Is there any better place to stay with young kids than the Poly?

[Dsheehan]

In 97, we took our 3 1/2 year old son to WDW for 5 days, and stayed at the Poly, because we were informed that it had the best
access to transportation, best family-oriented amenities, etc.

Well, it was great. He loved the pool, the shows, and we had a lagoon view to watch the fireworks each night. We would rise each morning with the sun, eat breakfast in the room, and get to the early-opening park for a few hours of attractions. The trip back to the Poly was always quick, even from MGM (we had rented a car.) We'd eat lunch, relax at the pool, let our son take a nap, and at 4 PM head to another park for the evening.

This trip was at the beginning of Summer Vacation, mind you, but each day was almost perfect, even with the crowds and heat.

Now, we are planning a trip next year with our son (who'll be 8) and his sister (who'll be 4).

The question is: Can any of the WDW resorts compare to the Poly for it's family-friendly logistics? Is the Contemporary just a s good? Or any other resort?

I realize that I pay a premium to stay there, but it was so perfect for a family with small kids that I can't imagine a better place.
Any feedback from those with small kids who've stayed elsewhere, please share your experience.

Thanks.

 

[melk]

Well I have to be honest that the Polynesian has always been my dream vacation, but we've never made it there (hopefully someday we will). But we stay at the Fort Wilderness cabins which at the moment is my absolute favorite place to stay. It has great access to the Magic Kingdom, a direct boat ride. The cabins are fully equipped with a full kitchen, bathroom, bedroom that sleeps four, two t.v.s, vcr, maid service, and a pull out bed in the living room. For small kids, there is a lot to do. There is a petting zoo, pony rides, two swimming pools, a nightly campfire/sing alongwith Chip and Dale followed by a Disney double feature. It's shown outside by the campfire on a big screen and you sit on bleachers or a blanket. There is also a restaurant and two stores. We love the atmosphere, the fact that you can be so close to all the action, yet go back to this completely peaceful resort. We also love the savings we get by eating all our breakfasts at the cabin. It's nice to to put the kids to bed in the bedroom at night and still be able to stay up in the living room. My kids absolutely love Fort Wilderness with all the above activities, plus the playgrounds and beach. I've never stayed there, but the Wilderness Lodge looks nice too, with that same "rustic" feeling as FW. Let us know what you decide!!

 

[Dsheehan]

melk:

I have actually heard good things about FW, and your comments certainly reinforce that. It may be something to look into, as with a 4 and 8 year old, the MK will be the place to be! (I do remember having a good view of FW from our room at the Poly.)

Guess it may be a good idea to start researching the deals there, as it would be nice to try a different resort this time.

Thanks again.

 

[deeshie]

We are staying at the Poly (for the first time, in just 5 days), for all the amenities that you mention (2 1/2 year old DS, and I'm five months pregnant). However, with older children, I'd be just as happy staying at the CBR (esp. if you are going to spend most of your time at the parks), and with an infant, we found BWV the place to be.

It all depends. You have to look at what each resort has to offer, assess your needs (cost, accessibility to a food court, etc.), and decide from there. At least you know that whatever you pick should be great!

 

[redbirdgrad]

Just got back from the contemporary with my 7 and 4 year old - they loved the arcade, it was huge - the pool was great - and the convenience was fantastic. They also had a playground area and Chef Mickeys - it was great.

 

[mirlow]

We were at the Polynesian last month and we love it as always We were there for 9 days and thought we might split our stay. We decided to tour a few of the other resorts to see if we would want to stay there, but we found that for what we needed nothing could beat the Polynesian. We have 3 kids six and under. We spent most of our time at the MK. We love the transportation they have at the Polynesian you can't beat it anywhere. I really the other resorts but we just couldn't leave the Polynesian We might split up our stay next year because we plan on being there even longer. You might want to do what we did, go check out some of the other resorts to get a feel for them. There are a lot of good resturants at the different resorts. You could always change when you are down there. Everybody has their resort that they love. If you had a great time at the Polynesian before I say go for it again

 

[Dsheehan]

Mirlow:

You may have said it best: We had a fantastic time at the Poly, so maybe we just leave a good thing alone!

In fact, when I mentioned to our DS that we are planning another trip, he even asked if we would be staying at the same place. He even mentioned the beach and, of course, the pool! I can remember how great it felt, after spending a long, hot June morning in a park, then retreating to a tropical paradise for food and a swim, then a nice nap!

But, on the other hand, why not try something new! I'm hearing Contemporary (which, when I was a kid, was the place I always wanted to stay!), and Wilderness Lodge, and trailer at Fort Wilderness.

Who has used the trailers? Can you give me any feedback, since it does sound like a lot of fun!

Thanks again for all you fantastic responses!

 

[Planogirl]

We stayed at the Poly when DS was small and I agree that it was great. I remember thinking at the time though that the Contemporary would probably just as good for DS. It has the arcade, Chef Mickey's and for him a nice pool. It also had his favorite attraction, the monorail inside. Could anything be any better?

