(2014-2020) Disney's GRAND FLORIDIAN RESORT & SPA + VILLAS Information & Questions

[BlueSkies]

Thank you for the recommendations ladies, I'm also thinking I might put a request in for a dormer room, they look so pretty and as it's just me, perfect for a solo traveller.

Sounds good Clare ...the dormer rooms do have a nice cozy feel IMO...Enjoy!

Hi everyone! I got a little surprise in the mail today! It was a cute little box with the Incredibles that says 'Get set for a vacation that's Incredible,' and then there's this cool black box with the Mickey ears image on it inside, and an individualized brochure inside of that - so cute and an example of why I love Disney! I'm guessing this is somewhat new? We haven't been since 2013 and then I think we just got a basic package of info (personalized as well) after we paid in full so this was a fun surprise!!!

Nothing like Mickey mail!!

I like to ride the boat from GF/Poly/MK at all times of the day. If you go at night around EWP and Wishes it is fun to watch those from the boat! and FREE!

I also enjoy exploring all the monorail resorts. Either bar hop or cupcake hop. They have different specialty cupcakes at each QS of the resorts. November can have some really cute Thanksgiving ones

Trish We do the same thing...Its really become a family fave to be on a launch when the fireworks are going off.... Also the idea of a cupcake crawl...lol...You know cause its always about the food...and there are sooooo many delicious options! ok I know that is not a cupcake..lol...but it was as close as I could find...

Quick question... thinking about booking a "outer building" room but there seems to be many bed configurations. We would need the 2Q plus day bed option - can you request that? And what are the chances of getting it? thanks!

As Baler posted all rooms with the exception of king rooms have two queen beds and a day bed... and it seems that those formerly accommodating 4 ..do now accommocdate 5 with the new sofa/day beds that were added during the refurbs....BTW the king rooms have day bed as well...

Unless you book a king, they all have two queens and a daybed. Ignore the description Disney gives, the important part in small wording at the bottom is occupancy 5. Even the deluxe outer rooms are incorrect, since the renovation they also have 2Q and a day bed.

..Now if the website would just be updated...

Looks like us Noreasters are enjoying an actual warm day

This is just a page 3 save!!!

I have an Easter Minnie in Lys Easter Basket of course! Enjoy your weekend peeps and maybe next week we shall get back to planning.

Page three!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol...thanks for the rescue.... Of course you have a Minnie in DDs basket.... Happy Easter to you too!!

Trish, it is 60 for the first time since October!

Tom

Spring might finally have arrived!

Well you can add me to that list!! Our favorite resort has always been the Polynesian, but with all the construction going on we decided to try the Grand Floridan for our stay just last week. We immediately fell in love with the GF. So much so that I can't imagine staying anywhere else. We loved the main pool. It is large enough that it is not overrun with kids. Of course it helps there are two other pools geared towards the little ones. From the minute we arrived the staff was a step above any other Disney Resort. We were greeted by a man with an iPad that escorted us to the front desk and magically the front desk clerk already knew our name ! We arrived at noon and they said our room wasn't ready yet next thing I knew they found a room they could give us immediately in Boca Chica, which was the building we requested. We spent 5 nights there and I was kicking myself that I didn't book 7. Next time!!!

Glad that you had such a grand first experience at the GF....I think that as a result of construction at the Poly the GF has many new fans...Welcome to the GF Groupies... ...We to have always found thee CMs and overall service t the GF to be top notch...Keeps us returning year after year... Besides..the Poly is just a short walk away...Looking forward to visiting the new Trader Sam's during our next trip....

Hope that all of my fellow GF fans have a fabulous Friday... preppy GF Gal who cant wait to start making FPP for our next trip....

 

[BlueSkies]

got15 Single digits!!

I am always looking at that countdown too loveshak ... ....lol....You're right it is kind of like the watched pot... ..but its so exciting as the day count get lower...Disney logic...

