GF vs Poly...really need some help!

[Disneypro1]

Poly for sure. IMHO. GF is the most un Disney resort on property. It’s going to be re themed for a reason. So for me... Poly for sure. Just a great Resort. Personally I like WL best in the Deluxe category. But that seems to be off the table.

 

[luvdisney00]

I really love them both, but GF is my favorite. You seriously cannot go wrong though they are both wonderful.

 

[bethclayton]

The Poly studios are much larger than the studios at BLT.

BLT is 339 square feet and the Poly is 447 square feet.

Good to know! Thanks for the correction!

 

[Mazz519]

We like the Poly so much better than the GF..... both are great places but the Poly is great even though we stayed in a studio, the pulldown under the TV was fantastic for my son

 

[mrsap]

Poly for sure. IMHO. GF is the most un Disney resort on property. It’s going to be re themed for a reason. So for me... Poly for sure. Just a great Resort. Personally I like WL best in the Deluxe category. But that seems to be off the table.

Out of curiosity, what makes Poly more ‘Disney’ than GF?

 

[Disneypro1]

Out of curiosity, what makes Poly more ‘Disney’ than GF?

Lots of families. Kids. It’s original. GF. Is “stuffy” to put it nicely. They tried to make it something it isn’t. Disneyland hotel is by far imho the best resort Disney has. Now at .. WDW. -IMHO,WL is best. Very Disney very reminiscent of the 70s and vacationing at lodges and all in national parks. Especially road trips to WDW or DL. GF just never said. “Hey stay here” to me. And again. It’s going to be completely re themed. It was designed after SAN Diego’s. Hotel del Coronado but failed at that in many ways. All just my opinion.

 

[mrsap]

Lots of families. Kids. It’s original. GF. Is “stuffy” to put it nicely. Disneyland hotel is by far imho the best resort Disney has. WDW. IMHO WL is best. Very Disney very reminiscent of the 70s and vacationing at lodges and all in state parks. GF just never said. “Hey stay here” to me. And again. It’s going to be completely re themed. It was designed after SAN Diego’s. Hotel del Coronado but failed at that in many ways.

Of course everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and I totally respect yours, but I find it crazy how people think it’s so stuffy. I never got that feeling there. I love the atmosphere, especially the grand lobby and outdoor space. I just feel at home there.

I love Poly for its fun atmosphere, DVC rooms, and good memories... but I felt there were too many kids (and I have small ones!) I also hated not being able to get a chair at the pool. I’d definitely stay there again, though.

It’s interesting to hear different perspectives. To each their own. Thanks for your reply

 

[Disneypro1]

Of course everyone is entitled to their own opinions, and I totally respect yours, but I find it crazy how people think it’s so stuffy. I never got that feeling there. I love the atmosphere, especially the grand lobby and outdoor space. I just feel at home there.

I love Poly for its fun atmosphere, DVC rooms, and good memories... but I felt there were too many kids (and I have small ones!) I also hated not being able to get a chair at the pool. I’d definitely stay there again, though.

It’s interesting to hear different perspectives. To each their own. Thanks for your reply ❤

We all love Disney. Just different opinions. Not a biggie at all.

 

[Babsy]

The Poly studios are much larger than the studios at BLT.

BLT is 339 square feet and the Poly is 447 square feet.

Yes, but a large portion of the extra space is relegated to the second shower area. It doesn't translate into much more living space, IMO.

 

[disneyAndi14]

We have stayed at both resorts, not studio at the Poly regular standard room.
We enjoy the lagoon view at GF so much, we have stayed 3 times at GF now and 2 at Poly. I would say GF is our favorite. My daughter is older than yours and the GF is her favorite as well.
We love Conch Key outer building with a lagoon view.
We did not find the GF stuffy at all, I think both resorts are awesome and you really can’t go wrong. The studios have a couch bed and your daughter would have to sleep on that Or the little trundle bed.

 

[SamFaniam]

And again. It’s going to be completely re themed.

They redid one lounge area. Where have you seen that they are completely retheming the whole resort?

It was designed after SAN Diego’s. Hotel del Coronado but failed at that in many ways.

The Coronado was one of but not the only inspiration. Why is the design a failure?

 

[Disneypro1]

They redid one lounge area. Where have you seen that they are completely retheming the whole resort?

The Coronado was one of but not the only inspiration. Why is the design a failure?

The resort has always been stuffy. If you have been to San Diego you would know why it was a failure. However. The Poly, Contemporary and many other Disney resorts suck as WL. Was done imho with perfection. The G F. Was always Disney’s least popular Deluxe resort. Including DLR. hence. The re design.
As for where the re design came from? Disney. It was on several podcasts.

 

[SamFaniam]

The resort has always been stuffy. If you have been to San Diego you would know why it was a failure. However. The Poly, Contemporary and many other Disney resorts suck as WL. Was done imho with perfection. The G F. Was always Disney’s least popular Deluxe resort. Including DLR. hence. The re design.
As for where the re design came from? Disney. It was on several podcasts.

I have stayed at the Coronado, it was about 20 years ago. Although it and the GF both have Victorian theming, the decor of the Coronado is darker. The interior of the GF looks more like the historic Belleview that was in Clearwater, with more whites and pastels.

Still not sure why it’s a failure. Also not sure how you would measure ”least popular”. Their rates are often the highest on property and they do not seem to have trouble filing their rooms.

They are redoing some lobby spaces, which they have done in the past, and redoing a restaurant, which has also been done in the past. If this means a complete resort retheming to you, okay.

Very Disney very reminiscent of the 70s and vacationing at lodges and all in national parks

I am surprised you find the WL reminiscent of the 70's. Disney in the 70's was more kitsch, hence the Contemporary and Poly. The WL is more early 20th century, which is when all the great western NPS lodges were built.

