Grand Floridian Map with Bathrooms

[Deb & Bill]

It would seem so. I checked crowd calendars and saw that it was moderate the week of the 6th- figuring it would be more crowded the weekend before with Wine and Dine, and the weekend after for the holiday. I had never even heard of Jersey Week until after we picked our dates. I know those calendars aren't an exact science, but sheesh. They may release more rooms as we get closer, but I do not like winging it. Worst thing that happens is 4 adults are jammed into a room at the Grand for 3 nights and I have to change my flights to leave a day earlier, but it's making me so anxious!

I don't know where they are going to get any more rooms to release. I think they have already been released.

 

[SaludosPenguinos]

I could be totally wrong; this is only my second trip to WDW. I had heard they often release cast discount rooms 30 days in advance (which would make sense if they actually do have rooms to fill). The really great employee offers that pop up are almost always on super-short notice. We're almost at the 60 day mark and I don't feel like chancing it. At this point, I'm not even looking at staff discounted rooms. I have found several options at other resorts just doing a basic search while not logged in...so it seems there *are* rooms...I assume my husband may have been asking the wrong questions because he was basically told there was nothing anywhere for our dates.

 

[dansdad]

It would seem so. I checked crowd calendars and saw that it was moderate the week of the 6th- figuring it would be more crowded the weekend before with Wine and Dine, and the weekend after for the holiday. I had never even heard of Jersey Week until after we picked our dates. I know those calendars aren't an exact science, but sheesh. They may release more rooms as we get closer, but I do not like winging it. Worst thing that happens is 4 adults are jammed into a room at the Grand for 3 nights and I have to change my flights to leave a day earlier, but it's making me so anxious!

Crowd levels have very little relation to resort occupancy.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I could be totally wrong; this is only my second trip to WDW. I had heard they often release cast discount rooms 30 days in advance (which would make sense if they actually do have rooms to fill). The really great employee offers that pop up are almost always on super-short notice. We're almost at the 60 day mark and I don't feel like chancing it. At this point, I'm not even looking at staff discounted rooms. I have found several options at other resorts just doing a basic search while not logged in...so it seems there *are* rooms...I assume my husband may have been asking the wrong questions because he was basically told there was nothing anywhere for our dates.

If there are no rooms to fill, there won't be any more CM discounted rooms.

 

[Dug720]

If there are no rooms to fill, there won't be any more CM discounted rooms.

And if no rooms are showing available period, then there are definitely no rooms to fill.

 

[Nancyg56]

It would seem so. I checked crowd calendars and saw that it was moderate the week of the 6th- figuring it would be more crowded the weekend before with Wine and Dine, and the weekend after for the holiday. I had never even heard of Jersey Week until after we picked our dates. I know those calendars aren't an exact science, but sheesh. They may release more rooms as we get closer, but I do not like winging it. Worst thing that happens is 4 adults are jammed into a room at the Grand for 3 nights and I have to change my flights to leave a day earlier, but it's making me so anxious!

Okay, you know where you stand, so you need to make a plan to deal with the Room situation. First, we travel as extended family and with with a close friend often, and we have stayed at the Grand doing so. You know that you have some challenges ahead, and from what I read, your concern is actually with your partner, not your friends, so I think he is where you start.

They sell nose strips for the snoring problem, and I would buy some now, and see if he can use them. Also, if TV at night is his issue, he may need to figure out a work around. Sharing space is a matter of knowing how to respect those in your space, so these are areas to address first, I believe.

I would also share your concerns with yoru friends. How do they feel about the close accommodations, and do they have any thoughts? As I said, the sharing can be problematic, however if you are honest ahead of time, you may find that yoru friends are already aware there will be considerations and will have suggestions. The showering and personal time are where courtesy really comes into play. We tend to book Club Level when we are extended family, and we use the lounge as a little extra space in the morning and again when folks are showering and getting ready to head back out.

I htink you can manage three nights, but just plan ahead. Please do nto ruin your enjoyment over something that at this point you may not be able to change.

