GF or Poly?

[sydprincess]

In the first stages of planning a June '09 trip. Going to be staying at the WL Villas for 5 nights, and are then wanting to move to either the GF or Poly for another 5 nights. Will have a DD7 and DD4 with at the time. I know the GF is not as kid-friendly as the Poly might be, but I think it's so incredibly beautiful and I'd love to have the experience of staying there. DH thinks it's too stuffy and that the children won't enjoy it. I think the Poly is old and run down. What would you recommend?

 

[Cool-Beans]

If you want the Grand Floridian, I'm voting GF. Always on the side of the wife!!!!! I don't think the GF is less kid-friendly than the Poly or that the kids would enjoy it less. Besides, if it was all about the kids, you could stay in an All-Star!

You can't go wrong with either, IMO. They're both pretty in their own way.

 

[DeeCeeSW]

I think the Poly is old and run down.

Boy, that's harsh.

 

[Lives4Disney]

I have 3 kids and have stayed in both the GF and Poly. The GF is very kid friendly and we have always felt welcome. GF is a beautiful resort with great kid activities, two beautiful and uncrowded pools - even in summer, great restaurants and good housekeeping & terrific CMs. We have had much better GF stays than Poly stays. The Grand is NOT stuffy. I am not sure where people get that opinion. The decor? The expensive look?? The CMs have always been so friendly and kind to us and even the other guests have been so thoughtful and nice. We have stayed in almost all the Disney deluxes over the past MANY years, and the Grand has been nothing short of awesome in all of our stays. Can't say the same for the other deluxes.

Poly is nice, too (not as nice, haha ), but since you feel the way you do about it, I would say GF for sure.

Lives4Disney

 

[Cool-Beans]

Boy, that's harsh.

I don't think so. I think she's as entitled to her opinion as anyone.

I agree that the lobby area could use some updating. The rooms got their updating and are quite nice now. I especially like the frosted glass on the closet doors with those long, thin, palm things stuck in there. Very polynesiany and very cool.

 

[global_mom]

The Poly may not be everybody's cup of tea but that hardly qualifies it as 'old and run down'. You might want to do a bit more research before dismissing it in this way. If you dont like what you find then dont stay there, that is why Disney offers so many different resort choices.

 

[texasdisneygal]

We just got back from staying at the GF with our six year-old dd. I think the GF is very kid-friendly. There are many kid's activities there. DD did the Alice in Wonderland Tea and LOVED it. She and I also did the Perfectly Princess Tea and it was very nice. Not something I would ever let her do again since it's so expensive, but it was a nice "one-time" thing to do. The pool and waterslide at GF was lots of fun for my dd as well and we rented motorboats one day and she enjoyed that too.

Now, with all that said, I do not feel the need to stay at the GF again as I want to experience other resorts and frankly, I don't feel as if it was quite worth the $535 a night that we paid. The individual buildings have a "Best Western" feel to them, IMO, although I know they're being rehabbed. The main building, though, is TDF and so very grand, as you probably already know.

Have fun deciding!

 

[traci]

We have stayed at the GF and really liked it. The resort is nice to unwind at after long days at the parks. We have never seen the pools crazy busy either. I didn't find it stuffy - actually it was quite relaxing. I think people find the GF stuffy because there are weddings there and you tend to see people dressed up for those. There are also a couple of nice restaurants. We were very comfy walking around in flip flops and t-shirts though! For our upcoming trip we are trying the Poly. I have also thought it seemed a bit *dark* and outdated (yet the rooms have all been refurbed) but there are also many positive reviews. I am hoping the pools aren't really busy as we are kind of spoiled by the crowds at GF (or lack of). Either way I think both are good choices. Remember is Disney...not the Ritz (although you are paying those kind of prices).

Good-Luck deciding!

 

[DisneyMomx7]

We've stayed at both the Poly and the GF and BOTH are very kid friendly. I know some people think that the GF is too stuffy but that opinion usually comes from people who have never stayed there. THe first year we stayed at the GF the kids were 2,4 and 5 and we never felt out of place. There were lots of kids at the pool and so many of the kids activities (Wonderland Tea Party, Pirate Cruise, Grand Adventures in Cooking) are held at the GF so you see lots of kids there.

Now with our three youngest they all have their favorites DS (7) GF is his favorite although he is definitely hankering to try CR, DD (8) favorite is the Polynesian, DD (9) favorite is the Yacht Club. All three of them love all three resorts though.

In my opinion if you really want to stay at GF don't let anyone let you think it won't be kid friendly.

 

[Marty Joe]

The Poly is a lot of things to me - tropical, lush, relaxing, and beautiful are a few. The Polynesian has been around for a while, but just about everything has been updated. The staff at the Polynesian do an incredable job with the landscaping and all the rooms have been completely re-done. O'hana and Kona speak for themselves and the mousekeeping is as good as anywhere else (at Disney). The views from within and out of the Polynesian are spectacular. Watching Wishes from the beach with a Mai Tai (or Backscratcher) from the Tambu Lounge is to die for. While the GF is a very beautiful resort and worthy of serious consideration, calling the Polynesian "old and run down" was painful. You had to know you were going to ruffle a few feathers with that remark. Hundreds of thousands of people live and breath the Polynesian and a great many of those people visit the DIS for some tropical inspiration between vacations. So to answer your "which is better, _____ or ______" question, I would say Grand Floridan for you. This is not a flame, just a different point of view. Enjoy your 6/09 vacation.