 

[Disneypro1]

I meant the WL is what folks my age (48) think of traveling the US by car. Growing up. Staying at National Parks resorts. That was the theming. And it was done with perfection. Grand Floridian is $$ for sure. Primarily due to conventions and many business functions. On average. 30% of the guests are there for that. Not vacation.

 

[rosiebean]

I meant the WL is what folks my age (48) think of traveling the US by car. Growing up. Staying at National Parks resorts. That was the theming. And it was done with perfection. Grand Floridian is $$ for sure. Primarily due to conventions and many business functions. On average. 30% of the guests are there for that. Not vacation.

I think this is your opinion, but you are phrasing things in such a way that seems like you're talking in absolutes.

Lots of folks your age don't think of WL when they think of traveling the US by car. I'm close to your age and, nope, don't think about the WL at all. The Cars suites at AoA actually makes me nostalgic for a couple of cross country road trips my family took by car when I was little. We stayed in roadside motels and saw a ton of the US but didn't make it far enough west or northwest to stay in a WL style lodge back then. WL is also one of my least favorite resorts. I find the spaces dark, and the theme does absolutely nothing for me. I find it very kitschy, which is OK for me personally for Poly and the Contemporary (because they're original 70s resorts), but if I stay at a mountain lodge, I want to be in the mountains, not in a fake lodge at WDW. I'd actually stay at all the mods and a few of the value resorts over it. But I also understand that lots of folks love it and that my opinion is just different from theirs.

I used to think GF was too 'stuffy' but my sister (late 40s, so same demographic as you speak of) and mom wanted to stay at GF (it was their dream resort), so we snagged a decent discount a few years ago (that was still way more $$$ than all other deluxes) and stayed there. Not stuffy AT ALL, and beautifully themed. It went from one of my 'it's ok' resorts to being in my top 2-3, which rotate depending on my mood. Almost all of my WDW-going friends (same age group mostly, also love GF) like to say "I told you so" when I now agree that GF is a great, not-at-all-stuffy resort. The only think I dislike about GF is that it is...so expensive, lol.

Also, GF isn't expensive because of conventions, but because of demand. People who attend conventions at WDW actually get pretty great discounts to stay on property. Other on property convention hotels (who have just as many or more conventioneers) have rates lower than GF, so it's not those events driving the price. Lots of regular WDW visitors love GF, and if WL was everyone's favorite, WDW would charge much more than it does for it, because that's what the market would demand.

FWIW, I think it's great that WDW has different resorts, because people are very different. What's true for one person is very different than what's true for someone else.

 

[Disneypro1]

I think this is your opinion, but you are phrasing things in such a way that seems like you're talking in absolutes.

Lots of folks your age don't think of WL when they think of traveling the US by car. I'm close to your age and, nope, don't think about the WL at all. The Cars suites at AoA actually makes me nostalgic for a couple of cross country road trips my family took by car when I was little. We stayed in roadside motels and saw a ton of the US but didn't make it far enough west or northwest to stay in a WL style lodge back then. WL is also one of my least favorite resorts. I find the spaces dark, and the theme does absolutely nothing for me. I find it very kitschy, which is OK for me personally for Poly and the Contemporary (because they're original 70s resorts), but if I stay at a mountain lodge, I want to be in the mountains, not in a fake lodge at WDW. I'd actually stay at all the mods and a few of the value resorts over it. But I also understand that lots of folks love it and that my opinion is just different from theirs.

I used to think GF was too 'stuffy' but my sister (late 40s, so same demographic as you speak of) and mom wanted to stay at GF (it was their dream resort), so we snagged a decent discount a few years ago (that was still way more $$$ than all other deluxes) and stayed there. Not stuffy AT ALL, and beautifully themed. It went from one of my 'it's ok' resorts to being in my top 2-3, which rotate depending on my mood. Almost all of my WDW-going friends (same age group mostly, also love GF) like to say "I told you so" when I now agree that GF is a great, not-at-all-stuffy resort. The only think I dislike about GF is that it is...so expensive, lol.

Also, GF isn't expensive because of conventions, but because of demand. People who attend conventions at WDW actually get pretty great discounts to stay on property. Other on property convention hotels (who have just as many or more conventioneers) have rates lower than GF, so it's not those events driving the price. Lots of regular WDW visitors love GF, and if WL was everyone's favorite, WDW would charge much more than it does for it, because that's what the market would demand.

FWIW, I think it's great that WDW has different resorts, because people are very different. What's true for one person is very different than what's true for someone else.

Ok? I’ll try to phrase things that you approve of....
Merry Christmas.

 

[rosiebean]

Ok? I’ll try to phrase things that you approve of....
Merry Christmas.

It's not that I 'approve' or not. It's just that "WL is what folks my age (48) think of traveling the US by car." is very absolute. It speaks for everyone who is around that age. I'm that age and it's not at all what I think about when I think of traveling the US by car. If you think of WL when traveling the US by car and love WL because of it, awesome for you! Seriously.

But I wanted to point out that I'm around that age and feel very differently. Opinions are great things, but they are, by their nature, different from person to person.

 

[Disneypro1]

It's not that I 'approve' or not. It's just that "WL is what folks my age (48) think of traveling the US by car." is very absolute. It speaks for everyone who is around that age. I'm that age and it's not at all what I think about when I think of traveling the US by car. If you think of WL when traveling the US by car and love WL because of it, awesome for you! Seriously.

But I wanted to point out that I'm around that age and feel very differently. Opinions are great things, but they are, by their nature, different from person to person.

Merry Christmas