Poly vs AKL

[jpakstis]

I can't believe I'm actually recommending Poly for you. But the proximity to the MK can't be beat, compared to AKL, and I think that would be most important for your kids ages. For adults, I'd recommend AKL. I could sit on the balcony watching the animals all day.

We stayed at Poly DVC in April 2018 with our kids, aged 9 and 7 at the time. Its not without its drawbacks, mainly the room is pretty unwieldy. There is very little storage space. There are some drawers below the bed, there are a couple of drawers in the 1/2 bathroom and the coffee table is a like a lift-top bench. We used the regular bed, the pullout and the murphy bed and every morning was a little annoying having to "put the room back together" and since I had the lift-top bench for my clothes, we would have to take everything off of it so I could get my clothes.

The 1/2 bathroom (i.e. without the toilet) was OK; the shower stall was beautiful but it was raised up maybe 2-3" from the floor and we found that water tended to leak out the bottom of the shower door. Not enough to be a real issue, but just enough that we needed to remember to lay a towel down there. The "full" bathroom was huge, but pretty utilitarian. I kind of wished they could have worked on the layout a bit more; there was more than enough space for storage in that bathroom, or they could have cut into that full bathroom a bit more and created more space in the living section.

All that being said, we loved staying there! It was so nice having at least a few options to get back and forth to the MK. This was our first stay since they moved the security checks to the resorts and TTC and it made it such a breeze to get into the MK. The boat launch was easy to take in the morning too and we weren't that far from the big transport boat at the TTC if we wanted to go that route. When we wanted to leave it was great having the option to wait for either monorail, or if we saw the boat, we could just jet on down there. And the walk to the TTC wasn't too bad for us so getting to Epcot wasn't a chore at all.

We stayed at Tokelau and got a standard studio room on the second floor in the middle facing the oasis pool. At night we could see just about all of the fireworks from our balcony and a couple of nights we meandered down to the beach to watch them in full. It was incredible! I really liked the spread-out grounds as it made it a nice walk in the morning to go get coffee/breakfast and at night they had the tiki torches lit up and with the tropical music playing it was just a serene way to end the day. I also personally liked the dark wood decor of the place, since I found that to be very common in my one trip to Honolulu. And I find it fascinating that not only does the Poly try to evoke a period of time in history, but actually is history itself.

I've never stayed at AKL although we have seriously considered it for future stays. But I would whole-heartedly recommend the Poly, as long as you are aware of its potential issues and drawbacks. It is incredibly convenient to the MK and has an overall vibe that I really loved.

 

[wilbret]

Our first stay at the Poly is this summer, super excited. We've only "been" to the Poly at this point. That being said, our home resort is AKL, and our kids love it, they are currently 7,9,11. We are scheduled to return there in October. Fingers crossed both work out this year!

Do your kids like giraffes and zebras, etc? In addition to seeing them out your window, there are "rangers" around the resort to tell you about the animals, just like at a zoo. At night they provide night vision goggles to see them. It seems like they tend to actually be from Africa, too, which is pretty cool. The campfire here seems so much more...camp fire-y, when there are animals around. The pool(s) are amazing. I feel like the kids activities are the best here, but I could be biased. We made a big mistake for a while and didn't take advantage of all the resort has to offer, but now we make sure we do!

I think the distance from the parks is a wash, frankly. The bus ride takes about 20 minutes, and I have stood in the monorail line for at least that long at park closing. When we first stayed at AKL, the bus ride really bothered me. But then, I timed the rides from Saratoga, etc, and with all the stops, I didn't see much difference.

Since we have only visited the Poly (dining, fireworks, meeting friends, etc), I can't speak for certainty on this, but I don't think I've stayed at a more "Chill" resort than AKL. If you want to relax, I'd wager this one is the best for that. If I wanted to walk to parks, I'd stay in the Epcot area. If I want to hop on a monorail to MK, I'd definitely choose Poly or FW.

Great point above about the long hallways. In order to give all the views of the Savannah, the wings are VERY long. You will have a hike to your room in some cases. If that's a problem, you should be aware of it, and request something specific if you stay there.

