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

[2012DisneyWorldBride]

4 days till we check into The Grand for our second anniversary trip!!! We are so excited to stay at Grand Floridian again during this time of year.

 

[BlueSkies]

Hello fellow GF fans!!!

Safe travels and good wishes for magical and grand vacations for all who are leaving soon!! Nothing as festive as being at the world and especially at the GF over the holidays! We are under the 2 month mark.... and wishing that the time would fly by....well almost...lol..don't want to wish away Christmas or New Year...

Hope that everyone is having a wonderful Wednesday!

 

[rachelsmom97]

We are planning an early dinner at Citrico's and would like to view the fireworks while at the resort. Can you view the fireworks from the beach like you can at the Polynesian? Or is there another location to view the fireworks from.

Thanks!

 

[BlueSkies]

We are planning an early dinner at Citrico's and would like to view the fireworks while at the resort. Can you view the fireworks from the beach like you can at the Polynesian? Or is there another location to view the fireworks from.

Thanks!

The best viewing for the fireworks at the GF is the marina area in front of Gaperilla's....and also from the boat dock...in that area you can hear the music as well becuase they pipe it into the deck at Narcoosee's restuarant which is just a stones throw from the boat dock...

 

[shoppgirl]

So excited for everyone checking in very soon!! We will be returning to the Grand in 48 HOURS!!!!! I did my online checkin and also requested BPK upper floor. I hope we get it!

 

[KonaKaiTom]

So excited for everyone checking in very soon!! We will be returning to the Grand in 48 HOURS!!!!! I did my online checkin and also requested BPK upper floor. I hope we get it!

I'm so jealous of all of you -- I was about to do the dorky happy dance that I'm down to 60 days and just booked my FPP -- and all of you are arriving at the GF is hours or days.

Oh the heck with it, happy dance anyhow.!!!

Tom

 

[Jennygt]

What is the best choice for mk view? Conch or sago? Thanks

 

[smidgy]

WE ARE so EXCITED !!! We will be there 4 nights at the villas. april 17.. we ahve been to WDW about 23 times .. we go, hubby nebo and I, about 2X a year. trying to stay at all the resorts, but never, ever thought we would stay at GF!!!

our friends rented us points and theyhave been trying, since it opened, to get us into GF . see, my husband has macular degenration and these past couple years it has really progresed. I really hoped we would get in theis last sept.. I really want him to stay in this beautiful resort while he can still see it. at least in the day time.


we have 1 night standard view studio and 3 nights lake view. we are wait listed for that 1 night for lake view (just so we don't have to change rooms. we would have preferred standard, not only for the lower points, but it seems like they have some pretty ineteresting views as opposed to a lot of standard views)


we are planning on doing only a little park touring at MK during the stay. going to enjoy the resort. dining at one of the best kept secrets Grand Floridian Cafe.. taking the boats over to Ft. wilderness for the Trails End buffet and doing a lot of relaxing by the pools!

where would you watch wishes from at the resort? outside the gasparilla grill? on the balcony outside narcosses?

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

Morning GF'rs!

I get to check in online Monday morning!!

This morning I had my alarm set for the Cinderella Breakfast at GF, but for $182 for 3 of us, i passed.

We did the princess breakfast last year and while my DD enjoyed it..she is 16 and I don't think it is worth another big price for us.

 

[KonaKaiTom]

Morning GF'rs!

I get to check in online Monday morning!!

This morning I had my alarm set for the Cinderella Breakfast at GF, but for $182 for 3 of us, i passed.

We did the princess breakfast last year and while my DD enjoyed it..she is 16 and I don't think it is worth another big price for us.

We have a first time visitor coming with us in February (we will be there a couple of days befoe you) and since he's out of college, we decided he didn't need to do CRT -- however, we booked Donald's Safari Breakfast at AK in the Tusker House -since I have free dining, it only counts as a TS meal, or if we do OOP it is $30 per person and includes Donald, Mickey, Goofy and Daisy (or so I was told).

Tom

 

[Aurora0427]

Our countdown is in single digits, too, Aurora! Having caught the bug du jourduring our last December trip, we asked our GP about precautionary meds and he wrote us a prescription!

If you didn't already know...

We can't wait!!!

I hope you guys stay healthy and have a magical vacation!

 

[followthatmouse]

I hope you guys stay healthy and have a magical vacation!

I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time, Aurora! Travel safely!

 

[KonaKaiTom]

Good morning my GF friends, I bring you greetings from the balmy State of Connecticut where it is currently 17 degrees, but with the windchill feels like 4!

So, now that we are withhin the 60 day window I did my FPP over the weekend. It appears, and I'm hoping I'm wrong, that even though I bought Park Hoppers, that the FPP doesn't park hop - -I get to make 3 Fast Pass Plus selections and only at 1 park? Once those are used up, then I do the kiosk/smart phone request? We were hoping to do a combined day at Epcot and DHS -- so we wanted to do the TSMM, Stunt Spectacular and then come back to Epcot for Soarin' It appears I violate a bunch of rules - first both TSMM and Soarin' are "tier 1 rides" and you can only FPP 1 per day? And 2, I need to do 3 rides at DHS before I am eligble for a new FPP at Epcot?
This is progress? Please tell me my brain is "Frozen" .

