Resort Thread Disney's GRAND FLORIDIAN Resort & Spa - **LOBBY REFURB HAS BEGUN 4/14**

[0FF TO NEVERLAND]

A little overly hyperbolic comment. As @cbailey1616 posted by not having the Gingerbread house it will reduce the hordes swamping the GF lobby making it a more enjoyable experience for actual guests of the GF.

Dave

I'm fairly confident the reason a ton of people reserve that resort during the holidays is because of that Gingerbread house. Probably would have been a more enjoyable experience with a gingerbread and hordes of people, then not having one at all, and having construction sitting in the lobby.

 

[2vets]

Maybe the discounts will increase for the main building LOL

Goodness, I hope so!! I paid rack rate last year and looks like the same this year. But I’m herding cats, so I don’t have a choice…

 

[2vets]

I'm fairly confident the reason a ton of people reserve that resort during the holidays is because of that Gingerbread house. Probably would have been a more enjoyable experience with a gingerbread and hordes of people, then not having one at all, and having construction sitting in the lobby.

Maybe some, but omg, it is awful if you are staying in the main building, and that is the one time of year I will pay exorbitant rack rates for CL. I finally convinced a cm to tell me where the fire stairs are last year so I could avoid the elevator.

Eta: let me know if you want deets on location, it may not be secret, but it’s not obvious! I showed a few people while there.

 

[2vets]

So are we assuming no Christmas tree or decor at all in the lobby this year? Another first stay booked for RPC here.

They only mention the gingerbread house. I’m guessing there will be a tree..? Honestly, kind of guessing they will find a way to sell gingerbread stuff somewhere/some way at GF, as well. That monorail circuit has to be a huge $ maker for them. I’m there mid-Nov (arriving Nov 14, may move it a day earlier), so I’ll report back. Any way you can make a backup res at another CL with enough time to cancel?

 

[Dave006]

Probably would have been a more enjoyable experience with a gingerbread and hordes of people, then not having one at all, and having construction sitting in the lobby.

I really don't expect Disney to start having construction sitting in the lobby at their Flagship resort this Christmas.

Dave

 

[2vets]

I really don't expect Disney to start having construction sitting in the lobby at their Flagship resort this Christmas.

Dave

Can you imagine? This had to be a paiiiinful decision/release. I fully expect them to figure out a way to make it a worthwhile stop on the monorail tour.

 

[PolyRob]

They only mention the gingerbread house. I’m guessing there will be a tree..? Honestly, kind of guessing they will find a way to sell gingerbread stuff somewhere/some way at GF, as well. That monorail circuit has to be a huge $ maker for them. I’m there mid-Nov (arriving Nov 14, may move it a day earlier), so I’ll report back. Any way you can make a backup res at another CL with enough time to cancel?

That's true... Disney will have it's cake and eat it too! Sandy Cove usually has overflow gingerbread so I am sure it will still be pushing the baked goods during the refurb.

 

[gottalovepluto]

They only mention the gingerbread house. I’m guessing there will be a tree..? Honestly, kind of guessing they will find a way to sell gingerbread stuff somewhere/some way at GF, as well. That monorail circuit has to be a huge $ maker for them. I’m there mid-Nov (arriving Nov 14, may move it a day earlier), so I’ll report back. Any way you can make a backup res at another CL with enough time to cancel?

Idk on the tree. I would bet on other Xmas decor but if they don’t have the space to do the money maker that is the gingerbread house…

Yes, people have reported holding 2 reservations at once. YMMV of course.

Btw 11/14 is kinda that time when decor gets going so you weren’t expecting to see the tree were you? They have until around T-Day before resort decor is expected.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I really don't expect Disney to start having construction sitting in the lobby at their Flagship resort this Christmas.

Dave

With construction slated “through 2025” and the gingerbread house axed and not just delayed a week or two, Disney themselves don’t seem to share your optimism. I think they’ve resigned themselves to take the hit this year. Maybe they get it all done late Dec.

 

[gottalovepluto]

-

 

[Dave006]

With construction slated “through 2025” and the gingerbread house axed and not just delayed a week or two, Disney themselves don’t seem to share your optimism.

Ah no the lobby is only scheduled April 14th through November. While all the remaining work is scheduled through 2025. Everyone just wants to jump to the worst case with doom and gloom. The issue with the Gingerbread house is it's location in the lobby.

