Sugar Loaf at GF-Never Again!!

[Disney Freak Numero Uno]

We are DVC members so I haven't booked a concierge room since 2004. Prior to that date, we had stayed at the YC concierge, Polynesian concierge, and AKL concierge. Although I didn't use the concierge for planning very much on thiose trips, we did enjoy having access to the lounges for a quick breakfast or snack.
I anticipated enjoying the GF just as much.
However!!! Things appear to have changed quite a bit in the past few years. We found the lounge at most times to be extremely crowded. It was hard to find a table at breakfast. Hordes of people descended upon the lounge as soon as food was put out. Also, there were usually many young children who were completely unsupervised running around, playing ball, handling food, etc. while their parents just sat there and said nothing. One young boy screamed (not crying but just screaming)at the top of his lungs the whole time we were in the lounge and the parents did not attempt to stop him. I saw a young girl sneeze into a bowl of watermelon, another child dropped tongs on the floor and picked them up and put them back in the bowl. We saw two young teens drinking beer in the lounge as soon as their mother left to go back to the room. I also saw a grown woman handle a few bagels and put them back.
It appears that most people today have no manners and do not expect their kids to behave properly either. After two nights, we tried unsuccessfully to switch to any room in any of the deluxe hotels. I booked this trip because I wanted to splurge a little but I will never do it again. From now on, it will be Saratoga Springs. I really missed the peace and quiet and the uncrowded feel to the resort.
Regarding the actual Sugar Loaf building, it is in need of serious rehab. Also, every surface I touched in the lounge was sticky, as was the outside of the door to our room. Do these surfaces ever get cleaned? Overall, the Sugar Loaf experience is not worth the outrageous cost. Never again.

 

[chop456]

That is so sad that parents do not supervise their children. I hope your next stay, wherever it may be, is relaxing and wonderful.

 

[lookingforward]

I had almost the exact same experience at the Hard Rock Hotel concierge. Gross! I believe that some people just don't care about manners or other people. Sad but true. Sorry about your experience.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

We are DVC members so I haven't booked a concierge room since 2004. Prior to that date, we had stayed at the YC concierge, Polynesian concierge, and AKL concierge. Although I didn't use the concierge for planning very much on thiose trips, we did enjoy having access to the lounges for a quick breakfast or snack.
I anticipated enjoying the GF just as much.
However!!! Things appear to have changed quite a bit in the past few years. We found the lounge at most times to be extremely crowded. It was hard to find a table at breakfast. Hordes of people descended upon the lounge as soon as food was put out. Also, there were usually many young children who were completely unsupervised running around, playing ball, handling food, etc. while their parents just sat there and said nothing. One young boy screamed (not crying but just screaming)at the top of his lungs the whole time we were in the lounge and the parents did not attempt to stop him. I saw a young girl sneeze into a bowl of watermelon, another child dropped tongs on the floor and picked them up and put them back in the bowl. We saw two young teens drinking beer in the lounge as soon as their mother left to go back to the room. I also saw a grown woman handle a few bagels and put them back.
It appears that most people today have no manners and do not expect their kids to behave properly either. After two nights, we tried unsuccessfully to switch to any room in any of the deluxe hotels. I booked this trip because I wanted to splurge a little but I will never do it again. From now on, it will be Saratoga Springs. I really missed the peace and quiet and the uncrowded feel to the resort.
Regarding the actual Sugar Loaf building, it is in need of serious rehab. Also, every surface I touched in the lounge was sticky, as was the outside of the door to our room. Do these surfaces ever get cleaned? Overall, the Sugar Loaf experience is not worth the outrageous cost. Never again.

the lounge is much to small for that building
I found kids like that last year at the BC and thats even smaller than Sugar loaf. There were never any table for breakfast. I used to go down right at 7 and bring the food back to the room and then bring the dishes down after.

How was the service from the CMs?
Did you have a dormer room or a regular one ? What was your day bed like?

 

[Cinderella Fan]

We had almost the same experience last July when we booked the Sugar Loaf. We had previously stayed at the BWI Concierge, as well as RPC at the GF. I will never stay Sugar Loaf again.

RPC at the GF is so much nicer!

 

[Alicnwondrln]

BWI is so nice the staff their rocks. I think you can have paretns not watching kids anywhere. THey will also be remodeling this building later this year and I hope they address the space issue. I hope she at least got good CMs.

 

[wdwstar]

we are DVC members to and once in while especially on weekends we like to splurge at different resorts, GF is one and only one we have not stayed yet.
thank you for the info, i think we will avoid the GF like the plague. We love the poly and now that AKL will be available for conceirge on points, we are looking forward staying there.

 

[raven69david]

The only way to enjoy those lounges is to NOT book a trip in the summer or during the days/weeks that a code has been announced for as the resorts get packed moreso than usual. We never have problems with our trips as we intentionally book during the times when it is less crowded. We have had great success, but always expect to pay a little more...which is worth it for the peace and quiet and for the much more relaxing/rewarding experience of the trip.

