Reviews for Polynesian Cultural Center
2874 reviews
Product: Polynesian Cultural Center
This place is amazing! The students and all the workers are so kind and full of love. They put up a great show and represent their amazung culture!
Product: Polynesian Cultural Center
Product: Polynesian Cultural Center
If you can take more than one day to enjoy all the villages. Great experience!!
Product: Polynesian Cultural Center
Product: Polynesian Cultural Center
Product: Polynesian Cultural Center
The Polynesian Cultural Center is vibrant, impressive -- there's no denying the talent of the dancers and performers. The music, shows, and "warrior" demonstrations are entertaining and captivating. Good if you're looking for a lively, culturally-themed show. However, I felt it was more of a Disneyland theme park than a truly educational one. The focus seemed skewed toward music, dance, and dramatic performances -- overshadowing the deeper history and ingenuity of Polynesian cultures. I was hoping to learn more about the transformations and inventions of these societies—the advanced navigation techniques that allowed them to explore and colonize the Pacific, their sophisticated farming methods, and the complex societal systems they developed. Unfortunately, these inventions and historical achievements felt like a secondary component to the performing arts of the theme-park shows. I guess I wanted an educational experience more like the Pearl Harbor historic educational exhibits. That place had a lot of informational displays, historic videos, artifacts, and other more historical exhibits. When you consider the theme park focus and the superficial treatment of Polynesian culture (without the history that I mentioned), which is then monetized, it gave me mixed emotions. I wasn't sure if I was viewing caricatures or real culture, what time periods, and what the significance was. I mean, I felt like I should have learned about Captain Cook and the history of pre and post colonization or something. However, probably the best exhibit was inside a Tongan house, where we had a freeform conversation with a Tongan for about a half hour and learned all about his childhood and the society there. So the history is here, it's just not explicit and is overshadowed by the shows and performances. Basically you have to interview the center's guides (which you can -- they're nice and totally conversational). Overall, it's a great place for entertainment, but if you're seeking an educational dive into Polynesian history, you might be left wanting more. The Breath of Life show (the main evening show) was designed to tell and epic story, but the plot/message was so cliche and westernized, it wasn't engaging. It's basically the Lion King, or circle of life. And the plot magically aligns with one family connecting to another, so it feels very LDS-centric in its themes and events. One more note: So many of the shows and characters are male-centered. My wife was looking for more of a balance, with more female leads. In most shows, including the Breath of Life, most of the females are decorative -- except the fire dancer at the end. She was pretty awesome/entertaining. My wife actually skipped the final show b/c it was too loud for her, and I think she was tired of seeing male-dominated performances. I probably should note that we're ex-mo's so there's a bit of rancor and sensitivity that we still feel. Our friends we were with liked everything here. I think I should have gone to the Bishop museum instead.
Product: Polynesian Cultural Center
We visited the culture center on a Friday and the general tickets are good for 3 business days which allows plenty of time to visit every village and activities in the center. It was a bit pricey but the kids enjoyed it a lot plus the proceeds support students from the University of Hawaii by helping pay for their education costs. We didn't get to see the night show but I bet it would have been cool to watch. I would recommend this place. It's full of information and activities!
Product: Polynesian Cultural Center
Product: Polynesian Cultural Center
Product: Polynesian Cultural Center
Great experience at the PCC. While the entertainment is great, I enjoyed engaging the students/ guides, most of whom are native Polynesians. One from Tonga spent 20 minutes with us talking about life, today in his country - wow, what a different life most of those people love than us in first world countries. We loved the luau and performance at the end. Highly recommended experience!
Product: Polynesian Cultural Center
I really think that this place has to be a MUST. There is so much to learn, all the people that work there are students and always happy.
Product: Polynesian Cultural Center
Product: Polynesian Cultural Center
Product: Polynesian Cultural Center
If you want to get to know the people of the islands, this is the place. Get here early. See the shows and participate in the activities.
Product: Polynesian Cultural Center
One should not leave Oahu without visiting here. It would be a tragedy to do so.
Product: Polynesian Cultural Center
Product: Polynesian Cultural Center
You have to experience it once in your life...
Product: Polynesian Cultural Center
Worth the money you pay! Shoutout to our gateway buffet server Cortny from the Philippines she was a very good and helpful young lady! Highly Recommended and I will definitely comeback again! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Product: Polynesian Cultural Center
Product: Polynesian Cultural Center