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

[gottalovepluto]

I

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.

I wouldn’t worry. For GF you aren’t staying inside the main building so it will be annoying when you transit to other parks but noise isn’t going to be interrupting you in your hotel room.

(If POR proceeds to refurb like POFQ did in a building by building fashion you are unlikely to be interrupted there either.)

 

[DizneyFamof4]

GF during Christmas time is our absolute favorite to visit because of their lobby tree and Ginger house, but I would not be surprised either, if the Gingerbread house does not come back at all. WDW is very good at taking something away "temporarily" and then they do not bring it back. Look at the new lobby layout, it is going to be very hard to have the bar, giant tree and the Gingerbread house all in the lobby. I hope this does not follow along like the castle lights etc.

 

[Elijah Abrams]

Yep.

I’m beginning to hate both Bob Iger and Josh D'Amaro right now.

 

[hardcorestitch]

I’m beginning to hate both Bob Iger and Josh D'Amaro right now.

Then again, if the “other” Bob (Chapek) were still in the CEO seat, you probably would be seeing way worse things like projects being cancelled left and right.

 

[Dave006]

I’m beginning to hate both Bob Iger and Josh D'Amaro right now.

What would you have them do? Wait until everything is obsolete, and they need to close down resorts for a year or longer to update it.

Dave

 

[ahcupcake]

https://wdwnt.com/2025/04/breaking-...n-lobby-renovation-new-lobby-bar-coming-soon/

Not sure if it needs another bar but it looks nice and stay's true to what the resort is. New carpet time. Can't complain

Agree no to the bar. To me it seems tacky, how about a coffee bar (and I don't even drink it can't stand the smell either)

Grand Floridian Lobby Enhancements to Begin Next Week

In terms of a timeframe, guests can expect construction to begin soon! The work is expected to begin on Monday, April 14th. The work is expected to take place in phases, meaning that portions of the lobby will be closed to guests at times, likely affecting walkways and seating areas.

Construction is expected to be noticeable during daytime hours, but all pools, dining, and other amenities will remain available. The Garden View Tea Room will also receive enhancements, and Disney will share more details at a later time.

The most notable disruption during the work will be that the renovation will continue through the end of the year, meaning that the popular Grand Floridian Gingerbread House will not be available this year.

I just said to my mom they could have been working on the tea room all along and then use it to sell the goodies from gingerbread house

Wasn't the GFC supposed to have a reno too?

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.

