Stayed at the GF and was very dissapointed maybe should have stayed at the poly

[Lives4Disney]

Wow, lots of people have had bad rooms at the GF, it seems. I have only stayed in the main building and SL and they were very nice, clean, and well maintained. I had the experience of staying at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Hawaii over spring break this year and the first room they gave me was a DUMP. It was BIG BUCKS so I called the front desk and wonder of wonders was given a fabulous room - couldn't have been any more different from the first. The Royal Hawaiian is supposed to be a great hotel so I was shocked at the state of the first room we were shown. Some people must just settle for it. There was no way I would for the price we were paying. You have to let them know you aren't happy while you are there so that something can be done to improve your stay. If they can't move you to a better room, they should at least compensate you by cutting the room rate etc. That isn't the same as a great room, but at least you won't feel like you're getting burned.

I have emailed the Guest Services on the WDW website. It takes about 6 - 8 weeks before they respond and unfortunately at that point it is just an "I'm sorry - hope your next stay is better" type of response. If you really want results, maybe you should phone the GF and ask to speak to the hotel manager. Be calm and polite and maybe something will come of it. Good luck.

Lives4Disney

 

[Suzanne74]

We stayed at Poly in April, and it was not worth the money for that either. The shower head was very low (DH is 6'2" and had to bend WAY down to get his head under) and had green calcification ALL over it. The room was smaller than the CR ones we are used to. Coffee maker is in the bathroom, inches from the toiket, no counter space in room and very limited drawer space if you enjoy unpacking and staying a while. There are NO hot tubs at Poly either.

ROTFL - My DH complained after EVERY shower how low the showerheads were. I totally agree. I am only 5'3 and it seemed low to me. The coffee maker right by the toilet is really nasty too.

To the OP, I am so sorry about your stay. I felt the same way after staying at the Poly concierge. Disney rates are comparable to the Ritz in NYC and there is no where near the same level of service at any of the resorts. I really do like the Poly but I can't imagine paying anything over $200 a night to stay there. It just isn't worth it. You are hardly ever there and you are out all day spending MORE money, LOL. I hope your next stay is a better one at WL. That is where we are staying next too.

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

We stayed at the Poly in Concierge one month after Hawaii had been renovated. The wallpaper had already been torn in the bathroom. I just can't believe people. Why do they feel the need to destroy things?

My husband is over 6' also and he always has trouble with shower heads. At least it wasn't as bad as when he went to Japan. He had to bend all the way over to wash his hair. He couldn't see his head or shoulders in the bathroom mirror.

Keep looking, you'll eventually find the right Disney resort for you!

Lori

 

[Leota]

Sorry you had such a bad experience. I stayed in Boca Chica last Oct. & had a wonderful room & no problems at all with Housekeeping.

While it would have been best to register a complaint while you were there, I would still follow up with GF mgmt & Guest Relations. To pay those rates & recieve a shoddy room with bad housekeeping is inexcusible.

Note on the towel animals - they are not guarenteed. The housekeepers stilll have to make them up on their own, whether they do it ahead of time or not.

 

[Buzz2001]

I wouold never spend that much money just to sleep. I'll stick with the moderates.

 

[imatoad]

While I've never stayed at the GF, I have stayed at the Poly 7 times, and have never had a bad experience, maybe I'm one of the lucky ones.

 

[sotoalf]

Well! Seeing as how I'm returning to the GF in the middle of June, this news is most encouraging!

 

[sotoalf]

The bathroom had a hole in the wall were someone had opened the door to the room too fast and the ceiling fan covers were missing. All in all not a very pleasing room to look at, maybe we will try the Polynesian or just stay at the marriott..

How big was the hole? I'm very curious.

BTW, as I 'm sure you know, towel animals should not be expected. I've stayed at WDW close to 25 times and have only gotten them twice. I didn't even know they were called "towel animals" until someone mentioned it on this board!

 

[Mister Disney]

How big was the hole? I'm very curious.

