A Grand Vacation: The 2012 Grand Floridian FAQ!

[cgulls]

maybe this is old news but I hadn't seen the last two of these closings related to the Beach Pool.

These are from http://www.intercot.com/infocentral/calendar/refurb.asp

Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
• Now – Feb. 5, 2013: Valet parking lot mill and overlay will occur. • Now – Feb. 6, 2013: Ivy Trellis Salon will be closed for refurbishment. American Beauty Salon and Captain's Chair at Disney's Contemporary Resort, or Casa de Belleza Salon at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort available. Guests may call 407-824-3410 to book an appointment.
•Now – February 2013: Courtyard Pool will be closed for refurbishment. The Beach Pool will remain open during this time. Beaches Pool Bar & Grill will be open.
• Now – February 2013: Courtyard Pool Bar will be closed for refurbishment. Beaches Pool Bar & Grill will be open.
Now – To Be Determined: Grand Floridian Beach area is closed due to construction.
• Feb. 24 – March 8, 2013: The Beach Pool Slide will be closed for refurbishment. The Poll will remain open.
• March 7 – 8, 2013: Beach pool will be closed for deck cleaning and caulking.

 

[JoBird]

Just a few questions before we arrive on Friday as first-timers!

1. We plan on doing Valet for the car. When we pay the next day what are some payment options? I've done Valet before but used TIW card for dining so it was free and we tipped the drivers.


Thanks in advance!

Hi!

The valet charge will be added to your room bill charges. It will show on your invoice the day you check out as "GF Valet Parking". It costs $15 a day to valet, plus tips. We usually tip anywhere from $3-$5 cash to whoever is valeting our car, depending on what we have on us and if we are dropping off or picking up for the day.

We love using it--- so nice to just pull up and walk right in!

Have a great trip!

 

[haleofafamily]

When we stayed at the Poly and they were working on their pool area, we were encouraged to walk to the GF for the hot tub. Did the Poly put in a hot tub with that rehab. Haven't stayed there since so I don't know and if that is the case, I'd think that going there would be ok.

The Poly does not have a hot tub. The feature pool at the Poly will be rehabbed sometime in the near future. There are conflicting reports on the dates...either end of Feb or beginning of March.

maybe this is old news but I hadn't seen the last two of these closings related to the Beach Pool.

These are from http://www.intercot.com/infocentral/calendar/refurb.asp

Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
• Now – Feb. 5, 2013: Valet parking lot mill and overlay will occur. • Now – Feb. 6, 2013: Ivy Trellis Salon will be closed for refurbishment. American Beauty Salon and Captain's Chair at Disney's Contemporary Resort, or Casa de Belleza Salon at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort available. Guests may call 407-824-3410 to book an appointment.
•Now – February 2013: Courtyard Pool will be closed for refurbishment. The Beach Pool will remain open during this time. Beaches Pool Bar & Grill will be open.
• Now – February 2013: Courtyard Pool Bar will be closed for refurbishment. Beaches Pool Bar & Grill will be open.
Now – To Be Determined: Grand Floridian Beach area is closed due to construction.
• Feb. 24 – March 8, 2013: The Beach Pool Slide will be closed for refurbishment. The Poll will remain open.
• March 7 – 8, 2013: Beach pool will be closed for deck cleaning and caulking.

The travel agent site list the courtyard pool as being closed until April 11. Does this mean there will be no pool for a couple of days?

 

[outahere]

We are currently booked Sugarloaf CL next month, but are concerned about the pool construction. We requested a marina view, but with our luck we'll end up looking at the construction.

Anyone care to comment on how the construction is impacting CL guests staying in Sugarloaf?

Thanks.

 

[cgulls]

The Poly does not have a hot tub. The feature pool at the Poly will be rehabbed sometime in the near future. There are conflicting reports on the dates...either end of Feb or beginning of March.




The travel agent site list the courtyard pool as being closed until April 11. Does this mean there will be no pool for a couple of days?

April 11? Ruh roh. Public Disney site says March.

 

[Chrisrokc]

I have talked to the Grand Floridian and they say that the courtyard pool will be open by March 1st if not sooner. This matches what is on their webpage.

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/grand-floridian-resort-and-spa/


They didn't mention any other pool related items that would be down.

 

[cgulls]

I have talked to the Grand Floridian and they say that the courtyard pool will be open by March 1st if not sooner. This matches what is on their webpage.

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/grand-floridian-resort-and-spa/


They didn't mention any other pool related items that would be down.

I choose to believe what Chrisrokc heard than what the travel agent site says . ... because it makes me feel better.

 

[TinkerbellLuvr7]

Hi!

