Polynesian vs. Grand Floridian
When choosing a luxury hotel near Magic Kingdom on the monorail loop at Walt Disney World, vacation planners debate between two Deluxe Resorts: Grand Floridian and Polynesian. This head-to-head comparison weighs the pros & cons of each, picking a “winner” in theme, dining, transportation, pools, and other categories. (Updated April 14, 2024.)
This continues our Walt Disney World Hotel Comparison Series, which includes several other difficult dilemmas you might face when trying to pick a hotel. Other versus posts include Animal Kingdom Lodge vs. Wilderness Lodge, BoardWalk vs. Beach Club, Port Orleans Riverside vs. French Quarter, and even Caribbean Beach vs. the Poly.
This Grand Floridian vs. Polynesian comparison pits Walt Disney World’s flagship hotel against a fun fan-favorite that some might argue should be WDW’s “crown jewel” hotel. While both are similar in terms of location (literally a short walk from one another) and pricing, there are many differences in terms of theme, atmosphere, restaurants, and amenities.
While we will draw our own conclusions as to which is better, along the way we will explain our reasoning, so you can form your own conclusions. Since so much of this is a matter of subjective, personal preference, we feel that’s the best way to approach these comparisons. Plus, it would be a pretty short blog post if we didn’t offer explanatory text along with the winner of each element.
Before we get going, one thing to note is that both resorts are still in the midst of massive reimagining and/or expansion projects. In the case of the Poly, a gigantic tower is being built on the periphery of the resort. In the case of the Grand Floridian, the main building and lobby are still in the midst of a reimagining. The good news is that the room reimaginings at both are now finished. At least right now, neither of these projects have much impact on the guest experience, aside from minor (mostly exterior) visual blight. We expect both construction projects to wrap up by late 2024.
Okay, with that, it’s time to see whether the Grand Floridian delivers a sick People’s Elbow to the Poly, or if the Poly can pull off a surprise Stone Cold Stunner… (Sorry, I’ll stop with the wrestlin’ talk–those are the only terms I know, anyways.)
Theme: It Depends – Theme is such a tricky subject since so much of it is predicated in personal preference. Rather than making a value judgment about which theme is inherently “better,” we approach this from their respective execution of theme.
Grand Floridian is no doubt the most elegant and refined hotel at Walt Disney World, befitting of its high-brow Victorian theme. The lobby oozes sophistication and class, and makes a strong first impression. From that alone, it’s easy to see why Grand Floridian is Walt Disney World’s most luxurious and flagship resort. It is, as the name suggests, grand.
If there’s a good “opposite” of opulence, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is it. The Poly captures the essence of vacationing at a tropical resort. From the lush grounds to the South Seas vibe throughout the resort, it’s the confluence of 20th century tiki culture and authentic island paradise. It’s a great place to decompress and has an undeniable “vacation mode” vibe.
Both stumble on executing their themes in some regards. There are areas where the Grand Floridian feels dated, like a 1990s interpretation of the elevated Victorian theme. Some say it reminds them of “grandma’s house.” Then there are spots where modernization feels a bit bland and off-theme, the the Beauty and the Beast bar. The lobbies of the outer buildings all have received the same Mary Poppins-inspired overhaul as the guest room, and that has been tastefully done, balancing modern luxury the the theme of the resort, for the most part.
It’s a similar story with the Polynesian. Its theme has been chipped away at in recent years with the removal of its lobby waterfall and other tropical elements, but other enhancements make it feel like a good blend of mid-century and modern. To the extent that they’ve occurred, the Moana additions have been tasteful and relatively restrained in common areas.
If this were simply our personal preferences, we’d give the win to the Poly. However, that’s also because the interior of the main building at the Grand Floridian hasn’t yet been redone. If they manage to handle that as delicately as the outer buildings, threading the needle on themed design and modern luxury, it could come out on top. Objectively, the two resorts are difficult to compare since they’re trying different things. Both succeed and stumble in the same ways, so we’re calling this a push.
Rooms: It Depends – This updated comparison catches both resorts as they’ve recently debuted new rooms inspired to varying degrees by different characters. In both cases, these are really more movie motifs than they are fully-fledged character themes. In our view, this is a good thing.
