HAVING A GRAND OLD TIME! The 2013 Grand Floridian Resort & Villas FAQ

[trishadono]

What new visa discounts? Where does one find this??

I called this morning.(not available online). Start was 1/5/14.

I got 35% off at CR in MKV-CL

 

[cgulls]

Yes std is any non suite. You will get a pool or marina view.

Both are nice

In April, we had a nice, unobstructed view of the pool in our Boca Chica Garden View room. Loved it. Do you have any preference for Lagoon View or Pool in Sugarloaf? I think I'm inclined to take whatever they give us but wonder if I should make any requests for our February visit.

 

[trishadono]

In April, we had a nice, unobstructed view of the pool in our Boca Chica Garden View room. Loved it. Do you have any preference for Lagoon View or Pool in Sugarloaf? I think I'm inclined to take whatever they give us but wonder if I should make any requests for our February visit.

We had pool view but I am hoping for marina next time. Dh loves boats

One thing is dormer rooms have smaller balconies. When just dd and I it did not matter but next trip is all 4 of us so I made a "non dormer room " request so we all fit on balcony. Either view will be fine,we need space more.

 

[cgulls]

We had pool view but I am hoping for marina next time. Dh loves boats

One thing is dormer rooms have smaller balconies. When just dd and I it did not matter but next trip is all 4 of us so I made a "non dormer room " request so we all fit on balcony. Either view will be fine,we need space more.

I think we wouldn't get put in a dormer room because we are a family of 5 and the dormer rooms sleep only 4 (that is correct, isn't it?).

Thanks for your insight. I guess there really should be too many crummy views in that building considering how it's sited. Are they any rooms that should be avoided?

 

[mickeynut1]

mickeynut I read mixed reviews on the MBs..I chose a pretty bright green! Maybe I will plan some outfits color coordinate with it!! LOL..

I've seen the colors and I love the bright green . As a matter of fact, I would have a hard time choosing as I think all of the colors are great (except the grey ).

Fabulous day here, Blue!! Wish we could bottle this weather and pull it out when needed...

I agree......our weather was gorgeous here yesterday and today it's cloudy and rain is on the way .

Thanks so much everyone for the good thoughts and kind words. My daughter and I are very close. In fact, she calls me her best friend. We are both going crazy waiting for the trip to get here, and it's all we seem to talk about these days. I'm so excited about the trip that I can hardly focus on work. I'm ashamed to admit that on more than one occasion, I've poked around on the boards and worked on the trip plans during office hours. Sometimes I forget that the real reason we are heading to FL is for a college visit. I don't know what I'm going to do if she does decide to go to UCF next year. I have a son at FSU, and now my daughter at UCF! There definitely won't be much reason for me to keep living 1,000 miles away in Illinois. The next trip I may be planning is a permanent move to be closer to my kids!

How nice that you and your DD are very close . You two are going to have a great time. I can't relate from experience to kids being away at school as my two DSs are going local, but I did have to think about them going away as that was a possibility (and I wasn't doing well with just thinking about them going away). It looks like a move to Florida is a great idea for you......you would have the best of both worlds.....close to your kids and WDW .

If both of my kids moved to Florida when they got older I would be packed before them

Me too .

Does Outer Building Club Level differentiate between "Pool View" and "Lagoon View"? Using the newly released Disney Visa discounts, we upgraded our Garden View to "Outer Building Club Level, Standard Room" and ended up saving a few $$$.

But for that building, I don't know what "Standard" means. Can it be either Pool or Lagoon? Or does "Standard" just refer to the room not being a Suite?

Thanks.

As trishadono said, your view will be either of the courtyard pool or marina. We had a marina view and I loved it, although I think a view of the courtyard would be just as nice .

What new visa discounts? Where does one find this??

As cgulls posted, sometimes Disney Visa holders get advanced notice on promos. From what I've read on other threads, the new promo for a RO discount and S/P/D package offer for select dates January-March is supposed to be released on October 8th .

I already had February room reservations for Yacht Club and GF. I called Disney Reservations this morning and asked for the Disney Visa discounts for my existing reservations. Some rooms available, some not. But it saved us a few $$$ and we got to upgrade! Garden View to Outer Building Club at GF; Garden View to Pool/Lagoon View at YC (though I'm not sure that's much of an upgrade).

