Help!! Polynesian Club Room or FW cabin

[smkiya]

I'm planning my fall 2010 Disney vacation, and am 95% sure I will be staying at the Polynesian. This year I will be staying in a townhouse offsite, and I'm very excited about it. However, my eyes have been opened to the magic of staying onsite. After reading about the resort amenities, I believe we would prefer full immersion into all things Disney. So, I will be calling to make my reservations next week and need to make some important decisions. Please help me!

We like having room to spread out (ie, townhouse), it will be me, dh, dd6, and ds1. I really wanted to do the 1 br suite club level, but $8000 for 6 nights is pretty steep. In order to do a standard room I would definately want club level, no ifs, ands, or buts. Are the rooms cramped? So, does anyone know if you can request a certain room number for a garden view room concierge level? If so, does anyone have a room number that offers a nice view?

The reason I'm only 95% sure about Polynesian is because I'm considering a cabin at FW. I like the idea of having a kitchen, a little more room to spread out, and extra $$$ in my pocket. I've heard that you need a golf cart to get around, and you have to transfer buses, etc. (we'll have a car though), so I don't know if I want the hassle. I'm talking myself out of FW...lol.

In summary:
Is the Polynesian experience worth the extra $$$$ (at any point did you think your surroundings were cheesy)? Are the rooms spacious? Are the club level offerings as good as they seem? Anybody know the room number of a garden view room club level with a nice view (you can pm me)?

Thanks for reading my ramblings... and tia for your responses!

[greenpea89]

Personally, I would go ahead and book the Poly (so that you have something in place) and, since you are going to be on site in less than two months, then I would stop by both resorts when you are on site and have a peek. You can explain the situation to the front desk and if they have an open room you may be able to see the rooms.

We did this on our last trip because I wanted to see what the cabins looked like (I always think they look fun), and my husband and I were glad that we did. Maybe it was due to the rain, but the area we were taken to see was super "swampy". We were really surprised. We thought the cabins were cute but not a great fit for us, personally. They are bigger than a CL room at the Poly though.

We really like the Poly but it's personal. Yes, we find it unquestionably "kitschy" but not really cheesy. I don't know about the garden views CL (someone else here will), I can recommend the CL lagoon view though, but they all seem to have nice garden views. You can walk around the outside of the building even if a room isn't available to look at so you will get a good idea of the view. Yes, we thought the CL food was adequate but more "snacky" - definitely more than enough for us in the morning (quick breakfast) and for quick snacks in the afternoon. We felt the rooms were a good size for a non-suite room at Disney.

You may feel differently though so my best advise would be to drop in at both resorts and really see what the rooms and public areas look and "feel" like. You will know right away if it's a good fit for you and your family. Have fun planning and a great trip!

[rie'smom]

The Poly is our least favorite Disney resort. We gave it 2 trys and won't be going back.
I'd go with FW cabin. Even if you don't cook, it's great for snacks. At 504 sq ft, it's a good size too. With the little one, you might appreciate a separate bedroom for naps.

[CoolPool]

I've stayed at the Poly probably 10+ times since 1972. Its undeniably Disney and its directly on the monorail with a short walk to the direct monorail to Epcot. Can't beat that with a stick.

Its got a great pool, a terrific set of restaurants, easy access by monorail to the restaurants of the Grand Floridian and Contemporary plus you can watch the fireworks in your PJs even if you don't have a MK view.

If you really, truly need more room, why not consider the Bay Lake Tower?

[mmmears]

We really liked being at the Poly. The rooms are really large by Disney standards, but they are just hotel rooms. If you need a "suite" of rooms, then I can see the draw to FW or the DVC resorts.

With little kids, having the boat and monorail transportation is really, really nice. As are the beaches and pools at the Poly.

We liked the gardens and thought the place was cute, fun, and relaxing.

And having a front-row seat for the EWP and Wishes every night from the uncrowded grounds at the Poly is a real plus for my family.

[Debbie]

Today, I can't tell you anything about staying at the Poly (ask me in a week, though!). I CAN tell you that we have stayed in the cabins twice. Once in 94, again in 97. We had FIVE kids both times. DD was an infant and then 'under 3' so we all fit.

We liked the separate bedroom. There was a nice boat ride to MK, and we walked over to WL. The kids enjoyed the golf cart. EWP was on the beach at night. The older kids went on the Water Mice (what are they called these days?). We enjoyed many of the amenities of the campground: River Country was open, LOVED that, movies with Chip and Dale, making s'mores, fishing, horseback riding, etc. My biggest beef was the pool. Deluxe money. NOT a deluxe pool. We did enjoy swimming late into the evening, though.

[disneyforme33]

We love the Poly. Hands down winner for me. If you are intrested in kitchen or space with a bedroom you should look into the Disney Vacation Villas. It might be a good option for you. As far as being cramped in a room at the Poly the last time we stayed there was 2 years ago. We have 3 kids at the time they were 14, 10 and 7. We had absolutely no problem with space. If that is your final decision make sure you request a room with a balcony or patio. It is nice to have that little extra sitting area outside.

[lklasing]

I feel like I can weigh in on this question, as we were Poly Concierge people who have turned into FW cabin converts. My DH never thought he'd be able to stay anywhere else, but once we stayed at a cabin (chose that since we had family that was camping and we wanted to be near them), we decided we'd never go back. You have soooooooooo much more room! It is wonderful to be able to spread out, have a full kitchen, have all the activities FW has, have the great outdoors right outside your door, ... I literally could go on and on. We don't cook at home, so we certainly don't do it on vacation, but having the full kitchen was a real money saver as we had most breakfasts there and a few lunches when we were taking a break from the parks. We always get a golf cart, which will definitely be in your budget if your other option is Poly Concierge, and I'd definitely recommend that you get one. With a golf cart, there's no transportation issues at all - you just cart around wherever you want to go, and then take either the regular busses or a boat to the parks (boat to MK, bus to all others).

If you want, feel free to check out the last two trip reports in my signature. In both, I discuss how much we love staying at the Fort. In the first, I think I even put some thought into comparing the cabins to the Poly.

Regardless of what you decide, you'll have a great time. Having said that, I can't recommend the cabins enough!

Leslie (who is thrilled to be returning to the cabins in just 11 days!!)

[VegasMike21]

Love the Poly, my favorite Disney property. Lush grounds, spacious rooms, and some of the nicest CM's around. I would definetly choose the Poly over the Cabins. The cabins is spacious for a family though, that and it being a little friendlier on your wallet is all it offers. I'm not a big fan of the outdoors theme so Poly would easily be my choice.

[Livin' the Dream]

...but the Poly is a stone's throw from MK. In and out in no time!

Too hot? Kids tired? Need a nap or a swim? BAM! Back at the resort just like that.

Let's face it - awake room time is likely to be fairly limited and the Poly ROCKS.

That said - if you are "space people" cabins will suit you just fine.

Enjoy yourselves either way.

Cheers,

T