The Poly’s new Moana rooms are bold, with distinctly “Disney” style and use of characters. They have a lot going on in terms of colors, patterns, and textures that won’t appeal to everyone. We think they strike the right balance, but some will undoubtedly disagree, finding them too “loud.” Regardless of that, the quality of finishings, features, and functionality is all high. (See our Review, Photos & Video: New Moana Rooms at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.)
For the longest time, Grand Floridian ranked last on our lists like this due to a combination of that price point and the reality that its rooms we’re on par with a mid-tier Marriott. Although prices haven’t budged, Grand Floridian is taking massive leaps forward with new rooms that transform them into something both distinctly Disney and luxurious.
The reimagined rooms at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa are easily the biggest before/after improvement of any hotel room at Walt Disney World in the last decade. This reimagining brought with it greater usability, attention to details, luxurious finishings, thematic flourishes inspired by Mary Poppins, and a range of other details. Whether you’re assessing from a function or form perspective, these are a marked improvement. We also love these new rooms–see Grand New Rooms at Walt Disney World’s Flagship Resort for a look inside.
Which resort’s new character-inspired rooms are better will almost entirely come down to personal preference–both of the resorts as a whole and whether you or your family prefers Moana or Mary Poppins. Both are tastefully done and befitting of their respective resorts. We’d give a slight edge to Grand Floridian for a truly flawless execution, whereas Moana does have some imperfections–but others might argue the opposite.
It’s really going to come down to whether you want elegant and sophisticated with a dash of Mary Poppins whimsy or top-notch tropical fun with Moana. One thing is for sure–the new rooms at both the Polynesian and the Grand Floridian are better than the Incredibles accommodations at the Contemporary!
Dining: Grand Floridian – The culinary scene at the Grand Floridian is befitting of its flagship status. Narcoossee’s and Citricos are two of the most highly regarded restaurants at Walt Disney World, and the latter just received a Mary Poppins-inspired overhaul that took it to the next level. Then there’s Victoria & Albert’s, which is in a league of its own.
When it comes to character dining, Grand Floridian once again offers 1900 Park Fare for breakfast and dinner. This returns after a multi-year hiatus with a new “theme” (air quotes) of wishes. It also features a grabbag of characters that don’t really make much sense together. The whole thing is thematic nonsense, but it’s fun!
At the less expensive end of the spectrum, Grand Floridian Cafe is an underrated gem and has become one of our favorite spots for a casual meal or last minute Advance Dining Reservation around Magic Kingdom. Gasparilla Island Grill is likewise a strong counter service restaurant. There’s also the recently-reimagined Enchanted Rose Beauty and the Beast Bar, we aren’t fans, but others seem to like it.
The casual end of the spectrum is where Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort excels. Captain Cook’s is one of Walt Disney World’s best counter service restaurants. Of course, ‘Ohana is a fan favorite…although we think it’s overrated and has gone downhill in the last several years, it’s still a fan-favorite and deserves to be on your shortlist for novelty and (potential future) nostalgia factor.
Two other options pick up the slack. Kona Cafe is another underrated gem, a stand-out for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. With Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto, the Poly has one of the best lounges at Walt Disney World.
We ultimately give the edge to Grand Floridian due to the Poly’s lack of fine dining options–a big misstep for a Deluxe Resort–but this is another category that comes down to personal preference. It should also be kept in mind that resort-hopping for meals is incredibly easy among the monorail loop resorts.
Transportation: Push – This should come as no surprise given that the Polynesian and Grand Floridian are right next to one another. Both are on the Magic Kingdom Monorail loop. Both offer boat transportation. Both have comparable (shared) bus service to other parks.
Both are now walkable to Magic Kingdom, or will be once the Poly tower is finished and that pathway reopens. We’ve already breathlessly covered this in Photos & Video: Meandering the Magnificent Magic Kingdom to Grand Floridian Walkway. In case you missed that, it’s possible to walk all the way from the Transportation and Ticket Center to Magic Kingdom (when there’s no construction).
Grand Floridian is closer to Magic Kingdom, giving it the edge there. However, the Poly is closer to the Ticket & Transportation Center, which means it’s more convenient for walking to the monorail to Epcot. All of that makes this a tie.
