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

[loveshak22]

We loved SL - didn't want to leave, can't wait to go back. I thought we received our receipt right away the last time we were at the Poly. Maybe they're not going to charge us since we were such good guests -

Haha! Good luck with that!!!

Thanks for the feedback on the trip!

 

[cdnjason]

Sadly, our vacation has come to an end. Thoroughly enjoyed our stay at GF club level. At the airport awaiting our return flight to Vegas. Happy to post a detailed review tomorrow, if anyone is interested.

Side note, thinking of buying into DVC as a result of this trip. My wife and kids had the best time. We will definitely be returning for years to come.

 

[loveshak22]

Sadly, our vacation has come to an end. Thoroughly enjoyed our stay at GF club level. At the airport awaiting our return flight to Vegas. Happy to post a detailed review tomorrow, if anyone is interested.

Side note, thinking of buying into DVC as a result of this trip. My wife and kids had the best time. We will definitely be returning for years to come.

Sorry your vacation is over!! But, I'd love to hear all the details! Were you SL or RPC?

Safe travels home!

 

[loveshak22]

@trishadono @Maddie's Nana @cdnjason - I'd love any information the three of you may have about how the texting service for FPs worked with IPO? Were they pretty quick to respond? How many FPs were you able to get outside of your original 3? I'm most interested in what may have been available later in the day at MK for 4th, 5th, and so on, FP options. Did you have to space the FPs out every hour like you do your initial three?

I've switched from ADR planning to FP planning today, in case you couldn't tell!!

TIA!

 

[drwadadli]

I have a question about Disney Rewards and GF Spa. Can you use Disney Rewards to pay for your Spa treatment? When I read about the Disney Rewards, it mentions room charges. We are earning points for our trip in December and want to use our reward points for paying for the spa treatments separately versus charging them to our room.

Thank you in advance for any help on this subject.

 

[cdnjason]

@trishadono @Maddie's Nana @cdnjason - I'd love any information the three of you may have about how the texting service for FPs worked with IPO? Were they pretty quick to respond? How many FPs were you able to get outside of your original 3? I'm most interested in what may have been available later in the day at MK for 4th, 5th, and so on, FP options. Did you have to space the FPs out every hour like you do your initial three?

I've switched from ADR planning to FP planning today, in case you couldn't tell!!

TIA!

We stayed in SL. I loved it because of the easy access to most everything on the property.

To answer your questions, the texting service was very quick to respond. We requested and received 4 FP+. I don't know about needing to space them out, as we got what we requested for the time we requested it. We were very fortunate. I'll explain in more detail when I get to typing out my report.

 

[loveshak22]

We stayed in SL. I loved it because of the easy access to most everything on the property.

To answer your questions, the texting service was very quick to respond. We requested and received 4 FP+. I don't know about needing to space them out, as we got what we requested for the time we requested it. We were very fortunate.

Wow 4 FPs on top of your initial 3? That's awesome and can really change a FP strategy!!

I'm glad you had such a great trip and thanks for the info!!

Can't wait to hear more when you get home, get settled, and rested!

 

[cdnjason]

Wow 4 FPs on top of your initial 3? That's awesome and can really change a FP strategy!!

I'm glad you had such a great trip and thanks for the info!!

Can't wait to hear more when you get home, get settled, and rested!

You're absolutely correct. It was a game changer in terms of strategy. In our 5 days at the parks (2 MK, 1 AK, 1 HS and 1 EP) we only had to wait 30+ minutes twice for attractions. Most of our rides we either FP or waits of 10 minutes of less. But, that's also because we had breakfast at the parks before opening and hit the attractions right at rope drop.

In case you're wondering, I'm posting from the flight home. Wifi on planes is a wonderful thing. haha

 

[loveshak22]

You're absolutely correct. It was a game changer in terms of strategy. In our 5 days at the parks (2 MK, 1 AK, 1 HS and 1 EP) we only had to wait 30+ minutes twice for attractions. Most of our rides we either FP or waits of 10 minutes of less. But, that's also because we had breakfast at the parks before opening and hit the attractions right at rope drop.

In case you're wondering, I'm posting from the flight home. Wifi on planes is a wonderful thing. haha

Wifi on the plane is awesome! Except for the airlines that block streaming sites like Hulu and Netflix so you buy their movies....sneaky airlines! Although the wifi itself is still great!

That is amazing for August crowds to not have but 2 waits of 30 minutes, plus! Awesome planning! So I'm guessing you used FP in the morning because you knew you could get more with the GF CL texting service as opposed to saving FPs for the afternoon when crowds are heavier and hitting busier rides in the morning? I guess I could PM you about your FP plans with GF texting so as not to annoy everyone else with my questions LOL!!

I have a pre-park opening breakfast for MK and Epcot. We're skipping AK this trip and doing 1/2 day at HS with a Fantasmic lunch package. I feel like MK is the only park to worry about with lines, but now I feel much better!!!

 

[trishadono]

@trishadono @Maddie's Nana @cdnjason - I'd love any information the three of you may have about how the texting service for FPs worked with IPO? Were they pretty quick to respond? How many FPs were you able to get outside of your original 3? I'm most interested in what may have been available later in the day at MK for 4th, 5th, and so on, FP options. Did you have to space the FPs out every hour like you do your initial three?

I've switched from ADR planning to FP planning today, in case you couldn't tell!!

TIA!

