HAVING A GRAND OLD TIME! The 2013 Grand Floridian Resort & Villas FAQ

[trishadono]

Hi!! Got a quick few minutes to check in.

When we arrived at Mco we were late due to weather. Then the baggage was late and THEN the ME stopped at POR and CR!!!! It was 950 when we arrived at Gf. I kept thinking( like The ride Dinosaur) "we're not going to make it"!!!

No one was there to check us in so we went in side and I asked if quick so we get desserts at SL. They did an awesome job! They checked us in and got an escort too! Literally walked in as they cleaning up but nicely waited as we grabbed a plate

Then went to room, and my request was granted. LODGE TOWER!!!!

Ds 16 was happy to grab couch and tv, dh in bed with 2nd tv. Meanwhile.... Dw(me!!) notified dd that we had FP+ for space Mtn, let's go!

Girl checking us in was great, " take what you want from lounge, only here a day so load it up!".

Then the bell services guy at check out told us lounge available all day , so have fun.
FYI: out Kttw cards worked for SL all day!

I will post about awesome VGF later. So full from 8pm desserts

We loved SL! Great service and food. Can't tell you how much we loved lodge tower room. Ds slept on couch even though small. He liked that space. Only minuses were 2nd floor over area with carts in and out at 4-6am. Not too bad though. Also the door to the balcony let light in so room was not 100 %dark. That was ok with us .
For us extra tv and space was better than a regular sized room.

Can't wait to post pics of VGF, so awesome!

( we hit breakfast and 230 tea, then 5pm appetizers and 8 pm desserts.) for the money it worked out well :!

Happy Thursday to you all!

 

[Circusgirl]

Hi!! Got a quick few minutes to check in.

When we arrived at Mco we were late due to weather. Then the baggage was late and THEN the ME stopped at POR and CR!!!! It was 950 when we arrived at Gf. I kept thinking( like The ride Dinosaur) "we're not going to make it"!!!

So glad you got your request for your perfect night and day, and that you didn't miss dessert!

 

[grannyminnie]

Hi!! Got a quick few minutes to check in.

When we arrived at Mco we were late due to weather. Then the baggage was late and THEN the ME stopped at POR and CR!!!! It was 950 when we arrived at Gf. I kept thinking( like The ride Dinosaur) "we're not going to make it"!!!

No one was there to check us in so we went in side and I asked if quick so we get desserts at SL. They did an awesome job! They checked us in and got an escort too! Literally walked in as they cleaning up but nicely waited as we grabbed a plate

Then went to room, and my request was granted. LODGE TOWER!!!!

Ds 16 was happy to grab couch and tv, dh in bed with 2nd tv. Meanwhile.... Dw(me!!) notified dd that we had FP+ for space Mtn, let's go!

Girl checking us in was great, " take what you want from lounge, only here a day so load it up!".

Then the bell services guy at check out told us lounge available all day , so have fun.
FYI: out Kttw cards worked for SL all day!

I will post about awesome VGF later. So full from 8pm desserts

We loved SL! Great service and food. Can't tell you how much we loved lodge tower room. Ds slept on couch even though small. He liked that space. Only minuses were 2nd floor over area with carts in and out at 4-6am. Not too bad though. Also the door to the balcony let light in so room was not 100 %dark. That was ok with us .
For us extra tv and space was better than a regular sized room.

Can't wait to post pics of VGF, so awesome!

( we hit breakfast and 230 tea, then 5pm appetizers and 8 pm desserts.) for the money it worked out well :!

Happy Thursday to you all!

Hi, Trish! Thanks for updating us...sorry I missed "seeing you off". Keep those reports coming! (we love SL too and take full advantage of the lounge)

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

What is a Lodge Tower room? is that the smaller room with the vaulted ceiling.

Also..I thought of this when I was at the GF earlier this month...when you arrive and the greeter meets you at the front, do they escort you to SL to check in or do they do it there in the Lobby??

