Booked at the Poly, but.....

[edgefamily]

OK, so we have been booked in a deluxe studio at the Polynesian for the week of March 21-26. My family is me, my husband, 3 year old son, and 1 year old daughter. I just saw where the splash pad is will now be closed "through March" with no specific dates given for reopening.
We rebooked today at the Grand Floridian in an Outer Building- Lagoon View in regular guest room.
I am so confused as to what is best for us. The Polynesian is our favorite and we stay there most of the time. The studio set up at the Poly is ideal for our family, but the loss of even more amenities now makes me question staying there at that price. We have 2 days where we planned to use the splash pad area, because my son loved it last year when we were there.
The room at the Poly is ideal for our family, but the amenities are the positive side of staying at Grand Floridian. HELP!!
Should we stay at the Grand Floridian or rebook at the Polynesian?

 

[stranger706]

I think the pools at GF are a little better for young families vs Poly. Its quieter and more spread out. The splash pad at GF is also just as nice as Poly.

As far as rooms go, you got a standard room vs the studio at Poly. So 2 queens and a 5th sleeper. And there's plenty of room for a pack n play. I think you will have a great time at the Grand and I would not switch back.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I feel your pain.

My kids are prime splash pad age and the Poly kid area is a main reason we stay there (in addition to the many other reasons we love Poly). For as much as we love staying there, I’m not sure I would want to with that amenity closed. I know that sounds a little silly on the surface, but my kids literally spend hours and hours on that thing and a trip without it available wouldn’t be the same.

GF is feeling like a pretty good option right now, in my opinion. No construction, both pools and splash pad are open, you can now walk to MK, no worries with the monorail, many (but not all) restaurants are open, in room dining is open, etc. I don’t necessarily love the GF rooms, but we have always enjoyed our GF trips since we really like the pools and grounds. Plus Poly is a reasonable walk away if you want to visit for a little fix. We last stayed at GF in October and really enjoyed our stay.

In my opinion GF’s pools are both ideal for parents with kids at your ages since both have zero entry - and frankly the GF kids splash area is better for a 1 year old than Poly - it’s shallower and easier to manage with a little one.

My kids are older than yours, but they can spend hours playing around the GF splash zone too. That bucket dumping every few minutes provides near endless entertainment.

Everything about GF is a ‘convenient’ resort for parents with little ones, in my opinion. I never like to say you should or shouldn’t book somewhere - but if this were us, GF would be getting the nod.

 

[edgefamily]

I think the pools at GF are a little better for young families vs Poly. Its quieter and more spread out. The splash pad at GF is also just as nice as Poly.

As far as rooms go, you got a standard room vs the studio at Poly. So 2 queens and a 5th sleeper. And there's plenty of room for a pack n play. I think you will have a great time at the Grand and I would not switch back.

I think we are sticking with the Grand Floridian. I don't think the benefit of the extra closed off bathroom (for my daughter) and the very small "kitchen" space outweighs all of the benefits of the amenities we will enjoy at the GF. Thanks for your help!!

 

[Ronaldo17]

I would stick with the GF, I think you will be pleasantly surprised, and the splash pad is just as good as the Poly.

 

[Olaf Myfrenzargay]

Crap. Am at Poly same week. Is the lava pool still open?

 

[Ronaldo17]

Yes, lava pool and slide are still open at the moment.

 

[jani3]

Stick with GF. Your kids will love the splash pad.

I was also booked to go to Poly in March but I just changed most of the days that we were supposed to stay there. If GF had a DVC opening for the days I need, then I would be there instead.

 

[Avasmama]

The rooms at the GF don't impress me, but the splash pad seems like a deal breaker with everything else that is closed. We are scheduled to stay in two weeks. Should we change?

 

[pinkxray]

My kids are still small. Having a splash pad at the pool was the highlight for our pool days. I would definitely switch to GF if we were scheduled at Poly during the closure.
I think the GF splash pad is a little better for the one year old anyway. The Poly one was was better for DS who was 4 when we traveled. It had deeper puddles, bigger slides and seemed too much for our 18m old.
She was able to play more on the GF one a few months later.

 

[edgefamily]

The rooms at the GF don't impress me, but the splash pad seems like a deal breaker with everything else that is closed. We are scheduled to stay in two weeks. Should we change?