Congrats on upgrading your rooms and saving money at the same time .

I got 35% off at CR in MKV-CL

That's a great savings .

In April, we had a nice, unobstructed view of the pool in our Boca Chica Garden View room. Loved it. Do you have any preference for Lagoon View or Pool in Sugarloaf? I think I'm inclined to take whatever they give us but wonder if I should make any requests for our February visit.

I loved our marina view in SL, but IMO, you can't go wrong with either view as they are both nice .

 

[mariamouse]

So it sounds like I jumped the gun and the 35% deluxe discount will actually apply to all of our dates during MLK weekend!

Now we can book wherever we want (as opposed to definitely needing to stay at the WL). We are four adults (mom, dad, sister and me) and are debating between the following for our 5-night stay. Dad will golf every day and just meet up with us for dinner outside of the parks while the three girlies visit the parks and hang at the resort every day:

GF GV
Leaning toward the Grand because there will be no construction and we love the resort grounds. The only thing holding us back is the fact that the room decor is sort of dated in comparison to the other options and we stayed there the most recently (Dec 2011). One member of our party has never stayed there, though, and the other one hasn't been there since 2007.

Poly GV
We were leaning toward the Poly for this trip since we will not have stayed there in ten years! But we are concerned about how far along the Poly might be in construction by then... the pool might be resurfaced then and it is such a focal point of the resort! We love the ambiance there too, though, and appreciate the huge rooms since we are four adults (but not crazy about the sinks being in the bathroom). Two members of our party have never stayed there.

CR TPV
Will not have stayed here in thirteen years! We stayed in what used to be the North Garden Wing back then and said that we would only come back if we were in a theme park view room since the resort grounds don't really wow us. Really the only appeal here is the large room size and that view of MK at night. Only one of our guests has never stayed here.

WL WV/CV
We will have last stayed at the WL eleven years ago for only two nights. Simply stated, the appeal here is the much lower price point and ambiance. The resort might be cozy in a cooler month like January and still convenient to monorail resorts/MK. My main concern with this resort is the smaller room size for four adults. Sort of torn between WV and CV. Two of our guests have not stayed here.


I know all of you guys are big GF fans like me, but what do you think?! Would love some objective opinions from this lovely crew!

 

[k&a&c'smom]

Hello, GF lovers! Once again, sorry I'm so far behind, I've been kind of busy lately.

mariamouse - what a tough choice! Of course, my first choice is always the Grand. But your other options all sound good, too.

I've not stayed at the CR, the theme just doesn't appeal to us at all, but I have to admit the MK views are gorgeous!

The Poly has been a long time favorite, the grounds are beautiful and the rooms are huge. But with the upcoming construction, I would be hesitant to book it. You could go ahead and book, then keep an eye on the construction and switch if necessary. ??

We love WL, especially the courtyard views and of course the lobby and grounds. The rooms are pretty small, though, I don't know if I would want to have 4 adults in one room. I guess it depends on how much time you'll spend in the room?

What about a split stay?

Good luck, choosing the resort(s) is always tough for us, too!

 

[mickeynut1]

So it sounds like I jumped the gun and the 35% deluxe discount will actually apply to all of our dates during MLK weekend!

Now we can book wherever we want (as opposed to definitely needing to stay at the WL). We are four adults (mom, dad, sister and me) and are debating between the following for our 5-night stay. Dad will golf every day and just meet up with us for dinner outside of the parks while the three girlies visit the parks and hang at the resort every day:

GF GV
Leaning toward the Grand because there will be no construction and we love the resort grounds. The only thing holding us back is the fact that the room decor is sort of dated in comparison to the other options and we stayed there the most recently (Dec 2011). One member of our party has never stayed there, though, and the other one hasn't been there since 2007.

Poly GV
We were leaning toward the Poly for this trip since we will not have stayed there in ten years! But we are concerned about how far along the Poly might be in construction by then... the pool might be resurfaced then and it is such a focal point of the resort! We love the ambiance there too, though, and appreciate the huge rooms since we are four adults (but not crazy about the sinks being in the bathroom). Two members of our party have never stayed there.

CR TPV
Will not have stayed here in thirteen years! We stayed in what used to be the North Garden Wing back then and said that we would only come back if we were in a theme park view room since the resort grounds don't really wow us. Really the only appeal here is the large room size and that view of MK at night. Only one of our guests has never stayed here.

