Resort Thread Disney's GRAND FLORIDIAN Resort & Spa + Construction Updates

[mrsap]

Thought I’d add these comments from a DVC Blog:

Grand Floridian Refurbishment Work Moves Into Main Lobby​

According to workers, refurbishment of all guest rooms is expected to extend into August 2023. It is not clear if the lobby itself will be immediately updated during the current calendar year. Disney intends to have the lobby fully open during the 2023 holiday season. As such, refurbishment of the lobby itself may be delayed until the start of 2024. Workers claim there are no plans to alter or remove the lobby's elaborate marble floor.

 

[jen7233]

I was in the lobby yesterday, the construction tools were loud and the white walls do detract from the main building if that matters to booking a stay. However the construction noise stopped at about 4. They have large evergreen potted plants all around to possibly detract from some of the construction areas from guest viewpoints. I think being at the pools, you may not notice as much even the walls.

 

[AnnabelleTheTalkingTree]

From what people, and the one blog, are being told is that the lobby area (that is currently walled off) is just to hold supplies and equipment for the room refurb and ceiling work going on above - they are not actually working on new flooring/carpets/furniture at this time in the lobby. The floors/rooms above are now covered up, which typically means that rooms will be refurbished soon. The lobby itself, might not be refurbed until 2024. Again, everybody is either speculating, was told by a CM/manager, or it is a rumor, but nobody knows for sure when the lobby itself will be completed. Disney has not made any official announcements yet. I will keep posting anything that is posted online until we get answers. Anyone who is there in the next few weeks and months I’m sure will also chime in with whatever news they find out.

Below is the enclosed walled off area in the lobby… it has wood paneling covering the current rug. Also, the pics show the floors above are blocked off.

View attachment 767709View attachment 767710

I find it odd that they'd choose to use the lobby itself for supply storage for other work. I'd think they'd want the impact to the lobby to be as minimal as possible, and surely there are other areas they could use to store supplies.

 

[sdk1231]

I find it odd that they'd choose to use the lobby itself for supply storage for other work. I'd think they'd want the impact to the lobby to be as minimal as possible, and surely there are other areas they could use to store supplies.

Well, some of that is for positioning of the construction cranes, as we've seen in photos. Otherwise, it makes me think that some backstage areas are getting a bit of a re-do as well.

 

[0FF TO NEVERLAND]

I will admit that the white walls are very unpleasant to look at. When they talked about the lobby refurbishment, I never thought they were going to do this to the building, although I should have expected it. They did it to the other buildings.

The main building is huge. I have a feeling it would take a few months for the building to be completed. It might not be done by mid-August.

No way this is done by Mid August. I would say By Nov/Dec to hopefully finish before the holidays. I honestly see it going into 2024 if they really start doing work on the inside

 

[mrsap]

Paneling Removed From Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort Columns During Balcony Refurbishment​

As part of the ongoing refurbishment of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, crew members are working on the balconies overlooking the resort’s lavish lobby.

 

[WishesQueen]

I feel terrible for anyone upset about all this construction.

But I do love all the chatter and pictures. Its exciting from home and I can't wait to see everything!!

 

[Wojodis]

Just in case anyone is wondering how long the construction will last—I received this email a few days ago—

Dear Guest,​

​

In an effort to continually enhance the Guest experience here at the Walt Disney World® Resort, we often refresh our offerings and atmosphere. In preparation for your upcoming stay, we would like to make you aware of renovations that will be taking place during your visit. While we work our magic, you will see or hear construction around Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa – including our lobby – during daytime hours. Please refer to the DisneyWorld.com for the most up-to-date hours, amenities and information on what will be available to you such as dining, merchandise and recreation locations. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your patience and understanding. Please know that we are making every effort to ensure your comfort and enjoyment. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact your original booking agent.​

​

For reservations made through Disney Reservation Center or disneyworld.com, please call 407-939-1877 between the hours of 7:00am-11:00pm (ET).​

​

General Manager Kelly Blakely and the team at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa look forward to your arrival and wish you a truly magical stay!​

​

Sincerely, Disney Destinations, LLC​

…and we are not checking in until Thanksgiving week

 

[mrsap]

Just in case anyone is wondering how long the construction will last—I received this email a few days ago—

