Polynesian for 7 days... worth it?

[Tiqa]

In all our trips to WDW, we've never been to - never mind stayed at - the Poly. I've been dying to go there for at least a bit. I convinced myself to make the reservation for it last night, based on these pros:

- Monorail resort - during our trip I would be about halfway through a pregnancy and especially with two little ones (5 and 4), the monorail seems like a great option. We've stayed at the Contemporary before and DH loved the Monorail part. With the exception of a day each at AK and HS, we'll be at MK and Epcot mostly, so that's good.

- I am dying to see the ambiance. And eat there. I've heard mixed reviews but I love the cuisine so hopefully it'll live up to the expectations...

- Kid's club right there - we want to use it at least once, and it'd be nice to just go to our room instead of having to get transportation back to wherever with the kids, esp if they were tired and fussy (we won't have a car)

- The fireworks can be seen from right on the beach (though you can see it from the other resorts too... but apparently not as well?)


On the other hand, I've seen some photos of the place and my reactions are mixed. The lobby looks fantastic, but there are some areas that look so-so. The pool is nice but honestly some of the other pools (like the Coronado Springs or Carribean Beach) seem cooler for little kids.

Plus, holy moly, it's kind of expensive.

I was wondering if I should just say no to all of that and go back to our standby's, the CS or the CB. We've stayed at both multiple times and love them both. (Also like the other moderates... heck, the moderates are where it's at, really.) Plus it would please DH to save the money. We *could* just go to the Poly for an evening or something. Buuut... The bus service (esp for CB) can be a hassle...

If it was for only a couple of days I guess the price difference wouldn't be that extreme, but for a week? In our situation, do you think it'd be worth it for our family? (We're just getting a standard room, not congriece level or anything.) Is it as kid-friendly as the other resorts? (I know they're all "kid-friendly" but CB has a great playground and stuff, and the aforementioned pools...)

ETA: Dh also loves the Contemporary, and the kids do as well. I don't mind it either. But when we stayed there we "won" family of the night and got upgraded to Congriece level and I think that might have played into it a bit. And the price difference is negligible for the room we selected, so if we were going to stay on a monorail line it'd have to be the Poly..

 

[scarlett24]

We had our first Poly stay 2 years ago and are arriving again tomorrow. We just love the "feel" on the Poly. The grounds are so tropical and relaxing. Both restaurants and Captain Cook's are great and the pool is nice too. It is rather compact, so nothing is very far away. Love being able to leave MK and be back to our room in a matter of minutes. The trip to Epcot is quite easy also, because Poly is right next to TTC, where you can catch a quick monorail ride to Epcot. It is very kid friendly. I would say, give it a try, you'll probably love it.

 

[spiceycat]

- Monorail resort - during our trip I would be about halfway through a pregnancy and especially with two little ones (5 and 4), the monorail seems like a great option. We've stayed at the Contemporary before and DH loved the Monorail part. With the exception of a day each at AK and HS, we'll be at MK and Epcot mostly, so that's good.

are you going in the summer?

then definitely stay where you want. You have earned it! Now most of the time would say to make your spouse happy. pregnancy and with 2 little ones and you are still willing to go to WDW -

Congratulations!

 

[PoohsFan1]

We are spending 3 nights at the Poly before switching over to BLT. We are so excited about our stay. I haven't stayed there since I was a kid while this will be DH's and both of my DD's first stay. It is really a pretty resort and has a lot of great amenities. I love the fact that we don't have to solely rely on the buses to get you to the different parks (love taking the monorail and the boats). Enjoy your stay

 

[CarolineB]

Will the monorail still be closed from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. due to GF DVC construction when you are going? Just wondering regarding your family going back to the resort for afternoon break.

Just for comparison sake, how much more is Poly over the other choices?

