Grand Floridian shouldn’t allow non hotel guests

[Sandisw]

Fair points.

Regarding the 'I don't see it happening' comment. It wasn't meant to be dismissive of the OP's opinions. (I know I have been arguing against them, but I truly do respect & accept their viewpoint.) All I meant is that I don't see Disney taking these measures regardless of any complaints they receive (which is what you noted in your response). I think to Disney this is a non-issue. The resorts and parks are full. Whatever the lightning lane systems are called now are selling out. DVC members couldn't wait to pay for the additional membership benefits yesterday. Why upset the apple cart?

Apologies if any of my messages have come across as confrontational or dismissive in any way. It's easy to misinterpret tone on these forums.

I personally don’t see Disney doing these things because IMO, there are plenty of guests who stay this time of year who simply are not bothered by it to the extent they would want stricter measures.

 

[vakamalua]

32 pages!

It's a fantasy that Disney will ever incur additional cost & resource measures to prevent non-guests from accessing profit making dining & shopping at a resort or visit it as a possible future accommodation. This is not really a matter of what anyone thinks Disney 'should' do. When you pay for any resort or use DVC points, the only thing you are contractually guaranteed is a room / unit. Access to amenities may not be available (e.g., refurbishment) & are only exclusive amenities if directly specified (like Stormalong Bay).

With our 30 year DVC member experience, the reality is that profit with a capital P is Disney's number one priority not guests / members convenience, satisfaction or comfort. They count on the fact that their long term fans & new customers will continue to pay higher prices & more than make up for any disgruntled patrons that they lose.

 

[nuhusky123]

32 pages!

It's a fantasy that Disney will ever incur additional cost & resource measures to prevent non-guests from accessing profit making dining & shopping at a resort or visit it as a possible future accommodation. This is not really a matter of what anyone thinks Disney 'should' do. When you pay for any resort or use DVC points, the only thing you are contractually guaranteed is a room / unit. Access to amenities may not be available (e.g., refurbishment) & are only exclusive amenities if directly specified (like Stormalong Bay).

With our 30 year DVC member experience, the reality is that profit with a capital P is Disney's number one priority not guests / members convenience, satisfaction or comfort. They count on the fact that their long term fans & new customers will continue to pay higher prices & more than make up for any disgruntled patrons that they lose.

Yes very true. But if gf revenue goes down because of their decisions don’t you think someone will pay attention?

Imagine how upset some of the gf guests are

 

[Marrila]

With our 30 year DVC member experience, the reality is that profit with a capital P is Disney's number one priority not guests / members convenience, satisfaction or comfort. They count on the fact that their long term fans & new customers will continue to pay higher prices & more than make up for any disgruntled patrons that they lose.

Yes very true. But if gf revenue goes down because of their decisions don’t you think someone will pay attention?

Imagine how upset some of the gf guests are

@vakamalua Gave you the answer.
It's not the one you want, but it is based on 30 years of experience.
WDW is happy to wave bye to the disgruntled and hello to enthusiastic new guests.

 

[gsdweller]

Sigh, would love your serious input. No need for nonsense snark

Oh come on. This post started normal, but you have to admit, the entire thing has turned to nonsense now.

 

[MerlinandtheMouse]

@vakamalua Gave you the answer.
It's not the one you want, but it is based on 30 years of experience.
WDW is happy to wave bye to the disgruntled and hello to enthusiastic new guests.

This just isn’t true. Sure in 30 years, Disney has done everything they can to increase profit, even at the detriment of their guests, but they’ve also had to roll back things and change things and replace things that upset their guests. It literally just happened with the Cake Bake Shop because backlash and disgruntled guests make a difference. There has to be a balance between value and cost, as soon as one our reigns the other something’s gotta give.

 

[tjkraz]

With our 30 year DVC member experience, the reality is that profit with a capital P is Disney's number one priority...

You just described every business, ever.

...not guests / members convenience, satisfaction or comfort.

Except that those are important factors in profitability. If Disney was only worried about cost savings, they could run buses every hour instead of every 20 minutes...especially mid day. We've all had those times when we were the only ones on a bus at 1pm. Or they could eliminate pool parties, marshmallow roasting, movies on the lawn and a dozen other things. They could buy cheaper beds, invest in cheaper refurbs, cut staffing, etc.

