Grand Floridian stuck up? Your personal experiences?

[tlbwriter]

I am not defending what this Cast Member did, however maybe she had some bad experiences with some guests and some Cast Members, which might be the reason for the way she feels.

Oh, I'm sure she did. It was just inappropriate for her to complain to other guests about them.

BTW, I've run into rude, entitled people at every level of the economy.

 

[uva185]

I think those if you who said the "Stuck Up" notion is either a matter of perception or stereotype from those who have not stayed there are absolutely correct!! I'm glad to see almost all the posters on this thread have had wonderful experiences.

As for the CM who trash talked the GF concierge level.....she is absolutely entitled to her opinion but since she was working while she made the comment that is extremely inappropriate. When you are working for a company you represent the company and should withhold your opinions if they will "trash" the company or are controversial. That goes for ANY industry.

 

[MickeyNicki]

DH doesnt like it there...the only time I can get him to visit the resort is around the holidays when the live band is playing carols, the roasted chestnuts, gingerbread house and huge tree are out.

I asked him why he doesnt like and he said, "I'm just not feeling it" whatever the heck that means

 

[bavaria]

Well, it appears that although I deleted my responses a fair number of you agreed! It is inappropriate (and often cause for disciplinary action) for an employee to disparage the company or its customers to another customer. It would have been more appropriate in this case for the employee to state something along the lines of 'that is not to my taste, but to each their own'.

I agree with Rusty (surprised?) that losing a diamond can be a major blow to a hotel and the staff, and sometimes it is a good wake up call that it is time to review product and service.

I stand by my assertion that the GF is a pleasant three star hotel with beautiful views, a fairly decent product, and some good service. There is however room for improvement and I personally don't consider it good value for price paid.

HOWEVER as many here have stated, it is a matter of personal taste and comfort. We all choose resorts based on OUR needs and OUR desires. And a very good thing, otherwise we would all be crammed in together in just one resort!

 

[Lives4Disney]

This past August when my parents and I were speaking to a Cast Member on the Atrium Club Level floor of the Contemporary, who use to work on the Royal Palm Club Level at the Grand Floridian. She thought the Cast Members and guests up there were rude and stuck up. While I am sure others have had positive experiences there that was her opinion.

I would lose all respect for somebody that behaved like that. Totally unprofessional and uncalled for - and basically just all around not nice.

Actually she very well might have been the CM I witnessed last spring at the GF in RPC act very immature and unprofessional to her fellow RPC CMs right in front of my DD and I. SHe did it for show. It seemed she got a kick out of her own "attitude". Funny because I know she did move to the CR.

We have stayed at the GF in RPC several times over the past few years and we absolutely LOVE it. Other than that one odd misbehaving CM we've had nothing but extremely wonderful times there & great friendly helpful CMs. Nothing snooty about the GF for us.

Lives4Disney

 

[DisneyMomx7]

I may get flamed but here are my thoughts anyway- you can tell the clientele has more $$ to spend. For instance- instead of "non labeled" polo shirts from Target, a lot of the men are wearing POLO shirts- like the one's with the horse's on them. The kids have logo'd clothing from higher priced stores. Mom's are wearing shorts from places like Talbots instead of Walmart. Sunglasses have labels, mom's all have makeup on, and hair looking like it was just "done" etc etc.

HOWEVER, this by no means, has ANYTHING to do with them being stuck up. I didn't find anyone to look or act stuck up at all! On the contrary,at the end of the day I saw lots of kids dressed in Abercrombie clothes with messy hair, and whining. I found lots of parents in Talbots and banana republic outfits chasing their diapered 2 year old in Jamboree clothes...

Kids are kids, families are families regardless of the $$$ they have LOL! I would not hesitate to stay there for a second.

Okay my kids are the one's wearing lots of Polo but I hardly ever wear make up at Disney and usually have my hair in a pony with a scrunchie because it's too hot to make sure my hair looks "just so".

Too be fair my kids wear the same "label" clothes whether we stay at GF, YC, Poly, Hard Rock or even the "Nick Hotel". Its just my style.