 

[Fuhnuh]

DW, DD11, and I have stayed at the Poly 4 times. We have also stayed at Contemporary and Beach Club twice. We are planning an AKL/BC split this summer. I was going to miss our annual Poly stay this summer, but my daughter just informed me that we were either going to stay at the Poly or visit a lot. I think we'll be doing at least 3 nights there and I'm happy about it.

When DD11 was younger we just stayed at the Poly. We all like the theming. My daughter likes the two pools. Wishes from the beach is very nice. I would stay at the Poly over the Contemporary with two little ones, but the short walk to MK is nice. I agree that the pricing of the Poly is somewhat hard to swallow, but if you feel comfortable with the price, it can be a well-themed hub to a great vacation. Although without ADR's the food choices can be slim at the Poly, being a Monorail ride from the Contemporary and GF can be a meal-saver. We love the boat ride to MK, especially at night. I'm getting excited for August just typing about it. Now to go change my reservations. Perhaps I should join the resort switchers thread.

 

[kandb]

We have stayed deluxe (GF and AKL) and we liked them both but stayed at POR twice and in Sept we are staying at CSR. We could afford deluxe but I just find it very hard to spend over $400 night on a hotel room. Is it a little easier to take the monorail? yeah, but I don't think the price justifies it. We love the mods and they are alot more reasonable.

 

[Sue M]

Were you able to get a discount at Poly with the Late Summer Savings?
BC, BWI & AKL have a 30% room discount for dates thru Sept 29.

We stayed a week at Poly in Jan 2010 and loved it. We had a garden view room in Tokelau. It was perfect.

Loved taking the monorail in the morning to MK, then the boat back. IMO, Poly has the best transportation, because of Monorail or boat to MK, and the other MK resorts, and has a short walking path to the TTC for Epcot Monorail. So unlike CR or GF, you don't have to wait for 2 monorails to get to Epcot.

Love the dining, both Kona and 'Ohana are favs. Beautiful resort, lush landscapping, torch lit paths, fun pool, and it's zero enrty. Love watching the Electric Water Parade and Wishes from the beach. And there's just something magical being able to see the Castle from the beach, pool, and other spots around the resort.

Plus the rooms are very large. Esp the newer longhouses, Tokelau, Tahiti, etc.

I say go for it.

 

[MHTeacher]

In all our trips to WDW, we've never been to - never mind stayed at - the Poly. I've been dying to go there for at least a bit. I convinced myself to make the reservation for it last night, based on these pros:

- I am dying to see the ambiance. And eat there. I've heard mixed reviews but I love the cuisine so hopefully it'll live up to the expectations...

I love the Poly---it's my all time favorite. I haven't stayed there in three years, and will finally be there again in less than two weeks!

The atmosphere is so relaxing. I love coming back in the evenings, and the torches are all lit along the paths.

On the other hand, I've seen some photos of the place and my reactions are mixed. The lobby looks fantastic, but there are some areas that look so-so. The pool is nice but honestly some of the other pools (like the Coronado Springs or Carribean Beach) seem cooler for little kids.

Plus, holy moly, it's kind of expensive.

Is it as kid-friendly as the other resorts? .

First off, the Poly is super kid-friendly. You will see a LOT of families with children there.

Is is worth it? That's entirely a personal decision. It is expensive, but everyone has to decide what they feel comfortable spending in regards to their vacations. I've never stayed at Caribbean Beach, but I have stayed at Coronado, and enjoyed it---my kids loved the pool there. But my kids love the pool at the Poly too!

 

[princessmorgan]

Maybe you could do a split stay, so you can get the feel of the Poly at the end of your trip. I love the ambiance there and it's nice to be able to walk to the TTC, too. It's fun to watch the fireworks from the beach, but it's not like being in the park.
Now DH and I just did a split stay by ourselves at BLT and BWV. I was almost 6 months pregnant and I loved the locations of both of the resorts. Being able to walk to/from the Magic Kingdom and to Epcot and DHS from the Boardwalk was so worth it. I can't even imagine how much more I would have loved it with our kids and not having to fold/unfold a stroller on the buses! I'm kind of ruined now, because before I didn't mind the buses. My kids also love the values, so it's nice to save that money. But I kind of hate the buses now, lol! We're definitely going to do BLT or Contemporary on our next trip. You'll have a great time no matter which resort you pick.

