Grand Floridian shouldn’t allow non hotel guests

[nuhusky123]

This has all become so silly.... getting to GF, or any other resort is a little bit of a pain, let's be clear....


I doubt many people are going there just to sit around for hours on end.... They are going there perhaps for the activities available including looking at (and buying items from) the gingerbread house....

If they wanted to make this a guest experience, as @AstroBlasters points out they can wristband/magicband/whatever band this thing....

Otherwise, they don't care and are happy to sell the gingerbread....

As I have pointed out (as have others), those of us who are VGF owners do not own the Grand Floridian Lobby... We own the one with the penguins in another building.... you know, the one, that when I was there last week didn't even have a Christmas tree...

Oh, we also own the one in BPK which included a small Christmas tree if you want to check it out....

Calm down, enjoy the gingerbread, go get a drink at Enchanted Rose, complain to your significant other while enjoying your drink that there isn't an orchestra anymore, and move on with your life....

This isn’t about the lobby, it’s about the transportation and other amenities being used. How does having the dvc lobby help the fact you can’t catch the monorail or boat because they are full with non resort guests. Last time I checked gfv didn’t have a dedicated monorail stop.

In your opinion is it ok to take 45 min to get to the ttc from gf?

 

[eticketplease]

This isn’t about the lobby, it’s about the transportation and other amenities being used. How does having the dvc lobby help the fact you can’t catch the monorail or boat because they are full with non resort guests. Last time I checked gfv didn’t have a dedicated monorail stop.

In your opinion is it ok to take 45 min to get to the ttc from gf?

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

You started the thread by calling out the lobby but now it’s not about the lobby???

As far as dedicated stops on the monorail for VGF no it does not as it is shared with the rest of the resort and if we going down that route does each building have its own dedicated stop such as Boca Chica or Conch Key? What about the Poly? There are no rooms at the Great Ceremonial House but that is the monorail stop for Poly including PVB.

45 minutes to TTC? Even with missing a monorail on occasion it should not take that long. Are you riding the monorail loop the whole time or are you getting off at MK and switching to the express monorail?

 

[eticketplease]

Sorry need to ask. You believe because you own dvc you should have the right to use any other hotels amenities even when not staying at the hotel?

Just want to make sure I understand you

Because if that’s accurate, that’s beyond bonkers

You are literally not contributing $1 to those amenities if you are not redeeming your points there. What gives you the right to use something if you haven’t paid for it?

When you go to the movies do you buy a ticket to one movie and then go to all the other movies playing because you bought one ticket?

People who are staying with Points are not contributing any money unless they also own there.

Those who own the resort are the ones are paying for the amenities with their dues.

I’m not on the hook for Animal feed when I stay at AKL as I don’t own there but will use points to stay there and enjoy the animals just the same.

 

[nuhusky123]

You started the thread by calling out the lobby but now it’s not about the lobby???

As far as dedicated stops on the monorail for VGF no it does not as it is shared with the rest of the resort and if we going down that route does each building have its own dedicated stop such as Boca Chica or Conch Key? What about the Poly? There are no rooms at the Great Ceremonial House but that is the monorail stop for Poly including PVB.

45 minutes to TTC? Even with missing a monorail on occasion it should not take that long. Are you riding the monorail loop the whole time or are you getting off at MK and switching to the express monorail?

I added a second post where I further explained my frustration f how the non paying visitors are consuming the amenities at the resort but paying for none of it

Point exactly though on gfv not having a monorail stop and having to use the gf lobby to access the station. All the posts about using the dvc lobby are completely wrong for this very reason.

It took 45 min because I couldn’t get on the train because of all the visitors to gf. Lines to boats were equally long. I’m sorry but under no circumstances is that an acceptable wait

My second post with more color on page 2 of thread
Bit more perspective from my side

I bought vgf in large part so I could book Christmas there.

I’m a paid guest and I expect access to the amenities of the resort. Those include transportation, entertainment, food, retail

I pay for and subsidize those amenities.

Now Disney allows for sit down dinners access to the resorts but they pay for that privilege and in turn can access transportation retail and food. They should not get access to the pool for example. I think it’s great being able to visit hotel restaurants I’m not staying at and I accept the traffic this creates because it’s 100% limited in quantity to the number of dinner reservations

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

This unpaid group consume the amenities diminishing the paid guests access and value

To the comments go use the dvc lobby. Missing the point. You can’t get the monorail from the dvc lobby.

