Poly, BC or WL?

[boscov]

I am beginning to plan our next trip and am having trouble making my decisions...we normally stay at POR, but want to change it up next time. It will be me, DW, DD (6) and DD (1). Here are some things we like about these resorts:
Poly - Pros - great theming, big rooms, great dining options and good transportation(never stayed on a monorail resort). Cons - Smaller pool (are there still a lot of pool hoppers here?), pricier than the others, outdated (?).
BC - Pros - Good theming, good sized rooms, amazing pool, good transportation. Cons - not a lot of great dining options (basically no counter service) except for going to Epcot or the boardwalk, we spend more time in MK, but didn't get to do enough at Epcot last year.
WL - Pros - Good theming, good pool, good dining options, great price. Cons - ok transportation, but no monorail or walking distance to park, smaller rooms, but cheaper and we are used to Mods.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Mousemommy1]

Wow!!! This has been my exact problem for the past year!!!

I too have been trying to decide between these three for our upcoming 10 night stay in July. For me, it came down to this:

Poly - childhood dream resort - but the theme doesn't really appeal to me anymore, but I really wanted to do it to cross it off of my bucket list. Ultimately, for the price, I didn't want to pay for a monorail that is only "sometimes available", rooms that are probably "in need of refurbishment" (on a decor that I don't care for already).

Beach Club - LOVE, LOVE, LOVE most everything about this resort, decor, pool, location is great....but would like better QS option than the Marketplace, and I feel that SAB is a little overwhelming for me with young girls that are not independant swimmers. Plus, we would prefer to be closer to MK than Epcot.

Wilderness Lodge - LOVE this one too! Even though some say WL is "dark" like the Poly, I feel that the decor here "fits" the resort, so the "darkness" doesn't bother me, it feels homey...plus, the WL is going through a complete refurb right now, so chances are we are going to get a brand new room come July (and if we don't, again, I don't mind the decor here). I feel like there will be less pool hoppers at the WL because it's out of the way, AND, we have the boat to MK, plus have the bus option to ALL parks (I don't mind the busses) and if we feel like it, we can boat over to CR and hop on the monorail there. Plus, the price is right!!! So, that's how we came to chosing the WL.

Good luck in your choice!!! (And I'll say, we have only stayed at values and CBR)

 

[MagicallyDelicious]

It seems to me that the WL has the least amount of cons for you, especially considering that you can boat to the CR. My family has done that many times.

 

[disneymom443]

I love love love Wilderness lodge. That is my vote.

 

[mickeynut1]

We have stayed at all 3 and they are all great resorts . The Poly is our favorite out of the 3, with the WL running a close second. The rooms at the Poly are huge and all rooms come with a daybed, which is great since we have 2 teens. The volcano pool is great with the beach behind it, along with having a view of the castle off in the distance. We also love the variety at Captain Cooks for quick CS meals and it's great being on the monorail and just 2 stops from MK .

The WL is just as great, but at a cheaper price. We love taking the boat to MK as well as to the CR, where it's convenient to hop on the monorail to visit, shop, and/or dine at the GF and Poly. The rooms are quite a bit smaller than at the Poly, but we are a family of 4 and have never had a problem staying at the WL. Plus the lobby is gorgeous with the huge fireplace with rocking chairs surrounding it.....great for relaxing and taking in the surroundings . We think the pool is also great, with Roaring Forks being just steps away, which makes it convenient for that quick snack or lunch while at the pool .

Lastly, the BC is a beautiful resort and we had a great stay. The rooms are in between the size of the WL and Poly, so it would be comfortable for a family of 4. The biggest plus to us is that it's great being within walking distance to Epcot and DHS, or you can take the boat. However, the one negative thing we have about this resort is limited CS options. There is the Marketplace in the BC gift shop that offers grab-n-go type items, but it doesn't offer enough for us, especially for breakfast. But with that said, if that isn't a big factor for you, the BC is a great place to stay .

 

[ThumpersWorld]

Not sure if this is something you'd consider but you could try a split stay. Many people seem to like it and we are going to do our first split stay in a few weeks. This way you could stay closer to the MK for part of it and EPCOT for part of it.

 

[boscov]

My wife unfortunately isn't interested in a split stay. She likes to stay put once we are there...I am leaning towards WL, but there is something about the BC that really intrigues me.

 

[luvallprincesses]

Funny, we are a similar family in a similar situation that I recently posted about. I was given advice to look into renting DVC points for a studio which saves a lot over rack rate if you can swing it and I am now pursuing that avenue. I can't decide between BC and WL. Probably because they are both such great choices. The lack of CS at BC is a serious drawback for us also but being so close to walk to Epcot and the pool are such huge draws. DH has always loved the idea of WL long before we could consider affording it and both CS and the pool are reviewed so well by so many. Such choices!

