Contemporary or Polynesian?

[hoffse]

Hi all, I have read some other threads on this but still undecided.

We are looking at a short trip next October 2023. It will be 3 days/3 nights. We will have a 5 year old and 2 adults. The 5 year old is train obsessed - more so even than Disney character obsessed - so we are looking at monorail resorts so he can ride it. It will probably be the highlight for him. He also loves to swim, so I imagine we will visit the pool at least once, weather permitting. Otherwise, we were thinking MK and Epcot only.

It’s our first trip to WDW as a family, though my husband and I used to go to WDW way back in the day (decade+ ago). It probably won’t be our only trip ever, but maybe the only one for several years. We just aren’t really Disney people (ducks lol) so I don’t see us doing this again for awhile.

A friend of mine who is a Disney TA priced the rooms out and the Polynesian actually came out $300 cheaper than the Contemporary for equivalent rooms (club level for both). It’s not enough savings to really sway us one way or the other, but it was surprising to me. She is still recommending the Contemporary based on our trip length and the fact that the monorail goes through the building… but I wanted to check with this board because I know the Polynesian is usually the crowd favorite.

I’m probably going to put down a deposit in the next 24 hours for one of them.

Thoughts? Thanks!

 

[2Lunds]

Poly has nicer theming and a prettier pool - I like their QS dining options better too. HOWEVER stepping off that monorail onto the plush carpet at the Contemporary and walking straight to your room in the same building? That's amazing at the end of a long park day. If you were spending more resort time, I'd lean Poly, but with your short trip and the train obsession, I don't think you can beat the convenience of Contemporary.

 

[RoseGold]

DVC VGF non-resort standard view are monorail view right next to the track, and the GF pool has a really good view of the monorail and the GF grounds, which is neat. You could rent DVC points for that. Obviously, renting points has downside and isn't for everyone.

Poly has a lot of rooms with very bad views that might not see the monorail at all, and it could still be a construction zone. The huge Poly2 DVC building should be well underway then. I'd completely rule out Poly. If you stay Poly cash, you should be able to request monorail view and get it because it's also parking lot view, but there are no promises, and many views are bad. On the DVC boards, they generously call the parking lot view the "monorail" view, but the monorail is really far away.

Disney club level isn't as nice as nice hotel club level, and if you're park warrioring, it might not be worth it at all. I'd price out non-club cash GF as well. There are many GF cash rooms with a great monorail view.

But sounds like Contemporary would be the real winner for such a train fan.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

Poly for sure! The grounds are so beautiful; the pool is great (I also love the Oasis pool there); the club level building is perfect location on the property (not near the construction mentioned above, but def no view of monorail). The Contemporary does not have the lush, beautiful feel that I love about the Poly (it feels like a sea of concrete); the pool is boring; I don't care for the QS food there. BUT--the club lounge there is nice and the monorail right through the building is pretty magical. So, you've got a tough choice, but I vote Poly.

 

[ltalley1]

We love Poly and Contemporary, but for a short stay and the convenience of the all the transportation options (monorail, train, boat) from Poly to MK and and the easy walk to the TTC to catch the monorail directly to Epcot, (from Contemporary you have to take the monorail to TTC and change trains- on the way to Epcot you can walk straight across to the Epcot train but to go back you have to get off walk around and and get on one of the other trains- which doesn't sound too bad but at the end of a long day it requires more waiting) plus we prefer the pools at Poly. For your children's ages I think Poly would be a great choice, but you really can't go wrong- Have a great trip!

 

[SharonZ]

I would vote for Contemporary. Have stayed at both, and Poly was nice but wasn't worth all the hype to me. I also like the food choices at the Contemporary, and he would probably love Chef Mickeys. It would spend the extra $300 for the Contemporary, but you honestly can't go wrong with either choice.

 

[2Lunds]

I would vote for Contemporary. Have stayed at both, and Poly was nice but wasn't worth all the hype to me. I also like the food choices at the Contemporary, and he would probably love Chef Mickeys. It would spend the extra $300 for the Contemporary, but you honestly can't go wrong with either choice.

Good point re: Chef Mickey's.

 

[sponica]

Maybe it's just me, but I HATE the monorail set up in the contemporary. We went there for dinner one night, and honestly that set up is why I won't stay there.

I prefer the ambience of the Poly to the CR, but that's a me thing.

 

[stinkpickle]

Your 5-year-old will probably prefer Contemporary, but you will probably prefer the Poly. That said...the walk to MK from Contemporary beats arriving any other way.

 

[Pinnochio]

Poly!!!

 

[AnnabelleTheTalkingTree]

My vote is for Poly, though a lot of that is just down to personal preference for the theming. The pool is much prettier in my opinion, and I do think the theming is more likely to appeal to the little ones.