BTW, as I 'm sure you know, towel animals should not be expected. I've stayed at WDW close to 25 times and have only gotten them twice. I didn't even know they were called "towel animals" until someone mentioned it on this board!

I don't count on "towel animals" either, nor have I ever gotten any.....honestly...as you mentioned...I never would know of them if it weren't for DIS.

 

[Race4fun]

I wasn't really concerned with the towel animals, if they came great, if they didn't that was fine too.

They do show in the videos how mouse keeping will put them in cute poses and so forth, so my kids did make sure they brought stuffed animals (with there own money they had saved) to see what they would do,---but they
didn't do anything.

On another note, as a poster had stated, we did get a knock on the door at 8am asking when we were leaving, which I thought was rude, so we told her 11:00, we were having breakfast and then leaving out, she wasn't that happy with it. We ended up putting the do not disturb sign out so they would leave the room alone.

We stayed for 3 days in a hotel in Orlando and only paid 219 with AAA and it was a five star hotel, the service was awesome and so was the hotel.
(Orlando Marriott Hotel and Convention Center) It was just very dissapointing.

But then again you never know about different experiences unless you try them for yourself

 

[MUFFYCAT]

We stayed GF concierge for 2 nights last year and didn't like it either. Our room was very nice, but the staff was unfriendly. One night around 8:00 my DD asked for a soda and they said no, even the lounge was suppose to be open for another hour. We then went to Polynesian and felt more relaxed.
Although I admit the service isn't what it used to be especially at the rising rates we are paying.

 

[Miss Inga Depointe]

I wonder if anyone has the same WDW resort expectations as my family does? We are sooooooo into theme and the resorts we love are the ones with the themes we love the best.

For us, the theme of the Grand FLoridian is more "expensive hotel" than anything very Disney-like (I know there are those of you who will disagree and this is just our feeling) and so I tend to compare it to non- Disney hotels. Against non-Disney luxury hotels I don't feel that the Grand FLoridian holds up very well. It's not terrible, and there was nothing to really complain about when we stayed there. I just don't think it's worth the money. For us, anyway.

 

[Mister Disney]

On another note, as a poster had stated, we did get a knock on the door at 8am asking when we were leaving, which I thought was rude, so we told her 11:00, we were having breakfast and then leaving out, she wasn't that happy with it. We ended up putting the do not disturb sign out so they would leave the room alone.

In my humble opinion.....I don't think what they did was rude at all. IF you did NOT put out your "Do Not Disturb" sign you have no one but yourselves to blame for a knock on the door at 8am. Thats what time Mousekeeping starts their rounds.

I would suggest that in the future, if you don't want mousekeeping coming to your room that early, put your sign out when you go to bed at night.

 

[Miss Inga Depointe]

In my humble opinion.....I don't think what they did was rude at all. IF you did NOT put out your "Do Not Disturb" sign you have no one but yourselves to blame for a knock on the door at 8am. Thats what time Mousekeeping starts their rounds.

.

You are right, but it's just that this would never have happened, at least I don't think so, at a non-WDW luxury hotel. I really can't imagine staying at the 4 seasons and having housekeeping trying to enter your room that early.

 

[Mister Disney]

You are right, but it's just that this would never have happened, at least I don't think so, at a non-WDW luxury hotel. I really can't imagine staying at the 4 seasons and having housekeeping trying to enter your room that early.

I've stayed at 4 Seasons in Boston, several "W" hotels along with the Ritz in Atlanta before and I would never consider it rude for housekeeping to start their rounds at 8am and knock on my door if I did not have the "Do Not Disturb" sign on.

That is why hotels have "Do Not Disturb" signs

 

[AndyMcV]

Hi Race4fun

Wow that's dissapointing.

Without saving for a while we could never afford to stay at the GF. With the Canadian exchange a $400-500 a night room is $700-800 per night for us. Ouch!! I can't imagine how disheartening that would have been to pay that much and be dissapointed. I would have expected the GF to be top notch in every aspect. I know how you feel about not complaining and not rocking the boat especially with your kids. However for that amount of money IMHO I would have said something. It's funny how more money does not always mean better.