 

[loveshak22]

Good morning BlueSkies!! I'm glad I'm not the only one staring at her countdown at 200+ days on here! It seems a little obsessive...but I secretly love it

 

[Sue M]

Looks like us Noreasters are enjoying an actual warm day

This is just a page 3 save!!!

I have an Easter Minnie in Lys Easter Basket of course! Enjoy your weekend peeps and maybe next week we shall get back to planning.

Enjoy your well deserved warm weather!!! I found Disney chocolates here at the Loonie (Dollar) Store!! I picked up some Olafs, Minnie's, Cars, and Darth Vader!!! And you all may recall my daughters are in their 20's
And yes they still get an Easter Egg Hunt

 

[Circusgirl]

I like to ride the boat from GF/Poly/MK at all times of the day. If you go at night around EWP and Wishes it is fun to watch those from the boat! and FREE!

I also enjoy exploring all the monorail resorts. Either bar hop or cupcake hop. They have different specialty cupcakes at each QS of the resorts. November can have some really cute Thanksgiving ones

Cupcake hop is my favorite new plan for my next trip!

 

[trishadono]

I'm trapped upstairs while the guys are finishing putting in my new hardwood on my main level.

So... Here are some of my favorite gf videos:

 

[trishadono]

She has some cute videos of WL and poly too !

 

[trishadono]

This one is disney made and very nice!

 

[Dispro1]

I'm trapped upstairs while the guys are finishing putting in my new hardwood on my main level.

So... Here are some of my favorite gf videos:

My husband swears she filmed the RPC video when we were there last October. He said she and her son were all dressed up as Mary Poppins and someone else for MNSSHP one night. He said he remembers because he had never seen an adult with such an elaborate costume for the party. That video makes me want to go back to GF now! I love it so much! We will probably try to avoid GF when we are at BC this summer, so we won't be sad. We couldn't pass up the 37% AP discount at BC. We really like BC and will have a great time, but nothing compares to GF (at least for us). We can wait until October to return to the Grand Thanks for posting these videos...I hope your floors look gorgeous and are finished soon!

 

[twocat]

Thank you, trishadano, for posting the videos!

I am getting so excited for my trip in 62 days. My friend and I are not going to any parks; we're just staying at the GF, shopping in the area, lots of pool time and just relaxing.

WooHoo--I was just out shopping and bought a great beach bag to take down to the pool with me!

 

[Nanny2004]

Two years ago my baby girl and I (So what if she's 25, she's still my baby. lol) were traveling from Downtown Disney to Magic Kingdom via a Disney bus. We figured it could drop us off at the GF and then we would be one monorail stop away from MK. When we walked into the lobby and saw the beauty and heard the wonderful music, we told ourselves that we would stay here one day. In 18 days that dream will come true! Can't wait to enjoy that beautiful hotel for 6 wonderful nights!

 

[Strikan]

So we are starting to look at options for the GF next year - 2 parents and 2 kids under 18. We would love to try the new 1 bedroom villas but I doubt we will get those seeing as we are not DVC and they will probably not be released until February or so. Anyway, was talking to Disney Travel today and they came up with a number of options. One of them was a one-bedroom suite on the concierge level in the main building. I am not seeing a lot of information about these suites. What I do know is that they are crazy expensive for May next year. What on earth do you get for your $1,700 per night?

Can you get connecting normal rooms at GF instead?

 

[ahcupcake]

Hi remember me long time no post!

Still no trip planned......But always planning fantasy trips. Spent four hours this morning watching a block of Disney programming on TLC, oh and some of it was updated!

Hey to grannyminnie, mickeynut & Blue.........I feel like I could use a day trip to NYC soon

This one is disney made and very nice!

for the videos trishadono

Two years ago my baby girl and I (So what if she's 25, she's still my baby. lol) were traveling from Downtown Disney to Magic Kingdom via a Disney bus. We figured it could drop us off at the GF and then we would be one monorail stop away from MK. When we walked into the lobby and saw the beauty and heard the wonderful music, we told ourselves that we would stay here one day. In 18 days that dream will come true! Can't wait to enjoy that beautiful hotel for 6 wonderful nights!

