2014 Grand Floridian Resort & Villas FAQ: Vacationing in Grand Style!

[mickeynut1]

MickeyNut I know..and I am going to try reserve judgement until we see it completed... We have an Ohana ressie..so I will be sure to take pics while we are there and send them to you....

I would love some pics, thanks .

I think the resort will still be just as beautiful as ever, but I think the "feel" will be very different. I just didn't like the pic I saw of what the GCH is going to look like . Instead of having the huge waterfall right when you walk in and having to walk around it to go through the lobby, it will now be all open and you will be able to see straight through (kind of like at AKL), which I'm afraid will totally change the vibe (at least to me) of the resort .

 

[2012DisneyWorldBride]

I had a couple of questions regarding the rehab.

Which buildings are done? Any pictures of the new rooms?

Which building is currently being worked on?

Is there any type of schedule for the rest of the buildings? We have December booked for outer theme park view and we usually request Sago Kay (because tha'ts where we have stayed for our wedding/honeymoon and 1st year anniversary last year). Should all the rehab on rooms be done by December?

 

[mickeynut1]

I had a couple of questions regarding the rehab.

Which buildings are done? Any pictures of the new rooms?

Which building is currently being worked on?

Is there any type of schedule for the rest of the buildings? We have December booked for outer theme park view and we usually request Sago Kay (because tha'ts where we have stayed for our wedding/honeymoon and 1st year anniversary last year). Should all the rehab on rooms be done by December?

The refurb schedule is at the top of the first page of this thread, along with pics of the new rooms. RPC is the last to be done, which is scheduled to start 6/29.

 

[Lisann]

Hello, ladies! I'm at The Grand right now. Yes, I know that I was going to stay at the Beach Club, and my sister and I did stay there, but we just couldn't be away from the GF. We moved this morning to finish out our vacation here at the Grand.

Some thoughts: While I adore the YC/BC, we were just a little overwhelmed with so many kids running around like crazy over there. I'll save my "out of control kids" speech for another time.

We are settled into room 9332, Big Pine Key, facing the pool (the back of the pool house, which is a nice buffer to the pool noise). We are glad that we got the room, because the resort is booked.

We are in a re-furbished room and building. The lobby area of the bldg is very pretty, and the hallways are so nice and clean now. Beautiful carpet (just like the villas) and pretty light sconces lining the hallways.

Our room: I'm not so sure what to make of it. There is very little room for clothes. The curtains and sheers are beautiful. The room is all new, but I'm not feeling any real certain time period or style here. To me, not really Victorian feeling, not really modern feeling, sort of traditional but not entirely...very bizarre actually. Still pretty, but I'm not wowed at all.

Love the wood floor entry. There are robes in our closet. The toilet/shower room has dim lighting. It's just ivory/beige color scheme. The toilet paper holder keeps falling off the little holder....very poor design.

We had to request a trash can (the new ones are on back order, so we have the old type, which doesn't matter to us). There is a hamper. We are part of an adjoining room, so there is no chair in our room (except at the desk).

The drawers are very, very small in the furniture/refrig combo. In my opinion, not enough room for clothes. We used the night stand drawer space as well. The refrig is nice, but doesn't have a temp control, which I thought was odd. The Beach Club refrigerator froze everything we had in it, not fun.

The beds are comfy, but don't seem to be as good as the ones that were here about seven years ago. It's a shame, but the platform that holds the bed is already scuffed all the way around. It's either from the vacuum or from shoes, not sure. But it does not look good. Maintenance will need to look into that and make some changes.

The wallpaper is pretty behind the beds, the desk with marble top is pretty, too. The sofa is very firm when you are sitting on it. The bed will probably be comfortable since it is firm and feels well supported for your back.

We ate at Gasparillas...had a wonderful salad with chicken and mandarin orange dressing. yum.. my sister had the margarita flatbread. yum.

We got to visit a two bdrm lockoff at the villas and a grand villa. truly stunning. not sure if I want to be away from the main bldg though. I'm still not sure I would purchase at the Grand. Have to think on that one.

Overall, I love the Grand and it is so nice to be back, but I truly wish the rooms were more fussy Victorian and over-the-top themed. I like my vacation to Disney to have some fantasy.

