Home > FAQ's

The Polynesian Cultural Center is a wonderful place to experience; but with about 1,300 employees representing the island people and nations of Hawaii, Samoa, Maori New Zealand (Aotearoa), Fiji, Tonga, Easter Island, Tahiti and the Marquesas (French Polynesia) — spread over approximately 16 million square miles of Pacific Ocean, it's only natural that you might have a few questions.
 
Over the 40-plus years since the PCC opened in 1963, we've found malahini or "'newcomer' visitors ask some of the same questions you might have in your own mind. To help finalize your decision to visit the Polynesian Cultural Center, or just to satisfy your curiosity, here are our answers to the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) — organized into the following categories:
 
• Ticket Package Information
• Hours of Operation and Location
• How to make reservations
• How to Contact Us
• Transportation and Accommodations
• Best Prices Guarantee
• Special discounts, rates and promotions
• Cancellations, No-shows, Rebooking and Refunds
• Passouts, Lost Tickets and "Free within Three"
• Dining options
• Wheelchairs, special needs and requests
• Getting around the Center
• What activities do you have for children?
• Can other groups perform at PCC?
• Guidelines for your safety and enjoyment
• Taking pictures and videos
• Remembering the experience
• I've been there before: Is there anything new?
• What is the purpose of it all?
• Employment

Ticket package information:

Top

The Polynesian Cultural Center offers a wide variety of tickets and prices ranging from top-of-the-line personalized VIP service and handling — the Super Ambassador Package — to General Admission.
 
To fully enjoy the complete Polynesian Cultural Center experience, we suggest you select one of our five main packages that include admission to the islands and daytime activities, various levels of dining options, and a range of reserved seating choices for the evening show.
 
Follow the links to a more complete description of each ticket package:
 
Complete packages
(also available with ground transportation from Waikiki):

Other packages or tickets (Please contact our reservations department for prices and availability)

Each ticket type is available for adults (ages 12-and-up) or children (ages 3-11). There is no charge for children under age 3, unless they plan to occupy a reserved seat at the evening show.

Hours of Operation and Location

Top

Days
The Polynesian Cultural Center is open Monday-Saturday (closed Sundays, Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays). Other blackout dates may apply.
 
Hours (Hawaii Standard Time)
The parking lot, gift shops, snack bar, and Gateway Luncheon Buffet open at 11:00 a.m. Island tours and cultural presentations begin at 12:30 p.m. with other island activities spread throughout the afternoon. The islands close at 6:30 p.m. The Box Office closes at 8:00 p.m.
 
The Rainbows of Paradise canoe pageant is staged on the PCC's freshwater lagoon near Samoa and Hawaii at 2:30 p.m. each afternoon.
 
The Center's own IMAX™ Theater — the only one in Hawaii — features 40-minute presentations of Coral Reef Adventure throughout the day.
 
The Ambassador Restaurant and the Gateway Buffet are open continuously from 5:00-7:00 p.m.
 
The Alii Luau runs from 5:15-6:30 p.m. Please plan to be at the Ali'i Luau no later than 5:00 p.m. for your lei greeting. The old-style Hawaiian entertainment lasts until 6:30 p.m.
 
The Center's world-famous evening show, Horizons, Where the Sea Meets the Sky, starts at 7:30 p.m. in the Pacific Theater, and finishes at 9:00 p.m. There is a short intermission about half way through. All seats are reserved. Advanced reservations are highly recommended as evening show seating is assigned on a first-come basis according to the type of ticket purchased. Pineapple Deelites and souvenir programs are available for purchase.
 
Our gate handouts outlining all of the Polynesian Cultural Center's activities are available in English, Japanese, Chinese and Korean. You may download a copy of the brochure or request a brochure online at internetrez@polynesia.com.

Location
The Polynesian Cultural Center is located 55-370 Kamehameha Highway (83) in Laie, on the north shore of Oahu, about 38 miles from Waikiki. Transportation is available as an option when you purchase your PCC tickets, or you can drive yourself, but allow at least an hour each way.