 

[SaludosPenguinos]

Thanks all for your wisdom. I've certainly wound myself up. I did my best to choose dates with what information I had available to me...I guess I was just wrong about November being a good time to go.
I think husband either misunderstood or was given wrong information as there are still plenty of rooms available at other resorts (looking online as non-cast members). The snoring is not something that can be easily cured with nose strips, unfortunately. I'm sure we *can* manage 3 nights together, but my original concern remains my biggest, the lack of an easily accessible alternate restroom. I won't go into further details there. It was a concern from the start and I (incorrectly) thought was easily solvable. Learning my lessons. I don't think Club Level is an option for CMs.
I'll talk to my friends; I don't think they'd complain in a million years as they are our besties and guests...I still want them to be comfortable though.

 

[gillep]

Thanks all for your wisdom. I've certainly wound myself up. I did my best to choose dates with what information I had available to me...I guess I was just wrong about November being a good time to go.
I think husband either misunderstood or was given wrong information as there are still plenty of rooms available at other resorts (looking online as non-cast members). The snoring is not something that can be easily cured with nose strips, unfortunately. I'm sure we *can* manage 3 nights together, but my original concern remains my biggest, the lack of an easily accessible alternate restroom. I won't go into further details there. It was a concern from the start and I (incorrectly) thought was easily solvable. Learning my lessons. I don't think Club Level is an option for CMs.
I'll talk to my friends; I don't think they'd complain in a million years as they are our besties and guests...I still want them to be comfortable though.

What about a room at The Poly for them? You can walk between the two resorts so that may be a good compromise if there is availability there.

 

[SaludosPenguinos]

What about a room at The Poly for them? You can walk between the two resorts so that may be a good compromise if there is availability there.

That would be great, since I love the Poly anyway and have plans to go Trader Sam's and have ADRs for O'hana, but there aren't any rooms available at the Poly or Contemporary

 

[llouda30]

I am laughing as I read this post, my BFF, her husband and my husband are doing a trip in Jan and all staying at the poly together in a DVC studio, so we will at least have two showers but only one toilet, anyway, we all snore My husband and myself like to sleep in pitch black with no t.v and they prefer t.v blasting all night. The last time me and my BFF went on a trip together I brought an eye patch and ear plugs, took a sleeping pill and she kept the t.v. on, but on mute. We had a blast. We laughed because I was convinced I did not snore and she video taped me sawing logs with the best of them. The point is we tried to make it work, I am a littler nervous about our next trip, with the guys included, but like someone else said, as long as you go into it knowing what to expect it can be overcome. My BFF loves me with my flaws, so I will put up with her darn loud t.v blaring all night flaw They also know I am real weird about the toilet and taking forever, so the men will have to run for the lobby, just like your friends will

 

[SaludosPenguinos]

Over a decade ago, my husband used to race motorcycles and we road-tripped around the country...sleeping in the motorcycle trailer, or tents, or with an entire pit crew shoved into a gross motel room. Boy, have we gotten more particular, LOL.

 

[SaludosPenguinos]

UPDATE: We're back from our trip and everything worked out just fine! We had a wonderful time. We were lucky enough to see the gingerbread house going up.
We wound up having one room at the GF for 3 nights, and 1 at the Poly for the last night. Everyone brought eye masks and ear plugs and, as the sinks were separate from the toilet/shower, we didn't run into any difficulty with getting ready. We were tight on room for our luggage, but we kept things neat and had no major issues. Man, those beds were comfortable. We wound up in Sago Cay, which is very close to Gasparilla Grill. There was once when I was coming back from the Health Club (which don't have a restroom) that I returned to my room and the shower/toilet was occupied, so I just had to pop over to the one in Gasparilla.
The only real snag in an otherwise perfect trip was some glitchiness with the app and one terrible bus experience returning from Hollywood Studios via bus (40+ minutes frying in the sun), but everything we ate was wonderful and the parks weren't overly crowded.