The *NEW* Grand Floridian Resort and Spa FAQ thread (Nov 2007)

[MomWith2Cinderellas]

We were scheduled to stay in a deluxe room at RPC arriving on January 12th and leaving on the 19th. We have been informed that the floors in the main lobby are being replaced or repaired the first 3 nights of our stay, so they will be moving us to the Sugar Loaf building. Can anyone tell me if I should request a certain floor? Any tips about this building are greatly appreciated. They will move us back to the main building on January 15th. Thanks!

We are scheduled to arrive at GF on 1/13 (check out 1/16)for a stay at RPC (I believe it is a standard room). Does anyone know if this will affect us too? I will be really said if it does.

 

[knelson]

We are scheduled to arrive at GF on 1/13 (check out 1/16)for a stay at RPC (I believe it is a standard room). Does anyone know if this will affect us too? I will be really said if it does.

Just got back and the Sugarloaf is a concierge building. It is a nice building with a good staff.

 

[knelson]

We just got back from the Sugar Loaf also - I would say it is an ok hotel, I travel often and I am used to a more upscale room. When we orginally booked we asked for castle view and did not get that for some reason, we then asked for a couple of suites but they could not find any attached suites - somehow we ended up in the Sugar Loaf and asked for Marina View and struck out there also. The GF is a nice place but I would surely like to have better rooms than the Sugar Loaf had to offer.

 

[knelson]

My husband fell in love with the pillows on the beds at the GF -- does anyone know where they can be purchased???

And since I forgot to post on my return ---
Thanks to all of your help -- our visit there was fabulous (thanks especially to all the help from our resident TA) we're still looking through the over 3000 photos--- if anything is new and different we'll post it. My oldest son had a laugh dancing with one of the step sisters at 1900 --- I think she was taken aback that he actually could dance. Howver she lost interest in him once she discovered he was only 13 and not rich

Happy New Year everyone!

My eldest son that is autistic had a the best time dancing with one of the sisters. Prince Charming came back to see my eldest daughter quite a few times - I will upload pictures when I get threw them all.

 

[Dis Ohana]

Happy New Year GF fans!

Dis Ohana, WOW!! Two upgrades!! What a trip!!! That is neat. My kids love the GF for that same reason of how they got to know the CMs there and how well they are treated and how comfortable they feel. Once your kids get to know them/talk to them they will LOVE the GF best. We stayed BWI in a deluxe concierge room once and the room view was nice, but the whole rest of the stay was a disappointment & we have NO desire to stay there again.....except little DD wants to try that clown slide, haha. I have heard AKL rooms are small and dark so I bet you felt like you were tight. Where were you at Christmas Eve/Day?? Just curious where you spent that and if there was anything special for Xmas?? That is obnoxious about the limo driver and the tip. I always include the tip in my CC payment, too. I have not ever had a problem with it - that whole situation would have left me with a foul taste. With the old SE this never would have happened. They were super honest & customer oriented and professional IMO. Maybe just a misunderstanding betwn driver/office....hoping....

We left before it got really busy. We were there Dec. 8 - 19 and crowds were still relatively low. I think that might possibly explain the upgrades, the hotels didn't seem super busy. The lobby of the GF did have more traffic in the afternoons and evenings, but I think that was more due to people visiting the resort. We spent Christmas in Yosemite, which was just awesome. I don't think I could handle the crowds of the busy season at WDW, I've read such horror stories about long waits for buses and rides and crushing crowds of people in the parks -- not for me!

BEST WISHES TO ALL IN THE NEW YEAR!!

And to everyone on their way to the GF, have a magical time. I hope you enjoy your stay at the GF as much as we did!

 

[Alicnwondrln]

I hope everyone had a great couple of days! Happy New Year GF friends!

 

[Tink rules]

We just got back from the Sugar Loaf also - I would say it is an ok hotel, I travel often and I am used to a more upscale room. When we orginally booked we asked for castle view and did not get that for some reason, we then asked for a couple of suites but they could not find any attached suites - somehow we ended up in the Sugar Loaf and asked for Marina View and struck out there also. The GF is a nice place but I would surely like to have better rooms than the Sugar Loaf had to offer.

Probably being there during Xmas week limited the possible places to place you. Try it again off peak and see how you like it. I love it when it's not crowded!!!

 

[GFFAN]

We are scheduled to arrive at GF on 1/13 (check out 1/16)for a stay at RPC (I believe it is a standard room). Does anyone know if this will affect us too? I will be really said if it does.

I am wondering why we were notified of this move and you were not? It is my understanding that everyone with reservations in the main building were going to relocated due to the noise level late at night. The work on the floor of the main lobby is scheduled each night beginning at 10pm. We were told that we would be moved into the main building on the 15th of January and we would receive a refund for the difference in room rates.