WL WV/CV
We will have last stayed at the WL eleven years ago for only two nights. Simply stated, the appeal here is the much lower price point and ambiance. The resort might be cozy in a cooler month like January and still convenient to monorail resorts/MK. My main concern with this resort is the smaller room size for four adults. Sort of torn between WV and CV. Two of our guests have not stayed here.


I know all of you guys are big GF fans like me, but what do you think?! Would love some objective opinions from this lovely crew!

I won't be of much help as I think all of your choices are great and I don't think you can go wrong with any of them. We've never stayed at the CR, but we're trying it for the first time in December. The theme does nothing for us (which is the reason we've never stayed there), but my DH wanted to try it and I can honestly say I am looking forward to it as the more I've researched and looked at pictures, I'm getting excited . The Poly is our favorite resort (although I do love the GF ) and if you don't think the construction will be a huge issue, that would probably be my choice. With that said, we have had 2 great stays at the WL and that is also a favorite of ours. But as k&a&c'smom posted, the rooms are quite a bit smaller and although I do consider the WL when pricing trips and deciding where to stay, it's hard for us to go back to the smaller room after experiencing the space at the others (and there's 4 of us). Good luck deciding, but I do know how hard it is to choose.

Hello, GF lovers! Once again, sorry I'm so far behind, I've been kind of busy lately.

Glad to see you back. Hope things settle down a little for you .

 

[k&a&c'smom]

....



Glad to see you back. Hope things settle down a little for you .

Thanks! I've missed keeping up with all the plans.

Congrats on trying the CR - we had it booked one year, but ended up switching to the Grand. Hard to believe, I know.

 

[grannyminnie]

We've stayed in every building but Sago, cgulls, and all but one was perfect! And that one was in Big Pine Key, where we had a view of the back of the pool house...however, there was also lots of nice landscaping and RPC within our sight. As for the SL choices, of pool or lagoon view, I thought the lagoon view was a tad better..but that's just my personal choice. However, as mickeynut said, you can't go wrong either way!

 

[grannyminnie]

I called this morning.(not available online). Start was 1/5/14.

I got 35% off at CR in MKV-CL

Lucky you!!

 

[mariamouse]

Hello, GF lovers! Once again, sorry I'm so far behind, I've been kind of busy lately.

mariamouse - what a tough choice! Of course, my first choice is always the Grand. But your other options all sound good, too.

I've not stayed at the CR, the theme just doesn't appeal to us at all, but I have to admit the MK views are gorgeous!

The Poly has been a long time favorite, the grounds are beautiful and the rooms are huge. But with the upcoming construction, I would be hesitant to book it. You could go ahead and book, then keep an eye on the construction and switch if necessary. ??

We love WL, especially the courtyard views and of course the lobby and grounds. The rooms are pretty small, though, I don't know if I would want to have 4 adults in one room. I guess it depends on how much time you'll spend in the room?

What about a split stay?

Good luck, choosing the resort(s) is always tough for us, too!

So nice to see you again k&a&c'smom! Thank you for your thoughts! They pretty much exactly match my own. Because we are only staying 5 nights, I don't think we'll feel up to a split stay this time around (as awesome as those can be)! We were actually warming up to the WL idea, but think the bigger room size at the monorail resorts will make a big difference for this particular trip.

As it turns out, I just called Disney to book the RO Disney Visa discount! The Poly was completely sold out confused3) and we just can't seem to get excited enough about CR just yet, so I booked GV at the Grand!

I'm going to keep tabs on the Poly construction and availability in the coming months (maybe even make another reservation if it does open up?), but it looks like we'll most likely be back at the Grand in a little over three months!

I won't be of much help as I think all of your choices are great and I don't think you can go wrong with any of them. We've never stayed at the CR, but we're trying it for the first time in December. The theme does nothing for us (which is the reason we've never stayed there), but my DH wanted to try it and I can honestly say I am looking forward to it as the more I've researched and looked at pictures, I'm getting excited . The Poly is our favorite resort (although I do love the GF ) and if you don't think the construction will be a huge issue, that would probably be my choice. With that said, we have had 2 great stays at the WL and that is also a favorite of ours. But as k&a&c'smom posted, the rooms are quite a bit smaller and although I do consider the WL when pricing trips and deciding where to stay, it's hard for us to go back to the smaller room after experiencing the space at the others (and there's 4 of us). Good luck deciding, but I do know how hard it is to choose.