I think if they would have started the tea room after Christmas it would have been finished in time and could have been used as the store


~~~~~

I kept seeing comments on the Disney Parks IG saying yes they need another bar because ER is always packed, how about the implement the policy like Oga's aka 45 min maximum plus an adr.

Any way I'll be sad to see the bird cage go and I remember when there were birds in there


Hi! @BlueSkies glad you had a fab trip. I need to win the lottery so we can have another GF Gals trip

 

[followthatmouse]

Hi, all. Well, I booked a GF Christmas stay when the reservations first opened. When news of the lobby refurb and missing gingerbread house broke, it felt like a devastating blow. The trip was to be the fulfilment of a promise made to my mother just before her death. A GF Christmas with all that entails was always going to be emotional. My DM loved, loved, loved both the season and the season at the GF, including the gingerbread house! Yes, I did have a sharp and painful intake of breath at the refurb news. However, the longer I thought about it, the better I felt. Crowds at the resort during the Holidays have been increasingly insane. As an RPC Christmas guest, just trying to use the gold elevators has often been a nightmare. Hmm. No gingerbread; no crowds? A girl can wish, can't she?!

 

[mrsap]

I kept seeing comments on the Disney Parks IG saying yes they need another bar because ER is always packed, how about the implement the policy like Oga's aka 45 min maximum plus an adr.

I’m kind of surprised to hear that, as the Disney Parks FB page comments were overwhelmingly negative towards the bar. Some people stated they are taking away the luxury and elegance from the lobby by adding a bar, while others complained that adding a bar will not only contribute to the overcrowding over the holidays, but will cause people to linger even longer…and the most consistent messages, from almost everybody that posted, was “you went with a bar over the Orchestra!!?” and “Bring back the orchestra!!!!”

 

[Disney Spaz]

I’m kind of surprised to hear that, as the Disney Parks FB page comments were overwhelmingly negative towards the bar. Some people stated they are taking away the luxury and elegance from the lobby by adding a bar, while others complained that adding a bar will not only contribute to the overcrowding over the holidays, but will cause people to linger even longer…and the most consistent messages, from almost everybody that posted, was “you went with a bar over the Orchestra!!?” and “Bring back the orchestra!!!!”

I agree wholeheartedly with bringing back the orchestra! I am reserving judgement on the lobby until I see it done but I am not excited for this bar in the lobby at all and I am really disappointed there will be no Gingerbread house.

 

[JM_97]

How is the fireworks view from GF? I want to watch the MK fireworks tonight with no MK ticket

 

[Club Level Mouseketeer]

I agree wholeheartedly with bringing back the orchestra! I am reserving judgement on the lobby until I see it done but I am not excited for this bar in the lobby at all and I am really disappointed there will be no Gingerbread house.

We had the "grandest of times" in Royal Palm looking down on the second floor to see the GF Orchestra! Every night they would play a closing tune, "When You Wish Upon a Star." And, Tea Time was complimented by Mary Poppins Melodies with scones! I don't want to live in the past, but nothing compares to those good old days! It was Disney Magic.

 

[Cfabar1]

We had the "grandest of times" in Royal Palm looking down on the second floor to see the GF Orchestra! Every night they would play a closing tune, "When You Wish Upon a Star." And, Tea Time was complimented by Mary Poppins Melodies with scones! I don't want to live in the past, but nothing compares to those good old days! It was Disney Magic.

There are many things that Disney did in the 80s and 90s to really make itself a "vacation destination"... These things are difficult to quantify the "value-add"... things like:

- Kids Clubs
- Live Music (i.e. the GF Orchestra)
- Night clubs (i.e. Pleasure Island)
- Shopping delivery
- An in-house floral/gifts service
- Eliminating multiple championship-style golf courses

These things were known as the "disney touches" that made a Disney vacation special and worth the price premium.

Investment under Iger has been in the rides. While not good or bad, that has come at the cost of the other experiences. I continue to be floored that every cruise ship (including Disney) can operate a kids club, but despite having three large hotels all on a big lake connected by a train, they couldn't operate a kids club service at at least one of those (to service the three hotels) for a fee that would at least break even.

 

[Dave006]

I continue to be floored that every cruise ship (including Disney) can operate a kids club, but despite having three large hotels all on a big lake connected by a train, they couldn't operate a kids club service at at least one of those (to service the three hotels) for a fee that would at least break even.

Ah WDW has had numerous Kids clubs or the last few decades. The 3 MK resorts all had versions of kids clubs as well as the AKL, BW, and YC / BC.

There has been lots of discussion about why they all closed but the most common referenced reason is lack of efficient resort to resort transportion. It takes parents just to much time to get back and pickup their children. It works on a self-contained Cruise ship due to the limited distances.

Lilo's Playhouse still sits at the Polynesian as part of the long closed Tangaroa Terrace building next the Pago Pago DVC longhouse.

Dave

 

[Genie+]

The child care question came up on planDisney in 2022. They suggested the kid’s club ‘Camp Dolphin’ over at Swolphin 4pm-11p, and Kid’s Night Out babysitting service that will come to your room with activities to keep the kids content.

If I had to guess the cost/benefit no longer looked worth it for WDW, even with all the positives it brought. Liability and risk, it’s just easier to be disconnected by one degree.

 

[ahcupcake]

I’m kind of surprised to hear that, as the Disney Parks FB page comments were overwhelmingly negative towards the bar. Some people stated they are taking away the luxury and elegance from the lobby by adding a bar, while others complained that adding a bar will not only contribute to the overcrowding over the holidays, but will cause people to linger even longer…and the most consistent messages, from almost everybody that posted, was “you went with a bar over the Orchestra!!?” and “Bring back the orchestra!!!!”

Agreed, I know I'd appreciate the orchestra more than a bar.
They need to also bring back package delivery to the resorts, that could be in the works since RAC is in the testing phase

We had the "grandest of times" in Royal Palm looking down on the second floor to see the GF Orchestra! Every night they would play a closing tune, "When You Wish Upon a Star." And, Tea Time was complimented by Mary Poppins Melodies with scones! I don't want to live in the past, but nothing compares to those good old days! It was Disney Magic.

Same we'd sit in the lounge with a glass of champagne and listen to to the GFSO

 

[Dreaming of Cali]

I know I’m in the minority, but I think the bar looks classy and tasteful. It fits the theming and I like the nod to the birdcage that it’s replacing. Just my 2 cents.

 

[fbb]

The child care question came up on planDisney in 2022. They suggested the kid’s club ‘Camp Dolphin’ over at Swolphin 4pm-11p, and Kid’s Night Out babysitting service that will come to your room with activities to keep the kids content.

If I had to guess the cost/benefit no longer looked worth it for WDW, even with all the positives it brought. Liability and risk, it’s just easier to be disconnected by one degree.

Our kid absolutely loved this at the Poly and it was the deciding factor on where to stay over our trips during that time. I think it was still the Neverland club at that time. It’s been a while but i remember my wife and I commenting that it seemed absurdly underpriced for the theme, the food, and the wonderful cast members. Our little one is now 23, but the kids club is among her best memories at Disney.

 

[Cfabar1]

Where was the Kids Club at GF? and what was the theming?

My sense is that the kids clubs were never very profitable, but they were "loss leaders" and a way for the parents to be excited about the trip... since the parents decide if they come back next year, finding a time for mom and dad to drop off the kids, and have their evenings to themselves seems like a no brainer! Think of how much revenue you can make up in bars, restaurants, room service, etc.

However, this is very difficult to quantify to accountants.

Kind of unrelated, but I am surprised how early the bar upstairs closes. Hopefully the lobby bar will be open later for those who wish to have a late night drink at the bar. Then again, most of the DCL venues even close pretty early at night.

 

[Dave006]

Where was the Kids Club at GF? and what was the theming?

It was near Gasparilla Grill and was called Grand Floridian Mousketeer club and just like the other Kids Clubs they also offered "Pagers" for the parents to be available if their child need to reach them. Well before most parents had a bar phone or even a flip phone.

It was not overly themed. It reminded me of a classroom. It had tables where the kids could play board games, color, and other table activities. It had a bank of monitors and DVD players (later years) with a variety of Disney programming in a carpeted area with bean bag type cushions.

Dave

 

[PolyRob]

I was looking for pictures of the outer building lobbies to see what was going on with the flooring after the new lobby render dropped. I just noticed Big Pine Key got a gray floor and more molding on the walls framing the wallpaper whereas the cash buildings like Conch Key kept the previous tile and received a simpler wallpaper application.

I have no idea why there would be variation like this? Did Big Pine Key take too long so Disney decided to skip some changes in the other outer buildings? Did Disney think these slight changes would help tip the scale and sell VGF points?

Big Pine Key



https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2022...d-floridian-dvc-big-pine-key-lobby-hallway-4/


Conch Key



https://www.resortsgal.com/resorts/grand-floridian-construction-updates/