Is GF worth the extra money?

[wisnieea]

Personally I wont be able to afford the grand floridian anytime soon (im a canadian university student) so I guess I am kind of biased

However, $2000 is the cost of an entire trip for me so even if I had the money I would rather use it toward another trip.

 

[lugnut33]

At first I was like, "why is this guy asking if his girl friend is worth the extra money"?

Then I was like, "Ohhhh, he means the Grand Floridian".

 

[KellyNY]

Deluxes are great and you have to be very comfortable with a price. If you thinking of justifying the price then it is not your call. You should be prepared to spend even more for view room, all the fine dining, spa and so on. That is what deluxes are all about, not just access to monorail. if you want just a taste of it, stay for 1 night or just visit resort, there are plenty you can do there. My limit is moderate with discounts, so I am not even considering deluxe, some day I hope I will be comfortable to spend all the exra money and stay at deluxe however. BTW, my favorite is Poly not GF.

 

[GSDRescuer]

I would stay at a moderate, WL or AKL and use the extra $2000 towards the next trip.
OR I would just stay at GF 1-2 days then transfer.

 

[disyady]

Short answer...Yes, it's worth it. Now for the reasons why...

Disney World is all about making dreams come true for people of all ages. If you've always wanted to stay at the GF, and you've reached a point in your life where you can afford to do so, then I say go for it. 3 Years ago I faced the same decision. That year I took my g/f to the All Star movies with free dining, and had a fun trip. But, I kept looking over to the Contemporary. I have always wanted to stay there in a MK view room. Well, after getting home I did some research and found out how much it would cost to stay there for a week. I then figured how much I'd have to save up each month for a year to do it. The final number was very much within my means, so I went for it. Turns out it was the best vacation I've taken. I can't even begin to explain how excited I was when I first saw the CR through the windshield of the ME bus (despite all the splattered bugs on the windshield, actually posted that pic somewhere before )

I do spend most of my time at the parks. But every time I crested the hill of Splash Mountain, or looked over from Summit Plummet or the Top of Everest and saw the CR, I got this happy feeling knowing I was finally staying there. Because i did enjoy it so much, i actually took some extra time away from the parks to swim in the pool, or have a drink at the outer rim. Me, at Disney, not in the parks during operating hours? Unheard of

The trip was so much better because I was at the CR, that I quickly made the decision that it was worth it to go every other year instead of every year if it meant staying at the CR again. Many have said on this thread to use the extra money to eat at V&A's, go to spas, etc. Why do that if I have no interest in that? My interest is staying at the CR again. I'll be doing so in 3 days and I can't wait. Follow your heart, try the GF. If you've dreamed as long as I have about the CR, it will be very, very special

Such a lovely post. I couldn't agree more or come close to saying it better.

 

[DisneyBrideToni]

Our nickname for the Grand Floridian is "The Redneck Ritz".

Make of that what you will, but in 49 trips we've never stayed there .

We prefer the Wilderness Lodge.

I would think a resort with the name Wilderness Lodge would attract the most rednecks.

Anyway, I stayed at the Grand Floridian this past February and really wasn't all that impressed. It just seemed like an ordinary hotel to me. The grounds are beautiful but I think there are more impressive resorts in Disney.

 

[ReneeA]

We probably won't ever spend the money on the GF. We go at least annually and just can't justify the additional expense. My kids LOVE the pool slide at CSR and DH & I like CSR because it's got queen sized beds and been recently refurbed.

I think if I was able to afford a few trips to the GF, I'd rather put that money aside to have a nice downpayment on DVC...but that's just me.

 

[Disney Khi]

Now, for the OP, I wouldn't justify it any more than I'd justify going to Orlando or existing on the planet. My advice is that if you can afford to stay there and you want to, you should do it. You need not justify it with anything more than, "because I feel like it" or "because I damn well please." If you can't afford it, don't. It's a fine hotel, but it's just a hotel. Not worth going into debt or anything.

I really like this!

I was able to stay at the BWI for our last trip due to getting a 40% off PIN code. I was sooooo happy to finally get to stay deluxe, and I was extremely happy to be in the Epcot resort area. I have wanted to stay there since the first hotels were built in that area. I remember being at WDW when the Swolphin were being built and just dreaming of being able to stay so close to Epcot. So, it really was a dream come true for me to be able to stay at the BWI. If it will make you as happy as it made me to be able to stay at my dream resort, then I think you should do it, especially since you said the money wasn't a problem.

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

I would think a resort with the name Wilderness Lodge would attract the most rednecks.

It's runner up-we call it the Responsible Redneck Resort.

 

[DisneyBrideToni]

It's runner up-we call it the Responsible Redneck Resort.