Poly vs Beach Club

[sleepless doc]

I currently have reservations for the polynesian (AAA rate) and at the beach club under the MYW free dining plan, but must choose
I will be travelling with my wife, dd 4, and dd 1.5. My travel agent tells me that all the MYW free dining plans are sold out at the poly at this time. Should I go for the Beach Club WITH dining plan, or stick with the poly??

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

 

[disneyholic family]

what's the free dining plan?

ok, so i just went and looked it up and I guess you mean the dining plan that you pay $35/day per adult.

so, getting back to your question.

Do the math and make a list of pros and cons to see which you want.

How much will you pay at each one. And without the dining plan, how much you estimate you'll pay for food.

It should be a straighforward number crunching exercise.
Plus what you like/dislike about each resort.

Poly is an MK resort, which is nice and convenient for the MK (the monorail is fun and the theming here is nice).

The Beach Club is an Epcot resort which is convenient for Epcot and MGM, has a fabulous swimming pool, and is close to the boardwalk for evening walks.

But really it's a toss up between them. If you really want the dining plan then do the BC. If not, then pick the hotel you prefer.

 

[off to neverland]

Hi Sleepless Doc,

Wow, tough choice.

Of the two resorts, I like the Beach Club themeing. Actually, I LOVE the Beach Club theming, and would choose it over th Poly if that were the only factor in my decision. Beach Club feels fresh, new, relaxing. The pool is incredible, and my kids, ages 2 and 5 absolutel loved the sand pool. It really is wonderful.

I find the main Poly building to be old, worn out, 70'ish themeing. It feels musty to me. That doesn't mean I couldn't have a wonderful, great stay there, however! The Poly has a great pool the kids would like, and it does have the sand beach for them to play.

Theming aside, with kids ages 1 and 4, you just can't beat the location of the Poly to the Magic Kingdom! Imagine taking the kids on the monorail everyday to the MK.... what fun, and what a stress relief! So if it were me, I would probably choose the Poly simply for the location.

So I vote Poly. Hope that helps.

 

[off to neverland]

Oh, wait, what's the price difference between BC with dining plan and Poly without? I guess that's a factor in your decision as well.........

 

[susy]

I've stayed at both and love both. If I had to choose, I'd choose the Beach Club.

Better pool-BC has a huge sandy area (like the beach) where the little ones can play and even has a "smaller" slide on one side of the pool. THREE hot tubs -Poly has zero.

Better character breakfast -we've been to almost every characer meal at Disney-Ohana was our LEAST favorite and Cape May was our favorite.

Poly does have the monorail to MK, but the walking to Epcot is nice for the evenings with younger kids. When our son was that age (3-4) we would do MK, MGM, or AK in the morning-come back for a swim and nap and then head to Epcot for the evening. He just seemed more content to do a "slower paced" park at night. He would just relax in his stroller as we got to enjoy the world showcase. And just think, after Illumniations when everyone is walking to the front of the park to get to the monorail/buses/parking lot, you can stroll to your room in five minutes.

So many dining choices right there at the BC. At the Poly we ended up eating at Kona twice because we were just too tired that day to go "out".

You also have the boat to the BW and MGM.

IMO, the Epcot area cannot be beat!!!!!!

 

[DisneyDW]

I would say, like the others, do the numbers and factor in food costs at Poly to see what your difference would really be. For me, with small kids, we had a lot of PS's that we ended up cancelling or changing because you have to go more with the flow of their schedules. Our plan didn't often work out so I am hesitant to use a dining plan and feel too tied to it since it is wasted if not used. The BC has a wonderful, sand bottomed pool that your kids will love. It is especially great for toddlers because of the sandy, shallow area. They love it! Cape May for both character breakfast and clam bake dinner was very good. Beaches and Cream was great also! We did Boardwalk one evening and the kids enjoyed that.

Having said that, I am definitely doing Poly next time because I love the look and feel of the resort and want to try something different.

My kids, ages 3 and 5, prefer Epcot and MGM to MK so the proximity to MK at Poly isn't such a great benefit for us. But they do have monorail to Epcot from TTC.

