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

[Cynt]

I have stayed at the GF multiple times and it is the only resort that feels like “home” to us when we are in Disney. For this upcoming trip we will be staying with my family and my parents in the same room. We have booked two ECV’s for our stay for my parents to use when we go to the parks. My problem is trying to fit 4 adults and a 13 year old, who is the size of an adult, in our room along with two ECV’s.

I posted about this on the disability forum and it was suggested to request an accessible room. Does anyone know if these rooms are on all levels of the hotel? (We are not staying Club Level.). My husband needs a balcony to feel comfortable and we love being on the higher floors. I’m debating my options right now and I have just a standard room booked at this point.

There are only three requirements for this trip for my family. 1 We must stay at the GF. We have tried other resorts and are always disappointed we didn’t spend the extra money to stay here. 2. We must have a balcony on a higher floor. If we are stuck being crammed into a small room it will have to be that way. 3. My parents can’t afford their own room at the GF and we can’t pay for them to have their own room as we are already paying for the entire vacation.

Reading my own post lets me see how stringent my requirements are. . So….. does anyone know if accessible rooms are on higher floors? I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

Just checking to see if you called GF with your request? If so, What did they say?

 

[SL6827]

What resort will be the next to get a bar in thier lobby?

 

[chicagodisneyguy]

What resort will be the next to get a bar in thier lobby?

Hopefully all of them

 

[Dave006]

What resort will be the next to get a bar in thier lobby?

It depends on what you consider their lobby. Many of the Deluxe resorts already have a bar very close to the main areas of each resort. However many of the other Deluxe resorts don't a massive open space adjacent to the check-in area, and front doors as the GF main building.

Dave

 

[SL6827]

Hopefully all of them

 

[cbailey1616]

How is adding a tiny bar and a new rug going to take 7 months?

 

[Dave006]

How is adding a tiny bar and a new rug going to take 7 months?

It is not, the Bird Cage bar is just part of the Lobby refurbishment work. What makes you think it was going to take 7 months.

Dave

 

[focusondisney]

It is not, the Bird Cage bar is just part of the Lobby refurbishment work. What makes you think it was going to take 7 months.

Dave

The previously posted article says the lobby refurb is lasting til November. That’s 7 months

https://www.wdwmagic.com/resorts/di...-up-as-major-refurbishment-project-starts.htm

 

[Dave006]

The previously posted article says the lobby refurb is lasting til November. That’s 7 months

Yes for the entire scope of the lobby refurbishment but not just the new Bird Cage bar. Just like every lobby refurb, they have completed it in sections.

Dave

 

[focusondisney]

I guess since that’s the only specifics announced, that’s what the PP focused on.

 

[jpbothwell]

How is adding a tiny bar and a new rug going to take 7 months?

The renovation also includes the convention center. My hope is they will finish the lobby in the first 3-4 months and then move on to the rest of the work.

 

[mrsap]

New Paint and Signage on Grand Floridian Lobby Construction Walls​

As the construction work in the lobby of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort begins to take shape, the construction walls have received a fresh coat of paint and new signage.

Plain construction walls were added to the left half of the resort lobby just last week. Since our previous construction update, the walls have now been painted and new signage has been installed.



The originally-plain walls have been painted and covered in wallpaper to better match the aesthetic of the resort. The walls are now tan with a light floral pattern. The divide between each wall panel and the top edges of the walls have also been covered by white boards.



In addition to the paint color, new signage has been installed on roughly every third wall panel. The new signs are a light mint green color with a gold border and the circular Grand Floridian Resort logo. Like many Disney construction walls, these signs have quotes from animated Disney films.




Gold signs on posts have been added by the far corners of the walls near the remaining guest walkway. The signs point guests to the locations still accessible on the other side of the walls. For guests heading to the resort’s main entrance, the sign points to the bus stop, front desk, and elevators.


Looking down from the second floor of the lobby, no major progress has been made on the transformation so far. The plywood placed on sections of the floor was already present last week.



The only major difference inside the walls since our last update is the addition of many more construction tools and parts. Boxes, ladders, and what appears to be a wheeled dumpster have all been added to the space.

 

[LuvAriel]

Hi is the 5th sleeper in the DVC deluxe studios big enough for an adult male?

 

[Peaseblossom36]

Hi is the 5th sleeper in the DVC deluxe studios big enough for an adult male?

The one under the TV? I would say no unless they are fairly small.

 

[LuvAriel]

The one under the TV? I would say no unless they are fairly small.

Yes the one under the TV

Thanks for your answer

 

[mrsap]

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort Birdcage Dismantled During Lobby Remodel​

On Wednesday morning, they were taking down the famous birdcage. The roof was already gone. Small pieces of blue painter’s tape were around the top of the birdcage.



Crew members were working on removing elements from the base. Plywood and white supports were revealed.



There were crew members inside and outside of the cage.



The decorative exterior paneling of the birdcage’s base was gone from three out of four sides. Some paneling was also removed from inside the cage.



The birdcage once held a tree and real birds but they have been absent from the resort for years.

 

[nursejackie]

The renovation also includes the convention center. My hope is they will finish the lobby in the first 3-4 months and then move on to the rest of the work.

While I love your optimism and wish for it to be true (we check in August 21st for 5 nights), if the lobby refurbishment only takes 3-4 months, why have they announced the change to the gingerbread house for this December?

 

[jpbothwell]

While I love your optimism and wish for it to be true (we check in August 21st for 5 nights), if the lobby refurbishment only takes 3-4 months, why have they announced the change to the gingerbread house for this December?

They said the complete renovation, including the convention center will take around 7 months. The whole thing is scheduled to be completed before the holiday season. My own suspicion is that the gingerbread house never comes back but they may have cancelled it this year to gauge what the impact of the bar will be on lobby traffic or they just don’t want to lose the real estate for paying bar patrons to imbibe while enjoying the piano and tree.

I check in on August 10th so I may be biased but the bird cage is almost gone and I can’t imagine it taking 6-7 months to build that bar, but then again, there might be other areas that we don’t know about. I’m just wishing on a star because the last time I was there was August 2023, so I haven’t been able to enjoy the lobby in years.

 

[nursejackie]

They said the complete renovation, including the convention center will take around 7 months. The whole thing is scheduled to be completed before the holiday season. My own suspicion is that the gingerbread house never comes back but they may have cancelled it this year to gauge what the impact of the bar will be on lobby traffic or they just don’t want to lose the real estate for paying bar patrons to imbibe while enjoying the piano and tree.

I check in on August 10th so I may be biased but the bird cage is almost gone and I can’t imagine it taking 6-7 months to build that bar, but then again, there might be other areas that we don’t know about. I’m just wishing on a star because the last time I was there was August 2023, so I haven’t been able to enjoy the lobby in years.

Only time will tell I suppose

 

[mrsap]

A short video was posted on FB last night. Looks like the bird cage is completely gone now.