​

​ ​ Dear Guest,​

​

​ ​

​

​ ​ In an effort to continually enhance the Guest experience here at the Walt Disney World® Resort, we often refresh our offerings and atmosphere. In preparation for your upcoming stay, we would like to make you aware of renovations that will be taking place during your visit. While we work our magic, you will see or hear construction around Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa – including our lobby – during daytime hours. Please refer to the DisneyWorld.com for the most up-to-date hours, amenities and information on what will be available to you such as dining, merchandise and recreation locations. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your patience and understanding. Please know that we are making every effort to ensure your comfort and enjoyment. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact your original booking agent.​

​

​ ​

​

​ ​ For reservations made through Disney Reservation Center or disneyworld.com, please call 407-939-1877 between the hours of 7:00am-11:00pm (ET).​

​

​ ​

​

​ ​ General Manager Kelly Blakely and the team at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa look forward to your arrival and wish you a truly magical stay!​

​

​ ​

​

​ ​ Sincerely, Disney Destinations, LLC​

…and we are not checking in until Thanksgiving week

I posted that email about a week ago. It’s a general email being sent to everyone with an upcoming reservation.

Just to note: a poster in the VGF Thread said she received one for her 2024 SPRING trip.

 

[sdk1231]

I posted that email about a week ago. It’s a general email being sent to everyone with an upcoming reservation.

Just to note: a poster in the VGF Thread said she received one for her 2024 SPRING trip.

Interesting! I have a stay booked Thanksgiving weekend 2023 and have not received this email.

 

[mrsap]

Interesting! I have a stay booked Thanksgiving weekend 2023 and have not received this email.

I also did not receive this new batch of emails for either of my upcoming stays yet, however, I did receive a construction email in February, and then I also received another in May. Maybe it depends on when you booked your trip? Also, my emails were from DVC. It’s pretty much the same information, except the newest batch mentions the lobby.

This is the first email I received back in February and received the same exact email in May.

​

​ ​ February 2023​

​ ​ Dear Guest,​

​ ​ Welcome home!​

​ In an effort to continually enhance the Guest experience here at the Walt Disney World® Resort and The Villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa we often refresh our offerings. In preparation for your upcoming stay, we would like to make you aware of renovations that will be taking place during your visit. While we work our magic, you will see or hear construction during daytime hours. Please refer to the Know Before You Go page for the most up-to-date hours, amenities and information on what will be available to you such as dining, merchandise and recreation locations. While transportation options will be available for convenient access to Magic Kingdom Park, the walking path may be unavailable during your stay. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your patience and understanding. Please know that we are making every effort to ensure your comfort and enjoyment. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact your original booking agent.​

​

​

​

​

 

[Drusilla99]

Just in case anyone is wondering how long the construction will last—I received this email a few days ago—

​

​ ​ Dear Guest,​

​

​ ​

​

​ ​ In an effort to continually enhance the Guest experience here at the Walt Disney World® Resort, we often refresh our offerings and atmosphere. In preparation for your upcoming stay, we would like to make you aware of renovations that will be taking place during your visit. While we work our magic, you will see or hear construction around Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa – including our lobby – during daytime hours. Please refer to the DisneyWorld.com for the most up-to-date hours, amenities and information on what will be available to you such as dining, merchandise and recreation locations. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your patience and understanding. Please know that we are making every effort to ensure your comfort and enjoyment. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact your original booking agent.​

​

​ ​

​

​ ​ For reservations made through Disney Reservation Center or disneyworld.com, please call 407-939-1877 between the hours of 7:00am-11:00pm (ET).​

​

​ ​

​

​ ​ General Manager Kelly Blakely and the team at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa look forward to your arrival and wish you a truly magical stay!​

​

​ ​

​

​ ​ Sincerely, Disney Destinations, LLC​

…and we are not checking in until Thanksgiving week

Morning! These emails are very helpful to those that are getting them, and thank you for sharing, but super annoying to me (not you or you posting it, just at Disney). I've been booked at GF CL since Sept 22, and other than the receipt for my $13000+ trip, I haven't received any communication about my Sept 3, 2023 arrival. I finally reached out to them over the weekend about it and received a call back yesterday and was told by a very nice cast member not much of anything. All she could tell me was that the construction "should" be done by my arrival, but things are always able to change and to keep checking the website...um, ok? I pointed out that my reservation window opens soon and if I have CL, I don't need to make as many dining reservations, she simply said "oh, I see," and that she'd make a note of it. I have checked and there's no GF CL reservations open/available until mid-December, so I'm wondering if they are planning on CL not being available until then? I've now made a couple of other resort reservations, so at least I've got something and will figure out where to switch to