 

[boscov]

Anyone else want to weigh in on this?

 

[Sue M]

I am beginning to plan our next trip and am having trouble making my decisions...we normally stay at POR, but want to change it up next time. It will be me, DW, DD (6) and DD (1). Here are some things we like about these resorts:
Poly - Pros - great theming, big rooms, great dining options and good transportation(never stayed on a monorail resort). Cons - Smaller pool (are there still a lot of pool hoppers here?), pricier than the others, outdated (?).
BC - Pros - Good theming, good sized rooms, amazing pool, good transportation. Cons - not a lot of great dining options (basically no counter service) except for going to Epcot or the boardwalk, we spend more time in MK, but didn't get to do enough at Epcot last year.
WL - Pros - Good theming, good pool, good dining options, great price. Cons - ok transportation, but no monorail or walking distance to park, smaller rooms, but cheaper and we are used to Mods.

Thanks for the help!

Hard choice, we love all of those-

Poly- pool really isn't similar, has zero enrty and a great slide. Love the beach area, great for watching Wishes, and there's just something Magical about being able to see MK, & the Castle from the resort.
Best transportation! With choice of boat or monorail to MK- we like to take the monorail there, and boat back and walking distance to TTC for Epcot monorail.
Rooms are the largest, and we like the theming. Great food options-and on monorail for other MK resort dining options.

BC-It does have a CS- The Marketplace. Hot ham & egg croisants for breakfast, bagels, muffins, pasteries, cereals, youghart parfaits, fruit, mug refill station. They have lunch options too. but really we only use our resort CS 99% of the time for breakfast. Lunch is usually at a park, but if you want a burger at BC if you're there for lunch- Hurricane Hanna by the pool is great.
Nice dining options for dinner with Cape May, and Captains Grille, plus all of Epcot!
Transportation to 2 parks walk or boat. Rooms are nice, not as large as Poly, but very comfy. Another great choice SAB is great.

WL- Rooms are smaller, but love this resort too! Beautiful Lobby, love the theming, all rooms have balconies, unlike BC & Poly. Although I did manage balconies at the others. Pretty pool area, nice hot tubs, love the walking path to FW, very scenic. Boat to MK is fun way to get there, and also a resort boat to CR & FW. So it's easy to get around the MK resort area for ADRs. And the price point is a lot better. So depending on your budget- this would be a good choice.

Have fun planning.

 

[mmmears]

Anyone else want to weigh in on this?

Your pros and cons list is really good.

Trying to think what I can add to that...

1) What time of year are you going and do you plan to spend lots of time in the resort pool? SAB is lots of fun -- when we go in the summertime we like to stay at the YC/BC because of the pool. We also appreciate the indoor hallways when it's hot or rainy out. We like the Poly pool but feel like it's too small and crowded in the summer (not so bad other times).

2) If you really go to the MK the most, then Poly or WL are nice. Poly is especially nice since you can walk to the TTC and take the monorail straight to Epcot.

3) Are you going during the months when the monorail is shut down for parts of the day due to the construction going on at the GF? If so, then you won't get the full transportation benefit of the Poly.

4) WL and BC are very different in theming. It sounds like you are being pulled between those two. Have you looked at the room photos and photos of the resorts? That might help to see what you would prefer.

IMO they are all good choices. Too bad you can't do a split-stay. We love doing them because then we only have to narrow our choices down to 2 resorts. Picking one is really hard.

 

[stephgles]

We have stayed at the WL for the past 5 years (Sept will be our 6th trip 'Home to WL"). We love the feel of the smaller deluxe resort. The boat ride to and from MK is wonderful. We have also taken the boat to Contemporary and taken the monorail as well. We talk about switching to Poly but always on our last boat ride back to WL we look at each other and say that it looks so big and WL is our home. We request the otter pond view and pending on where your room is you can see the castle and/or fireworks.

 

[boscov]

Mmmears.... We are planning on a September trip. What is the deal with the monorail downtime? I tried to find some info on it in the transportation section but came up empty. We do spend a fair amount of time at the resort swimming because my daughter is part fish lol. That is a big attraction to BC but WL has a good smaller pool.

 

[pixie08]

For me it would be between the Poly and BC. Don't get me wrong, WL is nice but I like BC and Poly a little bit more. For me between the two it comes down to location. We like switching it up, but the pool at BC is amazing and it is a little more peaceful at BC.