 

[going2disney]

We recently stayed at the Poly and used the boat that is shared with the GF to the MK, in just a short boat ride leaving MK, it was clear which guests would be getting off at GF. On one ride the boat pulled into dock at MK and there was a modest looking grandfather with his young grandson riding in the back, they stated to the Captain they were just going for a boat rideand wouldn't be getting off at MK, a man who clearly felt he was better than everyone else mocked this man and made rude comments as he got off at GF, something to the effect like, come on son now we'll tour the parking lot.

Yes, I'm sure this happens all over the place but these were the types I noted staying at GF. JMHO.

 

[DisneyBride'03]

UGH!! Please tell me he tripped getting off the boat..sorry thats not nice....but neither was he!

 

[Lives4Disney]

We recently stayed at the Poly and used the boat that is shared with the GF to the MK, in just a short boat ride leaving MK, it was clear which guests would be getting off at GF. On one ride the boat pulled into dock at MK and there was a modest looking grandfather with his young grandson riding in the back, they stated to the Captain they were just going for a boat rideand wouldn't be getting off at MK, a man who clearly felt he was better than everyone else mocked this man and made rude comments as he got off at GF, something to the effect like, come on son now we'll tour the parking lot.

Yes, I'm sure this happens all over the place but these were the types I noted staying at GF. JMHO.

Ya, that is REALLY rude & mean, but not everybody - despite the fact that "these are the types" you noted staying at the GF - that stays at the GF is like that. Quite the contrary. The way you said it comes across that you are judging all the GF guests by a few that you saw. It's a shame there are people like that guy, but they are everywhere in this world....Not just booking rooms at the GF. I have been to the Poly MANY times and I am certainly not going to make a broad comment about the "types" that stay at the Poly based on some bad behaviour I witnessed while I was there. I would not think highly of any Poly guests if I did that.

Lives4Disney

Lives4Disney

 

[jaycns]

My family has stayed at the Poly and the Grand Floridian within the past year. Other then some things the boys outgrew, I am fairly certain we wore at least a few of the same outfits, we carried the same bags, cameras, toys, etc. I know I did my make up in the same way and I haven't changed my hairstyle in the past year.

Our family didn't "act" any different while staying at either resort (or any other resort we have been at). I am just wondering, how in the world would anyone have known which resort we were going to be gettng off at?!

 

[minniesota]

This thread has been amusing and informative all at the same time. We have stayed at the GF about 8 times and we stay there because we love the atmosphere and the service. We often joke about being the "Clampetts" because we are not "label" conscious - we barely pay attention to what people are wearing.

What we do pay attention to is how people are behaving. We have seen guests at GF who act as though they were raised by wolves. We've also seen guests who act as though they are above it all. We have seen parents who are oblivious to their kids' behavior and parents who are oblivious to their own behavior. But we have seen these same "guest types" at WL, BC,YC, Poly, BWI and even the old Disney Inn.

People are people wherever you go.

To say that you can tell who is getting dropped at the GF by their superior attitiude (and I don't doubt it happened) is like saying you know the loudmouth tipsy guy with the lapaloopa drink is getting dropped at the Poly.
These are stereotypes and don't hold much credibility except on an anecdotal basis.

The bottom line is we all stay where we feel like we belong and isn't it wonderful that Disney recognizes that and offers such a wide range of options?

Trust me, if you ever see me at the GF I'll be the one with the big 'ol smile on my face because I'm at Disneyworld - and that ain't half bad, Jeb!

 

[TammiMcMan]

To say that you can tell who is getting dropped at the GF by their superior attitiude (and I don't doubt it happened) is like saying you know the loudmouth tipsy guy with the lapaloopa drink is getting dropped at the Poly. These are stereotypes and don't hold much credibility except on an anecdotal basis.

I agree. Trust me, you cannot tell where people stay simply based on their dress code or attititude. Any of these folks could be just visiting for a meal and not even staying there. The GF hosts a lot of functions too. I always crack up when people note that they were looked down upon by the CM's when they visited. Like somehow the CM's have a hidden intuition about who is a guest and who isn't .

