First trip to Disney - April 15th to 23rd! Two kids, Poly stay

[TaraS29]

I’m staying at the Poly next week for the first time - is the monorail a bit slow? Just wondering what the issue was so I can try and avoid it!

Enjoyed reading your report, sounds like a great trip.

 

[Jen81NYC]

I’m staying at the Poly next week for the first time - is the monorail a bit slow? Just wondering what the issue was so I can try and avoid it!

Enjoyed reading your report, sounds like a great trip.

We only tried to use it on our first park day, and it had some mechanical issue and waited almost 30 mins for it. I just didn’t care for relying on it to get to MK at a set time when the boat was also an option and so much chiller!

 

[DeeBee3]

That's great that you were able to do so much and not get up super early. Our kids are early birds, but I am always tired in the morning, usually because one of them storms in at 5am. I'd much rather relax in the morning and then stay out later, but the heat is a killer in FL.

Sounds like a super successful trip, especially at HS.

I think you've joined a lot of us who go to Disney once and then decide you need to go again VERY soon thereafter.

 

[zmdisneyworld]

Interesting note about the Monorail. The last time I was at WDW was in the early 90s (as a 12 year old) and we stayed at the Cabins at Fort Wilderness. Obviously a lot has changed in ~30 years. I don't remember well but feel like the busses weren't too bad, but one of the things we found appealing about Polynesian was (besides the view and theming) being right on the monorail and the ability to walk to MK if you wanted. So it's interesting that you thought the boat was better (but also good to know).

A couple of questions if you don't mind since we have similar aged children.... what was the best ADR you made that your kids appreciated as well? (Ohana and Tusker House are definitely on our list of ADRs).

Also (and I know this is going to vary depending on everyone's tastes/budget) ... do you feel that the cost of Polynesian was worth it compared to say... a value like Art of Animation or moderate like PO - Riverside or something... given that you seemed to have a few days where you came back and spent an hour so at the Poly to unwind before continuing your day? Also at the end of the day did you feel that the proximity to the parks was worth it? (FWIW our other considerations are PO - Riverside and Fort Wilderness, Art of Animation we've basically ruled out). I've read a lot about all of the resorts but always look for personal opinions especially when someone's situation (amount of people, ages, etc) is similar.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Jen81NYC]

Interesting note about the Monorail. The last time I was at WDW was in the early 90s (as a 12 year old) and we stayed at the Cabins at Fort Wilderness. Obviously a lot has changed in ~30 years. I don't remember well but feel like the busses weren't too bad, but one of the things we found appealing about Polynesian was (besides the view and theming) being right on the monorail and the ability to walk to MK if you wanted. So it's interesting that you thought the boat was better (but also good to know).

A couple of questions if you don't mind since we have similar aged children.... what was the best ADR you made that your kids appreciated as well? (Ohana and Tusker House are definitely on our list of ADRs).

Also (and I know this is going to vary depending on everyone's tastes/budget) ... do you feel that the cost of Polynesian was worth it compared to say... a value like Art of Animation or moderate like PO - Riverside or something... given that you seemed to have a few days where you came back and spent an hour so at the Poly to unwind before continuing your day? Also at the end of the day did you feel that the proximity to the parks was worth it? (FWIW our other considerations are PO - Riverside and Fort Wilderness, Art of Animation we've basically ruled out). I've read a lot about all of the resorts but always look for personal opinions especially when someone's situation (amount of people, ages, etc) is similar.

Thanks in advance.

Hi, this was our first trip to WDW so It’s hard to advise too much on the hotel. We were definitely in splurge mode because we were making up for a lot of missed outings and trips due to Covid. I did love the Poly but it was a lot of money so it’s hard for me to say if it was worth it—just truly depends on how much you value its perks and your travel time.

We happened to have a resort only weekend before visiting the parks so we got a lot of resort time that way but if it had been our original M-S parks trip, Im not sure how much pool and Poly time we would’ve gotten tbh. When we went back to rest, the kids wanted to nap or vegg out in front of the tv. I didn’t encourage pool time during these breaks because that’s tiring in a different way for kids. That said, if you don’t take hotel breaks but just leave the parks on the early side (like 6) for the day, you could definitely get a lot of good resort time that way too.

