Gaylord Palm Resort

[RMOTHERHUBBARD]

Has anyone stayed at the Gaylord Palm Resort and Spa? Our family and extended family are going on the Disney Western Cruise 12/12-12/20. We are thinking of going to Disney when we get off the cruise. Disney resorts are far to expensive. My sister saw a special at Gaylord Palm Resort for only $99 for that Saturday and Sunday. I checked on their website it looks like a nice place but I would like others feedback before I decide to book.

 

[major]

Hi,
We stayed there a couple of years ago and it is an absolutly gorgeous place to stay. Highly recommend it.

 

[CaliforniaDreaming]

I stayed there a few years ago. Excellent luxury resort hotel, very close to the Disney main gate. You don't have the little touches of the Disney resorts, but service and attention to detail surpass the Disney Deluxes.

 

[Tinkermommy]

My DH, DD6 and DS1 and I stayed there in January for one night. I thought the rooms were nice and roomy and the artium area is very beautiful but it looked like a resort that is in transition. Here were a few drawbacks for us:

- Food was expensive!! For a family there was no real economical place to eat. Even by the pool the burgers were around $12 or so dollars. We got the room through Priceline and we paid around $90, but we would have sent around $50 for dinner at the cheapest place there. We went off property to eat.

- The pool was under refurbishment. Looks like they had an octopus waterslide that had seen better days. Anyway, that was all closed off, so it was just a small pool. Didn't go to the other one that I thought was more for "adults."

- They also tacked on a $13 resort fee. Now since we booked off of priceline, that was supposed to be our total price for the room. They never mentioned anything when we checked in about it. After my DH spoke to one of the managers, they finally agreed to take it off.

- They had a miniature golf course which they talked up in the brochure, but it looked in bad shape to me.

I would think for adults it maybe OK, but I didn't find it very family (or budget) friendly.

 

[stepnut]

Whoa...that's a deal. I think the normal rate is hundreds of dollars a night! My husband had a conference there two weeks ago and he said it was gorgeous. He didn't stay there (we rented a condo) but the conference center was beautiful.

It's a pricey place...food, parking, transportation, gift shop...you'll pay a lot!

 

[Rachie0507]

We stayed at Gaylord Palms for a week in July and LOVED it! DH was working at a conference there and the kids and I tagged along. The restaurants and stores were a little upscale for us but we mostly ate off-property. It was very convenient to Disney property. I've told DH that I will stay there, happily, if he ever has to work there again.

Also, the atrium area kept my kids busy for, literally, hours. It was like being outside without the heat and humidity. They loved the alligators and turtles. There was also a "gnome hunt" going on while we were there--it was a contest for Travelocity. They had a great time doing it.

My only complaint about it was the pool. It was huge and the waterslide was actually really fun (yup, I did it a bunch of times). But there was no lifeguard or authority over it. Kids were very wild in it (at night, adults too). My kids are used to the Disney waterslides where you wait until the person before you swims away and you go down on your bottom. People were using rafts and stacking as many people as possible on them! It was pretty dangerous in my opinion and I wouldn't let my kids use the slide while it was happening.

 

[M2DD's]

I haven't stayed their yet but have been looking into the resort.To me the main draw back is they charge a 13$ resort fee and around 14$ to park. Thats an extra 27$ to take into account.Were going for 11 days so for us its around 300$ just in extra fees.If you only going for a day or 2 the prices are great IMHO. Hope this helps

 

[RMOTHERHUBBARD]

Thank you everyone for your input. I was not aware of the resort and parking fee. This may change our decision to book this resort. Due to the fact that we will have 4 different vehicles for the 14 of us. And the extra resort fee.

 

[CPM]

Thank you everyone for your input. I was not aware of the resort and parking fee. This may change our decision to book this resort. Due to the fact that we will have 4 different vehicles for the 14 of us. And the extra resort fee.

Even with paying those fees, it may still be less expensive at that time of year. If I were to stay at GP, Christmas time would be when I would stay there!
WE went for dinner and ICE this year, it was beautuful!! We ate at the Italian buffet, I don't remember it being all that expensive. Maybe you could leave the other cars somewhere else?

 

[Frothy]

I remember being shocked that after spending $350 on a dinner for two that they nickel and dimed us for the car parking. The meal was great but the experience after left a sour taste and I doubt we'll ever go back. The hotel looked great though but we're now spoiled in a vacation home and we enjoy having a whole house to ourselves rather than a hotel room that is much smaller.

 

[webray]

Thank you everyone for your input. I was not aware of the resort and parking fee. This may change our decision to book this resort. Due to the fact that we will have 4 different vehicles for the 14 of us. And the extra resort fee.

Even adding the parking and resort fee (self parking is cheaper), you can't get this nice of resort for even double the price at disney. Stay at Gaylord palms..it is fantastic. The buffet restaurant is wonderful, we didn't find it pricey at all, not even close to disney's buffet prices and the food is so much better.

They even have a little disney store inside the shopping area.

The service and staff are stellar!

OH, and you will be there during December. The holiday events are wonderful. ICE..is a must do if you have never done it. Gingerbread housebuilding. There are also kid things..which we didn't pay any attention to since our party was adults. Can't wait to take the grandaughters though!