Poly Lagoon View CL vs. GF Main Building Deluxe King Room CL

[Ashley Marie]

Hi! I'm full of questions lately.

Some of you may have seen my earlier post about staying at AKL on an upcoming short getaway for just me and my husband. I am sticking to AKL for the first three nights of our trip, but am looking at switching resorts for just our last night.

We are not going to a park on departure day and DME wouldn't be picking us up for our flight home until 7pm, so we'd almost have two full days to take advantage of the CL offerings. Since we will be there hours after checking out of our actual room, I would like a comfortable lounge to hang out in.

I can get Polynesian lagoon view club level or Grand Floridian RPC (deluxe king room) for basically the same price on this date. (Cheaper garden view not available.)

Fireworks view doesn't matter because we will be at Disney After Hours our last night anyway. We will be spending time at the pool.

Which would you go with?

 

[Sue M]

GF! RPC is the best CL on property. Best food offerings, and it’s so nice sitting in the lounge listening to the piano player in lobby or the orchestra. Love both pools at GF. The Beach Pool has a nice shower/change room when you’re done at the pool(s) your last day. I take my room toiletries to use in the shower room. Then you can relax in the lounge and enjoy the evening offerings before DME pick up.

 

[Babsy]

YES!!! Grab the GF RPC king room now! Just a phenomenal room. If you get one of the second floor rooms it is a little bit of a walk to the lounge, but the view across the marina to the castle is worth it! We specifically picked GF RPC on our last stay and just loved it there. The food, atmosphere, amenities and service are the best of the best! Enjoy!

 

[Ashley Marie]

GF! RPC is the best CL on property. Best food offerings, and it’s so nice sitting in the lounge listening to the piano player in lobby or the orchestra. Love both pools at GF. The Beach Pool has a nice shower/change room when you’re done at the pool(s) your last day. I take my room toiletries to use in the shower room. Then you can relax in the lounge and enjoy the evening offerings before DME pick up.

Oh that is good to know! I wasn’t sure about the changing room situation at GF.

 

[Ashley Marie]

YES!!! Grab the GF RPC king room now! Just a phenomenal room. If you get one of the second floor rooms it is a little bit of a walk to the lounge, but the view across the marina to the castle is worth it! We specifically picked GF RPC on our last stay and just loved it there. The food, atmosphere, amenities and service are the best of the best! Enjoy!

YES!!! Grab the GF RPC king room now! Just a phenomenal room. If you get one of the second floor rooms it is a little bit of a walk to the lounge, but the view across the marina to the castle is worth it! We specifically picked GF RPC on our last stay and just loved it there. The food, atmosphere, amenities and service are the best of the best! Enjoy!

It does seem like a good opportunity to try the GF king room, considering the price (about $750 tax included in July), how much time we will be at the resort and being kid-free — a rare occurrence.

 

[tink.belle]

Definitely GF! The Poly CL, in my opinion, has been a little lacking lately. The turret rooms are also gorgeous and huge but don't have a balcony.

 

[epcotobsessed]

I totally agree with all of these posts. We stayed CL at Poly last year and I was really disappointed. Didn't think it was worth the extra money at all.

 

[Ashley Marie]

@tink.belle @epcotobsessed -

Do you mind saying why you were disappointed in Poly CL? I was thinking it would be relaxing to sit in the lounge with the views, and it’s so convenient to the pools where we will likely be spending a lot of time on those two days.

But back to GF: would you recommend requesting the larger turret king room over the regular-sized MK view rooms with balcony?

 

[GADisneyDad14]

In my humble opinion, Poly has the better extended check-out day lounge. It has a restroom, is steps from both pools, has a tremendous view. I could sit there all day. We’ve done a late check-out day from Poly many times and it fits our needs perfectly (we often swim on this day).

RPC would be fine too and given what you describe (short trip, adults only) it may be the better choice in your circumstances.

FWIW, and I know you didn’t list this as an option, but given your late night DAH the night before, have you thought about CR CL? It’s not necessarily the best place for a long check-out day, but the nice walk at 1AM back to your room vs waiting on Disney transport (which for DAH will be a bus) isn’t the worst option in the world.

Good luck deciding - both are great, although quite different CL experiences, IMHO.

 

[trishadono]

Really both are great options.

Rpc there are bathrooms on the 1 and 2 floors so you don't have to leave the building at least.

For dh and I I prefer gf , for my kids trips poly is better.

However I'd never say "no" to either, pick one and enjoy!

 

[Ashley Marie]

In my humble opinion, Poly has the better extended check-out day lounge. It has a restroom, is steps from both pools, has a tremendous view. I could sit there all day. We’ve done a late check-out day from Poly many times and it fits our needs perfectly (we often swim on this day).

RPC would be fine too and given what you describe (short trip, adults only) it may be the better choice in your circumstances.

FWIW, and I know you didn’t list this as an option, but given your late night DAH the night before, have you thought about CR CL? It’s not necessarily the best place for a long check-out day, but the nice walk at 1AM back to your room vs waiting on Disney transport (which for DAH will be a bus) isn’t the worst option in the world.

Good luck deciding - both are great, although quite different CL experiences, IMHO.

CR CL is not available. I agree that if it was, the walking back would be ideal -- but we did stay at CR once and really just didn't like the vibe overall (not CL, but in the tower). We weren't given our room assignment until after 5pm (and I was pregnant at the time, so I really wanted to get settled), the elevators were always packed and the room design kind of bored us. So we probably won't return unless we got a deal we couldn't pass up!

