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

[MaggiesMomNJ]

That's great news! Have the cabanas been rebuilt, yet? The old cabanas made a resort / pool day quite special.

I didn’t even look LOL, I was sitting upstairs outside of the Mercantile in the chairs ...We didn’t check it out because it was so cold but I could see it from a distance that it was open.

I did see some large chairs if that’s what you’re referring to... as I said, I wasn’t keeping up too much with the thread here because we had to keep canceling. What do the cabanas look like?

 

[mickeynut1]

Thank you! They told me that! I am wondering if it's better to just start accumulating Disney gift cards and save those for when the packages are released.

You're welcome! Accumulating gift cards is a good idea, IMO. I buy them at Target with my Target cc and get 5% off. Also, if you accumulate a lot of smaller denominations, you can go to disneygiftcard.com and combine them onto one card. I think it's a max of 5 to one card, but it would cut down on the number of gift cards you need to keep track of. I just did this the other day, very easy .

 

[Rob Troxel]

Hi all! I was pretty quiet on here for the past couple of years because my husband and I had to keep canceling our trip due to some health issues he has. We finally made it to the grand last week and he is absolutely in love and so am I !

For anyone with mobility/vision issues, we found Conch Key to be great because it’s a direct route right to the main building.

We don’t plan to go back until 2019 and I was curious if any of you have booked yet. They told me that we have to book and pay the entire first night because the packages aren’t out yet but we just might do that because I don’t want to have to try to save up all of that money starting in July or whenever the packages come out, we would rather spread it out.

Conch Key is a great location for a number of reasons:

Close to the boat pier for easy access to the MK, near great food, on the courtyard and within earshot of the haunted mansion howling wolf, the train whistles, and the wisp of the monrail as it goes by. When the GF 1st opened in 1988 we stayed at Conch Key in one of the dormer top level bedrooms. In spite of what some other have posted, We loved the semi private balcony and the view.

 

[LMO429]

I know there are no guarantees but do you find your requests are met when you send a fax in?


What is the fax number?

I am better off just using the fax number directly or I have a touring plans subscription that can send a fax request as well. any input appreciated.

we are booked outer building garden view

 

[dragonfly57005]

Rescuing us from page 3
I liked hearing that some of you adults also like to go down the slides. I do too!

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

Are there any "hot tubs" in the pool area, like most hotels have? I haven't seen this if so. Thanks
What about in the spa also?

 

[dina7]

Are there any "hot tubs" in the pool area, like most hotels have? I haven't seen this if so. Thanks
What about in the spa also?

I definitely saw one at the Courtyard pool.

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

Ok another question - may sound silly but does the tub have that thing you pull across to hang bathing suits?

 

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

I definitely saw one at the Courtyard pool.

Thanks, I wound up looking it up and saw it was there. Thanks!

 

[WDWOswald]

We have a Garden View room booked from April 9-14th after which we will be switching to a contemporary garden wing standard view room for the 14-16th.

Anyhow- I am a bit confused about what to request for rooms. I'm tempted to make no requests in hopes of getting a magical upgrade (unlikely). I personally prefer a view of the resort to a water view- that being said, which buildings/rooms would have a beautiful view of the flowers, buildings, and greenery? I was thinking boca chica facing the pool? What do you guys think?

 

[mickeynut1]

We have a Garden View room booked from April 9-14th after which we will be switching to a contemporary garden wing standard view room for the 14-16th.

Anyhow- I am a bit confused about what to request for rooms. I'm tempted to make no requests in hopes of getting a magical upgrade (unlikely). I personally prefer a view of the resort to a water view- that being said, which buildings/rooms would have a beautiful view of the flowers, buildings, and greenery? I was thinking boca chica facing the pool? What do you guys think?

Boca Chica is one of my favorite outer buildings (along with Big Pine Key). I love how both face the courtyard pool and both are close to the main building (although really none of the buildings are that far from the main areas as the GF isn't all that spread out). Hope you have a great trip .

 

[Lovetherodent]

Ok another question - may sound silly but does the tub have that thing you pull across to hang bathing suits?

Yes. There's a retractable clothesline in the shower/bathtub.

 

[Dbktmc]

We are so excited that we just booked our first stay at the GF!! Our usual resort is AKL and one stay at BLT. We have been coming to Disney for 25 years and this is the first time we have received a pin code that we could use. I just couldn’t pass up a 30% discount!! We are going to be there from June 22nd- June 30th.

This will be my 6 year olds fifth trip to Disney and from past experience we know that a large balcony is a must for us. I am booked in a Garden View room (standard). I asked my agent to request a full size balcony away from the elevators. I don’t really care where our room is because I keep reading that everyone almost always ends up loving where they were placed. Is there anything else that I am missing? I have read the last 150 pages to try and learn about the resort. I have no doubt that I will now go back and start at page one.

