Comin' to ya LIVE from the Grand Floridian!

[MsStinkerBelle]

DD10 and I checked into the Grand Floridian for a week this morning! Since we'd done on-line check in, there was a special desk waiting with *no* line to check in. The CM was absolutely lovely, and while I'd requested Sago Cay, my main request was a room in a building close to the main building. We were given a room in Big Pine which worked out great! We are extremely close to the main building and the beach pool.

Here are some photos of the view from our room:

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p195/foxybrownsgc/7855df85.jpg
To the Left

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p195/foxybrownsgc/fc7dd6cf.jpg
To the Right

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p195/foxybrownsgc/7da92e27.jpg
Dead-on with the ominous weather headed towards us

We had a wonderful lunch at the Grand Floridian Cafe then, per DD10's request, spent some time at the beach pool. The slide is very nice--open unlike the enclosed volcano pool slide but still cool. The pool wasn't very crowded and there was enough room for everyone. Unfortunately we only got to spend about 45 minutes as the usual 3pm thunder and lightning storm began.

No parks for us today. Just relaxing and prepping to hit EPCOT in the morning. So far, we are loving the Grand though I still miss the Poly at times. :-( Practically all of the CMs have been pleasant and very interested in knowing if I am enjoying my stay.

On an important note, it is SMOKING HOT down here! Unlike with our December touring, we will be hitting the parks early, leaving around noon for lunch and swim, then heading back in the evening.

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Thanks for live trip report and keep having a great time.

[jgallant]

Following you here! We booked Poly CL, but thinking of adding or switching it up with GF for a few days also... so I will be anxious to see how your whole trip goes! Can't wait to read more and see more pics... and...
soooo wishing I was there right now!
ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!:goodvibes:goodvibes:goodvibes
:cloud9:

[Echo queen]

Have a great trip, will stay tuned for updates.:thumbsup2

[MsStinkerBelle]

Hi Folks!

After spending 4 whole days I've come to the conclusion that the Grand Floridian is the ultimate 'pampering' resort. I swear, you can't swing a dead cat around without hitting a CM who is standing ready and waiting to assist you. :cloud9: Yesterday afternoon, the GF greeter not only greeted us, but walked us into the resort from our car after we'd dropped it off with the valet. I've never run into that before--such a nice touch of Disney *magic*. :wizard:

Spent Sunday at the Spa for a mani-pedi and I have to say, after three days of trudging through the parks, it was a welcome respite. A cool thing about the mani-pedi is you get a bottle of Essie nail polish to take with you after your service. The nail tech I had was amazing, and the one who did my daughter's nails was exceptional. Very much worth the price! :thumbsup2

Dining has been well worth it as well. All of our meals at the Grand Floridian Cafe, the Grand View Tea room, and Narcoosee's have been very tasty with attentive service. While DD10 is considered an adult, she's been eating items from the child's as well as the adult menu. The CMs are very used to this happening from other kids who were 'children' one year then an 'adult' the next year for the dining plan.

It has been insanely hot and this week the parks are starting to get very crowded. The heat index has been in the 100s! :scared1: So it is very worth it to us to be staying at one of the MK resorts where we can go back in the PM, swim and relax, then hit the MK in the evenings.

Speaking of swimming, I can say the 'pool hoppers' aren't crashing the GF the way I've seen them crash the volcano pool at the Poly. We're able to get lounge chairs without issue and the pools aren't 'people soup'. The beach pool at the GF isn't as nice as the volcano pool at the Poly, but the courtyard pool at the GF is 'streets ahead' of the quiet pool at the Poly.

The main downside right now to staying at the GF is having (to keep my sanity in my case) the self-park all the way out in the 'boonies'. At the Poly, self-park was literally across from some of the longhouses. Having a car makes it much faster to get to parks other than the MK. Yes, you can take the bus from the GF but it's shared with the Poly, seems to take forever and I have no patience. I've clocked it at approx 10 minutes from when I start my car until I drop it off with the Valet at the GF when we've come from EPCOT and the Studios.

That's all for now. We're relaxing a bit before heading down to the GF Cafe for dinner, shopping at the Poly then heading to the MK to get more video of the Main Street Electrical parade. :goodvibes

Any questions? Feel free to ask!

[Ready2GoBack]

Sounds like you are having a great time! We are headed to the World in less than a month. Do you have any tips on keeping cool in the parks? Also, have you eaten anywhere in the parks, and what do you recommend?:goodvibes

[alwaysdisney]

Enjoy yourself and thank you for the report. I will be reading the updates during my lunch hours at work. LOL:surfweb: Stay cool and if you can, get some of those neck coolers to keep around your neck, they work wonders. We used those during a July 4th trip once and it was great. :thumbsup2

[Disfan3]

Great report, thanks for taking us along with you!

I too am a Poly lover through and through...however...with the recent addition of our family, we stayed in a 2BR villa at SSR in March. While I missed the Volcano Pool and the POLY very much, the space could not be beat! It was wonderful.

Glad you are being pampered at the GF. I have also stayed at the CR tower and would happily stay at the Poly before that again.