Yacht Club or Polynesian?

[lissiesmum]

I have finally decided when (last week of August), that I am flying down, that I will do a split stay so that I can stay part of the vacation at a deluxe. My first two days will be at Pop, and I want to spend four nights at either YC or Poly. I had just about decided on YC because of SAB and the proximity to Epcot and Boardwalk but the more I read about the walking to get to Future World and the 15 plus minute walk to the Boardwalk, the more I am thinking it might not be the best idea. I will be traveling solo with my DD4, who is not much of a walker or a stroller girl. She still tends to want to be picked up and carried around. Plus it will be sweltering heat and humidity and I'm thinking, it will be hard enough walking around the parks as it is, I probably don't want to walk any extra especially where we will be returning to the resort to swim each afternoon. That being said, the pool is a big factor in my stay as we will be at the resort every day to swim and that was the big draw to YC as even if it is crowded, you still have plenty of room to move around. I finally bit the bullet and looked up prices for the Poly and found it only around a hundred more total and I got really excited and fell in love with all the pictures and the idea of riding the monorail or taking the boat to MK. I am not going to go to Hollywood Studios this trip so that won't be something I'd miss at YC. That being said, I am looking at the pictures of the Poly pool and it looks really small compared to other resorts and I've heard it is extremely crowded in summer in the afternoons as everyone else comes back to the resort for the same reason - to swim and beat the heat. Right now, I want to book the Poly so bad but the pool is making me nervous. If I can't feel comfortable swimming with too many people around me, it will really take away from my vacation. Taking all this into consideration, those of you who have stayed at these resorts during summer when it is extremely crowded, what would you give me for advice? And if anyone has a picture of the Poly pool when it is really crowded, could you please post it here for me to look at? I was looking at the WL awhile back and I saw a picture during the dead heat of summer and saw the pool which was literally people standing elbow to elbow and it turned me away immediately. This is what I am picturing at the Poly pool. Does the quiet pool also get overly crowded as well? Help!!!!! (thanks )

 

[Calle&Jakesmom]

First off- wow, I wish I were you having this "dilema"!!- I've stayed at the Poly and the Beach club (basically the same as the yatch club-same pool etc..).

I love EPCOT and the walk in and out- and I've done it in the summer many times- is the BEST. It's hard to trade the monorail at the poly for the convenience of waling in and out of EPCOT. We have used the monorail by walking through EPCOT and taking it to TTC and the MK, so in a way you don't lose the monorail option by staying a at an EPCOT resort. This, of course, only works if you have a park hopper or annual pass and are willing to do some walking. The pool at Beach/Yatch club is GREAT! I have had the pleasure of spending a full day just hanging out at this pool and it is one of my best memories at Disney- my kids loved it and I loved it. You can have a sandy beach experience, a water slide, a lazy river, and a regular pool all in one. Wonderful!!

I think I'd chose the Yatch Club.

Only thing- I love the poly too! I stayed ther efor my honeymoon and ten year anniversary. The beach there is great! The view and the hammocks are awesome. The convenience of the monorail is great too!

So, with that all said. here's what I would do. If they are the same price and it's just adults (I can't remember if you said in your post), I'd chose the poly and use the monorail to go back and forth to EPCOT and MK.
If it's you & kids or cheaper price, I'd go with the Yatch club.... (and if you love EPCOT more than MK, I'd DEFINATELY do Yatch Club... it's so awesome to walk in & out of EPCOT)

One final thought-- MGM (or the new DHS), you can walk there too from the Yatch Club. Our last stay at BC and the one before that at BW, we walked into EPCOT in under 5 minutes- and that's with slow/complaining kids and we walked to MGM in 10-15 minutes (depending on the level of complaining kids- 10 minutes with motivated adults only). This is HUGE in my opinion- you don't have to rely on bus/ boat/ monorail- you can come & go as you please. The only out of reach resort is AK.