Change is inevitable and there have certainly been decisions that did not sit well with certain guests. But let's not pretend that Disney deliberately runs roughshod over customers, providing minimum service and expecting the profit train to continue rolling into the station.

After 32 pages, my overriding concern about this thread is that it's based on the (perhaps flawed) premise that non-guests are overwhelming Grand Floridian transportation. We have one set of photos of long waits for the monorail, which coincide with a Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party night during Thanksgiving weekend. Plus other vague reports from the same week--perhaps even the same night & time.

Meanwhile, a couple days later on a MVMCP night, a friend confirmed that the monorail was backed up around 5pm but the line was completely gone an hour later and the lobby was relatively calm. MVMCP tickets allow park entry starting at 4pm. If the vast majority of these guests are simply party attendees staying at the Grand Floridian deciding to make their way over in that 4-5pm window, congestion is unavoidable. Separate monorail queues and barring certain guests from the resort won't make a bit of difference if these are predominantly GF guests. And Disney isn't going to great lengths to fix a "problem" that manifests 20 times a year for 90 minutes.

 

[Marrila]

This just isn’t true. Sure in 30 yesrs, Disney has done everything they can to increase profit, even at the detriment of their guests, but they’ve also had to roll back things and change things and replace things that upset their guests. It literally just happened with the Cake Bake Shop because backlash and disgruntled guests make a difference. There has to be a balance between value and cost, as soon as one our reigns the other something’s gotta give.

Slightly repricing a few cakes and entrees is an easy fix for a restaurant.
Not remotely the same as (for example) excluding day guests at the Grand or instituting tier one and tier two monorail rides.

 

[Minnie1222]

Yes very true. But if gf revenue goes down because of their decisions don’t you think someone will pay attention?

I think their revenue would decrease even more if they restrict access to non-GF guests. I remember the uproar following the introduction of Genie+ and how people threatened to leave en masse, yet the cost of Genie+ kept climbing and three years later we now have a product that costs 26 times more. So in true Disney fashion, I predict that we may see more offerings from GF to entice non-hotel guests instead of doing the opposite.

 

[Sandisw]

Yes very true. But if gf revenue goes down because of their decisions don’t you think someone will pay attention?

Imagine how upset some of the gf guests are

Are they? Some of us stay there during the holidays because of the hustle and bustle and expect the crowds.

Look at the picture from last night…it was not crazy. Means everyone is getting a different experience.

 

[Minnie1222]

It literally just happened with the Cake Bake Shop because backlash and disgruntled guests make a difference. There has to be a balance between value and cost, as soon as one our reigns the other something’s gotta give.

I believe the majority of those disgruntled guests are still not planning to eat at Cake Bake. Someone who refused to pay $26 for a slice is not going to jump at the chance of paying $23.

 

[Man-DeLorean]

You just described every business, ever.


Except that those are important factors in profitability. If Disney was only worried about cost savings, they could run buses every hour instead of every 20 minutes...especially mid day. We've all had those times when we were the only ones on a bus at 1pm. Or they could eliminate pool parties, marshmallow roasting, movies on the lawn and a dozen other things. They could buy cheaper beds, invest in cheaper refurbs, cut staffing, etc.

Change is inevitable and there have certainly been decisions that did not sit well with certain guests. But let's not pretend that Disney deliberately runs roughshod over customers, providing minimum service and expecting the profit train to continue rolling into the station.

After 32 pages, my overriding concern about this thread is that it's based on the (perhaps flawed) premise that non-guests are overwhelming Grand Floridian transportation. We have one set of photos of long waits for the monorail, which coincide with a Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party night during Thanksgiving weekend. Plus other vague reports from the same week--perhaps even the same night & time.

Meanwhile, a couple days later on a MVMCP night, a friend confirmed that the monorail was backed up around 5pm but the line was completely gone an hour later and the lobby was relatively calm. MVMCP tickets allow park entry starting at 4pm. If the vast majority of these guests are simply party attendees staying at the Grand Floridian deciding to make their way over in that 4-5pm window, congestion is unavoidable. Separate monorail queues and barring certain guests from the resort won't make a bit of difference if these are predominantly GF guests. And Disney isn't going to great lengths to fix a "problem" that manifests 20 times a year for 90 minutes.