One last question... about how long does it take to get to EPCOT? We were so excited about being able to monorail to two parks but I keep reading how others take an Uber or Minnie Van. I need to decide if we should do that.... If we do take the monorail, is it faster to ride the monorail to the TTC or is it faster to walk there?

Sorry for so many questions! We are just so excited for our dream trip!

 

[trishadono]

We are so excited that we just booked our first stay at the GF!! Our usual resort is AKL and one stay at BLT. We have been coming to Disney for 25 years and this is the first time we have received a pin code that we could use. I just couldn’t pass up a 30% discount!! We are going to be there from June 22nd- June 30th.

This will be my 6 year olds fifth trip to Disney and from past experience we know that a large balcony is a must for us. I am booked in a Garden View room (standard). I asked my agent to request a full size balcony away from the elevators. I don’t really care where our room is because I keep reading that everyone almost always ends up loving where they were placed. Is there anything else that I am missing? I have read the last 150 pages to try and learn about the resort. I have no doubt that I will now go back and start at page one.

One last question... about how long does it take to get to EPCOT? We were so excited about being able to monorail to two parks but I keep reading how others take an Uber or Minnie Van. I need to decide if we should do that.... If we do take the monorail, is it faster to ride the monorail to the TTC or is it faster to walk there?

Sorry for so many questions! We are just so excited for our dream trip!

When you get to the resort if you get a room ready text this may help. Room # are 4 digits: 1 st is building, 2nd is floor. So any x1xx or x2xx x3xx will have a full balcony . x5 will all be enclosed. X4 in the center are full and the ends are enclosed dormer style.

Look at any building pic and this will make sense.

I take mono from gf to TTC then transfer to epcot mono. My older kids 22 and 20 in January had a late start so we did Minnie van. Ordered at 8:30 and we were in the park at Epcot around 8:50am.

Do not try to walk to ttc. I stay at the monos all the time and do the gf/poly walk OR the poly/ttc walk but I would not dream of doing the whole thing. You would be wiped out before you even got to EPCOT.

*Another alternative: My mom didn't care for the mono ramps so with her we boated to MK then bused to BWI /BC and walked to epcot from there. Same for return. For people with time to spare its a lovely route.

 

[trishadono]

I know there are no guarantees but do you find your requests are met when you send a fax in?


What is the fax number?

I am better off just using the fax number directly or I have a touring plans subscription that can send a fax request as well. any input appreciated.

we are booked outer building garden view

Best way is calling reservation number and put your request there.

Rescuing us from page 3
I liked hearing that some of you adults also like to go down the slides. I do too!

We have a Garden View room booked from April 9-14th after which we will be switching to a contemporary garden wing standard view room for the 14-16th.

Anyhow- I am a bit confused about what to request for rooms. I'm tempted to make no requests in hopes of getting a magical upgrade (unlikely). I personally prefer a view of the resort to a water view- that being said, which buildings/rooms would have a beautiful view of the flowers, buildings, and greenery? I was thinking boca chica facing the pool? What do you guys think?

Gv rooms mostly face the courtyard pool except for sago. Sago is gv category but many have a decent view of some water. For you any building but sago should work.

Gf seems different from other resorts. It's the one resort I find asking my preferences in person at check in helps.



Sorry if I missed anything recent. Seems much quieter here lately.


@BlueSkies @Dispro1 @pas130

 

[lpizzuro123]

Easter at the GF

We will be eating lunch at GF Cafe in Easter. Is there any info on any special activities they might be having in that day.

Thanks, Linda

 

[Sue M]

Are there any "hot tubs" in the pool area, like most hotels have? I haven't seen this if so. Thanks
What about in the spa also?

Yes, there’s a large hot tub at the Courtyard pool. It’s kind of tucked away.

 

[trishadono]

Easter at the GF

We will be eating lunch at GF Cafe in Easter. Is there any info on any special activities they might be having in that day.

Thanks, Linda

There will be but it's usually on the monthly calendar. Since Easter is 4/1 I'm not sure how you know until then. I assume the hotel will know though

Maybe Kenny The Pirate site has info , lots of people go there for details.

 

[trishadono]

Yes, there’s a large hot tub at the Courtyard pool. It’s kind of tucked away.

It's odd wl has 2 hot tubs yet gf only has one.

Sue

 

[Sue M]

It's odd wl has 2 hot tubs yet gf only has one.

Sue

WL has 3 if you count Hot tub at Villa pool. Don’t know why GF didn’t put one at beach pool. Good thing the Courtyard hot tub is huge!