 

[HARASW]

I've stayed at the concierge at GF 8 times and concierge at WL twice. Definitely more comfortable atmosphere at WL. My family loves it at WL and don't have any interest in returning to GF, except to visit. GF is more snooty. The same kinds of people stay in all Disney hotels. Can't judge anyone by which hotel they are staying. Most important thing is to make yourself comfortable and be yourself. You're at WDW, be happy!

 

[DisneyMomx7]

We recently stayed at the Poly and used the boat that is shared with the GF to the MK, in just a short boat ride leaving MK, it was clear which guests would be getting off at GF. On one ride the boat pulled into dock at MK and there was a modest looking grandfather with his young grandson riding in the back, they stated to the Captain they were just going for a boat rideand wouldn't be getting off at MK, a man who clearly felt he was better than everyone else mocked this man and made rude comments as he got off at GF, something to the effect like, come on son now we'll tour the parking lot.

Yes, I'm sure this happens all over the place but these were the types I noted staying at GF. JMHO.

Please, please don't judge all GF guests by that buffoon! We've stayed at GF several times - also YC, Poly, Hard Rock Hotel and Nick Hotel and we've never seen a guest act that way. I would have thought "how sweet" for the grandfather and grandson to spend time together enjoying the boat ride.

 

[tlbwriter]

My family loves it at WL and don't have any interest in returning to GF, except to visit. GF is more snooty.

Just out of curiosity... what did you find snooty about GF? I haven't stayed concierge, so perhaps they're snootier up there. But can you give an example of the snootiness?

 

[MinnieSummer]

I've read through this thread and thought about some of the observations made by myself and others as to the attitude of the people staying there. I've also read through other threads regarding the AS resorts and the "trash" that stays there. My conclusion is that you will have rude, ignorant, drunk people wherever you stay, in this case it appears the only difference is the way they dress and groom themselves. I wonder then why some are considerred "trash" and others are considerred "snooty".

 

[LukenDC]

Last night I was thinking about this thread and the perception that the GF is snooty and stuck-up. One thing that I did notice at the GF is that it tends to have a larger percentage of foreign guests than the other deluxes. Many other cultures tend to be more "class conscious" than Americans and perhaps this is what is leading to the snootiness perception. I will say that the GF is only place I have stayed where I saw uniformed nannies traveling with their employers. I saw this on two occasions on two separate visits.

 

[sotoalf]

Before the GF opened in 1988 the Contemporary was WDW's flagship resort, and no one could hardly accuse guests there of being influenced by the decor.

 

[MaleficentFan]

DH and I stayed at GF on our honeymoon 6 years ago and thoroughly enjoyed our time there. (And we'll be back there in January) The CM's were personable and helpful. We had no issues with other guests. As far as wardrobe... DH goes through life with the motto "every day should be a luau". He wears Hawaiian shirts every day... and by Hawaiian shirts I mean the loudest, brightest, and yes, the ugliest shirts you can imagine. He wore them proudly at GF!

I think part of the "snooty" perception comes from the style of the hotel. The Victorian style is not for everyone. Most think of the Victorian era as rather "buttoned up". So if you're not a fan of the era or the architecture I could see where GF might have that impression.

We've also stayed at a number of other resorts of varying levels during various times of the year. I've noticed that jerks can be found everywhere. Actually, I've come across some of the rudest people at the value resorts we stayed at while chaperoning multiple senior class trips. Yes, teenagers can be a bit much, but people are rude whether they've done anything or not. I think the time of year effects people as well. Everyone seems to be more on edge during the crowded summer months. Maybe it's the crowds, maybe it's the heat... who knows.

All I can say is I have always loved the GF... we've stayed there before and will continue to do so whenever we can afford to!

 

[Rescue Ranger]

Maybe some people who stay there, but this past trip when we went a few times for dinner, monorail, etc, the staff was the nicest there the whole trip I thought. Its one of my top favorite places to stay next to POFQ and AKL.

We plan to stay there a few days in February and look forward to it!