A Grand Vacation: The 2012 Grand Floridian FAQ!

[k&a&c'smom]

I'm beginning to worry as well. I love the beauty and serenity of the courtyard pool as we walk to the main building so I'm really starting to question our choice of resort. I love the GF but I'm thinking maybe this year I should give another resort a try....

If you will be there during the courtyard pool renovations, it will definitely have an impact on the feel of the resort. The courtyard pool is the centerpiece of the resort. You may want to look into other choices.

Keep us posted.

I haven't been around on this thread for a while since we got back from our April stay, but I immedialy thought of you all on this wonderful thread when I read the rehab announcement yesterday. I can only speak for myself (and I hope this doesn't make me hated), but if I was going to be staying in the midst of several things closed at once I'd probably be thinking about switching. The Courtyard Pool is a big one to me because I feel like that courtyard is the "central beauty" of the resort and it would really detract from my experience to walk by construction walls (I'm just making the assumption the whole thing would be walled off, but that's just my guess). With all that said, I'm pretty construction-adverse when it comes to my Disney stays. That's actually how we ended up back at the GF this April (we were supposed to be at BC but switched when we found out there was a last minute rehab of SAB). While we go to Disney every year, we tend to mix up our hotel choices, so it might be many trips before I get back to a resort so I like to experience it at it's prime, kwim? There was construction going on at the GF while we were there (feature pool and of course the beach walls) but it wasn't too bad because once we were in the heart of the resort it was easy to avoid but work in the main hub of the resort would be more of a bummer to me. Just my two cents.

Oh, my! Of course you won't be hated. I don't blame anyone for feeling they would stay elsewhere during a huge refurb - I do the same thing. We've avoided several resorts during renovations, so I understand.

I could be sick! I just called GF and asked to speak to a manager who confirmed that the Courtyard pool is going to be closed starting August 22, and same with Gasparillos. A guess they will set up a bar that will serve small quick service at the beach pool. This is soooo dissapointing and I'm really regretting canceling my free dining package just Yesterday at AoA! We have a standard garden view room booked as well...so I guess we get to look at the work at the Courtyard pool all week. This is CERTAINLY why we got such a great rate...but still....

I'm so sorry about the AoA pkg. My suggestion would be to call DRC and ask for Guest Services - or, if you are using a TA, have them do it for you. Explain the situation, and see if they will retrieve your AoA pkg. Probably not, but it's worth a shot.

If that doesn't work out, you could always move to another resort. Not what you hoped, but maybe better than feeling so much worry. If you keep the GF reservation, you can request marina view, or to be in Sago - it has only marina or monorail views.

 

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

Yep...I'm officially...totally...sick.

 

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

What is DRC? What is the number? Thank you.

 

[k&a&c'smom]

DRC stands for Disney Reservations Center - it's the central booking office you call whenever you book. There are various numbers, but I would try 407-939-1894 and ask for a guest services CM.

Good luck.

 

[JoBird]

Hey everyone! Been out of town for the 4th of July and come back to read all of the closures and Rehabs taking place at our Beautiful Resort. Makes me so sad for everyone that will be there in the midst of it.

We are arriving Dec 8th so hopefully the Courtyard pool renovations will be complete by then, but not expecting it. Hopefully we will be surprised. DH just told me this morning to add another day onto our reservations, that he needs more time there. He obviously does not care about the construction going on and would stay there if the place was a big heap of rubble.

Hoping our request of Marina view in SL will be granted, but with all the people not wanting to chance a view of the construction at the Courtyard pool, I'm not holding my breath.


Hope all that have travel plans in the upcoming months will be able to come to a decision on whether to keep the reservations or move hotels, and then be at peace with the decision.
It's tough.

 

[k&a&c'smom]

JoBird - welcome back! LOL about your DH wanting to be at the GF if it were a pile of rubble - too funny.

I hope the major refurbs are finished by the time you arrive, too, and for everyone going in December. It's such a lovely time to be in the World, we all hope for the Grand to be in top form.

This is an excellent point! In 2011 we were booked at the Poly when the announced that the quiet pool would be down for rehab starting right before our stay. At check-in we asked to be away from the pool construction and they looked at my mom like she had two heads - they knew nothing of it and promptly gave us a room right overlooking the quiet pool. Turns out the project had been delayed and nothing happened the whole time we were there.

I've seen this more than once; guests move their reservations according to rehab info, and it ends up not happening as planned. So frustrating - but glad you didn't have to deal with it on your trip.

 

[mariamouse]

Yep...I'm officially...totally...sick.

I am sorry that you are so disappointed! It is completely understandable.

If I recall correctly, your TA gave you the option of either the YC or the GF. Is it too late for you to switch to the YC instead?

I am crossing the fingers for all of you and am hopeful that the GF will make the construction as aesthetically pleasing as possible!

 

[Jungle Cruiser]

Good morning Well, it's out there, all the rumors we have heard are now pretty much confirmed. I have to say, Disney rarely lets construction timetables out ahead of time, so hopefully if people don't want to stay at the GF during the construction in the fall, there is time to make changes.

