(2014-2020) Disney's GRAND FLORIDIAN RESORT & SPA + VILLAS Information & Questions

[Cheverus mom]

Can't wait for August 2015

 

[cattywampus]

No worries Trish. Glad you got it! Thanks for posting it.

 

[Cheverus mom]

Share on twitterShare on facebookShare on emailShare on favorites

 

[jerseygal]

Thanks K&A&C'S MOM! Awesome job, BEAUTIFUL PICS...undoubtedly, MUCH TIME AND EFFORT on this thread! JOB WELL DONE!

Can't wait for December!
These pics and detail provide such GREAT INFO!

 

[grannyminnie]

The Camellia charms are being replaced in November and are limited. Just ask if you'd like me to check anything!


Have a Grand day!


Liz

I don't know what's going on but the jewelry store where I have bought all my Chamilia charms is discontinuing them too and changing over to Pandora. Those are definitely more expensive and I'm wondering if they are even going to carry Disney?

 

[grannyminnie]

Hello there fellow GF fans!!

A lovely new thread! Many thanks k&a&c'smom ...

Trisha Thanks for the heads up about the FPP..I read about the change on TP early this morning and updated ours!! Glad that you were able to get what you wanted..we did too Soarin and TT... DD is thrilled! Wonder what made them change that ...

grannyminnie THREE days!!!

Hope that everyone has a terrific Thursday!

Yup, and still the suitcase is nowhere near packed!!!

 

[pas130]

Yup, and still the suitcase is nowhere near packed!!!

Are we related


k&a&c's mom Thank you for the spiffy new home


to the Grand Groupies new and seasoned (don't wanna call us old ) Sweet digs here!!!!

Hoorah! For all the upcoming trips, ours will be Poly in August....but I will have some GRAND company over at KKC

 

[TinkerBellLiz]

I don't know what's going on but the jewelry store where I have bought all my Chamilia charms is discontinuing them too and changing over to Pandora. Those are definitely more expensive and I'm wondering if they are even going to carry Disney?

Pandora is sponsoring Wishes starting in November. I'm guessing they don't want competition . I'm told new charms will fit on the old bracelets.

All of the CMs I have encountered here in the RPC have been wonderful. The general theme is if we want something not out, just ask! If we are out and need something, just text! So far it has been pure Disney Magic except for the feet. Since noon yesterday, we've walked 12 miles and still have our MNSSHP to go!

I haven't had the camera out since yesterday so nothing new yet!

Thinking about you all during afternoon rest time

Liz

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Thanks for the heads up on the new thread. We arrive at WDW on January 2, 2015. How long will the GF decorations be up? Hoping to see them!!

 

[trishadono]

Thanks for the heads up on the new thread. We arrive at WDW on January 2, 2015. How long will the GF decorations be up? Hoping to see them!!

Last year we arrived on the 1st. They started taking down the gingerbread house and decorations over the weekend and all was done by the 5th.

So take time for pics first thing. At night they are there and morning you see the house half gone.

The tree outside of CR was still up when we arrived but gone by our transfer to CR on the 5th.

 

[grannyminnie]

Pandora is sponsoring Wishes starting in November. I'm guessing they don't want competition . I'm told new charms will fit on the old bracelets.

All of the CMs I have encountered here in the RPC have been wonderful. The general theme is if we want something not out, just ask! If we are out and need something, just text! So far it has been pure Disney Magic except for the feet. Since noon yesterday, we've walked 12 miles and still have our MNSSHP to go!

I haven't had the camera out since yesterday so nothing new yet!

Thinking about you all during afternoon rest time

Liz

I was told the same about the charms. I'm just wondering, will Pandora carry a new line of Disney charms? On another note, have you found the seating in the RPC lounge to be adequate? I know earlier we were hearing that they had removed some of the seating during the remodel.

Pas: As for packing, this is usually NOT me! I have the suitcase out a month early, and am half packed 2 weeks ahead, but somehow, I have fallen down this trip... Today, I have to get with the program and do it!!

 

[Raya]

I suggest that you keep your requests simple...and ones that the room assignor will have knowledge of...as opposed to a room with lots of sunlight..I would request upper or lower floor..a particular building..or view..ex: courtyard view....as for the balcony..first floor rooms at the GF do have balconies..as opposed to other resorts that have an open patio like the Poly...HTH....Best of luck with your requests....

Thanks BlueSkies! So would my 'lots of sunlight' request be better as 'Boca Chica', which is the only building with an East/West orientation (and thus the best bet to watch sunsets or sunrises)?

 

[BlueSkies]

Can't wait for August 2015

Only 10 months away!

Thanks K&A&C'S MOM! Awesome job, BEAUTIFUL PICS...undoubtedly, MUCH TIME AND EFFORT on this thread! JOB WELL DONE!

Can't wait for December!
These pics and detail provide such GREAT INFO!