 

[mommyrosa2]

Happy New Year everyone!! Thanks to this wonderful snowstorm, we have no work and no school today (love being home but hate the 10" we already have out there ). Since we will be homebound today, I am sitting by my fireplace and planning our trip. Right now, we are looking at some dining options and since we like to try at least a couple of new places on each trip, I'm interested in hearing about dinner at 1900 PF. I have a friend who loves it and another who says it's just ok. Would love to get some opinions on whether or not it's worth it, food good?

 

[Mousemommy1]

Happy New Year everyone!! Thanks to this wonderful snowstorm, we have no work and no school today (love being home but hate the 10" we already have out there ). Since we will be homebound today, I am sitting by my fireplace and planning our trip. Right now, we are looking at some dining options and since we like to try at least a couple of new places on each trip, I'm interested in hearing about dinner at 1900 PF. I have a friend who loves it and another who says it's just ok. Would love to get some opinions on whether or not it's worth it, food good?

I think we would put ourselves in the "just okay" category, however, I want to give it another shot because our youngest DD was 3 when we ate there and was still very character shy, so that made my ability to enjoy the food a little harder since she wouldn't get off of my lap!!

I am currently stuck in my house too....school is closed (again)....the kids have been off since Dec 20th!!! but, the cold sucked the life out of my car battery....it is dead, dead, dead.... it's a 2008 Honda Pilot...I've had it for 3 years....I am assuming it's the original battery and that explains a lot. Currently waiting on AAA

 

[mickeynut1]

We did, thank you,mickeynut1!

Glad you had a great time .

I'm debating a new studio villa vs. a normal garden view. What is your experience?

We haven't stayed in the new villas to compare, but hopefully someone will be able to give their opinion between the two .

Is there a way to find out which hotels/buildings will be under construction at any given time?

I have never seen Disney release an actual schedule of how refurbs will go, but you can keep checking here on the status as people usually post updates as things proceed .

Hi!! Got a quick few minutes to check in.

Thanks for checking in. Glad you are having a good time .

What is a Lodge Tower room? is that the smaller room with the vaulted ceiling.

when you arrive and the greeter meets you at the front, do they escort you to SL to check in or do they do it there in the Lobby??

The lodge tower rooms are in the semi-circular bump outs that you see on some of the buildings. They are a little bigger than a standard room in that the protrusion is a sitting area that has a couch, small table, and a 2nd tv; however, the couch is not a pull out.

Usually, when staying SL or RPC, a CM will meet you in the lobby and escort you to the CL you're staying and check you in there. However, if the resort is busy, sometimes you have to check in at the front desk and then make your way to CL.

Happy New Year everyone!! Thanks to this wonderful snowstorm, we have no work and no school today (love being home but hate the 10" we already have out there ). Since we will be homebound today, I am sitting by my fireplace and planning our trip. Right now, we are looking at some dining options and since we like to try at least a couple of new places on each trip, I'm interested in hearing about dinner at 1900 PF. I have a friend who loves it and another who says it's just ok. Would love to get some opinions on whether or not it's worth it, food good?

Hope you're enjoying your day off work . Our last trip to 1900 PF was in December 2010 and while we didn't like the food, we thought the step sisters were hilarious and are well worth the trip (IMO). If you want some good entertainment, the step sisters won't disappoint. With that said, everyone's opinions are different and although we didn't like the food, you might think differently, so I would give it a try .

 

[mommyrosa2]

I think we would put ourselves in the "just okay" category, however, I want to give it another shot because our youngest DD was 3 when we ate there and was still very character shy, so that made my ability to enjoy the food a little harder since she wouldn't get off of my lap!!