How to Make Reservations

Top

There are several easy ways to make reservations for the Polynesian Cultural Center; and yes, reservations are recommended, especially for the Super Ambassador, Ambassador and Alii Luau packages, which include the best Horizons evening show seats. Evening show seats are allocated on a first-come basis, so please book as far in advance as possible.
 
Online Bookings
You can use this website to book your tickets online.
 
Our online service also allows you to select the location of your reserved seats for our spectacular evening show, Horizons, Where the Sea Meets the Sky. Booking online includes several other benefits.
 
Direct Bookings
Please call us toll free from the mainland U.S. at 1-800-367-7060. Our friendly Reservations agents are available to take your calls from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. HST, Mondays-Saturdays (closed Sundays, Thanksgiving and Christmas); or e-mail us at internetrez@polynesia.com.
 
Traditional Booking Channels
Your travel agent, tour operator, and hotel or travel desks can also book tickets to the Polynesian Cultural Center and arrange ground transportation.
 
International Bookings
Visitors from outside the United States usually book Polynesian Cultural Center tickets via fax at 808-293-3339 or e-mail at internetrez@polynesia.com. PCC accepts all major credit cards, but all transactions are in U.S. dollars.
 
How far in advance can I book my tickets?
You can book tickets from now until any day we're open throughout 2006.
 
How to upgrade your tickets
After purchasing tickets but before arriving in Laie, guests are more than welcome to upgrade to a higher level of service. Upon arrival at the Center, however, guests may not be able to upgrade due to the lack of availability of higher-grade tickets that day.

We highly recommend guests consider making any upgrades at least 24 hours before their scheduled day at the PCC. If you decide to upgrade after you arrive, our Guests Services staff can quickly check availability, and if any are available, can assist you in making any changes.
 
How to pay for your tickets
The Polynesian Cultural Center accepts cash, traveler's checks and all major credit and debit cards. We also accept most international credit cards, but all transactions will be in U.S. dollars.
 
Travel agent bookings
Travel Agents are welcome to book their clients by first contact our Sales Office to establish a Sales Agreement. Our Sales Account Executives will be happy to assist you. In addition, the Cultural Center offers a range of travel agent resources. If travel agents have any other questions or requests, please contact our Sales & Marketing Office.

How to Contact Us

Top

Transportation and Accommodations

Top

Getting to Laie
Most of our visitors either purchase a ticket package that includes various types of ground transportation — ranging from limousines, motor coaches and mini-buses or tour vans, that pick up and return to Waikiki — or drive themselves in rental vehicles.
 
It's also possible and inexpensive (fares cost approximately $2 per adult, per way, including one transfer) to use Honolulu's excellent public transportation system, TheBus; but please be aware it may not be convenient:
 
For example, TheBus passengers may have to transfer at least once to get from Waikiki to Laie, and likewise on the return journey. Also, TheBus has an inconvenient schedule for those staying through the Center's evening show, Horizons, which ends at 9:00 p.m., often returning to their Waikiki hotels about midnight. The last public bus leaves Laie at approximately 10:40 p.m.
 
Where are the main pickup points in Waikiki?
There are nine pick-up points at the following times and places in Waikiki if you arrange your ground transportation through the Polynesian Cultural Center or major tour operators or travel desks:

PCC tickets purchased with transportation must be prepaid in advance with a credit card.  The times indicated above are departure times from the hotels: Please be sure to be waiting at least 10 minutes before the time indicated on your ticket receipt.
 
How about cruise ship passengers?
The Polynesian Cultural Center currently only offers mini-coach transfers from the cruise ship docks.
 
Some cruise ship visitors opt to walk (about 20-30 minutes) or take a curbside public bus or taxi to the nearest motor coach pick-up point at the Ala Moana Hotel (on Mahukona Street). The bus leaves there at approximately 10:00 a.m., and reservations are required. You can book your ground transportation as part of your Polynesian Cultural Center package either directly with the Center or through your travel desk.

