Poly Vs WL help!

[JenQ]

We are booked at Wilderness Lodge in Nov. This will be our first trip -- me, my husband, 8 yr old, 5 yr old and we will have a 4 month old by then. As is usual, I couldn't leave well enough alone and got a quote for a magical deal for dates that are two weeks earlier at the Poly. The cost is pretty much equal. Actually, we would get about several hundred back in airfare credit that may or may not be all that useful (not sure we can plan another trip and take my daughter out of school again before the expiration). So the airfare credit is nice but not a huge factor here.

I am thinking about location - 2 kids and a newborn and I have yet to figure out the stroller logistics but seems like the monorail access at the Poly is a big plus. Also the extra space. However, the WL is definitely a resort we would love to experience and if we wait a few more years before our next trip we will have outgrown the standard rooms there with 3 kids. The Poly is a great deal though and who knows if we would get to stay there again due to the cost.

What is driving me crazy is that I have all my ADR's and it I switch to Poly I would have to start all over during a free dining period. I understand reservations open up later but I can't help but think I would be disappointed if I was unable to get some of the harder ones that I have now but can't get right now with my new dates:, BOG, O'hana and CRT mostly.

My husband says just stick with the WL because it's mostly planned out but recognizes that the monorail access is valuable.

Advice please!

 

[Apopper74]

ADRs are not associated to room reservations. You can switch hotels and not have issues with ADRs already booked.

 

[JenQ]

I understand that. The move to the Poly would also move our dates up by two weeks. It's not available for our current week. That is why we would get an airline credit as well because our dates would change. We would have to redo all of our Adr's for the new week.

 

[Fizban]

So Wilderness lodge has the boat access to MK as a plus compared to the monorail at the Poly. The refurb should be wrapping up at the Poly close to your time. Just things to think about.

 

[mickeynut1]

We are booked at Wilderness Lodge in Nov. This will be our first trip -- me, my husband, 8 yr old, 5 yr old and we will have a 4 month old by then. As is usual, I couldn't leave well enough alone and got a quote for a magical deal for dates that are two weeks earlier at the Poly. The cost is pretty much equal. Actually, we would get about several hundred back in airfare credit that may or may not be all that useful (not sure we can plan another trip and take my daughter out of school again before the expiration). So the airfare credit is nice but not a huge factor here.

I am thinking about location - 2 kids and a newborn and I have yet to figure out the stroller logistics but seems like the monorail access at the Poly is a big plus. Also the extra space. However, the WL is definitely a resort we would love to experience and if we wait a few more years before our next trip we will have outgrown the standard rooms there with 3 kids. The Poly is a great deal though and who knows if we would get to stay there again due to the cost.

What is driving me crazy is that I have all my ADR's and it I switch to Poly I would have to start all over during a free dining period. I understand reservations open up later but I can't help but think I would be disappointed if I was unable to get some of the harder ones that I have now but can't get right now with my new dates:, BOG, O'hana and CRT mostly.

My husband says just stick with the WL because it's mostly planned out but recognizes that the monorail access is valuable.

Advice please!

We've stayed at both and while the Poly is our favorite overall, we also love the WL. I don't think you can go wrong with either one as they are both great places to stay. With that said, if your next trip won't be until after your youngest turns 3, I'd try the WL now and save the Poly for when the WL will no longer accommodate your family of 5 in one standard room. Good luck, but I'm sure you'll have a great trip no matter when you go and which resort you choose .

 

[JenQ]

We've stayed at both and while the Poly is our favorite overall, we also love the WL. I don't think you can go wrong with either one as they are both great places to stay. With that said, if your next trip won't be until after your youngest turns 3, I'd try the WL now and save the Poly for when the WL will no longer accommodate your family of 5 in one standard room. Good luck, but I'm sure you'll have a great trip no matter when you go and which resort you choose .

Thanks! I know there isn't a wrong decision here and that is what is making it so difficult!! I know I would enjoy both resorts.

 

[mickeynut1]

Thanks! I know there isn't a wrong decision here and that is what is making it so difficult!! I know I would enjoy both resorts.

That's the problem with Disney (if you can call it a problem....lol), there's so many great choices that it's hard to choose. But you're right.....you will enjoy whichever resort you pick .

 

[yooperfan]

When you were comparing prices, what room category were you looking at at each resort?

 

[JenQ]

I have a reservation for the Woods View regular room and the "magical" deal is for Poly Standard room/view. The category does not affect my decision. The poly deal cannot be found on the disney site.

