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

[JessicaW1234]

Has anyone used Amazon Prime Now for delivery to GF? How did you write out the address? Does that automatically go to Bell services ?

Any guidance is greatly appreciated!

 

[kallanach]

A photo from our balcony 3rd floor Boca Chica. Not great but the room itself is wonderful. And frankly, the resort is beautiful, so no matter. Service has been excellent. Notes: we got the foot cream I kept hearing about! Chocolates and turn-down service each night. Fantastic!
Bounce back: the offer in our room is a discount off a room for a 2016 stay, not free dining.
Refill mugs: ours have handles! Not the new ones coming that apparently will have handles no more.

 

[DLgal]

A photo from our balcony 3rd floor Boca Chica. Not great but the room itself is wonderful. And frankly, the resort is beautiful, so no matter. Service has been excellent. Notes: we got the foot cream I kept hearing about! Chocolates and turn-down service each night. Fantastic!
Bounce back: the offer in our room is a discount off a room for a 2016 stay, not free dining.
Refill mugs: ours have handles! Not the new ones coming that apparently will have handles no more.

We were there in Boca Chica last week. We also had the foot cream, but never got turn down service or chocolates. We were NOT CL. Were we supposed to get those things?

 

[focusondisney]

Bounce back: the offer in our room is a discount off a room for a 2016 stay, not free dining.

All that means is the housekeeper didn't change out the booklet in your room. If you are interested in the free dining bounce back, call ext 8844 from your room phone. They will tell you the current offer & you CAN book it, regardless of what is in your room.

Enjoy the rest of your vacation!

 

[Sue M]

A photo from our balcony 3rd floor Boca Chica. Not great but the room itself is wonderful. And frankly, the resort is beautiful, so no matter. Service has been excellent. Notes: we got the foot cream I kept hearing about! Chocolates and turn-down service each night. Fantastic!
Bounce back: the offer in our room is a discount off a room for a 2016 stay, not free dining.
Refill mugs: ours have handles! Not the new ones coming that apparently will have handles no more.

Glad you're enjoying GF even if view is bad!! We check in soon, requested Boca as well, hope I don't get pool house view!

 

[Sue M]

We were there in Boca Chica last week. We also had the foot cream, but never got turn down service or chocolates. We were NOT CL. Were we supposed to get those things?

Yes, you should have received both chocolates and turn down service. Everyone at GF gets this, not just CL.

 

[DLgal]

Yes, you should have received both chocolates and turn down service. Everyone at GF gets this, not just CL.

Well that sucks. I wish I had known that. Oh well, our stay was otherwise very enjoyable.

 

[JessicaW1234]

Has anyone used Amazon Prime Now for delivery to GF? How did you write out the address? Does that automatically go to Bell services ?

Any guidance is greatly appreciated!

Has anyone done this?

 

[dina7]

Yes, you should have received both chocolates and turn down service. Everyone at GF gets this, not just CL.

Not that chocolates and turndown service makes or breaks your vacation, but this is what bothers me....all guests should be receiving the SAME basic amenities/service regardless of anything! (I'm not including guests who stay CL since they pay for those extras)

 

[steg]

How fast do the Villas fill up in the first few weeks of December? Do I need to be ready exactly at 7 months out?

 

[WDWKOOK]

Has anyone used Amazon Prime Now for delivery to GF? How did you write out the address? Does that automatically go to Bell services ?

Any guidance is greatly appreciated!

I have not used it, however, I'm the one who posted about them offering FREE delivery. According to what I posted, delivery is to Bell Services, in about 2 hours. I saw a post today on the Poly thread from someone who did use Amazon Pantry, I believe, but I don't think that's the same as Amazon Prime Now. They had mixed results with one order making it and one order not. But again, this was Poly and Amazon Pantry, I believe.

A photo from our balcony 3rd floor Boca Chica. Not great but the room itself is wonderful. And frankly, the resort is beautiful, so no matter. Service has been excellent. Notes: we got the foot cream I kept hearing about! Chocolates and turn-down service each night. Fantastic!
Bounce back: the offer in our room is a discount off a room for a 2016 stay, not free dining.
Refill mugs: ours have handles! Not the new ones coming that apparently will have handles no more.

The offer was actually in your room (like the old days) and not in the Be Our Guest booklet that's in your packet of resort info? Just curious if they're going back to placing the offer on a table. This method was easier for guests to find, but often, would be missing from the room or late in getting into the room. All our recent visits, the BB has been hidden in the middle of the BoG booklet in the resort folder.

Have a GRAND day!

 

[WDWKOOK]

How fast do the Villas fill up in the first few weeks of December? Do I need to be ready exactly at 7 months out?

I'm not a DVC Owner and have only stayed at BLT on a cash reservation, but from what I've read, you should book a DVC villa using points as soon as you can to try and get your preferred villa and view. Cash reservations seem to be much easier to get and you can often apply discounts, but since VGF is newer and very popular, that might not be so easy?

 

[Trixie Belden]

Not that chocolates and turndown service makes or breaks your vacation, but this is what bothers me....all guests should be receiving the SAME basic amenities/service regardless of anything! (I'm not including guests who stay CL since they pay for those extras)

I just went to the website and looked at the amenities listed for both the standard and club levels because I wasn't sure if turndown was a club only perk. According to the website evening turndown is listed under the club amenties but not the standard room amenities.

 

[TxTiggergal]

How has bus transportation been lately?

