Grand Floridian or Polynesian ???

[HeadFairyInCharge]

Opinions Please......

Have stayed at Yacht/Beach Club -nice...but we want to be close to Magic Kingdom this time and I want a monorail resort.

We are able to do a splurge here so I am shooting for GF ... but the restaurants look well...not so kid friendly. 2 little princesses 7 and 4 are very use to the good things in life...but Hey It's Disney Right...

I am not so sold on Rooms at Polynesian...but the grounds look great as well as the pool.
We are kinda used to really nice resorts and do not consider even the GF to be a 5 Star but it's a Disney Resort and although the price is 5 Star I need to know what to expect.

[Joeybun]

I love GF! The theming is perfect for little princesses! My daughters loved it when we stayed there. First stop off the monorail is MK too!

I think you will get lots of votes here for the Poly as it is very popular. I have never stayed there, but it is on my radar. They have really good food!

Why not let the little princesses choose?

[Joeybun]

Just had another thought since you mention the 5 stars...why not do the GF main bldg with a theme park view, club level? That would make it extra special.

[Jennifer_and_Chris]

GF is princess friendly, but, also can be very "formal" IMO. We went to the GF to walk around and have dinner at 1900 park fare. Being dinner time, there were alot of people in the lobby and walking around that were way more formal that we were (in capris and t-shirts! after all, we're going to the parks after). Very nice but, seems soooo big to me. If it were me, knowing my family, we would not stay here for feeling a bit out of place. We're just not "formal" people.

So, of course, my vote goes to the Poly. (I am a little biased as I am an Asian Pacific Islander and this feels like home!) But, it is more relaxed and I don't feel as bad when my kids run through the lobby. I am more familiar with the eating options at the Poly and love the grounds. It feels like 2 vacations in one for me. While we have never stayed here (but aspire to), we visit at least 3 times to eat and shop and watch wishes from the beach.

This resort is just more my family's style than the GF. When I think of the GF, I think of "formal" stays.. anniversaries, honeymoons, etc. To me its more of an adult resort, or at least an "older" children resort (like a family with high schoolers). Again this is my opinion, please don't hate me!

One day we WILL stay here!

[HeadFairyInCharge]

Thanks. I was thinking the main building is the way to go...but may just do a Deluxe Dining plan and def won't need any more food! But if we go in November the decorations there would be Top Notch and I would like the Theme Park..aka Castle View not sure if main bldg has that???

PS - If I let the crazy princesses pick we would be at AKL just because of the Bunk beds and Animals out the window...not my cup of tea LoL ! But I love Disney in all other matters just not into the Animal Kingdom that much...

[renecat]

Stayed at both. GF has my vote. Poly is nice
but the rooms are dark in comparison to GF.
The only restaurant that isn't really kid freindly might be Victoria and Alberts. Took my two Granddaughter to the GF and didn't have a problem with the restaurant.

Next trip Oct. 2010 Beachclub

[HeadFairyInCharge]

Thank you all for comments ...keep 'em comin

I got the impression it was very formal...but I am sure that it assumed often.

In looking at Rooms which are both very different decor ...are there any that are better than others?

[diz_girl]

I only stayed at the Poly and I plan to stay there during my next visit, so I am a little biased.

The Poly has the most convenient transportation, since the TTC (and the EPCOT monorail) is next door. Plus, it's great just to walk around the resort. And watching Wishes from the beach can't be beat.

When I visited the GF when I was younger, it felt stuffy and I felt uncomfortable there. But now, two of my favorite WDW restaurants are in the GF (GF Cafe and Narcoossee's) and walking the grounds at night after dinner is relaxing and not stuffy at all. I hope to stay there in the future.

I tend to suggest this a lot, but why not do a split stay between the two. I'd recommend that you start at the GF and then switch to the Poly. That way, if the GF seems too stuffy for you, then you won't be there for the whole trip. But if you like the GF, then see if you can stay there for the remainder of your trip.

[disney1122]

Have never stayed at GF, but have stayed at the Poly. WE LOVE THE POLY! 2 adults, 2 kids....13 yrs and 4 yrs. Great theme, great restaurants, great views, great pool, great rooms....along the monorail! We love it!

As others have posted, when I think of GF, I think adults and stuffy. We love the Grand Floridian Cafe and the resort is a classic beauty, but our vote is for Poly!

[Joeybun]

I disagree with the stuffy thing! I live in jeans and a t-shirt and never once did I feel out of place at GF. As for kids making noise...seriously here? It's WDW and kids are everywhere, at every resort, that's what we expect. I see no problem. GF still gets my vote for the princess factor...

We stayed in Conch Key and had a lagoon view. I loved it! It was a dormer room and very,very nice...really a girly girl room...which leads me back to the princess factor...

How about just giving the little one a choice of only the 2 you are considering? GF or POLY?

[svarhall07]

When I was little, I thought the Poly was the place to be (but I was an active little boy). My little sister on the other hand thought the Grand Floridian was so much better b/c she felt more like a princess. Also, I went last summer with two guys age 14 and 13 and 1 girl age 11 and stayed at the Grand Floridian. The little girl LOVED it, and the two boys were indifferent - we are all pretty athletic guys and the grand floridian was too "girly". I'm willing to say that with your two little girls, they would LOVE the Grand Floridian more than the Poly. The Poly would be my personal vote, but for your family I'd vote for the GF. Have a wonderful time!