Citricos tonight at 6:25. Can't wait. Oh, and I've already done some damage at the shops...bought a dress...a tea set....bath salts...

Full report later...the train whistle and boat sounds are lulling me to sleep...the rain is pouring outside....the sounds of the Magic Kingdom are so nice. This is my happy place.

 

[TxTiggergal]

Hello, ladies! I'm at The Grand right now. Yes, I know that I was going to stay at the Beach Club, and my sister and I did stay there, but we just couldn't be away from the GF. We moved this morning to finish out our vacation here at the Grand.

Some thoughts: While I adore the YC/BC, we were just a little overwhelmed with so many kids running around like crazy over there. I'll save my "out of control kids" speech for another time.

We are settled into room 9332, Big Pine Key, facing the pool (the back of the pool house, which is a nice buffer to the pool noise). We are glad that we got the room, because the resort is booked.

We are in a re-furbished room and building. The lobby area of the bldg is very pretty, and the hallways are so nice and clean now. Beautiful carpet (just like the villas) and pretty light sconces lining the hallways.

Our room: I'm not so sure what to make of it. There is very little room for clothes. The curtains and sheers are beautiful. The room is all new, but I'm not feeling any real certain time period or style here. To me, not really Victorian feeling, not really modern feeling, sort of traditional but not entirely...very bizarre actually. Still pretty, but I'm not wowed at all.

Love the wood floor entry. There are robes in our closet. The toilet/shower room has dim lighting. It's just ivory/beige color scheme. The toilet paper holder keeps falling off the little holder....very poor design.

We had to request a trash can (the new ones are on back order, so we have the old type, which doesn't matter to us). There is a hamper. We are part of an adjoining room, so there is no chair in our room (except at the desk).

The drawers are very, very small in the furniture/refrig combo. In my opinion, not enough room for clothes. We used the night stand drawer space as well. The refrig is nice, but doesn't have a temp control, which I thought was odd. The Beach Club refrigerator froze everything we had in it, not fun.

The beds are comfy, but don't seem to be as good as the ones that were here about seven years ago. It's a shame, but the platform that holds the bed is already scuffed all the way around. It's either from the vacuum or from shoes, not sure. But it does not look good. Maintenance will need to look into that and make some changes.

The wallpaper is pretty behind the beds, the desk with marble top is pretty, too. The sofa is very firm when you are sitting on it. The bed will probably be comfortable since it is firm and feels well supported for your back.

We ate at Gasparillas...had a wonderful salad with chicken and mandarin orange dressing. yum.. my sister had the margarita flatbread. yum.

We got to visit a two bdrm lockoff at the villas and a grand villa. truly stunning. not sure if I want to be away from the main bldg though. I'm still not sure I would purchase at the Grand. Have to think on that one.

Overall, I love the Grand and it is so nice to be back, but I truly wish the rooms were more fussy Victorian and over-the-top themed. I like my vacation to Disney to have some fantasy.

Citricos tonight at 6:25. Can't wait. Oh, and I've already done some damage at the shops...bought a dress...a tea set....bath salts...

Full report later...the train whistle and boat sounds are lulling me to sleep...the rain is pouring outside....the sounds of the Magic Kingdom are so nice. This is my happy place.

Thank you so much for taking the time to post this! Reports/reviews such as this just get me even more excited for our upcoming trip! Enjoy the rest of your stay!

 

[abk96]

Hey there classyabk... Like that one... even better than preppy....another friend and I were comparing..and she got "Lucky" .... all very cute... As for the DH's...lol...I bet many of them would have the same one!!!! Poor pups..hide the suitcases..in your room so that you can start packing them....we have under a month to go...my ticker is off??? lol... and I have lots of stuff in my suitcase...as for DD..she will be packing the nite before...

Classyabk...I like it!

I already bought so many things for our trip and they're stored in the corner of my bedroom so if I dare to put suitcases there I think my husband will flip.

Lisann...Thanks for the report and enjoy Citricos tonight. Oh, do they still have the magnified mirror hanging on the wall in with the sinks?

