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

[mommyrosa2]

This coming December, 2 nights AKV,(our home) Jambo and 2 nights VGF..CANNOT WAIT!

First "childless" trip to WDW as youngest DS will be tucked away at college.
First time ever seeing WDW during the HOLIDAY TIME!

Just booked the Candlelight Processional Dinner Package and now really getting EXCITED!

Friends have talked about going to F&W in October...they go "childless" and apparently have a blast!

What in your opinion makes the F&W very SPECIAL? I gather that there are different food offerings that are not offered any other time of year?

Wow, October is a beautiful month to be at WDW! Maybe '15! Never too early to start "thinking"! Love the planning!

Congrats on booking your first solo trip and during the holidays too!!! We've never been in December but are sneaking a few days when we go visit my family in Florida for Christmas.

As for F&W....
When my girls were younger, we were those parents that pulled them out of school and took our trips in the fall. Loved the weather and F&W, although at that time, they declared Epcot as the "worst" park , so we couldn't really enjoy the festival as much as we would have liked but always said we'd go back someday for a solo trip.

If you like food & wine (and we do), the festival really is a lot of fun. We actually enjoy the whole vibe from all the different food offerings you don't normally see, to the concerts to even the people watching (and you do get to see some sights...lol). Because we didn't make too many ADR's, we took a few days and tried to eat our way around the world which was fun...samples may be small but by the time you've hit a few, you're full. Add some beer and wine and you're ready to be rolled out of the park . DH has already declared that we only make 2 ADR's for our upcoming 6 day trip so we can really enjoy the kiosks (we never did quite make it around the world last year).
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[jerseygal]

Friends have said that F&W is really NICE!

Friends with young school age children have parents NICE ENOUGH to allow them a "childless" F&W trip every year! WOW! It's an annual "getaway" recharge ritual for them...

When we have grandchildren in the future, God willing, we hope that we will be healthy and fit to watch the little ones so our boys can "steal" a little Mom and Dad time away from the kiddies!

 

[mag73]

Thank you all for your kind words. We are hoping for a Disney miracle We have been looking into decorating our MB. Just so I have this right. As long as we don't decorate the Mickey head the bands should work ok ?We were thinking of using nail polish and sharpies.

 

[mag73]

Too funny.... Next thing ya know, he might be wearing Mickey ears!!

Now that's an idea. My family would not mind wearing those at all.

 

[scmomof2]

Hello! We have just had a change of plans and will be staying at the GF for our upcoming vacation . We are booked for a garden view. I have read up and it seems like the GF staff is good at working with you to find a room within your category to fit your needs.

I was wondering if I could get some advice. My dd has some special needs, so I need to minimize distance walking if possible, and find a quiet area (for example pool noise would be a problem). For reference she did quite nicely at the POR river view royal room and she has done well with a garden view at POFQ. POR was so great in giving us a room that had a convenient location I am hoping GF will be as helpful.

Would you recommend a particular building I should keep in mind when checking in? I am thinking Big Pine Key would be good for less walking but may be more noisy, so perhaps Conch Key or Boca Chica would be a better bet? I am also thinking an upper floor would be quieter so will ask for that. Any advice would be much appreciated. I am not familiar with this resort size compared to the Port Orleans resorts, so I am having a hard time figuring out what area we should shoot for.

Thank you!

 

[quakechicago]

Thank you all for your kind words. We are hoping for a Disney miracle We have been looking into decorating our MB. Just so I have this right. As long as we don't decorate the Mickey head the bands should work ok ?We were thinking of using nail polish and sharpies.

There's a MB thread with great ideas! You can cover the Mickey head too. Nail art and acrylic paints seem to last better than sharpies.

 

[ratdog9]

Any new pictures of the renovated rooms (garden view)? Also going in September and want a room with a view of the pool. I booked a garden view standard room. I have seen some of the buildings have an obstructed view with the pool house . Thanks!

 

[Grace&Carolinesmom]

Hello! We have just had a change of plans and will be staying at the GF for our upcoming vacation . We are booked for a garden view. I have read up and it seems like the GF staff is good at working with you to find a room within your category to fit your needs.

I was wondering if I could get some advice. My dd has some special needs, so I need to minimize distance walking if possible, and find a quiet area (for example pool noise would be a problem). For reference she did quite nicely at the POR river view royal room and she has done well with a garden view at POFQ. POR was so great in giving us a room that had a convenient location I am hoping GF will be as helpful.

Would you recommend a particular building I should keep in mind when checking in? I am thinking Big Pine Key would be good for less walking but may be more noisy, so perhaps Conch Key or Boca Chica would be a better bet? I am also thinking an upper floor would be quieter so will ask for that. Any advice would be much appreciated. I am not familiar with this resort size compared to the Port Orleans resorts, so I am having a hard time figuring out what area we should shoot for.