Thank you, mickeynut1! I always appreciate your posts and feel like we are almost always on the same page. I know how much you love the Poly and it's definitely possible that we could still end up there. Either way, though, we will have quick access via monorail/walkway to either the GF or Poly!

 

[BlueSkies]

Thanks so much everyone for the good thoughts and kind words. My daughter and I are very close. In fact, she calls me her best friend. We are both going crazy waiting for the trip to get here, and it's all we seem to talk about these days. I'm so excited about the trip that I can hardly focus on work. I'm ashamed to admit that on more than one occasion, I've poked around on the boards and worked on the trip plans during office hours. Sometimes I forget that the real reason we are heading to FL is for a college visit. I don't know what I'm going to do if she does decide to go to UCF next year. I have a son at FSU, and now my daughter at UCF! There definitely won't be much reason for me to keep living 1,000 miles away in Illinois. The next trip I may be planning is a permanent move to be closer to my kids!

I would say having two children in college in the sunny old state of Florida is a great reason to relocate...and being near Disney cant hurt either...

Does Outer Building Club Level differentiate between "Pool View" and "Lagoon View"? Using the newly released Disney Visa discounts, we upgraded our Garden View to "Outer Building Club Level, Standard Room" and ended up saving a few $$$.

But for that building, I don't know what "Standard" means. Can it be either Pool or Lagoon? Or does "Standard" just refer to the room not being a Suite?

Thanks.

You hit the nail on the head so to speak cgulls standard room in SL means its a regular room and not a suite..There are 3 lodge tower room in SL..they are also considered part of the standard category..even tho in any other building that would be a bookable category...Congrats on being able to upgrade and get the new discount code too!

I called this morning.(not available online). Start was 1/5/14.

I got 35% off at CR in MKV-CL

Congratualtions to you too Trisha on getting the discount CR MKV CL...that is a category that not easy to get with a discount usually! Are you switching resorts for your January trip...??

I think we wouldn't get put in a dormer room because we are a family of 5 and the dormer rooms sleep only 4 (that is correct, isn't it?).

Thanks for your insight. I guess there really should be too many crummy views in that building considering how it's sited. Are they any rooms that should be avoided?

Both views are lovely..just depends on your preference..we really like the courtyard pool view... looks across the courtyard with a view of the pool (of course! LOL..) and BPK..and is especially pretty in the evening when the pool is lit up...the marina view is so nice too...has kind of a tranquil ambience! There is only one room that I can think of that I would recommend avoiding..its on the first floor..right next to the laundry pick up area...sorry but I'm not sure of the room number...I think it might be 6122...

grannieminnie The weather has been lovely in our neck of the woods too...We have been enjoying it! Bottling it sounds like a wonderful idea!

Mickeynut I agree ..we really do appreciate the size of the rooms at the GF (CR too!) ... and I think that the rooms are well laid out ..the seperate sink area at the GF makes it so much easier for a family to get ready in the morning...

mariamouse Decisions...decisions... so many good choices...and with a discount too!!! Good luck deciding...BTW..my vote is for the GF!! Have a great family trip!

k&a&c'smom Hi! Good to "see" you back!

And happy Thursday to all of my fellow GF fans!

 

[BlueSkies]

k&a&c'smom Seems that we were composing at the same time..lol..and posting at almost the same time too..again!

Hey grannieminnie

 

[mickeynut1]

Thanks! I've missed keeping up with all the plans.

Congrats on trying the CR - we had it booked one year, but ended up switching to the Grand. Hard to believe, I know.

When we started planning this trip, I was asking my DH and two DSs for opinions on where to stay and my DH suggested we try somewhere new. Once I mentioned the CR, he said lets try there since we've already stayed at the other 2 monorail resorts. Even though I wasn't too thrilled with it as the CR has never appealed to me, once I started researching and looking at pics I changed my view and am now very excited. The theme hasn't become any more appealing to me, but I am excited to give it a try. I did price out RPC and even with the fall discount, that was still coming out quite a bit more than the CR (and the GF had a bigger discount ), so saving money and trying a new resort will be fun .