It’s no fun watching multiple trains go by not because it’s full from poly but because the line from gf is so long it wraps into the building. It’s no fun having to dodge people going from the train to the dvc building because there is next to no room to walk

Bottom line this trip showed me vgf is a place to avoid at Christmas and that makes me sad because it’s a beautiful resort and defeats a primary purpose of why I purchased at vgf

How to solve that’s disneys problem but there are ways like wrist bands we get at aulani or beach club pools. Why can’t there be priority access for hotel guests to the gingerbread house, quick service or train?

 

[nuhusky123]

People who are staying with Points are not contributing any money unless they also own there.

Those who own the resort are the ones are paying for the amenities with their dues.

I’m not on the hook for Animal feed when I stay at AKL as I don’t own there but will use points to stay there and enjoy the animals just the same.

Directly in fees no you are correct but I’d wager Disney finance people apply the redemption of your points onto the books of the resorts you stay at. Could be wrong but I highly doubt hotel gms want to be penalized on their books when non owners stay, they want that credit even if it’s just moving numbers around on spread sheets.

 

[eticketplease]

I added a second post where I further explained my frustration f how the non paying visitors are consuming the amenities at the resort but paying for none of it

I’m going to need to validate your gingerbread receipt for you to get on the monorail….

 

[nuhusky123]

I’m going to need to validate your gingerbread receipt for you to get on the monorail….

How about an e ticket to board

 

[eticketplease]

Now Disney allows for sit down dinners access to the resorts but they pay for that privilege and in turn can access transportation retail and food. They should not get access to the pool for example. I think it’s great being able to visit hotel restaurants I’m not staying at and I accept the traffic this creates because it’s 100% limited in quantity to the number of dinner reservations

Disney has been allowing guests to dine at it resorts for a long time and promote it with the Dining Plan so not sure when the “now” comes in.

Guests do not have access to the pool. Yes I’m aware most of the time the mb reader doesn’t work but Pool hopping is a thing of the past.

 

[eticketplease]

How about an e ticket to board

Monorail was only e ticket at Disneyland and was never categorized at WDW.

That being said if an e ticket was purchased that is going towards monorail funding not towards the amenities at GF just like now when everyday guests have a park ticket and are free to take the monorail and stop at the resorts.

 

[nuhusky123]

Disney has been allowing guests to dine at it resorts for a long time and promote it with the Dining Plan so not sure when the “now” comes in.

Guests do not have access to the pool. Yes I’m aware most of the time the mb reader doesn’t work but Pool hopping is a thing of the past.

I’m 100% ok with dining reservations as they are 1) paying for amenities and 2) limited in quantity based on number of reservations available

The non paying guests however consume the amenities in unlimited quantities

 

[nuhusky123]

Monorail was only e ticket at Disneyland and was never categorized at WDW.

That being said if an e ticket was purchased that is going towards monorail funding not towards the amenities at GF just like now when everyday guests have a park ticket and are free to take the monorail and stop at the resorts.

I was joking because of your user name

 

[eticketplease]

Directly in fees no you are correct but I’d wager Disney finance people apply the redemption of your points onto the books of the resorts you stay at. Could be wrong but I highly doubt hotel gms want to be penalized on their books when non owners stay, they want that credit even if it’s just moving numbers around on spread sheets.

They can’t legally do that. Someone with more expertise feel free to chime in here

@tjkraz @Sandisw

 

[eticketplease]

I’m 100% ok with dining reservations as they are 1) paying for amenities and 2) limited in quantity based on number of reservations available

The non paying guests however consume the amenities in unlimited quantities

What amenity are you concerned about that people are not paying for? Is someone one on your couch next to the piano? Do you have a favorite stall in the restroom?

 

[nuhusky123]

What amenity are you concerned about that people are not paying for? Is someone one on your couch next to the piano? Do you have a favorite stall in the restroom?

Let’s keep it simple. The boat to gf and train to gf

No need to be snarky

 

[808blessing]

As transportation is one of the major issues here, both monorail and boat. How does “avoiding the area” work?

Transportation was horrible!!! We walked both ways and I disliked it very much. For that reason, I am glad I don't own there and definitely need to plan my split stay better to the area. Sigh! No solutions. Visited WL this time..still debating if I want to stay there to avoid the massive MK transport lines.

