GF Experts Question

[costpenn]

Hello all,
We've booked a 4 Day Land/ 3 Day Sea Package ( Cat 6 stateroom, upgrade of resort to GF) through Travelocity for March 9,2003. What rooms are typically allocated as part of the package? What's the occupancy rate at that time of the year? I also read that the rooms included in the package are not upgradable - is this true ONLY for Land/sea pkgs ?. Our family would really like to stay in the Main Bldg (view not important)- are there non concierge rooms in that section ? Is it better to telephone for a room request or fax? Sorry about all the questions, but this will be our first time to stay on site and we're pumped !! Thanks.

 

[adisneyfan2]

I don't know if things have changed, but we were originally supposed to go to GF, but due to overbooking, got moved to YC, then bumped to BC. Our room was nice, the view was ok, but we were about 4 miles from the lobby (& boats, buses, etc.) We were told moving was not an option because our room was part of a package. Despite our location, we had a GREAT time, & hope to do it again some day. (The land/sea package -- not the BC nightmare.)

We sure didn't feel like much of a priority at WDW -- but on the ship (Wonder) we were treated like royalty from the minute we stepped on the gangway! (Back then, you could do land/sea or sea/land -- now I guess you have to do land first, so they know you won't miss the ship.)

Hope you have a fabulous time too!

 

[Familyof6]

We went on the 3-L/4-S last May. Our pkg included the GF Sugarloaf building. I was told that with that pkg there was no way we would be upgraded to Royal Palm Club (the main building). I gave them my sob story...too long for now...just for effect. Lo and behold, we were upgraded to RPC MK view! This is certainly an exception and NOT a rule, I'm sure. I would NOT get your hopes up for an upgrade, as it was made perfectly clear to me that we were not in the postition to receive an upgrade. (and we were in the Walt Suite on the ship) You'd think, paying all that money would get you an upgrade. Had it not been for my sob story, I know we would have been in Sugarloaf Cay...Not that there's anything wrong with that. It wouldn't have mattered where we were in that resort, we had a fabulous time! (and we're planning again! but not for GF )

The main building ONLY has Royal Palm Club Concierge rooms and suites. Trust me, I think you'll be happy with whatever room you get. If you request MK view, all the better. I didn't request anything by fax. I only spoke with the concierge so I'm sorry I can't be of more help there.
Have a "Wonder"ful time! And remember to not sweat the small stuff.

Lisa

 

[TammiMcMan]

Although I've stayed many times at the GF, I've never done the land/sea package so I'm not sure what type of room you'll get. Even the standard size rooms are bigger than most resorts, so I wouldn't worry about that.

We were upgraded many years ago from the SugarLoaf concierge to the main building. Not sure why they did it, but when we arrived they were having computer problems and while waiting, we chatted with our concierge greeter. Come to find out, he had grown up near us and my husband knew his brother or something. Next thing we knew, we were upgraded. Other than that, I've really only heard about view upgrades. The main building does contain only concierge rooms.

It might be a good idea to check and see if they've assigned you to a building. If you are in SugarLoaf, that is also concierge. It's a scaled down version of the main building, but still very nice. If you would like to request a specific room view you can fax the room assignor at 407-824-3186 3 or 4 days before your arrival date.

Enjoy.

 

[hookedup]

Even if you are not in the main building you will love the GF - we were in Sago Cay with a decent Castle view. It was awesome and fairly close to the food service area and so we could refill our mugs very easily. I loved drinking hot chocolate and watching the fireworks! M-A-G-I-C-A-L!

 

[jel0511]

If you've just upgraded to the GF and will be in a regular room, you probably won't be in the main building, since all rooms in the main building are concierge. Enjoy your trip!!

 

[reveric]

For what it's worth...we just returned from a 4 night land/3 night sea package in early October. On the boat we were in the Walt Suite and at the GF we were in the main bldg (RPC). We never asked for an upgrade or anything...that was just where they put us.

