jlewisinsyr
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2007
- Messages
- 6,555
I decided it would be a good idea to write a review about my stay at the Grand Floridian, I always find it helpful to read others reviews of their stays.
We arrived around 1:45 after a 30 minute flight delay and a 1 1/2 hour drive from Tampa. Upon arriving at the Grand Floridian we were given our parking pass and proceeded to Valet Parking. We were immediately greeted and had our luggage unloaded.
We asked if the Valet had anything to clean the windows of our rental, he said he would check and take care of it if possible.
We proceeded to the desk check in and met a male cast member. He quickly pulled up our reservation and started reviewing the notes (best of my knowledge of what he was doing). I reiterated some of the requests we had made, including the King room just to make sure all bases were covered. He unfortunately, didn't respond in the most "Disney-like" manner and snipped with an explanation about the number of rooms that have King beds, the number under construction and that they were very booked. He continued to advise he would give a call to his manager, but not to get our hopes up. Now I would have been fine if he just left it at, "let me call my manager and see what I can do for you", but he felt he needed to explain things in not the best of manners. In the end, they didn't have a King room available, but did book us in Conch Key in one of the newly remodeled dormer style rooms. The rest of check-in was non-eventful and proceeded promptly.
We met back up with the bell-services and were driven over to Conch key and given a quick explanation on how to get to our room.
We proceeded up to the room, which was nice, it was colored in yellow tones with hidden Mickey's in the curtains and on some of the wood trim and Tinkerbell on the comforter. The bell-service met us in the room a few minutes later and delivered our luggage and set-up the luggage stand.
We unpacked (we always do, even for one night) and hung everything up.
We walked around the room, and although more of annoyances then major problems, there was definately a lack of magic around. There was a broken lightbulb over the bed, a broken patio chair (the vinyl seating surface was broken) and deep gouges in the new furniture. We placed a call to the front desk for maintenance on the bulb and patio chair and they advised someone would be right up to resolve.
About 15 minutes later, a maintenance worker arrived and asked what was wrong with the patio door. We explained it wasn't the patio door, it was the patio chair. He responded it wasn't his department and after a few seconds of hesitation, advised he would make a call for us. He did fix the light bulb though.
We decided to hit the park instead of waiting around and took the monorail to the Magic Kingdom. Upon returning to the room, we noticed that they did bring up a new chair, but instead of being efficient or at the top of your game, they left the broken one on the patio as well. I guess I thought it would have been common sense to remove the broken one, but maybe it go lost in translation between the different departments. We made a call to have the broken chair removed, but for the duration of our stay it remained on the patio.
The trip remained positive but from the last visit to this one (little over two years), both my boyfriend and myself noticed a slack of Disney charm through-out the parks, restaurants and resorts. I'm pretty forgiving, but as it is that my boyfriend used to work at Disney he's a little more demanding and noticed a lot of things that just were not up to the Disney standard.
On the days we went to Magic Kingdom, we didn't use our car rental, but on other days we did, and found the Valet very inconsistant in quality. Some days the vehicle was brought around by the time I walked from my room to the valet station, other times, when I went I got to the desk, they then proceeded to get the vehicle. If I call in advance I expect not to have to wait after I take the 10 minute walk from the room to the valet podium.
On the last day we opted to have our laundry done (11 shirts, 9 shorts, and 4 pieces of undergarments). The cost was a little high, but expected. The larges problem was that we needed an additional bag, it took two calls to have another bag delivered and when the individual came, she only understood that I needed my laundry picked up so she had to leave and come back with a bag. She took the bags and they were returned back cleaned and individually wrapped (a little over kill, but I assume that is standard protocol).
In regards to the check out process, it was quick, but when we went to get our keys we were advised at least one of our valet charges did not go through, she asked if I wanted to settle them now. I told her to just bill the room, but she proceeded to ask if I had any cash to settle, which I didn't (thus the Keys to the World card with a linked credit card). She told me not to worry about it, so I don't know what will happen with these, but I'm sure they'll just bill it back to the room.
So I guess at the end of the day, the trip was not horrible, but you could definately start to see some slack in service, I hope this trend does not continue as I do enjoy Disney and it would be a shame if they lost the magic touch.
