Convenience of monorail outweigh fun of Storm Along Bay?

[crs7568]

I am getting very close to running out of time to make a change. My husband is sick of hearing me obsessing about which resort to stay in.

We are booked at the Polynesian because of the convenience of the monorail for access to MK. I think that the majority of our time will be split between MK and MGM. However, we are going in August so there will be LOTS of afternoon pool breaks. We will be travelling with kids aged 2, 7, and 10. I am starting to think that a better pool will be more important than a monorail. Any opinions?

 

[Tagrel]

We have stayed at the GF once and the YC/BC/BCV 3 times. Our personal preference is YC/BC.

We love walking to Epcot. We love the boat to MGM. The walk to Boardwalk is 5 - 10 minutes and a really fun area. The walk back from MGM (after Fantasmic, this is great for beating the crowds) is 20 minutes along a very nice path. There are TONS of restaurants close by. And while a bus is still a bus, it didn't seem too bad taking it to MK (definitely not as convenient as the monorail though!)

Stormalong Bay is a fantastic pool. Our daughters (now 6 and 4) love this pool and I have to agree. Its a mini water park, and it has made our August trips so much fun. (We were at GF in December, so not much pool time)

I have a bunch of SAB pictures posted here:

Stormalong Bay Slideshow

Good luck in your decision!

 

[cinmell]

Tagrel, I love your pictures of SAB!

 

[Gabrielle]

Good question!

I'm in a different boat than you because my two kids are young teenagers. We're going to spend a weekend at the YC to enjoy Stormalong Bay and then we're going over to the Contemporary so that my kids will have easy mobility to go off by themselves or shop, etc.

The only drawback I see for you since your kids are so young - and this is based on a message by a previous poster that I agreed with - is that Stormalong Bay is big and therefore, it's not always easy to keep an eye on young kids, at all times.

It wasn't that long ago since my kids were as young as yours so I remember how quickly they can tire out. I remember being with my daughter at Epcot when she was about 9 and her whining that she was tired and wanting to go back to the resort - it was 11 a.m.!



I'm looking forward to this trip where I can stay all day at the parks if I want to - it's always been my kids who tire out and want to go back to the resort.

I think if I were in your shoes, I'd stay at the Poly - just for the convenience of the monorail during hot days.

Have a great time!

 

[Dizma]

Thanks for the great pictures. Do they have floats and life jackets available at SAB? If so what are the fees? Also, is there a map of SAB anywhere? Thanks for any input! -Dizma

 

[Puffy2]

I've done both - yacht club and polynesian - with children those ages I'd stick with the decision of the Polynesian. You Will love the access of the monorail, you will love the themeing of the resort and their pool is rather new at the Polynesian (since they were redoing it when I went in 2001 was it???)

The Yacht CLub is more "grown up" with talored rooms ,etc... Yes, SAB is great but my 11 year old wouldn't even get IN IT (can you believe that one????) just "didn't want to"...

If I was going back, I'd stay at the Polynesian or a villa at the Boardwalk on points.
Be happy with your decision and stop running your husband crazy! If you get a deal, consider concierge at the Polynesian - it would be worth it with the 5 of you.

 

[Linda/MA]

We've stayed at BWI and GF and, personally, I prefer the Epcot resort area with my kids. But they are teenagers and yours are not. With kids your age, I would definitely stay at a Monorail resort. It was so easy to get to the MK from the GF and I have a feeling that is where you'll be spending most of your time.

 

[sparp5]

Both are greta resorts and the Polynesian has a great pool but SAB is an awesome pool. We choose to stay at the BC because our fav parks are MGM and Epcot.

It a personal perference. The BC pool is definitely the most awesome disney has. Poly is great and being on the monorial is great for easy access to MK and naps for young ones.

I had to laugh at our comment my DH thinks I obcess anout WDW too much !!!!

Goog luck on your choice.

Paula

 

[tiggersmomof4]

I have children similar ages of yours (4, 6, 7, & 12) we stayed at the BC last year and are trying something new this year, the YC!!

I always said I would never stay at the same hotel until I tried them all, but SAB is just fabulous! The Epcot resort area is by far (IMO) the best place to stay.

We have booked the Poly three times for split stays and always end up cancelling. I still would love to stay there one day, but my DD's could make their vacation of SAB alone! Whatever your decision, you will have a fabulous time! Enjoy!

 

[DisneyKidds]

I'd go with the YC/BC, or better yet - split your stay if you will be there long enough.

We have kids, ages 4 and 2. They much prefer SAB over the Poly pool. We stayed in both places last month. Kids don't care about monorail access to the MK. Matter of fact, neither do I. While the monorail is cool, I think it is overrated. It is not the most efficient means of getting around. Yeah, you don't have to fold a stroller, but that isn't such a big deal. Actually, when we checked into the Poly last month the bell services CM said the boat was quicker than the monorail for getting to the MK. It was, and that is what we primarily used, even though we had to fold the stroller.

Maybe it is easy for me to say because we have stayed on the monorail before (something everyone should do at least once), but I prefer the BC to the Poly, and the kids do as well.

As for pools.........SAB is not so large that it is difficult to keep an eye on the kids. You can't let them wander off, but who is going to let young kids do that at Disney anyway. SAB was particularly good for our 2 yo. He could safely run in and out of the pool and splash around - and he loved it. When we got to the Poly, since the pool is zero entry, he thought he could run in and out of that pool and flop around like he did at SAB. Problem is, there is no sand bottom and the pool is slippery and hard. He kept slipping falling and I always had to be near him to keep him from knocking his head. He had a ball in the Poly pool, but it wasn't very relaxing for me.

If you plan on spending a lot of time in the pool, the YC/BC is the way to go. It is great having easy access to Epcot and the Studios as well.

 

[beachbumdb]

I stayed at both the poly and yacht club in dec 2001 with 6yr old
granddaughter. We split the trip between both resorts. Bell services transferred out luggage so the transition went smoothly.

She loved both pool areas. But SAB was her favorite.

At yacht club sab there is a sandy area at one end on the mini
water park. She had never been to a beach and spent many
hours playing in the sand. Even though it is big she stayed at the sandy end.

We did MgM and Epcot and Ak from YC
We did MK and Epcot from Poly

I thought the YC was a bit stuffy and preferred the Poly theme.

Poly pool was excellent with its zero entry.
You cant swim in the lake at the beach though.

The monorail was great for getting back to the room quick.
But that only helps for the MK and somewhat for Epcot (longer monorail)

 

[ContemporaryGirl]

Thanks so much for those Slides of Stormalong Bay. We just returned from the Beach Club on Friday, and had so much fun. The ending was even better. My ex husband and I have been divorced for 5 years now, but for the last year have decided we wanted to work things out. He planned this trip, with our children, and little did I know that he had bought a beautiful pearl ring for me while at the Beach Club at the Pearl Factory. He proposed to me the night we came home. I never did get a picture of the Pearl Factory, and you had one on your slides. That meant the world to me!!! Thankyou.

 

[slp87]

We stayed at the BC when my DD was 2 and she practically lived in the pool. We loved the sand bottom area with the sand dune. She played in the sand and could walk all around that area without the water being over her head. She loved it! Being DVC members, we've been back to SAB every trip and had a blast!! Now that we can't pool hop there we're splitting our stay between BWV & BCV just so we can swim at SAB!!

 

[cindala]

Well, here is yet another vote for the YC/BC and SAB! The sandy pool section of SAB is perfect for children your age! It's a great location, and still an easy bus ride to MK.

Unless you plan to spend everyday in the MK, I would go with the YC/BC!