AKL or Poly? Kids & travel time

[Gillian]

I have to agree with Ducklite. We've stayed at both, and as I said before, my son (who is younger than your kids) liked AKL better. DH & I love it. But both resorts are nice for different reasons.

One main disadvantage we found to the Polynesian (as mentioned by ducklite) is that the buildings are not connected. If it's pouring, which often happens, there is no way to get to anywhere without getting drenched. At AKL everything is connected or under an overhang.

The Polynesian rooms are bigger.

The AKL has more to see, we could watch the animals all day. We liked the AKL pool better, but in December you might not get to go anyway.

As far as breaks, the parks are open late during the holidays and you will have enough time to get back to either resort.

 

[cara loves the poly]

We love the Poly! Don't forget about the boat from the Poly marina to Magic Kingdom - AWESOME! You're there lickity split!!!

 

[mickey2minnie1]

Oh my gosh.... The Poly is sooo worth the extra money. We stayed on site with our kids for the first time . My husband said that the access to the monorail was worth every penny and more. He worked so hard with overtime to get us there, but it was certainly worth it. I fell in love with it and the kids had a ball. The food was great and the kids loved seeing the castle from the pool area. The viewing of the fireworks from the beach without the mass crowds was priceless. I watched and the kids played in the sand and ran around with other kids. Go for it. I cannot imagine you would ever be dissapointed. We did take a couple of midday breaks and then just hoped back on the monorail. It was quick and convenient. We want to take my parents back next fall. My husband said he will do what he can to make sure that we can stay at the Poly again.

 

[LoveMyLAP-BAND]

Hi 1st timer,

While I love the AKL, you can't beat the convenience of the monorail resorts. And if you are looking at going Christmas week, the parks are open late and it's nice to have a break in the middle of the day with little ones (mine are the same ages as yours and even the oldest one needs a break).

 

[ConcKahuna]

I just returned from WDW & I stayed at BOTH AKL & Poly & wouldn't stay at either resort again because they're BOTH so inconvenient.

Of the 2, Poly was LESS inconvenient, but you have no choice but to take the monorail if you want to go to EPCOT. That was annoying for us when the monorail broke down & we had no options for getting around. Also, my mom doesn't walk well & she had to trudge up & down that ramp repeatedly, which was awful for her.

We HATED AKL for a number of reasons, but I found the 1 busstop too far away from our savannahview room - it was quite literally almost a mile walk.

I am going back to Riverside or FQ & not bothering to experiment anymore! lol. It's just not worth the aggravation.

If you find yourself doing mostly Epcot, you should have asked to be in Rapa Nui or Tahiti. Those are both a very short walk to the Epcot monorail (about 100 yards or so) and that way you dont have to go up and down the ramps to transfer monorails.

Here are some things to consider about the two resorts--I've stayed at both
The rooms at the PR are considerably larger. But not all of the bathrooms have the split plan. Some have the sinks inside the bathroom, which many families don't like. The rooms at the PR also don't all have balconies. None of the second floor and only some of the third floor rooms have them. At the AKL, ALL rooms have balconies with a couple of chairs and a small table.

All 3rd floor rooms at the Polynesian have balconies, no exceptions. There are also balconies on the 2nd floors of Tahiti, Rapa Nui, and Tokelau (the 3 biggest buildings by the way). One of the good things about the bathrooms at the Polynesian is that the toilet is in a little "cubby" so it is seperate from the shower/sink area.

While the PR has a large arcade and the Neverland Club, the AKL has a wealth of activities for all age groups, most of which are free. In the evening at the PR, there's really not much to do. At the AKL there's story telling, infra-red animal viewing, and at any time of the day you can explore the hotel which has the largest collection of African art outside of Africa. It's also got an amazing gift shop.

The PR also has a lot of childrens activites throughout the day. From tiki mask painting, hula lessons, lei making, and lots of pool games. There are also lots of other activities that go on during the day, you just have to ask for an activity schedule at the front desk

As other people have said, both resorts are great. They are both unique Disney experiences and you'll have a good time at either. If you are going to be spending more time at MK and Epcot, then the PR may be the one for you. If you are going to spend equal time at all the resorts, then you might want to try AKL. You really can't go wrong with either one

 

[ducklite]

All 3rd floor rooms at the Polynesian have balconies, no exceptions. There are also balconies on the 2nd floors of Tahiti, Rapa Nui, and Tokelau (the 3 biggest buildings by the way).

My mistake, you are correct.

One of the good things about the bathrooms at the Polynesian is that the toilet is in a little "cubby" so it is seperate from the shower/sink area.

While there is a cubby area, it's not at all private--more like a little indented area with a toilet. One step to the side at the vanity, and you have a clear view of the cubby. The Polynesian bathrooms do feel more spacious than the AKL ones though--that's for sure!