I'm really the one who liked the Poly better. I also liked walking to the TTC to catch the monorail to Epcot. DS enjoyed Epcot but would have probably enjoyed riding two monorails to get there even more.

 

[disney0928]

I love FW!

The newer cabins are fantastic! As mentioned, spacious and they provide privacy. When we were kids, mom and dad took the Murphy bed in the living room, and us 3 kids used to fight over the top bunk. The cabins now have a 2nd tv in the bedroom, which can come in handy with kids.

The number of recreation options can't be beat! Canoeing, peddleboats, bikes, fishing, hayrides, campfires w/ Chip and Dale. The nightly movies are great too!

Electric cart rentals are available to make transportation within FW much easier. The ride to MK is very pleasant. And the view of the MK fireworks from the Marina beach is incredible; the electric water pageant comes by at about 9:45 every night.

The Hoop Dee Doo Revue, the best dinner show on property IMHO, is right there too. Trail's End Buffet serves multiple options, very kid-friendly, for all 3 meals. It is by far the most cost-effective meal in all of WDW.

Even if you don't stay at FW, take some time to check it out-it's a great place, even just for a short visit!

 

[AllisonG]

Well here is another reply for the FW cabins. We have stayed in the cabins 4 times. Starting when our oldest was 9 months old. The last time was 2000 when we stayed with our 3 y.o. and our 1 y.o. I think FW is one of the best resorts to stay at when you have children of any age. My first time staying at FW was when I was a Girl Scout in 1981. I ahve loved it ever since. Give it a try, I think you'll really enjoy it!

 

[campingcorgi]

I'm a FW lover, too! The cabins are nicely themed, and the full kitchen really helped us out with picky eaters. Gotta love that maid service, too, and they even run the dishwasher!!

The campground is really neat--playgrounds and basketball hoops in many places. You can take a quiet walk by the streams and see the sunset over the Magic Kingdom. You can see the Electric Water Pagent from the beach and then see the MK fireworks. Rent a golf cart--far in advance!--and tour the entire campground. You'll see some $500,000+ RV's! You can see deer on the trails, and watch the peacocks wander the grounds. People at FW are so friendly and the amenities can't be beat!

Barbara

 

[Tink]

I have stayed at many of the resorts and will be staying at the Polynesian next week for the first time with our 2.5 year old. Last trip in 11/00 she was 20 months and we stayed at PO-FQ. We usually stay at moderates for the price (the discount was just to good for a Deluxe this year to pass up). PO-FQ was wonderful for a toddler. The resort is small and easy to get around. We had breakfast in our room alot (we would go to the food court and get the stuff for her and she could eat while we each showered). The Food Court is close to everything and its no big deal to walk to. The pool theme is fun. That dragon is neat and looks pretty at night. The boat can take you to Downtown and you bus it everywhere else. The buses are not as easy as the monorail, but they run regularly and PO-FQ is the first pick up.

I am sure on our next trip we will be there again. The place is just so nice and the CM's there are the best I have encountered at any resort.

I know I am a little biased since PO-FQ is my favorite. I have stayed at the Riverside (when it was Dixie) on her first trip when she was a year old, and have done Caribbean Beach pre-kid. Both of those resorts are nice, but a little spread out for me with the toddler.

 

[Dsheehan]

I've just reserved the Poly for our family, from April 12-19, 2002. I booked through CRO, so I know I have up to 5 days before to cancel. Now, I've booked it at $394 per night (ouch!), but now I need to know what the odds are that there will be any discount codes between now and then. I told the CM that I am an AP holder, but even after checking with her supervisor, she said that those had not been released yet for those dates (this was what I expected to hear at this early date, but I figured I'd give it a shot anyway!)

Now, I'd like some thoughts on whether I can even expect any significant AP-type discounting during the last week of peak season.

We love the Poly, but not at $394/night. So, I'm thinking of booking a backup at another resort, in case we can't get a discount. Since I'm paying the one-night deposit with my AmEx card, I can always get the refund if we switch to a different hotel.

So what do you all think? Do I stand any chance of getting a discount during that time period, or am I dreaming?

Also, what do you recommend as a good alternate, moderate resort for kids ages 4 and 8? (My main objective is: get to the EE park as early as possible each day! And have a resort that's easy to get back to when it's retreat time around lunch each day.)

Thanks again for the help.

I await your responses.
(PS -- Im going to post this in the Budget Discussion also!)

1997 - Poly
2002 - ???

 

[Gillian]

For that time period you may be able to get the AAA discount. We have CSR reserved for the end of april with a discount & had our choice of moderates. I called about 2 weeks ago. You may or may not be asked for your card number when you call.

AAA is great! We use them for the emergency road service. We have needed a lot of towing in the past 2 years! It is also good for discounted WDW tix, movie tix, dry cleaner discounts & free MAPS! I am a map nut

We have an infant & we chose to stay at YC because there are lots of places to stroll near there. He likes to people watch, as do we! Next time will be the polynesian & then the FW cabins, as both DH & I camped when we were kids and loved being able to explore the campground. I just have to spread the trips out so our kids are the right age...or fill in with budget trips!