I have 3 kids but my 2 oldest are 12 and 10 yo girls. As the girls get older Space is needed and that was very apparent when we stayed at beach club villas last April. The girls were driving each other crazy and it affects everyones mood. I asked everyone if the like the deluxe resort and would they rather stay somewhere not as nice but have more room…everyone agreed space was more important. As lomg as the pool had a slide. This Oct we have 2 rooms at coronado booked. If space will make my kids happier I will enjoy myself more. Keeping the peace between 2 tween girls is the pits. I will keep my deluxe stays to parents only trips from now on.
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My family (with four kids) adored Poly. We stayed in a regular villa (two queens and the pull-down) and it felt relatively spacious to us. Having two bathrooms was nice. The pool is fantastic for kids, and for adults as well. With only 2 kids, you should be fine at Poly, but only you really know how much space you need.
If it was me, I would drop Club Level since I don’t really value the stuff you get as much as the extra cost, but that’s up to you. I would definitely look into renting points! You could save quite a bit.
All that said, do what your heart is yearning for. If you really want the extra space at a moderate hotel, go for it!
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Your kids are wicked small tho. That matters. Poly was fine for us when my two kids were younger, too. But the last time we stayed there when they were 15 and 11 it was not good.
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Yes that is very true. Though they are like four Tasmanian devils that seem to take up far more room than their petite bodies would suggest! 
That said, I think the question here comes down to the 12-year-old and how much room they need. I think when my oldest is 12 we’ll be fine. But if the 12-year-old is more like a 15-year-old in size or disposition, that could be a problem.
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I have stayed at both Poly CL and the Royal Rooms at POR. Will you have a car? I love the Royal rooms but Coronado s a great choice too ( the rooms just “feel bigger” to me).
My only reason to stay at Poly would be IF your days would align with the deluxe night hours, and you would use them. I will add that I don’t think the club level upgrade is “worth it” at the Poly and I know that influences my answer.
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I’d book Poly but maybe not club.
I’ve stayed at both Poly - not club - and the Royal Guest room but only one tho my cousin and her family had the connecting room.
Our very first on property stay was at the Poly. We were 3 adults and a 7 year old - who had more stuff almost than all 3 adults combined. DH didn’t want to stay on property because of the cost. He acquiesced when I pointed out that if he didn’t like it, we didn’t have to stay on property ever again.
The Poly was magical. The room was huge compared to most hotels we’d stayed at. We actually used the daybed to try to keep the 7 yo stuff contained. We’ve had daybeds on subsequent stays - daybeds have been fine for kids. I think one year we had an 11 yo on the daybed. I can’t recall being unhappy with anything about the room. Our view was foliage but that beat the snow back home.
We enjoyed an easy walk to the Epcot monorail. We liked the food choices being close. I loved having the Electric Boat Parade. Our first stay at the Poly there was only MK and Epcot so no bus experience. We never even got in the car. It sat unloved and lonely in the parking lot. DH said at check out that on property was the only civilized way to do WDW.
The Royal Guest room was fun, but small. The thing I disliked most was the enormous great heavy bed cover. It’s kinda not the fashion any more. We were in bldg 90 with a courtyard view. Mansion faced the main area with the restaurant, shop and food court. The east bus stop was a short walk across the parking lot of bldgs 90 and 85. We would often get on a bus at East but returning from a park, get off at the main bus stop. We swam only at the quiet pool beside our building.
It was fun to experience this room but I’ve no desire to return to this resort. On the map the walk to the food and shop seems short but it got longer and longer every day. The bus was ok - no better or worse than other resorts. We try to be at the bus stop at either at 15, 35 or 55 after the hour. The room is small and in 2012 it was dark. The Royal Guest rooms aren’t handy to much of the resort’s amenities.
We’ve not had preferred locations at the Poly but still felt close to the shops and food choices. Our last Poly stay we had horrid housekeeping. Housekeeping isn’t happening as much at most places nowadays. On our last Poly stay we found a quiet secluded area with a good view of the Electric Boat Parade. We love the fireworks from the Poly.
If I were going for a celebratory magical stay it’s Poly over Royal Guest room. You said it yourself - 2 MK days. Way better to pick the monorail, ferry boat or the boat launch - my fav - to transport yourself to the most magical place on earth.
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At the moment I don’t personally see Club Level as worth it. Depending on the time and room view, I think CL is like 30-35% more expensive that a regular room. Is there a possibility for you to do 2 regular rooms? maybe by switching off site a day earlier?
You’d have way, way more room/privacy with two connecting rooms and I think the location and the resort itself would be worth to spend a few days. I also have kids that don’t enjoy fireworks up close and seeing it from the resort was one of the best parts of our recent trip. I personally would do Poly even for just 2 nights and then switch if it helps in getting more space - I understand this need, my family hasn’t been able to share a single bedroom for quite a while without losing our minds 
We stayed at Poly when our daughters were 7 and 10. I found that we had plenty of room and the location was awesome. Nothing beats catching the boat to MK first thing in the morning.
We’re lucky in that our kids (now 15 and 18) get along really well and are good travelers so sharing a room/bed has never been an issue.
If your family can deal with all being in one room, I would definitely choose the Polynesian, especially for a special trip.
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My family needs to spread out…sleep matters snd nobody gets a good night sleep all smushed into one room. I don’t think we are the norm though. I’d look into renting a one bedroom with DVC points at BLT (which is likely cheaper than rack rate poly) and you could walk to MK, still be on monorail to catch FWs at the poly beach. However I understand Poly has a special place on this forum. I’d save the $$$ and just go to Hawaii! Trust me, it’s cheaper than equivalent WDW.
FWIW: We go to Hawaii every 3 years or so, and stay in a 2 bedroom ocean view resort condo every time, and eat at ocean front restaurants…and for the equivalent WDW accommodations (using DVC points) and with just one ADR a day (none signature), and cheaper airfare, we are spending significantly more to go to WDW.
I do know from learning the hard way that it’s better to end vacay at thd more luxurious accommodation. Unless your off site is fab, it will feel like ‘less than”
I very much regretted staying off site in 2015…but we hated our highly rated resort, so there’s that.
Congrats on beating cancer! In the end, only your opinion matters, go with your gut…the kid’s will be alright! You are paying after all.
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