Category Archives: Tiki Sites and Stores

Boutiki at Disney’s Polynesian Resort – Orlando, FL

Posted by The Tiki Chick in Tiki Sites and Stores and tagged with , , , ,

Boutiki at Disney's Polynesian Resort

Ok, this is the last post about Disney World’s Polynesian Resort, I promise. I hesitated to include it, but it’s such a tiki train wreck, starting with these mischievous fellows with the crazy bulging eyes.

Yikes

Yikes.

Ugly tikis at the Polynesian Resort

I think these monstrosities are playing hide and seek in the store.

Polynesian Resort print

Aside from those giant ugly tikis, this is actually a great store. It had a bunch of merchandise tailored to the Polynesian Resort, like prints, mugs, t-shirts, etc. It was a nice change since all the shops at Disney World seem to carry most of the same stuff.

Disney World Polynesian Resort Shirt

I loved this design and had to get the shirt—you may remember that it’s Shag-approved! Mickey and Stitch make cameos, obviously, but I just noticed that Donald Duck might be in there too.

Boutiki

EDITOR’S NOTE: Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort has been undergoing extensive renovations in 2014, so consider this post a time capsule.

Disney’s Polynesian Resort – Orlando, FL

Posted by The Tiki Chick in Tiki Sites and Stores and tagged with , ,

Disney's Polynesian Resort

My family went to Disney World this summer and I thought the parks were great, of course, but I was almost more impressed by the resorts The Mouse has built to house his tourists. I love themed things, and the attention to detail given to each of the hotels is staggering—especially the Animal Kingdom Villas, the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, and the TIKI-themed Polynesian Resort.

Tikis watching over the valet parking station

However, this is a “deluxe” resort and one of Disney’s most popular so rooms start at $355 per night! Needless to say, we stayed elsewhere but I had to make a trip out there to do some exploring.

Once you enter the realm of Disney, you’re immediately transported from a concrete parking lot to a tropical paradise. Waterfalls, hibiscus and lush foliage surround the wooden bridge that takes you into the lobby.

The lobby

I like all the bamboo in the lobby area. With all the greenery and openness of the main building, the resort looked and felt very Hawaiian to me. Guests even get orchid leis when they check in.

The Great Ceremonial House

Their site says that the Great Ceremonial House is supposed to resemble a royal Tahitian assembly lodge and that there’s more than 75 kinds of plantlife in this oasis they have going on in the atrium. You have to appreciate how Disney can go all out!

You can’t really see here, but there are “hidden” Mickeys designed into the pattern of the rug. In the background you can see the display window of their main store, the Bou-Tiki.

A village longhouse

Surrounding this main building are nearly a dozen “village longhouses” where the actual hotel rooms are located. Each of the longhouses are named after Polynesian islands (Rapa Nui, Hawaii, etc.) and feature a unique design with those red, brown and orange colors straight out of the seventies.

The Polynesian Resort

Though that shouldn’t be surprising considering the Polynesian Resort opened back in 1971 as one of Disney World’s first on-site hotels.

Rongo tiki

Among the tiki statues we found while wandering the grounds was Rongo, who may look familiar to you from Disneyland’s Enchanted Tiki Room.

I heart hammocks

Near the pool is a beach area with hammocks that were just too tempting not to lounge in for a bit. Hammocks are definitely a plus in my book.

This spot is also supposed to be a good place to watch the fireworks over Cinderella’s Castle at the Magic Kingdom park across the lake. (Swimming in the Seven Seas Lagoon is forbidden…alligators, perhaps? This is Florida, after all.)

Polynesian Resort at Disney World

Polynesian Resort at Disney World
1600 Seven Seas Dr.
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
407-824-2000
disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/polynesian-resort

EDITOR’S NOTE: Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is undergoing extensive renovations in 2014, so consider this a time capsule. For the latest updates, you should check out Tikiman’s Unofficial Polynesian Resort Pages

Tiki & Baseball at Wrigley Field

Posted by The Tiki Chick in Tiki Sites and Stores and tagged with , ,

Wrigley Field marquee

One of the big things Mr. Baseball and I planned for our Chicago trip was a Cubs home game—my first! Much to my Southside-born-and-raised family’s chagrin, I had a wonderful time. I know most people love the brick and the ivy, but I was enamored with the marquee…

Dixieland band in front of Wrigley

And the brass band playing Dixieland music. There was even a banjo player!

The manual scoreboard

Mr. Baseball took me around Wrigleyville for a bit beforehand. We went to the batting cages above Sluggers and drank some Goose Island’s 312. I figured that and Bud/Old Style at the park would be the extent of the day’s beverage selection.

Wha?!

I went to the concession stand to pick up some classic snacks like Cracker Jack (it was invented in this town!) and a hot dog, and I couldn’t believe my eyes when I scanned the board. They serve Mai Tais here?!

Mai Tai at Wrigley Field

So, of course, how could I not get one, right? And there’s a baseball embossed on the souvenir cup, to boot. (It’s laughable that it’s billed as “The Original World Famous Mai Tai.” I think Trader Vic would have something to say about that…) The Mai Tai was made with Fresh Island mix—pretty tart and not that great, but I suppose it was worth it for the sheer novelty.

Outside Wrigley Field

I was so tickled to find another serendipitous convergence of baseball and tiki. Even better, the Cubs beat the Brewers so we got to sing the “Go, Cubs, Go” victory song by Steve Goodman. Good times.