Just back from GF Concierge!!!

[Forever a Princess]

Great review. Thanks.

We dream of staying here. Hopefully some day.

 

[BCV23]

Glad your trip was so great.

We're SL fans as well. I think the CMs are great. We've not stayed in RPC but I'm sure we would love it as well.

I've actually seen more bad reports about RPC than SL. But almost all the bad reports at both were from stays a couple years or more ago. Just because some one posts that they will never go back, had the most awful stay or whatever doesn't mean it is a timely report. And there are a couple of posters who always seem to have problems wherever they go. I actually enjoy reading their reports in a sick way.

But I digress. It is so nice to read another happy report from the GF.

 

[sotoalf]

So, is it reasonable to conclude that some of the issues we've read about over the last couple of years -- inconsistent concierge service, a slight but noticeable decline in grounds upkeep -- have been addressed? If so, it sounds like the new management is on top of it.

I've had nothing but great times at the GF; my most recent stay in February 2004 was without incident. But reading a handful of reliable posts as well as listening to the reports of coworkers whose opinions I trust saddened me.

 

[jlawall]

Thx for the tips about concierge at GF!

 

[Sammie]

Glad your trip was so great.

We're SL fans as well. I think the CMs are great. We've not stayed in RPC but I'm sure we would love it as well.

I've actually seen more bad reports about RPC than SL. But almost all the bad reports at both were from stays a couple years or more ago. Just because some one posts that they will never go back, had the most awful stay or whatever doesn't mean it is a timely report. And there are a couple of posters who always seem to have problems wherever they go. I actually enjoy reading their reports in a sick way.

But I digress. It is so nice to read another happy report from the GF.

This is very good advice. Certainly bad experiences need to be shared as much as the good ones. But Disney changes personnel often, in fact as often as every year or so. Therefore you could have a manager at a location such as the Grand Floridian and get some bad reports. That manager could leave the company and new management could come in and changes be made. However those people that had the bad experience continue to post their problems each and every time someone asks about a resort. Just be sure when you consider these reports: ask when this happened. If this experience is not current at least within the last year more than likely the staff will not be the same.

Mr. Mitchell (GM) at the Grand Floridian has only been there a couple of years and he has gathered some of Disney's finest to work with him especially in concierge from the BW Inn and the Yacht and Beach club.

I agree that Sugar Loaf is very special in it's own way as is the RPC, both great but different.

 

[Ladyhawke10]

I am very much interested in trying out Sugar Loaf sometime in the next couple years. I gave in to my son for the Poly on this trip, but that means next trip I'll definitely go back to GF, since it's my favorite. RPC is so beautiful, but for a regular, non-special occasion stay, it's certainly quite a chunk of change. I think SL is a good alternative, especially now that the desserts are being offered!

It does sound like the new team really has it together. I've never had a bad stay there within the last several years to begin with, but in any case, it sounds better than ever

 

[Lives4Disney]

Thanks for the review. GF is my favorite resort. I have stayed in the SL building and enjoyed it and just love the main building. They are both great and the lounge staff and concierge CMs are wonderful in both.

We were in the main building over Thanksgiving weekend after a bust of a BWI concierge stay, and had a great time, too.(couldn't wait to get to the GF during the BWI stay) We can't get enough of the GF & like it so much we are going back in March for a week. Can't wait! My husband doesn't want to stay anywhere else in WDW (lucky me!! )

Lives4Disney

 

[Janet2k]

We were in room 4404...

During my last stay at the Grand (very end of July), my family was in room 4401 -- a few doors down from your room, Travelin' girl (click here for my room photos). Our rooms were very similar.

We, too, had an excellent stay. But all of our stays at the Grand within the past few years have been excellent. It is my family's favorite resort and has a few of our favorite Cast Members working there. I can't wait to begin planning our next stay.

Welcome home, Travelin' girl. I'm glad you had a wonderful vacation.

 

[garada3]

My husband and son played chess and checkers while munching and there are so many neat places with chairs on different levels to relax...

Chess and checkers? Where are these located? My DS10 and DS8 both love to play. What a great way to keep them busy if the sets are around the lounge.

Thank you for your review.

 

[Lives4Disney]

Chess and checkers? Where are these located? My DS10 and DS8 both love to play. What a great way to keep them busy if the sets are around the lounge.

Thank you for your review.

My kids were playing chess/checkers as my husband and I were checking in on the third floor. There are tables set up near the windows. My CC was declined due to unusual usage (embarrassing )so it took some extra time trying to call them and get the charges approved. The concierge CM was super nice and didn't make me feel bad at all. She said it happens all the time.

Note - This is the FIRST time I have ever had that happen in all my travels. It was a Bank of America Visa. I would consider calling the CC company from now on and let them know I will be making out of town charges on my next trip. I have heard of people doing this, but I thought it wasn't really necessary......I guess due to the increase in ID theft/fraud they are really cracking down on anything suspicious.

