Need some resort advice...

[AA25]

I came here when planning a trip a few years back and everyone was so helpful, hopefully I can get some guidance again

My in laws are treating the entire family to a Disney Cruise in July for their 40th anniversary. After we disembark, we are going to head to the parks for a few days and I am looking for some input on where we should stay.

There are going to be a bunch of rooms and they are not interested in having everyone stay together, or in groupings in a condo type situation. We went 2 years ago (with a smaller group) and stayed in Grand Floridian overlooking the water. They would like to be on the monorail line again (unless there is a great reason not to). They are not opposed to staying in the Grand Floridian again, BUT I have one more child than I did last time and I don't remember the rooms being especially spacious.

The family consists of:
MIL and FIL
Myself, DH, DS1 (6), DS2 (4), DD (will be 15 months)
BIL an SIL
BIL and GF

Thanks in advance!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

GF are the biggest rooms on the monorail, so if the spaciousness is a concern, you won't improve it elsewhere. GF rooms are the largest non-suites on property at 440 square feet. Poly rooms are only 415, and Contemporary come in at 394.

(For that matter, unless you start booking DVC 1BRs or larger, GF are the largest rooms on property, not just the monorail.)

With children of 6, 4 and 15 months, I'd pick Contemporary almost every time.

However, if maximizing space is your top concern, a suite at Art of Animation or at All-Star Music is going to be the biggest option outside of a DVC rental. Neither is on the monorail.

 

[mmmears]

We've stayed at both the GF and the Poly several times and to be honest we all felt that the Poly rooms were more spacious. Could be the layout? I haven't stayed at the CR, but I have heard that the rooms are larger there, too. We like the Epcot resorts, too, but the rooms do feel smaller on that side of the "world."

 

[AA25]

GF are the biggest rooms on the monorail, so if the spaciousness is a concern, you won't improve it elsewhere. GF rooms are the largest non-suites on property at 440 square feet. Poly rooms are only 415, and Contemporary come in at 394.

(For that matter, unless you start booking DVC 1BRs or larger, GF are the largest rooms on property, not just the monorail.)

With children of 6, 4 and 15 months, I'd pick Contemporary almost every time.

However, if maximizing space is your top concern, a suite at Art of Animation or at All-Star Music is going to be the biggest option outside of a DVC rental. Neither is on the monorail.

Why would you choose the Contemporary over the GF?

My in laws like fancy hotels, so I think the Deluxe ones are more their speed over the moderate ones...

 

[AA25]

We've stayed at both the GF and the Poly several times and to be honest we all felt that the Poly rooms were more spacious. Could be the layout? I haven't stayed at the CR, but I have heard that the rooms are larger there, too. We like the Epcot resorts, too, but the rooms do feel smaller on that side of the "world."

Interesting. I didn't feel like the GF rooms were all that spacious, but I really have nothing to compare it to...

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Why would you choose the Contemporary over the GF?

My in laws like fancy hotels, so I think the Deluxe ones are more their speed over the moderate ones...

The Contemporary IS a Deluxe. It's the original Deluxe.

With kids that age, the fact that you can walk to Magic Kingdom is a big deal. It is the only park from which you can walk to Magic Kingdom. Of the three monorail resorts, GF is actually the least convenient, and the monorail can be unreliable. Feet are reliable. You can also get Theme Park View and sit and drink beers on your balcony to watch Wishes while the kids sleep on the other side of the door.

Room layout can matter a lot. The Poly Studio Villas are a stellar example. On paper, they're large, but some of that spaciousness involves the bathroom. While large bathrooms are nice, it's not necessarily a huge increase in the livable space.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Touring Plans has all the room sizes for standard rooms: http://blog.touringplans.com/2012/0...world-number-crunching-part-3-square-footage/

 

[mmmears]

Interesting. I didn't feel like the GF rooms were all that spacious, but I really have nothing to compare it to...

I was trying to say that the Poly rooms feel much more spacious to me (compared to the GF rooms). The GF feels "fancier" and the Poly has a more relaxed, tropical theme. We have enjoyed both. I agree that the GF rooms don't feel large.

 

[AA25]

The Contemporary IS a Deluxe. It's the original Deluxe.

With kids that age, the fact that you can walk to Magic Kingdom is a big deal. It is the only park from which you can walk to Magic Kingdom. Of the three monorail resorts, GF is actually the least convenient, and the monorail can be unreliable. Feet are reliable. You can also get Theme Park View and sit and drink beers on your balcony to watch Wishes while the kids sleep on the other side of the door.

Room layout can matter a lot. The Poly Studio Villas are a stellar example. On paper, they're large, but some of that spaciousness involves the bathroom. While large bathrooms are nice, it's not necessarily a huge increase in the livable space.

