Talk me out of it...POFQ to Poly

[Victoriasponge]

Okay, so I do this every time I book a moderate for a trip: I book the moderate, I'm perfectly happy with it, and then I start thinking...maybe it would be nice to stay in a deluxe...and then I start looking at the prices...

Anyway, we're booked to stay in POFQ (Garden view room) for 10 nights in December this year. I could switch us to the Poly (standard room) for our last 5 nights for around $1300 extra. Is that ridiculous? In your opinion, is there any way Poly worth that much extra? I think I know the answer, but I'm so tempted...

For info, there are two of us, my partner and I (in our 40s) and we do like to take it fairly easy on our Disney vacation so will usually return to our room / resort for the afternoon before going out again in the evening.

Thank you for your opinions

 

[karen4546]

Okay, so I do this every time I book a moderate for a trip: I book the moderate, I'm perfectly happy with it, and then I start thinking...maybe it would be nice to stay in a deluxe...and then I start looking at the prices...

Anyway, we're booked to stay in POFQ (Garden view room) for 10 nights in December this year. I could switch us to the Poly (standard room) for our last 5 nights for around $1300 extra. Is that ridiculous? In your opinion, is there any way Poly worth that much extra? I think I know the answer, but I'm so tempted...

For info, there are two of us, my partner and I (in our 40s) and we do like to take it fairly easy on our Disney vacation so will usually return to our room / resort for the afternoon before going out again in the evening.

Thank you for your opinions

POFQ is a lovely resort. If you are concerned about the price then stay with POFQ if you are not concerned then stay at the POLY. You say "everytime" you book a moderate resort you think about staying in a deluxe. If you have stayed in a deluxe resort then you know what you are or are not getting. Once we stayed deluxe several years ago, we have not stayed in any other category. But, if there is one moderate that I would stay then it is POFQ. I love the size of the resort, the bus transportation and the food court.

Have you looked at renting points for a Deluxe resort? It may be an option for you.

 

[rwdavis2]

Honestly, only you can decide on "worth it". Do the additional ammenities at the Poly have value to you?

 

[Victoriasponge]

Hi Karen, thank you for your reply.

I've stayed at SSR and AKL and do love the deluxe resorts but also enjoyed CSR. Poly seems to be that little bit extra special reading trip reports etc. which is why I am especially torn this time.

We tend not to go the renting points route as we're in the UK so take advantage of the free dining.

 

[hertamaniac]

To me, the $1300 is worth it. The relief you can get being on the monorail loop from MK is the tipping point. Plus you get the added benefit of WL and even FW via boat. Throw in the nightly fireworks and it becomes much more clear. And, you didn't lock in to one resort experience, but now a completely different one.

 

[Victoriasponge]

Honestly, only you can decide on "worth it". Do the additional ammenities at the Poly have value to you?

That's the bit I'm not sure of so just wanted to know if anyone had any especially convincing arguments either way

 

[mickeynut1]

Like hertamaniac, the extra cost would be worth it to me as well. We've stayed at all but 1 of the deluxe resorts and while we've loved them all, the Poly is my favorite. The tropical atmosphere is relaxing, the pool is great as it backs up to the beach with a distant view of the castle, the beach is a great place to watch the fireworks, and you have a variety of great dining options just a monorail ride away at the GF and CR. If the extra cost is doable, I'd do the split .

 

[Disneylover99]

I really love POFQ and The Poly and normally I’d say go for the split stay on a ten day trip, but given the time of year you’re going, I’d stick to POFQ.

I really just love the Christmasy Jazz music, and the decorations that time of year at POFQ. When I go to the Poly, I want it to feel hot and tropical all the time. Sometimes in December the weather is cool and I just don’t think I’d love it the same way in December as I do on my summer trips. That’s just me though.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I would consider pricing out some of the other deluxe resorts as well. Poly typically prices out much higher than the other deluxes (except GF) and, honestly, although I love the theming, I find the resort to be quite loud. We really love the deluxe resorts (mostly in the EP area), so spending extra would be worth it to us.

 

[marchingstar]

i like split stays. i dont think there’s a right answer, but i personally see value in staying at a lot of different resorts, especially deluxe ones. I also stayed at Poly last december, so i have some experience with the time of year.

random thoughts:
-split stays are much much easier as adult-only parties, so i would say you’re the right audience
-split stays make the most sense if you can plan your trip to maximize location. so in your shoes, i would plan to visit MK when you’re staying at Poly, and using most of your POFQ stay to visit the other parks.
-I know some people really hate the Poly christmas music, but I thought it was fun enough. The hotel gets a sort of christmas-lite layover. Plus, you’d be in a great spot to visit the other monorail resorts and see all the christmas decorations. that is a big added value to me, but it might not be for you.
-Staying on the monorail loop during the christmas season, you really need to watch the MVMCP schedule. We had a meal at the contemporary that finished around the same time as MK closed for a party. let’s just say we made good friends with other people in line, and by the time we left we
all knew the highlights of each other’s lives...
-last december, it was too cold to swim. and i’m from a particularly cold part of canada. the pools were pretty to look at, but weren’t a huge added value.

anytime i’m thinking about a split, i ask myself how else i could spend the money to enhance my trip. spa treatments? a tour/ticketed event? that’s how i figure out if it’s the best way to add to my trip.

