I got GF due to POFQ relocation. Help!!!

[Jen D]

Luckysto, that is such an amazing rate-- the lowest I've seen for GF is $199, and that's garden view, value season, best codes. I think you should jump on it.

Perla, what an incredible story. Never heard anything like that before! What a nice CM you had.

 

[Sammie]

Perla, as someone that has stayed at Disney resorts too many times to even remember, I too have never heard that happening.

While I am thrilled for all the great deals that everyone is getting and Perla yours was very unusual, I do feel that the frequent guest that goes year after year, buys an annual pass, stays in the deluxe resorts is being overlooked and frankly not treated very well.

If Disney can afford to offer the Grand Floridian at these rates, why can't they release Annual Pass rates.

I am not the least upset with anyone for getting this chance, but I do think Disney is not doing a good job of PR with this one.

For everyone one person they are making very happy that was booked at POFQ, they are making 2 more unhappy that are paying much higher rates at the same resorts.

 

[Perla]

I have to agree with you on that. I think AP holders should be treated to the best they can offer. I have thought many times about an AP. But the codes are as good and come out much sooner. If your travel time is flexible you can't beat them. I live near Hersheypark and I certainly expect more than a person paying for one day thru the gate. We get free parking and 15% off all food purchases and a few other extras. Even my daughter in law who was a manager at our local Disney store doesn't miss the perks they offer to the employees. Some times the codes are close to what they pay. I have to add, this was the very first time we've ever had an upgrade or discount on top of a discount, and we go every year. It has to be the luck of the draw of a great, maybe a manager, CM to get what I was offered. Sometimes I wonder if they can pull up on their screen, a history of how many times you've been there. But that certainly shouldn't matter. I guess you have to go with the thought if something happens extra, Wonderful! If not, it's still a magical place! I always go with the hope something nice will happen, but never ask or expect anything I do not pay for in advance.

Also, to luckytso...
Don't worry about room location. There's not a bad veiw in the whole resort. And, we did the watermice and had a great time. after we had rented them twice, wished we would have just paid for the captain's plan which was unlimited use during your stay for your family. We will be doing that this year at WL.

 

[Darian]

luckytso,

Man, what a great rate! You mentioned you spoke with a CM about Concierge upgrade... what did they say?!?!?!

We plan on being at the World for the F&W festival as well... you think that if I tried to book the POFQ I'd get the same offer? Hope springs eternal....

Darian

 

[yecats]

Wow this is a must do especially for that price. Congrats!

 

[Misti]

WOW! That is over 50% off regular rack rate. Go for it!

 

[Cathy baby RN]

Hi luckytso,
,
When you made your new reservation at the GF, did you ask for lagoon view???
I was offered the GF also, but it was for the garden view.


It's so hard to pass this offer up....we switched to the Poly with the last 2 night of our vacation at the GF, but now I'm thinking I should stay at the GF for the entire vacation.
We stayed at the Poly last summer and my boys loved it. I just was afraid the GF might be a little "too fancy" for the boys. The Poly is so laid back.

 

[luckytso]

Cathy baby RN - I am happy to see someone else who is going to stay at GF. Woudl you mind sharing what rate you received? The CM said the majority of the people take WL or AKL, very few take GF, which is understandable.

We were originally booked for a waterview room at POFQ. So when the CM looked up the rates, she converted my BAQ (comeback offer) discount code to a different code and offered me the lagoon view. However, I had another ressie at POFQ that they gave me an upgrade for the upcoming May's trip, this CM said that the rate only applies to garden view. She was surprised that the other one is for lagoon view. But the second one gave me some other incorrect information, so I guess it really depends on whom you speak to.

I am happy with what I have already whether is lagoon or garden view. It is just a grea deal. On the other hand, now I am spending twice as much as before to stay at GF vs. POFQ, more $ to Disney.

 

[Sammie]

Originally posted by luckytso
Cathy baby RN - I am happy to see someone else who is going to stay at GF. Woudl you mind sharing what rate you received? The CM said the majority of the people take WL or AKL, very few take GF, which is understandable.

