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

[disneyfan150]

Fingers crossed my JB flight tonight goes on time!

Catching up on the Dis today - I am way behind!

Did you make it home? I sure hope so!

 

[disneyfan150]

Definitely ER since I still have yet to go. We thought of going there before EEH on our first night.

Last fall on a sisters only trip, we stopped by ER on our first night. ER is one memory about our trip that she mentions over and over. It was a fun way to start the trip. Enjoy your visit!

 

[nursejackie]

New to this particular thread because we were planning to stay at the Polynesian for 5 nights (after 8 nights at POR) but with the new information on extended construction and permits filed for work on three DVC longhouse next year we're changing to GF. Please can I ask (and sorry if you've been asked many times before) would you recommend resort view studio or the alternative studio? For context, we don't need to be near the main hub, we can walk to wherever we need to be, and will have a hire car for the duration.

 

[bcuinohio]

New to this particular thread because we were planning to stay at the Polynesian for 5 nights (after 8 nights at POR) but with the new information on extended construction and permits filed for work on three DVC longhouse next year we're changing to GF. Please can I ask (and sorry if you've been asked many times before) would you recommend resort view studio or the alternative studio? For context, we don't need to be near the main hub, we can walk to wherever we need to be, and will have a hire car for the duration.

Are you referring to the DVC studios? The resort studios are in Big Pine Key. They have 2QS beds and a single flip bed. It is very similar to a regular hotel room but it includes a microwave. The deluxe studios have a QS bed, a QS Murphy bed and a twin Murphy. The also have two showers. One side of the bathroom has a shower and sink, the other has a shower and the toilet.

BPK is much closer to the main building and Gasparilla’s. The original DVC building is close to where the new Poly tower is going up. We were there last week and really didn’t have issues with the Poly Tower construction being so close.

Not sure which buildings are being worked on at the Poly. The current DVC buildings are closer to the TTC and may not be affected too much by the construction.

 

[nursejackie]

Are you referring to the DVC studios? The resort studios are in Big Pine Key. They have 2QS beds and a single flip bed. It is very similar to a regular hotel room but it includes a microwave. The deluxe studios have a QS bed, a QS Murphy bed and a twin Murphy. The also have two showers. One side of the bathroom has a shower and sink, the other has a shower and the toilet.

BPK is much closer to the main building and Gasparilla’s. The original DVC building is close to where the new Poly tower is going up. We were there last week and really didn’t have issues with the Poly Tower construction being so close.

Not sure which buildings are being worked on at the Poly. The current DVC buildings are closer to the TTC and may not be affected too much by the construction.

Thank you for the information, yes it will be DVC studios. I read today Disney had filed permits this week for work on the longhouses at Poly, alongside the continuing work on Floridian Way entrance until 2026. GF was our second choice and now moved to the top. It's only two of us (sleeping in separate beds), so I will do some more research on two choices available to us

 

[bcuinohio]

Thank you for the information, yes it will be DVC studios. I read today Disney had filed permits this week for work on the longhouses at Poly, alongside the continuing work on Floridian Way entrance until 2026. GF was our second choice and now moved to the top. It's only two of us (sleeping in separate beds), so I will do some more research on two choices available to us

The resort studio has two real beds. I tried out the Murphy bed on the deluxe studio. It was better than a couch bed but not as comfortable as a real bed. The resort studios will also save you a lot of walking to the main building and Gasparilla’s.

 

[nursejackie]

I tried out the Murphy bed on the deluxe studio. It was better than a couch bed

That's good to hear, I slept on the sofa bed at AKL which was not comfortable at all. I'll stick my travelling partner in the murphy bed anyway

 

[trishadono]

Catching up on the Dis today - I am way behind!

Did you make it home? I sure hope so!

Thanks for asking! I got home 1:30a Wednesday on my original JB flight a day later. However my mil, sil and bil decided to visit. Mon lives in Fla and was visiting them in VA. They brought mom up to me on Thursday. So I had to scramble getting my house ready after leaving it to my dh and ds and 2 goldendoodles. Every towel in the house was in the hamper.

Dd/dsil on yearly vacation with his family and we had a wedding 2 hours from home this weekend. I passed out at 9p tonight hence why i am up now.

Planned a quick trip 9/2-5 to meet dd. She heading to a wedding from there.

POFQ ? Dd and her friend there so I might as well be near them. Have not stayed there since 2011!

I will try to catch up myself! And back to bed soon I hope!

+dd, dsil and 2 pups staying with me to save up for a house. They lived in dc. So crazy busy summer but a fun one to be remembered. Upstate NY is great in the summer. The pups living their best doggy lives lol.

 

[MicheyMouse]

Do you feel like the GF quick service area is a bit limited compared to other resorts? It seems like that moderates and value resorts offer so much more at the quick service level and the deluxe, esp. GF, try to get more people into sit down restaurants by limiting this.