I have to say when the work is done the resort should be beautiful. The expansion of Gaspirillas will be wonderful and zero entry for the courtyard pool will be a bonus. I would imagine it is time for routine work on the pool anyway. That being said, I feel badly for families that have booked during this time period

 

[bdklein]

Thx all for your info.

I do have another question. Staying CL in Outer Building from August 18-25 2012. In terms of room request, I assume I shoudl request Marina view? is that right? And make that request through IPO? The hotel directly? My ressie is via AAA, so add that to my reservation too?

Thnaks in advance to all.

P.S. I knew we should have stayed at the Poly!!!

 

[Blessed_wth_Triplets]

Sorry y'all....I'm just such a mess and so confused. Call hubby at work and he thinks we should stay (in reality we probably don't have a choice....we prob. Could switch to YC but with 6 of us he thinks we will be more comfortable in a GF room). Given my daughter will be three next year, this is our one and only chance to stay at the GF. He thinks the monorail will be worth it. How big is the beach pool? I expect it will be crowded with the courtyard pool closed? Gasparillas is a huge disappointment though...being our only option for eating counter service will be outside in the hot August heat. Is it that big of a deal to take the monorail to the Poly or Contemporary for some affordable meals? We will not be on the DDP. Trying to see the good....

 

[k&a&c'smom]

Jungle Cruiser - hello, my friend. I hope you are feeling well.

I agree, once all the work is completed the Grand will be even better. I like the zero entry for the courtyard pool, too - I hope they keep the 6 ft. depth, we really like having a deep end. So many resort pools are going to a wading pool, less than 5 ft.

bdklein - if you want to be facing the marina, alert IPO. I'm not sure how that works with a TA; usually, if you book through a travel agent, WDW does not work with you as they do not have your reservation until just before you arrive. The agency owns your res. and all your info. With club, I'm not sure if you work directly with them, or still go through your TA, who then alerts IPO of requests. Anyone else have experience with this?

There are some photos of the marina view from SL on the first page - I think they are in post #13.

If you prefer the Poly, you should still have time to switch.

 

[*~PrincessBelle~*]

I haven't been around on this thread for a while since we got back from our April stay, but I immedialy thought of you all on this wonderful thread when I read the rehab announcement yesterday. I can only speak for myself (and I hope this doesn't make me hated), but if I was going to be staying in the midst of several things closed at once I'd probably be thinking about switching. The Courtyard Pool is a big one to me because I feel like that courtyard is the "central beauty" of the resort and it would really detract from my experience to walk by construction walls (I'm just making the assumption the whole thing would be walled off, but that's just my guess). With all that said, take me with a grain of salt because I'm pretty construction-adverse when it comes to my Disney stays. That's actually how we ended up back at the GF this April (we were supposed to be at BC but switched when we found out there was a last minute rehab of SAB). While we go to Disney every year, we tend to mix up our hotel choices, so it might be many trips before I get back to a resort so I like to experience it at it's prime, kwim? There was construction going on at the GF while we were there (feature pool and of course the beach walls) but it wasn't too bad because once we were in the heart of the resort it was easy to avoid but work in the main hub of the resort would be more of a bummer to me. Just my two cents.

Thanks to everyone who commented and to other families affected hugs to you all too! I think I may be switching over to BC and saving the GF for another trip in the future...I think that when all the reno's are done it will look even more spectacular than before..so I will just have to be patient and wait to experience it in all its glory...

 

[bdklein]

Jungle Cruiser - hello, my friend. I hope you are feeling well.

I agree, once all the work is completed the Grand will be even better. I like the zero entry for the courtyard pool, too - I hope they keep the 6 ft. depth, we really like having a deep end. So many resort pools are going to a wading pool, less than 5 ft.

bdklein - if you want to be facing the marina, alert IPO. I'm not sure how that works with a TA; usually, if you book through a travel agent, WDW does not work with you as they do not have your reservation until just before you arrive. The agency owns your res. and all your info. With club, I'm not sure if you work directly with them, or still go through your TA, who then alerts IPO of requests. Anyone else have experience with this?

There are some photos of the marina view from SL on the first page - I think they are in post #13.

If you prefer the Poly, you should still have time to switch.

Thanks. Except we are going with another family who will only stay at the GF. Main Building, CL, MK View. Snobs-lol. None of us want to split up. So we will manage. And the positives will far outweigh the negatives. I sent email to IPO and my TA, and will call the GF directly once we get closer.

 

[bdklein]

bdklein[/b] - if you want to be facing the marina, alert IPO. I'm not sure how that works with a TA; usually, if you book through a travel agent, WDW does not work with you as they do not have your reservation until just before you arrive. The agency owns your res. and all your info. With club, I'm not sure if you work directly with them, or still go through your TA, who then alerts IPO of requests. Anyone else have experience with this?

I did contact IPO-they have replied and have put the request on our reservation. Keeping fingers crossed.