How about guests on wheelchairs?
If you are travelling with a collapsible, rigid, or motorized wheelchair(including larger scooters), please review our wheelchair information in the Wheelchair and special needs section.
 
Staying Overnight, Other Amenities
The world-class Turtle Bay Resort, which offers a full range of amenities, is located about 7 miles or a 15-minute drive farther along Kamehameha Highway.
 
The more economical Laie Inn is located next to the Cultural Center, within easy walking distance of the front entrance and BYU-Hawaii.
 
A McDonald's restaurant and a 24/7 gas station/convenience store are located next to the Polynesian Cultural Center. The Laie Shopping Center (closed on Sundays), located a quarter-mile north of the Center, includes several other restaurants, banks and a supermarket.

Best Prices Guarantee

Top

What do I need to do to qualify?
1. Purchase tickets online with the Polynesian Cultural Center.
2. Find a discount that adheres to our Terms and Conditions.
3. Fill out and submit the Online Claim Form, with the necessary proof needed for us to verify the discount. The Polynesian Cultural Center must receive your claim form prior to your activity date.
4. The Polynesian Cultural Center will adjust your billing upon checking in at the Center on your activity date with us. If your claim hasn't been processed prior to arriving at the Center and your claim is valid, we will send you a check for the difference.

Do I have to buy the discounted tickets I find?
No. We cannot guarantee that you will get your money back from the location you purchase your tickets. You need only to provide us verification of the discount.

What about the seats I reserve?
We will give you the best available seats for the ticket type you are purchasing.

What if I can't find an advertisement about the discounted offer but know one exists?
To receive the benefits of the guarantee, you are required to adhere to the terms and conditions by providing us with what we need to verify the offer.

What if I think I'm getting a better rate because the tickets I'm buying include something like a hotel room, airline tickets, or a rental car?
The guarantee isn't applicable for any tickets with any other components such as hotel, car, airfare, or other attractions.

How can I check up on a submitted claim?
Contact our reservations office.

Special Discounts, Rates and Promotions

Top

The Polynesian Cultural Center offers only a few discounts, because our organizational mission is to provide an authentic cultural experience while supporting the educational objectives of the students at the adjoining Brigham Young University Hawaii. If you still feel you qualify for a particular discount, please contact us at internetrez@polynesia.com.

Group Rates
The PCC will extend an approximate 10% discount to organized groups of at least 15 people who purchase their PCC tickets in a single transaction through the Reservations or Box Offices. For further information, please contact our Reservations & Guest Services Office.

Cancellations, No-shows, Rebooking and Refunds

Top

How do I cancel my reservations?
Guests who have purchased tickets directly from the Polynesian Cultural Center may cancel at any time up to 24 hours before the day of activity without penalty. Please remember, we're closed on Sundays.
 
Canceling within 24 hours of the date of activity may result in a $16 service fee charge per ticket, and additionally the full cost of any transportation booked through the PCC.
 
No-shows will be charged the $16 service fee per ticket and additionally the full cost of any transportation booked through the PCC.
 
Guests who have purchased their tickets (and ground transportation) through a travel agency or tour operator and have a travel voucher must request cancellation through those sources, which invariably have their own refund policies. While the PCC will have a record of such reservations, we do not receive any funds from travel agencies and tour operators prior to the time you visit, and cannot process such refund requests.
 
How do I rebook reservations?
Guests can re-book their reservations to another date at any time without penalty, as long as the notice is given at least 24 hours in advance of the day of activity.
 
How do I get a refund?
The PCC will credit the account of guests who paid for their tickets with a credit card and have been authorized to receive a refund.
 
Guests who paid in any other manner and have been authorized to receive a refund must submit a written request that normally takes up to two weeks to process and return. A PCC sales representative can help you fill out the written request.

Pass-outs, Lost Tickets and "Free-within-Three"

Top

Can I leave the Center and come back in again?
Yes, as many times as you would like. Please keep your ticket stubs and show them to the appropriate guides upon re-entry to the Center.
 