Thank you!

Welcome to the GF thread For a quiet room, I would go with Sago Cay. It is furthest from the pools but closest to the bus stop and is located right outside of Gaspie's for a quick meal run We have requested Sago for our trip as well as upper floor and non-connecting. For me, non-connecting is the real key to a quiet room. Those connecting doors can REALLY allow sound to travel between rooms

Although I have never stayed at either of the POR resorts, GF is quite compact and nothing is a long walk.

Happy planning

 

[mickeynut1]

The pictures alone of the BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS TREES are AMAZING!

The pictures are great, but they don't do the trees/decorations justice. Everything is just amazing in person....you're going to love it .

Thank you all for your kind words. We are hoping for a Disney miracle We have been looking into decorating our MB.

Have fun decorating your MBs. I'm sure your DD will enjoy that and will feel differently about wearing it when she's at Disney .

Hello! We have just had a change of plans and will be staying at the GF for our upcoming vacation . We are booked for a garden view. I have read up and it seems like the GF staff is good at working with you to find a room within your category to fit your needs.

I was wondering if I could get some advice. My dd has some special needs, so I need to minimize distance walking if possible, and find a quiet area (for example pool noise would be a problem). For reference she did quite nicely at the POR river view royal room and she has done well with a garden view at POFQ. POR was so great in giving us a room that had a convenient location I am hoping GF will be as helpful.

Would you recommend a particular building I should keep in mind when checking in? I am thinking Big Pine Key would be good for less walking but may be more noisy, so perhaps Conch Key or Boca Chica would be a better bet? I am also thinking an upper floor would be quieter so will ask for that. Any advice would be much appreciated. I am not familiar with this resort size compared to the Port Orleans resorts, so I am having a hard time figuring out what area we should shoot for.

Thank you!

Welcome to the GF thread and congrats on booking your first GF stay .

The GF is pretty compact and although none of the outer buildings are far away from the main areas, there are some buildings a little closer to certain areas than others. Big Pine Key is one of my favorites for a GV as it is close to the main building and beach pool, and isn't that far from Gasparillas. However, it does overlook the courtyard pool (as does Boca Chica) and while we didn't have any trouble with noise from the pool, requesting a building away from there might be a good idea if you are looking for something a little quieter. Conch Key might be quieter than BPK, but Sago might be a better choice for the quietest location. Conch is away from the courtyard pool, but is near the boat dock, while Sago is across from Conch on the other side of the marina by the convention center. If you make a request for a certain building, floor, etc., make sure you put them in order of importance. Also, while the room assigners do their best to keep track of all requests, sometimes requests get overlooked. If you check in and are assigned a building or room that doesn't meet your requests, you can always ask if a different location/room is available. Requests are not guaranteed and depending on how busy the resort is, they may or may not be able to change your room, but they will try their best as I have always found the CMs to be very accommodating whenever it was possible to do so. Have a great trip and I hope you enjoy the GF .

Any new pictures of the renovated rooms (garden view)? Also going in September and want a room with a view of the pool. I booked a garden view standard room. I have seen some of the buildings have an obstructed view with the pool house . Thanks!

There are links to pics of the new rooms on the first page of this thread (at the top) .

Big Pine Key has some rooms with views that look at the back of the pool house, so if that is a building/location you like, you could put in a request for the top floor.

 

[scmomof2]

Welcome to the GF thread For a quiet room, I would go with Sago Cay. It is furthest from the pools but closest to the bus stop and is located right outside of Gaspie's for a quick meal run We have requested Sago for our trip as well as upper floor and non-connecting. For me, non-connecting is the real key to a quiet room. Those connecting doors can REALLY allow sound to travel between rooms

Although I have never stayed at either of the POR resorts, GF is quite compact and nothing is a long walk.

Happy planning

Welcome to the GF thread and congrats on booking your first GF stay .

The GF is pretty compact and although none of the outer buildings are far away from the main areas, there are some buildings a little closer to certain areas than others. Big Pine Key is one of my favorites for a GV as it is close to the main building and beach pool, and isn't that far from Gasparillas. However, it does overlook the courtyard pool (as does Boca Chica) and while we didn't have any trouble with noise from the pool, requesting a building away from there might be a good idea if you are looking for something a little quieter. Conch Key might be quieter than BPK, but Sago might be a better choice for the quietest location. Conch is away from the courtyard pool, but is near the boat dock, while Sago is across from Conch on the other side of the marina by the convention center. If you make a request for a certain building, floor, etc., make sure you put them in order of importance. Also, while the room assigners do their best to keep track of all requests, sometimes requests get overlooked. If you check in and are assigned a building or room that doesn't meet your requests, you can always ask if a different location/room is available. Requests are not guaranteed and depending on how busy the resort is, they may or may not be able to change your room, but they will try their best as I have always found the CMs to be very accommodating whenever it was possible to do so. Have a great trip and I hope you enjoy the GF