I did love the fireworks viewing on the Poly beach and the ease of getting there from MK in particular so if getting back to the room easily is a big pro for you guys, it could definitely be worth it. The vibe and feel of it were truly great, IMO (but again, I have zero other WDW resorts to compare it too!).

For ADRs, i really liked almost of all the ones we had! I wouldn’t do California grill again due to the limited menu and the $$$$ but otherwise, all very solid. My kids and husband liked Ohana the least though! Tusker House was my favorite but i don’t think you can go wrong with the others we had too (Space 220 lounge, prime time, Skipper canteens and the topolino’s character breakfast). I personally wouldn’t do a breakfast ADR on a park day but that’s my main ADR advice. I think i preferred the mid-day ADR but the early dinner ADRs after a hotel break worked well too. Hope this helps!

 

[Jen81NYC]

That's great that you were able to do so much and not get up super early. Our kids are early birds, but I am always tired in the morning, usually because one of them storms in at 5am. I'd much rather relax in the morning and then stay out later, but the heat is a killer in FL.

Sounds like a super successful trip, especially at HS.

I think you've joined a lot of us who go to Disney once and then decide you need to go again VERY soon thereafter.

I know, my husband thinks I’ve gone mad! And the stock market isn’t helping support my position, lol, but determined to return next April so get another trip in as my kids will be 10 and 7 then, so not yet surly tweens or teens! I don’t know if I can justify the Poly again though. But it was so nice and convenient!! What should i do??

 

[DeeBee3]

Just FYI, you could not walk from Poly to MK years ago. Perhaps you are thinking of Contemporary? I just wanted to clear that up. The walking path from GF is fairly new, but walking from Poly would be quite a hike still.

 

[Jen81NYC]

Just FYI, you could not walk from Poly to MK years ago. Perhaps you are thinking of Contemporary? I just wanted to clear that up. The walking path from GF is fairly new, but walking from Poly would be quite a hike still.

Hi, i don’t think i mentioned walking to MK from the Poly? That said, I really did want to walk it a couple of times but since my husband was recovering from a broken foot, wasn’t the best time to try. I wouldn’t do it for both getting there and back every day but seemed pretty easy to try it once or twice at least (but I live in the city so walks of any length don’t really faze me—I don’t own a car )

 

[DeeBee3]

Hi, i don’t think i mentioned walking to MK from the Poly? That said, I really did want to walk it a couple of times but since my husband was recovering from a broken foot, wasn’t the best time to try. I wouldn’t do it for both getting there and back every day but seemed pretty easy to try it once or twice at least (but I live in the city so walks of any length don’t really faze me—I don’t own a car )

Sorry I think it was the person above you! Ooops!

 

[Disturbia]

Interesting note about the Monorail. The last time I was at WDW was in the early 90s (as a 12 year old) and we stayed at the Cabins at Fort Wilderness. Obviously a lot has changed in ~30 years. I don't remember well but feel like the busses weren't too bad, but one of the things we found appealing about Polynesian was (besides the view and theming) being right on the monorail and the ability to walk to MK if you wanted. So it's interesting that you thought the boat was better (but also good to know).

A couple of questions if you don't mind since we have similar aged children.... what was the best ADR you made that your kids appreciated as well? (Ohana and Tusker House are definitely on our list of ADRs).

Also (and I know this is going to vary depending on everyone's tastes/budget) ... do you feel that the cost of Polynesian was worth it compared to say... a value like Art of Animation or moderate like PO - Riverside or something... given that you seemed to have a few days where you came back and spent an hour so at the Poly to unwind before continuing your day? Also at the end of the day did you feel that the proximity to the parks was worth it? (FWIW our other considerations are PO - Riverside and Fort Wilderness, Art of Animation we've basically ruled out). I've read a lot about all of the resorts but always look for personal opinions especially when someone's situation (amount of people, ages, etc) is similar.

Thanks in advance.