 

[Jacq7414]

We made the mistake of staying at a deluxe (WL) our first time going as a family and now we don’t want to go anywhere else . Don’t do it!

Seriously though, the Poly actually looked really nice when we went there for ohana. The pool looked amazing. I would love to stay there. If you think about it every time, just book it

 

[KayKayJS]

If it’s not gonna break you I’d probably try it. It’s fun and it’s vacation. Just don’t have super high expectations. Some deluxes I love and some I’ve left thinking, why did I pay extra for this? Grand Floridian is one that was totally worth it.

 

[buzznina]

First, I always say try a new resort, and if you can do a split then that is the cheapest way of trying out a new resort. Like others have said, sorry, but only you can answer the "worth" question. For us, we have stayed at all 3 levels, including POLY and POFQ, with GF being our families favorite and POFQ being our favorite Mod. We did not find that once we went deluxe we could not go back, every trip we always price the deluxes and, for us, $1300 more would be an easy 'no'. But, if you have always wanted to stay there then do it, if you can do the extra $1300.

 

[Victoriasponge]

Thank you all for your thoughts

I'm going to sleep on it, but I'm leaning to just sticking with POFQ; it'll be the first time we've stayed there so it's new to us, plus there is so much more we could do with that money...like another trip to WDW next year!

 

[Esmeralda91]

I love the Poly, but for me at this point in life it’s not worth the money. We stayed at POFQ on our honeymoon, and one day instead of going back there for our mid-day break from MK, we took the monorail to the Poly to relax in the lobby with some Dole Whip, eat at Captain Cook’s, pin trade at the stores, and check out Trader Sam’s. I highly recommend this as a way to experience other resorts without necessarily staying there. The best part of POFQ to me, besides the jazz music, quietness, and pretty good food is the boat to Disney Springs! Enjoy your trip!

 

[Eastern]

If I don't stay at a deluxe, I always choose POFQ. Since it's your first time, I'd keep it the way it is.

 

[Alabama Minnie]

We always try to stay on the monorail for our MK/Epcot Days (LOVE the Poly) and then move to the less expensive for the days that we would have to drive/ride bus (AK and DHS). I would be tempted to try CBR this time though to experience the skyliner to DHS.

 

[disneyseniors]

My daughter and family stayed at the Poly a few years ago, and they were disappointed in their room. It was dark, dank, musty and worn looking. The housekeeping service left their trays in their room without picking them up for 2 days, then they were put out in the hallway and ignored there for the rest of the week. They were joined by many more unpicked up trays by the end of the week. That is the only personal experience I know of regarding the Poly, and is just one time and one room. They did like the monorail though.
We always stay at POFQ and love it. WE also love POR too as it's a beautiful resort. I guess it boils down to what is most important to YOU. Have fun!

 

[MumziMom]

I have a different suggestion; can you see if there are any deals that do not include "free dining" BUT will allow you to book Club Level at the Poly? A 25%/30% off type of deal? We did this a few years ago and found it VERY worthwhile. In the past we've done the "free dining"; "Club Level" with no dining; and we rented points over at AKL/Kidani. We have also stayed at POR. POR was great when there was dancing at Downtown Disney. We loved the boat ride. The grounds are lovely. Club Level at the Poly was super relaxing, we ate breakfast and most dinners via the appetizers - it was also lovely to have a couple of drinks a night/as much coffee or tea as we wanted. The quiet lounge, watching the fireworks - just lovely. For the tickets included in "free dining" are you allowed to extend the tickets for a few days? Stay at the POFQ for a few nights with free dining, then head over to the Poly for a % off and stay club level? Maybe even just two nights at the Poly, and not go to the parks those last few couple of days (you might have had enough!) but explore elsewhere? Possibly Uber over to Universal for a day, or maybe to Universal's Volcano Bay water park? This way you could fully enjoy the food at WDW, while also experiencing the Poly.

 

[MumziMom]

FWIW, we have rented points through David's Vacation Club Rentals - his company is based out of Canada, I think, and is reputable on the boards. We had an excellent experience. I just put the 9th through the 11th of December into its cost/points calculator, and a "standard view" is $544 for the two nights. This would NOT be club level, though. Just thought if you wanted to stay there two nights, and pay for meals out of pocket for those nights, that sounds reasonable. Also, if I recall correctly, you can use meals from the "free meals" all the way through midnight of the last day that you are there? So you could conceivably have just the one day you are paying out of pocket for meals?