 

[kandb]

Morning! These emails are very helpful to those that are getting them, and thank you for sharing, but super annoying to me (not you or you posting it, just at Disney). I've been booked at GF CL since Sept 22, and other than the receipt for my $13000+ trip, I haven't received any communication about my Sept 3, 2023 arrival. I finally reached out to them over the weekend about it and received a call back yesterday and was told by a very nice cast member not much of anything. All she could tell me was that the construction "should" be done by my arrival, but things are always able to change and to keep checking the website...um, ok? I pointed out that my reservation window opens soon and if I have CL, I don't need to make as many dining reservations, she simply said "oh, I see," and that she'd make a note of it. I have checked and there's no GF CL reservations open/available until mid-December, so I'm wondering if they are planning on CL not being available until then? I've now made a couple of other resort reservations, so at least I've got something and will figure out where to switch to

That's ridiculous! I didn't think CL was available then because all the rooms in the main building were being renovated. Someone should of reached out to you by now. Hope they make this right for you!

 

[simplymama]

I've been booked at GF CL since Sept 22, and other than the receipt for my $13000+ trip, I haven't received any communication about my Sept 3, 2023 arrival. I finally reached out to them over the weekend about it and received a call back yesterday and was told by a very nice cast member not much of anything. All she could tell me was that the construction "should" be done by my arrival,

Maybe you should call back and ask to speak to a guest services manager. I think it would be really tight time line to have the rooms and club level open by September. When we were booking for our September trip there were not any CL rooms available. It could have just been full, but it did make me wonder if they'd be doing the construction then. We have been pretty faithful to the CL at GF both RPC and the old SL over the years.

But after our stay in RPC in May 2022, we are finding it harder to justify the cost. That trip we only had 5 of us going so we did one room to make it somewhat worthwhile ( we previously always had two, but our older children are grown and don't always come now). But when I booked for our trip for earlier this month I'd really been wanting to see the newly renovated rooms and with the main building not done and the price going up and up and the amenities down and down and seeing the generous discounts for newly refurbished non-CL, but none for the old CL rooms we got 2 water view rooms for less than the price of a single club level room and used the rest of the difference towards our sit down meals.


We used to love sitting in club level while listening to the piano and the orchestra, but of course first they got rid of the comfy lounge furniture, then after Covid the orchestra was gone. We loved tea time, but that was taken away too and the dinner time apps/offerings last time were just not very good. They also didn't have the crepes/waffles in the morning that the kids loved. (maybe that's back now, as I haven't read the CL thread to see) But that was a lot less for a much higher price.

As I said, earlier this month we stayed in two water view rooms in Boca Chica and we could see the fireworks and water show from our room even though we didn't pay for theme park view and used the rest of the savings towards our sit down meals. It was honestly an amazing view of the contemporary, MK, and even the castle so we definitely felt some of the magic.

 

[sdk1231]

Maybe you should call back and ask to speak to a guest services manager. I think it would be really tight time line to have the rooms and club level open by September. When we were booking for our September trip there were not any CL rooms available. It could have just been full, but it did make me wonder if they'd be doing the construction then. We have been pretty faithful to the CL at GF both RPC and the old SL over the years.

But after our stay in RPC in May 2022, we are finding it harder to justify the cost. That trip we only had 5 of us going so we did one room to make it somewhat worthwhile ( we previously always had two, but our older children are grown and don't always come now). But when I booked for our trip for earlier this month I'd really been wanting to see the newly renovated rooms and with the main building not done and the price going up and up and the amenities down and down and seeing the generous discounts for newly refurbished non-CL, but none for the old CL rooms we got 2 water view rooms for less than the price of a single club level room and used the rest of the difference towards our sit down meals.


We used to love sitting in club level while listening to the piano and the orchestra, but of course first they got rid of the comfy lounge furniture, then after Covid the orchestra was gone. We loved tea time, but that was taken away too and the dinner time apps/offerings last time were just not very good. They also didn't have the crepes/waffles in the morning that the kids loved. (maybe that's back now, as I haven't read the CL thread to see) But that was a lot less for a much higher price.