 

[Wood Nymph]

Do you feel like the GF quick service area is a bit limited compared to other resorts? It seems like that moderates and value resorts offer so much more at the quick service level and the deluxe, esp. GF, try to get more people into sit down restaurants by limiting this.

You can't compare the quick service options at a deluxe resort because they are never going to stack up to the moderate and value food courts. Deluxe is never going to win.

But you can compare the different deluxe quick service options and Gasparilla comes out as one of the better ones. You have to learn how to work the options to get what you want.

 

[kylenne]

Do you feel like the GF quick service area is a bit limited compared to other resorts? It seems like that moderates and value resorts offer so much more at the quick service level and the deluxe, esp. GF, try to get more people into sit down restaurants by limiting this.

You can't compare the quick service options at a deluxe resort because they are never going to stack up to the moderate and value food courts. Deluxe is never going to win.

But you can compare the different deluxe quick service options and Gasparilla comes out as one of the better ones. You have to learn how to work the options to get what you want.

This has always been a quantity vs. quality argument to me tbqh. Yes, values and mods on paper have more options at the food courts...but those food courts suck lol. Obviously these things are very subjective but I found the one at POFQ incredibly mid when I stayed there, and it says a lot to me that one of the big selling points Pop stans always bring up is the ability to get on the Skyliner to get better food at Riv. Deluxes may have less on the QS menu but other than BC, I've never stayed at a Deluxe where the QS left me wanting for options. And with specifics to Gaspy's, they have a full coffee bar, which is not something available at those food courts.

Deluxes do have many more options than just the main quick service though. There's food at the pool bars (and tbh the one at the Poly is better than some of the main quick services at other resorts), there's usually multiple lounges with food, etc. You also have the ability to mobile order from the casual TS restaurants just like you would from a quick service (unfortunately not at GF). But one of the reasons I love the monorail resorts so much is that even if you do get bored of the food at your own resort, you are less than 5 minutes monorail ride away to more options. The thing is, staying at GF I've really not felt that I had to do that to get a good, quick/affordable meal, unlike when I was at POFQ and I found myself taking a bus to Disney Springs (bc the boat was always down) to get anything decent. I've enjoyed everything I've had at Gaspy's, and the only reason I pop over to Poly's QS is because the meatballs at Capt Cook's are my favorite qs meal and I have to have them on every trip or I get the shakes.

 

[Happyjen27]

Do you feel like the GF quick service area is a bit limited compared to other resorts? It seems like that moderates and value resorts offer so much more at the quick service level and the deluxe, esp. GF, try to get more people into sit down restaurants by limiting this.

Yes Gaspy’s is weak!! We were left trying to determine if it was worth the effort to go to Poly for variety or not. In the end we decided not to bother.
I’m glad we stayed club level and mostly had snackies available.

 

[bcuinohio]

Yes Gaspy’s is weak!! We were left trying to determine if it was worth the effort to go to Poly for variety or not. In the end we decided not to bother.
I’m glad we stayed club level and mostly had snackies available.

I agree. I used to think Contempo was the weak link on the monorail but with their new menu, I put them at #2 behind the Poly. Also Gasparilla’s needs a third soda dispenser. The new machines with all of their options take longer to fill your cup. Plus one or both of the machines was always out of ice. Really missing that path to the Poly.

 

[lotsohugginbear]

Also, the drink machines at Gaspy's are filthy. With the typical dispensers, you aren't touching the machine as much. The drink machines at Gaspy's look like the honey touch
wall in the waiting line at Winnie the Pooh -- all smeared with fingerprints and gunk.

 

[kylenne]

I agree. I used to think Contempo was the weak link on the monorail but with their new menu, I put them at #2 behind the Poly. Also Gasparilla’s needs a third soda dispenser. The new machines with all of their options take longer to fill your cup. Plus one or both of the machines was always out of ice. Really missing that path to the Poly.

Contempo has stepped it up a lot recently with the new menu items.

I know a lot of people don't like the Freestyle machines but I do because they're the last place in the US you can still get regular Coke with Lime. I just use hand sanitizer lol.

 

[bcuinohio]

Contempo has stepped it up a lot recently with the new menu items.

I know a lot of people don't like the Freestyle machines but I do because they're the last place in the US you can still get regular Coke with Lime. I just use hand sanitizer lol.

I like the freestyle machine. They just need another one. There is as always a line.

 

[trishadono]

I like the freestyle machine. They just need another one. There is as always a line.

I always have to ask a kid to help me tho

 

[lindsaydavis1982]

Any eyes on the ground who can report the latest/August hours for the Beach pool?

 

[mrsap]

Any eyes on the ground who can report the latest/August hours for the Beach pool?

Pretty sure it’s 10am-11pm.

 

[bcuinohio]

Any eyes on the ground who can report the latest/August hours for the Beach pool?

Both pools were open until 11:00 a couple of weeks ago.