 

[Buttercup Roberts]

What's the price difference between the two packages? I'm not so sure a dining plan would be worth much for a toddler and a four year old.

For traveling with small kids, there's nothing like a Magic Kingdom monorail resort! I'd stick with the Polynesian.

 

[TJA]

We have recently stayed at both Poly and BC. My twins were 18 mos old at Poly and 2 yrs old at BC.

If the cost difference of your vacation is not an object, then I would choose the resort that will be the most convenient for your family. If your dd's are going to want to be at MK often, then definitely choose Poly. If you think your family will be going to MGM and Epcot more often, then choose BC.

How about the night shows -- will your family prefer the MK show or the Epcot show? Nothing can beat being able to walk/monorail back to your resort after an evening show, especially with tired little ones.

I do agree with the above poster(s) that BC has a lot more food/restaurant options. My family was not always up to getting on the monorail at Poly and travelling to a restaurant at night. However, at BC it is a simple walk to the Boardwalk restaurants and also the countries in Epcot.

Both resorts are very nice. I would choose based upon the parks and convenience. Have a wonderful time.

 

[lovesdumbo]

I would choose the Poly. I think you'd love the monorail with your 2 young children and the pool at the Poly (zero entrance) is better for their ages as well. You're getting a room discount with AAA and while the dining plan is a good deal (saving $80/night) I know my children didn't love sit down meals. I think the convenience of the Poly location is worth the extra $50/night.

 

[sleepless doc]

Looks like things are pretty even so far. Thanks for all the great insight. I am confident that we'll have a good time at either. He's a few pieces of data that may/may not help. 1) I've already sold a kidney (kidding) and thus, I am not concerned with small differences in price. All things said I'd prefer to save money, but currently work about 100 hours per week and am comitted to spending a few extra bucks to have a great vacation. 2) Half the enjoyment of the dining plan is that I don't have to get that painful stare from my wife that always happens when I order both an appetizer and desert. Also, I think we'd do a few more character meals with it. I can spend money before we go, but if my wife sees the bill when we're actually at the table, she won't enjoy it as much. Silly, but true. (Credit card logic - its easier to spend money you can't see leave your wallet.)
3) Where I am really torn is that I think my little girls will like the magic kingdom more? and thus want the monorail, but think that taking them out for dinner would be much easier at the beach club.

Any additional thoughts?
Thanks again.

 

[lovesdumbo]

3) Where I am really torn is that I think my little girls will like the magic kingdom more? and thus want the monorail, but think that taking them out for dinner would be much easier at the beach club.

Any additional thoughts?
Thanks again.

I think your girls favorite will be MK for sure but my kids also like AK and its a bus from either Poly or BC. They liked Epcot too.

The Poly would also be convenient for dinner in that you've got Ohana's and Kona Cafe (awesome food!) and you can walk or monorail to GF and monorail to Contemporary so lots of great choices.

How many nights are you going? Have you thought about trying for an AP discount-only 1 of you needs to have an AP. Then you could purchase the Disney Dining Experience for $50 and get 20% off many (most?) table service spots including alcohol.

Have you tried calling CRO again? Sometimes it really works to just keep calling-things do sometimes open up.

 

[TJA]

I think your 1-1/2 year old will probably enjoy all parks the same. I am not sure about your 4 year old, though. It really isn't that bad getting to MK from BC. We went to MK two different times when we stayed at BC. First time we took the bus, which worked out fine. Second time we were in Epcot in the morning and decided to zip on the monorail over to MK. We were in the front of Epcot anyway, so it was not a big deal. This worked out well also.

You probably know this, but you can take the boat to MGM from BC too. I think your 4 year old is probably at a good age to enjoy the shows at MGM. You can also walk to MGM from BC -- it takes about 15-20 minutes.

This is sort of a side note, but with the number of hours you work, I think BC may be a bit more relaxing. We found the entire Epcot resort area to be very relaxing and laid back. When we stayed at Poly, it was very exciting and we felt "in the middle of it all," which is great if that is what you are looking for.

