Resort Thread Disney's GRAND FLORIDIAN Resort & Spa + Construction Updates!! **LOBBY REFURB STARTED 4/14**

[Garyjames220]

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The rack rates in USD for next May are below, FWIW. If we’re all having to pay rack in May, we’ve got bigger problems! I would bank of discounts eventually being released - 50th hysteria isn’t enough to fill everything with no discounts, one would think.

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I was looking at 27th,28th May so not far out

when would u expect to see discounts and how much cheaper do u reckon, based on passed discounts

 

[trishadono]

I was looking at 27th,28th May so not far out

when would u expect to see discounts and how much cheaper do u reckon, based on passed discounts

I often go that weekend in May. I generally get the general public discount 25%-35%or the annual passholder discount 30-40% off. It does vary so release dates could be Jan-Mar.

Hard to say about the upcoming year or two. A lot will depend on how busy things get.

Dis will have announcement for discounts. Keeping an eye out here isn’t a bad idea.

 

[disneyfan150]

About to place my Garden Grocer order. . .
Does a half gallon of milk fit in the mini fridge of the regular rooms?

 

[Garyjames220]

I often go that weekend in May. I generally get the general public discount 25%-35%or the annual passholder discount 30-40% off. It does vary so release dates could be Jan-Mar.

Hard to say about the upcoming year or two. A lot will depend on how busy things get.

Dis will have announcement for discounts. Keeping an eye out here isn’t a bad idea.

thanks for that info. Good to no

so for the general public discount would I probably need to book via the Disney USA website

I looked at prices for this year even on the uk website and all the prices are sky high

sometime the uk does a free nights promotion if you stay more than five nights but I have never seen the uk sure do single night discounts so I am not to sure in how I would take advantage of a offer as it may not be promoted here

guess I can just keep an eye out on here

 

[kylenne]

Just a thought....since you are traveling solo this trip and I assume you are a morning person?? Why not pack up the night before except for morning essentials. Get up a little extra early, get ready for your AK day, then take a lyft over to YC to drop your bags and then take bus to AK from YC? When you are tuckered out from your AK day, you can return to YC knowing your bags are there. If room isn't ready, just retrieve your pool essentials from your bags and relax at SAB until you get the room ready text.

Personally, I would be worried all day about "when" my bags would arrive at YC. What if you had an emergency and needed to retrieve something from your bags and they were in transport and unavailable? Also, taking care of it first thing in the morning means the rest of your day you are mentally now at YC and not in flux. KWIM??

Why didn’t I think of this before? This is a great idea. I’m only a morning person at Disney though...when I do go into the office I get up at 6am complaining the whole time and am not human until I get caffeine in me. At Disney? I turn into Minnie on rope drop days.

My only concern with that plan though is about getting rideshare that early...from experience it tends to be a little dicey and that was pre-Covid. I remember having a rough go of it trying to get a Lyft for 7a EMH at AK one trip.

 

[kylenne]

About to place my Garden Grocer order. . .
Does a half gallon of milk fit in the mini fridge of the regular rooms?

I’m not sure it would tbh, the shelves in them are not very tall. More the size of water bottles.

 

[Grace&Carolinesmom]

About to place my Garden Grocer order. . .
Does a half gallon of milk fit in the mini fridge of the regular rooms?

Yes. It will fit. We buy half gallons of milk every trip from GG--along with lots of other groceries....lol. Sometime I move around the shelving in the fridge to make space for everything we pack in there.

 

[Grace&Carolinesmom]

Why didn’t I think of this before? This is a great idea. I’m only a morning person at Disney though...when I do go into the office I get up at 6am complaining the whole time and am not human until I get caffeine in me. At Disney? I turn into Minnie on rope drop days.

My only concern with that plan though is about getting rideshare that early...from experience it tends to be a little dicey and that was pre-Covid. I remember having a rough go of it trying to get a Lyft for 7a EMH at AK one trip.

Post-covid world......Do taxis still wait outside GF? Was just thinking if rideshare was scarce, ask the bellhop to "whistle" over a taxi for you? I know in past trips, there were taxis in addition to rideshare but not sure how the pandemic has affected taxi availability.