Thanks to you both for the advice, I am going to look into Sago Cay more closely. And I do understand the uncertain nature of room requests. In our experiences so far Disney resorts have been very understanding when I've explained our situation, but I totally get that nothing is guaranteed. Just want to be informed in the event that they are able to help us out with a good location for dd

 

[ChrisHosfeld]

Hello all.
We are headed down to stay at the GF club level this September mid month.
Now, I have to admit to this forum that we are die-hard Polynesian Club goers. But for the next year our beloved Poly is being turned upside down, so we are out.
I had heard nasty rumors that the Sugarloaf Lounge was not as nice as the main building lounge and that they don't serve wine, beer, or aperitifs. My wife and I need that at days end. So I called the concierge today. She said ...
1. They serve the EXACT same food and drinks. Including the above. And...
2. They are just finishing renovating those rooms and the lounge. I've seen room pics---BIG improvement! I was curious. Does anyone have, or have you seen any NEW, REFURBISHED lounge photos anywhere..?
Just want to make sure I should not move over to the main building.

Thanks for the help if you know anything!

Chris H.

 

[jrt1176]

Just switched to GF!

It's my niece's first time at GF and she wanted to stay here after going to the Princess Tea last trip.

We have a Lagoon room booked and I was wondering if I should request a particular building, floor, etc?

Any advice is welcome! Thanks in advance!

 

[mystery222184]

So with the renovating of all the rooms (which are looking great) at the GF and SL Lounge...Are they renovating the RPC as well?

 

[trishadono]

Hello all.
We are headed down to stay at the GF club level this September mid month.
Now, I have to admit to this forum that we are die-hard Polynesian Club goers. But for the next year our beloved Poly is being turned upside down, so we are out.
I had heard nasty rumors that the Sugarloaf Lounge was not as nice as the main building lounge and that they don't serve wine, beer, or aperitifs. My wife and I need that at days end. So I called the concierge today. She said ...
1. They serve the EXACT same food and drinks. Including the above. And...
2. They are just finishing renovating those rooms and the lounge. I've seen room pics---BIG improvement! I was curious. Does anyone have, or have you seen any NEW, REFURBISHED lounge photos anywhere..?
Just want to make sure I should not move over to the main building.

Thanks for the help if you know anything!

Chris H.

I have stayed at poly CL and at both SL and RPC at gf! I can assure you that you will have a great time

I am not sure who told you that there wasn't offerings at SL but they are indeed the same as RPC(main building).

SL lounge just does not have the great views that the poly lounge has. However the building itself is beautiful and very conveniently located. It is a short walk to the boat launch, the main bulling, the bus stops and adjacent to the main pool

A few pages back there are some recently posted pics of the lounge. July 1st it opened so they are not to far back. I would find but I got to run.

You will have a great time, there is a reason the name contains GRAND.

 

[trishadono]

So with the renovating of all the rooms (which are looking great) at the GF and SL Lounge...Are they renovating the RPC as well?

Yes! RPC is getting done this month.

 

[mickeynut1]

Thanks to you both for the advice, I am going to look into Sago Cay more closely. And I do understand the uncertain nature of room requests. In our experiences so far Disney resorts have been very understanding when I've explained our situation, but I totally get that nothing is guaranteed. Just want to be informed in the event that they are able to help us out with a good location for dd

You're welcome .

As I mentioned in my other post, don't be afraid to ask for another location if the building/room you are assigned is not to your liking. I agree that Disney is very understanding and will do everything they can to make your stay a memorable one .

Hello all.
We are headed down to stay at the GF club level this September mid month.
Now, I have to admit to this forum that we are die-hard Polynesian Club goers. But for the next year our beloved Poly is being turned upside down, so we are out.
I had heard nasty rumors that the Sugarloaf Lounge was not as nice as the main building lounge and that they don't serve wine, beer, or aperitifs. My wife and I need that at days end. So I called the concierge today. She said ...
1. They serve the EXACT same food and drinks. Including the above. And...
2. They are just finishing renovating those rooms and the lounge. I've seen room pics---BIG improvement! I was curious. Does anyone have, or have you seen any NEW, REFURBISHED lounge photos anywhere..?
Just want to make sure I should not move over to the main building.

Thanks for the help if you know anything!

Chris H.

Welcome to the GF thread and congrats on booking your first GF stay .