It really sounds like the dining plan will work out better for you. BC is a fabulous resort. And just think of how many good appetizers and desserts you would be able to enjoy!

 

[sleepless doc]

Good idea about the annual pass. We're staying 9 nights (Sept 30th to oct 9). I'll have to do the math.

In regards to checking CRO: I have an agent through small world vacations who calls regularly to check for availability at the poly with the dining plan.

Right now my thought is that its a toss-up, but the dining plan is the tie breaker for me.

You all are great! Thanks again.

 

[disneyworld!]

BEACH CLUB

 

[disneyholic family]

Oh dear, so young and already hen-pecked

ok....so i'm going to work on the theory that money is no object (i'm in that group so don't take it as an insult)...

It would be silly to take the dining plan just because you think it's a better deal for character breakfasts.....you can pay for those out of your pocket, they're not really all that expensive....and paying for a lot of food that you're not going to eat is sillier (will your wife eat an appetizer and desert every day? - I'm guessing no)..

so let's ignore the dining plan and just look at the hotels...

how old are your kids again? 1 and 4?,,,,,probably not all that discriminating one way or the other....

the Beach Club does have a spectacular zero entry pool that i'm sure your 4 year old will enjoy..

on the other hand, the poly has fun theming overall and is very convenient for the MK....

Isn't the BC much more expensive than the poly?.....i would think that for the rate you're paying at the BC you could get the poly's concierge....i always thought that the BC is more expensive than the poly..

which reminds me....the poly is made up of many buildings....so you have to leave the main building and go outside to get to the building you're staying in....so if it's raining, you get wet..

on the other hand, at the BC it's all indoors...you may walk for 400 miles to get to your room, but it's all indoors.....so maybe that might make a difference for you.......especially since you'll no doubt be dragging the kids around in a stroller (or at least one of them)..

so i just changed my mind.....i'm voting for BC....but not because of the dining...because it's all indoors....and it has a great pool...

but if you're not swimming people, then take that into account (the poly has a fun pool too, just not on the level of the BC)..

I personally prefer the BC to the poly .....but that's purely a taste thing...
and i'm a waterbaby, so i LOVE the BC pool....

ok...so if you followed that stream of consciousness, the bottom line is:
Beach Club resort - because it's nicer, it's all indoors and has a great pool...

ta da....

 

[Katems]

Sounds like you want the Poly with the dining plan. Reservations can be held for two weeks while people make up their minds. If they don't put a deposit on them the reservation is cancelled automatically and the rooms become available again. So dining plan rooms are opening up everyday. I bet a Poly/dining plan room opens up for you if you try everyday! The monorail can't be beat with the kids. And I agree, they will probably like the MK best so it's nice to be so close to it.

 

[sleepless doc]

Oh dear, so young and already hen-pecked

ok....so i'm going to work on the theory that money is no object (i'm in that group so don't take it as an insult)...

It would be silly to take the dining plan just because you think it's a better deal for character breakfasts.....you can pay for those out of your pocket, they're not really all that expensive....and paying for a lot of food that you're not going to eat is sillier (will your wife eat an appetizer and desert every day? - I'm guessing no)..

so let's ignore the dining plan and just look at the hotels...

how old are your kids again? 1 and 4?,,,,,probably not all that discriminating one way or the other....

the Beach Club does have a spectacular zero entry pool that i'm sure your 4 year old will enjoy..

on the other hand, the poly has fun theming overall and is very convenient for the MK....

Isn't the BC much more expensive than the poly?.....i would think that for the rate you're paying at the BC you could get the poly's concierge....i always thought that the BC is more expensive than the poly..

which reminds me....the poly is made up of many buildings....so you have to leave the main building and go outside to get to the building you're staying in....so if it's raining, you get wet..

on the other hand, at the BC it's all indoors...you may walk for 400 miles to get to your room, but it's all indoors.....so maybe that might make a difference for you.......especially since you'll no doubt be dragging the kids around in a stroller (or at least one of them)..

so i just changed my mind.....i'm voting for BC....but not because of the dining...because it's all indoors....and it has a great pool...

but if you're not swimming people, then take that into account (the poly has a fun pool too, just not on the level of the BC)..