We were originally booked for a waterview room at POFQ. So when the CM looked up the rates, she converted my BAQ (comeback offer) discount code to a different code and offered me the lagoon view. However, I had another ressie at POFQ that they gave me an upgrade for the upcoming May's trip, this CM said that the rate only applies to garden view. She was surprised that the other one is for lagoon view. But the second one gave me some other incorrect information, so I guess it really depends on whom you speak to.

I am happy with what I have already whether is lagoon or garden view. It is just a grea deal. On the other hand, now I am spending twice as much as before to stay at GF vs. POFQ, more $ to Disney.

You will love the Grand Floridian and you are right about more money to Disney and they knew this. Food at deluxe resorts is very expensive compared to the Food Courts at the moderates, and then you have bellman tips etc. I think the fantastic offers were made to fill up empty rooms at deluxe resorts knowing that the guests would spend more money at the resort.

 

[Cathy baby RN]

Luckytso,
My rate was $164 plus tax for the GF upgrade. I think it came to $182.86. The CM also said this was a fantastic rate, that rack rates at this time was around $426! (I can't even imagine being able to pay that for a room !!!!!)

I just hate to pass this up because I doubt if I'd ever get this good of a rate again. I'm really thinking of spending the whole stay there and not splitting the stays Poly/GF. We did this last year with the Poly/WL and I thought it was a pain to pack up and move.

My all time favorite hotel is the Contemporary. We were there 2 weeks ago for spring break. I didn't even ask about upgrade to the CR because I read it wasn't being offered. Did anyone get it????

 

[luckytso]

Cathy baby RN, it is funny to read that you like CR, we like it too. We stayed there in 1999 and we loved the ability to just walk to MK. We had a huge room (much bigger than BC/YC) with balcony by the wing section and we could watch EWP every night. However, the CM told me that it is not offered for this.

We like the restaurants at Poly, but we are into the themeing of the resort, so everytime I said we would stay there, we would go somewhere else at the end.

We have never stayed at GF before and figured if we pass up this opportunity, we may never stay here again (DH does not believe this statement, he thinks I will find another reason to stay here at some point anyway ) But like you said, the CM who booked me said that this is a really good rate that we should not pass up. I hope it will not be a formal resort, we have 2 little kids (soon to be 5 and 2).

I just read all the GF FAQ thread started by CaliforniaDreaming, and I am really looking forward to our stay. It seems just like everyone said, there are no bad rooms at GF. One of the CMs told me that if there is a room that we don't like, just go back to ask them to change to another room. Less than 30 days to go

Have a great vacation, I would not split the stay if I were you, it is a hassle to check in and check out. We had to split our stay for the upcoming trip because our first 2 nights is through Priceline and we cannot cancel it, and then after WDW, we are off to Universal. So we will have 3 hotels in 9 days, YIKES

 

[Cathy baby RN]

Thanks for your good wishes Luckytso! You have a great vacation too .

We have 6 kids and have been going to WDW for the past 20 years. It seems each trip fewer and fewer of my kids want to come with( once they hit high school sport camps, practice, work and boyfriends really limit their summer vacation time).
They only ones going this summer are my 7 and 8 year old boys. Even my husband is dropping us off and going to south Florida for some deep sea fishing with my brother.
Since we've taken so many WDW trips we kind of just take it easy now. We get up when we feel like it, go to the parks for a few hour and come back to the resort (depending on the crowds).
So we do spend alot of time at the resort.


Have fun and don't forget to report back how your GF stay went.
Also, we spent some time at the Hard Rock Hotel and the kids loved it!!

 

[Perla]

Don't worry about the resort being "too formal". Believe me we are not the Formal type. My hubby is a jeans and sweatshirt type of person, I'm a casual type, and we never felt out of place there. There is a very nice mix of people, some seemed "dressed" and some casual. Our girls loved this place. Every morning we could go down to the food court and pick up some breakfast and sit outside and gaze over at the castle. The new pool is wonderful! and keep an eye out for Cinderella's coach. We saw it coming down the sidewalk of the resort to pick up a bride. There's lots of weddings there and it's beautiful to see. I was thrilled to have my camera with me at the time to take some pictures. It had the horses and footmen with it too. Truely a beautiful sight. There's a pirate cruise for the kids, and some of the other children's activities that are free. Don't pass this resort up if you have the chance to stay at such a great price.