 

[eticketplease]

Let’s keep it simple. The boat to gf and train to gf

No need to be snarky

Again you keep mentioning the unpaid amenities as you are fine when people are spending money at the resort. I just asked what you were concerned about.

Interesting that now that you state the “to” as before you were claiming “from”

Trust me I understand your frustration with transportation. While we stay there at Easter it is certainly not as busy as Christmas. We have had to wait a few minutes more for the monorail (not had an issue with the boat) but we realize that when we book at VGF that it is a popular resort and others will be visiting there besides guests.

I am willing to share the charm and beauty of the resort with others even if it means waiting a few more minutes. The way I see it is I’m going to be dealing with lines all day anyway and thinking hey I’m at Disney waiting in line instead of the DMV sounds pretty good to me.

 

[nuhusky123]

Again you keep mentioning the unpaid amenities as you are fine when people are spending money at the resort. I just asked what you were concerned about.

Interesting that now that you state the “to” as before you were claiming “from”

Trust me I understand your frustration with transportation. While we stay there at Easter it is certainly not as busy as Christmas. We have had to wait a few minutes more for the monorail (not had an issue with the boat) but we realize that when we book at VGF that it is a popular resort and others will be visiting there besides guests.

I am willing to share the charm and beauty of the resort with others even if it means waiting a few more minutes. The way I see it is I’m going to be dealing with lines all day anyway and thinking hey I’m at Disney waiting in line instead of the DMV sounds pretty good to me.

You are really trying to pick apart my words.

To and from are synonymous in this context.

This isn’t about a few extra people. This is a lot of extra people where monorails are hard to get onto and take 45 mins to to get to ttc and boats arrive at the mk dock where half the riders don’t get off because they want to continue on to gf

Poster above said they gave up and just walked

 

[MerlinandtheMouse]

I really do see if from both sides. It would be a shame to block the amazing lobbies of these resorts to just guests staying or eating there (I love a good resort hop), but it does beg the equation: why do non-paying guests have equal priority to the resort and transportation as paying guests? That does seem unfair.

Not sure where they’d find the space, but maybe they could make a priority line (lightning lane, anyone?) to the monorail/boats for those staying on property. Maybe something like the right side of the monorail is for paid guests, the left is for visitors (don’t think this would work at MK, but that’s a different problem). They could quickly and easily check the on-property guests as they go through security. If you’re just a guest visiting, no problem, but understand you’ll be waiting a while to get to and from the resort.

I’d be ok with that if I were just visiting. Doesn’t get rid of the crowds completely but at least paying guests have priority access to transportation, which is a big concern.

 

[DisnEElove]

I really do see if from both sides. It would be a shame to block the amazing lobbies of these resorts to just guests staying or eating there (I love a good resort hop), but it does beg the equation: why do non-paying guests have equal priority to the resort and transportation as paying guests? That does seem unfair.

Not sure where they’d find the space, but maybe they could make a priority line (lightning lane, anyone?) to the monorail/boats for those staying on property. Maybe something like the right side of the monorail is for paid guests, the left is for visitors (don’t think this would work at MK, but that’s a different problem). They could quickly and easily check the on-property guests as they go through security. If you’re just a guest visiting, no problem, but understand you’ll be waiting a while to get to and from the resort.

I’d be ok with that if I were just visiting. Doesn’t get rid of the crowds completely but at least paying guests have priority access to transportation, which is a big concern.

This might be less expensive to execute than my idea of an additional monorail for guests only. Would possibly take an additional CM to scan and maintain the line, but I'm okay with an increase to dues to accommodate that . This is what I was hoping for in this thread. Ideas, vs people getting spicy about the thought of being restricted from the resort and just going on attack mode. As a good deal of us have said, the lobby should be buzzing, but in 2024 surely we can devise ways that ALL can come without those staying/eating there having to be only ones repeatedly sacrificing.

 

[walt34]

Not sure where they’d find the space, but maybe they could make a priority line (lightning lane, anyone?) to the monorail/boats for those staying on property. Maybe something like the right side of the monorail is for paid guests, the left is for visitors (don’t think this would work at MK, but that’s a different problem). They could quickly and easily check the on-property guests as they go through security. If you’re just a guest visiting, no problem, but understand you’ll be waiting a while to get to and from the resort.

I really love this idea. The priority line could easily be opened or closed depending on the waiting time at the station. It would just take one or two cast members per resort. If you don't have your magic band/room key on you, just join the other queue.