The valet charge will be added to your room bill charges. It will show on your invoice the day you check out as "GF Valet Parking". It costs $15 a day to valet, plus tips. We usually tip anywhere from $3-$5 cash to whoever is valeting our car, depending on what we have on us and if we are dropping off or picking up for the day.

We love using it--- so nice to just pull up and walk right in!

Have a great trip!

Thanks! Were just staying for one night so I'm assuming it will be one charge as we won't arrive till 4:30pm tomorrow and will be gone by 1 or 2pm on Saturday as we check into POFQ on Saturday. Thanks for the help! I got ones for tips today

 

[MommyGina]

For the first time ever in all the 8 years that we have stayed at the GF in SL or RPC, the IPO never contacted our TA prior to our visit. This time they did! IPO sent an email to our AAA TA with a form for us to fill out for our dining requests so that they could make them for us.

I sent my dining requests on to them on Wednesday and yesterday, our 180 day mark, I received confirmation back from the IPO with our dining confirmations.

Is this something new? IPO has made our dining requests before, but I always contacted them first.

 

[nalia]

Hi Everyone!

We have a trip planned at the GF 2/28-3/7 and I am starting to get really nervous about all of the construction going on. When we booked the pool had a completion date of December 2012 and at this point I don't think there is hope of it being done in time for our trip. And now the slide at the other pool will be down when we are there too!

I am wondering if some of you could provide some feedback of your recent trips. Is it like staying in the middle of a construction zone? Is it really noisy? Does it totally take away the Grand feeling of staying at the GF? Are any areas of the outside without construction walls?

Also, I am thinking of upgrading to a TPV, is it worth it? Is it an unobstructed view?

I have read good and bad reviews for the GF since the construction happened and just really want to know that it will still be grand. Thanks in advance for your responses!

 

[butternut]

I also was wondering the same regarding construction at GF. Our trip is mmMarch 14th for the week and sure would like to be put somewhere away from the site.Where exactly is the dvc construction and what building would be the best to request to not view the work? Thanks

 

[haleofafamily]

I can not provide a link but this is from the travel agent site:

Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Courtyard Pool - (The Beach Pool will remain open during this time.) 09/10/12 - April 11, 2013

Courtyard Pool Bar - Beaches Pool Bar & Grill is available. 09/10/12 - March 2013

Ivy Trellis Beauty and Barber Shop - The Ivy Trellis Salon will be closed during this time. American Beauty Salon and Captain's Chair at Disney's Contemporary Resort, or Casa de Belleza Salon at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort available. Guests may call 407-824-3410 to book an appointment. 12/02/12 - 02/08/13

Beach Pool - Pool will be closed during this time 03/07/13 - 03/08/13

Beach Pool Slide 02/24/13 - 03/08/13

 

[JoBird]

You'll get them from me.

I'm a Grand Floridian fan. There's not another hotel on property that comes close to giving me that euphoric feeling I have when we drive onto the property. I will tell anyone about how much I love it, how I think it's the best place in Disney World to stay.

We went this last trip December 8-12 staying in Sugar Loaf again. It's where we love to be, it's our "spot".

I requested Marina view, asking them to place me as close to room 6319 as possible.

When we got there, of course it was very busy as it was right in the middle of the Holiday season.

We were in room 6313, third floor, overlooking the marina. Perfect location for us. Sago Key across the water, monorail going past. Beautiful.

The following sentiments are mine alone, after staying at the GF both before, and now during, construction.

The construction IMO---- is awful. It's ugly and THERE. There's no way to NOT see it. When you walk out the back door of the Main bldg you see blue walls. They are all along the courtyard pool. If we had been in a room overlooking that sight, and down into what is going on behind the walls, I would have been very upset after paying the amount we did for our room.

That said-- I never once heard any noise coming from behind it, but I don't think they were working at all while we were there.

Moving on to the Alice and Wonderland Splash area.
I hate it.

I know that is harsh and I don't like to use that word. I use it sparingly in life because it is so strong. But the new area deserves that word for me to use in describing my feelings.
The area used to be nice with sand and palm trees and hammocks. It gave a distinct peace and air of dignity to the resort that has been replaced with loud Dinging of bells that can be heard all over the resort, followed by screams of children.
While I realize that Disney is "for kids" (I have 3 myself), the Grand Floridian had a certain aura around it that was regal and calm. Sadly it is there no more and I'm not sure it ever will be there again. I understand that they felt the need to make the GF more enticing to families, and this splash pad could have worked, if they had put it somewhere else on property, maybe next to the DVC. Where it sits now makes no sense to me at all.

The beach pool as it is now, it's sad. No beach access at all. No sand. Walls behind you with the steel shell of DVC being built as you swim along. The chairs are scootched together and you feel pretty on top of your neighbors while you're sunbathing.