I am currently stuck in my house too....school is closed (again)....the kids have been off since Dec 20th!!! but, the cold sucked the life out of my car battery....it is dead, dead, dead.... it's a 2008 Honda Pilot...I've had it for 3 years....I am assuming it's the original battery and that explains a lot. Currently waiting on AAA

I'm hearing more and more just ok's on this one which makes me hesitant to book it. As for your car...that stinks especially in this frigid weather. Hoping AAA gets to you soon!

Hope you're enjoying your day off work . Our last trip to 1900 PF was in December 2010 and while we didn't like the food, we thought the step sisters were hilarious and are well worth the trip (IMO). If you want some good entertainment, the step sisters won't disappoint. With that said, everyone's opinions are different and although we didn't like the food, you might think differently, so I would give it a try .

I'm soooo enjoying my day off...so much so that i'm sill in pj's . While we're not huge fans of dinner buffets, we do enjoy Cape May's dinner a lot and while I like entertainment, if the food is mediocre, I'd rather just skip it. Maybe I'll look into Citricos...

 

[trishadono]

One of the best features of the lake view villas is listening to the Christmas music piped from the speakers below along the walkway. Almost rotfl as nice as listening to the piano at RPC.

The views are awesome but it is a lot of work to post so I will do as soon as I am free.

Happy snow day to you northerners!

 

[mariamouse]

One of the best features of the lake view villas is listening to the Christmas music piped from the speakers below along the walkway. Almost rotfl as nice as listening to the piano at RPC.

The views are awesome but it is a lot of work to post so I will do as soon as I am free.

Happy snow day to you northerners!

That sounds since I love Christmas music.. looking forward to seeing your pics once you have time to post!

Does anyone know when/where the January GF activities schedule will be posted?

 

[mickeynut1]

I'm soooo enjoying my day off...so much so that i'm sill in pj's . While we're not huge fans of dinner buffets, we do enjoy Cape May's dinner a lot and while I like entertainment, if the food is mediocre, I'd rather just skip it. Maybe I'll look into Citricos...

Glad you had a nice day off. We love Cape May too. It's one of our favorites and is a must do for us every trip. We've never eaten at Citricos, but that is on our list to try as I have read a lot of good things about it .

That sounds since I love Christmas music.. looking forward to seeing your pics once you have time to post!

I was thinking the same thing .

 

[SpartansFan]

Greetings everyone! I am about to book our first stay at the Grand Floridian. We will be going in late February and staying in the Outer Building, Club Level. Seeing as I know next to nothing about the Grand Floridian, is there a specific request that we might make as far as rooms go in the outer building? Are there noise/sight concerns with construction that we might want to avoid? Views? Additionally, do you happen to know where the concierge room is located in this building? Thanks so much. I haven't had much time to research as this is quite last minute for us and we are just booking what is available at this time.

This area of the board is so fantastic, btw. Great thread.


One more thing (edited to add), what is the deal with the monorail closure that I see in this thread. I have picked up bits and pieces, but is it a complete closure?

 

[TinkDisneyGirl]

We have stayed in several different club levels in the past, including sugar loaf a few times. We are currently in RPC. WOW! That's all I can say. The service has been above and beyond anything we have ever experienced elsewhere. We have always enjoyed club level and poly was out favorite in the past. From now on, RPC it shall be!!! In love!!!!

 

[mickeynut1]

Greetings everyone! I am about to book our first stay at the Grand Floridian. We will be going in late February and staying in the Outer Building, Club Level. Seeing as I know next to nothing about the Grand Floridian, is there a specific request that we might make as far as rooms go in the outer building? Are there noise/sight concerns with construction that we might want to avoid? Views? Additionally, do you happen to know where the concierge room is located in this building? Thanks so much. I haven't had much time to research as this is quite last minute for us and we are just booking what is available at this time.

This area of the board is so fantastic, btw. Great thread.


One more thing (edited to add), what is the deal with the monorail closure that I see in this thread. I have picked up bits and pieces, but is it a complete closure?

Welcome to the GF thread .

