BeachClub or Polynesian?

[momtoprincesses]

We are a family of five with three little girls (ages 8, 6, and almost 3 at time of travel) heading to Disney next October (probably third week) for six nights. My mother will be joining us for a few days as well in her own room at whatever resort we choose. We went once three years ago as a family of four and stayed at WL. My TA can get us good rates at both Beach Club (standard view) and Poly (garden view), with Poly being about 300 more. I am having a very difficult time deciding and would love your input.

I love the idea of being able to walk to Epcot (we have never been!) but I imagine we will spend several days in Magic Kingdom and the bus ride doesn't appeal to me. I love that the Poly is on the monorail. We will spend at least one day in AK as well. We will be eating mostly quick service with a character meal or two thrown in and breakfast in our room everyday. I love the theming of both resorts. Stormalong Bay looks really fun and I am sure my oldest would especially enjoy it.

Is there anything I am missing in terms of pros or cons? Any insight you can offer to help make this decision easier? I know we will enjoy it either way, but this will be our last Disney trip for many years so I want to make sure it is magical. Thank you for any advice you can offer!

 

[DisneyWishes14]

If you are spending several days at MK, I would highly recommend staying at the Polynesian. It will make your life so much easier, especially with a stroller. Don't get me wrong, I love the EP resorts and typically stay over there, but that is because we are usually in EP every day (usually at night for dinner). With Poly, you can take the monorail to MK AND walk to TTC to catch the monorail to EP, so it's kind of the best of both worlds. Plus, it sounds like this will be your 2 year old's first trip and there is nothing more magical than seeing the castle from the Poly beach. I would definitely pick Poly for your trip!

 

[sandyplayer]

We stayed at poly when the kids were 3, 6, and 8. Transportation wise, this was a great decision. The monorail to MK & the ability to talk to TTC for monorail to Epcot was awesome. The pool, the atmosphere, everything was great at Poly. I highly recommend kilo & stitch breakfast! We did it as a send off on our last day.
We stayed at Boardwalk a few years later & it was great, so convenient walking to Hollywood studios & Epcot. But we still felt like Poly was better for atmosphere. I know boardwalk is not beach club, but really trying to compare, for the age mentioned, a monorail resort vs an Epcot resort. I would choose poly.

 

[mickey2minnie1]

Your children will love any pool, but the Poly is so much fun. There is a volcano slide and they can see the magic of the MK castle at night from the pool. You will also be able to keep track of them much easier at the pool. The Oasis pool is zero entry as well with a few water fountains. So relaxing and fun!

We took our kids for the first time and stayed there . As you can see it is still our favorite.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

If you are spending several days at MK, I would highly recommend staying at the Polynesian. It will make your life so much easier, especially with a stroller. Don't get me wrong, I love the EP resorts and typically stay over there, but that is because we are usually in EP every day (usually at night for dinner). With Poly, you can take the monorail to MK AND walk to TTC to catch the monorail to EP, so it's kind of the best of both worlds. Plus, it sounds like this will be your 2 year old's first trip and there is nothing more magical than seeing the castle from the Poly beach. I would definitely pick Poly for your trip!

I agree.

We love the BC but for a mostly MK trip I would choose the poly. Save the BC for when the kids are older.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

The Poly pools are going to be much easier to monitor kids in that age range that SAB. SAB is big and sprawling. You can have the littlest at the tiki play area and older kids at the Lava Pool and monitor from a single lounge chair.

 

[Babsy]

The Poly is so much better for a MK centered visit, especially with small children. Save the BC for when the kids are older.

Poly:
monorail or boat to MK
monorail to Epcot (walk to TTC)
walk to the GF
huge rooms with a guaranteed daybed plus two queens
view of the castle from the resort
watch fireworks from the beach
great pool with new kids splash area
O'hanas- YUM
wonderful relaxing atmosphere
lots of good dining at the Poly or on the monorail at the Gf and CR
good quick service
awesome resort for young children


BC
walk or boat to Epcot and DHS
smaller rooms, some with daybeds but some with only two queen beds
some have full balconies, some with standing only balconies
Storm Along Bay - great pool, but hard to keep track of children, plus you have to exit the pool area to access stairs to the slide
bus to the MK
nice evening area across the way at BWI
good dining nearby in World Showcase (need a PH for best access)
limited quick service at the Marketplace
great resort for families with teenaged or older children


Enjoy!

 

[maryj11]

We have stayed at both and although we loved the short walk to Epcot our heart belongs to the Poly. The pool at BC is really nice but the lay out was hard to get around. To get in you have to walk toward the beach and enter in the front and going to the restroom we had to walk in front of Beaches & Cream(with people standing in line for reservations or eating outside) wet in our bathing suits, which felt weird. If you have little ones it is hard to keep track of them at the BC pool. I just did not like how they only had one entry to get into the pool and you had to walk by the restaurant to go to the restroom.​

 

[mickeynut1]

I agree with everyone else and vote for the Poly. We've stayed at both and while we enjoyed our BC stay, the Poly is just amazing. As others have said, the rooms are large and spacious, the tropical atmosphere is beautiful, the pool is fun, and you can't beat seeing the castle every day. I think you'll have a great trip no matter where you stay, but the Poly is so relaxing (IMO) and is great for a MK-centered trip .

