Help! Can't decide the Poly or Comp?

[jacksonsmom]

We were thinking of staying at the AKL for our December trip BUT decided that we really want a resort on the Monorail for easy transportation.

Although I would love the AKL being we are only staying for a long weekend (5 days, 4 nights) we won't be in our rooms much to enjoy the savannah view.

So.....while we were at WDW just last week we checked out the Monorail resorts. I fell in love with the Poly but then the CR is nice too.

Can someone please give me the pluses & minuses to each resort, especially if you have stayed in both?

Also we are going in value season (2nd week in December) are the chances of any AP rates good? Can someone tell me what they have been in the past for these two resorts?

 

[dg39]

We've never stayed at the Poly. Just visited it for dinners, breakfasts & exploring. While it is a nice resort and many, many people do love it, we LOVE the CR. I feel it has alot of action. The stores are wonderful, the restaurants are great, the staff is friendly & helpful. The pool area and grounds are very nice also. We only stay in the tower, so I can't comment on the wing rooms, although thats where the laundry rooms are. The rooms at the CR are large. They fit 5 with no problem. THe views from the balcony are incredible. You can rent boats there, & beleive me they are so much fun. THe convenience of the monorail is worth the price alone. THe buses are right outside, & there is a walking path to the MK which only takes a few minutes. I only have good things to say about the CR as it is our favorites.

 

[Wish Upon A Star]

We haven't tried the CR yet . . .although maybe our next trip we will.

The Poly is a GREAT resort! Very tropical, very kid-friendly, when you stay there it's like you are staying in Paradise! I love that Island feel!

I haven't stayed there since they re-did the pool, but the original pool was a blast for the kids. We also rented water mice and took nice walks on the beach front and relaxed in the hammocks.

They also have a nightly torch lighting ceremony, the luau, Kona Cafe (awesome coffee) and O'Hana.

Either choice is a good one.

 

[mkymouse4ever]

That's why we are splitting in August, but in December, just staying at the CR, cause of the walkway. The walkway will be more convient with MVMCP.

I would pick by which "type" of person you are the BIG difference we found is:

CR: Fast paced, Big city attitude. Everyone going, doing something and something going on! Lots of people watching, and action.

POLY: Totally laid back, lazy, strolling, resting, relazing!

They are polar opposites! That's the big difference, its the feel of the place. They both have huge rooms, great CM's, nice resturants, grounds, pools, marinas, etc.....

You can not go wrong! MKY

 

[joshua4]

We stayed at the Poly just last month and the CR (North Garden Wing) in January, 2002. It really comes down to a matter of personal pref, I think. What I liked about the CR -- I loved being able to walk to the MK. With two small kids, they did not always feel like the whole monorail thing and it was nice to just walk 5 minutes to get there. We had a first floor room right on the water with views of the dock and the lake with a patio with pretty flowering bushes. The kids loved sitting out there for breakfast in the morning. My then 5 year old loved the bottomless slushy drinks. The CR has a machine with frozen drinks and Josh took our refillable mug every day and must have had 3 of those. He still talks about it. He also loved the arcade, which had machines which gave out tickets which could be redeemed for junk that he loved as well. The rooms were a bit crazy in decor, but the kids liked that too. We also liked taking the little boat to Fort Wilderness campground for the campfire and dinner at Trails end. Can watch the MK fireworks from 15th floor observation deck with music piped in.

Now, the poly. Clearly, a pretty resort. Pretty walkways, little bunnies hopping around. Lots of birds Prettier pool with zero depth entry. More sedate, tropical rooms More resort-like in feel IMHO. Transportation also good -- but I don't think it has a boat directly to the campground. Walking distance to TTC to pick up Epcot monorail, which was nice instead of having to double monorail. Here, watch fireworks on the beach instead of observation deck, which I think is nicer. Arcade is lame though compared to CR (but CR is so close, I don't know that that is a big deal)

Frankly, I don't think you can go wrong with either resort -- we have fond memories of both. I would stay at either resort again depending on what deal I could get.