 

[momH2the4th]

With your kids being so young and your family spending more time at MK, I would go with Poly or WL. We have done both and love them equally for different reasons. The Poly is a great resort with lots of space in the rooms. Watching Wishes from the beach at night is AWESOME! It's a quick trip to MK on the monorail or boat and a short walk to TTC for Epcot. We haven't stayed at the Poly lately because we've outgrown it for 6 of us and to get 2 rooms is too expensive. WL has a great theme and the pricing is much better. We've stayed there several times and will be there again in June staying in 2 rooms. The transportation is good and it's quick and easy to get to MK by boat. We've only stayed in the MK area so I can't comment on BC. When we've asked our kids where they want to stay it's always one of the MK resorts. Good luck with your decision!

 

[DisneyDre]

My fave place to stay at WDW is The Wilderness Lodge, so that always has my vote! I have stayed at all the resorts you have in mine and have liked them all. I feel like maybe the Poly Or WL would be best like many other have said. Poly would be cool for the kids to be able to see fireworks from beach. That would be neat. Both WL & Poly you can see the water parade at night as well. Im sure you will have a great time at any resort!

 

[padawans]

I have stayed at all three within the last year.

POLY

What I love: The rooms. They are the largest of the three resorts. I love the theme. I always feel like I'm on a tropical island with a castle in the background. Other things I love the pool, the hawaiian music, monorail and being able to walk to GF. I also love the layout of the resort. I hate long hallways and I hate walking through the lobby after swimming. I grew up by the beach, and I am very comfortable walking around in beach attire. At the Poly I feel like I can do that. I always feel weird walking through some of the lobbies in a coverup, wet hair and flipflops. Just a personal thing I guess.

What I don't love- The lack of hot tub and gym. It's also not the greatest place if you're a runner.

BC

What I love: It's my kids favorite. They love the pool. I love the location and the whole vibe of the place. The gym is located next to pool which is a big plus for me. I love that. The rooms are a good size, and the beds are super comfy.

What I don't like: The long hallways. The layout of the pool. It's difficult to watch your kids. Ridiculously small bathrooms.

Wl

What I loved: Running at Wl is the best of any resort. The compactness of the resort. I also loved the view of the lake, and the hot tubs.

What I don't like: The rooms. Too small for the price. Just did not seem deluxe at all. The location is too isolated for me. The pool is just... well I hate to say it..... boring. Of the three this is one I will probably not stay at again unless money or availability is a issue.

Those are my thoughts. It's difficult making a descision... I know. No resort is perfect. I hope you have a great trip whatever you decide.

 

[mmmears]

Mmmears.... We are planning on a September trip. What is the deal with the monorail downtime? I tried to find some info on it in the transportation section but came up empty. We do spend a fair amount of time at the resort swimming because my daughter is part fish lol. That is a big attraction to BC but WL has a good smaller pool.

If you look at the GF thread, you can read some complaints about the monorail hours. Because of the GF DVC construction Disney has reduced the hours that the resort monorail is operating -- affecting guests at the GF, the Poly and the CR. I would hate to pay a premium to stay on the monorail and then have it only partly operational. From the Poly, you can at least still get to the MK by boat and walk to the TTC to get the monorail to Epcot.

We have a "fish" in the family as well -- the BC/YC pool really is the best pool on the property! That and the location are big draws for us -- plus the resort is very nice.

 

[Kimi313]

We have stayed at the Poly and WL but this year we will be trying the BC. I loved the WL but only if I was going to be there in the cold months, call me weird but we were there in January once and there is nothing better than rocking in one of the rockers in front of the huge fireplace in the lobby drinking hot chocolate. Also enjoyed renting bikes and riding from WL over to FW to explore. The other time was in the middle of summer and just not as fun. We LOVE the Poly, in fact I would say that is our favorite resort of those we've stayed at. Love O'Hana and Kona cafe plus the QS at Captain's Cook is the best plus there is a patio that you can go out and eat on. Sitting on the beach in the evenings or laying in the hammock, sometimes we would get a drink and go seat on the boat dock and watch the water, or sometimes just ride the boat around. When our DD was younger and we stayed mostly at the MK it was the best just to jump on monorail or boat and when we wanted an afternoon break just jump right back over to Poly. Plus you can walk to the TTC and jump on the monorail to go over to Epcot. Just love the Poly so my vote goes to Poly! (Sorry for the rambling I just get so excited talking about it).

 

[letsgoreds]

...I see that your DD is 6. Our last trip to AKL we got the bunkbeds, and it was one of the favorite parts for our DS (6). Not sure if you are using a PNP for your 1yo or could use a separate twin bed for them. One of the perks at WL...which is one of my favorite resorts. One year we had a 1st floor courtyard room (booked Woods view), and it was awesome. I was initially disappointed with a lack of view...but DS, 3/4 at the time was able to feed the bunnies a carrot each morning, and ducks would come to visit too. Super easy to walk out to the pool as well. Love the resort. You do experience some pool business/hopping from the Fort Wilderness people...but it is nice to boat over there as well and explore.