What can I do if I lost my ticket?
The Polynesian Cultural Center does not issue refunds for lost tickets, which might be used by the finder. In such cases, please contact our Guest Services representative for additional information.
 
If you purchased your PCC package through a travel agency or tour operator, and have lost the voucher, you must go back to the source of the purchase and follow their policies.
 
What is "Free-within-Three"?
Any guest who purchases any Polynesian Cultural Center ticket that includes General Admission may return on any or each of the next three days the Center is open, and receive a free General Admission ticket. Proof of the original purchase along with a photo ID will be required. This offer does not  extend to tickets to do not include General Admission.

PCC Dining Options

Top

The Polynesian Cultural Center offers a variety of meal service, budget-fitting options ranging from fine dining in a beautiful tropical restaurant through our most popular Alii Luau — Hawaii's finest traditional "feast for a king" — to an all-you-can-eat cosmopolitan dinner buffet, snack bars and concession stands.
 
As with some of the finer cuts, an abbreviated description of each level of dining at the Polynesian Cultural Center starts from the top:
 
• Super Ambassador
• Ambassador
• Alii Luau
• The Gateway Dinner Buffet
• Vegetarian option
• The Luncheon Buffet
• Snack bars and concession stands
 
Other meal options
McDonald's Laie is located across the parking lot from the Polynesian Cultural Center. A number of other restaurants, a national brand sandwich shop and takeout pizza outlet, and a supermarket with a deli are also located in the Laie Shopping Center, about a quarter-mile north on Kamehameha Highway.

Wheelchairs, Special Needs and Requests

Top

Wheelchairs
The Polynesian Cultural Center provides guests a limited number of collapsible wheelchairs. There is a $20 deposit and rental fee, $15 of which will be refunded when the wheelchair is returned undamaged. You may contact Polynesian Cultural Center reservations for wheelchair reservations.

In such instances when a guest would like to bring their own rigid(non collapsible) or motorized wheelchair on one of the transportation options, they must notify Polynesian Cultural Center reservations at least 48 hours in advance. It is also important for the guest to notify our reservations department whether or not the wheelchair is a motorized wheelchair or a scooter. In most instances, guests may ride their rigid wheelchairs or 4-wheeled scooters out to the center. 3-wheeled wheelchairs or scooters will typically need to be stowed in a cargo compartment on the vehicle by the guest. To ensure that the vehicle has a storage compartment, please notify Polynesian Cultural Center reservations as soon as possible.

In such instances when a guest would like to bring their own collapsible wheelchair on one of the transportation options, they must notify the Polynesian Cultural Center reservations at least 48 hours in advance, due to the fact that not all vehicles have a storage area for wheelchairs. Due to safety considerations on the vehicles, guests will not be allowed to ride their collapsible wheelchairs out to the Center from Waikiki or any other location.

Strollers, Lockers
The Polynesian Cultural Center provides guests a limited number of strollers on a first-come basis. There is a $20 deposit fee, $15 of which will be refunded when the stroller is returned.
 
A limited number of day lockers are available near the front entrance on a first-come basis for a small rental fee.
 
Handicap Accessibility
All major areas of the Polynesian Cultural Center — including the Laie/Temple Visitors Center tours — are accessible to those in wheelchairs.
 
The Center can also sometimes arrange for a limited number of American Sign Language guides, however arrangements must be confirmed with our Guests Services department at least 24 hours in advance.
 
Foreign Language Guides
The Polynesian Cultural Center offers a limited number of foreign language tours in Japanese, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, Russian, German, Spanish Italian, French and Portuguese for guests who purchase Super Ambassador and Ambassador Package tickets.
 
Almost all of the PCC's foreign language guides are students at the adjoining Brigham Young University who are either from countries where these languages are spoken, or are former missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who developed high fluency while voluntarily serving in countries where those languages are spoken. The latter usually amaze those visitors they assist.