 

[nonnasally]

I love the Poly---it's my all time favorite. I haven't stayed there in three years, and will finally be there again in less than two weeks!

The atmosphere is so relaxing. I love coming back in the evenings, and the torches are all lit along the paths.





First off, the Poly is super kid-friendly. You will see a LOT of families with children there.

Is is worth it? That's entirely a personal decision. It is expensive, but everyone has to decide what they feel comfortable spending in regards to their vacations. I've never stayed at Caribbean Beach, but I have stayed at Coronado, and enjoyed it---my kids loved the pool there. But my kids love the pool at the Poly too!

I second that. The Poly is our all time favorite as well. We arrive two days after you. Getting so excited and we were just there 10 months ago. Got a great pin code and couldn't resist. Love using DGD as my excuse!

 

[iloveeeyore]

We absolutely adore the Poly! We stayed at CSR last summer, and while we really enjoyed it, we didn't feel like we were in the middle of the magic like we do at the Poly, and our kids (teens) really REALLY wanted to go back to the Poly this trip (that's easy for them to say, they're not paying). In our opinion, there is nothing that beats the lagoon and monorail views from all around the common areas of the resort, being able to hear the sounds of the MK, the ambience with the tiki torches and the tropical music, watching EWP and Wishes from the beach, and sitting on our private balcony or patio with a cold beverage just soaking in the atmosphere. (You have to request a balcony or patio, as not all rooms have one- if you haven't done this already, call and have it added to your ressie.)

We are also MK/EPCOT people, and while we spend about 3/4 day at each AK and DHS, the majority of our time is at the other two. With the Poly being walking distance the the TTC, it almost feels like an Epcot/MK resort to us! 'Ohana, Kona and Captain Cook's are amongst our favorite dining at WDW.

We prefer the Volcano Pool to the Dig Site, and the East Pool to any of the quiet pools at CSR. The pool slide at the Poly is so much better than the one at the Dig Site. On the other hand, the Poly does not have a hot tub or a playground, so if those features are important to you, you might want to stay elsewhere. We are not huge hot tub fans, and we find it's too hot for one in August anyway, and our kids are too big for a playground, so those are not issues for us.

In the end, only you can decide what's worth it to your family. What would you have to sacrifice to stay at the Poly, and can you part with that? I can only tell you that for this particular trip, it IS worth it to us.

I'm sure you will have a great time no matter where you stay!

 

[PHLtoMCO]

In all our trips to WDW, we've never been to - never mind stayed at - the Poly. I've been dying to go there for at least a bit. I convinced myself to make the reservation for it last night, based on these pros:

- Monorail resort - during our trip I would be about halfway through a pregnancy and especially with two little ones (5 and 4), the monorail seems like a great option. We've stayed at the Contemporary before and DH loved the Monorail part. With the exception of a day each at AK and HS, we'll be at MK and Epcot mostly, so that's good.

- I am dying to see the ambiance. And eat there. I've heard mixed reviews but I love the cuisine so hopefully it'll live up to the expectations...

- Kid's club right there - we want to use it at least once, and it'd be nice to just go to our room instead of having to get transportation back to wherever with the kids, esp if they were tired and fussy (we won't have a car)

- The fireworks can be seen from right on the beach (though you can see it from the other resorts too... but apparently not as well?)


On the other hand, I've seen some photos of the place and my reactions are mixed. The lobby looks fantastic, but there are some areas that look so-so. The pool is nice but honestly some of the other pools (like the Coronado Springs or Carribean Beach) seem cooler for little kids.

Plus, holy moly, it's kind of expensive.