I personally prefer the BC to the poly .....but that's purely a taste thing...
and i'm a waterbaby, so i LOVE the BC pool....

ok...so if you followed that stream of consciousness, the bottom line is:
Beach Club resort - because it's nicer, it's all indoors and has a great pool...

ta da....

OK...That was funny. Strange, but funny. Turns out my 4 year old is a huge waterbug. The last weekend we were at a hotel, I took her swimming 2-3 times per day. (We had to stop to eat). So I think the BC has the advantage there. My 1.5 yr old will need a nap (and probably the rest of us), so having the monorail is appealing for her sake.

My wife and I enjoy dining and I suspect we'll eat a sit down meal at least once per day. Thus, although you're make a good point about the meal plan, I'm still somewhat interested.

I think the beach club and poly are nearly identical in price. We're going stay concierge at whichever one we end up at. Let me also say that I'm extremely grateful to have to make such a "difficult" decision. A few years ago it was which bill to pay. This has been the fun I've ever had perserverating over where to stay on vacation (or any other decision for that matter).

I continue to appreciate all of your advice. Thanks again and again.

 

[MOMOFMNM]

this is a toughy...as I have never been to either!!! but I am going soon and do have three little girls and have been to the MK and I KNOW they will not want to leave that place!!! They want to eat at CRT, see the castle, blah blah do all that magical stuff!! My choice was CR but I love the BC the pool looks totally awesome but I hear it can be tough to navigate with small kids, big pool, deep, you have a hard time keeping them in sight...etc. I think it is gorgeous but the Poly seems incredible too. I think your girls will be big MK fans. I could be wrong on this but I am a mom of lots of girls expert!! Price was a factor for me but transportation was a bigger factor because we will not have a car or rent one for the trip so I chose the CR...I have heard mixed reviews on the poly but can't remember one negative on the BC...good luck whatever you choose sounds like you deserve a vacation another thing to consider: we are doing a lot of PS at our resort and others connected by monorail. Have you looked into where you want to eat>> It was no mistake that 2 of my choices were right there at my home resort this is very important with little ones IMO. Just depends on your tastes...

 

[disneyholic family]

.

We're going stay concierge at whichever one we end up at.

ah hah......so you're staying concierge.....that adds another wrinkle into the equation...

unfortunately, Poly is the only concierge we've never stayed in so i can't tell you anything about it....other than there are many many posts on this board about how great everyone thinks the Poly's concierge is....also, I think there is a dedicated building just for Poly concierge guestrooms....and I think it might possibly have an MK view that you can request (though these sorts of things are never guaranteed).....but i'm not sure if there is an MK view from that buildling or not....You should check the Poly concierge posts on this board for that information (or post another question about it)..

The BC concierge is very nice and we liked it, but I hear that the concierge lounge at the Poly is much bigger with a more kid friendly food selection ....if that matters to you....

as for the dining plan, I still wouldn't let it be the determining factor for you......You should pick based on which hotel you like...(remember that there is also food at various times of the day in the concierge lounge)...
if you like the BC then go ahead and take the dining plan, if you think that would be a good deal for you...
but if you prefer the Poly, don't give up on it just because you can't get the dining plan.....as i said, that should NOT be the decider in this case..

and yes, i understand about the joy of having to make these sorts of decisions at this point...
Over the years, we've gone from the value resorts when we were young and just starting out, to the luxury of choosing whatever our hearts' desire.....we definitely feel fortunate....

i'm sure you'll have a wonderful time, no matter what you choose..

they're both Disney resorts and Disney really does know how to do it right..
you really can't go wrong either way..


have a magical time!

 

[susy]

Some may disagree with me on this, but I feel like the BC/YC has a more deluxe feel. At the Poly I felt perfectly comfortable going form my room to the pool and back with just a towel wrapped around me ( even wet). At the BC, no way!