Our Grand Floridian trip report: Bringing out the inner-Princess...

[typhoonlagooner]

Disclaimer…
This review is more of a “trip report” than a “straight to the point” review. It’s long and detailed and if you’d just like to get to the point, scroll down to each of the bold headers and skim through; it won’t hurt my feelings… I promise.

4 nights came and flew by… and I’m left battling the hardest Disney Depression I’ve ever had after over a dozen trips in the last 2 decades. So what was so special about this trip? Surely 4 days can’t leave you hurtin’ “that” bad compared to a 7, 10, or even 12 day trip right?

After our last 2 stays at Pop and ASmu, I realized how much of an impact a resort choice can have on your overall vacation. ASmu set a pretty high standard after our disappointing stay at Pop; I’ve become a firm believer that the only way to truly form an opinion on a resort is to personally stay there; everyone vacations differently, we have different likes and dislikes, prefer different things, etc.

For some reason I never thought that the “quality” of a resort could have even a greater impact on a vacation. My only “deluxe” stays were at the Polynesian (12/2001) and Animal Kingdom Lodge (8/2002) and we never felt like either resort was worth it; especially for that price tag. Looking back now and after my recent stay at the Grand Floridian, I’ve come to the conclusion that you need to be in a situation to “appreciate” it.

Late last year Kip approached me about a Conference trip to the Grand Floridian in March. I was less than please with the idea, but as March grew closer… my Disney desire and urge grew stronger. A few red flags popped into my head:

1) I’ve grown to hate crowds at Disney. The idea of Disney in March was bone chilling to me. I know most families vacation during the summer and school breaks, but I just can’t enjoy Disney with 1+ hour waits for everything and wall to wall people. How bad could “early Spring Break” be?

2)After my stay at ASmu, I couldn’t justify the cost of a deluxe. I felt spoiled at ASmu with the service I received (pretty hard to believe eh? I’m a simple girl lol) and felt like resorts such as the Grand Floridian were just a waste of money. Would it be worth the price or would I be disappointed?

3)The Grand Floridian was always too stuffy for me. I felt as if I would be out of place in my board shorts and sweat pants. The room décor was by no means appealing and I just didn’t see how someone could “vacation” there. Would the beach bum and star wars dork feel uncomfortable?

We discussed getting a room at another monorail resort (had my fingers crossed for the Poly) but could only get a conference rate at the Grand Floridian in a Garden View room or 1-bedroom suite. I agreed to suck it up and we made a reservation for 4 nights in a Garden view room. We managed to get a great rate in my opinion, $315 a night plus tax compared to the rack rate of $510 a night.

I tried to walk a fine line during the planning process… research enough to keep me interested and excited but not enough to set expectations and risk disappointment. I checked out the Grand Floridian FAQ thread (major thanks to the ladies over there!) and skimmed a few reviews but this was my first Disney trip in a while where I wasn’t an obsessive planner. Before I knew it, it was Tuesday…

Magical Express:
I forgot how long of a walk it is to the Magical Express desk but since it was a Tuesday morning, the line was short and there was barely anyone in the bus queues. CMs ask that only one member of your party wait in line, but I ‘nicely” asked to the CM to allow me in line too; he allowed it. Check-in was smooth and we were directed to our bus line; the Grand Floridian and Polynesian shared. We were the only ones in our line out of about a dozen families waiting in general; our line did slightly grow, but nothing compared to what I’m used to on Saturdays. Within 5-7mins they brought us a bus that would share with the Wilderness Lodge, Contemporary, Polynesian, and Grand Floridian (in that order).

It was a Disney Cruise line bus but appeared to be newer with larger television screens. The bus was about ¾ full and our driver was helpful. The movie was enjoyable and since we were staying at the Grand Floridian (the resort choice of the movie), it was even more welcoming and magical!

Our Magical Express DCL bus...

I forgot that since the MK resort area is “deeper” in Disney than let’s say the All Stars or Pop Century, the journey is longer. Because of the loading time, drive, and 4 stops, the overall trip was a little over an hour long. Kip was getting extremely antsy (typical man) while I took the opportunity to take some pictures of everything. We were the only guests to get off at the Grand Floridian and took this as a good sign.

Passing the Nick Hotel on the way...

Making our way past Epcot on World Drive...

Crossing into the Magic Kingdom Resort Area...

Our first stop right, the Wilderness Lodge, just before my camera died...