 

[garada3]

We are also planning our next visit to WDW for the summer of 2009 - what a wait but it will be worth it

I have three sons and we have stayed at both the Poly and the GF.

We were at the Poly in October of 2003 and really enjoyed the resort for its tropical feeling and the volcano pool. We stayed in a second floor room so there was not a balcony to relax on but the room was large and comfortable for the 5 of us. The room did seem dark but I think this was because the area where it was located was in the shade and surrounded by lush landscaping. This was before the rehab of the rooms and remodel of Captain Cook's. My kids loved the Neverland Club for an evening while DH and I enjoyed a dinner alone. We enjoyed being able to walk to the TTC to catch the monorail to Epcot. The GCH is very nice but seemed crowded and busy each time we passed through on the way to the monorail.

We stayed at the GF in May 2006. Our room was large, bright and had an 'airy' quality about it. We had a wonderful balcony that we enjoyed each morning and evening. The main building at the GF was busy too but because of its size and design did not feel as crowded as the Poly. The theme pool had a fun slide and my sons really enjoyed the quiet pool, we swam there more than the theme pool! We never had trouble finding a chair. We didn't mind the transfer of monorails to Epcot too much just took a few more minutes. We did not feel that the resort was snobby or that we had to worry about the kids being kids. We did see people dressed up at the GF and as someone mentioned already we feel it is because of the many wedding parties and guests in addition to several if WDW nicer places to eat. I love the large lobby with all the smaller conversation arrangements of furniture.

We like monorail and will stay on it for our next trip in '09. What hotel are we staying at? The Grand Floridian!

Good luck with your resort decision - isn't it a wonderful choice to have to make?!

 

[Doc CW]

GF over poly b/c it is closer to MK, its also very relaxing, and it was perfect for our whole family with room size and how they accomadated us.

 

[mika911]

If you were going now, I'd say Poly.

Since you're going so far in the future, the GF will not be so bad, since it's getting renovated. Right now the rooms are outdated to me.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I think the Poly is old and run down.

In fairness to the Polynesian all their rooms were just renovated, so it's kind of an unfair thing to say that considering what they just did.

 

[VAgal76]

Granted I stayed RPC at GF, but I thought the rooms @ GF were better than the renovated rooms at Poly. Overall I like GF better. I felt kids were definitely welcomed there, the staff were consistently terrific, the rooms were in great condition and decorated nicely. The rooms in the Poly didn't feel all that renovated to me - more like they were retro-fitted. I didn't stay in the older rooms, but have seen pictures of them. Poly is bustling no matter what you do. I felt I had more breathing room at GF.

 

[johnsonet]

Wow - that's a long way off - BUT I must say that you cannot go wrong with either resort. You will love either. Two of Disney's very best I have stayed at both many times (more at GF) and LOVE both. I would consider GF more "decadent" and Poly more "relaxed" but FUN! After the VWL, GF might be a nice move, especially with 2 little girls Again, IMO, you cannot go wrong

 

[Sammie]

Not sure what you are basing your predetermined opinions of either resort, but I would disagree with your assumptions of both them.

The Polynesian is old if you consider it was built in the 70's. However the actually rooms were just this year completely redone as were the common areas and Captain Cooks got a total do over also. The volcano pool was redone within the last couple of years. So most of the Polynesian is very new.

The Grand Floridian while luxurious and elegant has some of the best children's programs at Disney.

 

[sydprincess]

Thanks for all of the replies! Regarding the Poly, I DO mean old when I say old. It's the oldest resort on property, as we all know, and it looks the same it did when I walked into it the first time-which was in 1980. I still like it, but when we visited the Poly in June for some meals, it just didn't seem as well kept up as I would expect from a deluxe. It does have a nice feel to it, but just doesn't have that wow factor I get from the GF. Anyone else kow what I'm talking about? I think I'm leaning towards the GF, but I am wondering about the refurb that's going to take place. Anyone know when it is set to begin? Thanks for all of the very helpful info! Yeah '09!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I think I'm leaning towards the GF, but I am wondering about the refurb that's going to take place. Anyone know when it is set to begin? Thanks for all of the very helpful info! Yeah '09!

From what I have read on here the renovation has already started at the Grand Floridian, however I don't remember which buildings they were working on and I think it's suppost to be done by December.

 

[VAgal76]

Thanks for all of the replies! Regarding the Poly, I DO mean old when I say old. It's the oldest resort on property, as we all know, and it looks the same it did when I walked into it the first time-which was in 1980. I still like it, but when we visited the Poly in June for some meals, it just didn't seem as well kept up as I would expect from a deluxe. It does have a nice feel to it, but just doesn't have that wow factor I get from the GF. Anyone else kow what I'm talking about? I think I'm leaning towards the GF, but I am wondering about the refurb that's going to take place. Anyone know when it is set to begin? Thanks for all of the very helpful info! Yeah '09!

I do know what you mean! From seeing the resort while pulling up to the friendly staff at check-in, mousekeepers - the whole kit and kaboodle - they just "wowed" me. I was sitting in the lounge sipping on a cocktail with a few friends listening to the band before our V&A dinner reservation. We weren't even staying at the resort then and it still made me think "this is an awesome place." LOL!