This is another topic that’ll need to be revisited once the new Polynesian tower opens, as it’ll add a massive number of rooms to the resort and could cause the transportation infrastructure to buckle. Unfortunately, if that does happen, it’ll probably impact both resorts–not just the Poly.
Pools: Polynesian – Our favorite pools at these resorts at Beach Pool at the Grand Floridian, which we ranked #4 on our list of the Top 10 Pools at Walt Disney World, and Lava Pool at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort (#2). We give the edge to the Lava Pool because it’s more imaginative, immersive, and ultimately, more fun for kids.
Both of these resorts have a couple solid pools beyond their main feature pools, but none of the quiet or secondary pools at Grand Floridian move the needle back towards it. If anything, the retro style (and shade structures!) at Polynesian’s Oasis Pool provide an adult foil to the more family-friendly main pool. By contrast, both of the “main” pools at the Grand Floridian skew towards adults.
Cost: Polynesian – While these are the two most expensive resorts in all of Walt Disney World when comparing standard rooms, the Grand Floridian is significantly more expensive. While rates vary by season and room category, you can expect to pay about 20% more for a comparable room at the Grand Floridian.
However, the practical reality is that many guests aren’t paying rack rate at the Grand Floridian whereas many are at the Poly. Due to differences in popularity, the Grand Floridian routinely offers exceptional savings–of 25% to 35% off. By contrast, the Polynesian’s discounts are usually lower–from 10% to 25% off. Worse yet, the Poly is occasionally excluded entirely and often has no availability even when it’s not excluded.
The end result is that even while sticker prices at the Poly are lower, guests can end up paying more on average due to disparities in discounting and availability. That makes this comparison really tricky.
Verdict: Polynesian – This used to be an incredibly easy one for us, but Grand Floridian has really narrowed the gap with its new Mary Poppins-inspired rooms. However, there is still a gap. Even in the categories that the flagship won, I have a difficult time seeing the Grand Floridian with an advantage that matters to me as a guest staying at the hotel. In fact, everything we love most about the Grand Floridian–dining and lobby atmosphere–can just as easily be enjoyed while staying at the Poly and doing a “date night” at the Grand.
The Grand Floridian has grown on us and improved in the last few years, but the Polynesian is a masterpiece of Imagineering that’s transportive in theme and feels like the quintessential Walt Disney World resort. It’s where we actually want to stay while on vacation, with atmosphere, amenities, rooms, and other features we’d use regularly over the course of a trip.
When comparing any two resorts, other factors will obviously come into play. Important amenities, location, recreation, and other variables are going to matter and weigh differently for different parties. If you want to compare for yourself or see how other resorts stack up, check out our Rankings of ALL Resort Hotels at Walt Disney World from Worst to Best.
Our goal is for this post was to offer a head-to-head comparison of the most crucial elements of each Walt Disney World resort experience, but we suggest supplementing this with our full review of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and our Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort Review for further explanation of pros & cons, room photos & video, and much more.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Which of these two Deluxe Resorts is the better one, in your opinion? Is money the deciding factor for you or is something else? Is there anything you can think of to make Grand Floridian the better pick? Do you prefer the Moana rooms at the Poly or Grand Floridian’s more sophisticated style laced with Mary Poppins? Are we missing a key variable that could, potentially tilt the scales in the Grand’s favor? Do you agree or disagree with our picks? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
While I love to visit the Grand Floridian every trip, I have never had a desire to stay there. It is elegant and beautiful, but I just feel at home in the vibe of the Poly. The Poly has my heart, Always has, always will!
Visiting the Polynesian for a mid-afternoon drink two days ago reminded me why the Contemporary and Grand Floridian. Sine my first stay in August 1987, I’ve watched the Polynesian deteriorate into a giant playground for children. I can’t fathom how a hotel as expensive as the GF during certain times of year doesn’t have a quiet stand-alone bar or lounge. At 3:30 last Thursday the Tambu Lounge had already converted into ‘Ohana’s waiting room. People sat at the tables and bar stools and weren’t ordering drinks! On other visits I’ve seen crowds waiting outside Kona Cafe merge with Tambu into a horrifying mass. Forget what I said — it’s a zoo, not a playground. Also, the Polynesian has no finer dining option than a rotisserie-type establishment and a very good standard hotel coffee shop. I find this appalling for a so-called deluxe resort. I know good eats are a monorail ride away, but sometimes you don’t want to leave your hotel.