FYI AOA has been great for mid day breaks. Our kids are 2, 5 and 13. We go to MK 2 days, 1-2 days AK (FOP is a favorite), 1-2 days HS and checkin checkout 1/2 days are Epcot. We are not rope drop people. Kids love animals so AKL was a favorite resort until the Skyliner and Genie+. We’ve stayed at the GF in the past and the boats/monorails were crowded back then as well. We took the monorail to Ohana (Nov 2021) and it took us an hour (we started when fireworks were still going on). There was no room for strollers so we had to skip 2; couldn’t checkin until the monorail stopped at the Poly. We take a cab to Boma (our favorite restaurant).

That said I wouldn’t book a Skyliner resort during the most rainiest season (stops running without warning).

 

[zmdisneyworld]

FYI AOA has been great for mid day breaks. Our kids are 2, 5 and 13. We go to MK 2 days, 1-2 days AK (FOP is a favorite), 1-2 days HS and checkin checkout 1/2 days are Epcot. We are not rope drop people. Kids love animals so AKL was a favorite resort until the Skyliner and Genie+. We’ve stayed at the GF in the past and the boats/monorails were crowded back then as well. We took the monorail to Ohana (Nov 2021) and it took us an hour (we started when fireworks were still going on). There was no room for strollers so we had to skip 2; couldn’t checkin until the monorail stopped at the Poly. We take a cab to Boma (our favorite restaurant).

That said I wouldn’t book a Skyliner resort during the most rainiest season (stops running without warning).

Thanks for the insight. I’ve heard mixed things about travel from all resorts so I think it can just vary depending on time of year, luck and other factors. I have some time to decide I guess.

 

[zmdisneyworld]

Hi, this was our first trip to WDW so It’s hard to advise too much on the hotel. We were definitely in splurge mode because we were making up for a lot of missed outings and trips due to Covid. I did love the Poly but it was a lot of money so it’s hard for me to say if it was worth it—just truly depends on how much you value its perks and your travel time.

We happened to have a resort only weekend before visiting the parks so we got a lot of resort time that way but if it had been our original M-S parks trip, Im not sure how much pool and Poly time we would’ve gotten tbh. When we went back to rest, the kids wanted to nap or vegg out in front of the tv. I didn’t encourage pool time during these breaks because that’s tiring in a different way for kids. That said, if you don’t take hotel breaks but just leave the parks on the early side (like 6) for the day, you could definitely get a lot of good resort time that way too.

I did love the fireworks viewing on the Poly beach and the ease of getting there from MK in particular so if getting back to the room easily is a big pro for you guys, it could definitely be worth it. The vibe and feel of it were truly great, IMO (but again, I have zero other WDW resorts to compare it too!).

For ADRs, i really liked almost of all the ones we had! I wouldn’t do California grill again due to the limited menu and the $$$$ but otherwise, all very solid. My kids and husband liked Ohana the least though! Tusker House was my favorite but i don’t think you can go wrong with the others we had too (Space 220 lounge, prime time, Skipper canteens and the topolino’s character breakfast). I personally wouldn’t do a breakfast ADR on a park day but that’s my main ADR advice. I think i preferred the mid-day ADR but the early dinner ADRs after a hotel break worked well too. Hope this helps!

Thanks for all of this... your experience is helpful even though it was your first trip. It will be ours too. My wife and I both were there as kids but I feel as if that doesn’t really matter from our perspective now!

 

[Mich123]

Hi! I enjoyed your report, thanks for sharing!

We love the Poly but it’s gotten really expensive. I’d recommend checking out Boardwalk area hotels for your next trip. Boardwalk is fun, Beach Club has that awesome pool, slide and lazy river. Yacht Club shares the Beach Club pool, but the hotel is a little stuffy. For deluxe hotels at moderate prices (or Marriott points), the Swan and Dolphin are a great option. The best part about all of these hotels is that you can walk to DHS and Epcot.

 

[zmdisneyworld]

Hi! I enjoyed your report, thanks for sharing!

We love the Poly but it’s gotten really expensive. I’d recommend checking out Boardwalk area hotels for your next trip. Boardwalk is fun, Beach Club has that awesome pool, slide and lazy river. Yacht Club shares the Beach Club pool, but the hotel is a little stuffy. For deluxe hotels at moderate prices (or Marriott points), the Swan and Dolphin are a great option. The best part about all of these hotels is that you can walk to DHS and Epcot.