 

[Genie+]

Poly has nicer theming and a prettier pool - I like their QS dining options better too. HOWEVER stepping off that monorail onto the plush carpet at the Contemporary and walking straight to your room in the same building? That's amazing at the end of a long park day. If you were spending more resort time, I'd lean Poly, but with your short trip and the train obsession, I don't think you can beat the convenience of Contemporary.

Agreed! Especially with the shorter trip and train obsession. Also Poly2 construction could still impact the resort next fall. I’d play it safe and go with Contemporary.

 

[holden]

They both have their plusses and minuses...

Poly:
Pros: nice theming, decent food, nice pool, easy walk to TTC to get EP monorail, good fireworks views, beach
Cons: construction, monorail to MK often crowded

Contemporary:
Pros: walk to MK, fun themed rooms (Incredibles), decent food, good fireworks views from bridge to BLT
Cons: atrium rooms are noisy, have to transfer monorails for EP, pool just ok, overall theming is stale

 

[Genie+]

They both have their plusses and minuses...

Poly:
Pros: nice theming, decent food, nice pool, easy walk to TTC to get EP monorail, good fireworks views, beach
Cons: construction, monorail to MK often crowded

Contemporary:
Pros: walk to MK, fun themed rooms (Incredibles), decent food, good fireworks views from bridge to BLT
Cons: atrium rooms are noisy, have to transfer monorails for EP, pool just ok, overall theming is stale

Which would you lean toward (in their position)?

 

[Silvermist999]

Are you doing a room only reservation? If so, you can book both resorts and pay the deposit for each, then decide and cancel one later to get a full refund of the deposit. Up to 5 days before check-in.

This is exactly what we have right now, a reservation at both the Poly and Contemporary. We have stayed at both before for all the pros everyone has mentioned, we love the monorail resorts. There really are no cons to either one, IMO. We are kind of leaning towards Contemporary since we’ve never stayed in the main tower before, only at BLT. But we also want to stay in the newly renovated Poly rooms too...

 

[SLThomas318]

Our boys first trip to Disney was a long weekend at the Contemporary in a Theme park view room. Our oldest was just shy of 4 and train obsessed also (still is!). He LOVED it! Was worth every penny and being able to walk to and from MK is amazing. We did one afternoon at Epcot and yes you have to change monorails, but my kids think the monorail is a ride so no big deal.

We have stayed GF in the DVC studios and also had an amazing view of the monorail from the balcony, but not the same wow as a train going thru a building.

Also love Poly and have been “lucky” to get the “monorail” view, but again nothing beats the train going thru the building.

I vote contemporary!

 

[hoffse]

Thank you all! Such a hard choice. Husband is leaning poly/I’m leaning contemporary. I’m considering letting the little one tie break us, but then I think he will be asking about it for the next year…. That’s probably a rookie parenting move lol

Can anybody speak to walking distance from the poly to wherever you catch the monorail?

 

[holden]

Which would you lean toward (in their position)?

I'd choose Poly. It's where we brought our kids when they were little. We have many fond memories there.

Thank you all! Such a hard choice. Husband is leaning poly/I’m leaning contemporary. I’m considering letting the little one tie break us, but then I think he will be asking about it for the next year…. That’s probably a rookie parenting move lol

Can anybody speak to walking distance from the poly to wherever you catch the monorail?

Walking distance to monorail depends on which longhouse you are in. Poly is not a big resort, so I consider any walk to the monorail there short.

There is a monorail stop in the Great Ceremonial House (the lobby) which is pretty central to all of the longhouses. That monorail goes to Grand Floridian, Magic Kingdom, Contemporary, Ticket and Transportation Center, and then to Poly again. Basically a big circle.

The Ticket and Transportation Center (the Epcot monorail is there) is within walking distance to the Poly. The walk to the TTC is short if you are on that side of the resort; it's longer if you are on the other side.

 

[Jwaire]

Club level for Poly in October 2023? Contemporary. The club level rooms are right beside all the construction. They're going to be well into construction on that tower by October of 2023.

Edit: They're in Hawaii. So, you might be OK. I still wouldn't do it.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

Thank you all! Such a hard choice. Husband is leaning poly/I’m leaning contemporary. I’m considering letting the little one tie break us, but then I think he will be asking about it for the next year…. That’s probably a rookie parenting move lol

Can anybody speak to walking distance from the poly to wherever you catch the monorail?

Look on a map of the resort--since you're club level, you will be in the Hawaii building. It's an easy walk from there to the ticket and transportation center, and super-short walk to either the Ceremonial House (where the monorail to MK is) or to the boat launch to MK.