Even though the journey was long, I will ALWAYS use Magical Express. I love being surrounded by Disney magic before I even leave the airport. This was my 3rd time using the service and I was just as pleased. It was nice arriving on a Tuesday and the decrease in crowds compared to Saturdays when we normally arrive.

We were automatically greeted by a costumed CM as we crossed the “drive way” and were directed to go inside and to the right to check in. There was no hustle and bustle of families unloading minivans and cars, nobody flocking around the area… it was almost weird and very un-disney-like to me, yet I liked it! It felt as if we were the only one’s there. I think this is a huge advantage to checking in during the week compared to Friday, Saturday, or Sunday and I’m considering this for future trips now.

The Lobby:
I walked into a nearly empty, quiet lobby and stood in awe. It was here when I realized how deceiving pictures can be. Picture’s always made this lobby look so much bigger (and confusing) and while it was big, it was quaint, and welcoming. I loved the décor and it wasn’t nearly as “grandma-ish” as I was expecting.

View of Lobby from second floor infront of monorail platform entrance...

View from same area straight across...

There was plenty of seating through out the lobby floor and when walking in, if you looked to the left you found the concierge desk and entrance to the 1900 Park Fare and to the right was the check-in and stairs to the second floor. It was not nearly as confusing as I was expecting! The lobby featured several specialty shops (most on the second floor) as well as a typical Disney gift shop by the monorail platform with pins, stuffed animals, stationary, knick knacks, toys, etc. There’s a smaller gift shop with travel needs, small grocery section and more Grand Floridian specific items.

Seating area on far end of lobby...

Second floor gift shop by monorail platform...

Grocery/Grand Floridian gift shop between lobby and Grand Floridian Cafe...

At night the lobby seemed so much more “alive” with the band playing and guests milling around. Even with the hustle and bustle the lobby never seemed to be crowded, loud, or busy no matter what time of day it was.

Check-in:
Kip walked up to the empty check-in desk and I was surprised to find that there was no roped queue! Two CMs checked us in while I strolled around the lobby checking everything out! Kip walked over with a lovely basket from Disney Florist and informed me of our room location and number. He had hoped the basked would be placed in the room, but no luck! Overall check-in took less than 10mins.

Lobby looking towards check-in desk and main building entrance...

The Lodge, Boca Chica:
The walk from the main building to our actual room door was about 2-3mins. Again, based on pictures and reviews… I was expecting this to be longer. The courtyard was quiet and guests were swimming in the courtyard pool and lounging around. I really liked the main entrance to the lodge and how the sliding doors automatically opened. During the late hours, we had to use our key to open them. There was a stair case closer to our room that we often used as well. The staircase was exterior and a room key had to be used at all times to enter the building.

Main Entrance to Boca Chica...

Building from pool area...

I was AMAZED at how these exterior lodges are designed. We were greeted by a mini lobby with small statue, chandelier, and seating areas. Looking up you could see the “balconies” and walkways of each floor. I had seen/experienced nothing like this before.

Lobby area view from elevator...

View from same area looking up...

In our building, you had one set of sliding doors that opened up to the courtyard and pool area and another that opened to a patio and grass area that was right on the lagoon. The view was amazing; nearly every resort in the area, the lagoon, and the castle. It was a great spot to watch the Electrical Light Parade and I would love to get a lagoon view room in the building!

Patio off of lobby...

Looking towards the Castle...

Looking towards the Polynesian...

Looking towards Contemporary and Wilderness Lodge...

We noticed that one of the elevators was closed, but never heard noise from the work unless we were directly in the area. It seemed they only worked on it during mid day hours. The rugs in the lodge had cute Disney touches like a Mickey head and silhouettes of other popular characters.

Closed elevator...

Carpet infront of elevator...

The lodge itself was pretty centrally located but definitely the “longest” in regards to walks. We were steps away from the courtyard pool and marina but the bus stop, beach pool, and Gasparilla Grill were a short walk away. It was a very easy walk though and no more than 2-3mins. We grew to love the building location… and preferred it after touring the grounds.

View straight ahead to Main Building...

View towards Marina, Bus stop walkway, Sago Cay on way to Main Building...

Similar spot looking towards Summer House, Beach pool and area...

 

[typhoonlagooner]

The Room:
We took the elevator to the 4th floor and headed to the left hand side of the building. Several doors down was our room: 8432. I opened the door and was immediately greeted by a ceiling fan and cathedral style ceilings. It was a dormer room!

