Poly or Beach Club for a first timer

[coolbrook]

You may want to consider Yacht Club. When we stayed there we really liked it. Same basic location as Beach Club and shares the pool complex. Much quieter lobby than Beach with its crowds of people waiting for tables at Cape May Cafe. Yacht is closer to the boat dock for the boat to Epcot, Hollywood Studios and the other resorts along the way. The rooms have just been remodeled too, so everything is fresh. I think they are finished with all the rooms, but last I heard they were still working on restaurants. The rooms look really nice though. We noticed a lot fewer kids at the bus stop here than at Beach Club when the bus stopped at Beach Club after Yacht to pick up people there, not that we mind kids (we have 5), but if you are having an adult oriented trip you may like the atmosphere at Yacht. By the way CSR is a great option for an adult oriented trip as well. The rooms that have been remodeled there are very nice and we really like that resort too.

 

[Pdollar88]

By the way CSR is a great option for an adult oriented trip as well. The rooms that have been remodeled there are very nice and we really like that resort too.

CSR was my original thought/decision. I like its atmosphere and price point. Plus I want to check out the remodeled rooms!

Also, I had put YC on my pricing out of various resorts! I'm considering YC, BC, and Poly if I splurge on deluxe. I'd love to, but it depends on the discounts that drop.

Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[Shellyb84]

For a first time, non Disney fan I would choose Yacht Club. The renovated rooms are very nice and the lobby is quiet and calm. I really like the Poly, but the lobby is always so hectic and the pool just looks insanely crowded. We spend a lot of time at the resort and pool especially, so their pool is what makes me doubtful to stay there. Stormalong Bay is fantastic. There are a lot of kids but its so huge you can always find a section that isn't crowded, we've never had a hard time finding pool chairs and they also have a hot tub that is 18+ only. BC is my absolute favorite resort but in your case I think YC wins. If I let my DH choose he would pick YC.

 

[Pdollar88]

For a first time, non Disney fan I would choose Yacht Club. The renovated rooms are very nice and the lobby is quiet and calm. I really like the Poly, but the lobby is always so hectic and the pool just looks insanely crowded. We spend a lot of time at the resort and pool especially, so their pool is what makes me doubtful to stay there. Stormalong Bay is fantastic. There are a lot of kids but its so huge you can always find a section that isn't crowded, we've never had a hard time finding pool chairs and they also have a hot tub that is 18+ only. BC is my absolute favorite resort but in your case I think YC wins. If I let my DH choose he would pick YC.

All valid points! Thank you! I'm probably just going to see how the price shakes out, but YC/BC are winning.

Do you think a split stay would be too stressful or upsetting for a first-timer? I was thinking we could at least dip our toes in deluxe (say on our last day).

 

[Shellyb84]

All valid points! Thank you! I'm probably just going to see how the price shakes out, but YC/BC are winning.

Do you think a split stay would be too stressful or upsetting for a first-timer? I was thinking we could at least dip our toes in deluxe (say on our last day).

YC/BC are always less expensive than the Poly.

CSR is at a really good price right now because of the construction though, so the price difference will be significant if comparing between CSR and YC/BC. I am a big CSR fan, and the construction wouldn't bother me, however that may not be ideal for a first timer to get the Disney experience with all those walls up.

Regarding a split stay, it depends on how long your trip is. We have become a fan of splits, but only when we take long trips of around 10+ nights. If at all possible I would recommend trying to stay at least 2-3 nights at your 2nd resort. I don't think splits are stressful, especially if it's just two adults. You'll just need to plan well to be prepared for your potentially "homeless" day without access to your room.

 

[Pdollar88]

YC/BC are always less expensive than the Poly.

I knew that was the case -- gotta love those monorail resorts!

CSR is at a really good price right now because of the construction though, so the price difference will be significant if comparing between CSR and YC/BC. I am a big CSR fan, and the construction wouldn't bother me, however that may not be ideal for a first timer to get the Disney experience with all those walls up.