I was wondering if I should just say no to all of that and go back to our standby's, the CS or the CB. We've stayed at both multiple times and love them both. (Also like the other moderates... heck, the moderates are where it's at, really.) Plus it would please DH to save the money. We *could* just go to the Poly for an evening or something. Buuut... The bus service (esp for CB) can be a hassle...

If it was for only a couple of days I guess the price difference wouldn't be that extreme, but for a week? In our situation, do you think it'd be worth it for our family? (We're just getting a standard room, not congriece level or anything.) Is it as kid-friendly as the other resorts? (I know they're all "kid-friendly" but CB has a great playground and stuff, and the aforementioned pools...)

ETA: Dh also loves the Contemporary, and the kids do as well. I don't mind it either. But when we stayed there we "won" family of the night and got upgraded to Congriece level and I think that might have played into it a bit. And the price difference is negligible for the room we selected, so if we were going to stay on a monorail line it'd have to be the Poly..

For us it is worth it, because we love it and can't get enough!

We leave on Friday for 10 days at the Poly and cannot wait. It is by far our favorite resort for a number of reasons.

While the monorail isn't always reliable, yes it's definitely a nice feature, especially for someone expecting. We did a grand gather of 23 there last year because we had 3 strollers and 2 expectant mothers.

As far as the Neverland Kids Club goes, my DD8 loves it!! She almost cried when we came to pick her up! (we booked it again for this upcoming trip).

The dining options are great!! We love Ohana (ESP for breakfast) and Kona Cafe! There is a great little sushi bar as well and we like Captain Cooks! We feel it's one of the better CS options!

Watching Wishes from the beach/pool is also another reason why we love it. It's a relaxing option for a night away from the parks. We will actually be doing it our first time we arrive since we don't get in until 8pm.

Anyway, just thought I'd jump in and tell you a few reasons why we love it there. Could go on and on...

 

[WDW Obsessed]

Poly is the best overall. The fam and I have stayed at many resorts, but the Poly is always at the top of our list. Every time we stay some where else, we regret not booking at the Poly. It doesn't help that we are obsessed with their stick wings!!!

 

[heidijanesmith]

In all our trips to WDW, we've never been to - never mind stayed at - the Poly. I've been dying to go there for at least a bit. I convinced myself to make the reservation for it last night, based on these pros:

- Monorail resort - during our trip I would be about halfway through a pregnancy and especially with two little ones (5 and 4), the monorail seems like a great option. We've stayed at the Contemporary before and DH loved the Monorail part. With the exception of a day each at AK and HS, we'll be at MK and Epcot mostly, so that's good. Loved the monorail options here, the best Hotel with transportation options. We walked to the TTC to catch the EPCOT monorail and found it very easy and a nice short walk. It is a lovely path, especially at night

- I am dying to see the ambiance. And eat there. I've heard mixed reviews but I love the cuisine so hopefully it'll live up to the expectations...Captian Cooks is awesome for counter service, wonderful CM's and very easy to order and get your refillable mug

- Kid's club right there - we want to use it at least once, and it'd be nice to just go to our room instead of having to get transportation back to wherever with the kids, esp if they were tired and fussy (we won't have a car)we did not use the kids club, but it is right by the laundry room. Very easy to find

- The fireworks can be seen from right on the beach (though you can see it from the other resorts too... but apparently not as well?)we watched the fireworks from the pool ,beach and the second floor in the GCH


On the other hand, I've seen some photos of the place and my reactions are mixed. The lobby looks fantastic, but there are some areas that look so-so. The pool is nice but honestly some of the other pools (like the Coronado Springs or Carribean Beach) seem cooler for little kids. The lobby is wonderful,you will want to spend some time there. Awesome shopps, lovely artwork, get an adult drink (Lapu Lapu) and take lots of picsthe main pool can be crowded, we liked the quiet pool better

Plus, holy moly, it's kind of expensive.

