GFV or Poly studio?

[erikawolf2004]

We own at GFV and have stayed there twice, but thinking of staying at the Poly this summer instead if we can get in. We love the GF, but thinking it would be fun to mix it up a little bit. We are a family of 5, with 3 girls ages 5-13 and will be in a studio this time. Big change from our stay last time in a 2 bedroom.

Pros/Cons???

 

[goofy kc]

Staying at Poly for the first time next week, but the resorts are walkable so if you are missing some GF flair you can stroll down the path for a visit.

 

[hakepb]

Obviously a big room size difference. At least Poly is the beat studio for your family (with the extra sink/shower room)

They are completely different resort experiences.

Make sure you are ready for the too small indoor seating area at Captain Cooks...but you can get Dole Whips next door.

The boat ride to MK is shorter. (Boat runs MK > GF > Poly > MK)
Poly is a short walk to TTC for the Epcot monorail. (Better than switching monorails from GF)

Make sure you try both pools at Poly.

 

[tellemarie]

Poly studio was a great stay for us. Their studios seem a little bigger than most and the separate rooms for a standing shower and one for tub/shower combo was great, even though it was just the two of us. The QS at Poly is also better than at GF imo! At the least it'll be fun just to try somewhere new!

 

[cvjw]

If I was going to put 5 people in a studio, I would do it at the poly. The rooms are bigger and the extra shower and sink is nice. I put my family if 4 in 2 studios at the poly.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I'd never put five people in a studio, especially if I had been using two bedroom villas before. It will be like being in a hotel room. Depends on how "teenager" your 13 yr old is, too. It may be traumatic for her.

At the least, I'd book two studios at the Polynesian for five people.

 

[Cyberc1978]

I would NEVER put 5 people in a studio at Poly and not in any other studio for that matter.

We stayed 3 in a poly studio and it was SMALL and cramped. Had we traveled 5 and stayed in Poly my best guess (knowing my family) it would have had a negative impact on our vacation.

Staying 5 should for the best comfort should be a 2br, but a 1br might do in some cases but that entirely depends on the guests staying. My girls are 6,12,12 and there is no way they would stay in a 1BR sleeping in the living room. My 6yo would do fine sleeping in the master with her mother and I. All families are different and when we go on vacation I rather have too much space than too little. I'm not ready to risk the vacation just because I didn't book the right size accommodation.

Other families might be fine in a studio or 1br staying 5 people.

With all that said, we have stayed in both VGF and PVB and we like the VGF the most. Both are great but the theming at VGF is just more to our liking than PVB.

 

[erikawolf2004]

I'd never put five people in a studio, especially if I had been using two bedroom villas before. It will be like being in a hotel room. Depends on how "teenager" your 13 yr old is, too. It may be traumatic for her.

At the least, I'd book two studios at the Polynesian for five people.

I would NEVER put 5 people in a studio at Poly and not in any other studio for that matter.

We stayed 3 in a poly studio and it was SMALL and cramped. Had we traveled 5 and stayed in Poly my best guess (knowing my family) it would have had a negative impact on our vacation.

Staying 5 should for the best comfort should be a 2br, but a 1br might do in some cases but that entirely depends on the guests staying. My girls are 6,12,12 and there is no way they would stay in a 1BR sleeping in the living room. My 6yo would do fine sleeping in the master with her mother and I. All families are different and when we go on vacation I rather have too much space than too little. I'm not ready to risk the vacation just because I didn't book the right size accommodation.

Other families might be fine in a studio or 1br staying 5 people.

With all that said, we have stayed in both VGF and PVB and we like the VGF the most. Both are great but the theming at VGF is just more to our liking than PVB.

Thank you so much for your concern. We are a super close family and we will be fine in a studio. Last time there were 8 of us in the 2 bedroom. We aren't in our room much anyway. We are only doing the studio this time, so we can do cruise in 2019....so we are more than happy to give up the space. It will get us ready to do 5 of us on the ship too. We love the GFV, but think we are going to mix it up a little bit for this trip. We are doing a split stay between the BCV...and hoping to change to Poly for the second half.

 

[mak'smom]

We own at GF and have stayed at the studios in the GF numerous times with a family of 5. We stayed in the Poly studio with a family of 5 once. Two girls age 12 & 13 and a 9 year old boy. The 13 year old believed that she was 16.
While we like the greater space the one and two bedrooms provide, we have no problem going more often and staying in a studio. Your family will have a great time and your 13 year old will be fine.

Poly Pros:

* bathroom layout was much better than GF studio. Having two dedicated spaces with two mirrors really helped in the morning
* loved the convenience of walking to TTC. ( Much quicker ride to Epcot. We got to Epcot so early we were the first riders on Soarin.)
* more space to store suitcases than GF studio and just a bigger room in general
* proximity to Dole Whips

Poly Cons:

* Not the GF. We love the GF
* the horns from the boats were louder than expected, but not enough to keep us from staying again
* food choices not as good as the GF
* pull out sofa no where near as comfortable as the ones in the GF. ( we fought over who would be forced to sleep on it. Never had that issue at GF)