Second guessing the Poly

[jandkmom]

I'm at the Poly right now and we love it! It's our third time so we are big fans. The renovations are happening now but other than some workers walking to and from the Hawaii longhouse, I haven't noticed anything different. The loudest thing now is that they are pressure washing the outside of the buildings, but that should be done before you get here The unique ambiance and the convenience to both MK and TTC are why we stay here...you can't get that anywhere else at Disney. We easily walk to the MK monorail or TTC to catch the Epcot monorail from our room.

I would keep the ressie! You won't be disappointed.

 

[annej]

We absolutely love the Poly and each time we try something different we always miss it. My kids loved it when they were younger. They loved the pool and the view of the fireworks at night from the beach can not be beat. Kona Cafe is wonderful and often you can snag a breakfast seating the morning of. Captain Cooks is good too. The grounds are beautiful and the lobby is amazing! We like the stores there as well. We LOVE the rooms! We have never had a problem with anything in the rooms or with mousekeeping. Be sure to ask for a balcony or a patio as some rooms do not have either in the older buildings. The ease of the boats to MK and the monorail and being able to walk to the TTC to catch the Epcot monorail are all great perks. And the tiki torches at night just seem to complete the overall experience. They used to do a torch lighting ceremony each night and if they still do I think your kids would enjoy that. My DS loved it! Have fun!

 

[JoJostar]

WE love the poly and always make sure that we eat at ohana, but we had such a magical time at the GF during my DS birthday that I am not sure that anything will ever compare. The cast members went over and above and really made him feel special. Special items were left for him in the room all the time (card from Mickey, chocolate Mickey, balloon). It will be hard to ever top that so GF gets my vote.

 

[buzz1fan]

We are thinking of staying here in June for two nights. We are debating on here and CR. I'm worried about the mold I keep reading about. My oldest is allergic to mold, and I would be so disappointed if the rooms were and smelled moldy. We stayed once in 2008, And I don't remember it being an issue, but he was very young then too and only stayed 1 night.

Will rooms be refreshed by June?

 

[mickey2minnie1]

We are thinking of staying here in June for two nights. We are debating on here and CR. I'm worried about the mold I keep reading about. My oldest is allergic to mold, and I would be so disappointed if the rooms were and smelled moldy. We stayed once in 2008, And I don't remember it being an issue, but he was very young then too and only stayed 1 night.

Will rooms be refreshed by June?

A few of the buildings will be done, but the only way to be sure you get a brand new room is to book CL. That is what I did for a few days in June.

 

[Robbi]

Of all the WDW resorts, the Poly is our least favorite. The rooms are dark and musty. The CMs were the least enthusiastic of any at other resorts. The monorail always has lines because of the restaurants. The volcano pool is too small for the size of the resort. It is not a good fit for us. We've given it a couple of tries but no more.

 

[rotlex]

Everyone has opinions on the resorts, especially the Poly, so here's mine. It's a great resort. Nice grounds, location monorail etc. However, at $4-500 per night, it should be BEYOND PERFECT and it is FAR from it. That is an insane amount of money to spend on any hotel room. Especially if it is a first trip, with kids. Your going to be spending 95% of your time in the parks.

Personally? I'd stay at the Wilderness Lodge, or a moderate; save half on the room, and double the length of my trip! Yes, I think the Poly, GF and Contemp are nice resorts, but the prices Disney is currently charging for them, you could stay in a palace anywhere else.

 

[cjnix29]

the location of the Poly is great. The grounds are nice. The rooms are a good size. And the monorail is super convenient. HOWEVER, it is NOT my favorite resort by a long shot. DH had been pushing for the Contemporary, and I never wanted to stay there because I just didn't think I would like the coldness of it. But I have to say, of the monorail resorts, it's my favorite.

What you have to consider with the Poly is that you don't know what longhouse you will end up in. I did NOT like having to walk outside and down the path to re fill my mug, get something at the front desk, or get breakfast. It rained quite a bit when we were there, and I hated getting soaked running to the Ceremonial house. I like my hotels all contained, which probably explains why WL, YC/BC, CR, and BW are my favorites. (and one of the many reasons I don't like the mods and values).

But if the themeing appeals to you I say stick with your choice. With kids those ages, you will spend most of your time at the MK anyway, and having the ability to easily come and go from that park will make your stay less hectic. I would just request a room close to the ceremonial house.

Have fun with your kids on their first trip. Watch their faces light up, and hold those memories dear!! I'll never forget DS's first trip, it's never quite the same.

 

[Grace&Carolinesmom]

We have stayed at the GF, Contemporay and Poly many times each. They each have their own character and everyone has different tastes. However, we, and our kids, love the Poly the best. The grounds are very relaxing to us and that is a key difference to us. The lush tropical grounds are very pretty, the snack bar is nestled in trees and near water so you can hear the waterfall, the music is relaxing, the fire torches at night are a nice touch, etc. Yes, all 3 have pools and beaches, but we like the view from the Poly beach and pool the best...looking out over the bay to the castle and being able to see the fireworks is great. The lobby is nice with the tropical feel too. We also enjoy being able to walk to Ticket and Transportation to catch the monorail to EPCOT to save some time. These are all things that you just don't find at the GF or Contemporary. We have just rebooked for the Poly in a few months and can't wait. I personally don't think you can go wrong with any of the 3 (and no there is nothing like the view from the MK side of the Contemporary main tower), but we personally prefer the Poly.

Totally agree The atmosphere cannot be beat!

Would also like to add, we have a DD with sensory issues being in the autism spectrum. We find the Poly to be wonderfully relaxing. Some people say the rooms are too dark but to us they are very soothing. The resort room is very important to us because we do afternoon breaks every day to take a decompression break from the parks. The extra wide patio doors basically give you a wall of windows which brings the outside view into the room which adds to the experience.

We love both the transportation options and the eating options offered by staying at the Poly on the monorail. We love the food at GF as well and will typically take the monorail over and then walk the beautiful scenic path on the way back. We also like to shop at CR and will monorail over there at least once during our trip. Having the resort boats, monorail, ferry launch, and Epcot monorail easily accessible, makes getting to/from parks a snap. We only visit DHS and AK once each trip so that means minimal bus trips for our family.

When we are NOT staying at the Poly, our family has a nice trip BUT we are always comparing and wishing we were at the Poly. As a family, we have now decided that we will not stay off the monorail line again. We are such big fans of MK and Epcot and the MK area is just our style. Many love the Epcot area but for us it was just....ok. Underwhelming.

Good luck