 

[k&a&c'smom]

Sorry y'all....I'm just such a mess and so confused. Call hubby at work and he thinks we should stay (in reality we probably don't have a choice....we prob. Could switch to YC but with 6 of us he thinks we will be more comfortable in a GF room). Given my daughter will be three next year, this is our one and only chance to stay at the GF. He thinks the monorail will be worth it. How big is the beach pool? I expect it will be crowded with the courtyard pool closed? Gasparillas is a huge disappointment though...being our only option for eating counter service will be outside in the hot August heat. Is it that big of a deal to take the monorail to the Poly or Contemporary for some affordable meals? We will not be on the DDP. Trying to see the good....

I honestly don't think you'll see that much difference between the YC room size and the GF - but I could be wrong. I haven't had 6 in a room, but have had 5 ranging in ages from 6 and up. We were in a moderate room our first stay, then moved up to Boardwalk and it felt like we had so much room! lol The Poly feels larger even though it and the GF are nearly the same size for std. rooms, as the sink area is in the bathroom; at the GF, the sink/dressing area takes up a bit of floor space from the bedroom.

Anyway - not trying to talk you out of the GF, I know you've said you want to stay there before your youngest makes it impossible. I just hate for you to get there and wish you had moved.

It is quite easy to hop the monorail for meals at the CR. We prefer to take the boat to the Poly as it is the next stop. I would also suggest stopping on the way to the resort for snacks for the room, b'fast items, etc. We usually do this when not planning a lot of table service meals even when all services are available.

If you are using ME, you can still go to M.Mouse at the Grand (if Sandy Cove DOES close before you arrive), or the Poly or CR gift shops and grab a few items. We even packed some granola, peanut butter and b'fast bars in our checked luggage one trip, then picked up milk and water at the resort. Or - use Garden Grocer to deliver to the resort. I think the minimum order is $40, but it's not too hard to hit that with water, juice, yogurt, etc. for a family of 6!

 

[mariamouse]

Sorry y'all....I'm just such a mess and so confused. Call hubby at work and he thinks we should stay (in reality we probably don't have a choice....we prob. Could switch to YC but with 6 of us he thinks we will be more comfortable in a GF room). Given my daughter will be three next year, this is our one and only chance to stay at the GF. He thinks the monorail will be worth it. How big is the beach pool? I expect it will be crowded with the courtyard pool closed? Gasparillas is a huge disappointment though...being our only option for eating counter service will be outside in the hot August heat. Is it that big of a deal to take the monorail to the Poly or Contemporary for some affordable meals? We will not be on the DDP. Trying to see the good....

As much as I love the GF, I would suggest switching to the YC. The guaranteed access to SAB (especially in a hot month like August!) and counter service at the BC makes the slightly smaller room size worth it, IMO. Plus, I actually prefer the room decor at the YC to that of the GF. Good luck with your decision!

 

[k&a&c'smom]

ETA: good points, mariamouse!

Thanks to everyone who commented and to other families affected hugs to you all too! I think I may be switching over to BC and saving the GF for another trip in the future...I think that when all the reno's are done it will look even more spectacular than before..so I will just have to be patient and wait to experience it in all its glory...

I'm glad you've found a remedy that you are happy with, I don't blame you for switching. Love the BC!

Thanks. Except we are going with another family who will only stay at the GF. Main Building, CL, MK View. Snobs-lol. None of us want to split up. So we will manage. And the positives will far outweigh the negatives. I sent email to IPO and my TA, and will call the GF directly once we get closer.

LOL! Well, it was a thought.

You can call IPO as well as email, the phone number is 407-824-1775. They are at the resort, you will not get a call center. (this number is for club level only, for anyone wondering! IPO will direct you to call the main number if you do not have a CL confirmation)

I did contact IPO-they have replied and have put the request on our reservation. Keeping fingers crossed.

Thanks for this info, good to know! Now that I think about it...I was able to deal with IPO when I booked a great deal through Orbitz a few years ago. Completely forgot about that, my memory isn't what it used to be. lol

 

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

We just changed our October trip too. The closure of the courtyard pool was a resort killer for me. We are now at YC for our fall trip. My little man is so disappointed. But I am thankful for this information the CRO had no idea a rehab was going on when I told them why I changed today.

 

[Momof2Disneyboys]

A little nervous about the GF construction too.....We arrive on Dec 9. Hopefully they will be working inside the DVC building by then. More worried about the courtyard pool and Gasparilla Grill. From what I am reading they are saying work will be finished at Gasparilla's in December...Sure wish there was a date on that, but I'm sure they just haven't posted one because they don't know themselves yet. And I have read the end of November for the courtyard pool and then somewhere else it says December...Guess we'll just have to wait and see. We are going to keep our ressie either way. I just might add the request of a marina view onto our SL ressie. Although I'm sure everyone else is doing that as well!

 

[micknme]

Thank you for your hug, k&a&c'smom.

As much as it saddened me to make this change, we are now at the Poly, Hawaii building for the 12 days.

I absolutely love, love, love the Grand Floridian, especially the Sugar Loaf building, but picturing us this fall walking past the courtyard pool multiple times on a daily basis just made me feel sad.

I am now relieved for our upcoming trip but I'm also very excited to get back to the GF next year when she is back in grand form!

Hugs to everyone who is disappointed as well.