 

[happymomof1]

Lisann, glad you posted and are enjoying your trip. We all LOVE details, so looking forward to hearing more!

 

[mickeynut1]

Hello, ladies! I'm at The Grand right now. Yes, I know that I was going to stay at the Beach Club, and my sister and I did stay there, but we just couldn't be away from the GF. We moved this morning to finish out our vacation here at the Grand.

Thanks for the mini report. Glad you're enjoying the Grand .

 

[Lisann]

:

Lisann...Thanks for the report and enjoy Citricos tonight. Oh, do they still have the magnified mirror hanging on the wall in with the sinks?

YES! In fact, it's even more magnifying than I remember! It's great! For the first time this trip I can see my eyes in order to put on my mascara!!

Some more thoughts on the room/bathroom: the light in the bathroom is the type that comes on very dim, and then gets brighter as it warms up. I thought I would be showering in the dark! Also, the toilet paper holder SUCKS! It won't stay on the holder! Agh!!

The a/c turns to 75 degrees when you are out of the room. I'll see how this works tonight when we are asleep. Will these menopausal women be sweating all night? Hope not!

The mirror/sconce thingy on the wall, over the sofa, has a vintage, antiqued mirror in it. That blotchy, old look.

I almost feel like the room has some art-deco (almost) feel to it sometimes.

The Magic Kingdom this trip has been so crowded and I'm not so sure why. The weather has been lovely!! There was a full moon tonight that was breathtaking.

I had the pan-seared grouper over fetuccini noodles with an English pea emulsion and Nueske's applewood smoked bacon. YUM! My dessert was the creme brulee with mango and berries. DELICIOUS!!

Going to bed now. I'll report on the mattresses when I can.

Ta Ta for Now.

 

[grannyminnie]

Lisann, thank you for the detailed report on the GF rooms. It surely does confirm what many have been fearing, that the lovely old Victorian look we liked is gone. I like how you used the term "fantasy" to describe what you enjoyed experiencing in your vacation. I hope my sister and I can find some redeeming points in our room when we stay (in 11 days! )

 

[grannyminnie]

Can somebody point me to the page where the reference is made to that 7DMT survey? (Blue?) I want to take it to see if I'm CLASSY! I have always suspected I was...... And on another note, I am so excited to report that my daughter told me this past weekend that she has ordered me a Midnight Mickey VB bag and hopes it arrives in time for my trip!! She wowed me with the news! Was not expecting it!!

 

[mommyrosa2]

Good Morning everyone!!

To say the last few weeks have been a complete blur would be an understatement. No sooner I commented on my last post that this year hadn't been the best for me, my beloved father took ill and passed away two weeks ago...still can't believe it .

Trying to keep busy and slowly coming back to the boards...Disney truly is my happy place. I started skimming thru these pages and I have a lot of catching up to do.

Hope everyone had a nice Mother's Day! For those who are in Disney now, hope you have a wonderful trip and for those who are just starting to pack...so excited for you!

 

[Mousemommy1]

Good Morning everyone!!

To say the last few weeks have been a complete blur would be an understatement. No sooner I commented on my last post that this year hadn't been the best for me, my beloved father took ill and passed away two weeks ago...still can't believe it .

Trying to keep busy and slowly coming back to the boards...Disney truly is my happy place. I started skimming thru these pages and I have a lot of catching up to do.

Hope everyone had a nice Mother's Day! For those who are in Disney now, hope you have a wonderful trip and for those who are just starting to pack...so excited for you!

So sorry to hear about your father.

 

[Grace&Carolinesmom]

mommyrosa2 So sorry to hear about your father. My deepest sympathies to you and your family.

 

[Grace&Carolinesmom]

Lisann Thank you so much for the detailed mini-report. So sweet of you to take so much time to post on your vacation so that we can all live vicariously thru you! Does the desk have the nesting table underneath yet?

Oh--and that dinner you had sounds YUMMERS

 

[mommyrosa2]

For just about every trip we've taken, my oldest daughter sends me daily countdown emails with a picture attached. It's our "little thing" and she knows it puts a smile on my face. With everything that's taken place, she hasn't been able to send them in a while but she did just send me one this morning which is just what I needed.... enjoy the photo!