I don't think you'll regret either choice!

 

[Mzpalmtree]

I think the distance from the parks is a wash, frankly. The bus ride takes about 20 minutes, and I have stood in the monorail line for at least that long at park closing. When we first stayed at AKL, the bus ride really bothered me. But then, I timed the rides from Saratoga, etc, and with all the stops, I didn't see much difference.

For us it wasn’t the distance from the parks that bothered us with transportation from AKL. It was that the bus always stops at Kidani first on the way to the parks and drops off at Kidani on the way back and we prefer to stay at Jambo. At least that’s how it was when we’ve stayed there. The result for us was that the bus was always full-ish and you never got a seat on the way to the park which made for a more miserable bus ride hanging on to the poles or handles while navigating the bumpy roads.

 

[Disneypro1]

If I could afford it. Poly over AK all day everyday. Can’t beat location and all.

 

[wilbret]

For us it wasn’t the distance from the parks that bothered us with transportation from AKL. It was that the bus always stops at Kidani first on the way to the parks and drops off at Kidani on the way back and we prefer to stay at Jambo. At least that’s how it was when we’ve stayed there. The result for us was that the bus was always full-ish and you never got a seat on the way to the park which made for a more miserable bus ride hanging on to the poles or handles while navigating the bumpy roads.

You are correct. We always stay at Kidani.

 

[iheartglaciers]

I think the distance from the parks is a wash, frankly. The bus ride takes about 20 minutes, and I have stood in the monorail line for at least that long at park closing. When we first stayed at AKL, the bus ride really bothered me. But then, I timed the rides from Saratoga, etc, and with all the stops, I didn't see much difference.

I agree, I think the bus service is pretty good at AKL. Yes, the bus ride is long to MK, but the ride to AK is short! (vice versa for MK resorts and AK).

 

[Sue M]

Both are great choices, but I’d pick Poly. As others said, there‘s something magical about seeing the castle from the resort, watching the electric water parade and fireworks from the beach.
Larger rooms, and better transportation options. We enjoyed taking the monorail to MK, and the boat back. It‘s also a quick walk over to the TTC to get the Epcot monorail.

 

[Sue M]

For us it wasn’t the distance from the parks that bothered us with transportation from AKL. It was that the bus always stops at Kidani first on the way to the parks and drops off at Kidani on the way back and we prefer to stay at Jambo. At least that’s how it was when we’ve stayed there. The result for us was that the bus was always full-ish and you never got a seat on the way to the park which made for a more miserable bus ride hanging on to the poles or handles while navigating the bumpy roads.

That’s the thing I don’t like either. I don’t think it’s fair. If Kidani is first pickup then Jambo should be first drop off. Or visa versa.

 

[Simba's Mom]

That sounds like you know something about the POLy I don’t ... anything bad ?

Mainly it was just that the theming had absolutely no appeal to me. I've never had any desire to go to Hawaii or a tropical island.

 

[Mainsail Minnie]

Which would you chose and why? DD 7 and 10

We've stayed at both and like both for different reasons. If it's going to be a Magic Kingdom/Epcot focused trip, then Poly is better due to monorail transportation. But if you'll visit all four parks fairly equally, and especially if you'll also go to Disney Springs and/or Disney's water parks, then AKL's transportation is at least equal to if not better than Poly's, because unlike Poly it doesn't share buses with other resorts (the Jambo and Kidani sections each have a bus stop, but they're in the same resort and fairly close), and the Magic Kingdom area is relatively removed from a lot of the other offerings of Disney World.

In terms of theming, both resorts are great, but I'd give AKL top points here for its breathtaking lobby. The Poly's lobby is pretty, but smaller, and always seems packed with people, due to it being easily accessible to non-resort guests via the monorail. AKL is much more peaceful. And of course, it has the animals.

They both have great pools. At AKL, all guests of Jambo and Kidani are allowed to use the feature pools of both Jambo and Kidani, so you and your kids will get to experience two special pools instead of just one. At the Poly, the feature pool has a nice waterfall effect in one section that we always liked.