 

[momtoprincesses]

Thank you all so much!!! All of this information is so helpful!! You have all convinced me that the Poly is the way to go--so excited for next October!

 

[mickey2minnie1]

Here is where I found the Poly from Poly lovers, and now it is wonderful to be able to give back.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

Out of those 2 resorts, we choose the BC because my kids love Stormalong over any other pool and we are EPCOT fanatics and end up there every night of our trips. BUTTTTTTT since you said you will spend most time at MK and Epcot then it makes sense to do the Poly since it is monorail to both MK and Epcot and the AK bus would be your only bus. We are a family of 5 too and sometimes bring my parents along in their own rooms as well but we only drive unless we are on a monorail resort and then we take advantage of that!

If it was just pools, we would choose BCR and we also love the Boardwalk area for strolling around, but then again we were married on the Boardwalk and it's probably why we are a bit biased! LOL

 

[chocolateavocado]

These are the only 2 resorts we've stayed at so far, and while we loved the BC new rooms - we found ourselves really missing the Poly. We love the MK area, the monorail and the Poly vibe. I don't think you can go wrong with either of these beautiful resorts. Have fun wherever you end up!

 

[mickeymom22]

We have never stayed at the Poly, but we have stayed at the Boardwalk and the Beach Club. We had park hoppers each time. Every night, we would enjoy supper at Epcot and then stroll back to our hotel. It was so nice to not wait on a bus or monorail. That being said, if MK is the main draw and you like QS, I would stay at the Poly! It has a dedicated QS and MK is a short monorail ride away! I also love to watch the fireworks from the Poly beach! Don't forget the easy access to those yummy Dole Whips!

Either way, I am super jelly of your decision and trip! Have a magical time!

 

[Disneylover99]

I love Epcot. I love walking to France from the BC every morning for breakfast.
But I love the Poly more.

 

[crazymomof4]

We have stayed at both and although we loved the short walk to Epcot our heart belongs to the Poly. The pool at BC is really nice but the lay out was hard to get around. To get in you have to walk toward the beach and enter in the front and going to the restroom we had to walk in front of Beaches & Cream(with people standing in line for reservations or eating outside) wet in our bathing suits, which felt weird. If you have little ones it is hard to keep track of them at the BC pool. I just did not like how they only had one entry to get into the pool and you had to walk by the restaurant to go to the restroom.​

There are actually 3 other entrances to Stormalong Bay.
"During 1997, a white fence was built to surround the StormAlong Bay complex. This was done due to the large amount of non-resort guests that were using the pool. Access to the Pool area is now extremely limited; one entrance is just outside Martha's Vineyard; one entrance at the Yacht Club; and one entrance near Hurricane Hanna's."
Also, we were just there in Sept and I remember using a restroom near Hurricane Hannah's. It might be new bc I don't see it on any maps. There is another bathroom just inside BC, near Cape May Café. We used that one a lot when we were at the pool too.

 

[maryj11]

There are actually 3 other entrances to Stormalong Bay.
"During 1997, a white fence was built to surround the StormAlong Bay complex. This was done due to the large amount of non-resort guests that were using the pool. Access to the Pool area is now extremely limited; one entrance is just outside Martha's Vineyard; one entrance at the Yacht Club; and one entrance near Hurricane Hanna's."
Also, we were just there in Sept and I remember using a restroom near Hurricane Hannah's. It might be new bc I don't see it on any maps. There is another bathroom just inside BC, near Cape May Café. We used that one a lot when we were at the pool too.

With coming out of the BC front entrance we looked for other places to enter and didn't see any. We also asked where the restroom was and they told us to go to the one by Beaches & Cream. If there were any other places to enter or use the bathroom we didnt see them.

 

[crazymomof4]

With coming out of the BC front entrance we looked for other places to enter and didn't see any. We also asked where the restroom was and they told us to go to the one by Beaches & Cream. If there were any other places to enter or use the bathroom we didnt see them.

We also stayed at BC. We followed the corridor past Cape May Café then came to an exit on our left (glass doors) Went outside (by then you are right at Stormalong Bay). A few steps from the exit out of BC, there is a CM who scans your magicband (to make sure you are a BC guest) then gives you a wristband and allows you entry to Stormalong Bay. I've never stayed at Yacht Club but I assume it's the same on that side.
For a while we kept using the bathroom inside BC (near Cape May) Then my DS24 said, "why do you keep going in there? There's a bathroom right near Hurricane Hannah's." We looked and sure enough-- restrooms! I seem to recall the mens and ladies were not near each other. You have to look for these. Maybe they are mainly for ease of use for the lifeguard staff (but it doesn't say that on any signs) so they don't "advertise" their whereabouts? Just guessing at that bc it wasn't until our 2nd BC stay that we even knew about these. Lots of guests were using these and nice proximity to the pool!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

FWIW, Beach Club is a really great resort too. You likely wouldn't be unhappy at either. There's just real advantage to Poly with a smaller child and needing to track multiple kids in the pool, and if your focus is MK.

 

[TheBigErn]

Poly is your best option. Your girls will like the pool and the things to do there. You can go over to GF for tea with Alice. And it's fun to take the boat to MK. You can't go wrong with either but given the ages of the kids, Poly.