but I remember the Zombie being better. I was impressed that the bartender actually used Trader Vic Orgeat in the Mai Tai. The strange thing was that they didn't follow the original TV Mai Tai recipe. Oh well, that's Mickey Mouse for you. Anyway...I was also hoping that they would have ceramic Polynesian Village tiki mugs, but alas they only have the glass tiki mug, which actually looks more like a goblet. Just for the helluvit I wanted to buy one, but I didn't see any in the gift shop, and by the time I had walked around still buzzed from the Zombie, I dedcided to take a pass on asking the bartender to sell me one.

I can't say I was too impressed with the tiki mugs they had in the gift shop either. One was a yellow Easter Island mug and they other was a crazy faced pastel blue looking one. The colors weren't really for me so I passed on those too. In all honesty I was saving my tiki mug money for when I went back to the Mai Kai later that week where I ended up buying 5 tiki mugs before it was all over.

Don't get me wrong. I thought the Polynesian Village was great, and I wish a) I could have spent more time there, and b) I could afford to stay there! The room prices that weekend were STARTING at $340 a night! Whoa! The crazy thing was that the place was packed, mostly with families. I mean I'm not totally poor, but if you can drop a grand or two on Disney hotels with the wife and kids on a weekend, I guess you're doing well! Me...I stayed at the Radisson 15 min from the Disney entrance, and spent less on a two night's stay than I would've on a one night stay at the PV, and the Radisson was a pretty damn nice place for the price. I

The Polynesian Village is a great place, and I hope to be back there soon. I tell ya...there is nothing quite like being disconnected from reality the way you are when you visit the Disney parks and resorts! Nothing legal that is.
Aloha!