I've stayed at every deluxe resort besides WL (and that's by choice), and Poly and GF are the ones that I've stayed at most. At this point GF is definitely my favorite resort (Contemporary would be second), so some of these comments are rather interesting.
First of all, considering Poly costs almost as much as GF, I find that the experience at Poly doesn't nearly compare. The food isn't as good, the CM's are much grumpier, apathetic and inconsistent (this has been a repeat occurrence for us), and the buildings show a lot of aging on the exterior. But worst of all for us is the relatively recent renovation at Poly. The cool hand-carved signs have been replaced with more boring computer-designed signs - that's a rather small touch but it still annoys me. Also, I hate the new rooms. They're so much darker than they used to be, and they look rather tacky. Obviously Poly does some things well - the exterior theming is nice, but I don't have to stay there to experience that, and every time we've stayed at Poly since these changes we haven't enjoyed it very much at all.
GF, on the other hand, has an incredible lobby, very beautiful grounds (love the gardens), great restaurants, many stores with unique merchandise, lighter and airier rooms, more spacious/less crowded pools with a hot tub, and much better service overall. The CM's are much friendlier and they seem to care more that you enjoy your stay. Also, being one monorail stop away from MK is so magical. For the record, Poly was the first resort I stayed at, but even when I was 5 I liked GF more (and that was before the fun rock pool & slide, activities by the beach, etc).
Some of the counterarguments don't make sense to me. GF is too stuffy? The people at GF seem exactly the same to me - they're wearing Disney t-shirts, visors, shorts, etc. The kids I see are very happy (there's so many activities for them, like at any resort), and they're always impressed when they see how close the castle is. Maybe the 'stuffy/formal' claim has to do with the fact that there are always weddings in the GF lobby or many conventioneers (which also applies to Yacht Club, Contemporary, and Boardwalk)? Just because there are more people wearing a business suit or tuxedo that doesn't make me (or the majority of guests) feel out of place. And when people say that they're afraid to touch anything at GF, how much is there to touch? The walls are touchable, the chairs can be sat on, when I'm in GF that thought never crosses my mind.
Also I don't see why it's a bad thing that GF doesn't have the 'energy' of Boardwalk or Poly. Yes, those places have energy, but they're also pretty crowded and noisy at times. The parks can be bad enough - at my resort I'd rather relax and be able to escape the chaos.
I guess the claim that GF isn't Disney-enough makes sense to some people, although I don't understand it. How is a South Seas retreat more Disney than a beachside Floridian resort? I think use of the word 'Disney' here more directly translates to casual or informal, which I disagree with. Also GF has tons of Disney touches - the new marble floor in the lobby has characters that kids (and adults) can look for, the wallpaper has Mickey patterns on it, the Castle is within view from many points within the resort, and the band and pianist play beautiful versions of Disney songs in the evening.
