Grand Floridian or Polynesian? Where should I stay?

Where should I stay?

  • Grand Floridian

    Votes: 28 51.9%
  • Polynesian

    Votes: 26 48.1%

  • Total voters
    54
I haven't stayed at either, but will hopefully be remedying that next December with a stay in a VGF studio. The GF is the "flagship" resort, so it just seems like something every WDW lover should do at least once in their lifetime.

Not knocking the Poly though. I dig the groovy "Brady Bunch goes to Hawaii" vibe it's got going on, and wouldn't mind trying it some day. I figure after I've done the Grand, I can branch out to other places (to date, Coronado is the only resort I've ever stayed at).

But I still remember that every time we went to Magic Kingdom this past spring, I would look over at the GF in awe. It's just the epitome of a Disney resort to me.

I want to stay at the Contemporary some day too. Doesn't get much more iconic.

I voted GF. :)

I'd love to stay in one of the DVC Villas, have a lovely time. Please let me know what it's like :)
 
Stay at the GF! You will love it. It is beautiful and elegant without being stuffy. The landscaping is so lovely. The rooms are very pretty. I've never given the bathroom much thought either way, so at the very least, it's not objectionable. But, you will love the gorgeous lobby with a pianist and the amazing flower arrangements all over the resorts. The CMs have gone above and beyond for us in so many ways. They've put roses and champagne in our room on our anniversary, literally run to our room to deliver our La Nouba tickets, driven us to the Wilderness Lodge and secured the quietest possble room for us during construction, so our son, who suffers from autism, would not be stressed by the noise. They even comped my parents' breakfast at GFC after they slept through the Royal Palm Club breakfast, which was totally their fault, not the GF's. All of the restaurants are very good. My favorite thing is to dine at Narcoosee's during fireworks. Everyone leaves their tables to go out on the dock to enjoy the show. It is totally magical. I would say that if the GF is the resort that you've always wantec to try, you should go for it. It won't disappoint you.
 
I'm not sure if you mentioned what time of year you are going, but I really like the GF at Christmas time with the gingerbread house. Gorgeous decorations. Otherwise, I think it really is a toss-up, just based on personal preference. The Poly has such gorgeous landscaping and a very laid-back vibe. Also it is very convenient to the ticket and transportation center which has made getting to Epcot a lot easier.
 
Stay at the GF! You will love it. It is beautiful and elegant without being stuffy. The landscaping is so lovely. The rooms are very pretty. I've never given the bathroom much thought either way, so at the very least, it's not objectionable. But, you will love the gorgeous lobby with a pianist and the amazing flower arrangements all over the resorts. The CMs have gone above and beyond for us in so many ways. They've put roses and champagne in our room on our anniversary, literally run to our room to deliver our La Nouba tickets, driven us to the Wilderness Lodge and secured the quietest possble room for us during construction, so our son, who suffers from autism, would not be stressed by the noise. They even comped my parents' breakfast at GFC after they slept through the Royal Palm Club breakfast, which was totally their fault, not the GF's. All of the restaurants are very good. My favorite thing is to dine at Narcoosee's during fireworks. Everyone leaves their tables to go out on the dock to enjoy the show. It is totally magical. I would say that if the GF is the resort that you've always wantec to try, you should go for it. It won't disappoint you.


Sounds like you had a lovely time there! Thank you for taking the time to write a detailed review of your experience :)
 


I'm not sure if you mentioned what time of year you are going, but I really like the GF at Christmas time with the gingerbread house. Gorgeous decorations. Otherwise, I think it really is a toss-up, just based on personal preference. The Poly has such gorgeous landscaping and a very laid-back vibe. Also it is very convenient to the ticket and transportation center which has made getting to Epcot a lot easier.

We will be arriving on Nov 25th for 14 nights. I think the gingerbread house will be built by then. Thats actually one of my reasons for going near Christmas. Disney is so magical at that time of year :) I guess the Poly won't have that same vibe at Christmas like the GF will?
 
I just got back from the GF and the time you are visiting ALL of the Christmas Decorations WILL be up. I would 100% pick the GF, no other hotel is decorated as nice for Christmas than the GF. It really is a magical place to stay
during the Holiday time.

If it wasn't during the holiday time I would say either hotel but since you will be there during the Holiday time GF without even thinking twice.
 
I just got back from the GF and the time you are visiting ALL of the Christmas Decorations WILL be up. I would 100% pick the GF, no other hotel is decorated as nice for Christmas than the GF. It really is a magical place to stay
during the Holiday time.

If it wasn't during the holiday time I would say either hotel but since you will be there during the Holiday time GF without even thinking twice.

If I choose to stay there I will be in one of the outer buildings. Do you think that will make any difference to how it all feels?
 


If I choose to stay there I will be in one of the outer buildings. Do you think that will make any difference to how it all feels?