I guess I'd choose Yatch Club overall- which I think is also probably the cheaper resort. Be creative... take the walking path to EPCOT & MGM, walk through EPCOT to catch a monrail to MK... go to the Boardwalk and have fun!! The pool is great and you'll love it!

 

[Aliceacc]

My youngest turned 5 yesterday.

I spent weeks agonizing over resort choices; there are 5 of us, so the options were more limited.

I finally decided that a monorail resort was right for us. I want that daily pool time too, and I do not want to have to wait for a bus, then take a bus ride to get it, only to repeat the process after the swim.

We'll be spending most of our time at the MK or Epcot; both are easily accesible from the Poly.

The thought of a hot tired little girl (not to mention her brother and sister) being 10 minutes from that pool absolutely sold me on the monorail resorts.

I vote Poly.

 

[Samsma]

I vote for the Poly too, with a little one especially. We prefer the Yacht Club for EPCOT (our favorite), but I bet MK ends up being your primary destination!

 

[madalex]

I finally decided that a monorail resort was right for us. I want that daily pool time too, and I do not want to have to wait for a bus, then take a bus ride to get it, only to repeat the process after the swim.

The thought of a hot tired little girl (not to mention her brother and sister) being 10 minutes from that pool absolutely sold me on the monorail resorts.

I am confused by this post. At what resort must one take a bus to get to the pool? This is certainly not the case at the Yacht Club.

To the OP - the walk to the Boardwalk is not 15 minutes - more like 5. In addition, you mentioned concerns regarding the walk to Future World from an Epcot resort. Even from a non-Epcot resort, there is still some walking involved to go from the park transportation drop off point to get to FW (not as much admittedly, but it is still there). In addition, there is no waiting for that transportation to get to or from Epcot if one is staying at an Epcot resort; you just walk to the park or back to your resort whenever you feel like it. For me, these things balance out.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I am confused by this post. At what resort must one take a bus to get to the pool? This is certainly not the case at the Yacht Club.

When going from the Magic Kingdom and the Animal Kingdom to the Yacht Club you need to take a Disney Transport bus.

 

[goofeydec]

poly poly poly

 

[madalex]

When going from the Magic Kingdom and the Animal Kingdom to the Yacht Club you need to take a Disney Transport bus.

Thanks for clarifying. I thought the poster meant once back at the resort, you had to take a bus to get to the pool.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Thanks for clarifying. I thought the poster meant once back at the resort, you had to take a bus to get to the pool.

You're welcome.

 

[Aliceacc]

Yes, that's what I meant; sorry for the confusion. (Serves me right for typing at 6 a.m.)

 

[lissiesmum]

ok, so far most replies are for the Poly. But just how crowded does the pool get in summer when everyone's trying to cool down? Is it bearable, or uncomfortable with too many people around so that all you can do is stand there? My DD freaks out at our local pool and the YMCA when there are too many people around. She needs at least a little space for her comfort zone. Can anyone post their swimming experience or a pic of the pool at the Poly in the summer? That is still the one remaining hesitation I have left about the Poly. Madalex, thanks for the clarification on walking times. that makes me feel much better if I do decide on the Yacht Club

 

[goodguy595]

I am going down with a 4 year old also, with wife. So far people are saying the Poly.

 

[iloveeeyore]

Poly pool DOES get very crowded on summer afternoons. So does SAB. And SAB is much bigger, which has advantages AND disadvantages. Advantage is you'll have more space, disadvantage being you will have a greater chance of losing site of your DD, so beware.

The last week of August in general is not high tourist season at WDW, so it probably wouldn't be elbow to elbow. We have travelled at that time and never had real problems with the volcano pool, except for a pretty long line for the slide. The quiet pool was always practically empty. A few times we used it and were the only family there...but no slide or zero entry.

I think the Poly is a more convenient location for travelling with a 4 YO, especially with only one adult. The location of the YC and the pool would be appreciated more by an older child, IMO.

Have fun whatever you decide.