Getting Around the Center

Top

Suggestions for Touring the Islands
The walking tour is the best way to get around the PCC, but remember, please refer to the Daily Schedule so you can plan your afternoon around the Rainbows of Paradise canoe show, the IMAX™ movies, village demonstrations and other activities.
 
PCC canoe tours also provide an excellent overview of the Cultural Center's seven villages and Easter Island exhibit.
 
Seeing the shows
The Polynesian Cultural Center offers two major live productions every day (closed Sundays):
 
The Rainbows of Paradise canoe pageant
The Rainbows of Paradise canoe pageant, Hawaii's only water-borne review, takes place near Samoa and Hawaii every afternoon at 2:30 p.m. Skilled dancers tell how their respective islands brought the colors of the rainbow into their lives.
 
The pageant provides excellent daylight photography and video opportunities.
 
Horizons: Where the Sea Meets the Sky evening show
The Polynesian Cultural Center's world-famous evening show, Horizons: Where the Sea Meets the Sky, is the pinnacle of the entire experience. A cast of over 100 of the PCC's finest young dancers and musicians reprise an afternoon in the villages in a powerful 90-minute display of grace, beauty, color, exceptional choreography and unforgettable excitement.
 
The Polynesian Cultural Center evening show has thrilled millions of people, year after year, for the past 40 years. This is the one all the others have tried to copy. Please don't miss it.
 
Reserved seats for Horizons are included in all PCC show packages, but the best seats in the 2,800-seat Pacific Theater are a featured part of the Super Ambassador, Ambassador, and Alii Luau packages.
 
The Laie and Temple Visitors Center Tour
The Polynesian Cultural Center offers an optional free tour aboard air-conditioned vans that leave the Center grounds every 20 minutes from the Tram Depot near the IMAX Theater. As the tour progresses, guides explain the relation between Brigham Young University Hawaii, the Center and how they are integrally tied into the history of Laie community and its association with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since 1865. PCC guests will also stop briefly at the beautiful Laie Temple Visitors Center.

What activities do you have for children?

Top

The many aspects of island culture shared at the Polynesian Cultural Center usually fascinate children. For example, among the activities they shouldn't miss:
1. Making fire and the coconut cracking demonstration in Samoa.
2. Learning the Maori stick game, tititorea, or how to twirl poi balls in Aotearoa.
3. Getting a Marquesan tattoo (it's washable). In fact, a lot of "big kids" proudly wear the PCC tattoos throughout the day, too.
4. Tossing Tongan spears and playing Fijian bamboo derua instruments.
5. Trying an ancient form of checkers and bowling in Hawaii.

Can other groups perform at the PCC?

Top

Over the years the Polynesian Cultural Center has occasionally been asked to have non-Polynesian groups such as choirs, dance teams and other cultural troupes put on non-paid performances, usually in the late afternoon near the front entrance. The Cultural Center does not provide complimentary tickets for such groups, but they may be eligible for group discounts.
 
It's important that groups who wish to perform at PCC contact our Sales & Marketing office as far in advance as possible to determine the appropriateness of such an appearance, get approvals and then coordinate arrangements. The PCC is very selective in inviting non-Polynesian group performances, and we usually receive far more requests than we can accommodate.

Guidelines for Your Safety and Enjoyment

Top

For the safety and enjoyment of all Polynesian Cultural Center guests and employees, we have established the following guidelines:
 
• For assistance, please ask any staff member.
• No tipping please. We're here to serve you.
• Please smoke only in designated areas.
• Please wear shirts and footwear at all times. Bathing suits are not allowed.
• Rental strollers and wheelchairs are available at the Customer Service facility next to the Box Office.
• Film, raincoats and sweatshirts can be purchased in the Treasures of Polynesia Shopping Plaza, Shop Polynesia, the Hukilau Store and other locations.
• Please do not pick the fruit or flowers.
• Theater seating and dinner option upgrades are available at the Box Office.
• Contact guides, ushers or any employee for First Aid or lost-and-found assistance.
• No flash pictures or other light-emitting devices are allowed during performances of the Horizons evening show.
• Alcoholic beverages are not permitted nor sold at the Polynesian Cultural Center.
• Guests who disrupt other guests positive experiences at the Center will be asked to leave.