I like walking the grounds, which are impeccably maintained. But even my brother in law, who had last visited in 2014 as the renovations were taking place, shook his head and said, “This place is unimpressive.”
My family has stayed at all three monorail hotels enough to have very definite opinions. If given the choice, my husband would pick a one bedroom suite at Bay Lake Tower every time. He prefers the very nice room, wonderful bath, tranquil view of Bay Lake, walking distance to Magic Kingdom, and the ability to escape the overwhelming Disney feeling of the other resorts.
My 11 year old son loves the Polynesian, but we have only stayed in a Club room with a direct view of the water parade and fireworks from our balcony. The theming is terrific and the the kids love the pool and lava slide. To me, however, the rooms (particularly the bath) are not as nice as either of the other two hotels. Also, the Polynesian shows its age. Sliding doors do not open well, soundproofing is poor, corridors feel old, etc. The long houses feel like dressed up 70s motels or the Brady house.
I prefer the Grand. The one bedroom villas simply cannot be beat from a room perspective–they are really perfect. They boast stunning baths, color schemes, abundant space, comfortable beds, and good views. Rooms at the hotel are very nice and feel far more substantial than those at the Poly. The Poly pool is better than the Beach pool at the Grand, but not by much. The Grand’s main building is beautiful, particularly during holidays, and is not as chaotic and crowded as the Poly. We have never had a problem with the monorail, and Magic Kingdom is only one stop from the Grand.
So, three people in one family with three different favorites.
Excellent – keep discouraging people from staying at the Grand – makes it easier to get my reservations 🙂 I love the Grand Floridian, it’s one of my absolute favorite places to be on the planet. You guys should definitely go to the Polynesian, especially during early December, I’ll guess I’ll take one for the team and suffer through another Christmas at the Grand Floridian… 🙂
I may have disagreed with (or at least questioned) your verdict until my two most recent WDW vacations in which the “Poly” and the “Grand” were finally stayed at.
Being immersed in both properties was fantastic, but the Polynesian was on another level.
I really wanted to be a contrarian and not fall head over heels for it like so many others have, but the Poly just pulled me in.
After 25+ years of Disney World visits, I finally will admit….. It’s the best.
Tom,
Maybe you covered this already. I would be interested in also comparing gift shops. My family love visiting the different gift shops at the lux resorts. Some do a better job than others of offering resort theme merchandise. I love visiting Wilderness Lodge Gift Shop with its National Park related themes.
Not directed at me, but I think the Poly’s gift shops are FAR superior to the Grand’s. I stayed at the Grand in July and I was disappointed at the selection in the shops and the lack of resort-specific merch.
I love both resorts. I don’t think I could actually say which one wins on theming, but I feel like the Grand Floridian just has an incredible grandeur that I loved as a kid. Nothing makes you feel more like a princess than walking into that lobby. As an adult, I prefer the relaxed vibe of the Poly.
My father, however, HATES the theme of the Poly. He was annoyed the entire time we stayed there because he kept saying “if I wanted to go to Hawaii, I would have gone to Hawaii, not Fake Hawaii in Florida.” I share this mostly because I found his curmudgeonliness hilarious.
Also, I thought he made an interesting point. He likes the hotels that put you in a different time period like the Grand Floridian or the Boardwalk. Being from the Northwest, I would really never want to stay at Wilderness Lodge. For him, the theming that reflects an actual place he could go to irks him and feels fake, whereas he enjoys feeling transported to a different time. It’s an interesting perspective. Not one a lot of people share it seems, but I thought it was interesting.
The thing is…the Polynesian *is* themed to a different place and time. It’s Polynesia set in the midst of tiki culture. I don’t know the precise timeframe, but probably the 1950s.
In fact, I can’t think of a single Walt Disney World resort (aside from the Values, but they are decorated–not themed) that’s set in the present day. Most are idealized versions of those places in the past.
