Arriving Poly at night? Worth it for kids?

[MCK588]

Here's my dilemma: Booked to arrive Poly on a Saturday. In the meantime, airfare was outrageous and we booked a flight arriving Friday night at 10:45pm. It is our first stay at the Poly, we are celebrating our 40th bdays, and we are bringing our two children ages 6 and 4. I want our arrival to be really magical for them.

Will it be magical in the dark? Plus, we won't be there until midnight so they might not even be conscious! I'm thinking of staying at a hotel airport overnight and entering the WDW property in the morning so they can see everything.

Will it be too much of a pain to stay overnight off-site? Should I just check-in at midnight and get on with the vacation?! Or is it so much more exciting for kids to get there in the day so they can see everything?

 

[grimley1968]

If it were me, I'd stay offsite that first night. The Poly is an awfully expensive place to just crash in the first night.

There is a Hyatt literally inside the MCO airport. It is extremely convenient and very nice, but can be expensive. Of course, there are other hotels just outside the airport area that are less expensive.

This way, you can wake up early and refreshed the next morning and check in at the Poly first thing. Keep in mind, your room will most likely not be ready for several hours, but you can leave your luggage with bell services and go to a park or enjoy the Poly grounds for a while. Try to keep with you (and not packed away) anything you need that day, like swimsuits, etc.

We've done this approach several times where we've flown in too late at night for the expensive resort to be worth such a short time.

 

[madalex]

I have done both in the past: I have stayed offiste the first night and then gotten to the resort first thing in the morning and I have arrived at the resort late. Personally, I prefer getting there late and waking up at the resort in the morning, but to each his own.

I would also suggest that if the kids are asleep when you arrive at midnight, they will probably barely wake up when you take them to the room, so that waking up in the room the next morning will really be magical to them. (That being said, at 6 and 4, everything is magical, so I'm not sure it is really going to matter to your children if they arrive at night or in the morning).

 

[stitchlover]

We didn't land until 10:30pm on our last trip but we went ahead and went to the resort. This way we could use DME and when we woke up Friday morning we were at Disney. I didn't want to hassle with a taxi or shuttle Friday morning. We were able to sleep in a little late and get up and start the day doing what we wanted. I think my family would be impatient with the hassle of staying at the airport...BUT my DD is 11. So there is a bit of a difference there!

 

[SeaSpray]

We arrived very late one night for one of our trips to the Polynesian and while it was "worth it" to wake up right there in the middle of Disney World, in retrospect it wouldn't have been too bad to just get a hotel room inside the airport and head over to the resort early the next morning. And if we ever get another very late night flight again, that's probably what we'd do.

Since your children are so young, I don't think they'll miss out on anything by waiting until they're up fresh and ready to go the next morning, and head over then. They'll get to see everything for the first time in the light of day.

It's a tough decision though!

Either way, have a wonderful time!!!

 

[disneyfan67]

I have to agree what Grimley said. I would book a room at the Hyatt inside MCO and you can be in your room literally within minutes after getting off the plane. I have known people who flown in late at night and have stayed there and they loved it. It's a beautiful hotel and it gets pretty good reviews. The Poly is too expensive for paying to arrive late and just going to bed. Stay at the Hyatt and wake up the next day, ready to really start your vacation. There's nothing more beautiful to me than arriving at the Poly in the morning ready to start a my vacation. I'll post the link below to the site and post a link to reviews of it. I don't think you would be disappointed in staying there.


I tried posting a link to the hotel diectly, but it doesn't come up. Just Google the Hyatt in MCO and you will find it.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUser...do_International_Airport-Orlando_Florida.html

 

[Allison]

I would recommend spending the first night at one of the value resorts and then transferring to the Polynesian.

 

[DWDude]

Life is short. Go stay at the Poly and wake up in the world. Have a great breakfast at ohana. Your kids will love waking up at the Poly and all of you will know you are on a great vacation that you will remember for a lifetime.
Just one quick monorail ride from the MK. When my kids were that age, I remeber watching thier faces more than anything else. They, and you, will be in heaven.

 

[MCK588]

If I stay at the airport Hyatt, will the Magical Express pick me up from the airport in the morning to go to the Poly and check-in if I give them a flight 'arrival' time for Saturday a.m.? I will obviously have my luggage with me by then. Is that a problem?

Staying at a Value and then transferring the next day is cheaper than the Hyatt, but still don't get that WOW factor when we pull up to check-in that I think I'm looking for at the Poly. It's an option though. I wish the Poly would just extend my discounted rate to include the day I'm flying in! That would solve the problem. I called twice but was told NO. Maybe I should ask for Guest Relations when I call?

 

[grimley1968]

If I stay at the airport Hyatt, will the Magical Express pick me up from the airport in the morning to go to the Poly and check-in if I give them a flight 'arrival' time for Saturday a.m.? I will obviously have my luggage with me by then. Is that a problem?

Staying at a Value and then transferring the next day is cheaper than the Hyatt, but still don't get that WOW factor when we pull up to check-in that I think I'm looking for at the Poly. It's an option though. I wish the Poly would just extend my discounted rate to include the day I'm flying in! That would solve the problem. I called twice but was told NO. Maybe I should ask for Guest Relations when I call?