As it turns out, I just called Disney to book the RO Disney Visa discount! The Poly was completely sold out confused3) and we just can't seem to get excited enough about CR just yet, so I booked GV at the Grand!

I'm going to keep tabs on the Poly construction and availability in the coming months (maybe even make another reservation if it does open up?), but it looks like we'll most likely be back at the Grand in a little over three months!



Thank you, mickeynut1! I always appreciate your posts and feel like we are almost always on the same page. I know how much you love the Poly and it's definitely possible that we could still end up there. Either way, though, we will have quick access via monorail/walkway to either the GF or Poly!

Congrats on getting the GF . I think it's a good idea to keep checking for the Poly. If you find construction to be too much, you've got the GF; otherwise, the Poly might just become available with little interference from construction . But like you said, either way you will have a fabulous time .

Thank you for your kind words . I love reading about everyone's experiences and opinions too......makes me think of some things I might not have otherwise thought of .

Mickeynut I agree ..we really do appreciate the size of the rooms at the GF (CR too!) ... and I think that the rooms are well laid out ..the seperate sink area at the GF makes it so much easier for a family to get ready in the morning...

It doesn't take much to get used to the extra room. We do love the WL and AKL and wouldn't hesitate to stay at either one again, but it is hard to give up the larger room (especially with a family of 4 with 2 adult boys ).

 

[mariamouse]

When we started planning this trip, I was asking my DH and two DSs for opinions on where to stay and my DH suggested we try somewhere new. Once I mentioned the CR, he said lets try there since we've already stayed at the other 2 monorail resorts. Even though I wasn't too thrilled with it as the CR has never appealed to me, once I started researching and looking at pics I changed my view and am now very excited. The theme hasn't become any more appealing to me, but I am excited to give it a try. I did price out RPC and even with the fall discount, that was still coming out quite a bit more than the CR (and the GF had a bigger discount ), so saving money and trying a new resort will be fun .



Congrats on getting the GF . I think it's a good idea to keep checking for the Poly. If you find construction to be too much, you've got the GF; otherwise, the Poly might just become available with little interference from construction . But like you said, either way you will have a fabulous time .

Thank you for your kind words . I love reading about everyone's experiences and opinions too......makes me think of some things I might not have otherwise thought of .



It doesn't take much to get used to the extra room. We do love the WL and AKL and wouldn't hesitate to stay at either one again, but it is hard to give up the larger room (especially with a family of 4 with 2 adult boys ).

I'm sure you will have a blast at the CR! Better to try new things (IMO) than always stick with the same place! Plus, you will have time at your favorite resort too.

And thank you again! I think my dad is actually more excited about the GF than the Poly anyway, so I have a feeling we might end up staying put even if the Poly does become available.

I'm sure my dad will appreciate having some extra space from us three girls!

 

[mickeynut1]

I'm sure you will have a blast at the CR! Better to try new things (IMO) than always stick with the same place! Plus, you will have time at your favorite resort too.

And thank you again! I think my dad is actually more excited about the GF than the Poly anyway, so I have a feeling we might end up staying put even if the Poly does become available.

I'm sure my dad will appreciate having some extra space from us three girls!

I agree......we have our favorite(s), but we also like to try new resorts. I am excited to try the CR.....we visit every trip for shopping, eating, and just walking around so it will be nice to see what it's like to actually stay there .

You're welcome......I think your dad will love the GF. Even though the Poly is our favorite, I do love the GF for different reasons.....it's hard not to . You are going to have a fabulous trip .

 

[grannyminnie]

Mariamouse, I'm glad to see you were able to get a discount so that you could move to the monorail resorts and get more space!
We love WL but there's only two of us so the smaller rooms there are not a problem.
We have never tried CR. The theming just doesn't wow us. I have to see alot of "Mickey-ness" in my resort choice!
Love the Poly, but it's kind of dark for our taste..

Quigs3, I've been trying to figure out how to convince my DH to move down to Florida for years!! He's not buying into it... Its' my sis and I who go see Mickey at least twice a year. If I could work down there seasonally, I would!!

Right now, our decision for this upcoming trip is whether or not to try Citrico's for the first time. We like Narcoosee's, and love the GF Cafe, but want to go somewhere different. V&A is not an option...no way am I gonna sink that much money into a dinner!!!

Hi Blue...