I too would like to see a comparison between the Poly / Bay Lake / Grand Floridian. I just plugged a one week vacation (5/1 – 5/8) into a DVC Rental site and, looking at standard rooms only, Bay Lake was $450 cheaper than both the Poly and GF; $1845 to $2295. Since we go to WDW on a regular once a year basis, I am more interested in saving money over staying in posh accommodations. I can stretch that $450 a loooong way at Disney.
We are renting points for five nights at the Poly in early December and it was cheaper than Bay Lake by a bit and GF by a lot!
Since it seems like everybody prefers the Poly, why is the Grand Floridian so expensive? They must keep their rooms fairly full to justify the prices.
I think Grand Floridian does well with first-timers who want “the best” but have no frame of reference as to what that means. It also likewise probably does well with big-spending guests.
I’d hazard a guess that casual guests don’t skew towards favoring the Poly nearly as much as readers of this blog or respondents to the poll. We are not the norm.
…Even with that, last I heard, the Grand Floridian had one of the lower occupancy rates at Walt Disney World.
Very interesting. We just did our first on-site Disney trip this past September (although my wife did several growing up), and we stayed at Caribbean with our 4-year-old and 2-year-old with the Free Dining Promo. We already want to return – wanted to go this spring for our daughter’s 3rd birthday, but not happening with the cost at this point. Instead, we are looking at taking advantage of the Free Dining again at the end of the summer. We swore last time though that this next time we would stay on the Monorail loop. We would really love to stay at Polynesian, and this article just enforced that, but the Contemporary is about $100/night cheaper. For the price difference, we can get an extra day at Disney at Contemporary. As others have stated, it would be very interesting to compare and contrast the Monorail hotels. After reading Tom’s Contemporary review, Polynesian really sounds nice, but the money and the ability to walk to Magic Kingdom with the kids will most likely win out for us.
Maybe a bracket of sorts could be created comparing all of the monorail hotels with one another until a victor emerges. I would be interested in seeing that.
Do I smell a March Madness: Disney Resorts Edition?!
With small children, I would definitely recommend staying at the Contemporary in a park-view room over any other deluxe option. The ability to walk to/from the Magic Kingdom is a huge perk, of course, but the ability to watch the MK fireworks from your room probably trumps even the walking convenience. Small children may not be able to stay up late enough to enjoy the fireworks from within the park, so being able to take them back to your room, get everyone ready for bed, and then watch the fireworks from your balcony is awesome! We did this on a trip when the youngest of our 3 children was just a baby, and it worked beautifully. You can get the sound from your room’s TV, so you don’t miss that. Plus, kids (okay, and adults too) find it really cool to have a monorail come right into your hotel!
On the other hand, my husband and I plan to go to WDW without the kids for a future anniversary, and I think we will stay at the Poly. We spent our honeymoon in the south Pacific, so to Poly seems like a fitting place to spend a romantic anniversary!
An option my wife and I have done is to stay at a moderate resort such as Port Orleans Riverside for the first two or three nights and then switch to the Poly or Grand for the remainder. With magic bands, mydisneyexperience and on line check in, it’s super easy to do. Check out, drop your bags with the porter and ask them to take them to the next resort and head to the parks. You will get a text when the next room is ready. You save some money and get to check out another resort.
I think a Swan and Dolphin comparison might also be useful to some guests (albeit a different sector!) as well. Although they’re not as themed as the Disney resorts, they have their own design flair – and despite being connected across the Michael Graves Causeway, they are fairly different properties.
My wife and I are planning on doing a trip for just the two of us this September and these two resorts are our final 2 (depending somewhat on DVC availability at 7 mo window). This is a very tough one, because both are so great and depend really on personal preference.
I, like many others on here, would like to see you do a SSR vs OKW. Being the 2 least expensive deluxe options and most readily available dvc options, I think they come up as comparisons often.
When I saw this article I knew before reading it who would win in your opinion. I know I’m in the minority but I still love the Floridian over the Poly. You do bring up some good points but the Villas in the GF suit my taste better. I also prefer the quiet pool at the GF over any pool at the Poly. As someone with no small children I prefer the peacefulness of the GF. I agree with you that the casual dining is lacking in the GF and I hope they improve that but they do have great shopping as someone else also commented. You also don’t mention that great band that plays in the lobby everyday. The Poly doesn’t have that. The Poly’s lobby though very well themed is loud and chaotic. I will admit the grounds at night in the Poly with the lit tiki torches are extremely romantic and more beautiful than the GF at night but for me a calm and a peaceful atmosphere and tastefully decorated rooms of the Villas at the GF trumps the Poly any day.