Hallway wallpaper and room number plate...

The minute I walked into the room I was impressed. It was so warm and welcoming and not at all what I was expecting. Everything was tasteful and blended so well together. In fact, it felt more like an attic bedroom in a New England beach cottage than a hotel. Our room had two queen beds and a sitting chair; no adjoining door.

Dormer room features, looking left in room...

Dormer room features, looking right in room...

I opened the drapes and stepped onto our balcony and fell in love with the view. It was perfect for us. It certainly wasn’t the best Garden View you could get, but we thought it was one of the better. Even though we were close to the pool, it was never loud and when our door was shut, we heard nothing. We loved our overall room location.

Dormer balcony...

Daytime view from left to right...

Dusk view from left to right...

The next few paragraphs do not have matching pictures but I encourage you to check out the Grand Floridian FAQ thread, wdwinfo.com, and allearsnet for some great room pics if curious...

We felt the room had great lighting with optimal sunlight and loved the bed side dimmer switches. The room was a great size but I wouldn’t go out of my way to book a bigger room in general. Some of the room space was “wasted” space but I liked how I could store our suitcases in between each bed and the wall and still have plenty of space to get in and out of the bed.

The closets had several hangers, a keypad safe, and two robes hanging. It had room to store suitcases, but since we rarely unpack them, it’s easier to keep them bed side. The safe worked perfect and we liked how we could use our own code. We felt the room had enough storage for two people, but was short on drawer space for larger families.

The bathroom was another plus and a huge upgrade to us. The vanity area was spacious and I loved how the sinks were slightly angled away from each other; we weren’t banging elbows or stepping on each other trying to get ready. The vanity featured some H20 spa products, coffee maker, and tissues. There was a hamper (for towels and robes) and a towel rack on the wall as well. Kip absolutely loved the bath products and was surprised to find that it was the same bar of soap that’s sold for $3 in the resort collection. I brought some of the used products home and have been showering with them every morning. I love the smell and it’s such a nice reminder of our resort experience!

The physical bathroom area was spacious but I didn’t like how the door opening positioned with the toilet; it was a tight squeeze depending on where you were standing. The bathtub was larger and the water pressure/shower head/ temperature was all great. The tub had a small ledge along the wall side which was great for holding soaps and bath products. There was also a handle for getting in and out of the tub (yes I took a bath and loved it), smaller soap ledge above the handle, and another ledge just below the shower head.; plenty of storage for products. Right above the toilet was a towel shelf with very plush towels.

Room Noise:
I was expecting everything to be quiet for that price tag and sure enough we never had an issue with neighbors or noise. We could occasionally hear a faint baby cry or the neighbor’s alarm clock (check out day so we were already up) but it was never an issue for us. I did notice that you could hear people in the hallways but it was never bothersome; mostly people chatting when walking by. The toilets were loud yet the only time we heard others was when we were physically in the bathroom and our neighbor flushed there’s.

Mousekeeping:
Mousekeeping didn’t disappoint and our room was spotless every day. Because of our schedule, we left early in the morning and came back around noon to a clean and made room. We’d then leave and return at night to our room turned down.

We never had an issue with running out of towels and new ones we’re always brought. It was nice having a hamper to store the used towels instead of leaving them on the floor in the corner. They always left abundant bath products. When we returned around noon we noticed baskets of sheets outside of every set of doors which gave me the impression that they try and change sheets every day if not every other.

The only “issue” (and to us it wasn’t an issue) was a slightly clogged sink in the vanity and an empty tissue holder. New tissues were brought the next morning and we never called on the sink, like I said, not an issue for us. Kip tipped on the last day, but not sure how much he left.

Turn-down Service:
This was something all new to me… and I absolutely loved it. It was so nice coming back to the lights dimmed, chocolates on the bed, and our bed ready to crawl into. The bedding was phenomenal, sleets were clean and crisp, and I loved the pillows. It was so nice at night to fall asleep to the firework “booms” in the back round and the ceiling fan blowing a nice cool breeze on us.

Turn down service...

Turn down close up...

The Grounds:
I wasn’t overly impressed with the grounds but they’re still beautiful, top notch, and welcoming. To be honest though… with exception to the courtyard the layout/area of the resort doesn’t leave a lot of room for landscaping.

Courtyard towards Boca Chica and courtyard pool...

Courtyard towards courtyard pool, Boca Chica, and exterior staircase...