I was wondering if I should just say no to all of that and go back to our standby's, the CS or the CB. We've stayed at both multiple times and love them both. (Also like the other moderates... heck, the moderates are where it's at, really.) Plus it would please DH to save the money. We *could* just go to the Poly for an evening or something. Buuut... The bus service (esp for CB) can be a hassle...

If it was for only a couple of days I guess the price difference wouldn't be that extreme, but for a week? In our situation, do you think it'd be worth it for our family? (We're just getting a standard room, not congriece level or anything.) Is it as kid-friendly as the other resorts? (I know they're all "kid-friendly" but CB has a great playground and stuff, and the aforementioned pools...)

ETA: Dh also loves the Contemporary, and the kids do as well. I don't mind it either. But when we stayed there we "won" family of the night and got upgraded to Congriece level and I think that might have played into it a bit. And the price difference is negligible for the room we selected, so if we were going to stay on a monorail line it'd have to be the Poly..

Go for the Poly!! We loved it and hope you will too.

 

[TheNewMrsB]

Oh, Polynesian. Our home away from home - much more so for my husband, who has been there...at least 15 times.

Anyway, I can't really say anything that hasn't been said. We just love it. And don't let the possibility of the monorail not running deter you - there's always the boat back to the resort.

 

[Marty Joe]

If I’m going to WDW and $$$ is not an “un-reasonable” issue, it’s going to be the Polynesian. The beach is the best place to view Wishes and the Electrical Water Pageant. The Volcano Pool has a “zero entry”, you can watch the castle change colors (fireworks etc…) from the pool. Hawaiian music is played everywhere (even piped underwater). Getting to and from MK and EPCOT (as well as GF and CR) is a breeze on the monorail loop. I could go on and on about the atmosphere, Kona, ‘Ohana, music, tiki torch lit pathways, Tambu Lounge, the Luau, and shopping. There is a launch (boat) that goes to the MK and the GF that is very relaxing after a day a MK (or anytime).

The thing about the Poly is that its a distination in itself. When you stay at the Poly, you have to slow down and relax. Enjoy it and pamper yourself. If you are a park commando - forget the Poly! Its too expensive for that. Need a place to lapse into a coma at the end of the day? Go to the AllStars or Pop. But if your looking for a real vacation getaway with a tropical atmosphere - give the Polynesian Resort a chance. Are you a "wish I had done it" or a "I'm gonna do it" kind of person. But be warned... If you make it to the Poly - you will be ruined for life!!! This message has been approved by me and is just MHO. I am not under the influance of a Tambu Lounge Mai Tai, but, I am ruined for life

 

[TDluvsDaisy]

If I’m going to WDW and $$$ is not an “un-reasonable” issue, it’s going to be the Polynesian. The beach is the best place to view Wishes and the Electrical Water Pageant. The Volcano Pool has a “zero entry”, you can watch the castle change colors (fireworks etc…) from the pool. Hawaiian music is played everywhere (even piped underwater). Getting to and from MK and EPCOT (as well as GF and CR) is a breeze on the monorail loop. I could go on and on about the atmosphere, Kona, ‘Ohana, music, tiki torch lit pathways, Tambu Lounge, the Luau, and shopping. There is a launch (boat) that goes to the MK and the GF that is very relaxing after a day a MK (or anytime).

The thing about the Poly is that its a distination in itself. When you stay at the Poly, you have to slow down and relax. Enjoy it and pamper yourself. If you are a park commando - forget the Poly! Its too expensive for that. Need a place to lapse into a coma at the end of the day? Go to the AllStars or Pop. But if your looking for a real vacation getaway with a tropical atmosphere - give the Polynesian Resort a chance. Are you a "wish I had done it" or a "I'm gonna do it" kind of person. But be warned... If you make it to the Poly - you will be ruined for life!!! This message has been approved by me and is just MHO. I am not under the influance of a Tambu Lounge Mai Tai, but, I am ruined for life

I feel the exact same way!!