 

[Dispro1]

I love AK to death and it’s never been a half day park to me...I enjoy walking the animal trails and taking in all the imagineering details. I thought about taking the bus back to GF and then a Lyft to bring my stuff to YC but I do want to spend my rest time actually resting lol. Knowing me I will probably just see how I feel when I’m down there.

The Dolphin is my old stomping grounds, my family stayed there all the time when I was a kid. It looks so nice after the big refurb, I was booked there at one point last summer before I had to cancel. But I actually booked a spa appt there on my rest day at YC, since I couldn’t get a cabana at SAB and the YC spa and Senses are still closed. I totally forgot about Mandara (my mom has never been a spa person, I came to that on my own) and checked and they’re available. I needed some kind of treat while I'm at Crescent Lake!

I do hope Senses reopens at GF for our October trip, when we will be at Poly again. We absolutely adored our day there a couple of years ago. The leg and foot massage was heavenly after days walking around MK. That turned us into spoiled spa junkies and now we need it on longer trips.

Sounds like a great trip to me! A spa day sounds wonderful! I'm glad you like AK so much. All parks are half day parks for us...well, they used to be when there were fast passes lol! My DH is a Marriott guy so we often stay at a Marriott brand hotel for part of our trip although it's usually just arrival night. I think they did a really nice job with the lobby renovation at Dolphin too. Of course, it's not like GF, but they treat us very well since my husband is "titanium elite." We often get upgraded there and once it was to the Presidential Suite with tons of windows and a fantastic view of the Epcot fireworks! I wish Disney had a loyalty program, but I know they don't have to have one so they won't lol.

Why didn’t I think of this before? This is a great idea. I’m only a morning person at Disney though...when I do go into the office I get up at 6am complaining the whole time and am not human until I get caffeine in me. At Disney? I turn into Minnie on rope drop days.

My only concern with that plan though is about getting rideshare that early...from experience it tends to be a little dicey and that was pre-Covid. I remember having a rough go of it trying to get a Lyft for 7a EMH at AK one trip.

We booked a Mears SUV for our transfer from Dolphin to GF and it was only about $8 more than the rate for Lyft when we checked because it includes tip whereas Lyft/uber doesn't. Plus, I'll bet the rate for Uber/Lyft will be even higher on a Saturday morning at park opening time! Plus, no stress wondering if a car will be available!

 

[03GirlsMom]

About to place my Garden Grocer order. . .
Does a half gallon of milk fit in the mini fridge of the regular rooms?

Yes, a half gallon will fit. It might take some Tetris-like maneuvering at times but on our last GF trip, we were able to fit at least 2 half gallons in at a time.

 

[trishadono]

Post-covid world......Do taxis still wait outside GF? Was just thinking if rideshare was scarce, ask the bellhop to "whistle" over a taxi for you? I know in past trips, there were taxis in addition to rideshare but not sure how the pandemic has affected taxi availability.

Yes,, it saved us one HS morning when bus filled up and no RS was around. Used cab Jan and March.

They are still at the resorts. Saw or used at Cr, Poly, Yc and Gf this past year.

 

[disneyfan150]

Why didn’t I think of this before? This is a great idea. I’m only a morning person at Disney though...when I do go into the office I get up at 6am complaining the whole time and am not human until I get caffeine in me. At Disney? I turn into Minnie on rope drop days.

Oh my gosh, this cracked me up! I am the same way. I am sooo caffeine addicted! But at Disney, I am like a drill sergeant in the morning with eyes wide open.

 

[Grace&Carolinesmom]

kylenne and disneyfan150 - You two would HATE me in real life Although I too love my morning coffee, I am a morning person. I am "that person" who walks into the office happy and smiling bright and early! Many years ago I had a boss that hated me. And yes, she told me so. When I would walk in to work, she would say "Why are you smiling? What is there to be happy about?" I just shrugged it off.

I LOVE doing rope drop! The morning is fresh, it's not so hot, the lines aren't as long, the park is clean. Just hearing the music playing at the parks as I walk up gets me all tingly. The only part I despise is the long waits to get in the park and some of the rude pushing and running. But rude folks gonna rude. Not gonna ruin my day!!....because I am happy and smiling

 

[trishadono]

kylenne and disneyfan150 - You two would HATE me in real life Although I too love my morning coffee, I am a morning person. I am "that person" who walks into the office happy and smiling bright and early! Many years ago I had a boss that hated me. And yes, she told me so. When I would walk in to work, she would say "Why are you smiling? What is there to be happy about?" I just shrugged it off.