I don't know what's "normal"...just know that's what happened with us and we never did anything special with our reservation or did a room request or anything. We just took what they gave us and it was DIVINE! I wonder if something has changed since Familyof6 sailed?


Edited because I wrote November but I meant October!

 

[Misti]

Originally posted by reveric
For what it's worth...we just returned from a 4 night land/3 night sea package in early October. On the boat we were in the Walt Suite and at the GF we were in the main bldg (RPC). We never asked for an upgrade or anything...that was just where they put us.

I don't know what's "normal"...just know that's what happened with us and we never did anything special with our reservation or did a room request or anything. We just took what they gave us and it was DIVINE! I wonder if something has changed since Familyof6 sailed?


Edited because I wrote November but I meant October!

If you are in a CAT 1, Disney does assign you automatically to the Main Building. However, for a CAT 6, you are assigned a Garden View room. A request for a different room type is available by request at check-in, based on availability. However, they cannot "guarantee" another room type ahead of time.

I did have a client once who wanted a suite at the Polynesian as part of their land/sea package. For a HUGE extra fee, they were guaranteed a one-bedroom suite at the Polynesian. This was the only time I had heard of guaranteeing a certain room type in advance of check-in.

 

[reveric]

I wonder why Familyof6 was in the Sugar Loaf bldg then? It sounds from their post like they were in the Walt Suite but they were told they wern't eligible for the RPC bldg at GF.

Almost seems like you can't go wrong at the Grand Floridian no matter where your room is! It's such a beautiful resort.

 

[Misti]

Originally posted by reveric
I wonder why Familyof6 was in the Sugar Loaf bldg then? It sounds from their post like they were in the Walt Suite but they were told they wern't eligible for the RPC bldg at GF.

Almost seems like you can't go wrong at the Grand Floridian no matter where your room is! It's such a beautiful resort.

I know--that is very confusing to me, too. What I've been told before by cruise line in the past is that CAT 1's are considered top suites and they assign those guests to main building concierge. That being said, I called Disney and was told today that no matter WHAT category stateroom you have you are always assigned a standard room (a Garden View at the GF). The CM told me that any and all upgrades are at the discretion of the resort at check-in and that add'l fees would be incurred for upgraded rooms. I would just think that with the price you pay with a CAT 1, you'd get the most "premium" room at the resort.

I agree though, all of the rooms at the GF are wonderful. It is my favorite Disney resort. I guess the resort upgrades happen according to availability. It doesn't sound like any of these guests above were charged extra though. I guess you never can tell what is going to happen with Disney.

 

[KaterBell]

Just wanted to second this -- we were cat 1 this past June, in the Roy Suite, and had RPC in the main building at the GF.

Enjoy your trip, you'll enjoy EVERY second!

 

[Familyof6]

To clarify what I was told...when we rebooked our trip (because we had to cx last min) I was told that with the Cat 1 on the ship, we were in the concierge level at the GF. They said, it could be either SLC or RPC, but they couldn't say which. (that was from DCL) When I called GF to make PS's, one of the concierge pre-planners told me quite plainly that with our pkg there was NO CHANCE of being in the RPC. I thought it was odd that there was No Chance, but I didn't sweat it. I just figured I'd tell my sob story for effect. I don't know if that made any difference or if it's just that we normally would have been assigned to RPC. (the world may never know) (ooo, I'm dating myself there ) So, policy may have changed or perhaps it never changed and one of the preplanners was misinformed. (or perhaps didn't look at our Cat on the ship...just saw L/S) You're guess is as good as mine.

Let me add, we did stay an extra night at the GF booked through SoG overflow rate. No requests made. We were in Conch Cay, Marina/monorail view. It was very nice. I would be happy in any room at the GF, I think!

Lisa

 

[costpenn]

Thanks for all the info/responses. I know it's kind of silly (and maybe somewhat anal-retentive) but the reason we were wanting to stay in the main bldg. is to just be able to walk downstairs and hop on the monorail (hence view not important). I gather that the complex is not that spread out so it's really not an issue.