Well, I am very glad that I got on this thread and let you GF lovers help me make up my mind not to switch resorts to the Poly due to the construction. We just got back from a wonderful week stay. We had none of the issues of the previous year, except for the slow bus service and sharing of buses.
ME was a bit slow because we, as last year, were the 4th stop (WL, Contemporary, Poly, and then GF).
When we got there, we got some major pixie dust! We were upgraded from garden view to theme park view! It was fantastic! I was absolutely thrilled! Apparently, we were set to get a not so lovely view of construction in a not so great room, and the absolutely wonderful CM decided that we shouldn't have to look at that for a week, and got us fixed up. Best room I have ever had at Disney, I loved the view. We could see the castle, train station, Space Mountain, Contemporary, Poly and the tips of the Wilderness Lodge all from our window and patio and watch the boats go by. So glad I didn't change! LOVED IT! I could have sat on that patio all day and been perfectly happy.
We also did not have the issues we had in the room last year, so it must have been a fluke. Last year the mattress was so uncomfortable and hard as a rock that I barely slept for an entire week, and my back hurt (which isn't normal for me as I don't have back issues). This year the mattress and pillows were wonderful, so we must have just gotten a bad mattress/room last year. I slept fantastic the whole week, and was missing my GF bed and pillow last night when we got home from our trip. DD and I have sensitive skin and last year the backs of our legs and arms would be broken out/rashy where they touched the bed every morning, it would take until about noon for it to clear up, and then the next morning it would be that way again which has never happened at a Disney resort. We figured it was the laundry detergent the GF was using. If it was, they must have switched detergents because it did not happen, and everything was perfect. Really, the only reason I booked GF again after the room issues last year was that DD begged because she loves it there at Christmas and thinks it is Cinderella's hotel and the lobby is so gorgeous at Christmas. I figured I would just deal with it like the year before, and I was thrilled that I didn't have to this year because things were perfect! The only issue I have is that they have started spraying the same scent as they use in the Beach Club into the lobby/common area of the outer buildings which I am very allergic to, so I would have coughing fits going in and out of the building. I guess they use it in the main lobby too when they don't have the Christmas smells going like they have right now. So, if you have allergies like I do, that might be a concern in staying there.
As far as the construction, I don't know what they are currently doing in the pool area or GG because we did not hear or see a thing the entire week we were there. The walls aren't that bad because they keep the greenery and bushes very nice around them. They are still doing movies on the lawn by the pool for the kids even with the construction. When we stayed at the
Disneyland Hotel during their remodel, the construction was much more noticable than at GF. Now, the construction of the GF villas is pretty unsightly as it is basically a bare bones steel structure right now, and you can see them working on it all the time. All in all, the construction didn't bother us at all. Now, if the Christmas season is over so you don't get the beautiful decorations and you are a big swimmer, it might be an issue for you not to have the main pool.
The bus service to DHS and AK was a pain in the mornings, and if you came back at a busy time. GF still shares with the Contemporary and the Poly. GF is testing a board that shows you when the next bus is scheduled to arrive which goes by GPS. They have had it a month or two according to the CMs we talked to. The problem is that once it was correct when we walked up, but other than that, you sit there and watch it change times, so it really isn't much help. On both our AK and DHS mornings, we got there and the bus was showing it would be there within 5 minutes, and both times we watched the time get farther and farther away until it was 20 or 25 minutes past its original time. The CM advised us that the problem is that with resort bus sharing and it running by GPS that the times change as circumstances change, so that every time they have to load or unload a wheelchair or ECV it can really throw off and delay the times.
GG being closed was a pain. If you are breakfast CS eaters like we are, your options are severely limited. There are definitely no mickey waffles, pancakes or sausage. The first morning, DD (6) got a box with a blueberry muffin (kid sized), yogurt, and grapes, but she complained that the blueberry muffin was dry and the yogurt tasted funny. After that her breakfast for the entire week consisted of a plastic thing of fruit loops and orange juice, as they really didn't have anything she would eat with GG closed. I had a blueberry muffin the next day, and I have to agree it was really dry. I'm not sure it was fresh. They did have some really good packaged fruit though. It also was a pain not having a 24 hour CS which is one of the big benefits of GF in our opinion. Hopefully GG will be open again soon for upcoming visitors. Although GG being closed was a bit of an annoyance, it was more than made up for by the beautiful lobby, our room view and comfort, and all the great service by great CMs throughout our stay. I did not want to leave!
Thanks everyone for all your tips and help!
