With Poly closed, who can make me excited about a switch to GF?

[RedWhiteandBlugold]

After cancelling and rescheduling our summer 2020 trip and stay at the Poly twice this year, and finally settling on June 2021, now it looks like the Poly may be still under construction at that time. Ugh. We had our hearts set on Poly. This is only our kids second trip, and we are more of the "once every 5 or more years" DW vacationers. We were looking forward to the fun ambiance, restaurants, easy access to MK at the Poly. We have thought about postponing for yet another summer, but we want to go while our youngest is still really into all things Disney. I have never been super interested in staying at the Grand Floridian, so I don't know a lot about it. We are considering moving our reservation to GF, because that keeps us in a deluxe resort on the monorail line, and bonus if they get that walkway built to MK. So I'm looking for people to get me excited about leaving the Poly for GF. What are your favorite parts of the resort? Our kids are 11, 9, and 5, will they still find plenty to enjoy about GF when we have days we are not in the parks? Where are the best places to watch the MK fireworks (should they be back by then) from the resort? Any favorite restaurants?

Thanks!

 

[Deb & Bill]

I'd say the GF is an upgrade from the Polynesian. You can still walk over to the Polynesian from the GF if you want to eat at Capt Cooks or Kona. You'll have at a minimum, Grand Floridian Cafe, Narcoossee's and Gasparilla Island Grill open, if you don't get more open by June.

 

[Minnie1222]

The two resorts are very different from each other. One is Victorian in its heyday while the other is "pre-electricity" Polynesia. If you have your heart set on Poly, you may have to postpone your trip until the renovation is completed.
Otherwise, GF has a horse-drawn carriage, a live band in the atrium, a hair salon, a spa, a gym, afternoon tea and a lot of beautiful floral arrangements.
The best places to watch fireworks at GF are from the boat dock, the marina, or your own balcony at a theme park view room.

 

[RanDIZ]

From a child’s perspective, it’d be hard to get excited with that move to GF. AKL would be a better choice, but if you’re dead set on a monorail resort I guess GF or Contemporary are the only choices.

 

[Rick195275]

Could always rent vacation club points and still stay at the poly. Those rooms will remain open throughout.

 

[Brett Wyman]

I love the VGF rooms but don't like the regular GF rooms at all. Id ask for a villas.

 

[Fangorn]

The DVC portion of the Poly will be open. You can always ask Disney to move you there. They have been doing that for folks since the reopening began.

Right now, only Trader Sam's, 'Ohana and the Oasis Bar & Grill (at the leisure pool) are closed, everything else is open. By June, they could all be open.

If you really have your heart set on Poly, I'd do that. The DVC villas have a kitchenette with a microwave and dorm-sized fridge; two bathroom areas, (but only 1 toilet), and have lots of room to spread out.

Steve

 

[RedWhiteandBlugold]

The DVC portion of the Poly will be open. You can always ask Disney to move you there. They have been doing that for folks since the reopening began.

Right now, only Trader Sam's, 'Ohana and the Oasis Bar & Grill (at the leisure pool) are closed, everything else is open. By June, they could all be open.

If you really have your heart set on Poly, I'd do that. The DVC villas have a kitchenette with a microwave and dorm-sized fridge; two bathroom areas, (but only 1 toilet), and have lots of room to spread out.

Steve

I was thinking about this also, but wasn't sure what the resort would be like if it was still under construction on the non-DVC side...I am guessing if we do this by request we would be springing for the upgrade and not getting a price protected move, correct?

 

[Fangorn]

The construction at the Main building will undoubtedly be complete long before your trip, so I wouldn't worry about construction impacts. It's the hotel rooms that are being refurbished primarily and impact of that to DVC guests will be relatively minor and should be nearly complete by the middle of June.

As for an up charge, who knows. Since the opening of the parks, many people have reported being moved to Poly DVC without an up charge. Just ask. I think they'd do it.

Steve

 

[buzznina]

Here was our families experience with the 2 resorts. For our POLY trip we were really looking forward to our stay and had a great stay but came away not impressed. Years later we were upgraded to GF and really not looking forward to it. We had a great stay and it became our families favorite deluxe. We did not think our DD's would like it, but they loved it and said it was the best resort! We learned then that you cannot judge a resort unless you actually spend a few nights at it. We use to visit both resorts and walk around before we stayed, and that does not come close to actually staying at a resort.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

We’re a Poly family but I also enjoy GF as well. My kids are 10 and 6 and they love the GF pools. I find GF overall is a very “easy” resort as a parent with kids. Compact layout, easy to get around, quick to get to MK, good dining and pool bar options. I don’t totally love the theme and all that, but as a resort we tend to like the overall experience.