Well staying cl dd and I do RD then book our FPP from 5:30-6:30/6:30-7:30/7:30-830 or so. That way we can catch appetizers and desserts!!!

On our first night I almost forgot about it! Then on the way to our 3rd ride I prepared a text. I asked for a 4th pass for MK. Any mountain or buzz . After we used our mb to get on the ride I sent the prepared text. Before we got to the ride (in line) I got a response, no mtns but buzz reserved for that time for the next hour. Therefore we got off and headed right over! Very nice!

Some nights it rained, so we didn't need it but we did request a ride leaving Epcot requesting a FPp for MK. I told them we were at Epcot but heading to MK and gave some suggestions. They were able to set us up for a ride even though we were not even in that park!

So it works great for us!

 

[VbChristy]

We checked out of SL on Thursday and haven't received an itemized bill yer. Is this usual? Don't they usually e-mail you a bill? TIA

Did you have a travel agent? If so follow up with them. disney has been doing a thing lately where they email the invoice to the TA and not they client.

 

[trishadono]

Did you enjoy the CMs in SL? We find them to be friendly and helpful. Looking forward to visiting our faves on our next trip! Welcome back, but know you are already looking forward to your next visit!
By the way...love, love, love all your pics!!!

Thanks! We really loved SL. DD liked it better than RPC.

There seemed to be far more CMs there than ANY OTHER CL TRIP I have ever been on. I have been on many too!

That equated to a nice, relaxing, pampered trip!

 

[trishadono]

The worst part of out being diagnosed with celiac is that I don't get tanga toast anymore! They need to find a Gluten free version!

Hmm, can you have the banana creme brulee at Kona? It's Creme Brulee with a carmelized banana on top and a smitch of chocolate on the bottom. One of our favorites!

 

[trishadono]

We checked out of SL on Thursday and haven't received an itemized bill yer. Is this usual? Don't they usually e-mail you a bill? TIA

I didn't get an email one this time either but I did get one on my door that morning.

 

[hiroMYhero]

I have a question about Disney Rewards and GF Spa. Can you use Disney Rewards to pay for your Spa treatment? When I read about the Disney Rewards, it mentions room charges. We are earning points for our trip in December and want to use our reward points for paying for the spa treatments separately versus charging them to our room.

Thank you in advance for any help on this subject.

We're planning to use our MagicBands at the spa to charge the treatments to our room account. After the charges are on the room account, you can stop by the Front Desk and apply your Disney Rewards Redemption dollars against your room account balance.

 

[loveshak22]

Well staying cl dd and I do RD then book our FPP from 5:30-6:30/6:30-7:30/7:30-830 or so. That way we can catch appetizers and desserts!!!

On our first night I almost forgot about it! Then on the way to our 3rd ride I prepared a text. I asked for a 4th pass for MK. Any mountain or buzz . After we used our mb to get on the ride I sent the prepared text. Before we got to the ride (in line) I got a response, no mtns but buzz reserved for that time for the next hour. Therefore we got off and headed right over! Very nice!

Some nights it rained, so we didn't need it but we did request a ride leaving Epcot requesting a FPp for MK. I told them we were at Epcot but heading to MK and gave some suggestions. They were able to set us up for a ride even though we were not even in that park!

So it works great for us!

I love hearing this positive feedback about the FP texting service! I think I am going to gamble and use my 3 FPs as early as I can and then use the texting service for later in the day. I know that some people say it's better to save FPs for the afternoon when it's more crowded but if the 4th (and follow up) FPs are working well through the texting service, it seems the smarter option to use the initial 3 early to get more later. Being the paranoid person I am it worries me a little having to hope there are still options in the afternoon and that they keep the texting service, but from all reports now it seems a safe bet to make!

Thanks!

 

[VbChristy]

I love hearing this positive feedback about the FP texting service! I think I am going to gamble and use my 3 FPs as early as I can and then use the texting service for later in the day. I know that some people say it's better to save FPs for the afternoon when it's more crowded but if the 4th (and follow up) FPs are working well through the texting service, it seems the smarter option to use the initial 3 early to get more later. Being the paranoid person I am it worries me a little having to hope there are still options in the afternoon and that they keep the texting service, but from all reports now it seems a safe bet to make!

Thanks!

Have we confirmed that there are follow-up fast passes??

 

[loveshak22]

Have we confirmed that there are follow-up fast passes??

@cdnjason and @trishadono both reported they were able to get additional FPs on their recent trips. @cdnjason said he got 4 additional FPs on top of his initial 3 at MK through the texting service with IPO. So it seems that at least as for their trips it worked well!

 

[loveshak22]

Have we confirmed that there are follow-up fast passes??

If you have a subscription to Touring Plans, they also have a page where you can see what FPs are left for the day. I was looking at it yesterday to see which rides at the MK still had FP availability and it was quite a few. A lot of the Tomorrowland rides, for example. None of the mountains were showing availability or 7DMT, but it was around 4:00 and I think the site said availability ended around 2:30 for those popular rides. I'm going to randomly check it out every couple days before our trip to see what regularly seems to be open in the afternoon.

 

[VbChristy]

@cdnjason and @trishadono both reported they were able to get additional FPs on their recent trips. @cdnjason said he got 4 additional FPs on top of his initial 3 at MK through the texting service with IPO. So it seems that at least as for their trips it worked well!

The way I read it, they got their 4th fast pass each day. Maybe he can confirm. @cdnjason