We haven’t stayed at Floridian (yet) but when we stayed at Poly, we found the proximity of Floridian to really make these two feel like one giant resort (disregarding theme). We found ourselves taking the short (10 minute) walk between both hotels for dining, shopping, etc- even for quick service meals. We agree on giving the Poly the edge (largely for being able to walk to TTC for Epcot) but don’t agree that in this case it’s either/or.
OKW/SSR would be a cool matchup. I know you’ve compared them before, but not in this format.
Grand Floridian hands down! But then again, when you are born and raised in Hawaii the last place you want to stay when on vacation is some poorly designed imitation of home…all about personal preference I guess.
The poly wins in every category…pool, room, restaurants, counter service and access to the Epcot monorail and the ferry. Just about everything you said.
It all comes down to personal preference. I’m a laid back type and would rather dine at Kona or ‘Ohana than Citrico’s or Narcoosee’s. The best thing about the GF Cafe is the room itself. The food, not so great.
I would opt for the lush tropical landscaping over GF’s walkways. The view of MK is also better from the Poly. Funny thing is, many years ago, when there were just three hotels, I would have to stay at the Contemporary (not exactly a hardship) because, prior to its expansion, the Poly never had rooms available.
I’d like to see a comparison between the Coronado Springs and Caribbean Beach resorts. They seem to me to be similar in many ways.
Old Key West vs. Saratoga Springs. Just don’t let Sarah influence you too much. You mentioned that she’s not a big fan of OKW. How about the Waldorf vs. any Disney Deluxe Resort? Swan and Dolphin vs. Boardwalk or Yacht and Beach Club. I think Bay Lake Tower and the Contemporary have no equals so you really can’t compare them to anything. Coronado Springs would also be one of the resorts that would be difficult to compare. By the way, I love the Floridian, but I prefer the Poly. It feels good to be there and I think that pathway to the TTC is a bigger deal than what you made it in the review. I think that the walkway to the Magic Kingdom is huge too and that puts BLT to a top spot on my list too. Shopping is something you did not address. The Floridian has some high end specialty shops whereas the Poly has better “general” resort shopping. I think they actually tie.
Hi Tom,
I’m planning a summer trip to WDW from Indonesia. This will be my daughter’s first trip to WDW. We are considering Contemporary resort and Beach Club, and maybe Polynesian. Would you do a match up on these?
Thanks, Tom
On my most recent trip I finally was able to stay at the Polynesian-villa (only because it was a 2 day stay before a cruise). I think it may have been a big mistake. It was amazing and my daughter absolutely fell in love with it and wants to go back. She especially loved the new Lava pool area. I would love to stay there on every future trip, but unfortunately it is SO expensive. I really don’t have a desire to stay at the Grand Floridian. It just doesn’t seem nice enough for the price, especially when you can just go visit the hotel without staying there.
Personally, I give the edge to the Poly because… they have a DOLE WHIP STAND just outside the main lobby near the splash pool!!! I may be wrong, but I think this is the only place outside a park (or at least one of very few places) where you can purchase a dole whip. We’ve stayed at the Floridian and on a different trip, walked through the Poly daily from Shades to catch the monorail. We feel the Floridian is nothing like the hotel it was modeled after (Hotel Del Coronado). We thought the Floridian, while elegant and beautiful, was a little stuffy, overpriced, and not our top pick. The Poly is on the bucket list for future trips though. During the Christmas holiday, Floridian *might* have the edge with their massive gingerbread house. I also think it worth mentioning, it is a brief, pleasant walk from the Floridian and the Poly. During our Floridian stay, we often walked over to Captain Cooks, Kona, etc. for a quick bite, different casual dining options. There is a sidewalk connecting the two resorts that is accessible to all. You can get some awesome photos with the Floridian, the monorail, Magic Kingdom, Poly, lagoon, etc. in the background along the route. We just may have dropped into the Poly for one last dole whip on our way to the airport.