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[mickeynut1]

Good Morning everyone!!

To say the last few weeks have been a complete blur would be an understatement. No sooner I commented on my last post that this year hadn't been the best for me, my beloved father took ill and passed away two weeks ago...still can't believe it .

Trying to keep busy and slowly coming back to the boards...Disney truly is my happy place. I started skimming thru these pages and I have a lot of catching up to do.

Hope everyone had a nice Mother's Day! For those who are in Disney now, hope you have a wonderful trip and for those who are just starting to pack...so excited for you!

I am so sorry to hear about your father .

For just about every trip we've taken, my oldest daughter sends me daily countdown emails with a picture attached. It's our "little thing" and she knows it puts a smile on my face. With everything that's taken place, she hasn't been able to send them in a while but she did just send me one this morning which is just what I needed.... enjoy the photo!

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What a nice tradition between you and your daughter .

 

[abk96]

Good Morning everyone!!

To say the last few weeks have been a complete blur would be an understatement. No sooner I commented on my last post that this year hadn't been the best for me, my beloved father took ill and passed away two weeks ago...still can't believe it .

Trying to keep busy and slowly coming back to the boards...Disney truly is my happy place. I started skimming thru these pages and I have a lot of catching up to do.

Hope everyone had a nice Mother's Day! For those who are in Disney now, hope you have a wonderful trip and for those who are just starting to pack...so excited for you!

I am sorry to hear about your father.

The picture your daughter sent you is beautiful.

 

[grannyminnie]

Good Morning everyone!!

To say the last few weeks have been a complete blur would be an understatement. No sooner I commented on my last post that this year hadn't been the best for me, my beloved father took ill and passed away two weeks ago...still can't believe it .

Trying to keep busy and slowly coming back to the boards...Disney truly is my happy place. I started skimming thru these pages and I have a lot of catching up to do.

Hope everyone had a nice Mother's Day! For those who are in Disney now, hope you have a wonderful trip and for those who are just starting to pack...so excited for you!

I understand.... And yes, for those of us who truly love it, Disney IS that happy place we can escape to, to make more happy memories...

So sorry for your loss.

 

[abk96]

YES! In fact, it's even more magnifying than I remember! It's great! For the first time this trip I can see my eyes in order to put on my mascara!!

Some more thoughts on the room/bathroom: the light in the bathroom is the type that comes on very dim, and then gets brighter as it warms up. I thought I would be showering in the dark! Also, the toilet paper holder SUCKS! It won't stay on the holder! Agh!!

The a/c turns to 75 degrees when you are out of the room. I'll see how this works tonight when we are asleep. Will these menopausal women be sweating all night? Hope not!

The mirror/sconce thingy on the wall, over the sofa, has a vintage, antiqued mirror in it. That blotchy, old look.

I almost feel like the room has some art-deco (almost) feel to it sometimes.

The Magic Kingdom this trip has been so crowded and I'm not so sure why. The weather has been lovely!! There was a full moon tonight that was breathtaking.

I had the pan-seared grouper over fetuccini noodles with an English pea emulsion and Nueske's applewood smoked bacon. YUM! My dessert was the creme brulee with mango and berries. DELICIOUS!!

Going to bed now. I'll report on the mattresses when I can.

Ta Ta for Now.

Thanks for reporting back. That's very nice of you! Glad they have the mirror still.

Sounds like the lights in the bathroom are like the ones at OKW. They come on very dim and then get brighter.

Not too happy to hear about the AC. My husband loves to have the room feel like a meat locker at all times. He's going to be annoyed with that.

Your dinner sounds delicious!

Can somebody point me to the page where the reference is made to that 7DMT survey? (Blue?) I want to take it to see if I'm CLASSY! I have always suspected I was...... And on another note, I am so excited to report that my daughter told me this past weekend that she has ordered me a Midnight Mickey VB bag and hopes it arrives in time for my trip!! She wowed me with the news! Was not expecting it!!

I just went on the Disney website and brought up the 7DMT and it's there. The link wouldn't work for me. I'm sure you are classy.

That was so nice of your daughter to get you the VB bag. It looks very pretty from the pictures I've seen. Enjoy!