Great info, thank you! I know Contemporary is Deluxe, I was referring to a suite at AoA, etc. sorry, should have been more clear. Thanks again!

 

[mickeynut1]

We've stayed at both the GF and the Poly several times and to be honest we all felt that the Poly rooms were more spacious. Could be the layout? I haven't stayed at the CR, but I have heard that the rooms are larger there, too. We like the Epcot resorts, too, but the rooms do feel smaller on that side of the "world."

I agree, the Poly rooms seem more spacious to me than the GF rooms. I think the GF rooms are a nice size as they are comparable to the Poly and CR, but the Poly rooms feel a little more open to me. I also agree about the Epcot resorts. We've only stayed at the BC, but our room was much smaller than at the GF/Poly (I actually found the BC room only slightly larger than the WL/AKL, but significantly smaller than the Poly/GF).

My in laws like fancy hotels, so I think the Deluxe ones are more their speed over the moderate ones...

I think the GF would be a great fit then .

I was trying to say that the Poly rooms feel much more spacious to me (compared to the GF rooms). The GF feels "fancier" and the Poly has a more relaxed, tropical theme. We have enjoyed both. I agree that the GF rooms don't feel large.

These are my thoughts as well .

 

[cleopenn]

Why would you choose the Contemporary over the GF?

My in laws like fancy hotels, so I think the Deluxe ones are more their speed over the moderate ones...

Fancy like Ritz Carlton or Four Season fancy? If so, I am going to rock the boat here but if they like fancy hotels, I wouldn't recommend the Poly. I would compare it to a Courtyard Marriot or Sheraton.

We stayed in a CL room in Hawaii last week in November/first week of December. The room was fine, nothing particularly wrong with it aside from the finishes were a little worn. It seems to be a popular resort so maybe it just gets used "harder". I was shocked by the overall lack of common area housekeeping. Daily we saw room service trays in the morning that were still there at past 7pm at night. One day, a bag of dirty diapers sat outside a room for 18+ hours. (shame of the guests for putting them there to begin with) There was a lot of deferred maintenance as well, broken exterior entry doors, stained carpeting, hallway carpeting that needed vacuumed, etc.

 

[AA25]

Fancy like Ritz Carlton or Four Season fancy? If so, I am going to rock the boat here but if they like fancy hotels, I wouldn't recommend the Poly. I would compare it to a Courtyard Marriot or Sheraton.

We stayed in a CL room in Hawaii last week in November/first week of December. The room was fine, nothing particularly wrong with it aside from the finishes were a little worn. It seems to be a popular resort so maybe it just gets used "harder". I was shocked by the overall lack of common area housekeeping. Daily we saw room service trays in the morning that were still there at past 7pm at night. One day, a bag of dirty diapers sat outside a room for 18+ hours. (shame of the guests for putting them there to begin with) There was a lot of deferred maintenance as well, broken exterior entry doors, stained carpeting, hallway carpeting that needed vacuumed, etc.

Ha! Funny you should ask. Usually they will opt for a Ritz Carlton. We just stayed at a 4 Seasons for a wedding in October and they said the still preferred the Ritz.

 

[cleopenn]

It isn't my intention to run down the Poly (or any Disney resort) but for the money, the deluxe resort label provides a different type (location/branding/magic) of experience than other non-Disney destination resorts of comparable price.

 

[AA25]

It isn't my intention to run down the Poly (or any Disney resort) but for the money, the deluxe resort label provides a different type (location/branding/magic) of experience than other non-Disney destination resorts of comparable price.

Could you elaborate? We stayed at the grand Floridian last time and were satisfied- just wondering if anything else might be worth trying instead...

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Could you elaborate? We stayed at the grand Floridian last time and were satisfied- just wondering if anything else might be worth trying instead...

If the GF was fine, probably not. It is just that for the price, a Disney Deluxe isn't as deluxe as many places that are similarly $600+\night in the real world. The standard for a Disney Deluxe is not the same as a Ritz or a Waldorf in the real world.

 

[AA25]

If the GF was fine, probably not. It is just that for the price, a Disney Deluxe isn't as deluxe as many places that are similarly $600+\night in the real world. The standard for a Disney Deluxe is not the same as a Ritz or a Waldorf in the real world.

Oh, absolutely agreed!

 

[cleopenn]

If the GF was fine, probably not. It is just that for the price, a Disney Deluxe isn't as deluxe as many places that are similarly $600+\night in the real world. The standard for a Disney Deluxe is not the same as a Ritz or a Waldorf in the real world.

