WL or Poly

[molenda]

I'm thinking about taking my 3 girls (ages 4,4, & 7) for their first WDW vacation. Which resort would be better? My husband loves the look of the WL but I like the Poly location.

Thanks!!

 

[BCV23]

Our choice would be the Polynesian in any case but with a family of five you won't be able to stay in a regular WL room. Those rooms hold only 4 plus a baby under 3 in a crib. There are deluxe rooms that hold six but they are quite a bit more expensive I believe.

But the Polynesian is better anyway. The rooms are very large, the atmosphere is very relaxing and the transportation is the best on property. Just my own unbiased opinion.

 

[BCV23]

Oh, and welcome to the DIS. Happy planning!

 

[Artemus]

I agree with BCV.....your party of 5 means you need a bigger room with a sofa sleeper arrangement. POLY has it. WL does not. We stayed in FIJI last spring...loved it. My kids would not leave the volcano pool. My wife and I actually like the WL much more, but we are a party of 4. If the cost is not an issue, go for the Poly and do some research here on a building request. It is a big resort, but very manageable. Being "on the monrail loop" is a plus for fast access to the MK. But don't miss the boat ride (resort launch) either.

They are going to love it.

Artemus

 

[DonaldDuck]

While I LOVE the Wilderness Lodge. I would say that The Polynesian would probably be more convenient for you and your family. You would have access to the monorail. So if you needed to come back to the room for naps it wouldn't take you very long.

We took our DD age 15 months at the time in Oct. We stayed at the Contemporary. And we found it very convenient to have the monorail. We would go back to the room for naps and to swim. She needed a break from the parks. And it made for a happier child and better vacation.

Have Fun!!!

 

[rcraw45425]

I have to agree about WL rooms being smallish by deluxe standards. I'd recommend a monorail resort with your girls being that age. They would absolutely love the Grand Floridian (GF). WE stayed at the Polynesian in October with our two girls, 7 & 9 in Samoa bldg, garden view, room 3603, two queens and a sleeper sofa/daybed. Great view of the volcano slide pool, very convenient to the GCH (great ceremonial house). Another option is what we're doing for the APril trip, the Contemporary Resort, tower room. You can request a view of the Magic Kingdom/Cinderella's Castle, which is lit up at night. It's hard to beat the location of the CR, you can actually walk to the MK if you desire or take the resort monorail. The Poly is a great location, right next to the TTC(ticket & transportaion center) so you can walk there and catch the monorail to EPCOT. This is the only resort that has that flexibility. I don't know how long of a stay you're planning but you might concider purchasing one AP (annual pass). This will allow you to book rooms at the AP rate, which is a nice saving off of rack rate. There are also general room only codes available to the public. Check out www.mousesavers.com and www.allearsnet.com for a lot of helpful information. Mousesavers has the codes available for stays up to mid April and they post them as soon as they come out. You can obtain a ton of useful info from this board! Don't be afraid to ask questions. Email me if you like, I'll be glad to share our experiences. We are heading back again on Wednesday to the Yacht Club this time. Sue Ellen, our Travel Agent with Dreams Unlimited, managed to get me a great AP rate on short notice! WELCOME TO THE DIS!

 

[Kimberle]

Welcome to the Dis!

Unfortunantly, unless you book a deluxe room, you're going to have to go with the Poly. Regular WL rooms only hold 4, plus an infant in a crib.

WL is great! Your dh has good taste!

 

[PrinceGoofy]

I've got to agree that the Poly fits your needs the best. With the age of your kids, you'll probably spend most of your time at Magic Kingdom.

You absolutely cannot beat the monorail.

It's also easier to get them to go back to the resort to rest by promising them they can play in the pool for a little while. The Poly has a great pool and our kids, 5 and 4, loved it. You'll enjoy it too.

My wife said we used the resort more than any that we have stayed at.

 

[Minniemom97]

I like the size of the rooms & the monorail at the Poly. However, I like the fact that at WL everything is in one building, so if it's raining/storming, you can get to the food court or lobby from your room without getting soaked!