 

[kev kendall]

We've booked to stay at the GF for three weeks from July 31st (we're from the UK!!) I'm beginning to regret it a little as three weeks in one little room might drive us all stir crazy!! What's the possibility of an upgrade when we arrive - I'm assuming none as it'll be so busy!!!!

 

[Tinkaroo]

Happy New Year, GF friends!

Dis Ohana - what a great trip it sounds like you had! Congrats on the upgrades! They would have had to drag me kicking and screaming from that suite - it was bad enough having to leave the GF for our Grand Villa at SSR!

Good luck to all those traveling soon - hope the work on the main building is not too disruptive!

 

[Lives4Disney]

We've booked to stay at the GF for three weeks from July 31st (we're from the UK!!) I'm beginning to regret it a little as three weeks in one little room might drive us all stir crazy!! What's the possibility of an upgrade when we arrive - I'm assuming none as it'll be so busy!!!!

Wow! Three weeks - how wonderful. Although.....I think with all that time I would do a move or two. My favorite is a GF/YC split stay. Just for a change of scenery, different pool, different restaurants, shops, etc...different area (MK/Epcot)....just to change things up a bit.

I don't think you have a big chance of an upgrade with that long length of stay & during that summer time period, but who knows.....until you are standing at the front desk checking in there is always hope!!!

Happy travels,

Lives4Disney

 

[irisbud]

We've booked to stay at the GF for three weeks from July 31st (we're from the UK!!) I'm beginning to regret it a little as three weeks in one little room might drive us all stir crazy!! What's the possibility of an upgrade when we arrive - I'm assuming none as it'll be so busy!!!!

Three weeks would be great fun! I agree with Channing, though. As much as I love the GF (so sad we won't be staying there at all this trip; it will be my first time not to) I think that three weeks in any one place might get a little txing, especially since you have already stated that you are concerned about spending so much time in the room with the family. I love switching resorts (as you can see by my signature!) It makes it feel like multiples vacations in one, since all of WDW's resorts are so different! Have fun whatever you choose!

 

[Lives4Disney]

Three weeks would be great fun! I agree with Channing, though. As much as I love the GF (so sad we won't be staying there at all this trip; it will be my first time not to) I think that three weeks in any one place might get a little txing, especially since you have already stated that you are concerned about spending so much time in the room with the family. I love switching resorts (as you can see by my signature!) It makes it feel like multiples vacations in one, since all of WDW's resorts are so different! Have fun whatever you choose!

Amy!! You are going AGAIN?!?!?!? Lucky duck! WOW!! I just noticed your ticker countdown!!!!

Enjoy!

Lives4Disney

 

[irisbud]

Amy!! You are going AGAIN?!?!?!? Lucky duck! WOW!! I just noticed your ticker countdown!!!!

Enjoy!

Lives4Disney

Yes, we get to go again! I'm very excited. BF and I were supposed to go in Dec 2008 right after I gradute from college, but now I will be graduating in July of 08, and (hopefully) starting Grad school in August! If I do, our trip would have been during my finals week, so we moved it up to now! It's great right now, but I'm sure I will really miss it in December of 2008!

 

[Dis Ohana]

We've booked to stay at the GF for three weeks from July 31st (we're from the UK!!) I'm beginning to regret it a little as three weeks in one little room might drive us all stir crazy!! What's the possibility of an upgrade when we arrive - I'm assuming none as it'll be so busy!!!!

We just did a split stay and it was great. One bit of advice though, end your vacation at the GF! The other hotels are great, but we couldn't help but compare everything else to the GF. Have fun!

 

[Tink rules]

Ok... give me 3 weeks and one of the hammocks on the beach and I'll be JUST FINE!!!

 

[heatherlynn444]

Dis Ohana-just saw your pics a couple pages back. arent the two ebdroom suites awesome! we were in one a few years ago and loved all the space! what an amazing upgrade you got! glad you enjoyed!

 

[heatherlynn444]

sorry double post!

 

[distherapy]

Hi - we're heading to the GF for the first time at the end of the month. We had to add a night at the start of the vacation because of an airline snafu (they stopped the Orlando flights, but didn't bother telling us until I read it in the paper!)

We won't arrive until probably 11 pm and the resort is booked solid (it took me 3 weeks of checking 3 times a day before I found a cancellation for that night!). I'm concerned about getting bumped and sent to another resort for that night. Has that happened to anyone?

 

[MomWith2Cinderellas]

I am wondering why we were notified of this move and you were not? It is my understanding that everyone with reservations in the main building were going to relocated due to the noise level late at night. The work on the floor of the main lobby is scheduled each night beginning at 10pm. We were told that we would be moved into the main building on the 15th of January and we would receive a refund for the difference in room rates.

We got the call today. They are moving us to Sugar Loaf. I was called by member services (using DVC points for this stay). Is Sugar Loaf a long walk to the main building where the monorail is? DH was injured in a car accident and can not walk to long before he loses sensation in his leg. I am a little bummed, but will get over once at WDW!