When I first began looking into the GF, the CM really pushed the theme park view. "oooOh, you'll be so glad you have the theme park view!" Says she.
But....we just returned today and I spent quite some time on the theme park side of the Grand, craning and preening to see just what the theme park view actually is....and it wasn't what I was led to believe.
What you actually see is a long line of trees, a lots of lights at the monorail station, the lights at the boat ramp and a very small tiny partial top of Cinderella's castle. Sort of a spire sticking up above the trees quite a ways away. And space mountain is visible, but its just a big white thing.
So for me, seeing a small spire of Cinderella's castle isn't really worth the extra hundreds of dollars.
BUT....what about the amazing fireworks at night?! Nowww we're talking! We loved sitting out on our porch at night in our pajamas and watching the huge beautiful fireworks! From our porch in Big Pine Key! That's right! We had a view of the best thing theme park view offers....the fireworks! If you choose a room facing the pool AND facing towards the park, you have a front row seat to the fireworks! We were on the 4th floor, close to the main building in Big Pine Key and had an awesome night show each night!
And all for the price of a garden view room!