A Grand Vacation: The 2012 Grand Floridian FAQ!

[cgulls]

I just received an email from my Travel Agent that was sent to her from the Concierge Itinerary Planning Office. My ADR day is on Sunday. Do concierges have more pull in getting ADR's for concierge guests? Wondering if if makes a difference.

Are you planning any tricky ones? Maybe you'd try yourself then if you don't get the ones you want . . . ?

 

[Ziggy]

I usually ask for an upper floor. I just like being up higher in a building. Also ask that my room be away from the elevator for two reasons. First, the sound of the elevator can sometimes be loud. Second, I am a light sleeper. Guests coming off the elevator at night can be a bit loud. They don't realize that their voices carry.

Thanks I'm a light sleeper too so shall make a note of that. Can you state which building you'd like to be in?

 

[aylarosie]

Hi I am new to the boards. I joined in Feb after booking a last minute birthday trip over March 16 -24 this year.While we were there we ate at Narcossees and I really loved the Grand Floridian. I am thinking of booking a trip for this coming July.With the summer rates it seems managable.We are celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary and would be traveling alone(no children). I thought it would be fun to do disney deluxe dining and eat at some of the 2 credit resteraunts. We stayed at POR in March and it was very nice. My husband needs a scooter (for distances) and I thought being on the monorail would be best.Acouple of years ago we stayed at the Poly for that reason.Do you have any suggestions for rooms that would be scooter friendly. We would only be staying 4 days and would at least visit MK AND EPCOT.What are any other special resteraunts would anyone reccomend. Thanks Nan

 

[kohler2009]

Are you planning any tricky ones? Maybe you'd try yourself then if you don't get the ones you want . . . ?

Nothing too tricky. But I did find out that they are able to start booking at 5:30am. I don't know what to do. The planner in me needs to keep control over everything. But the other part of me would love to sleep in. Ah what to do, what to do!?!

 

[cgulls]

Nothing too tricky. But I did find out that they are able to start booking at 5:30am. I don't know what to do. The planner in me needs to keep control over everything. But the other part of me would love to sleep in. Ah what to do, what to do!?!

Who is able to book at 5:30 a.m.? the concierges?

 

[kohler2009]

Who is able to book at 5:30 a.m.? the concierges?

Yes, the Concierge Itinerary Planning Office. I decided to just get up and try to do it online at 6am in case there are any time conflicts. Don't want to wait to hear from them to resolve those!

 

[chinhk]

-- i've seen it asked (and answered) a few times but to repeat: the walkway to the Poly is still open.

Does anyone knows how long it takes to walk from the GF to Poly?

We are considering to have dinner at Kona on a sunday and then off to MK to view wishes.
Instead of taking the monorail or boat, walking from GF to Poly sounds like a good alternative and we will just need to catch the monorail after dinner at Kona to MK.

 

[phyllis1966]

Does anyone knows how long it takes to walk from the GF to Poly?

We are considering to have dinner at Kona on a sunday and then off to MK to view wishes.
Instead of taking the monorail or boat, walking from GF to Poly sounds like a good alternative and we will just need to catch the monorail after dinner at Kona to MK.

Door to door is about 10 minutes at a moderate pace...it's a lovely walk once you get past the construction walls.

 

[Rhongepooh]

Thanks for all the advice everyone!

 

[Sue M]

Just got back from an 8-day / 7-night stay at GF. It was very nice.

A few thoughts to share:

-- the CY pool was terrific. the fence was fine and I had to chuckle thinking that if my biggest problem last week is a fence around the GF pool, I'm probably having a pretty good week!

-- the waterfall wasn't running at the Beach Pool. Lifeguard told me that's been the case for the past couple months. Not sure why.

-- anybody heading there soon will see some new blue walls popping up along the walkway under the monorail (behind the Beach Pool-ish, if I remember correctly). Construction guy said they're just dropping some conduit. It shouldn't be long. Just in case anybody gets freaked out by new walls.

-- we stayed in Boca Chica but I walked up the stairs at Big Pine Key to see the action behind the beach constructions walls. They are very active back there. Same worker (above) said they are replacing all the concrete work back there. Those walls could be the next to come down. But it didn't sound imminent. He guessed June, I think, but it sounded as though he either wasn't sure or it's fluid.

-- i've seen it asked (and answered) a few times but to repeat: the walkway to the Poly is still open.

Overall, a terrific stay.

Glad you had a good trip . Thanks for the info, looks like there us some hope that by my Aug stay the beach walls will be down!

I just received an email from my Travel Agent that was sent to her from the Concierge Itinerary Planning Office. My ADR day is on Sunday. Do concierges have more pull in getting ADR's for concierge guests? Wondering if if makes a difference.

It used to be that concierge had the ability to make some pixie dust in getting ADRs that were booked up, but not any more.

Does anyone knows how long it takes to walk from the GF to Poly?

We are considering to have dinner at Kona on a sunday and then off to MK to view wishes.
Instead of taking the monorail or boat, walking from GF to Poly sounds like a good alternative and we will just need to catch the monorail after dinner at Kona to MK.

When we stayed at Poly, we took monorail to GF for dinner, then decided to walk off dinner back to Poly. It took us 15 or 20 min at a slow stroll. Pretty walk along the lake.

 

[Sue M]

Hope you don't mind me jumping in here, is there much noise from the boats with the marina view?

hi Ziggy! Nice to see you here . I'm staying at GF for the first time in Aug, Pre YC of course it seems like there's not many bad views at GF. I'm torn between the marina view, and people watching with courtyard view! By August I hope to figure it out, lol.