Since Poly is on Bay Lake, you can rent a boat to go out on the water with your family. You can also watch Magic Kingdom fireworks and the Electrical Water Pageant from the beach at night. But don't be surprised if the beach is a bit crowded, as non-resort guests are usually allowed to do that, too.

Both resorts have great restaurants, so they're tied there imo. Although Ohana does offer a character breakfast, which you can't get at AKL. Ohana is a bit hectic (though tasty) at dinner, and its dinner can be a challenge to get a reservation for. Some tables have a nice view of the Magic Kingdom. Some tables at AKL's Sanaa have animal views.

Really no clear winner here: it's a matter of preference. Look at online pictures of both and decide based on which appeals to you most.

 

[toodycat]

We love AKL. With kids, Poly is more convenient to MK, so that is an advantage, but AKL is beautiful. The lobby is gorgeous, the CMs are so helpful, and the animals in the savannah are fascinating. If you want easier transportation, the Poly is a better choice because it is easier to get to both MK and Epcot, but if you don’t care about that, AKL is so worth the extra transport time. The pool is lovely and not as crowded as the Poly pool. The restaurants at AKL are amazing. Jiko is the best restaurant at WDW in our opinion and Boma is incredible. I don’t feel that way about the Poly because the restaurants are situated like they are in a shopping mall and Polynesian influenced food is only OK. Rooms are larger at the Poly, but you won’t see animals from the public areas and some of the rooms as you would at AKL. Also, this is a complaint that I haven’t seen anyone else make, so it could just be us, but the Poly’s “Spirit of Aloha” show means that you hear drumming a lot every day. A lot. Overall, if you stay at the Poly, you will have better proximity to the parks than at AKL, but if you stay at AKL, you will feel much more immersed in the theming and the experience will be very unique.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

We also love both these resorts. But for us, the choice is simple - if you plan to spend a great deal of time at MK, then Poly would be a great choice. If you are planning on different parks, AKL is our absolute favorite place to stay. The dining options, the look/feel, the animals,, the quiet, and the 2 pools are just amazing. The concerns that AKL is so 'remote' have been shown to just not be true. If you take a bus, 1 day each to/from each of the 4 parks, AKL is more convenient than Poly. But if you're spending 3-4 days at MK with your kids, you can't beat the monorail or boat transportation to the park.

In reality, you are choosing between 2 of the most beautiful resorts in the world - not just at WDW. You do not have a bad choice here! Enjoy!

 

[Babsy]

Love both resorts, but the POLY is the winner for us. With children in particular, proximity to the MK is awesome.

 

[buzznina]

AKL is the most unique resort. Where else can you look out many of the viewing spots at the resort and see zebras, giraffe's etc. roaming around. I have stayed at both and I would choose AKL. I find "location" to be over rated, especially for the $$ difference.

 

[scdufek]

We have stayed at the Poly and AKL-Jambo and AKL-Kidani and though we do love all of them...I prefer Poly a little more for transportation options. The AKL does have our favorite restaurant...The Boma

 

[Lilylogan]

I love both - but AKL is quite a bit cheaper. I love the restaurants at AKL. I don't mind the transportation- always found it to be fine because it doesn't share with another resort and most do.

Polynesian is $$ but has a classic nostalgic Disney feel to it and you can't beat the monorail. The transportation to DHS and AK can take a long time, though, since it's sharing with other hotels. Every time we stay at Poly, there's always one person at the busstop complaining about the wait times.

 

[Heavens2Betsy]

I'm hoping to do a split stay in my next trip with the first night or two say AKL then move to BLT. The animals outside your room sounds dreamy, but I am not a Disney bus fan.

 

[Cajun23]

I have stayed at both and Poly has many more conveniences than AKL (transportation, location, etc). Having said that our kids loved the savanna room at AKL and always want to stay there if i ask their preference.

 

[Stitch'sCousin]

We have really enjoyed our stays at both of the resorts and feel that you can't go wrong with either of them. However, when our kids were younger and we spent a lot of time in the Magic Kingdom, we found that the Poly was really convenient for getting there and back (especially when taking a mid-day break) by using either the monorail or the small boats.