Don't give up though. Disney has some awesome resorts. We stayed at the Contemporary in 2000 and the Swan in 2003 and had an amazing time at both places. It's too bad you had a bad experience with the GF but don't let it taint your view of all the other resorts.

Andy

 

[sotoalf]

Everyone must remember that the Grand Floridian is the flagship hotel of a THEME PARK vacation spot. Most guests – some of whom have posed on this thread – admit that they spend very little time in their rooms or even at their hotels. Now I'm a WDW veteran, and the exact opposite of most guests: I spend little time at the parks, and a lot at my resort. So pools, service, the grounds, restaurants, and room service – all these mean a lot to me.

But I acknowledge that 5-star service at Disney is different from 5-star service at the Ritz. You know why? Because most guests at the Ritz enjoy the Ritz for its amenities and don't just use the hotel to sleep. Despite its luxury and the Disney hype, the GF will never compare to the Ritz because the clientele is different. Guests in theme park attire who don't spend money to enjoy the grounds, don't notice the theme, and only eat counter-service food cannot compare to guests who have the leisure time and money to enjoy what they pay for. Please don't misunderstand: this is not a class issue. I'm merely pointing out the difference between the different kinds of clientele a luxury hotel serves.

For example: If you're at WDW, chances are you wake up at 7 or 8 am (or earlier) and spend all day at the parks. Housekeeping just follows traffic patterns; a large percentage of guests will be out of their rooms by 8 am.

All that said, Disney should really be ashamed about holes in doors and rude front-desk employees. If it's their flagship hotel, then it should set the example for the rest.

 

[Miss Inga Depointe]

I've stayed at 4 Seasons in Boston, several "W" hotels along with the Ritz in Atlanta before and I would never consider it rude for housekeeping to start their rounds at 8am and knock on my door if I did not have the "Do Not Disturb" sign on.

That is why hotels have "Do Not Disturb" signs

You may very well be right, but has this actually ever happened to you or are you just saying you wouldn't care if it did? It just has never happened to me. I forget to put out my do not disturb sign all the time and just never have worried about it because no one (except in a WDW resort) has ever tried to come in my room that early.

This is just my experiece of course. I have the impression that at the 4 seasons, just to use an example, they have more the feeling that this is too early and that they just want to be sure that you are not inconvenienced.

 

[Mister Disney]

It actually has happened to me twice.

2 years ago at the Ritz in Atlanta and then again at a "W".

I think as was said before, each hotel takes it "cue" from the people there. The situation at the Ritz was a large conference, so I am sure they felt that people were leaving their rooms early.

My statement though is more about the fact that it is not rude of housekeeping / mousekeeping to knock on your door at 8am, if you do NOT have a "Do Not Disturb" sign out.

I've learned, to make sure to put that sign out each and every night. That way it doesn't matter if I am leaving at 9 or 11, they won't bother me.

 

[Miss Inga Depointe]

But I acknowledge that 5-star service at Disney is different from 5-star service at the Ritz. You know why? Because most guests at the Ritz enjoy the Ritz for its amenities and don't just use the hotel to sleep. Despite its luxury and the Disney hype, the GF will never compare to the Ritz because the clientele is different. Guests in theme park attire who don't spend money to enjoy the grounds, don't notice the theme, and only eat counter-service food cannot compare to guests who have the leisure time and money to enjoy what they pay for.

I respectfully disagree. I think we choose the Disney resorts precisely for the theme and the grounds. The room may just be a place to sleep, but too many of us stay there because of the reasons you've given.

My opinion as to why the service at a WDW resort doesn't compare to the service at the 4 seasons is because we are willing to pay for it just the way it is. We are paying for the theme and the grounds and the proximity to the park, and we show no signs of rebelling against the high prices!!

I think the reason I don't care for the Grand Floridian (or the Epcot resorts, for that matter) is because the theme just doesn't do it for me, and all I am left with is an expensive hotel that doesn't quite measure up to other expensive hotels. Just my opinion, of course.