Grand Floridian shouldn’t allow non hotel guests

[nerdboyrockstar]

I didn't know the gingerbread houses were such an E-Ticket. I like a busy lobby though. The piano playing, the kids running around, the people in their Disney ears and park outfits, etc. It wouldn't be Disney without it.

I don't use the lobby to relax though. I use my room for that. If I do want to enjoy a lobby, that's usually after hours when all the hustle and bustle is done for the day but there's gotta be a Christmas tree or fireplace for that, like Grand Californian.

 

[AstroBlasters]

This thread is going to turn into a commercial for Bay Lake Tower

 

[Smugpugmug]

I'm not sure how you seem to be able to identify people who are guests of the resort compared to those who aren't. I doubt you can actually tell who is crowding the resort. But it's a very popular lobby at a very popular time to visit. It's going to be busy and crowded.

I just stayed at the Fantasy Springs hotel at Tokyo Disneyland and they restrict the hotel grounds to guests only. They asked for proof of stay whenever you entered the hotel (they give you a slip that says the current date so you can't bring a slip from a prior visit). They asked for this slip whenever you entered and exited the park exclusive entrance. They also asked for this slip when going to the elevators to the guest rooms as a CM was standing by the elevators. I guess Disney could do this for the GF but they don't want to. They want people coming into their resorts and spend money on treats from the gingerbread house, the gift shops, restaurants/lounges, etc.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

I just stayed at the Fantasy Springs hotel at Tokyo Disneyland and they restrict the hotel grounds to guests only. They asked for proof of stay whenever you entered the hotel (they give you a slip that says the current date so you can't bring a slip from a prior visit). They asked for this slip whenever you entered and exited the park exclusive entrance. They also asked for this slip when going to the elevators to the guest rooms as a CM was standing by the elevators. I guess Disney could do this for the GF but they don't want to. They want people coming into their resorts and spend money on treats from the gingerbread house, the gift shops, restaurants/lounges, etc.

Funny you mention that. We had the exact same experience last month! Amazing resort, by the way! I agree, logistically, they restricted access and traffic (we never had to show proof of stay to use the elevators, however). But they even took it farther, because I'm pretty sure only guests of the resort could make reservations to eat in the restaurants. Heck, they even had the one restaurant where you had to be staying in the fancy side of the resort to eat there! The GF has so many restaurants with ADRs for folks not staying there - they're not going to restrict that. But if it becomes something they decide to govern, there are certainly ways.

But the FS experience did have us wondering about the new Poly tower. They restricted access to the brand new FS resort because they are concerned about all the people coming just to see it, just to walk through and take pictures. I wonder if that's a similar concern at the new Poly tower. Might they consider restricting entry there?

 

[vakamalua]

Disney doesn’t own or run Tokyo Disney. Different culture; different priorities,

 

[shh]

I don’t think any of this is coming from an elitist perspective. It is physically uncomfortable not being able to maneuver a resort you are staying at or have access to services you are paying for. It was frustrating not being able to get on the monorail without a long wait or to have to wait for multiple busses to come to Disney springs before we could get on one because large groups of people were taking the bus to see the lobby.

+1 I disagree with many posters here. This hotel is EXPENSIVE and when you're paying that much per night, it's not unreasonable to expect somewhat calm, relaxed access to the restaurants, bars, lobby decor, etc.

That said, all the deluxe hotel decor is a HUGE draw for so many visiting WDW, so not much one can do to avoid it. But I don't blame OP for being frustrated. I'd be too if I were paying those crazy prices.

I was one of the lookie loos myself: I always stay at value resorts and tour the deluxes.

 

[jcolvin5]

AGVR (Advanced Gingerbread Viewing Reservations). Problem solved

 

[AstroBlasters]

Fill out your surveys after all stays and make sure to give them candid feedback without it turning into a rant.

 

[MsChristy12]

Then there are the non paid non dinner guests. They have paid nothing for these amenities but consume them in unlimited quantity and there is literally no cap to the number of unpaid guests who visit the resort

Question...how do you tell? I have never actually spent a night at GF, but visited plenty of times dining there and buying merch at their gift shop. So how exactly do you identify a guest like me?

 

[Disneyjohnny]

Actually didn't find the lobby as bad as I assumed I would do.

What bothered me more was the hugely increased traffic for CS.

Not somewhere I'll stay again in a hurry during the holidays, not because I don't think that others should be able to visit and enjoy the decorations (and feel slightly jealous that I'm staying there and they aren't lol) but just because to me it wasn't enjoyable having to wait longer at the Grand Floridian for CS food than we did at All Star Sports!

 

[808blessing]

We stayed at VGF Tuesday night (MK special event that we didn't attend) and it was surely packed. Went the next morning and it was empty, no line at the gingerbread. It's to be expected on Thanksgiving weekend. When I was a child of a disadvantaged home, I marveled at the downtown lights- it was spectacular and I was grateful. Open up, share the Christmas vibes and spirit of the season.