I agree! ... We have a wonderful hostess here! December is right around the bend!!!

Yup, and still the suitcase is nowhere near packed!!!

Get going!!

to the Grand Groupies new and seasoned (don't wanna call us old ) Sweet digs here!!!!

Hoorah! For all the upcoming trips, ours will be Poly in August....but I will have some GRAND company over at KKC

Hey there!! As for August..yep seems you will be hanging with some GRAND company over there at the Poly... lol....

All of the CMs I have encountered here in the RPC have been wonderful. The general theme is if we want something not out, just ask! If we are out and need something, just text! So far it has been pure Disney Magic except for the feet. Since noon yesterday, we've walked 12 miles and still have our MNSSHP to go!

I haven't had the camera out since yesterday so nothing new yet!

Thinking about you all during afternoon rest time

Liz

Glad to hear that you are having such a wonderful trip... RPC is certainly extra special...

Thanks BlueSkies! So would my 'lots of sunlight' request be better as 'Boca Chica', which is the only building with an East/West orientation (and thus the best bet to watch sunsets or sunrises)?

You're welcome Raya A request of a specific building would definitely be a better request..and even a particular view...and I happen to agree about Boca Chica...the best GV IMO...I would request Boca Chica /pool view....those views are so pretty..and not only during the day...but especially so in the evening facing the main building all lit up....

MickeyNut You are late to the party..this shiny new thread is already on page FOUR!!

k&a&c'smom Hope that all is going well...I bet you are resting up after getting this lovely new thread all set up....Hope you will be back soon!

Hope that all of my fellow GF fans are having a fabulous Friday!! preppy GF Gal who was just able to get another set of 7DMT FPPs....

 

[mickeynut1]

A huge thank you to k&a&c'smom for the new thread!!!! You've done another great job, thanks for all of your hard work keeping this thread going . I hope things are well with you and I hope your mom is doing better .

BlueSkies ~ I hate when every day life gets in the way of Dis'ing . I'll have more time since it's the weekend, but Monday will be here before I know it and I'll have another busy week ahead of me .

grannyminnie ~ 2 days . Have a great trip, can't wait to hear all about it when you get back .

pas ~ Can't wait til August when we all meet up at the Poly .


Hi to everyone else ....hope everyone is having a good start to the day .

 

[trishadono]

Thanks for the info! We go Nov 15th. May I ask how they are getting the extra Tier 1 attractions? I just tried to change ours online and was still restricted to one tier 1 per original three FPP for each day.

The glitch is BACK! I now have 3 tier 1 for HS

 

[pas130]

Pas: As for packing, this is usually NOT me! I have the suitcase out a month early, and am half packed 2 weeks ahead, but somehow, I have fallen down this trip... Today, I have to get with the program and do it!!

Sorry to have rubbed off on ya You got this!!! 2 days!!!

:
Hey there!! As for August..yep seems you will be hanging with some GRAND company over there at the Poly... lol....

I can't wait!!!!!




k&a&c'smom Hope that all is going well...I bet you are resting up after getting this lovely new thread all set up....Hope you will be back soon!



Hope that all of my fellow GF fans are having a fabulous Friday!! preppy GF Gal who was just able to get another set of 7DMT FPPs....

pas ~ Can't wait til August when we all meet up at the Poly .

Me too!!!! I am going to order a HUGE cake!! Hmmm does the GF still bake the cakes for the Poly...

The glitch is BACK! I now have 3 tier 1 for HS

SAWEEET! I kinda have an Elton John song in my head now..inserting the word glitch (oh and Wreck-it-Ralph too)

 

[EnviroChick]

DH and I will be at the GF for the first time in one week! I'm so excited I can't even concentrate. I posted a few times on this thread but read and searched it many, many times. It has been very helpful to me and I wanted to thank all of you for taking the time to post and sharing your knowledge with others.

 

[k&a&c'smom]

Thanks to everyone for the kind words about the new thread.

My wife and I will be there from Dec 12th through Dec 21st for our first GF stay to celebrate our 1-year wedding anniversary. We can't wait!

What a wonderful way to celebrate your anniversary, and Christmas time is such a beautiful time in the World, and at the Grand.

We are just hitting our 30 day mark and we have a brand new shiny thread!

Quick transportation question. We will have a rental car, which we will definitely use for HS and AK. We will use the monorail for MK.

Would you drive to Epcot or take the monorail?

This is a tough question for me. For most of the years we've visited WDW, we used Disney transportation exclusively; parked the car at check in and didn't see it again until check out!

The past couple years, we've chosen to drive to other resorts, off site, etc., but still used WDW buses, boats and monorails for everything else. This past trip, we drove to a park for the very first time!! It felt weird but was the easiest option at the time.

After that long winded back story, I'd still have to say - I would take the monorail. Seems the hours are longer now than over the summer and we've usually had very good luck with travel times.