I'm still unsure about the construction myself, but I could tell that CSR was discounted because of it. It doesn't sound terribly disruptive right now, but I'm keeping an eye on it until March. But I'm a fan of CSR from the times I've visited!

Regarding a split stay, it depends on how long your trip is. We have become a fan of splits, but only when we take long trips of around 10+ nights. If at all possible I would recommend trying to stay at least 2-3 nights at your 2nd resort. I don't think splits are stressful, especially if it's just two adults. You'll just need to plan well to be prepared for your potentially "homeless" day without access to your room.

We'll only be there for 6 nights/7 days, so I'm not sure it's worth it. The last full day/night is the day we go to Universal and then come back for DAH at MK, so I thought the Poly would be a plus for that single night. Or BC/YC since I'd love to do Bon Voyage Breakfast early on our final morning.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I would choose Beach Club. We weren't blown away by Polynesian (we didn't stay there, but resort hopped to see what all the fuss was about). I liked that the Beach Club was so close to the Boardwalk because we loved walking down the Boardwalk at night. Also, it's hard to pass up a dinner reservation at Beaches and Cream! You've gotta get the kitchen sink and/or the grilled cheese with tomato soup.

I agree. We weren't blown away by the Poly and we stayed there. The grounds are lush and pretty. The rooms are lovely and spacious which is a huge plus. But we are HUGE pool people and found the pool to be small and my kids were pretty much bored with it after two days. After reading about the Poly pool hype on these boards for years it was a let down. Once we moved over to the BC (split stay) I couldn't get them to leave the pool or the resort.

 

[Shellyb84]

I knew that was the case -- gotta love those monorail resorts!



I'm still unsure about the construction myself, but I could tell that CSR was discounted because of it. It doesn't sound terribly disruptive right now, but I'm keeping an eye on it until March. But I'm a fan of CSR from the times I've visited!



We'll only be there for 6 nights/7 days, so I'm not sure it's worth it. The last full day/night is the day we go to Universal and then come back for DAH at MK, so I thought the Poly would be a plus for that single night. Or BC/YC since I'd love to do Bon Voyage Breakfast early on our final morning.

If you're spending your last day at Universal you won't be able to enjoy the resort much, it wouldn't really be worth the splurge for that last night IMO. If you're really wanting to try it, Poly may be a good choice for the last night so you have the easier transportation to MK. You can still do the Bon Voyage breakfast the next day. That's just a lot of money for just a place to sleep and access to the monorail.

Good luck deciding! I'm the same way about our June trip. I keep going back and forth with resorts and nights. The only thing I know for sure is we're doing a split stay! I'm just waiting on the discounts to come out to make a final decision. I almost always end up switching things around later though (I'm sure my TA hates me).

 

[tomlinson]

Beach Club. I'm in love with that place.

 

[melissapealo]

I knew that was the case -- gotta love those monorail resorts!



I'm still unsure about the construction myself, but I could tell that CSR was discounted because of it. It doesn't sound terribly disruptive right now, but I'm keeping an eye on it until March. But I'm a fan of CSR from the times I've visited!



We'll only be there for 6 nights/7 days, so I'm not sure it's worth it. The last full day/night is the day we go to Universal and then come back for DAH at MK, so I thought the Poly would be a plus for that single night. Or BC/YC since I'd love to do Bon Voyage Breakfast early on our final morning.