 

[WDWKOOK]

I just went to the website and looked at the amenities listed for both the standard and club levels because I wasn't sure if turndown was a club only perk. According to the website evening turndown is listed under the club amenties but not the standard room amenities.

Happy (almost) birthday!

In the "old" days, GF was the only resort where ALL rooms automatically received nightly turn-down without the guest requesting it. At other (non-CL) Deluxes, it was by-request only. We did receive it automatically at GF, but we were last there one year ago. Maybe it's no longer automatic at GF and no longer by-request at other Deluxes? This wouldn't surprise me at all. It also wouldn't surprise me at all if this was yet another Disney resort "inconsistency."

 

[dansdad]

How has bus transportation been lately?

Mostly good, sometimes okay but rarely a bad experience.

 

[Trixie Belden]

Happy (almost) birthday!

In the "old" days, GF was the only resort where ALL rooms automatically received nightly turn-down without the guest requesting it. At other (non-CL) Deluxes, it was by-request only. We did receive it automatically at GF, but we were last there one year ago. Maybe it's no longer automatic at GF and no longer by-request at other Deluxes? This wouldn't surprise me at all. It also wouldn't surprise me at all if this was yet another Disney resort "inconsistency."

Thank you so much! This is my first Disney CL stay and I know it's a little different than others like The Four Seasons, Waldorf or even Loews club/concierge levels. As @dina7 said, turndown and chocolates aren't going to make or break my day but those little extras are nice at the GF pricepoint. I'm just happy to be there (although that foot stuff people are raving about does sound pretty nice!).

 

[steg]

I'm not a DVC Owner and have only stayed at BLT on a cash reservation, but from what I've read, you should book a DVC villa using points as soon as you can to try and get your preferred villa and view. Cash reservations seem to be much easier to get and you can often apply discounts, but since VGF is newer and very popular, that might not be so easy?

That's what I was worried about, it's also small in comparison to most other DVC properties.

 

[annachunt]

Hi all

Really excited about staying at the villas. Just one quick question are you able to order room service to the villas?

Thanks

 

[baler31]

I posted this review on the CL thread but it pertains mainly to GF RPC so I thought I would post here as well.



I have held off reviewing our recent stays for fear of being flamed or labelled a complainer but I decided to post anyway. My reasons are simple. When I am planning to stay at a resort that I am not familiar with the threads are invaluable in deciding if the resort is for me. This is my opinion based on my recent experiences that are heavily biased based on my previous stays for more years than I like to admit to. I can't possible be that old


I agree about consistency. After speaking with someone in management during our last stay I will say that the CL greeters/check in is officially a thing of the past FOR NOW. This is supposed to be company wide. I was told they will be having more "runners" on hand to assist CL guests up to the proper floor/building but you wil have to check in at the main desk. My theories: This was laid out for the GM's of each resort from Resort Operations management that oversees all the GM's. Easy to cut with the new text to room service that they envision cutting out check in labor costs. Do away with welcome gifts and other small touches that are a fixed cost. Upgrade the food as surveys indicate most people book CL for the food.

I believe they are trying to implement upgrading the food. However, I do believe they want to minimize on going labor costs and to that end I could perhaps see turndown on the line at some point and time. We never received turndown on our recent RPC stay. Yes, there were chocolates left but that was it. They used to refresh the room and replace towels etc. Whether this was a singular housekeeping issue and issue with consistency is most likely the answer but I can still see turn down being something that could go away.

Everything at every resort IS inconsistent. My recent experiences at both BC and GF RPC were in 1 BR suites so I will compare both experiences.

BC in May had a check in/greeter, we had solar gel, foot cream and larger toiletries in the suite. GF no CL check in, no solar gel or larger toiletries. Yes we had the foot cream. Food at BC was very good, not pre 2006 good but certainly better than anything in years. Staff , meh. We have never seen any great CL staff members at BC. At least in a suite we don't have to walk by them as often to have them ignore us. Our room was fine, but unbelievably showed wear already. Daybed had several stains and there were other issues as well that would require removing the room from inventory for a deep cleaning to fix. Many of the items were caused by the carelessness of guests at one time or another. The room here FUNCTIONS very well. Adequate drawer space and lighting in the shower/bath area. Things that GF sorely lacks. The room refurb while lovely left the rooms very impractical. Despite being quite a bit smaller the 1br and the standard rooms in BC FEEL larger. The fact that nothing was done to the baths in GF is really apparent, the BC tile and fixtures are much cleaner appearing because they are new.

RPC, No CL check in, room had issues with water flow. Food was WAY below BC. Love the staff; have for years and years. Would not be surprised if some of the staff transfer or retire. Many are older birds that do this now their "real" career is done and don't need the stress this has become. I do think they desire to make the Grand "grand" again but what that represents is perhaps a bit different than what we are used to.

Personally, the food is a small aspect of the CL experience at any resort for us. I think it is short sighted to concentrate on one aspect to the detriment of others. The small things are often the things you remember. Bottom line: Yes, they seem to want to improve the food and other things but only as long as they stay within budget. If you go mostly for the food service or are new to the resort you will most likely love it. If you remember that a runner was someone who would drive you somewhere when you wanted to go you will agree that the service is very different now.

In their defense: I am not a millennial and may not understand what they want and I believe they are beginning to market to that generation. I don't think repeat guests are a blip on their radar and maybe rightly so. Maybe we spend less, I have no way of knowing that answer but it is brought up a lot. My standards are very high but I am not unreasonable. And, my standards are based on actual previous experiences. I would rather them just admit that CL is going in a different direction, which they sort of kind of did