Make sure not to give them any kind of fake arrival time for a flight. They need to know exactly what flight numbers, etc. you have.

Instead, just talk to somebody at Disney about this. I know for cruise passengers staying at the Hyatt before going to the cruise, they tell them to just leave their luggage outside their doors at night. The luggage is taken in the early AM and guests needn't worry about their luggage until they get to their rooms on the boat.

There may be some similar deal for Magical Express to the resorts, but I don't know. I do know that they would give you a lift, albeit possibly without the luggage handling benefits.

In the worst case, you can wheel your luggage from your room to the ME counter at the airport, or to the bus, whichever ME dictates. Neither would be difficult since you'd already be inside the airport already.

When your flight arrives the previous night, you might stop by the ME counter and see what they'll do for you. I have never used ME, but could definitely see how it could work well with staying at the in-airport Hyatt. As I mentioned earlier, that Hyatt is pricey, but there are some benefits built into that price.

 

[disneyfan67]

I would recommend spending the first night at one of the value resorts and then transferring to the Polynesian.

That's actually a lot of work if you think about, especially with sleepy kids and here's the two options. This is not meant to be snarky or demeaning towards you. I'm just showing both options.

Option 1.

You get off a plane and trek over to the ME counter, then wait for your bus that most likely will make several other stops on your way to the value resort you have chosen for the night. Then have to check in and a make another trek to your room, which might be pretty far from the main building. After all of that and probably two hours after your plane has landed, you can finally settle down to sleep around 1:30 am or so. Later in the morning you have to wait for your luggage from ME before moving on and then get ready to have it shipped over to the Polynesian by the staff at the value resort you're staying at. You then can take a bus to the TTC or one of the parks and transfer over to the Poly from there or just take a cab from the value to the Polynesian.

Or take Option 2.

Get off plane with tired children and exhausted parents and walk about 200 yards to your nicely appointed hotel inside the airport. You're in control of your luggage and inside your room for the night within 20 minutes of your arrival. You can clean up, relax, and go to sleep, while the person who took Option 1 is still getting to his ME bus and waiting to depart to his resort. You can wake up at your desire and probably will feel better because you were able to get to bed two hours sooner than the person who took Option1. You pick a reliable, reasonably priced limo service take you, your family, and luggage to the Poly, where you arrive in comfort and style, ready to celebrate your 40th B day.


I would examine both choices thoroughly, before making a decision, but that's just me.

 

[simonkodousek]

To be honest I would spend the first night at the airport's Hyatt, then head over the next morning. If the room isn't ready take the kids and show them around the resort.

 

[fAnnF]

I would also go with the value option as DME will be able to take you there and they will transfer your luggage to Poly. You just have to go check in at some point that day. Or you could start your trip off with Breakfast at 'Ohanas. surprise them. Tell them you're staying at the value the entire trip and then go to breakfast at Ohana's with Stitch and Lilo and show them the resort and ask them if they like it and would like to stay here, then tell them they can. This could backfire if they don't like the resort.

 

[MCK588]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions....it was exactly what I needed to hear...the good, bad, and ugly! Turns out that I may not need to do this at all since I called to see if that extra day was available still at the Poly (was getting nervous with all these codes coming out) and find out the AAA rate to present all my options to DH tonight....explained to the girl what I was thinking of doing, and within 3 seconds she added the night on to my existing ressie at the discounted rate.

I had called a few times asking the same thing and was told NO every time, and this time I didn't even mention doing that, and she suggested it on her own AND made it happen. It was the quickest phone call ever. Unbelievable. I won't be arriving in the daylight but I think for overall convenience sake this is the better deal, and the price was right! Since I had a package booked, I ended up with an extra day of dining but that's okay, I'm sure we'll use it.

 

[DWDude]

That's great news!
Remember to ask for a table with a view for breakfast!
No better way to start and finish a POLY vacation.

 

[disneyfan67]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions....it was exactly what I needed to hear...the good, bad, and ugly! Turns out that I may not need to do this at all since I called to see if that extra day was available still at the Poly (was getting nervous with all these codes coming out) and find out the AAA rate to present all my options to DH tonight....explained to the girl what I was thinking of doing, and within 3 seconds she added the night on to my existing ressie at the discounted rate.

I had called a few times asking the same thing and was told NO every time, and this time I didn't even mention doing that, and she suggested it on her own AND made it happen. It was the quickest phone call ever. Unbelievable. I won't be arriving in the daylight but I think for overall convenience sake this is the better deal, and the price was right! Since I had a package booked, I ended up with an extra day of dining but that's okay, I'm sure we'll use it.

Good for you and enjoy your trip! That's good news and sounds reasonable to me. Enjoy the Poly, it's a neat and wonderful resort.

 

[Allison]

That's actually a lot of work if you think about, especially with sleepy kids and here's the two options. This is not meant to be snarky or demeaning towards you. I'm just showing both options.

Not for the 2 times we have done it.