Good luck.

Lauren (aka Joshua4)

 

[Uncle Scar]

We've stayed at both, and you can't go wrong either way!

The Polynesian has beat out the CR in our minds, but just a hair. We like the tropical theme, the pool and the view from the beach.

It comes down to the atmosphere you want. Tropical or Modern.

If you do stay at CR, I would recommend staying in the Tower vs a Garden room. You're in the middle of the action. Also, try Chef Mickey's located on the 4th floor. Great character breakfast or dinner.

You got the perfect decision to make, you can't lose either way.

 

[Demosthenes]

DW's favorite resort is the Poly. She loves the theming, the large rooms, the garden views are relative bargains, the restaurants are all quite good, the transportation is hard to beat.

I prefer the CR. The resort offers better transportation in the MK area, and is very convenient to Epcot. The CR tower rooms are the best deluxe rooms on property IMHO.

 

[Wilma Flintstone]

The Poly has great atmosphere, theme, ambience.

The Contemporary has none.

Contemporary has very large rooms and, if you are lucky, tower rooms have fantastic views of Magic Kingdom.

The Poly has large rooms and, if you are lucky, lagoon-view rooms of the Magic Kingdom.

My vote is the the Poly. Fred (Flintstone, that is) and I spent our honeymoon there back in June of 1981!!

Romance rules --Wilma

 

[Amaris]

We stayed at the Poly three years ago, and other than almost being run over by a CM on a golf cart, it was totally WONDERFUL! It did have the musty smell in the room I hear so much about on the boards, but that really didn't bother us.. and mouse keeping did very cool things in our room every day! I would go there again in a heartbeat!

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

Have stayed at CR recently, have not stayed at Poly...yet , staying at AKL in Nov. CR rooms are the biggest, and we loved the decor-perfect for WDW ! The theming IS there, it is the MK, Mickey and the monorail! We LOVED the theming, the ambience and the atmosphere. I sat for over an hour while the children swam in the pool(great slide and water fountains to run through) just drinking IN that atmosphere. The beach to my left and the monorail to my right. We have eaten at Kona Cafe and 'Ohana's in the Poly and would like to stay there one day. You can't go wrong with any of them .

 

[GoingtoWDWagain]

Hi, I vote for Poly, Poly, Poly! Although, I've never stayed at the Contemporary, I really enjoyed my stay at the Poly. The Poly is very relaxing, the little ones love the slide at the main pool and the quiet pool was always empty when we went, we enjoyed the beach during the evening on the swing watching the water parade and fireworks and then back to the pool again. Room service is a must! I can go on and on but, really my overall experince was wonderful and I plan on returning again to the Poly. Hope this helps, good luck!

 

[cinmell]

The Contemporary is great! This is my family's favorite resort for so many reasons.

Location
Amazing Views
Walkway to MK
Boat transportation
Monorail transportation
Pools
Concourse-Love the shops there
Large Bright rooms
Arcade
Chef Mickey's
Concourse Steakhouse
Monorail zips thru the resort
Water sprites on Bay Lake and Seven Seas Lagoon
Fun atmosphere

 

[Tuffcookie]

I have to say the Poly is VERY nice. We stayed there last summer because we had my mom with us and we wanted the ease of getting back to the resort quickly, which the monorail provided. It truly is a tropical paradise! I told youngest DS that if he wanted to continue to go to WDW every year, after last year's treat of the Poly, it was back to the budgets for us!

TC

 

[jacksonsmom]

Wow! Thanks guys, now it is even harder to decide which one! LOL

Both sound really nice, but I think I am being out voted by my husband & son. My husband really wants to stay in the Contemportary & my son wants to stay in the hotel that "has the monorail" through it so it looks like we will be heading to the Contemportary.

I do love the fact that it is walking distant from the Magic Kingdom since we will spending most of our time in Magic.

Maybe next time we can swing a stay at the Poly! It looks like sure a nice & relaxing resort.

Thank you everyone for your reviews.