 

[huntconn]

The monorail is invaluable for parents with young kids in strollers IMO. Both resorts are fantastic. The monorail and larger rooms would make me choose the Poly though. The construction at the Poly wont be done by November but the WL has big upcoming construction slated as well apparently. Not sure when that is starting though. There are other pros to staying at the Poly as well: Wishes/EWP from the beach, better restaurants (IMHO!), easy walk to TTC for monorail to Epcot. If you are worried about losing ADR's I believe you could just check availability on MDE before deciding on the switch. If what you want is available you can book them before you even make the switch.

 

[Masonmj84]

Tough call but given some of your tough to rebook ADRs, I think if dining is important to you (it is to me) you should stick with WL. In addition, as you note, with 3 kids your time frame to stay in a standard room at WL is limited.

While the Monorail is great, keep in mind that it seems to go down a lot (on my Poly stays, it seems like it's been down about 1/3 of the time in the late afternoon and early evening). The boat at WL is, in my view, more reliable.

With your family size, room size is probably the biggest thing you're giving up. The relatively large Poly rooms really are nice.

I like the ambiance and theming at each resort almost equally.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I think it really depends on what your priorities are. Dollar for dollar, you are getting a better deal at the Poly. Bigger room, monorail access. But it may mean giving up some of those ADR's. I think I would go online and see if you can get any of those ADR's for the Poly dates. If you can, yes I would switch. IMHO WL will be tight with 5 people in the room

 

[JenQ]

As of right now, no I can't get any of the Adr's. That's what is making it so hard for me. My daughter is 8 and I would love for her to dine in the castle now before she gets older and we have that reservation now. All the ones I really want are the ones everyone wants so they aren't available with the new dates.

 

[terri33inne]

With kids that age I would pick the Poly... no question. MK will probably be the park you spend the most time in, and the convenience factor of the monorail with a stroller vs a bus with the stroller is huge.

As for the ADR's... definitely keep checking, but there are also online services you can pay a small fee to that will e-mail/text you when a reservation you are looking for opens up. I used it on our last trip to get an ADR at Chef Mickey's about 10 days prior to our trip. Also, you wouldn't believe how many notifications I got as our date got closer b/c people were finalizing plans, and dropping ADR's they had been holding on to. My phone was lighting up in the 2-3 days before my desired reservation.

 

[Wood Nymph]

As of right now, no I can't get any of the Adr's. That's what is making it so hard for me. My daughter is 8 and I would love for her to dine in the castle now before she gets older and we have that reservation now. All the ones I really want are the ones everyone wants so they aren't available with the new dates.

This looks like it is very important to you, more important than your resort choice. The WL is compact and all under one roof. It might be your last chance to stay there in a regular room.

 

[nalajms]

As of right now, no I can't get any of the Adr's. That's what is making it so hard for me. My daughter is 8 and I would love for her to dine in the castle now before she gets older and we have that reservation now. All the ones I really want are the ones everyone wants so they aren't available with the new dates.

Personally for us, the ADRs are harder to come by than the room discounts. Worst case you stay one less night when you do book Poly. Those ADRs will only get harder as long as FD keeps happening... heck, even during non-FD season I can't get BOG the first few days of my trip!

Keep the WL and ADRs you have now.

 

[Apopper74]

I understand that. The move to the Poly would also move our dates up by two weeks. It's not available for our current week. That is why we would get an airline credit as well because our dates would change. We would have to redo all of our Adr's for the new week.

Sorry, I completely read over that part. That's what happens when you are reading using your IPhone on your lunch break.

I switched from WL to Poly for my November trip before 180+10, at that point it was an easy decision. But already having your ADRs in place and needing to switch dates I would stay put.

 

[JenQ]

Sorry, I completely read over that part. That's what happens when you are reading using your IPhone on your lunch break.

I switched from WL to Poly for my November trip before 180+10, at that point it was an easy decision. But already having your ADRs in place and needing to switch dates I would stay put.

ugh, I am so close to switching for the location and extra room but I am so sad to lose all my good ADR's! It would have been an easy choice before that 180 mark!

 

[Apopper74]

Just because the ADRs are not available now doesn't mean they won't become available. You can subscribe to the ADR thread for November. I belong to a Facebook page for November trips and we have been very good with helping each other. And without naming any sites in particular there are dining watch sites but they cost money. What is the new week?

 

[JenQ]

Just because the ADRs are not available now doesn't mean they won't become available. You can subscribe to the ADR thread for November. I belong to a Facebook page for November trips and we have been very good with helping each other. And without naming any sites in particular there are dining watch sites but they cost money. What is the new week?

Thanks! The new dates would be 10/31-11/7.