 

[Ziggy]

hi Ziggy! Nice to see you here . I'm staying at GF for the first time in Aug, Pre YC of course it seems like there's not many bad views at GF. I'm torn between the marina view, and people watching with courtyard view! By August I hope to figure it out, lol.

Hi there, I'm looking at all my options depending where DD is placed to work as a CM so its easier to see her as we're only going for a week and she won't get time off. My one memory of the GF marina was when we were on the boat to MK and two teens decided to 'moon' out the window, DD was about five and said they were very silly .

 

[chinhk]

Door to door is about 10 minutes at a moderate pace...it's a lovely walk once you get past the construction walls.

When we stayed at Poly, we took monorail to GF for dinner, then decided to walk off dinner back to Poly. It took us 15 or 20 min at a slow stroll. Pretty walk along the lake.

Thanks for the replies and this amazing thread! Wouldn't have known that there is a walkway between GF and Poly if I'm not subscribed to this thread.

 

[MommyGina]

Thanks I'm a light sleeper too so shall make a note of that. Can you state which building you'd like to be in?

For marina view, other than RPC, I like Sago Cay.

 

[coopersmom]

Has anyone else seen this post with video (and sound) from the current construction at the Grand?

http://www.easywdw.com/uncategorize...rbished-contemporary-rooms-lunch-at-kona-cafe

I gotta say, yikes, not surprising he also says that the Grand is having the lowest guest satisfaction ratings in Disney right now.

 

[MagicPrincess]

Hi everyone! I am struggling with my ADR's...trying to remember the rule of thumb...how much time should I allow for travel to Epcot WS from the GF? Is it 90 minutes?
Thank you!

 

[Ziggy]

Has anyone else seen this post with video (and sound) from the current construction at the Grand?

http://www.easywdw.com/uncategorize...rbished-contemporary-rooms-lunch-at-kona-cafe

I gotta say, yikes, not surprising he also says that the Grand is having the lowest guest satisfaction ratings in Disney right now.

Crikey I don't like the sound of that work going on

 

[blueiis99]

Has anyone else seen this post with video (and sound) from the current construction at the Grand?

http://www.easywdw.com/uncategorize...rbished-contemporary-rooms-lunch-at-kona-cafe

I gotta say, yikes, not surprising he also says that the Grand is having the lowest guest satisfaction ratings in Disney right now.

Oh goodness.... I guess I'm glad we can't go right now.
That sounds like my neighborhood, (we are victums of SANDY, so we hear a lot of that since that storm happened. ugh)

 

[sydneysmom]

Has anyone else seen this post with video (and sound) from the current construction at the Grand?

http://www.easywdw.com/uncategorize...rbished-contemporary-rooms-lunch-at-kona-cafe

I gotta say, yikes, not surprising he also says that the Grand is having the lowest guest satisfaction ratings in Disney right now.

To be honest, reading that was kind of a joke. While the noise stinks, and YES, it does, the article was clearly written by someone who really doesn't seem to like the deluxe resorts or the people that stay there. The entire thing was snotty and sarcastic and seemed like it was meant to belittle anyone associated w/ a deluxe. but okay, to each his own.

As for me, I'll take my beautiful Grand any day of the week. The beginning of the week we had our carpets cleaned. We had furniture and stuff everywhere so it was off the rug. Last year we had the bathrooms and kitchen torn up for remodeling. Did we say we hated our house? Of course not. We still paid the mortgage and lived there. It is what it is and every now and then things need to be refurbished or they go bad. I would rather the GF refurbish and update the resort than for it to go to shambles. Can you imagine the articles if the deluxes were left to deteriorate? Oy.

If the article deters people from going, that's certainly someone's perogative. We debated staying elsewhere while the construction was going on, but we kept coming back saying "it's just not the Grand". But the great thing about Disney are the choices you have.

As for me, in 37 days I'll be checking into the Grand for a fantastic vacation, regardless of the construction. Your vacation and happiness are what you bring yourself, not what someone else can provide. Now, if I get hit with a nail gun, my attitude might change......

 

[MagicPrincess]

To be honest, reading that was kind of a joke. While the noise stinks, and YES, it does, the article was clearly written by someone who really doesn't seem to like the deluxe resorts or the people that stay there. The entire thing was snotty and sarcastic and seemed like it was meant to belittle anyone associated w/ a deluxe. but okay, to each his own.

As for me, I'll take my beautiful Grand any day of the week. The beginning of the week we had our carpets cleaned. We had furniture and stuff everywhere so it was off the rug. Last year we had the bathrooms and kitchen torn up for remodeling. Did we say we hated our house? Of course not. We still paid the mortgage and lived there. It is what it is and every now and then things need to be refurbished or they go bad. I would rather the GF refurbish and update the resort than for it to go to shambles. Can you imagine the articles if the deluxes were left to deteriorate? Oy.


If the article deters people from going, that's certainly someone's perogative. We debated staying elsewhere while the construction was going on, but we kept coming back saying "it's just not the Grand". But the great thing about Disney are the choices you have.

As for me, in 37 days I'll be checking into the Grand for a fantastic vacation, regardless of the construction. Your vacation and happiness are what you bring yourself, not what someone else can provide. Now, if I get hit with a nail gun, my attitude might change......

I totally agree- I thought the same exact thing when I read the article- very snarky and sarcastic.
I can't wait- 60 days!!!