Only 30 days to go, woohoo!!

Since this is going fairly high up in the FAQ, I'll post what I know about room requests.

- You can request up to 3 things about your room, examples include: no connecting door, balcony, high floor, first floor, a specific building, or a specific location.
- Requests can be made by calling the main reservation number or the hotel directly.
- It's best to have requests in place 1 week before, when rooms are assigned
- be as specific as possible for requests - don't say Boca Chica bldg, when really you want a room with a view of the electric light parade.

And now my questions....

We have a outer building lagoon view room. I called at the 30 day mark and made my three requests: balcony, not the first floor, quiet building.

I realized this week that if I get a balcony there's no way I can be on the first floor, so I called last night to switch. The CM had no clue about requests and put me on hold until she figured it out. My three were: lots of sunlight, balcony, quiet building. She told me that 'all outer building rooms have a balcony' which sounds physically impossible and that the sunlight thing didn't make sense to her. I tried to explain that I want to relax and watch sunrises or sunsets from my balcony.

This morning I got the email with the hotel's direct line. Should I call there to confirm/remake my requests or assume that everything is in place?

I agree with BlueSkies, calling the resort directly rarely gets the desired results. Your best bet for requests is to add them to your reservation, call CRO again if you feel you want to change them. Boca Chica would be an awesome room for lagoon view, as you get a beautiful, expansive view of the MK, CR, Poly, etc. There are some links at the top of the page in the "Room Photos" post for lagoon views, if you'd like to see examples.

Agreed, too, that "sunny" may not be something the assignors recognize. In all likelihood, they have not been in most of the rooms.

You can, in fact, add more than 3 descriptors. Once you get past the first two, the likelihood of getting everything you ask for gets less and less likely, lol, simply because you are narrowing the choices and there are only so many rooms in inventory at any given check in point. This is why most people generally say "3 requests" - but that's not a hard and fast rule. If you feel you need to add more words to help explain, that's OK.

ETA: oh, and be sure to list your requests in the order of importance. I accidentally put "highest floor" as my number one on our last trip at the YC, with "close to elevators" second. We were assigned the highest floor all right, but at the end of a very long hallway, lol.

The first floor rooms at the Grand do have more of a balcony than patio - I'll post a photo after this post, so you can see what we mean.

HTH!

k&a&c'smom, I feel faMOUSE now. You have done a wonderful job with your re-posted thread. Your new photos are great and I just love the new and much improved room décor. It's so helpful that you have a picture of just about everything

I have to go back to the "old" thread to do a little catching-up

Thanks! You are, without a doubt, fa-MOUSE, and long before our new thread. You rock!

I, too, want to catch up on the previous thread.

So it was a glitch, bummer -- I must be in fantasyland, because I wish they would do two things with the FPP system -- first, if you buy park hoppers, why can't you get FPP for EACH park? Second, if they are going to tier certain rides, why not tier the FPP system and let you upgrade via additonal $ to a deluxe FPP? Okay, let the stoning begin!

Tom

LOL! Well, can't say I want to pay anything for any portion of the FPP system (heh), but I see your point. The tiering is annoying, isn't it?

Yup, and still the suitcase is nowhere near packed!!!

You are sooo close!! Good luck with your packing, and in case I am not back here in time, safe travels and have a Grand vacation.

....

k&a&c's mom Thank you for the spiffy new home


to the Grand Groupies new and seasoned (don't wanna call us old ) Sweet digs here!!!!

Hoorah! For all the upcoming trips, ours will be Poly in August....but I will have some GRAND company over at KKC

LOL, love the term "seasoned"! YAY for an August Poly trip, it should be in beautiful shape by then.

Last year we arrived on the 1st. They started taking down the gingerbread house and decorations over the weekend and all was done by the 5th.

So take time for pics first thing. At night they are there and morning you see the house half gone.

The tree outside of CR was still up when we arrived but gone by our transfer to CR on the 5th.

This was our experience as well, we arrived on the 2nd or 3rd and had only a couple days to see most of the decorations.

DH and I will be at the GF for the first time in one week! I'm so excited I can't even concentrate. I posted a few times on this thread but read and searched it many, many times. It has been very helpful to me and I wanted to thank all of you for taking the time to post and sharing your knowledge with others.

One week, how exciting!

 

[k&a&c'smom]

Raya - here is the promised photo. As you can see, the first floor rooms do have a balcony. I do agree that an upper floor would likely have a better overall view, we prefer the upper floors, but you can definitely sit out on the first floor balconies just the same.

 

[jpalasky]

I booked the GF with the intention of getting the discount. Well for the first week I could not get it. I had to jump ship for a few days and got the BC for our upcoming stay. Finally I was able to convince my DH to stay at GF. Well my persistence payed off. I call today and some magical pixie dust came my way and I was able to get SPD for out January trip. Happy Birthday to me.