We never saw a lot of people out and about on the walkways… it was rather odd. Those we did see were decked out for conferences (there were 3 other conferences including his at the resort). Even though it wasn’t what I was used to at the value and moderates, it was a nice change. The resort had so much more of a private, personal, adult-friendly feel.

One thing I didn’t like was the amount of service vehicles on the walkways and pathways throughout the morning. It kind of took away from that above feeling and I thought it was very un-disney like. Of course I understand the need and like I said, with the layout of the resort, it’s the virtually impossible to keep these vehicles “behind the scenes” and out of sight.

The Pools and Beach area
I thought the for the resort size, the pool situation was adequate with a little something for everyone. Each pool area had a small “bar” area, towels available, lounge chairs with mesh (instead of the plastic/rubber slats), tables and chairs, and towel return bins. The Beach pool featured a small "swim" shop as well.

Courtyard pool, rest room area, small bar area, from courtyard...

Beach pool, cabanas for rent, small shop, slide, from beach area...

We found the beach pool to be more of the “quiet pool” compared to the courtyard pool. It’s smaller than what I was expected but I loved how it “backed” right up to the sand beach. The zero-entry was a nice feature but we just never found the time to enjoy a swim!

Beach pool from side entrance of Main Building...

Splash fountain, slide exit, life guard stand, and cabanas...

Zero entry, waterfall, and slide exit...

The beach area was smaller than what I expected but had several hammocks, cabana chairs, and lounge chairs. The area stretches from the main building to wedding pavilion but chairs are only located closer to the main resort. It was “busy” in the mid day with people lounging and kids playing in the sand, it was so “fitting” for the beach side resort! The beach area was nearly deserted in the mornings and at night, it was so peaceful.

Beach area towards Main Building...

Beach area towards Lagoon from Courtyard...

Calm shoreline...

Beach area length...

Main Building from beach at night...

 

[typhoonlagooner]

Marina
The Marina was located directly to the right if you walked out of our building via the exterior stairs and it provided a perfect view of the castle/monorail. We had read that rooms overlooking the Marina in Sago Cay and Conch Key are in fact "garden view" rooms and I was hoping to get a room with this view. In the end though, I was glad I hadn't... the Marina area was much busier than I was expecting especially in the morning with service carts coming and going from the service area.

View from my marina side table one morning...

Zoomed view...

We took sea racers out on Tuesday and were provided with a great safety spiel and found it to be a much better set up then the marina rental at DTD. 2 sea racers for 50mins was $80 but this was a highlight of our trip and provided some great pictures. There were 3 pontoon boats as well as the Grand 1 yacht available for use.

Views from Bay Lake...

Views from the Seven Seas Lagoon...

Dinning:
We’re not the type of guests to go for formal dinning and mostly ate at the parks. We noticed that the GF is definitely geared to more “sit down” diners than counter service; we only ate at Gasparilla Grill.

In the lobby you’ll find the GF café, Garden View lounge, and 1900 Park Fare on the first floor and Citricos, the Mitzer lounge and Victoria & Alberts on the second. I never heard any noise from these locations and all are easy to find yet nicely placed “out of the way” from lobby view.

Garden View lounge, Mitzers lounge, and entrance to Citricos and V&A

Signage...

Grand Floridian Cafe with friendly CMs...

Entrance from courtyard, GF Cafe on right, lobby hallway, white doors open to view 1900 Park Fare but are not an entrance...

I had a quick dinner and breakfast at Gaspies during our vacation and was surprised at how small the seating area was and the disapointed with the format/layout. I found it to be a down grade from the food court set up I’ve become accustomed to. Choices were limited but the quality was decent and food was well prepared and hot! If something isn't ready they use a pager system and we never found it to be crowded, even during peak breakfast time. It’s great for a quick fix, but I certainly wouldn’t depend on it for everyday dinning like I would with a food court. There was limited seating inside but I loved the outside Marina seating.

My breakfast one morning...

Transportation:
Even though it was a 4 day trip, we made it to every theme park. We never waited more than 5mins (if that) for a monorail. The monorail was nearly empty and the trips were much shorter than I expected; even the return trip from the MK. The “hike” to Epcot was a bit of a pain, but much more enjoyable than a bus in my opinion. I used to think that being on the monorail wouldn’t matter to me whether or not I had kids… but it spoiled us and now I’m reconsidering.

Empty monorail platform just before 10am...

Views from Monorail...