Lives4Disney

 

[travelin' girl]

Hi, thanks for all the welcome backs! My husband and son played chess and checkers on the 3rd floor- infact, I'm currently looking up chess tables to get him one for Christmas- they both enjoyed playing on the table. It was so relaxing to see them play, drink, and munch while enjoying the band and piano. It also gave me time to shop around Honestly, I enjoyed the parks, but I really enjoyed the resort and found myself wanting to go back to simply take in the surroundings and the music!! We really enjoyed the warm pool too- first time for my husband to use a resort slide!!!

 

[Ladyhawke10]

Hi, thanks for all the welcome backs! My husband and son played chess and checkers on the 3rd floor- infact, I'm currently looking up chess tables to get him one for Christmas- they both enjoyed playing on the table. It was so relaxing to see them play, drink, and munch while enjoying the band and piano. It also gave me time to shop around Honestly, I enjoyed the parks, but I really enjoyed the resort and found myself wanting to go back to simply take in the surroundings and the music!! We really enjoyed the warm pool too- first time for my husband to use a resort slide!!!

Wow, I might have to try the resort slides someday...I have actually never tried them myself...I'm always just somewhere near the bottom watching my kid go down them. I don't think I'd try SABs, but GFs might be a good one to try sometime

 

[garada3]

Is this correct? If so are we allowed to take food and beverages from the 4th floor lounge down to the chess tables on the 3rd floor?

Silly I know but I am worried about doing the right things at the GF RPC. Don't get me started on how worried I am about what we will look like going from our room out to the pools! At the Poly we just went down Hawaii's outside staircase. Now I am going to be parading through the GF lobby in a swim suit and cover up!

 

[travelin' girl]

Hi! Even though we stayed on the 4th floor, we never felt "funny" or hindered about going to any of the other floors... Infact, everyone smiled and was enjoying watching my son and husband play! When we would eat in the 4th floor lounge area, we always sat our dirty plates and glasses on the little table up front by the lemonade, which the staff thanked us many times for doing. I like to teach my guys to pick up after themselves, and I really feel it is common courtesy, for not only the staff, but fellow resorters -especially when it is busy-it makes the staff table clean-up faster We never felt out of place at all.
Also, on our floor, which I'm sure there probably is on other floors, there was a "special" elevator to get us to the outside pool area- very convenient and nice, as I didn't want us to be trampling through the lobby in our suits either!!
Hope this helps!!

 

[travelin' girl]

Oh, forgot to mention- I always use the resorts slides- Kid at heart here!!!
I've been down SAB's, CR, AKL's, CBR's, and now GF's- what fun!! There were alot of adults going down, and may I add that the lifeguard attendants were very attentive!!

 

[TammiMcMan]

Garada3, you are more than welcome to go down to the 3rd floor or up to the 5th floor with your snacks. In addition to the chess and checkers table on the 3rd floor, there is also a good sized balcony to sit out on. In all the times we've been there, it hardly ever gets used.

Travelin'Girl, we too have stayed in room 4404. When we were there, the couch was in fact the daybed. We just slipped off the covering and it was made up with sheets and blankets. Even though the walk to the lounge was a bit longer, I loved that we had no rooms above us and the hallway noise was very minimal. I don't think very many people know about the service elevator in that wing, but we used it constantly. Glad to hear that you had such a nice time.

 

[Ladyhawke10]

Oh, forgot to mention- I always use the resorts slides- Kid at heart here!!!
I've been down SAB's, CR, AKL's, CBR's, and now GF's- what fun!! There were alot of adults going down, and may I add that the lifeguard attendants were very attentive!!

Which slide did you like the best?

 

[threeboysmom]

We just returned from a short stay at the GF. This was our first stay here (I've ALWAYS wanted to stay here) and now I don't think I'll EVER be able to stay anywhere else!! LOL!

We were booked for SL concierge, but had a nice surprise upgrade waiting for us upon check-in - it was already in the system when we arrived, so we didn't ask nor was it dependent upon the time we checked in. We had a honeymoon room in the main building - room #4321. I absolutely LOVED it I watched Illuminations from bed, and then watched Wishes from bed right afterwards. Slept with the curtains open on all 8 windows all night and awoke to the most amazing sunrise over the lagoon. Woke my DH out of a sound sleep and made him go open the window to get pictures - LOL!

We didn't go to the parks, but just spent our time soaking up the atmosphere of the lobby, the concierge lounge, and the grounds. Amazing!! You really feel like you are immersed in a fairy tale!

 

[travelin' girl]

I think my favorite slides would be the GF and then AKL. The others are nice, but I prefer the openness of those two. CR is open too, but the themeing is not the same- still fun though! SAB's was fun- but a little farther to walk to and enclosed.

I think the GF will be my all time favorite now-everything about it was so beautiful and relaxing-what ambiance...

I want to thank TammiMcMan for her help- I knew when the CM gave me the room # it was going to be good, because you had previously wrote about the room numbers!

 

[karensi]

Im planning on taking my granddaughter to GF for her 8th grade graduation gift,(2007), that is what she would like. We want to stay in the main building....are all the rooms in the main building concierge? The food selections sound great, do they charge for the wine/champagne? I was there (GF) in Sept with DD and 1 year old grandson,a short Labor Day weekend trip, but we stayed in one of the outer buildings, can't remember the name right now. It was great but too short a trip. Next time I will save time for the pool and to enjoy the general ambiance of it all.