Taking pictures and videos

Top

Guests are welcome to take as many personal pictures or video recordings at the Center as they wish (but, please, no flash photography is allowed during the evening show, as the light is blinding to the performers on stage and other guests in the darkened theater). Extra film and videotape is available at PCC gift shops and concession stands.
 
Most PCC performers are also usually available to have their pictures taken with guests. Other pictures are available for purchase from Photo Polynesia, the exclusive licensed photography concession at the Center.
 
The Polynesian Cultural Center does not allow any other commercial photography or filming on the grounds without prior approval of the Sales & Marketing department. Photo resources for PCC promotional purposes are available.

Remembering the Experience

Top

Treasures of Polynesia:
The Polynesian Cultural Center gift shops offer a wide range of authentic island gifts, handicrafts, artwork, souvenirs, videotapes, CDs and DVDs that capture the spirit and enjoyment of your experience in Laie.
 
PCC gift shops are located at key locations throughout the Center, or you can securely shop online from the comfort of your home. In either case, we can easily arrange for direct shipping to your door
 
Online Shopping:
The Polynesian Cultural Center online catalog of filled with wonderful handicrafts, food, aloha wear family cloth, art, jewelry, carvings, hula implements, tapa cloth, noni juice, books, island fragrances; and videos, CDs and DVDs of your favorite Polynesian Cultural Center performers, demonstrations and shows. Enjoy the PCC again at home, today.
 
Subscribe to the PCC e-Newsletter:
You can enjoy the Polynesian Cultural Center experience over and over again through a free subscription to our new online e-newsletter, which will be distributed several times a year to those guests who choose to share their e-mail addresses with us.
 
The PCC e-Newsletter will carry in-depth features on some of our fascinating islanders and their particular skills, as well as beautiful pictures, notices of coming attractions and gift products.
 
If you haven't signed up already, please subscribe now, for yourself and/or family and friends.

I've Been to PCC Before: Is there anything new?

Top

Yes. As part of the Polynesian Cultural Center's 40th anniversary in 2003, we:
     • Completely renovated the front entrance, adding several large Hawaiian tikis, a greeting house, star mural and museum displays.
     • Totally renovated the Hale Aloha to accommodate the Alii Luau, the Cultural Center's most requested dining and entertainment option.
     • Added a dramatic Easter Island exhibit. With the cooperation of the people and government of Rapa Nui (Easter Island), four stone carvers have recreated seven moai — the distinctive monuments that are known around the world as icons of Polynesia — at the Polynesian Cultural Center.
     • Upgraded the Hale Ohana, which is sometimes used for the Ali'i Luau and other special functions.
     • Added the Hale Kuai, which is sometimes used for the Ali'i Luau and other special functions.
 
Marketing research shows that a significant number of visitors enjoy coming to the Center on a repeat basis. The aloha spirit is just as good as it always has been.

What is the purpose of the PCC?

Top

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints opened the Polynesian Cultural Center, considered one of the world's most successful cultural theme attractions, on October 12, 1963, to help preserve and perpetuate the more ideal aspects of Polynesian culture, and to provide work opportunities for students at the adjoining Brigham Young University Hawaii.
 
Since opening, over 32 million visitors have been introduced to the Polynesian people, their arts and customs; and nearly 15,000 BYU-Hawaii students have helped finance their educational objectives while working as the friendly guides, performers and other PCC employees serving people from all over the world.
 
Would you like to know more about the higher objectives of the Polynesian Cultural Center?
 
Would you like to offer further financial assistance?

What about employment at PCC?

The Polynesian Cultural Center is an equal opportunity employer that employs about 1,300 full-time and part-time employees throughout the year. For more specific information and things to consider about employment, including the top 10 most asked questions about applying, click here.

Top