I LOVE doing rope drop! The morning is fresh, it's not so hot, the lines aren't as long, the park is clean. Just hearing the music playing at the parks as I walk up gets me all tingly. The only part I despise is the long waits to get in the park and some of the rude pushing and running. But rude folks gonna rude. Not gonna ruin my day!!....because I am happy and smiling

Lol I am that rude runner. Dd and I lose our minds when a family walks altogether shoulder to shoulder blocking off everyone from getting anywhere

I too love rope drop the best. I will say I missed the smells of disney this past year and so glad no masks outside this week for our trip.

 

[Dispro1]

Lol I am not rude runner. Dd and I lose our minds when a family walks altogether shoulder to shoulder blocking off everyone from getting anywhere

I too love rope drop the best. I will say I missed the smells of disney this past year and so glad no masks outside this week for our trip.

You know I'm not a rope dropper lol, but I hadn't even thought about not being able to smell all the wonderful smells of Disney! So glad we will be able to smell stuff...not to mention just be able to breathe in the sweltering heat that is predicted! I hope I can still smell a little of the GF main building's wonderful smell through my mask!

 

[Miffy]

Here at the GF right now. We have an amazing room. Booked outer building/garden view and we have a view of Bay Lake and MK. If only they'd have fireworks, it'd be perfect!

Question: Tomorrow morning we're going to rope-drop MK. Will the boats be running that early--at 7 a.m. or so? The monorail? We're trying to avoid walking.

Many thanks to anyone who can answer this.

 

[disneyfan150]

kylenne and disneyfan150 - You two would HATE me in real life Although I too love my morning coffee, I am a morning person. I am "that person" who walks into the office happy and smiling bright and early! Many years ago I had a boss that hated me. And yes, she told me so. When I would walk in to work, she would say "Why are you smiling? What is there to be happy about?" I just shrugged it off.

I LOVE doing rope drop! The morning is fresh, it's not so hot, the lines aren't as long, the park is clean. Just hearing the music playing at the parks as I walk up gets me all tingly. The only part I despise is the long waits to get in the park and some of the rude pushing and running. But rude folks gonna rude. Not gonna ruin my day!!....because I am happy and smiling

I would absolutely not hate you.❤ I get to work early and before most people so I have time to ease into my day. I am much more of a morning person on the weekends when I am home.

As far as RD, once I am at the rope, I have many of the same feelings as you. I love the morning freshness. The pushing really gets to me. I am often first at the rope and the runners pass me like I am standing still. I usually liked when they used to "walk the rope" or have CM have peeps follow the signs to the attractions.

 

[trishadono]

I would absolutely not hate you.❤ I get to work early and before most people so I have time to ease into my day. I am much more of a morning person on the weekends when I am home.

As far as RD, once I am at the rope, I have many of the same feelings as you. I love the morning freshness. The pushing really gets to me. I am often first at the rope and the runners pass me like I am standing still. I usually liked when they used to "walk the rope" or have CM have peeps follow the signs to the attractions.

Yep the ropes are fun. You feel like it’s an important time

 

[Katie1174]

Here at the GF right now. We have an amazing room. Booked outer building/garden view and we have a view of Bay Lake and MK. If only they'd have fireworks, it'd be perfect!

Question: Tomorrow morning we're going to rope-drop MK. Will the boats be running that early--at 7 a.m. or so? The monorail? We're trying to avoid walking.

Many thanks to anyone who can answer this.

Yes, we just got back on Tues. and the monorail and boat start running around 7 or a little before, but they will hold you at the monorail ramp or the boat dock until the park is ready to open.....but when they do, you will be among the first since the TTC boat isnt there yet and you have a shorter walk to get to the tap stiles.

 

[Katie1174]

You know I'm not a rope dropper lol, but I hadn't even thought about not being able to smell all the wonderful smells of Disney! So glad we will be able to smell stuff...not to mention just be able to breathe in the sweltering heat that is predicted! I hope I can still smell a little of the GF main building's wonderful smell through my mask!

You will be able to smell it through the mask. We did and we also smelled all the great Soarin scents through the mask and the FOP smells. They may even have compensated for the masks by making the scents stronger because it sure seemed to us to be better than when we weren't wearing them.