Best resort during hot weather

[tng123]

Trying to decide between a monorail resort (poly or GF) or a boardwalk resort for our next trip which will probably be in May. I'm not a fan of hot weather, but that is the only time that works for us. I realize with the boardwalk resorts, you can walk to Epcot & HS - but if it's really hot and we want to take the boat, are the waits for the boats really long? Or is it better to be on the monorail line? I realize anywhere we go, we will have waits, but just trying to minimize the amount of time waiting in the hot sun for transportation.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I would have argued for WL in the heat, but then they've cut down all the trees. Sniff.

The boats are lovely, but they are slow. Buses have AC.

I don't think there's a wrong answer amongst Poly, Grand Flo, BC/YC and Boardwalk, to be honest. If you plan to spend more time at Epcot/HS, go with BC/YC or Boardwalk. If you're looking at more MK time, pick GF or Poly.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I would have argued for WL in the heat, but then they've cut down all the trees. Sniff.

The boats are lovely, but they are slow. Buses have AC.

I don't think there's a wrong answer amongst Poly, Grand Flo, BC/YC and Boardwalk, to be honest. If you plan to spend more time at Epcot/HS, go with BC/YC or Boardwalk. If you're looking at more MK time, pick GF or Poly.

I agree. Look at you park days and pick the resort that will offer you the most transportation convenience. If it's MK, pick a monorail resort. EP/DHS pick an EP resort. EP is my absolute favorite park, so I almost always pick BC or BWI. LOVE being able to walk back and forth!

 

[Babsy]

WE find the Epcot area resorts to be hot for walking around. They seem more exposed somehow to the heat and the wide concrete walkways are hot. OTOH, you have Storm Along Bay at the YC/BC which is nice if you plan to spend some down time swimming.

Personally, we prefer the MK resorts to Epcot resorts when it is hot, especially the Poly with its foliage or the CR which has everything conveniently included under one roof. The down side to the CR is the pool is plain and in the open. The GF is nice, but has wide concrete walkways that always seem hot in the heat to me. Fortunately, the GF is fairly small and easy to get around.

Queues waiting for boats is often (but not always) in the sun, waiting for the monorail or buses at deluxe resorts is under shade, FYI.

My opinion, FWIW:
I would probably do a split stay if staying 6 days or longer between the Poly and the YC.
The CR is closer to the MK, but the convenience of walking to the MK is not so great if you are trying to stay out of the heat. The Poly has the boat and monorail access to the MK.
The BC is closer to Epcot than the YC, but if you want to use the boats, the YC back door exits directly across from the boat dock.

I would focus on visiting the MK while at the Poly and then Epcot and DHS while at YC. You can choose when to go to AK from either resort. OR do a three way split stay and stay at the AKL for a couple of nights. It is really cool, everything is under one roof and is only a 5 minute bus ride from the AK. This is a great idea if you are staying 10 nights or more, IMO. ( 10 nights = 3-4 nights at the Poly, 4-5 nights at YC and 2 nights at the AKL. Perfect trip, IMO.)

Don't worry! May is warm, but there are hotter months (like August, ugh!). If you plan for the heat, it will be fine! Remember to take lots of swim/rest breaks

Enjoy!

 

[Noah S.]

The One thing about Poly and Grand Flo is that you'll have to walk outside to get from the lobby where the monorail stop is, to your building, and the epcot resorts are bigger connected areas. However, you will have to walk in the sun and wait in the sun for boats at the epcot resorts, and the monorail stops will be covered in the shade. The monorail will also probably be on a much faster schedule than the boats.

 

[mickeymom22]

It can be hot waiting on those boats. Once on the boats, you get a breeze, but even that can feel hot. If it is really hot, the last thing you will want to do is hike back to your resort. At least once you are on a bus, you get the arctic blast of the AC. I think I would go with a monorail resort!

Happy Planning!

 

[MainMom]

We stayed at BWV last July. Yes it was hot, but it was tolerable. We took the boat once and there was no AC, the wait was long, and they are slow. After that we just walked to/from HS. It's a really nice walk.

We did take the monorail to GF for dinner. Managed to get in a car with little to no AC. It was stifling. I would have rather been walking.

 

[pixarmom]

We've stayed at all the deluxe resorts and many of them in the summer. As much as I love the Epcot area resorts (and will stay there in the summer because the pool at BC/YC is fabulous and the Boardwalk quiet pool is my favorite quiet pool on property) the walk to/fro Epcot and DHS and even the boats can be very hot. I'm OK with that, but if it bothers OP, it might not be the best choice. As for Poly, great pool but depending on room location, it can be more walking around outside and I agree with the previous poster that the monorails aren't always very cool inside during the summer. Main building at GF is nice in the heat - love the proximity of the main building to the pools and to the monorail. Same for CR.

In the end, if my main priority was keeping cool, I'd probably go with AKL. The buses are super cold in the summer (actually too cold for me sometimes!) and they are right there in the shade outside of the lobby. The interior of AKL is always nice and cool and the pool is easily accessible from the air-conditioned building. WL provided the same benefits (we stayed there last summer) but the construction is significant (we also stayed there last month) so I wouldn't necessarily recommend it over other deluxe resorts right now.

 

[Shanti]

Yacht Club or Beach Club. Stormalong Bay is the best pool complex on property hands down. There is no runner-up.

 

[Nancyg56]

To be honest, if I ever go back during the Summer months, (and it is going to take a long time to erase last August's Surface of the sun heat) I woudl choose any resort that has shade near the pool. WE stayed at the Grand last August, and while I cannot complain about the service and the amenities, there was not a bit of shade by the pools. IIRC POFQ had some lovely shaded areas, both in and around of the pool, so I would look at that aspect as well.

I remember CSR had shaded areas as well, so even if it meant that I chose not to look at Deluxe resorts, the pool areas would factor more than location. WE are going in December this year and I am more willing to chance that we cannot swim due to cold than we cannot swim due to heat.

 

[nkereina]

Between the Epcot area resorts and the monorail resorts, I'd pick a monorail resort for better logistics in the heat, specifically Contemporary. At CR, you can get to most places you want to go indoors including the monorail which is also air conditioned. At the Epcot area resorts, you'd need to walk for a bit outdoors to the boat launch and I believe all the boat launch queues are in the direct sun. Monorail queues are covered, except for CR where it's inside.

WL and AKL are also good options since most walking will be indoors too (if staying in Jambo at AKL). You'd have to walk outside to get to the bus stop but at AKL, it's a covered/shaded path and bus waiting area.

 

[tng123]

Thank you!! All of the replies are so helpful. We have been before in May when it was in the 90's all week, so I still have that memory! lol and just want to stay where it will be the most comfortable, also when waiting for transportation. We will be staying in a studio villa, so now it's narrowed down to GF, Poly and Epcot resorts. Will AKL studios be sleeping 5 anytime soon like the other resorts? If so, that could be an option. But we do tend to enjoy the restaurants on the monorail loop.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Will AKL studios be sleeping 5 anytime soon like the other resorts?

No. There is no plan to make them sleep 5 right now. They are experiencing a soft goods refurbishment currently, which would not include adding a bed.

If your trip is in May of this year, getting a studio villa will be challenging at this date.

 

[tng123]

No. There is no plan to make them sleep 5 right now. They are experiencing a soft goods refurbishment currently, which would not include adding a bed.

If your trip is in May of this year, getting a studio villa will be challenging at this date.

Okay, I wondered about AKL, thanks for the info. Looking at May 2017