Buses came often to the resort but since they share with another MK resort (usually the Poly or Wilderness Lodge, but sometimes the Contemporary too) there was a slight delay when coming and going (the Grand Floridian is always the last stop to get dropped off or picked up) I really liked the bus stop though and found it to have plenty of seating and even a TV playing with the top seven.

We never waited long at the parks and always found our bus line to be one of the shortest. I had expected that our stop would be one of the closest to park entrances but this was only the case at Animal Kingdom. It was by no means bothersome though!

Our stop at Animal Kingdom...

 

[typhoonlagooner]

Spa and Heath Club:
Remember that gift basket at check-in? Upon opening I read the card: “Enjoy the Spa Thursday at 8am”… a very nice surprise and something to occupy me while Kip was working! The walk to the Spa and Health Club was about 5mins from the room. I checked in about 10mins before hand and was directed to the ladies lounge.

The Spa and Heathclub...

Signage...

Unfortantely these are the only pics I have of this area. Since it was a surprise and I wasn't able to do research, I had to trust Kip when he said that your not supposed to bring "anything" including cameras. This is NOT the case as I found out that key pad lockers are available to hold personal items. I hope to return and grab some pictures... it's very appealing!

The lounge featured a comfortable seating area with “breakfast bar” complete with oranges and bananas, ice water, mints, and tea. To the left once you walk in was a separate room with a whirlpool, sauna, and steam room. Right past the lounge was the entrance to the bathroom with stalls, sinks, razors, q-tips, combs, soap, mouthwash, and hair gel. Past the bathroom was a locker corner with key pad locks that you can set yourself as well as a separate shower room. Bath robes and flip flop style slippers are also provided.

While in the lounge, your “attendants” will call you when they’re ready and escort you to your treatment room. Kip booked a package which included a body scrub, massage, and facial (3 hrs total). With exception to the facial, they do ask that you get nude for your treatments, and as a spa newbie I never felt uncomfortable or awkward during this. There’s soft music in the back round, lights are dimmed, and everything is very soothing and relaxing.

The treatments were amazing and attendants were great and helpful. My facial was so informative and she set aside products for me to consider. They were a little steep for my liking, but I did notice a difference right away after she used them. You do have to make reservations beforehand and provide a credit card (in case of no show) but you don’t physically pay till the end. I charged it to the room and there was a place on the receipt for gratuity. I had brought cash though and they provided me with 3 envelopes to tip.

For a spa newbie I was very impressed and felt comfortable! The CMs were great and so welcoming and helpful. The price is steep, but a great way to spoil yourself! If you’re a guest at the Grand Floridian, you’ll have access to the health club and ladies lounge for free so always keep that in mind!

Overall Impressions:
For the first time… I truly feel in love with a resort and what it had to offer. I thought I experienced this at ASmu, but it’s completely different this time. It’s as if I left home, a home that I loved.

Grand Floridian from the Ferry to the Magic Kingdom...

I never thought in a million years that I of all people would have these feelings for the Grand Floridian, but never once did I feel out of place or “below” while staying here. The décor was tasteful Victorian and not at all what I was expecting. Service was top notch and guests were just as friendly.

I think I’ve reached the ultimate level of being spoiled and as I toured the Polynesian, Contemporary, and Wilderness Lodge Friday morning… I often found myself comparing it to the Grand Floridian and being overly pleased about our choice to stay there.

View from Polynesian Beach...

I’m not sure if it was the time of year we traveled, but the resort was very convention heavy which I think detoured from the amount of vacationers we would have normally see. Even though we didn’t see a lot of the typical vacationers this trip, it’s not to say that this resort is business friendly. Like I said, for the girl in flips and board shorts… I actually liked the change and never felt out of place. I’m not sure if the Grand Floridian would be my first choice when traveling with small kids for a variety of reasons, but I certainly wouldn’t be disappointed to stay there.

So… for my original red flags?

1) We felt like the resort was empty especially with transportation and in the pools. Even in the parks, we experienced the same waits that I had encountered in September! I never saw a wait time over 40mins (even for Soarin’, Test Track, Rockin’ Roller Coaster, etc) and some rides were walk-ons. We used Fast Pass and saw everything we wanted to. The parks were congested and crowd heavy, but it seemed people were just hanging around rather than riding. I don’t think I would make March my ideal time to visit, but the weather was beautiful and I was able to ride everything I wanted.