[svarhall07]

one more quick note, although I do feel the Grand Floridian is more girly, it is by no means stuffy. The large pool is wonderful, they have the character breakfast and character tea for kids, and there are kids everywhere! I always felt comfortable and not out of place, and I'm a 21 year old guy who wears gym shorts and t-shirts everywhere! I wouldn't let stuffy be a concern.

[slegrant]

We have stayed at both and love them Both, Although one of our fondest memories is when my wife took me to WDW for our Anniversary and she booked the main Building club level and it was just incredible. We have not stayed there with our kids but they love the grounds there. They insist every trip we go over to Gaspirilla and get pizzas and eat them by the beach. Both our gorgous and you will enjoy either. Someone earlier mentioned a split stay and that gets my vote, two vacations in one

[RaRaRoundTheWorld]

Having stayed at both, I vote for the GF. There is nothing stuffy about it at all, and yes, it's very Disney, and certainly not a true 5 star. For that, you'd have to go off site. The service is down to earth and friendly. Besides the location, we actually love it for having all the restaurants right there. We also felt that we had more privacy during our stay as it seemed to have fewer day trippers wandering through. Plus, we love just rolling onto the monorail. It's ridiculously easy.

I loved the Poly as well, and found the rooms dark but still fun. The hallways in the outbuildings are dingy and musty. Our double stroller barely fit in the elevator. My biggest concern was that at the pool, there were a lot of day trippers meandering around. Some were drinking at the bar and staring at the women. I wouldn't begrudge anyone their curiosity, but it felt like there were party crashers at our fun party.

[Darbylew]

My choice would be GF. It is beautiful there.
We just don't stay in the room or resort enough
to stay at a deluxe. We do stay at a moderate.
Most of our time is in the parks!

[TammiMcMan]

I got the impression it was very formal...but I am sure that it assumed often.

The theme can give people that impression, but I think what really makes it seem more formal is the number of weddings that take place daily. If you walk through the main lobby, you will see guests in t-shirts and shorts, alongside wedding guests in more formal wear. One of the restaurants (Victoria & Alberts) has a dress code, so you may see more formal diners walking through. I also know people who dress up a little bit when they are going to the afternoon tea. We've been staying here for years with our kids (since our youngest was a baby) and it's definitely kid friendly and not overly formal at all. I'm a sucker for the Victorian theme though .

In looking at Rooms which are both very different decor ...are there any that are better than others?

At one time, you could find different decor in the rooms. My personal favorite was the Disney fairies. Since the renovations though, all the room decor is basically the same. You may be looking at pictures with the older decor.

There are different room categories and views. All standard rooms have either a balcony or patio and even the garden view rooms overlook landscaping. Standard rooms typically have 2 queen beds and a daybed. There are rooms on the top floors which are called "dormers". These are slightly smaller, but have cathederal ceilings. The balconies are also smaller with a solid wall. Tough for children to see over. There are a few lodge tower rooms, which are bigger and kind of like one room suites. In addition to the two queen beds, they also have an octogon shaped living room with a couch and 2nd tv.

[wmdaddy]

Stayed at both. I prefer the grounds of the Poly, but the rooms and service are better at GF.

[Loweschevy]

This one is a toughie...I love both resorts, but in the end prefer the Polynesian. We are a party of three adults, so most of our time is spent at Epcot. Being close to the TTC is a big plus for us because it means we can walk there and easily access the Epcot monorail, saving travel time.

The rooms at the Polynesian are big & beautiful, but I will admit a bit on the darkside since the last rehab in 2006. We just love that tropical feel, music, smell and atmosphere that the Polynesian offers.

The Grand Floridian on the other hand is like refinement. I love the way it is so formal, bright, airy and southern, but also at the same time casual and very Disney. You do not have to feel like your out of place. I do like the dining choices at the GF over than the Polynesian also with Citricos, Narcoossee's and the GFC. I love Kona for breakfast.

My only other complaints about the GF are that the monorails tend to be very full when they arrive at the station, so build in enough time for travel. The other is how far you have to self park your car at the GF, its like over the river and through the woods lol, but that's just me complaining.

[SBETigg]

My two favorite resorts. Our kids give the edge to the Polynesian, but my husband and I are big Grand Floridian fans. The GF has it all for us, and I think it's a great place for little princesses. It never feels too stuffy or formal for us. I guess I can understand why people say that-- but it's a Disney resort. You're supposed to be walking around in shorts and tees. You don't have to wear your evening gowns in the lobby. Really!

The pools are fantastic. I love the courtyard pool. My kids loved the beach pool. GF has hot tubs. Poly does not. Grand Floridian Cafe is often loaded with kids, quite comfortably, and 1900 Park Fare is also a good time for kids. There's Citricos and Narcoossee's, which are slightly more formal but still relaxed enough for kids, with great food. Gasparilla Grill, like Captain Cook's at the Poly, is open 24 hours.

Transportation suggestion: Take the boat if you find the monorails too full. We usually find seats on the monorail, no problem, but the boat launch to and from the MK is also a great way to go/return.

[renecat]

If you are going in Dec. the girls will love the GF
All the resorts have wonderful decorations but I think GF has the best with the gingerbread house and it's tree is beautiful. Also there are many wedding at the GF your girls may get a chance to see glass carriage that is horse drawn. We have switched to the Beach Club to be closer to Epcot because of the wine and food festival. You said you had stayed there before how did you like it?