I see that new RO discounts have opened up for the new year... I feel another trip in my future.. (thanks, Mickeynut)

 

[k&a&c'smom]

We've stayed in every building but Sago, cgulls, and all but one was perfect! And that one was in Big Pine Key, where we had a view of the back of the pool house...however, there was also lots of nice landscaping and RPC within our sight. As for the SL choices, of pool or lagoon view, I thought the lagoon view was a tad better..but that's just my personal choice. However, as mickeynut said, you can't go wrong either way!

Adding my agreement, too - either view is great in SL. You are right about all the buildings being good for various reasons, we've been in all buildings now and there's not a bad spot in the bunch. Sago was our least favorite, but just because we like being nearer the action - for a quiet room, you can't beat it.

The dreaded pool house view - argh! Sounds like you made the best of it, though.

So nice to see you again k&a&c'smom! Thank you for your thoughts! They pretty much exactly match my own. Because we are only staying 5 nights, I don't think we'll feel up to a split stay this time around (as awesome as those can be)! We were actually warming up to the WL idea, but think the bigger room size at the monorail resorts will make a big difference for this particular trip.

As it turns out, I just called Disney to book the RO Disney Visa discount! The Poly was completely sold out confused3) and we just can't seem to get excited enough about CR just yet, so I booked GV at the Grand!

I'm going to keep tabs on the Poly construction and availability in the coming months (maybe even make another reservation if it does open up?), but it looks like we'll most likely be back at the Grand in a little over three months!



....

Woohoo! The Grand in 3 months. I'll bet you can't wait.

A split with only 5 days is harder - we've done it, but I prefer at least 3 days per resort.

....
Both views are lovely..just depends on your preference..we really like the courtyard pool view... looks across the courtyard with a view of the pool (of course! LOL..) and BPK..and is especially pretty in the evening when the pool is lit up...the marina view is so nice too...has kind of a tranquil ambience! There is only one room that I can think of that I would recommend avoiding..its on the first floor..right next to the laundry pick up area...sorry but I'm not sure of the room number...I think it might be 6122...

....


mariamouse Decisions...decisions... so many good choices...and with a discount too!!! Good luck deciding...BTW..my vote is for the GF!! Have a great family trip!

k&a&c'smom Hi! Good to "see" you back!

Good to be back, thanks! I made several trips out to STL, I was meeting myself coming and going. Finally back home for a while.

I laughed at your "my vote is for the GF" - who could have guessed?!

Thanks for mentioning the room next to the laundry area. We had a pool view room that overlooked the corral for the mousekeeping supplies, and that was probably a floor or two above the one you mention. Not bad looking straight out, but if you looked down it was a bit unsightly.

k&a&c'smom Seems that we were composing at the same time..lol..and posting at almost the same time too..again!

Of course we were!

When we started planning this trip, I was asking my DH and two DSs for opinions on where to stay and my DH suggested we try somewhere new. Once I mentioned the CR, he said lets try there since we've already stayed at the other 2 monorail resorts. Even though I wasn't too thrilled with it as the CR has never appealed to me, once I started researching and looking at pics I changed my view and am now very excited. The theme hasn't become any more appealing to me, but I am excited to give it a try. I did price out RPC and even with the fall discount, that was still coming out quite a bit more than the CR (and the GF had a bigger discount ), so saving money and trying a new resort will be fun .



....

I agree, trying something new is always fun and saving money is a plus! I'm sure you'll have a great time.

 

[jillmc40]

A split with only 5 days is harder - we've done it, but I prefer at least 3 days per resort.

Good to be back, thanks! I made several trips out to STL, I was meeting myself coming and going. Finally back home for a while.

I am originally from STL but now I live in NJ. We still go back every year to visit my family, although now my brother has a house at the lake and we spend most of our time there How far are you from STL?

We almost always do a split stay. We go for about 10 days, spend a week in a TS off-site and then stay the last 3 nights anywhere we want on property. We like to explore, however, we bought VGF so that I could ensure our exploring would usually be done at GF

If we are going for a short trip we will just stay put.

Currently my plan now is to do our first night at Narcoosee's and watch the fireworks, and our second night at Citricos. I just couldn't decide This will probably change 100 times, but that is ok, I have to pass the time somehow!

This is the month for the Grand Opening of VGF!!! I am so excited to hear about it! Wish I was going to be there