I think I'm leaning toward RPC due to what I'm hearing about the food offerings...

 

[epcotobsessed]

@tink.belle @epcotobsessed -

Do you mind saying why you were disappointed in Poly CL? I was thinking it would be relaxing to sit in the lounge with the views, and it’s so convenient to the pools where we will likely be spending a lot of time on those two days.

But back to GF: would you recommend requesting the larger turret king room over the regular-sized MK view rooms with balcony?

In my opinion, the service in the Poly CL was terrible, and I am 100% a "serve yourself and clean up after yourself" kind of person. Even with those expectations, I found the service to be surly and unkind. The food was basic and my family of four could have been fed far better for less money for the money we paid for Poly CL. I have stayed at other CLs and think GF and AK are the only ones that are worth the extra money.

 

[Ashley Marie]

In my opinion, the service in the Poly CL was terrible, and I am 100% a "serve yourself and clean up after yourself" kind of person. Even with those expectations, I found the service to be surly and unkind. The food was basic and my family of four could have been fed far better for less money for the money we paid for Poly CL. I have stayed at other CLs and think GF and AK are the only ones that are worth the extra money.

Looks like I am trying AKL and GF, so it's nice to hear that you enjoyed both!

 

[tink.belle]

@tink.belle @epcotobsessed -

Do you mind saying why you were disappointed in Poly CL? I was thinking it would be relaxing to sit in the lounge with the views, and it’s so convenient to the pools where we will likely be spending a lot of time on those two days.

But back to GF: would you recommend requesting the larger turret king room over the regular-sized MK view rooms with balcony?

We found several CM there to be unfriendly and one, in particular, who was very unprofessional and speaking about another CM in an unkind way, in front of guests. The food offerings were ok, but nothing like some of the other CL lounges we have stayed at. For example, at the Beach Club, the food offerings are more extensive, and you frequently see the chef in the lounge, passing food, talking with guests, acting very friendly. Not a fluke either, as we have experienced this on 3 different stays. I had a few questions about food allergies at the Poly, and it was quite a process to find out what I could eat. And I did contact the IPO weeks before arriving. I don't look for or need a lot of service as the only thing I ever asked in our week there was about food ingredients on our first night. It just would be nice to see smiling faces and happiness! This is the only CL in all of WDW that i have had this experience with. I do Love the Poly, however, and still choose to stay there, just not CL.

 

[Babsy]

@tink.belle @epcotobsessed -

But back to GF: would you recommend requesting the larger turret king room over the regular-sized MK view rooms with balcony?

I'm not ASHLEY MARIE, but FWIW:
The larger turret king rooms are more convenient to the lounge and well, larger. However, we loved the TPV king rooms on the second floor. We enjoyed relaxing with a drink or coffee in the lounge, but I am a balcony gal and really like to relax back at the room with a coffee to start the day or a glass of wine before bed. And I do love to see the castle and fireworks from my room......JMHO, of course. It all depends upon what you like best.

 

[Ashley Marie]

I'm not ASHLEY MARIE, but FWIW:
The larger turret king rooms are more convenient to the lounge and well, larger. However, we loved the TPV king rooms on the second floor. We enjoyed relaxing with a drink or coffee in the lounge, but I am a balcony gal and really like to relax back at the room with a coffee to start the day or a glass of wine before bed. And I do love to see the castle and fireworks from my room......JMHO, of course. It all depends upon what you like best.

I ended up requesting a turret room because it seems so unique, something different from what we've ever stayed in! We will not be at the resort during the fireworks so the castle view is not a big deal for us. But I found a review of one of the turret rooms that seems to have a view of MK from the side (so many windows to look out!), so if we got one of them that'd be awesome.

 

[Babsy]

I ended up requesting a turret room because it seems so unique, something different from what we've ever stayed in! We will not be at the resort during the fireworks so the castle view is not a big deal for us. But I found a review of one of the turret rooms that seems to have a view of MK from the side (so many windows to look out!), so if we got one of them that'd be awesome.

That sounds awesome!!! Hope that you get the one that you want!

Here's a little pixie dust smothered in best wishes!

 

[cutigerlady]

Definitely the GF RPC! We stayed at both and the service and offerings were much better at the GF! The Poly does provide a lunch offering of lettuce wraps with chicken or shrimp that was nice. However the GF has afternoon tea and the staff was always willing to get us anything we asked for. I had to ask for soy milk every day for my son and it was such a production. After the first day at RPC they brought it to us when she saw me.

We rented a cabana on our arrival day(also early)at GF and enjoyed lounging by the pool.

 

[Ashley Marie]

Definitely the GF RPC! We stayed at both and the service and offerings were much better at the GF! The Poly does provide a lunch offering of lettuce wraps with chicken or shrimp that was nice. However the GF has afternoon tea and the staff was always willing to get us anything we asked for. I had to ask for soy milk every day for my son and it was such a production. After the first day at RPC they brought it to us when she saw me.

We rented a cabana on our arrival day(also early)at GF and enjoyed lounging by the pool.

How much was the cabana rental? I feel like I have seen different prices floating around and haven't gotten around to calling about it yet.

 

[tink.belle]

I ended up requesting a turret room because it seems so unique, something different from what we've ever stayed in! We will not be at the resort during the fireworks so the castle view is not a big deal for us. But I found a review of one of the turret rooms that seems to have a view of MK from the side (so many windows to look out!), so if we got one of them that'd be awesome.

That's my favorite room! You will love it. Have a great time!