Saw a video of a room in Sago Cay building and the room is set up just like VGF2 rooms are. I wouldn’t be surprised if they add another building into DVC. I would guess Boca Chica is next if the add one.
The consensus seems to be that the occupancy of the Grand has been underperforming. DVD purchasing Big Pine Key helps but it seems the refurbishment will also assist increase the remaining occupancy.
Maybe they are repositioning the Grand as a middle market hotel, with no orchestra, fewer restaurants (V&A, Citricos)
I hope not, too. I have over 500 points there.
That could be helped with a more applicable price point for what you get.
If you look at availability of rooms you don’t tend to see a lot of GF inventory being available. All hotel vacancy rates will almost certainly be below DVC…which theoretically should always be at 100%. When I visited VGF in early March a CM told me the VGF occupancy rate was at 92% and at GF was 89%.
V&A is scheduled to reopen June/July.
I doubt that's the case, as Chapek (in his early days on the job) lamented that the Grand -- while the best Disney has -- cannot compete with Four Seasons and that he wanted (rightly so) WDW to have a true luxury resort hotel. Right now it's Disney luxury, but not true luxury. So a move in that direction would be something I would love to see.
perhaps the orchestra no longer fits with the upcoming gf theme
I don’t think the Victorian theme is going anywhere, considering that it’s reflected in the entire resort’s architecture, as well at its lobby. Not to say that they can’t freshen the whole place up though!
Never say never. Personally I think the Victorian theme isn’t for this world much longer
Agreed. You'd basically have to redo the entire place. Sure it's possible, but not probable. I love the elegance and upscale nature of the Victorian theme (based on the Hotel del Coronado as a grand seaside resort). You can upscale it without changing the theme (i.e. changing the theme would mean an entire resort architecture shift -- essentially a rebuild in many ways if they go that route. Likely a lengthy and costly resort shutdown to achieve something like that). There's plenty of potential to upscale the current property.
Without a doubt. Again, Hong Kong and Tokyo Disneyland Hotels are elegantly Victorian themed and much newer than Grand. The Shanghai Disneyland Hotel was recently built with an upscale art nouveau theme. The Disneyland Hotel in Paris is retaining its Victorian theme with a Disney twist during its refurbishment. Finally, Citrico's has already been remodelled with a fresh Victorian flair. The theme isn't going anywhere. It's part of Grand's history and DNA while setting the trend for international flagships.
Not only strange, but kind of impossible, unless they want redesign the entire exterior structures. And then tell all the new and potential buyers of the new DVC wing that the iconic resort they thought they were buying is going to turn into something else.