 

[eticketplease]

Question...how do you tell? I have never actually spent a night at GF, but visited plenty of times dining there and buying merch at their gift shop. So how exactly do you identify a guest like me?

Simple no top hat or monocle!!!

 

[DVCsloth]

We haven't stayed at VGF in a couple years "sold all our VGF points", but the entire resort really tended to quiet down after dinner time. Really miss the GF Orchestra and the movies on the lawn. With the awesome restaurants and shopping they have at the GF; you will get a massive number of visitors just for that and to spend some time in the lobby. Never really bothered me, we would head back to the Villas, and it would really quiet down.

Edit, we used to visit in the first or second week of December. It's possible that the GF hotel side was not completely booked and now with DVC they are totally packed, and it may actually be more crowded.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

Question...how do you tell? I have never actually spent a night at GF, but visited plenty of times dining there and buying merch at their gift shop. So how exactly do you identify a guest like me?

I'm like you, never stayed to the GF (and I don't want to) but I like going shopping there at the Basin store. I also like eating at Citricos or going to the Enchanted Rose for a drink or two. My trips to WDW are often at holiday time (Easter and Christmas) because of my work schedules, so I don't think I should be denied entry at those times.

 

[Brian Noble]

It really is so disappointing when the hoi polloi interfere with my exclusive vacation.

 

[Karin1984]

To give a similar situation from Disneyland Paris. In January the flagship hotel reopened after a 2 year refurbishment.

• At first it was for hotel guests only.
• Then you could enter with a reservation (to visit, not for the hotel). This was checked upon entrance.
• Then they opened up for everyone. Giving access to the Princess show in the lobby, the giftshop (with exclusive merch) and the bar.
• Then one of the character restaurants opened up for everyone, exclusive for hotel guests first.
• Then the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique opened up for everyone, exclusive for hotel guests first.

Leaving 3 perks for hotel guests: proximity to the park, exclusive Princess M&G and the Kids Club. The second character restaurant is officially for hotel guests only, but there are ways to get in.

Opening up so many exclusive parts of the hotel resulted in a very busy lobby and bar.

The bar is very popular with AP holders and content creators, as it is the closest bar onsite, but also it is great for spotting characters. The characters for the two restaurants have to walk through the lobby area of the bar to get to the restaurants.

I was there last week, I could only sit at the bar, not at the normal seats. The bar and the lobby area were completely full and there was a line outside the bathrooms. I am sure that most people in this bar were non hotel guests (as I was one of them ). If a hotel guest wanted a drink, they wouldn't be able to get in.

It brings in money. And that's all it takes. Disneyland Paris had to. The hotel is very expensive, and not everyone wants to pay a premium on top of that for experiences like the restaurant and BBB.

The other side of the coin is, I have made a reservation for the Disneyland Hotel for the cheapest price possible. I will probably cancel as I have experienced most of the exclusive stuff without staying there.
So Disney is going to lose some money with these decisions as well.

 

[patm95]

I would be super frustrated too. As others have said I imagine part of it is that its one of the busiest weekends of the year and I bet a lot of the resorts are super busy. I'd never come to the park in general around this time of year because of it.

 

[hockeydad21]

At gfv the hotel is all done up for Christmas and I can’t emphasize enough how unpleasant the main lobby is. The lobby is absolute chaos with non hotel guests. It’s so bad I’ve decided to never come back to gfv during the holidays

I believe a hotel should be welcoming and relaxing. Gfv is anything but relaxing. It’s just stressful

It’s not that the hotel guests are crowding the resort. It’s non guests

I can appreciate where you’re coming from. You shouldn’t have to dread going anywhere near your lobby of a $800+ per night hotel (for a standard room) let alone your DVC home resort. People spend way too much money for it to feel like a madhouse most days during the holiday season.

 

[DVCsloth]

I can appreciate where you’re coming from. You shouldn’t have to dread going anywhere near your lobby of a $800+ per night hotel (for a standard room) let alone your DVC home resort. People spend way too much money for it to feel like a madhouse most days during the holiday season.

The Polynesian actually seemed worse to me. We used to walk over for dining or a Dole Whip. The entire area around the lobby and Lava pool seemed way worse the VGF. It's probably going to be even busier after the tower opens.

 

[snystedt]

We stayed at the GF the week before Thanksgiving (last week) and the lobby was definitely more crowded than normal.

I do believe there were 2-3 evening events at MK that week and those evenings the lobby was extremely crowded (the line for the monorail extended into the lobby and past the main stairwell). The other 3 evenings were more manageable. We have stayed the same week for the last decade and attributed the business to the Christmas parties (but who knows).

It will be interesting to see what the increased traffic in the area looks like when the new Tower opens. We tried to walk by the area and it just seems Poly, the new Tower and GF are on top of each other. Sure will miss the more private walkway between the two resorts.