I hope your next trip goes alot better. I'm sorry that you had to spend so much money on such a beautiful resort only to have your trip spoiled. Kids will be kids so you really can't blame them. Parents that intentionally let their kids go crazy without supervision, in any place, is unacceptable. My 2 year old DD likes to have fun and be a kid, but when she gets a little too crazy, we step in and either ask her to behave or we just leave and go do something else to entertain her cuz after all, the trip is all about her having fun and a good time as much as ourselves.

 

[Disney Freak Numero Uno]

I didn't realize that there was some kind of a deal going on for the time we were there. I did get an annual passholder discount but that's something you can get at various times of the year. We usually do plan trips during the less busy times but my husband doesn't like to go anymore at the end of August because he doesn't like the heat. The beginning of December used to be a great time to go but is now also crowded.
REgarding the CMs, one of them did try to help find a room at the Yacht or Beach Club but was unable. I think her name was Kimberly. We had asked another to change one of our dining reservations but he told us that there was nothing else available. I don't think that any of them can perform miracles. There is nothing that they did that I could not have done myself.
Regarding the room, we had a regular room. And there was no day bed at all, just two chairs and a table. The room overlooked the marina.
As a mother of three, I realize that kids sometimes don't behave the way we would like them to. So I am not objecting to the presence of children in the lounge but parents need to teach them appropriate behavior. Unfortunately, many of the parents can't teach their kids what they themselves don't know.
Based on this trip, the Disney concierge experience at any of the hotels is not for me.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

I didn't realize that there was some kind of a deal going on for the time we were there. I did get an annual passholder discount but that's something you can get at various times of the year. We usually do plan trips during the less busy times but my husband doesn't like to go anymore at the end of August because he doesn't like the heat. The beginning of December used to be a great time to go but is now also crowded.
REgarding the CMs, one of them did try to help find a room at the Yacht or Beach Club but was unable. I think her name was Kimberly. We had asked another to change one of our dining reservations but he told us that there was nothing else available. I don't think that any of them can perform miracles. There is nothing that they did that I could not have done myself.
Regarding the room, we had a regular room. And there was no day bed at all, just two chairs and a table. The room overlooked the marina.
As a mother of three, I realize that kids sometimes don't behave the way we would like them to. So I am not objecting to the presence of children in the lounge but parents need to teach them appropriate behavior. Unfortunately, many of the parents can't teach their kids what they themselves don't know.
Based on this trip, the Disney concierge experience at any of the hotels is not for me.

I dont know if the time of year matters. We did BC club level last dec and it was fairly full and the lounge their is smaller than at the GF sugar loaf. We did GF SL last nov and it was very busy every a.m. so busy that we never got our room til after 5pm and the service was not that good. I am really hoping for a better stay this July and IPO with Calvin has been great!!
We stayed WL club last august during free dining and it wasntfull either but their seating is much more spread out even though the food area itself is small. The staff at the BWI and WL have been the best we have encounter so far.

 

[magicmouse2]

We stayed there for our vow renewals in 2003 mid september and it was blissfully quiet. I had the girls with me but they are very well behaved girls, and I have always put there food out for them. I agree that off peak season is the only way to enjoy the lounge. One morning we had the entire lounge to ourselves. I have the photos on my webshots to prove it ! Sorry it was not what you hoped for. I was personally disappointed in the room view. I just remebered there were no room codes or AP rates at the time we were there so that may have been why it was quiet.

 

[Sammie]

the entire Grand Floridian resort is getting complete rehab this year. Sorry your stay was not a good one, but seems the issues were more with the guests and less with the Grand Floridian.

We won't stay concierge anywhere at Disney anymore due to the guest behavior. It is not just one location.

 

[GFNJ]

Stayed in the Sugar Loaf for 5 nights June 2005 and 6 nights April 2006, enjoyed the stay, good staff, clean and quite. We tend to sleep late and miss the early morning rush or bring our food back to the room and eat on the deck. Going back next week.

Here its closing in the fall for a restoration.

 

[simonkodousek]

Some children are just terribly behaved. It is a shame that just a few irresponsible parents ruin other people's trips.

~Simon

 

[Dis Ohana]

The beginning of December used to be a great time to go but is now also crowded.

That's not good news. I booked our stay Dec. 11 - 14 because I thought value season meant less crowds. I'm even pulling the kids out of school a week early. We booked RPC concierge at this hotel and it's suppose to be the highlight of our trip - I really hope it does not dissapoint!

I'm sorry you had to deal with such rude guests. It's really a shame that people can't be considerate of others, and to teach their kids to do the same.

 

[kapoof]

that a shame to hear. i had high hopes for gf...

sorry about your experience.

 

[kelscross]

We had the same experience when we stayed at GF not in the lounge though it was at the pools. The kids were bringing in food into the pools and using the hot tub as a kiddie pool! The parents weren't correcting their kids at all.

Although I do not blame the kids, I do blame the parents, but I also blame Disney for not enforcing things. There should have been a CM in the lounge supervising the food situation.