Walking Between the Polynesian and the Grand Floridian
One of the benefits of staying at either the Grand Floridian or the Polynesian Resort is that you can easily walk between them. Since the resorts are positioned next door to each other, you can easily walk over for dining, shopping, or leisure.
The walk between the Polynesian and the Grand Floridian takes about 10-15 minutes. Therefore, if you are traveling from the lobby of one resort to the lobby of the other, it will take the full fifteen minutes at an average pace.
In this article, we’ll explore the pathway between the Grand Floridian and the Polynesian. We’ll start at the Polynesian’s lobby, the Great Ceremonial House, and make our way over to the Grand Floridian.
2022-2023 Update: At this time, the pathway discussed in this article has closed due to construction. We’ve provided a separate article in the meantime that covers the construction path between the Grand Floridian and Polynesian.
On the day I made this journey, I was visiting the Polynesian to check out the new entrance and take a few photos for updates. After finishing up at the Polynesian, I decided to take a walk over to the Grand Floridian. It was a beautiful day, and I wanted to take advantage of the nice weather.
Related: New Entrance at the Polynesian
When leaving the Great Ceremonial House to head over to the Grand Floridian, you’ll want to exit from the west side of the resort where Trader Sam’s is located. This exit is located in the hall off the lobby past Captain Cook’s.
You’ll walk straight ahead, in the direction away from the marina and the Lava Pool at the Polynesian.
As you move along, you’ll pass the Fiji village on your right-hand side. About this time, the sandy shoreline will come into view. This swing is always sitting here waiting.
If the weather is comfortable enough, I highly recommend sitting here for a spell, especially during the sunset hour. The only other swing I enjoy more at Disney is over at Crescent Lake.
Looking back, you can tell we are moving away from the Polynesian.
And up ahead, the wedding chapel at the Grand Floridian sits on the right.
As we continue our walk along the shoreline, we run into some of the outer buildings at the resort. Similar to the Polynesian, the Grand Floridian is spread out into several large buildings across the resort’s grounds.
The views along the walkway are stunning during the day. In the evening, the Electrical Water Pageant is visible from the pathway as well. If you are staying at either resort, make sure to see it after dinner one evening. Additionally, you might enjoy taking in the fireworks from one of the resort beaches as well.
Anyway, as we make the turn, we can begin to see the main building, which is home to the lobby.
Here you’ll want to stay on the pathway that weaves around in front of the Disney Vacation Club building and behind the pool area.
Related: Disney’s Grand Floridian Villas
It always seems, at this point, that you might feel like you’re going in the wrong direction.
Fear not. You’re almost there. This fountain, on the right, is a good indicator that you’ve nearly reached the lobby.
And then, the covered walkway that extends from the DVC building to the main entrance begins.
The front entrance awaits, and it’s a beautiful front entrance.
These two antique cars sit outside.
And there are a few seating areas outside underneath the monorail platform.
Before long, the planters will change out. Of course, these are always replaced with poinsettias during the holiday season.
Related: Grand Floridian at Christmas
When you enter the lobby, you’ll be greeted with a large bouquet of fresh flowers. It’s nice to see fresh flowers in the resorts again.
Aren’t they gorgeous?
From time to time, a piano player performs in the lobby. You can expect a mix of favorite Disney tunes and familiar classics. The pianist performed Clair de Lune on this visit, and it swayed me enough to sit and enjoy the lobby for a while.
Taking a walk between the Grand Floridian and the Polynesian for the sole purpose of taking a walk makes for an enjoyable part of your day at Disney World.
I would know because I make these walks regularly, and it’s part of how I became a resorts gal.
If you would like to know more about the dining options available at either resort, you might enjoy these dining guides:
Additionally, we have reviews available for stays at each resort:
For more information about the Grand Floridian, you can browse all of our articles related to the resort here.
Have you ever taken a walk between the Polynesian and the Grand Floridian? What is your favorite place to walk at Disney? Leave a comment with your thoughts below.