We arrived around 1:45 after a 30 minute flight delay and a 1 1/2 hour drive from Tampa. Upon arriving at the Grand Floridian we were given our parking pass and proceeded to Valet Parking. We were immediately greeted and had our luggage unloaded.
We asked if the Valet had anything to clean the windows of our rental, he said he would check and take care of it if possible.
We proceeded to the desk check in and met a male cast member. He quickly pulled up our reservation and started reviewing the notes (best of my knowledge of what he was doing). I reiterated some of the requests we had made, including the King room just to make sure all bases were covered. He unfortunately, didn't respond in the most "Disney-like" manner and snipped with an explanation about the number of rooms that have King beds, the number under construction and that they were very booked. He continued to advise he would give a call to his manager, but not to get our hopes up. Now I would have been fine if he just left it at, "let me call my manager and see what I can do for you", but he felt he needed to explain things in not the best of manners. In the end, they didn't have a King room available, but did book us in Conch Key in one of the newly remodeled dormer style rooms. The rest of check-in was non-eventful and proceeded promptly.
We met back up with the bell-services and were driven over to Conch key and given a quick explanation on how to get to our room.
We proceeded up to the room, which was nice, it was colored in yellow tones with hidden Mickey's in the curtains and on some of the wood trim and Tinkerbell on the comforter. The bell-service met us in the room a few minutes later and delivered our luggage and set-up the luggage stand.
We unpacked (we always do, even for one night) and hung everything up.
We walked around the room, and although more of annoyances then major problems, there was definately a lack of magic around. There was a broken lightbulb over the bed, a broken patio chair (the vinyl seating surface was broken) and deep gouges in the new furniture. We placed a call to the front desk for maintenance on the bulb and patio chair and they advised someone would be right up to resolve.
About 15 minutes later, a maintenance worker arrived and asked what was wrong with the patio door. We explained it wasn't the patio door, it was the patio chair. He responded it wasn't his department and after a few seconds of hesitation, advised he would make a call for us. He did fix the light bulb though.
We decided to hit the park instead of waiting around and took the monorail to the Magic Kingdom. Upon returning to the room, we noticed that they did bring up a new chair, but instead of being efficient or at the top of your game, they left the broken one on the patio as well. I guess I thought it would have been common sense to remove the broken one, but maybe it go lost in translation between the different departments. We made a call to have the broken chair removed, but for the duration of our stay it remained on the patio.
The trip remained positive but from the last visit to this one (little over two years), both my boyfriend and myself noticed a slack of Disney charm through-out the parks, restaurants and resorts. I'm pretty forgiving, but as it is that my boyfriend used to work at Disney he's a little more demanding and noticed a lot of things that just were not up to the Disney standard.
On the days we went to Magic Kingdom, we didn't use our car rental, but on other days we did, and found the Valet very inconsistant in quality. Some days the vehicle was brought around by the time I walked from my room to the valet station, other times, when I went I got to the desk, they then proceeded to get the vehicle. If I call in advance I expect not to have to wait after I take the 10 minute walk from the room to the valet podium.
On the last day we opted to have our laundry done (11 shirts, 9 shorts, and 4 pieces of undergarments). The cost was a little high, but expected. The larges problem was that we needed an additional bag, it took two calls to have another bag delivered and when the individual came, she only understood that I needed my laundry picked up so she had to leave and come back with a bag. She took the bags and they were returned back cleaned and individually wrapped (a little over kill, but I assume that is standard protocol).
In regards to the check out process, it was quick, but when we went to get our keys we were advised at least one of our valet charges did not go through, she asked if I wanted to settle them now. I told her to just bill the room, but she proceeded to ask if I had any cash to settle, which I didn't (thus the Keys to the World card with a linked credit card). She told me not to worry about it, so I don't know what will happen with these, but I'm sure they'll just bill it back to the room.
So I guess at the end of the day, the trip was not horrible, but you could definately start to see some slack in service, I hope this trend does not continue as I do enjoy Disney and it would be a shame if they lost the magic touch.