2) I still think that the only Disney resort worth rack rate is ASmu, but rarely does anyone on these boards pay rack rate for rooms anymore! Yes, I noticed a difference in quality and would consider a deluxe in the future. It’s not to say that I’ve been converted, but I do feel that you can get your moneys worth at the deluxes if you book the right resort and rate.

3) My experience is a perfect reason on why you should try a resort no matter what pictures/reviews say! I loved our room, I loved the theme and décor, and by no means was the resort stuffy or stuck up. I felt relaxed and could easily “vacation” there in the future.

I’m still adjusting to life back in the “real world” and not sure when, if ever, I’ll get to return to the Grand Floridian. It’s depressing but at the time I’m thankful I even got the chance to stay there (a special thanks to Kip for this trip and experience).

I’d be happy to answer any questions or comments about or resort experience and trip…

 

[Lowillian]

TyphoonLagooner, loved your GF TR!!!!!!!!!!! I feel as though you were reading my mind when you wrote this. We had always been Poly people and always thought the GF was too stuffy for us. This past Labor Day weekend, we took a long weekend and stayed at the GF with an AP rate (can't remember the price right now). We were in Boca Chica room 8434! I can't believe how much I liked the resort and felt the exact way you did!!

I even have a lot of the same pictures you do! I really didn't expect to like it as much as I did. My DH still prefers the Poly, but I was glad we gave GF a chance.


Thanks for the report and pictures!

 

[LOVETHATPOLY]

What a wonderful detailed trip report! I felt like I was right there. Thanks for sharing!

 

[DiznEeyore]

Great report -- and I love all the photos! Thanks so much for posting everything!

 

[G8r4evr]

What a great review! Thanks for sharing!

 

[larryz]

Thanks very much for sharing your trip with us. We're scheduled to stay at the GF during our annual birthday trip, and you've answered a lot of my questions.

 

[PrincessPaczki]

TyphoonLagoon,
I loved your trip report! Your information was exactly what I was wanting to know for our August trip. I have never seen pictures of the inside of the regular buildings before ( only concierge). They are absolutely beautiful the way they look. Your room is the view that I was looking for. If you had to choose only one of the restaurants to eat at again, which one would it be? Thanks for the review!

 

[klofan]

Wow! I read the whole thing. Great job. I'm so glad you ended up liking the GF. I think that the GF is one of the resorts where people think they will feel out of place. It's weird cause my room at the CR was more expensive than the room I'm paying for at the GF. And I'm staying at the GF this September. Your photos made me VERY excited and VERY happy about the choice I made. Thanks!

 

[padisneylover]

Wow, loved your report and pictures and now I can't wait to go back!

 

[AuntieDis]

Thank you for taking the time to write this wonderful trip report and post your many fabulous pictures. I really enjoyed reading about your experience!

 

[vbarry]

Love your TR...I cannot wait to go for Christmas!!

 

[John's Mom]

Great trip report and pictures! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Misti]

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed your review! Thank you for the wonderful pictures and detailed report!!

It makes me even more excited to return to the Grand next month!

 

[shellbelle]

I love your TR!!!!! It is very informative and simply one of the best I have read! Thank you for such a great report.

 

[CPer'sMom]

Thanks for your wonderful TR! I agree with what everyone else has said ~~ the details you shared were so precise and your pictures just added to the total feeling of being right there with you. I'd never seen pics of the interior 'lobby' of the outer buildings; glad you included those. Yours is definitely one of the best TRs of the GF that I've ever read
Makes me even more anxious for our upcoming trip!

 

[Tinkaroo]

Typhoonlagooner - YAY!!!!! I am so glad that you enjoyed your stay at the GF! Didn't we tell you that it might surprise you?

You did a wonderful job reviewing the resort - very well thought-out, a lot of detail, and great pics.

I, too, am more excited to return "home" in 30+ days after reading this. I'll be trying out your other fave, ASMu, for one night beforehand - I'm anxious to see how it compares to Pop.

 

[CoachBagFanatic]

I can't tell you how much I enjoyed your review! Thank you for the wonderful pictures and detailed report!!

It makes me even more excited to return to the Grand next month!

Misti - We are returning to the GF also next month and we are so excited to be going home again.

Typhoonlagooner - Your trip report and pictures are just absolutely wonderful. I am so glad that you truly found the GF to be delightful and had a great time. We have stayed at the GF so many times that it just feels like home to us. I was starting to cry just viewing your pictures and saying to my DH and DS that I can't wait until April 16th as the car pulls into the GF. Thanks again.