Reality Check -- Poly really worth $400 a night?

[mom3girls2007]

AKL is the only other place we've stayed at Disney -- back when we were a family of "4" five years ago. It is magical to look out on the savannah and see the animals. But after a couple days, the kids kind of were "over" it -- they honestly hardly looked out the balcony without our urging (they were 5 1/2 then). Maybe you could look into a split stay for just a couple nights on the days you plan to spend "resting"? Or definately work it into your trip to visit the hotel. The lobby alone is amazing, and looks out onto the animals outside.

 

[leanan]

I really do not feel Poly is worth $400. $300 is painful for those rooms. $400 is upsetting. Stay at POR and use the extra money for other things you want on vacation.

 

[Nom]

I can not believe that they are charging that much! I agree with others that if you were to compare the Poly with other resorts around the world that charge $400 a night, you would find the amenities, rooms, dining options and quality of the resort sorely lacking.

I just did the math- at $400 a night (and that is even before taxes), you're paying almost $17 for each hour you get in that room. Assume that you spent 12 hours out in the parks or eating so you're really only physically in the room 12 hours per day(and I think that is conservative)... that is $34 dollars per hour. That is just insane.

 

[mom4graceandlogan]

We love the poly but never pay more than $239.00 a night(garden view). We buy one AP( and MYW tickets for the rest of the family) and always book an AP rate. Now of course nights are not always available. I would book what you know you can afford now and then check AP rates and availablility when they come out. Compare that to the extra cost over the MYW ticket that you would have bought anyway. I find that it always saves me money at the deluxes if staying a week. You can call and book the AP rate without an activated AP, you just have to have it at check in. I have watched AP rates on this board, called the day they were released and booked my room and bought my AP voucher at the same time and had it mailed to me. You also save 10 percent at several sitdown restaurants during lunch and discounts on boat rental etc. You can also purchase the Disney Dining experience card with an AP and save 20% off of food and drinks at almost every table service restaraunt and most lounges and pool bars.

 

[glass slipper girl]

Whats the room occupancy on the CR GW Deluxe? I didn't think 5 could fit well unless one is under the age of 3. Very curious.

Not sure to be honest, I just know it was offered to us as an option when we had 6 (one under 3). We had 2 adults and 4 kids ages 16 (DHs nephew who would be in our room for a few nights before SIL joined us and they got their own room) 7, 5 and 1. I assume that means it's 5 + 1 under age 3.

 

[auntie]

Is the Poly worth $400.00 a night. Simple....NO. While it has it's fair share of loyal followers, I'm sorry but it's not worth it. Not in my opinion at least. While it was fine..frankly being om the monorail just isn't worth that. For us..it's not even a consideration. It was no big deal really. The fact that you are actually staying in long houses where you need to leave those buildings and walk to Grand Ceromonial House lobby 2nd floor to catch the monorail isn't especially convenient anyway. We have also stayed at the Beach Club..which for the same money is nicer and newer,and Wilderness Lodge(our personal favorite), Caribbean Beach(favorite moderate),amd also the cabins in FW. While the Poly is a lovely resort, there is no way I'd stay there without a discount code. Full rack rate just isn't worth it. I've only visited POR, not stayed there but it looks like a great resort. Also the Swan or Dolphin with a teacher/government discount is sometimes the same rate as a moderate and you are in a Deluxe resort. I think either one of those is a better deal than full rack rate for the Poly. Good luck with your choice. We also are interested in a May vacation...and no discounts available or codes released as of yet. Hopefully something will come through. Here's hoping!

 

[MousekaMaddi]

heck no!!!

 

[Tiffany]

We're going in May, no discounts available. I'm having the hardest time deciding where to stay and if it is worth extra to go deluxe. Disney site says POLY $400. We have limited options for family of 5. Is it really worth that, or would I be just as happy at POR for $179 a night. Or Dolphin for $199? I'm having the hardest time deciding and could use some advice from Disney veterans. (this is our 2nd trip in 5 years) -- have always wanted to stay on the monorail but that is a lot of money! --If it helps our kids are 11, 11 and 4.

$199 a night for the Dolphin is what I would go with out of the choices listed. The Poly is not worth $400 a night in our opinion and $179 a night for a glorified motel, which is what POR is is also too much. $199 a night for the Dolphin is great as the location is the best for the price.

 

[plutospup]

$400 a night at Poly...No, not worth it. I would love to stay at the Poly, but would never think of paying that rate. I've stayed at other upscale resorts and paid premium rates, but would never consider $400/night at Poly.

 

[DisneyBride'03]

No, unless you have one of those trees in your backyard

 

[Lovin' Lorne]

I have a hard time justifying my $179 a night moderate, let alone a $400 deluxe. There is simply no way I'm paying anything over $200 a night at WDW. Besides, we don't go there for the accomodations, we go there for the parks and just think of all the extra goodies you can get with that $221 dollars per day.

