Pop vs Polynesian

[Hopefully]

You are also loosing the Park Hopper option plus a full day of park tickets. You need to factor the value of those into your vacation plans as well.
The Poly is definitely nicer, IF you are going to use the Resort Amenities.

 

[Moliphino]

I'd want the extra park day and hoppers over a nicer resort. I don't spend much time at my resort, though, outside of sleeping.

 

[sponica]

if you're going to be mostly at the parks, stick with pop. If you use the pools/amenities, do Poly.

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

i'd definitely choose polynesian. the overall atmosphere there is incredible and it is extremely close to MK!

POLY, this isn't even a question!

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Here’s my problem: I just book POP in a preferred room 3 days ago for 6 nights with a 6 day park hopper and the free dining (regular) plan for September and the total for this was $3,300 for 2 adults and 2 kids. I got a quote for the Polynesian in a standard room for slightly different dates but still 6 nights with a 5 day base ticket for $3,100 for 2 adults and 2 kids. No doubt the dining plan is worth money. So which should I go for? How much do you budget for meals without the dining plan?

The dining plan costs $52.50 a day for the 2 meals and 2 snacks and 21.74 for the kids. Let's just round to an even 50 and 25 for EZ addition. That's $150 a day there or about $900. Now if you're small eaters, you can probably eat for less than that. Say about $800 for your trip. So in effect your Poly is going to cost around $4,000 whereas your pop is $3300. And you're going to get an extra day on your park ticket plus hoppers. For us, the hoppers don't matter so no biggie there. But we use our hotel room to mostly flop. Now the restaurants and lobby of the Poly blow away those of Pop. No comparison. And Poly is on the monorail. But if I want to go eat at one of those restaurants and see that beautiful lobby, I can ride that monorail over from the MK, take a load off my legs for a couple of hours and do that. I don't have to stay there to do that. The fake beach there just doesn't appeal. I can't swim in the water anyway. It just doesn't seem worth to me when I'm in the parks all day.

I'd actually choose pop. By the way drop down to non preferred if you can. Preferred is not worth it at Pop imo.

Edit. Just came from another thread, thought about it and if you have difficulty walking distances, yes a preferred might be worth it. But if you're having difficulty (over the usual Disney legs) walking the distance at Pop, you should consider a scooter to help you get around the parks.

 

[buzznina]

OP - This is something I would highly suggest you look at sites like https://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/touring-basics or http://www.disneytouristblog.com/disney-world-hotel-reviews/and look at photos etc. and write down the pros and cons that matter to you & your family, because every family vacations differently and value the resorts differently. What may be "worth" it to them may not be to you. We do not spend all our time at the parks and spend a good amount of time at our resort, and I can say that we have had great vacations at all 3 levels of resorts.

 

[Runner225]

Here’s my problem: I just book POP in a preferred room 3 days ago for 6 nights with a 6 day park hopper and the free dining (regular) plan for September and the total for this was $3,300 for 2 adults and 2 kids. I got a quote for the Polynesian in a standard room for slightly different dates but still 6 nights with a 5 day base ticket for $3,100 for 2 adults and 2 kids. No doubt the dining plan is worth money. So which should I go for? How much do you budget for meals without the dining plan?

Like a lot of people have said, I think it comes down to what is important to you and your family. The dining plan for POP was the QS DP? When you said regular, I didn't know if that meant the QS or you upgraded to the "regular" DDP. If you are doing QS, then figure you will spend money OOP if you choose to do table service meals. For us, dining at Disney is a big part of the vacation...so while the prices of the two vacations at the moment are similar, I would know we would spend approximately X amount on food and it would still in turn be a good deal more expensive. However, I have ALWAYS wanted to stay at Poly, but haven't bc of the hefty price tag...so I can see the pickle here bc that is a very decent price!

This summer will be our first trip without the traditional DDP. We are staying at POP and got the free QS meal per day, so we will be paying OOP for our TS meals (which we book 1 per day, sometimes 2 if there are breakfasts we really want to do)...I went back and forth on if we wanted to upgrade to the DDP. I then I calculated out exactly what I thought we would eat at the restaurants we are going to, we still came ahead of the dining plan (even with a dinner at CRT & CG). That's probably the best way to budget out your meals, bc everyone is different in where/what they eat. It's tedious, but it gives you a good snapshot.

Being that I have always wanted to stay at Poly, I would calculate the dining and then see where that lands you. If you can swing it, go for the deluxe!

 

[LiveToTravelNicely]

Since you're planning to use one less park day on the Poly option (5 day instead of 6 day ticket), I would pick Poly. You must have some resort time if you stay there. (If you are at the parks from rope drop til fireworks choose POP) Maybe go to Ohana, Kona, or Spirit of Aloha that night. You can also utilize the other monorail resorts and Wilderness Lodge/Ft Wilderness dining very easily. You'll spend a lot less time on busses by staying at the Poly. If the budget allows, we consider "time as money" while at WDW, and extra hours on busses = loss of money. I will state that I have not stayed at POP, and the new POP rooms look amazing. My experience with the busses-only transportation was at Coronado Springs. I have stayed at the Polynesian, and consider it my second favorite resort at Disney after Boardwalk Inn. (We actually enjoy the convenience of walking to two parks instead of the monorail.)

 

[Average Joes]

We are going in September and unlike most of our fall and winter trips we included afternoon pool time to escape the heat. Having access to the Poly pool and a bit easier transportation is nice. How much would you use the $100ish extra a day amenities? We are staying at the Poly.

 

[Sue M]

Poly! Don’t look back! And with 4 people in a room you’ll appreciate the extra space.

 

[spiceycat]

the Poly - think even the regular rooms now have a mircowave and small refrigerator - Publix will deliver you groceries - so will other places. So you can go that route - I have several food alleriges but I also hate waiting for food - so I generally go the grocery route.

 

[spiceycat]

you can eat at 11:00am breakfast/lunch - at a buffet - (have a fruit for quick breakfast before going to the parks) and then eat enough at the buffet to go until dinner.

 

[Disneylovingmomof2]

Poly is awesome