Which brings me to the DVC itself.

While I think it will be a beautiful addition once it is finished, the way it is now is ugly. It's there, you notice it. I don't know how the finished building will be as far as what they do with beach access. All I know is that with the way it is now, the Grand certainly is not "Grand" in the way it once was.


With all of this said-- how will it affect my staying there?
I honestly don't know.
We have a trip planned again for Labor Day. I am hoping that by then things will have settled down and they will be working inside the DVC by then.
If I was given a chance to stay there in the next couple of months knowing how it looks right now or going somewhere else, I would choose somewhere else. And that is crazy coming from me, who loves it so much.


Again, you asked for honest opinions, and these are mine. I know we all want the Grand to be back to her former lovely self and hopefully one day she will be. Right now though, IMO, she is unfortunately only a shell of what she once was.


Hope this helps someone in their decision.

 

[glovergirls]

@JoBird thank you do much for that review. It is greatly appreciated. We have always been huge fans and it is our favorite place to stay but I am really struggling with whether or not to change our resort next month.

Is there any sand left anywhere right now or did they get rid of all of it??

 

[Tam1067]

We were there Jan. 2-6. We were fortunate enough to be put in a marina side room in Sago Cay, so we did not see or hear construction from our room. Also, the weather was not that warm when we were there, so my kids did not care about swimming.

The new Gasparilla's is beautiful.

The construction is ugly. If we had been in a room looking out on it, I would have been very upset. The walls around the courtyard pool do take away from the atmosphere of the entire resort. The DVC building is larger than it appears online, so the construction there is really imposing too.

We do love the GF, and we plan to return next December, for either Xmas ir New Year, but I am waiting to see what happens with construction before deciding if we will do the GF again or try something else. I think that will depend on the state of construction as we get closer.

 

[Chrisrokc]

Curious to know about the beach... I had no idea it was closed. From pictures it doesn't look like it is. Can anyone confirm?

I would hate to switch to Poly, but something has to give. If the courtyard pool really does open by March 1st, I would be happy.

 

[JoBird]

Glovergirls- You're welcome. I really have been hesitant to share my thoughts on the GF's current state since I really love it there, but wanted to let others know my opinion so that they go into it knowing how it really is.

There is no sand at all, no beach access.

From the DVC area all the way around the back side of the Beach Pool, around where the beach used to be at the entrance to that pool, towards where the hammocks used to be and behind where the Alice Splash pad is now--- is a wall that blocks the beach access totally. There's no beach, no sand.


Tam1067- Yes, you're right. The DVC is huge in person and it is very imposing. We are hoping that by September the whole construction issue will be done with. After that trip, we will decide if it's worth us continuing to go back or not.



Chrisrokc- As I said above, the beach is closed. I hope that the CY pool opens in time for you, but based on this post from wdwmagic from yesterday, IDK that it will.
http://www.wdwmagic.com/resorts/dis...eduled-at-disney's-grand-floridian-resort.htm

A couple of refurbishments are scheduled that will impact the beach pool at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort.

First up is a refurbishment of the beach pool slide, from 24 February 2013 to 8 March 2013. Secondly, the beach pool will be closed completely from 7 March to 8 March 2013. The courtyard pool is currently closed for refurbishment, and that is tentatively scheduled to reopen on 16 March 2013.



I think the Poly is beautiful--- it's our second favorite resort. If we couldn't stay at the GF I would have no problem at all staying there again. I don't know when it's supposed to happen but I have read that the pool there is scheduled for a refurb, so I would double check if that is a deal breaker for you before changing resorts. Good luck in your decision.

 

[JoBird]

Just wanted to show you the walls that are up. This picture was taken in October, but in December they were still there.

http://www.wdwmagic.com/resorts/dis...oridian-dvc-construction-including-aerial.htm


See the Beach Pool? The blue walls line the entire beach area and block all access to it, all the way behind the Splash pad area that is out of the picture on the right hand side.

I have pictures I took myself but photobucket is not cooperating with my computer and I haven't been able to upload them from the trip, otherwise I'd post them.

HTH.

 

[glovergirls]

So just so I understand this right (we haven't been since last Feb) the area right across from the main building, closer to BPK, where the hammocks were that was covered with sand is completly gone??? Or am I missing something? I think that may be a deal breaker for us as my kids LOVE the sand.

 

[Chrisrokc]

Holycow! That is just crazy... It wasn't like that in the beginning when they had the beach pool bar taken apart. I saw pictures and the sand looked fine. I wonder why Disney made the bone head move of removing the beach on the resort side. Then on top of that they don't mention it in any construction listings......