 

[catsrule]

no way

 

[Loverly]

Nope

I find the poly old and dark and dated.
Agreed with the posters that voted for the Swan or WL

Unless you are wealthy & have 6 figures already in a retirement account, paying over $300 a night for any WDW room is not a smart money move.

 

[Lovin' Lorne]

Nope

I find the poly old and dark and dated.

I wondered if any one was going to be brave enough to say that.

My husband thinks it would be great to stay there one day. No way, Jose. If I have that much $$$ to spend on a room, it's not going to be at the Poly.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I find the poly old and dark and dated.

While I don't agree with you about the Poly being old since the rooms were just renovated, I did think the hallways inside the Longhouses looked a little dark and I thought those would have been renovated to look more lighter like the way the guest rooms now look.

 

[G8r4evr]

I wondered if any one was going to be brave enough to say that.

My husband thinks it would be great to stay there one day. No way, Jose. If I have that much $$$ to spend on a room, it's not going to be at the Poly.

I feel the same way. Im a light and bright kinda girl, so if I was going to spend that kind of money, it would be at the Grand herself.

I wouldnt pay a penny over $200 for the Poly.

 

[Poohsmommi]

We're going in May, no discounts available. I'm having the hardest time deciding where to stay and if it is worth extra to go deluxe. Disney site says POLY $400. We have limited options for family of 5. Is it really worth that, or would I be just as happy at POR for $179 a night. Or Dolphin for $199? I'm having the hardest time deciding and could use some advice from Disney veterans. (this is our 2nd trip in 5 years) -- have always wanted to stay on the monorail but that is a lot of money! --If it helps our kids are 11, 11 and 4.

I love POR and stay there often ... but I also go to Disney a gazillion times a year. It's really your preference, but there is nothing wrong with POR. Now if you were considering a Value Resort, then I'd tell you to stay away, but even the Pop Century isn't horrible .... just doesn't compare to a moderate.

 

[swilphil]

Definitely do the Dolphin for half the price. You get the convenience of being close to two WDW parks. You can walk to Epcot in 10 minutes and take the boat to MGM in even less time (the wait for the boat is never very long). Isn't May when Epcot has the Flower/Garden Festival?? The bus service to MK is excellent as well. The Dolphin is a deluxe resort in every sense of the word. Great service, awesome pool, very nice rooms. Right next to the Boardwalk.

Swan/Dolphin is always our first choice, especially when they have rates under $200/night. We did stay at CR once when S/D didn't have decent rates. We found the service and overall quality of the amenities at CR to be inferior to the Swan/Dolphin. The Disney deluxes do have slightly bigger rooms, but I like the layout of the rooms at the Swan so much better.

I find the Poly to be too dark and '70s looking. I always feel like I'm trapped in that Brady Bunch episode when they went to Hawaii. The landscaping is very nice, but certainly not worth $400 a night! Just think of all the fun things you could do with an extra $200 EVERY DAY of your trip.

 

[Nom]

I have to agree with others on Swan and Dolphin. I always had preconcieved notions about that place, thinking since it was not disney owned it could not be that good. Finally stayed there for a business trip and I was totally WOWed. And this was even pre-renovation!

The rooms are light and airy and they all have the Heavenly Bed, which I can not say enough good things about. It is super-comfy bedding which is to DIE for, especially after a long day in the parks.

The pools are incredible and never crouded. They have a waterfall and slide like the poly.

International gateway is AWESOME and you can walk to MGM as well... so location is better than Poly IMO. Bus service to MK was fine- I had no problems ( and I hate the busses so if I had a problem I would be very vocal about it).

FOod options at the resort are really good and varied, and you can walk to Boardwalk for even more options if you want.

I love Swan and Dolphin and would def stay there again if I was going to be staying on-site anytime soon!
Noelle

 

[KarenP99]

Just Back! It was our first stay at the Poly and although the resort is very nice, I do not believe it is worth $400 a night. We thankfully had an AP rate, but even still I wouldn't spend that kind of $$ again.

We have 3 kids, and it just wasn't enough space. The rooms were nice, the grounds even nicer but we had just as nice of a stay at CSR before.

For a couples trip it would be a great romantic choice, but for our family it just was not a good value for the price paid.

The cons: The pool was very crowded (I can't imagine at a peak time), and the lobby/grounds were always crawling with people. We had 2 strollers (1 double, 1 umbrella), and the down from monorail then back up to room got old. I shared an elevator with a family that used the Poly to park for their evening at the P&PP. I did have to giggle when my 4yo described the room as "way to tiki-ish" There was not nearly enough drawer space for all 5 of us. We had to use a suitcase as another storage area.

The pros: Quick access to the MK (although as I mentioned before the 2 elevator trips to do anything was a bummer). Lush grounds - really beautiful & clean. Mousekeeping, we were very happy with this (being DVC we're not used to it). The beds were comfy & the towels were plush (compared to what you get in DVC).

Overall we had a nice stay, but we know that we can get just as nice of a stay at CSR (almost) so we would opt to save $ and forgo the Poly in the future.