Dave

 

[gottalovepluto]

I agree, IDK that it needs a bar there, but oh well.

I hope the marble is salvaged. You can't really see it in the renderings, but the beige/green matches this photo much better than the cooler gray tile upstairs.

That bar is gonna kill it for Disney. The amount of foot traffic on a normal non-holiday early evening is staggering through there.

I think the marble is replaced. There is no sign of design when you zoom in on the marble footpath areas in the concept art and the current marble design on the path behind the bird cage area would clash badly with the new bar design.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Ah no the lobby is only scheduled April 14th through November. While all the remaining work is scheduled through 2025. Everyone just wants to jump to the worst case with doom and gloom. The issue with the Gingerbread house is it's location in the lobby.

Dave

Through Nov? Dangnabit whichever blogger I read…. Always go straight to the horses mouth! In that case your timeline makes perfect sense. Open for peak holidays but simply not enough time to do the whole gingerbread thing.

If the lobby is done by Dec I don’t see why they wouldn’t do a Xmas tree for it. Might be a bit later than usual but no reason to deny their flagship a tree if they don’t have to!

 

[gottalovepluto]

Just getting back into stuff after some time away- was Grand Floridian Cafe mentioned for refurb yet? I know they did a soft goods not too long ago but it seems like it is all that will be left to hard refurb after the lobby/tea room?

And what is up with the tea room? I feel like Disney should know by now exactly what they’re doing with it and it felt weird they didn’t include it beyond coming soon. Just trying to get more PR mileage maybe?

 

[Tbone17701]

They only mention the gingerbread house. I’m guessing there will be a tree..? Honestly, kind of guessing they will find a way to sell gingerbread stuff somewhere/some way at GF, as well. That monorail circuit has to be a huge $ maker for them. I’m there mid-Nov (arriving Nov 14, may move it a day earlier), so I’ll report back. Any way you can make a backup res at another CL with enough time to cancel?

This is a bucket list thing, so may just have to hang in there for a bit to see how things unfold. Not really concerned over the gingerbread house as I can see the benefit of potentially less foot traffic without it, but just the overall environment (i.e. Christmas decor and ongoing construction).

 

[2vets]

Idk on the tree. I would bet on other Xmas decor but if they don’t have the space to do the money maker that is the gingerbread house…

Yes, people have reported holding 2 reservations at once. YMMV of course.

Btw 11/14 is kinda that time when decor gets going so you weren’t expecting to see the tree were you? They have until around T-Day before resort decor is expected.

It hasn’t been historically, and we usually booked the weekend before Thanksgiving as a result (and b/c DH and I are in town for a conference thrn every few years), but 2 yrs ago, we booked the first week of Dec, and…wow. We booked earlier last year, mid Nov again, it was all up before we arrived. Seems like they are trying to pull everything out of it they can.

ETA - To be clear, we’re fine either way .

 

[2vets]

This is a bucket list thing, so may just have to hang in there for a bit to see how things unfold. Not really concerned over the gingerbread house as I can see the benefit of potentially less foot traffic without it, but just the overall environment (i.e. Christmas decor and ongoing construction).

I get it. I love GF and RPC, and it is a splurge for sure. There are wonderful things about being there then. I promise to post about it so you can be informed, or PM me, ok?

 

[nursejackie]

I know work needs to be done and sometimes there's no avoiding it, but we have a split stay in August (8 night POR then 5 night GF), and since making reservations, BOTH have announced refurbishments during our stay. No way of changing resorts now (POR as UK package, GF on rented points), so just have to accept it. Stayed on site loads of times but always manage to dodge refurbishments, through pure good luck. My time has finally come.

 

[Skbak]

We started going to Disney in 2019, and always stay at the grand Floridian. It has been under construction in one way or another literally every time. Closed restaurants. Closed gift shops. Closed walking trails to poly or magic kingdom. Closed boat transport to MK. Entire buildings scaffolded and closed off.

The one thing I can assure you is that it will not interfere with your enjoyment of the trip if the lobby has a small area closed off for a new bar

 

[Tbone17701]

I get it. I love GF and RPC, and it is a splurge for sure. There are wonderful things about being there then. I promise to post about it so you can be informed, or PM me, ok?

Many thanks!