Not at all. Each Outer building has its own Christmas tree in its lobby. Tons of poinsettias all around the grounds.

Also I forgot to mention in the main lobby of the GF there is a band that plays Christmas songs. It's nice just to sit and listen to them for an hour.
 
Grand Floridian hands down. We had horrible service at the Poly last year. We had stayed there before and it had been fine but this last time, never again.
 
Grand Floridian hands down. We had horrible service at the Poly last year. We had stayed there before and it had been fine but this last time, never again.

Sorry to hear that. What was it about the service that was bad?
 
Not at all. Each Outer building has its own Christmas tree in its lobby. Tons of poinsettias all around the grounds.

Also I forgot to mention in the main lobby of the GF there is a band that plays Christmas songs. It's nice just to sit and listen to them for an hour.

Sounds lovely! :)
 
Sorry to hear that. What was it about the service that was bad?

Our flight got delayed and we got in at about 11pm. We stood in the lobby for 30 minutes waiting for someone to wait on us at check in. They sent us to the wrong room twice(woke up 2 different families by barging in). They asked us if we would mind switching rooms even though our reservation was confirmed and all (set up the trip 3 months in advance). Food at the restaurant was very bland. Only good meal at the Poly we had was the Lilo and Stitch breakfast. The Luau we attended didnt have one of the menu items we wanted. For the first and only time we came back after all day in the park and found our room 4-5pm was just being cleaned when we needed to get ready for a dinner reservation at Citricos. The Poly was a disaster. We had stayed there before renovations and things were fine, I dont know whats changed but its not for the better. I thought we were at Motel 6 compared to GF, Contemporary or Wilderness lodge.
 
Our flight got delayed and we got in at about 11pm. We stood in the lobby for 30 minutes waiting for someone to wait on us at check in. They sent us to the wrong room twice(woke up 2 different families by barging in). They asked us if we would mind switching rooms even though our reservation was confirmed and all (set up the trip 3 months in advance). Food at the restaurant was very bland. Only good meal at the Poly we had was the Lilo and Stitch breakfast. The Luau we attended didnt have one of the menu items we wanted. For the first and only time we came back after all day in the park and found our room 4-5pm was just being cleaned when we needed to get ready for a dinner reservation at Citricos. The Poly was a disaster. We had stayed there before renovations and things were fine, I dont know whats changed but its not for the better. I thought we were at Motel 6 compared to GF, Contemporary or Wilderness lodge.

That's not good at all ☹️
 
We have stayed at both and loved both so it is hard. We are going back in early September 2017 and I am still debating if I want GF or Poly. I think we will do Poly this time around. The GF was so beautiful and comfortable but the vibe at the Poly is so relaxing and I love the separate bathrooms with the sinks in the bathroom. This makes it easier for getting ready in the am and not waking up my daughter until I'm done. We also liked the food options at the Poly a little better not by much though. I think at Christmas time I would go with GF as well, it is decorated so beautifully with the gingerbread house. I thought the staff st both were very nice and accommodating. If you stay at GF, make sure you meet Richard the "older" greeter out front. He is so nice and very interesting to talk with.
 
We have stayed at both and loved both so it is hard. We are going back in early September 2017 and I am still debating if I want GF or Poly. I think we will do Poly this time around. The GF was so beautiful and comfortable but the vibe at the Poly is so relaxing and I love the separate bathrooms with the sinks in the bathroom. This makes it easier for getting ready in the am and not waking up my daughter until I'm done. We also liked the food options at the Poly a little better not by much though. I think at Christmas time I would go with GF as well, it is decorated so beautifully with the gingerbread house. I thought the staff st both were very nice and accommodating. If you stay at GF, make sure you meet Richard the "older" greeter out front. He is so nice and very interesting to talk with.

Thanks for your reply, it's really is hard! I'm still having a hard time deciding. Thanks for the tips, I hope you have a lovely stay at the Poly next year :)
 
Just came back from Grand Floridian Club at Sugarloaf. If I had kids under 10 I'd do the polynesean. Otherwise Grand Floridian.
 
I have not stayed at either...yet.

I had a similar struggle between AKL and the Poly the past few days. I was booked at AKL, but I kept going back to look at the Poly and realized that the rates were not ridiculously more expensive to change there. It has always been a dream of mine (pretty much literally as I was born exactly 71 days before WDW opened!) to stay there, and I kept gravitating back to it when I'd go on the website. So finally yesterday I did one final number crunch, said YOLO, and changed to the Poly. And proving my point, when I was talking to my dad last night I said I'd made a change to my trip in August and where had I always wanted to stay he immediately said "Are you staying at the Polynesian?" :)

That is my long-ish way of saying if you've always wanted to stay somewhere, go for it! So in your case I'd go with the GF.
 

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