Poly vs Wilderness Lodge

[disneydavies2012]

Hello! We have just booked a 4 night stay for January 9-13, 2017. It will be myself, my husband and 2 year old. We are looking to stay at either the Polynesian or Wilderness Lodge. WL has me nervous due to construction! Is the ease of th monorail for the Poly really worth it? What would you book? Thanks so much!

 

[DrunkJam]

We just booked Poly for our next stay, because we NEED the monorail, and the ease of getting back for a rest if necessary.

That said, I am worried it won't live up to the WL, which we stayed at before. And which was wonderful. That said, I am not sure how much difference the construction is making. Which means I haven't been much help. Sorry

 

[Mousemommy1]

I think because of construction, I would chose the Poly.

 

[Anthony1971]

Both are the best themed resorts at Disney Or should I say most detailed.
Both have pros and cons... barring the construction that is--look at the pictures but with a 2YO it is doubtful on of the affected areas will be of use to you...
Transportation wise--there is really no resort on property that will save you time when all is considered. MK the best resort although not my favorite by far will be CR as you can walk... Poly you still need to walk to the main building and take an elevator up with a stroller or walk to the boat dock... WL you have to walk to the bus stop or boat dock and fold the stroller for the bus... both resorts are very easy to get to MK... Can not make a decision for you but have stayed at WL with a stroller child (as I did with OKW, BLT, and AKL) and had no issue at any... a 2 YO will happily sleep in the stroller.. the break if one and ease of getting there is for you only.

 

[GrandCalifornian]

We love WL, and have it booked for a 10 day trip starting Saturday, so our advice is a little skewed that way, but it is what we chose despite the construction. We have a 6 year old and a 9 month old with us for this trip. Some things we like about WL compared to the Poly are:

• The lower price point, especially if you go Standard view on the room, which is a good deal during the construction.
• The fact the entire resort is under one roof, which is nice in the rain.
• We prefer WL's Roaring Fork Quick Service over Captain Cook's, although WL does not have Dole Whips...
• The quiet secluded feel. While WL is still relatively close to MK, it feels like you are in a more remote location.
  
• Having the option of buses to/from all parks. While they aren't the most fun, they are efficient and work well to get back from Epcot quickly.

Some pluses of the Poly are:

• Larger rooms
• MK Monorail access directly from the lobby
  
• Better view of MK from more rooms and the nice beach area.
• Ability to walk to the TTC to get transportation to Epcot by riding only one monorail.

Both resorts have their fans, but it is hard to go wrong with either one. Happy planning!

 

[MrsJamesPSullivan]

I would choose WL that time of year because it's all under one roof. You might have beautiful weather and it might be cold. I like inside hallways for that reason.

If it's nice your little one will enjoy the boat ride to MK. If it's cooler you've got the bus.

If you choose the Poly I would specify that you don't want a 2 nd floor room. If it's nice you'll appreciate having a patio or balcony to sit on after the little one is asleep.

I think you should choose WL though.

 

[disneydavies2012]

I would choose WL that time of year because it's all under one roof. You might have beautiful weather and it might be cold. I like inside hallways for that reason.

If it's nice your little one will enjoy the boat ride to MK. If it's cooler you've got the bus.

If you choose the Poly I would specify that you don't want a 2 nd floor room. If it's nice you'll appreciate having a patio or balcony to sit on after the little one is asleep.

I think you should choose WL though.

Thanks for responding! Why do you suggest a second floor room? are there elevators?

 

[peteykirch]

We're at the WL now, and the construction honestly isn't that obtrusive at all.

Also if they keep half the resort closed like it is now, it really feels like a ghost town.

Bus and boat lines are kept a minimum.

The standard views now are themepark views that rival the Poly and GF.

Took that last night.

 

[MrsJamesPSullivan]

At Poly you do not want a 2nd floor room. 1st floor has patios, 3rd floor has balconies and 2nd floor just has windows so you can't go sit outside and have a quiet conversation or relaxing glass of wine while the little one sleeps.

 

[tgarre06]

We're at the WL now, and the construction honestly isn't that obtrusive at all.

Also if they keep half the resort closed like it is now, it really feels like a ghost town.