I don't mean to sidetrack this thread, but do you have any experience with the Wilderness Lodge? As I said earlier this is our first Disney trip as adults taking kids and we really like the Polynesian but could save probably $1500-2000 for the week by staying at Wilderness Lodge instead of Polynesian. Unfortunately it looks like the only travel options there are bus, and I would like to stay somewhere that has one or more options (walking to *some* park, bus, monorail, skyliner). We also liked PO - Riverside but it seems to be in a bad place in regards to travel options.

I would add that we aren't really Disney trip people, so this may be out only trip for a few years so that pushes us back to just staying where we want rather than trying to save money since it is a "one time thing" (or two times, when the kids are 10-12). Thanks for any insight!

 

[Hubie]

The boats from WL are the best way to travel to the MK. The lodge itself is our favorite, next to Saratoga Springs.

 

[snikki]

Great trip report!!

As for your Poly questions, I stayed there in 2015 and didn't care for the monorail either. Half the time it didn't run early enough or was down. We mostly used the boat too! We did do Beach Club for half of that trip and we LOVED it. We love the Epcot resort area. Deluxe prices are so high we are doing CSR next trip and I am so excited. I say if you want to go and want to convince your husband try out a moderate. It'll be less than half the price and I'm sure you guys will still have a great time!

 

[Disturbia]

I didn’t realize the boat/trail between Fort Wilderness (horse/pony rides) and Wilderness lodge (Story Book dining) was not running/open

https://www.disboards.com/threads/fort-wilderness-to-wilderness-lodge-golf-cart.3816521/

We just went to the Wilderness Lodge for Story Book dining, but the atmosphere was very relaxing and laid back. We prefer AKL if we were going to stay at a Deluxe (FOP is a priority, we go to AK at least twice)

https://www.disboards.com/threads/disneys-wilderness-lodge-information-questions.3372315/

 

[Einstein509]

I don't mean to sidetrack this thread, but do you have any experience with the Wilderness Lodge? As I said earlier this is our first Disney trip as adults taking kids and we really like the Polynesian but could save probably $1500-2000 for the week by staying at Wilderness Lodge instead of Polynesian. Unfortunately it looks like the only travel options there are bus, and I would like to stay somewhere that has one or more options (walking to *some* park, bus, monorail, skyliner). We also liked PO - Riverside but it seems to be in a bad place in regards to travel options.

I would add that we aren't really Disney trip people, so this may be out only trip for a few years so that pushes us back to just staying where we want rather than trying to save money since it is a "one time thing" (or two times, when the kids are 10-12). Thanks for any insight!

PO-Riverside is bigger than French Quarter and has more bus stops. I believe they do have a boat that goes to Disney Springs if you're into that. We prefer French Quarter for the theming and size of the resort. Lot less crowded.

However, if you're not concerned about money, I would definitely stay on the monorail loop or at the HS/EP resorts others have mentioned already. I think best bang for buck is the HS/EP resorts to include the Swan/Dolphin. You get two parks within walking distance plus all the Boardwalk restaurants/entertainment. At night, they have street performers most days, which is great for kids. Hope that helps.

 

[zmdisneyworld]

PO-Riverside is bigger than French Quarter and has more bus stops. I believe they do have a boat that goes to Disney Springs if you're into that. We prefer French Quarter for the theming and size of the resort. Lot less crowded.

However, if you're not concerned about money, I would definitely stay on the monorail loop or at the HS/EP resorts others have mentioned already. I think best bang for buck is the HS/EP resorts to include the Swan/Dolphin. You get two parks within walking distance plus all the Boardwalk restaurants/entertainment. At night, they have street performers most days, which is great for kids. Hope that helps.

Thanks for this, I appreciate you taking the time to reply. We initially looked at the Beach Club for the pool, walkability to Epcot, etc. A lot to consider and those HS/EP area resorts have a lot of nice pros.

 

[Mich123]

@zmdisneyworld I have only been to Wilderness Lodge for dining, it’s a beautiful resort. While I’ve considered it, I always end up at the Boardwalk area resorts or AKL due to convenience or price. AKL is an amazing place and there are often some really good deals. In January, we did a split stay—4 nights at the Swan and 5 nights at AKL—it was the perfect combination. We had no transportation issues and took advantage of each location’s close parks.