I feel the same about the GF rooms....not really impressed and would prefer the Poly rooms. But with everything that we are sacrificing (but honestly still paying for) at the Poly, the added closure of the splash pad is just too much. On a normal trip with only the splash of closure, no big deal. But so far we have no monorail, no Ohana, no lobby check in, no room service, and now no splash pad, I’m sticking with the Grand Floridian for now. We can’t wait to get back to the Poly when we can enjoy all of its amenities. What do you think you guys will do? How old are your kids?

 

[edgefamily]

Stick with GF. Your kids will love the splash pad.

I was also booked to go to Poly in March but I just changed most of the days that we were supposed to stay there. If GF had a DVC opening for the days I need, then I would be there instead.

I checked on moving to a studio at GF, but there was no availability. I guess we will just stick with our regular room and enjoy the GF!

 

[edgefamily]

My kids are still small. Having a splash pad at the pool was the highlight for our pool days. I would definitely switch to GF if we were scheduled at Poly during the closure.
I think the GF splash pad is a little better for the one year old anyway. The Poly one was was better for DS who was 4 when we traveled. It had deeper puddles, bigger slides and seemed too much for our 18m old.
She was able to play more on the GF one a few months later.

My son loves the splash pad at the Poly and was a big reason we still booked there originally(even with closures) and not Bay Lake. We want this trip to be about our kids and what they enjoy. But with all that is now closed, the Grand Floridian seems like our best bet. I know we will have a great trip and can’t wait to make it back to the Poly after the remodel.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

@edgefamily - I know I said above I didn’t necessarily love the GF rooms, but I should probably add that they are a really nice size relative to other Disney resorts and are very comfortable. Any off feelings I have are for the bathrooms, which are starting to feel a little dated/worn, in my opinion (especially in comparison to something like the bathrooms you’re used to in a Poly Villa) - but the rooms themselves are great (in my opinion).

And I’m sure it’s just in our heads, but I swear we’ve had the most comfortable mattresses at GF.

 

[edgefamily]

Thanks

@edgefamily - I know I said above I didn’t necessarily love the GF rooms, but I should probably add that they are a really nice size relative to other Disney resorts and are very comfortable. Any off feelings I have are for the bathrooms, which are starting to feel a little dated/worn, in my opinion (especially in comparison to something like the bathrooms you’re used to in a Poly Villa) - but the rooms themselves are great (in my opinion).

And I’m sure it’s just in our heads, but I swear we’ve had the most comfortable mattresses at GF.

Thanks so much for your responses! It’s made me feel a lot happier about our change and I know we will have a great trip. I’m so glad to hear about the room size. I feel the same about the bathrooms at the GF...I was really looking forward to that waterfall shower at the Poly. Oh well, maybe next year!

 

[conandrob240]

Is Oasis pool still open? I have to say, I think Poly still wins for me. But I admit to same dilemma for my own trip

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Is Oasis pool still open? I have to say, I think Poly still wins for me. But I admit to same dilemma for my own trip

Yes, the Oasis Pool is open. However the Oasis Pool Bar & Grill is not open.

 

[Blondie58]

OK, so we have been booked in a deluxe studio at the Polynesian for the week of March 21-26. My family is me, my husband, 3 year old son, and 1 year old daughter. I just saw where the splash pad is will now be closed "through March" with no specific dates given for reopening.
We rebooked today at the Grand Floridian in an Outer Building- Lagoon View in regular guest room.
I am so confused as to what is best for us. The Polynesian is our favorite and we stay there most of the time. The studio set up at the Poly is ideal for our family, but the loss of even more amenities now makes me question staying there at that price. We have 2 days where we planned to use the splash pad area, because my son loved it last year when we were there.
The room at the Poly is ideal for our family, but the amenities are the positive side of staying at Grand Floridian. HELP!!
Should we stay at the Grand Floridian or rebook at the Polynesian?

I would stay at the Poly since the room configuration is best for your family. I would take the five minute walk to GF and use the kid's pool there. That way you get the best of both worlds.

 

[edgefamily]

U

I would stay at the Poly since the room configuration is best for your family. I would take the five minute walk to GF and use the kid's pool there. That way you get the best of both worlds.

I called and spoke to a CM that told me we wouldn’t be able to use the splash pad at the GF. We would only have access to the open amenities at the Poly.

 

[Blondie58]

I mistakenly thought that DVC had reciprocity at other resorts. My apologies.