I stayed at the Grand Floridian last week (11/23-11/30) and experienced the chaos firsthand, hence the reason I joined this discussion. The lobby was incredibly crowded, and it was often difficult to even move through it (and not just limited to party nights). On multiple occasions, we had to wait for a third monorail just to get on, and it wasn’t just isolated to the monorail—waiting for two buses at Disney Springs was also a regular occurrence.

I overheard multiple conversations from non-guests who were clearly taking advantage of the Grand Floridian's amenities, such as one family staying at All Star Sports who were just hanging out by the pool until it was time to head to MVMCP. I don’t think the photo showing an empty lobby on a random night really addresses the bigger issue at hand, which is the overall congestion caused by non-guests trying to access the resort during peak times, especially around major events like MVMCP.

The common response from people who weren't directly impacted is to "suck it up," call us entitled elitists, or suggest we shouldn’t stay there anymore. This is very dismissive and doesn’t address the issue. I understand that Disney likely doesn’t see this as a recurring enough issue to make big changes (if any at all), but when you're in the middle of it, it definitely feels like it’s more than just a minor inconvenience.

 

[MerlinandtheMouse]

Slightly repricing a few cakes and entrees is an easy fix for a restaurant.
Not remotely the same as (for example) excluding day guests at the Grand or instituting tier one and tier two monorail rides.

I never said they were the same thing. The point is Disney can and do make changes when it’s warranted. As many have said, there was a time where the monorail resort line was exclusive to those staying that those resorts. They changed it because they wanted more people frequenting and visiting their resorts. Now the opposite (at certain times of the year) is happening, where there is over extension of the monorail and transportation and it’s become much more difficult to maneuver and manage ones trip.

The crowds are difficult but I agree, it’s expected certain time of the year, that’s never been my argument. What I don’t think is fair is that certain guests are disproportionately effected when using the transportation of their own resorts. It doesn’t hurt the regular day guest who is taking leisure time to enjoy the fun festivities at the GF one afternoon, as they should, and having to wait 30 mins to get on a monorail out of the resort. It’s hurting the person who is staying there for the week and having to wait on multiple monorails and buses and boats and waiting for long periods every day, sometimes multiple times a day, just to make it for their ADR at Epcot or LL at MK. And I understand, that’s not everyone’s experience but it’s clear it’s becoming more and more frequent.

I don’t stay at GF during the holidays because of this. I think it sucks that that’s what we’re relegated to but I’ve resigned myself to it. I won’t spend my time and money when I can have an easier and calmer experience pretty much anywhere else. It still doesn’t make it fair for those who do choose to stay there and deal with this increasing problem. Only time will tell if this does enough damage to push change.

I believe the majority of those disgruntled guests are still not planning to eat at Cake Bake. Someone who refused to pay $26 for a slice is not going to jump at the chance of paying $23.

I’m sure you’re right, but the point was made earlier in this thread that plenty of people have in fact changed their mind in the CBS thread said they’d give it a shot now. An act of goodwill, even when forced or minimal, is still better than inaction.

 

[Genie+]

Slightly repricing a few cakes and entrees is an easy fix for a restaurant.
Not remotely the same as (for example) excluding day guests at the Grand or instituting tier one and tier two monorail rides.

A tad more than slight

EGGS​

• Egg Sandwich – $23 $19.99
• Eggs Any Style – $26 $16.99 (dropped $9)
• Classic Eggs Benedict – $34 $19.99 (dropped $14)
• Crab Cake Eggs Benedict – $42 $26.99 (dropped $15)

CHILDREN’S BREAKFAST (dropped $5-$8)​

• Bacon & Eggs – $18 $12.99
• Belgian Waffles – $18 $12.99
• Chocolate Belgian Waffle – $18 $10.00
• Gluten-Free Pixie Fetti Pancake – $18 $12.99

CHAMPAGNES​

• Dom Perignon – $140 / $600 $120 / $460 (dropped $140)
• Laurent Perrier Siecle – $140 / $600 $110 / $420 (dropped $180)
• Laurent Perrier Blanc de Blanc – $50 / $210 $39 / $152 (dropped $58)
• JCB Gala – $59 / $300 $52 / $190

ROSE CHAMPAGNES​

• Lanson Brut Rose – $46 / $198 $38 / $148 (dropped $50)
• Laurent Perrier Cuvee Rose – $56 / $210 $38 / $148 (dropped $62)

I think this highlights that even if people may be able to afford higher priced experiences there is a limit to what they’ll tolerate at those expenses. No matter how shallow or deep one’s pockets, most don’t want to feel taken for a sucker.