Bus and boat lines are kept a minimum.

The standard views now are themepark views that rival the Poly and GF.

Took that last night.

I cannot believe that is from WL. I stayed there in 2014 and saw nothing like that. What floor are you on? Is this view due to them clearing out trees?

 

[jolene63]

I cannot believe that is from WL. I stayed there in 2014 and saw nothing like that. What floor are you on? Is this view due to them clearing out trees?

We stayed there this summer and had similar views from our 5th floor room. They cleared a lot of trees for the new cabins so the views are amazing now.

 

[peteykirch]

I cannot believe that is from WL. I stayed there in 2014 and saw nothing like that. What floor are you on? Is this view due to them clearing out trees?

Standard view on the sixth floor

 

[tgarre06]

Standard view on the sixth floor

Great to know everyone, thanks!

 

[buzznina]

We found that having the monorail is nice for MK but it would not be the main reason to stay at one of the rail resorts. I would save $$ and stay at WL.

 

[stephmarty]

We love Poly for the convenience of the monorail. Staying there next month with our 2yo. If midday naps are something yours will be needing, the monorail is wonderful. If not, I do love WL (never stayed there, just visited Whispering Canyon). It will definitely be a top choice for us when our baby is a little older.

 

[Smposchman]

For us when our daughter was that age the monorail was a godsend! To be able to wheel her directly from the park to our room??? Made life so much easier!

 

[danc18]

We love WL, and have it booked for a 10 day trip starting Saturday, so our advice is a little skewed that way, but it is what we chose despite the construction. We have a 6 year old and a 9 month old with us for this trip. Some things we like about WL compared to the Poly are:

• The lower price point, especially if you go Standard view on the room, which is a good deal during the construction.
• The fact the entire resort is under one roof, which is nice in the rain.
• We prefer WL's Roaring Fork Quick Service over Captain Cook's, although WL does not have Dole Whips...
• The quiet secluded feel. While WL is still relatively close to MK, it feels like you are in a more remote location.
  
• Having the option of buses to/from all parks. While they aren't the most fun, they are efficient and work well to get back from Epcot quickly.

Some pluses of the Poly are:

• Larger rooms
• MK Monorail access directly from the lobby
  
• Better view of MK from more rooms and the nice beach area.
• Ability to walk to the TTC to get transportation to Epcot by riding only one monorail.

Both resorts have their fans, but it is hard to go wrong with either one. Happy planning!

Have a great trip! We chose WL for several of the same reasons. I hope you can post a report as we're taking a 4yo and 9 mo, similar to you. Because of lack of availability, we paid full price and even had to take CL but with a baby, the boat to MK and having everything under one roof was the deal maker. It would have been cheaper to stay in the villas due to size/configurations but we wanted to avoid always having to stroll over to the lodge and of course the construction. Now I can use the exercise but just not as convenient for the kids. Enjoy!

 

[rotlex]

Just back from a two week stay at the Poly. The last two years we did The Lodge. Love them both for different reasons, although we favor the Wilderness Lodge over any other resort. Honestly, while the monorail is handy, so are the boats at WL. As others have said, having the entire resort under one roof is a huge plus too!

The Poly was always a dream resort for us, and having finally been able to stay there was great. However, if it means anything, if I were offered a vacation package for free, and could stay at any resort, I'd pick the Wilderness Lodge!

 

[DisneyWishes14]

For the ease of transportation with a stroller, I would pick Poly over WL every day.

 

[mickeynut1]

Hello! We have just booked a 4 night stay for January 9-13, 2017. It will be myself, my husband and 2 year old. We are looking to stay at either the Polynesian or Wilderness Lodge. WL has me nervous due to construction! Is the ease of th monorail for the Poly really worth it? What would you book? Thanks so much!

We've stayed at both and love both for different reasons. The Poly is our favorite overall, but we wouldn't hesitate to stay at the WL again. Both have beautiful surroundings, nice pools, and good dining options. The Poly does have an advantage over the WL (for us) as we are a family of 4 and the larger/more spacious room with a daybed is a plus for us, but the WL is always on our list of choices when booking a trip. Good luck deciding, but I don't think you can go wrong with either one as they are both great places to stay .