Tom

 

[ppiew]

Personal observation is you will be doing a lot of travel time between two parks. Also Stunt Spectacular is rarely full so personally i wouldn't waste a FP on that one. Could be wrong but that is what i recall in the multitude of times i have been to Disney. I also LOVE FP and find i see and do so much more with it than without. Yes the FPP are one park per day, never found that to be a problem at all. We always went on whatever rides had no line exceeding 30 minute wait (my choice) and saw so much more.
If you can stay in one park per day it is much better in my view. Transferring between parks uses up a LOT of time.

 

[KonaKaiTom]

Personal observation is you will be doing a lot of travel time between two parks. Also Stunt Spectacular is rarely full so personally i wouldn't waste a FP on that one. Could be wrong but that is what i recall in the multitude of times i have been to Disney. I also LOVE FP and find i see and do so much more with it than without. Yes the FPP are one park per day, never found that to be a problem at all. We always went on whatever rides had no line exceeding 30 minute wait (my choice) and saw so much more.
If you can stay in one park per day it is much better in my view. Transferring between parks uses up a LOT of time.

Traveling between Epcot and DHS takes a lot of time? Even if I walk it is 20 minutes. Most of the parks, except AK, are open for 12 hours a day -- we've been known to do at least 2 in the same day, and when MK is open until 1am, we've started the morning in AK for a Safari, take a bus to an Epcot resort from there, do Epcot and then monorail back to TTC and monorail to MK for the late night fun.

I am very limited, due to breaking my neck in 4 places in a car accident, as to what rides I can do -- as in I can't do any rollercoasters, nor the TOT, so that is why I am "dumping" FPP rides on non-thrill rides. All I really want to do on that day is TSMM and Soarin'. As you can see by my signature, this isn't my first trip - I've never used FPP before - when we were there in October, we only went for F&W and never left Epcot. This time we all all veterans except for 1 who is going for his first time. So, I wanted to do the rides that I could.

Tom

 

[ppiew]

Sorry, I too was in a serious car accident(2 vertebrae, 10 ribs, and an ankle that has had me in crutches for 5 mo and still limping) and there is NO way i could walk to the Studio from EPCOT and as such we take the boat. I don't think in my BEST physical condition I could walk from EPCOT to Boardwalk to DHS in 10 min. In October that was a 20 minute boat ride plus wait time, plus walking into the park from the boat landing. (I use a scooter most of the time) Total time was nearly 45 minutes.
I am one who likes to people watch, stop and see the outside entertainment etc. and to ME travel between parks is to be avoided unless it is the fireworks or something of that nature. Perhaps my idea of a full day at WDW is more laid back as I also don't do 12 hrs of theme park time. We stop for a nice sit down dinner and leave the park early. So I guess my choice is a much slower pace than most. I was only voicing my opinion of the way I would see the parks and FP has been a Godsend - love it!!!

 

[KonaKaiTom]

Moving this thread back where it belongs - the first page -- because like all the kind posters on this thread -- it is the finest of threads on Disboards!

Tom

 

[MouseOfGold]

Just returned from another magical stay. We booked a BB for Oct. '15 and we will be staying at the GF for the first time. I always love visiting GF, looking forward to staying there.

 

[grannyminnie]

Moving this thread back where it belongs - the first page -- because like all the kind posters on this thread -- it is the finest of threads on Disboards!

Tom

I have noticed recently we've been relegated to the second page. Everyone must be busy with Christmas preparations!

 

[BlueSkies]

Moving this thread back where it belongs - the first page -- because like all the kind posters on this thread -- it is the finest of threads on Disboards!

Tom

Well said ..and thanks Tom for the page 2 rescue!!

Just returned from another magical stay. We booked a BB for Oct. '15 and we will be staying at the GF for the first time. I always love visiting GF, looking forward to staying there.

Congrats on booking the Gf for your next stay! And with a BB too... Be prepared though..bet this first Grand stay wont be your last!

I have noticed recently we've been relegated to the second page. Everyone must be busy with Christmas preparations!

For me..holiday preparation has defintely gotten in the way of one of my fave leisure pass times... Hanging right here with all of my fellow GF fans... And my Christmas shopping is still not done!!! How about you grannyminnie..??

Shouting out to my fellow GF pals.. MickeyNut..Hope all is well..we need to spend some time catching up..soon!! .and my fellow obsessive WDW planner..you know its true.. Trish..get that planning going girl!!! and last but certainly not least k&a&c'smom..Hope that all is well with you too....and that you will be back here sharing info and your wonderful pics soon....

I was in Florida visiting family and we decided to get in some Disney time...and...since we were gonna be at Disney..had to stop at the GF..lol...which is looking magnificent in all of its Christmas finery.... from the tree to all of the decorated garlands..... What a way to get in the spirit of the season....

Hope that everyone is keeping warm...and getting better prepared for the holidays that are just about upon us than I am... preppy GF gal who needs to finish up the Christmas shopping soon!