Congrats on your upcoming trip Nanny2004

 

[loveshak22]

Editing to actually make my comment a reply!! I can't figure out how to delete a post...I'm thinking we can only edit?

 

[loveshak22]

So we are starting to look at options for the GF next year - 2 parents and 2 kids under 18. We would love to try the new 1 bedroom villas but I doubt we will get those seeing as we are not DVC and they will probably not be released until February or so. Anyway, was talking to Disney Travel today and they came up with a number of options. One of them was a one-bedroom suite on the concierge level in the main building. I am not seeing a lot of information about these suites. What I do know is that they are crazy expensive for May next year. What on earth do you get for your $1,700 per night?

Can you get connecting normal rooms at GF instead?

Depending on when you choose to go, there could very well be a room discount available - as an FYI. I have yet to pay rack rate at a Disney hotel, however, that's still a big chunk of change since I've never seen more than a 30-35% off room discount. I just checked the historical discount offers and it looks like there was a room discount of 35% that covered May this year (http://www.mousesavers.com/historical-information-on-walt-disney-world-resort-discounts/#2015). I would definitely imagine there are adjoining rooms that may be cheaper. Also, is the suite in the main building? It is cheaper to stay in one of the outer buildings so that can be an option as well.

I'm guessing the suites are pretty large rooms and so you'll get a decent amount of space for 4 at a monorail resort but there are much cheaper options to get that same luxury.

Concierge level gets you access to the club lounge which has 5 food servings throughout the day at times that correspond with breakfast, lunch, tea, dinner, and dessert with cocktails. These are small portion servings not actual full meals but it can help supplement sit down meals. I'm on my phone so I can't post to the menu but it should be on the first page of the thread. There are some other perks of CL, like having a separate check-in at arrival, having the IPO make meal reservations for you, and turn down service.

I haven't stayed at GF yet. Our first trip is November but this is the best place to ask your question because the folks on here are a great resource!!

 

[ahcupcake]

So we are starting to look at options for the GF next year - 2 parents and 2 kids under 18. We would love to try the new 1 bedroom villas but I doubt we will get those seeing as we are not DVC and they will probably not be released until February or so. Anyway, was talking to Disney Travel today and they came up with a number of options. One of them was a one-bedroom suite on the concierge level in the main building. I am not seeing a lot of information about these suites. What I do know is that they are crazy expensive for May next year. What on earth do you get for your $1,700 per night?

Can you get connecting normal rooms at GF instead?

Congrats on a potential GF stay!

Not sure but, if you are paying cash for a DVC you could book the 1 bedroom villa now.

This is what I know about suites and someone will correct me if I'm wrong, the suites are EXCLUDED from discounts of any kind(AP, % off that type of disc.)..CL(RPC or SL) rooms are included in the discounts.

With either CL you get vacation planning services(they'll make ALL of you adr's)....Grand Beginnings(continental breakfast) will served starting at 7am(coffee will be avail starting at 6:30), 11:30am Refreshments(chips, dips, veggies), 2pm Afternoon Tea, 5pm Twilight refreshers(appetizers & wine/champagne), 8pm Cordials & desserts

Yes they do have connecting rooms in all of the categories.


Hope this helps!

 

[Nanny2004]

Congrats on your upcoming trip Nanny2004

Thanks

 

[Dispro1]

Hi remember me long time no post!

Still no trip planned......But always planning fantasy trips. Spent four hours this morning watching a block of Disney programming on TLC, oh and some of it was updated!

Hey to grannyminnie, mickeynut & Blue.........I feel like I could use a day trip to NYC soon




for the videos trishadono



Congrats on your upcoming trip Nanny2004

Just thought I'd say that I enjoyed some of the TLC Disney programming today too. I actually didn't watch too much of it since we had seen it before, but we recorded the one we hadn't seen before. I can't wait to watch it tomorrow morning while my husband and I have coffee! I hope you plan a trip soon

 

[baler31]

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[baler31]