I think CSR is a great choice for someone that doesn't really like Disney.
Everyone's idea of what's "worth it" is different. To me spending that last night at a deluxe would not be worth it. You'll be at Universal all day and then MK all night so the room would basically be just a place to sleep. Then leaving the next morning. To me I want time to relax and enjoy the resort if I'm spending the money for deluxe. It doesn't sound like you'll have time for that based on your plans. Again, just my opinion and everyone is different.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

For a non-Disney fan, I really wouldn't recommend a split stay, particularly with only 6 nights. My DH sounds a lot like your BF. Not a WDW fan, though he will come with us (me and DS9) on occasion. He MUCH prefers the EP resorts. They are so much more relaxing than the MK resorts (IMHO), except for WL which has a much more relaxed feel than CR, GF and Poly. DH loves walking around the Boardwalk, having dinner (either at an EP resort or in WS - he particularly likes Kimono's and Spice Road Table) and seeing the entertainment on the Boardwalk. Especially if you are planning 2 days at MK (which is DH's least favorite park), I wouldn't stay in the area. Your BF may need to decompress from in-your-face Disney after that. DH is coming with us on a trip in December and we have planned a lot of down time and included things he specifically likes to do. He's actually looking forward to it!

 

[Pdollar88]

Especially for this first time, it sounds like CSR and YC/BC should be my priorities. And probably no split stay.

MK transportation will be fine wherever we are - my love of the Poly blinds me to its drawbacks, particularly for a non-Disney fan.

Thanks all for the input!

 

[Pdollar88]

I do have midday breaks on two of our days -- DHS and DAK. And our first night 3/3 I'd just planned to hang out, maybe go to Disney Springs so I can upgrade to an AP and eat at Raglan Road (he has Irish ancestry and enjoys pubs). So perhaps we're spending more time at the resort than I thought/described. Because that first relaxing night would be a great one to explore the Epcot resort area (or even pop into WS). Being close by at the BC/YC might also lend itself to a break if he wants one on Epcot day/Epcot EMH.

So many things to consider.

 

[MrsDuck]

BC for proximity to World Showcase. But Poly is the better resort, IMO.

 

[TJA]

Also, if your bf is into sports, he will be a happy camper having Espn Club right there on the boardwalk! When my kids were babies, they'd fall asleep in the stroller and we'd stroll into Espn Club for some appetizers and drinks while catching a Yankees game. It was great!

 

[MusicalAstronaut]

I would choose Beach Club. When I stayed there last year it blew me away! Plus, it's much more reasonably priced than Poly. You can get a room in the $300s easily, whereas since poly is so popular & it's DVC, the rates are more like $700s/night. I know BC is DVC too, but it just doesn't have that crazy pricing. Beach Club also has the best pool ever! Poly is on the monorail line but that's really the biggest perk to me, beyond the theming. It also depends on how much time you're going to spend in the room/resort. For $700/night, you bet I'm going to spend half of my trip at that resort! If you're in the parks all day every day, I don't think Poly is worth it. I agree with you on wanting to stay there - it's at the top of my list! BUT, again, if you're not spending a significant amount of time in the resort, save it for another trip.

 

[Pdollar88]

I would choose Beach Club. When I stayed there last year it blew me away! Plus, it's much more reasonably priced than Poly. You can get a room in the $300s easily, whereas since poly is so popular & it's DVC, the rates are more like $700s/night. I know BC is DVC too, but it just doesn't have that crazy pricing. Beach Club also has the best pool ever! Poly is on the monorail line but that's really the biggest perk to me, beyond the theming. It also depends on how much time you're going to spend in the room/resort. For $700/night, you bet I'm going to spend half of my trip at that resort! If you're in the parks all day every day, I don't think Poly is worth it. I agree with you on wanting to stay there - it's at the top of my list! BUT, again, if you're not spending a significant amount of time in the resort, save it for another trip.

I am really psyching myself up for the Beach Club, although I don't know if I can justify the bump up from CSR. We'll see -- as I've said before, this is the danger of booking so far ahead. Tons of time to change my mind and talk myself into things.

 

[Haley R]

I am really psyching myself up for the Beach Club, although I don't know if I can justify the bump up from CSR. We'll see -- as I've said before, this is the danger of booking so far ahead. Tons of time to change my mind and talk myself into things.

There's nothing wrong with changing your mind We're going March next year and started out with All Star Movies, but changed to POP since the renovations are happening. We're even more excited now!