As I said, earlier this month we stayed in two water view rooms in Boca Chica and we could see the fireworks and water show from our room even though we didn't pay for theme park view and used the rest of the savings towards our sit down meals. It was honestly an amazing view of the contemporary, MK, and even the castle so we definitely felt some of the magic.

I have a Thanksgiving RPC stay booked, but with various discounts available on non CL rooms, I'm doing the same math. I've stayed CL at GF Sugarloaf (back when they had it), Poly, AKL, so I'm not a stranger to CL offerings and know what to expect. I typically stay GF Outer Building Resort View (formerly Garden View) and always have a magical stay. I enjoy the Outer Building ambiance and outdoor space. I was literally JUST discussing w/my husband the fact that I'll probably end up unwilling to pay the hefty premium for RPC, and will end up switching to Outer Building.

 

[simplymama]

I enjoy the Outer Building ambiance and outdoor space. I was literally JUST discussing w/my husband the fact that I'll probably end up unwilling to pay the hefty premium for RPC, and will end up switching to Outer Building.

I can understand that. We stayed in the Sugar Loaf Club Level several times as well and loved the proximity to the boats, Gasparillas and main building. We have a large family and so back in the day (as they say) it was always nice for the kids/teens to be able to grab snacks and drinks etc. I was definitely disappointed that they didn't continue on with Sugar Loaf but obviously club level isn't a money maker for them unless it's in that main building where they can charge the much higher rates...haha.

 

[2vets]

Arrived last night, staying in Sago Cay. Those rooms - !! Gorgeous. I’ll get some pics of the lobby later, but when I spoke to a CM at check in, the impression I got (and I was thinking this already from reports of paneling being replaced) was that they are working on the lobby to an extent now. She mentioned that they are replacing panels now due to mold and some splintering, I believe. So - maybe the last piece will be carpet/furnishing? The walls/dome are the hard part, right? I asked if they thought it would be done by the holidays, and she held up her crossed fingers in reply.

 

[simplymama]

I can't wait until someone finds out about the tea room....everyone seemed super excited and secretive (thats if it turns out on what they were told).

I really hope they keep the tea room. From other posts it is sounding like at least Spring of 2024 before we'll know. I've only been once, and it will sound weird to some, but it felt like one of those moments where if you are a believer you know God really does care about the little things and am really thankful I got to experience it.

We have mostly stayed at the Grand Floridian since 2009 and every time I'd walk by it with my daughters I'd think one day we are going to go there. But we still had a 1 year old and 4 year old boy that first visit and we were busy doing other things, so it was always one of those "some day" things.

Fast forward ten years to 2019 and we rented one of the 8 bedroom cottage homes at Margarittaville for the week between Christmas and New Years and planned a day where dh and all the guys went golfing and my daughters and I as well as 2 DILS, went to the Grand Floridian tea room. It was all I imagined and we had so much fun and who would have thought on December 30th 2019 while we sipped tea and ate dainty sandwiches and pastries that in less than 3 short months it would be closed and remain that way for all this time.

I've been wondering if it will ever reopen since they are doing the tea place at the boardwalk, but am very grateful we got to experience it at least once. I honestly wonder how much cast members truly know because it would be leaked pretty easily if they were privy to that kind of information, but I hope who ever is saying it is really exciting plans, is correct.

 

[mrsap]

Arrived last night, staying in Sago Cay. Those rooms - !! Gorgeous. I’ll get some pics of the lobby later, but when I spoke to a CM at check in, the impression I got (and I was thinking this already from reports of paneling being replaced) was that they are working on the lobby to an extent now. She mentioned that they are replacing panels now due to mold and some splintering, I believe. So - maybe the last piece will be carpet/furnishing? The walls/dome are the hard part, right? I asked if they thought it would be done by the holidays, and she held up her crossed fingers in reply.

Thank you for the report!! I hope you have a great trip!! Looking forward to your pics!

 

[2vets]

Thank you for the report!! I hope you have a great trip!! Looking forward to your pics!

Those ROOMS. I may not have the big balcony or be able to see the fw, but they are so much more my taste. I can’t wait for RPC to reopen.