Aloha, Aaron,
Disney's Polynesian Village Resort is such a wonderful resort and one of my family favorites if not our most favorite Disney resort. We love how well it captures the feelings of the South Pacific and how easy it is to get to Epcot and the Magic Kingdom.
To help you determine the cost to upgrade your room, I'd visit the above link and click on
Room Rates. Once there, you can enter in the dates of your trip and see what rooms would be available during those dates and what they will cost.
So the tough question is, is the the upgrade worthwhile? I can share with you from my experience when our children were younger, it was a real treat to watch the fireworks from our balcony in our pajamas after a long day in the parks so that our little ones could then get right to bed. However, if your family is more a night-owl family that anticipates being out late, you may never really utilize the perks of the view. Also, not all of the rooms at the resort actually have balconies.
I'd encourage you to visit the independent website Tikimanpages.com. You'll find extensive photos and information about the resort as well as some of the views from the different longhouses (buildings). Similarly, if you visit another independent website Touringplans.com and search for
View of Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, you can see more pictures of views from the rooms. I think actual pictures of the views will really answer the question if the upgrade is worth it for your own family.
If we can help with any further questions, please let us know. We are happy to help. Wishing your family a trip filled with many unforgettable moments! -
Kara