Hi Judy, and welcome to planDisney. There’s nothing more magical than staying at the
Polynesian, with the tropical vibes and view of Cinderella Castle! It’s one of my favorite resort hotels, and I’d be happy to help figure out what room would be best for your stay.
In terms of room type, you’ll likely want to book an accessible room if you haven’t already. When you search for
resort hotel options on the Disney World website, you can select a checkbox for Accessible Rooms. Under the Polynesian, you can choose from wheelchair accessible rooms with a tub or transfer shower.
Now, let’s chat about being close to the monorail. There aren’t any guest rooms in the Great Ceremonial House, which is where you’ll find the monorail, as well as the front desk, gift shops, and dining. But I’d recommend requesting a room near the Great Ceremonial House that’s either on the first floor or near an elevator. The Polynesian is made up of several different “longhouses” around the resort grounds, and none are too far from that main building. Once you get there, you’ll need to take the elevator to the second floor, where the monorail is located. All
Disney transportation is wheelchair accessible, including the
monorail,
buses,
boats, and
Skyliner.
To add a room request to your reservation, give the
Tickets and Hotel Reservations phone number a call. While requests aren’t guaranteed, Cast Members will do their best to grant your wish!
Before I go, I wanted to share a few resources that you may find helpful. The first is a list of
Services for Guests with Mobility Needs, which you can find on the Disney World website or in the
My Disney Experience app (great to have on the go!). In the app, go to ☰ in the lower right corner and then find Accessibility and Health Services towards the bottom of the page (under Help & Feedback). On the next screen, scroll down until you see Guest Services at Walt Disney World Resort. In that section, click Learn More next to Services for Guests with Mobility Disabilities.
You may also want to look at the
Theme Park Guide Maps for Guests with Disabilities on the Disney World website before you go. There’s lots of information in there, including where you can find the wheelchair viewing areas for parades and fireworks.
Finally, I wanted to give my panelist pal
Kami a shoutout. She has lots of experience navigating Disney World by wheelchair and would be a great resource as you get ready for your upcoming trip. You can ask her questions directly from her
profile page.
I hope you have the most magical stay at the Polynesian next month! And if you have any other questions, we’d love to have you back at planDisney.
JoAnna