You could have a view of the marina or courtyard pool when staying SL. We had a pretty view of the marina, but I think a courtyard view would be just as nice. The lounge is located right inside the lobby of the SL building, which is located right by the courtyard pool. This makes for convenient trips to the lounge for snacks and drinks if you spend a lot of time pool side. I can't help with your question about the monorail closures, but hopefully someone will be able to give some information on that.

We have stayed in several different club levels in the past, including sugar loaf a few times. We are currently in RPC. WOW! That's all I can say. The service has been above and beyond anything we have ever experienced elsewhere. We have always enjoyed club level and poly was out favorite in the past. From now on, RPC it shall be!!! In love!!!!

Glad you are having a great time . RPC is amazing and is hard to beat. We have stayed WL CL, GF SL & RPC and although RPC is our favorite, we also love WL CL. I'm sure RPC will always remain my favorite, but we are hoping to try Poly CL later this year.

 

[k&a&c'smom]

Just a quick post to say hello to my GF friends.: Sorry I haven't been posting lately, BlueSkies is right and we are still enjoying having our DD here.

Hope everyone had a wonderful NYE and Day!

trish, I see you are at the Grand as we speak, I will have to go back and read all the details. Have a magical stay.

grannyminnie -

I know what you mean about the necessary cash to go as often as we'd like! I'd be there every month, lol.

To all the rest of our great posters, new and old, I hope you have a magical, loving, peaceful 2014.

 

[grannyminnie]

Just a quick post to say hello to my GF friends.: Sorry I haven't been posting lately, BlueSkies is right and we are still enjoying having our DD here.

Hope everyone had a wonderful NYE and Day!

trish, I see you are at the Grand as we speak, I will have to go back and read all the details. Have a magical stay.

grannyminnie -

I know what you mean about the necessary cash to go as often as we'd like! I'd be there every month, lol.

To all the rest of our great posters, new and old, I hope you have a magical, loving, peaceful 2014.

Hi, k&a&c'smom...if money were no object, I'd be going at least quarterly! Just gotta win that lottery...

Re: someone's question about the GF renovation schedule, it seems when I check the website to tweak my May visit, that there's more "unavailable" showing up. Might just be that it's spring and the Flower and Garden festival, but I'm wondering if part of it is the renos. I may have to move to another month entirely.

 

[jpotter1]

At the grand now in Boca Chica lagoon view and loving it! Only have a one complaint.... We were "upgraded" to this room from a deluxe room without knowing it. Although I agree the view is an upgrade, we were wanting the deluxe for the space. There are 4 of us, 3 adults and one 15 year old so we are pretty crowded in here. Other than that, it's beautiful! They began pulling up Christmas decorations yesterday

 

[DisneyMomChristine]

Eek! We just booked our 1st stay at GF (sooooo excited)!!! I can deal with construction (POR was under construction in 2012 when we were there and we barely noticed) but a possible monorail closure!?! We are staying May 11-May 16. The monorail is a HUGE part of why we are staying there. Any info?

 

[Mousemommy1]

Eek! We just booked our 1st stay at GF (sooooo excited)!!! I can deal with construction (POR was under construction in 2012 when we were there and we barely noticed) but a possible monorail closure!?! We are staying May 11-May 16. The monorail is a HUGE part of why we are staying there. Any info?

Right now, the closure is only through the end of March. You should be good!

 

[bonjovi]

Eek! We just booked our 1st stay at GF (sooooo excited)!!! I can deal with construction (POR was under construction in 2012 when we were there and we barely noticed) but a possible monorail closure!?! We are staying May 11-May 16. The monorail is a HUGE part of why we are staying there. Any info?

it is the line that takes you to MK and then loops around to the TTC so that you can connect to the epcot line. it is from 11am-7pm weekdays. you can still use it before 11 and after 7 . you can boat back from MK during the down time. bus back from epcot. or monorail from epcot to the TTC and then bus back to GF from there.