I personally don’t feel the GF lobby is at issue since it is easy enough for guests to pick from the many low traffic times. The transportation issues is what I think could be improved, because that is not easily avoidable and quite frustrating when thinking the advantage of booking GF was convenient access to MK/EP/MVMCP only to find how often it can be a disadvantage compared to other park adjacent options. For that reason I’d keep my own VGF trips out of December. My advice is not to use cash/points and just visit for a meal and spend the week elsewhere.

 

[nuhusky123]

I stayed at the Grand Floridian last week (11/23-11/30) and experienced the chaos firsthand, hence the reason I joined this discussion. The lobby was incredibly crowded, and it was often difficult to even move through it (and not just limited to party nights). On multiple occasions, we had to wait for a third monorail just to get on, and it wasn’t just isolated to the monorail—waiting for two buses at Disney Springs was also a regular occurrence.

I overheard multiple conversations from non-guests who were clearly taking advantage of the Grand Floridian's amenities, such as one family staying at All Star Sports who were just hanging out by the pool until it was time to head to MVMCP. I don’t think the photo showing an empty lobby on a random night really addresses the bigger issue at hand, which is the overall congestion caused by non-guests trying to access the resort during peak times, especially around major events like MVMCP.

The common response from people who weren't directly impacted is to "suck it up," call us entitled elitists, or suggest we shouldn’t stay there anymore. This is very dismissive and doesn’t address the issue. I understand that Disney likely doesn’t see this as a recurring enough issue to make big changes (if any at all), but when you're in the middle of it, it definitely feels like it’s more than just a minor inconvenience.

The pool comment bothers me. Beach club check guests magic bands but other pools don’t there was a post a page or so up where people were slipping into poly pools. You noted people going to gf pools.

These guest visitors take away from paying guests. Sometimes finding a spot by the pool is hard, don’t need to make it harder by allowing people who have no right to be there

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

An act of goodwill, even when forced or minimal, is still better than inaction.

It wasn't done as a goodwill, the reduction in pricing.

Some of this talk makes me think of the comments on read on the Seabourn facebook pages, often people post pictures of crew members but that and also the comments themselves some passengers actually think the crew love them, actually think the crew are their besties. They cannot separate it out to understand it's a business transactional "relationship". Very rarely do companies truly do things out of the goodness of their hearts or as you put it goodwill. It has almost nothing to do with that. And oftentimes the ones that try very hard to be like that instead of more business-like fail after a short time because they cannot sustain that type of business model and make any profits. Disney is making business decisions here, so did the Cake Bake Shop.

 

[focusondisney]

It literally just happened with the Cake Bake Shop because backlash and disgruntled guests make a difference.

That restaurant is privately owned. Disney does not have control of their prices.

 

[MerlinandtheMouse]

It wasn't done as a goodwill, the reduction in pricing.

Some of this talk makes me think of the comments on read on the Seabourn facebook pages, often people post pictures of crew members but that and also the comments themselves some passengers actually think the crew love them, actually think the crew are their besties. They cannot separate it out to understand it's a business transactional "relationship". Very rarely do companies truly do things out of the goodness of their hearts or as you put it goodwill. It has almost nothing to do with that. And oftentimes the ones that try very hard to be like that instead of more business-like fail after a short time because they cannot sustain that type of business model and make any profits. Disney is making business decisions here, so did the Cake Bake Shop.

Excuse my naive and hopeful wording. I’ll do better to be more nihilistic and business-minded in my responses. I’ll quote back to that same post

The point is Disney can and do make changes when it’s warranted.

And I even said

Only time will tell if this does enough damage to push change.

Before the responses come about that.

 

[AstroBlasters]

I think the parks themselves are way too crowded. We should restrict who can go where in each park depending on what my personal plans are. Because I am important, and paid big money for my special 'important person' pass.

Wow, what a condescending and snarky comment. And yes, I know it was sarcasm.

 

[AstroBlasters]

The whole inferiority complex around GF baffles me. It’s such a weird form of class warfare.

Some people may not be rich, but have chosen to save up to be able to stay at GF or paid a premium to buy into VGF either as a home resort or a banked/borrows to get a room with the expensive point chart.