Poly vs. SOG

[jaz0308]

Need some advice please! I am trying to choose btw. Poly and SOG for a trip which will occur this summer. Travel party includes 2 families staying in 2 seperate rooms. All together we have 5 adults (one senior) and 6 kids ages 1,3, 3,5,7,9. We will have 2 double strollers and the older kids will be walking. I'm intrigued by Poly because of monorail option and not having to fold up the stroller. SOG has rooms that are larger, though which would help with nap time (my kids are big nappers!) Because we are receiving a military rate at Poly it is a reasonable amount more than SOG so money is not necessarily the deciding factor!

Which hotel would you choose?
thanks, Jodi

 

[abolanwoski]

The room sizes are so similar that in all liklihood, you will be unable to tell the difference without a tape measure. Both resorts are lovely and you will probably enjoy them equally. Having said that, it will be crowded with 11 people in 2 rooms, no matter how you slice it! I think the main plus for Poly is being on the monorail. We almost always stay at SOG and walk to the Poly to use the monorail, or walk to the TTC to take the Epcot monorail (I love the beautiful grounds and I always eat too much at Disney If your "senior" is not fit for a moderate amount of walking, then you will have less with the Poly.
The obviously plusses for SOG are 1) price - even with the 40% discount, you are still paying close to 100/night more depending on season once you add in the taxes. 2)the people - not to disparage the general disney customer, but the people at SOG are generally VERY well behaved (parents control the kids, men give up seats on buses, people don't rant at CMs, etc)

If I had to were to stay at a Monorail resort, I actually would choose the CR. Seeing the ages of your kids, your likely to spend a good deal of time at MK and you can walk to and from there at CR. No waiting for buses or monorails or boats. Great for split party returns for naps. Can't walk anywhere except the TTC from Poly. JM2C. No matter how you slice it, I don't think you'll be dissapointed.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I would go with the Polynesian because of the Resort Monorail access, walkway to the TTC, it's great theme and when going to Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom and Downtown Disney you will take the official Disney Transport buses. Shades of Green has their own buses and you are dropped off farther away with the other offsite hotel buses.

 

[stm61]

Poly also has smaller boats that will take you to MK. They share with GF, but it's the quickest way back from MK at night, usually. You will have to fold the strollers, since you step down into the boats, but it's my kids favorite transportation. We've stayed at both SOG and Poly, the bus service at Poly is much better and they run more frequently then they do at SOG. As previously mentioned, you can walk to TTC easily from Poly and take the Epcot monorail. Otherwise you take the resort mono from Poly to TTC, get off, walk down/back up ramps, and take the Epcot monorail. You can also see wishes and the electric water parade from the beach at Poly, or your room, depending on location. They play the music on the beach during fireworks.

 

[jaz0308]

Thanks so much for the info! I am leaning towards Poly and your answers definitely helped answer some nagging questions I had!

**CR has no military rate rooms available for my time frame...they were my first choice but Definitely can't afford full price for that !

I do also like the idea of the "military family" mentality at SOG but I think convenience is winning out this time with all the little ones plus a grandma in tow!

 

[DCbride]

Another vote for Poly. My thought- price is usually a huge factor when chosing a resort and if it is close then Poly would be a great experience (military discounts might not be available next time you go) The monorail and boat are great. We stayed at the SOG this past summer and I thought it was a long walk to the front from our room, it is a pretty big resort. We stayed at the WL this summer too and the SOG rooms were a lot bigger and it was nice to have the sofa bed. But if the kids are napping you could always sit on the balcony and enjoy the views at the Poly. And the busses usually come around about every 20 min at a Disney resort and they are much more spread out at SOG.

 

[hildarumpole]

The rooms at SOG are bigger and the huge bathrooms with double sinks are a plus for large families. We found SOG to be much quieter and more relaxing, but the quick access to the monorail is at Poly is also nice. The walk from SOG to Poly isn't too bad. The Shady Shuttle makes the trip even quicker. The pool at Poly is much more fun. It's really a toss-up, depending on the temperament of your family and how important factors of transportation and room size are to you. Overall, my kids liked SOG better. The atmosphere at Poly was a bit too chaotic and noisy for them. They appreciated having a break from all the excitement of the parks.

 

[crcurton]

I've stayed at both resorts. If money isn't a factor, then I'd go with the Poly. We are choosing the Poly this year because of the monorail, and the theming.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

I have not stayed at the Poly, but have stayed at Shades, and would vote for Poly. We just weren't impressed with Shades overall. The rooms were large, but that was about the only thing we liked about it.

 

[Px4]

SOG rooms are much larger then the POLY. And with the rates (even with the 40% and depending on the rank) you could probably get 2 rooms close to what you are paying for 1 discounted room. That would give you alot more space.

Are you considering getting any version of the dining plan? That may make a difference in the decision.

We love SOG. And would stay there again in a heartbeat -if we couldn't get a good discount at a Deluxe Disney Resort. I would never choose a Mod or Value over SOG!

 

[DCbride]

Px4 brings up a good point I'm not sure if you are aware of...you can't use the dining plan or Magical Express if you stay at SOG. And you will have to pay a daily parking fee for SOG.