Honestly in some ways the GF pools are better than Poly in the summer, a time when the Lava Pool can be a bit of people soup at times. GF is often easy going and more relaxing.

I do admit I catch myself looking longingly over at Poly whenever I stay at GF, but you can always walk over for a fix here and there - it’s a short enough / pleasant walk.

 

[quinacciani]

We are staying at GF next month but my husband and I agree that with kids, I would find other resorts more magical. Contemporary in the main building? As a kid nothing was cooler than the monorail running through the hotel.

 

[The WDW 3]

I would consider the Beach Club

 

[DCLMP]

We stayed at Riviera. The theming is not great, but the room was gorgeous and we loved the Skyliner. The customer service was outstanding and so was the bus service. I got the feeling since they are trying to sell the timeshares they were stepping up their game.

 

[Gator29]

We have stayed all over Disney property (we do multiple trips per year) but we never had a strong desire to stay at the Grand Floridian. We were booked at the Polynesian earlier this month (which we have stayed at previously and loved) and were moved to the Grand Floridian Villas when the Poly resort side did not open. I too worried that we might be disappointed with this move. Even with much of the Grand Floridian resort closed due to the NBA, we loved it! It is fun to try new resorts and the Grand Floridian did not disappoint. We liked it so much, we booked another stay at the Grand Floridian in December. My 9-year-old daughter really enjoyed the resort as well. MK is the main park we like going to, so being on the monorail line is really valuable to us.

 

[Rick195275]

We have stayed all over Disney property (we do multiple trips per year) but we never had a strong desire to stay at the Grand Floridian. We were booked at the Polynesian earlier this month (which we have stayed at previously and loved) and were moved to the Grand Floridian Villas when the Poly resort side did not open. I too worried that we might be disappointed with this move. Even with much of the Grand Floridian resort closed due to the NBA, we loved it! It is fun to try new resorts and the Grand Floridian did not disappoint. We liked it so much, we booked another stay at the Grand Floridian in December. My 9-year-old daughter really enjoyed the resort as well. MK is the main park we like going to, so being on the monorail line is really valuable to us.

This was us also! The resort never really appealed to us even though we had stopped to visit the resort multiple times. We stayed there in February and loved it. Wouldn’t hesitate to stay there again! My 9 year old daughter also loved it. With that said we both prefer the poly but wouldn’t be upset about staying at the grand and completely understand why some consider it an upgrade.

 

[MomOTwins]

GF was the first hotel we stayed at (got a crazy good rate) and the kids have been begging to go back every since, but the price has always been double what we paid then or more. They call it the “castle hotel” because the roof turrets have a castle vibe and the lobby is so pretty. The pools there were fantastic. The Poly is my preference but the kids would pick GF every time.

 

[tinydancer312]

If you check my signature, I’ve been staying at the GF since I was 4. My parents went all out on our first trip thinking we’d not come back for many years and we’d want to stay elsewhere. Def didn’t happen. There’s something magical and “castle like” about the hotel. When we were little we would dance around the lobby while the orchestra or pianist played. Now as adults we enjoy it with a drink in hand. The pools are fun, especially the beach pool with kids. And you can sit on the docks Or outside gasparillas and watch the fireworks or vent from your room given the view category.

Any time growing up when we’d try another resort, a day in and we’d be moving back to the GF. i remember one trip we tried to split stay at the yacht- made it only to the lobby before my dad asked my mom if we could go back to the GF. (My parents constantly apologize to our spouses for making us disney monsters lol)

Point is, I think your kids will love it. The transportation, size, dining makes it a home run.

 

[RedWhiteandBlugold]

Thanks everybody! Now with all the advise I just have to decide on making the move to GF or trying for the Poly DVC, that and hope that DW is back to somewhat normalish by next June!

 

[morganms22]

Here was our families experience with the 2 resorts. For our POLY trip we were really looking forward to our stay and had a great stay but came away not impressed. Years later we were upgraded to GF and really not looking forward to it. We had a great stay and it became our families favorite deluxe. We did not think our DD's would like it, but they loved it and said it was the best resort! We learned then that you cannot judge a resort unless you actually spend a few nights at it. We use to visit both resorts and walk around before we stayed, and that does not come close to actually staying at a resort.
[/QUOTE

I completely agree with this! I was looking forward to staying at the Poly for years and we were not impressed, either. We walked over to the GF one night and utilized their quick service (which in my opinion was way better than the one at the Poly). I told my husband we would stay at the GF next time. You can still walk over to the Poly and have a dole whip while enjoying the tropical ambiance.