Interesting you mention the GF. We ate there twice. Within 15 minutes of stepping out off of the monorail, my husband said "we should have stayed here" (that was never an option, it was sold out) It was the culmination of four or five interactions we had with a GF CM that made us feel that way. The most notable with a discussion with the general manager of V&As about Disney's ADR system and his offer to help with some issues.

The GF is the one hotel on property that we would likely stay at for the next trip.

To answer AA25's question - Do you mean what did the Poly provide that was different from say the RC, Waldorf or Four Seasons? Or how it compared unfavorably to that class of hotel? (give me a moment to put on my flak jacket.....)

If its the first - Branding is the obvious feature, its a Disney resort and the Poly going all in with the South Pacific theme. For us (the adults), it was a little too "cute." The location as it relates to the access to MK and the transportation center was wonderful. We were pleased with the ease to using Disney transportation. Location was the reason I switched my reservation from a free, 5 night stay in a Ritz Carlton suite to paying to stay at the Poly.

If you are asking about the second - Overall level of service, not one particular area. Some examples -

Upon arrival, our room wasn't ready and we wanted to eat a sit down (not a Capt Cook-style) lunch to relax after our flight. My husband asked the concierge about eating at Kona. He was told that wasn't possible because we didn't have a reservation. Any other resort hotel would have dining capacity and/or staffing to match the demand for dining business, F&B are huge profit centers. (My husband's look of utter disbelief and frustration must have made an impression because a table was made available immediately.)

Housekeeping - already covered that in a prior comment.

Bell Service - We arrived by private car service and left our bags while we were at lunch. Our room was ready by the time we finished lunch. When we called for our bags, we were told it would take a "couple hours" for them to be brought to the room. Not acceptable so my husband said he was coming to the stand to retrieve them himself. Then they agreed to bring them right away.

We didn't get the type of room I requested (I knew there was no guaranty) and were given option of moving the next day. I asked to have our packed bags moved to the new room while we were at the park and this request was denied (they don't "do that") yet it is something that would be a totally normal at comparable-price resort. We elected to stay in the first room.

Environment - This isn't a really a service issue, just a general observation. The Poly was insanely chaotic. The waiting areas for Kona and O'hana were overflowing with masses of people all the time, coming and going from the monorail was like walking thru a mall on Black Friday - all people, all the time. Unhappy people too. I saw shouting matches in line at Capt. Cook's over who was next. It just felt stressful and not relaxing.

Other things struck me as odd (in comparison to other resorts) like at the pool. The lifeguards were policing people holding a paper coffee cup within 5 feet of the pool deck yet absolutely no supervision for the hot tub where unsupervised children were jumping and out with beverages and food. Plenty of adults were drinking beer and what I assumed cocktails in the hot tub as well. Why freak out over someone walking closer to the edge of the pool to talk to their child yet turn a blind eye to far worse and riskier behavior 20 feet away?

Again, we had a great trip and if nothing else, we got an insight into Disney-business versus real world business. Obviously Disney does it right or people (including us) wouldn't spend four and five figures there for vacation. I continually tried to prep my husband so his expectations would be in line with what Disney offered, not was he expected for the cost. Only about 20% must has sunk in because he pretty much walked around in amazement the entire trip.

 

[cleopenn]

Coming back to add that another area where the Poly shined was the club lounge. There was a great selection of breakfast items that was far superior to most club lounges we experience. The evening food and beverages were nice as well. The nights we stopped by, there was a spread of cheeses and hot items as well as several beer (decent, mid-range options) and three types of wine and a punch. Lots of non-alcoholic items as well.

I thought the staff did an excellent job at keeping everything looking good, not small feet given the volume of guests there every morning.

 

[baler31]

The GF offers larger rooms and suites that you can book. The outer building garden deluxe has a nice sitting area that gives you more space and a second tv, these rooms can be booked online. These are around the same price as a water view room, so you get the extra space and a garden view instead.

The same category is available in the SL concierge building but is by request only, and many request these. Obviously, no guarantee you will get one.

You can also book the queen deluxe category room located in the main building concierge, these rooms are around 700 square feet and very spacious. To book this category you must call, they are not listed online. Make sure you request the queen deluxe as they do have a king deluxe. Both of these rooms now also contain pull outs or daybeds. The room code for this category is BO if the CM on the phone needs help finding it.

Finally, other than suites which would obviously be larger other deluxe resorts offer "deluxe" rooms that can be booked that are larger. The Epcot resorts have these but they are not as large as the GF and personally not as nice IMO. WL, also has a deluxe room and CR has a larger room in the garden wing that can be booked. It feels very large, I do not remember square footage, but only has a king and pull out if I remember correctly. Certainly enough room to add a rollaway or pack and play if needed.

These are all in addition to the many suites each deluxe has available for booking.