The CM you spoke to is correct that the offerings are the same in both RPC and SL. The lounges, however, are worlds apart. The SL lounge is kind of small and is located in the center of the lobby as you enter the SL building. I thought the SL lounge was a little chaotic with not enough seating to accommodate the number of people staying there, but it seems they have added a few more seats with the refurb. Here is a link from page 99 of this thread with a couple of recent pics of the SL lounge:

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3258521&page=99

The RPC lounge, on the other hand, is spacious with plenty of seating, some of which have great views of the courtyard and pool (no views from the SL lounge). It also overlooks the GF lobby, which is nice for watching the hustle and bustle from above while relaxing and listening to the orchestra play.

With all of that said, both clubs are great for different reasons. I think RPC provides a more relaxing atmosphere than SL, but SL is in a great location if you will be spending a lot of time at the courtyard pool as the building is located right next to the pool and is very convenient for grabbing snacks/drinks if you spend a lot of time poolside. However, if you will spend a lot of time relaxing in the lounge, I would go with RPC (just my opinion).

Just switched to GF!

It's my niece's first time at GF and she wanted to stay here after going to the Princess Tea last trip.

We have a Lagoon room booked and I was wondering if I should request a particular building, floor, etc?

Any advice is welcome! Thanks in advance!

Congrats on your first upcoming GF stay .

I think all of the outer buildings (except SL) have lagoon views. With that said, if you want a somewhat quiet atmosphere, Sago Cay would be a good request. If you want to be closer to the main building and beach pool/courtyard pool, Boca Chica would be a good request. I prefer an upper floor vs a first floor room regardless of my room category, but for a lagoon view I would definitely request an upper floor .

So with the renovating of all the rooms (which are looking great) at the GF and SL Lounge...Are they renovating the RPC as well?

Yes, I believe RPC is getting a refurb. Those refurbs were scheduled to start June 29th .

 

[mystery222184]

Awesome! Idk how to double quote on the iPhone but Thanks Trisha & Mickeynut!

I'll tell ya- being that we stayed @ GF last yr during DVC construction and the Poly (torn up as it is we will still the make best of it!) in 18 Days, it's so nice to stay at not just a fully running resort but one right after renovation!!

 

[Grace&Carolinesmom]

Just wanted to pop in with two things......

A. LittleMissMagic posted some beautiful new photos taken of a renovated dormer room on the GF photo thread that can be seen here http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1768829&page=48
There are some really great shots of the elusive nesting table (yay!) and the bath product line up (yay again!)

B. I am at the two weeks mark

 

[mag73]

Just wanted to pop in with two things......

A. LittleMissMagic posted some beautiful new photos taken of a renovated dormer room on the GF photo thread that can be seen here http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1768829&page=48
There are some really great shots of the elusive nesting table (yay!) and the bath product line up (yay again!)

B. I am at the two weeks mark

Great pictures!! Thank you for posting the link. I see that the bed spreads are gone, what did they replace them with? Do they offer a duvet or a blanket?

 

[Sue M]

Thought of you all while using one of my stashed shower gels a bit ago!

Disney Miracles do happen! Really, everyone has MBs in WDW so after the first day when DH said he was going to keep his in his pocket, he wore (his lame gray one) the whole time! I said nothing!

Fast forward to me telling him I was going to decorate mine and DD's for our upcoming trip.

"What kind of decorations?" he asked looking interested.

Too funny.... Next thing ya know, he might be wearing Mickey ears!!

Sue, re: the grits at the GF Cafe....in my opinion, they didn't put enough on the plate! The creaminess of them with the sauce...WOW! All the ingredients worked together to make a wonderful dish!

I hear that, I would love if DH said yeas honey let's do 2 GF rooms this trip...it'll never happen

The last trip my oldest came with us when he was 17..he was too cool for everything, but once we got there he was my kid again. Hoping Disney counteracts the too coolness!!

I am a little concerned my DS5 who has ASD will wear his MB, but it's good to know that there is an alternative just in case, or perhaps I can wear his???


HRH isn't a Loews hotel, so they have a different brand than PBH and RPR..you'll get the good stuff at PBH girlfriend
And Disney released the summer VB stuff online now... I was told no more purses

Morning!!!

And Morning to all the Grand Groupies

Good to know. I thought HRH at Universal was a Lowes. So looking forward to PBH! Boy am I going to come home with a hoard of toiletries won't be long till our trips now!!! my girlfriend is bringing me ( she is staying at GF too) my new VB Disney bag she picked up for me at DL

Just wanted to pop in with two things......

A. LittleMissMagic posted some beautiful new photos taken of a renovated dormer room on the GF photo thread that can be seen here http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1768829&page=48
There are some really great shots of the elusive nesting table (yay!) and the bath product line up (yay again!)

B. I am at the two weeks mark

Thanks for the photo link glad to see the solar gel in the toiletries pic!