The All New Grand Floridian FAQ - MAY 2009

[WUVmyDISNEY]

So sorry Ang! I would be so upset! I have never stayed at GF before and ya know, we put so much thought and planning into our trips that to not get exactly what we wanted is a shame! Even more frustrating for you since you upgraded due to the work in SL! I wonder what type of refurb they are supposedly starting for you to have to be moved? I really hope it all works out for you and that you are happy with where you are placed. I wonder if you did stay non CL if they would let you take advantage of the FD since this cropped up. Not likely, but it certainly does not hurt to ask! Good luck!

 

[Tam1067]

We arrive Saturday morning. I will try to post an update.

 

[suzcruz]

I also would ask for free dining or some other compensation! However, i think you will like SL and it may end up being quieter than the main building during your time there.

 

[mmmears]

I just called IPO, they are supposed to call me back.. I want to know what exactly is going on at the whole building...

has anyone else received a call?

Oh they said BC is getting a Refirb too, cause I asked about moving there.. although she could give me a reg room, not CL

we want a monorail resort with having strollers!!!

Angela

Sorry to hear about all of this. Guess we just lucked out with our dates. Just wanted to let you know that the BC CL floor is down because they are redoing the lounge there. So there are no CL guests during that time. YC should be up , though, since they finished the CL floor already. We tried the Poly CL in April and it was very nice (diff food than the GF, but still very nice).

 

[billnang]

Ok so, I don't mind going back to SL.. only concern is what is it going to be like walking through the Main building? My heart was really set on the views from the RPC...

As for the POLY.. love it, last 2 yrs we have stayed there... not in CL... and that is what we would want... and my DH is MR plain as far as food goes.. seeing the POLY evening offereings are for me to think about ..lol even though we are only talking about eating there 1-2 evenings...

Anyone going PLEASE tr to let us know what the resort as a whole looks like...

As for me, I am sure I will have from IPO and GS as that is who called me and I needed to get back to them, when I did, they had a message they would return my call...

Ahhhh this is me tonight!!!

Angela

 

[cosmicrays]

I am so sorry Angela. I hope you get what you want and then some. If they are donwgrading you to SL will you get a refund? I would want that and then something else, SL is lovely but not the same as the main building.

 

[billnang]

I am so sorry Angela. I hope you get what you want and then some. If they are donwgrading you to SL will you get a refund? I would want that and then something else, SL is lovely but not the same as the main building.

Yes, I will get refunded the extra I paid to upgrade...

Isn't anyone else going soon... I can't be the only one being told this...
oh I should be in bed so I am up early to make calls tomorrow...

 

[dinatwin]

I'm sooo sorry this is happening to you


Does anyone know how long all the refurb is going to be? I headed to the GF Nov 6.

 

[KimDis]

For those of you who've been moved - I'd definitely express my dissppointment. The refund isn't enough - if you wanted SL you would have booked it.

Seriously - my first deluxe stay happened because they gave away my water view room at CBR. End of the world - no. But I very calmly and politely shared how much I'd looked forward to what I'd booked, had made a big deal about it to my family, and how disappointed I was. Next stop - water view at the Beach Club. I'd hoped they would do something, had NO idea they would do something like that. Smart move on their part too as I haven't stayed at a moderate since.

I'm not sure what's most important to you, but I'd ask for a MK or marina view and club access. Or I'd express my disspointment about missing out on free dining because you chose RPC.

Give them a chance to really make it up to you - I obviously can't promise you anything, but it cannot hurt to ask for a bit more magic to help make up for the inconvenience.

 

[Figment1990]

We leave on wednesday but we did not reserve rpc so I haven't received a call to move us. We thought about moving up to rpc when we heard about the other construction but decided to stay put. At this point we are still booked at the grand garden view but we are debating moving resorts still but I don't know what would make up for missing out on the grand. I mean that's the tops in my book so ... Our concern now is rolling the dice there and getting stuck w a bad view of cranes and barriers and them not being able to move us because they've moved people out of rpc. And the luggage house construction that is supposed to be done I think is near the beach pool where we have reserved a cabana. Crowd noise I can handle but construction noise is annoying when u have paid a lot of money. Plus we have a tea booked - how loud will that be?!

But with construction also at the yacht club our only other options are poly (going next spring) beach club (std view only) or boardwalk (did last fall and want to try something new)

Good luck to everyone. I will definitely post what I see and learn next week when there (if we stay at gf). This is just so upsetting!

 

[MommyGina]

Figment1990 - please keep us updated.

Angela - I feel your pain. Even though I am booked in a GV room, I want to be in a place that is quiet! I am on vacation. If I wanted noise, I could have stayed home and gone to work every day - in a school no less! I am calling tomorow a.m. for my 10 day out room request. I will ask again about construction and post what I am told.

 

[billnang]

After calling the main number and going through 2 people wo were obviously not there.. I talked to someone who was at the front desk, and had no idea what I was talking about... I was placed on hold and he came back and said this was all news to him, but they are doing work on the stairwells, he said he didnt realize they were moving everyone out of there.. He said the woman that does the room assignments is in a meeting with the managers about this issue... and gave me her direct line to call her in an hour...

If this resort wasn't my husbands dream resort and the last time we can stay here.. I would say forget it and move somewhere else.. (which may happen)

The feeling I am getting from the people there is... sorry this happend, but refurbs do happen, and at least you had time to change your plans....
I guess they never planned a Disney trip

My biggest question is will the place be tor apart that it will be a pain to get to the monorail, meals that are planned? Will I have lifts and peopl on my patio?

That to me is not a relaxing vacation!!!

I will let you know what I hear.
Thanks for all your well wishes!
Angela

 

[toodycat]

Angela---So sorry you are going through this. Please keep us posted. We arrive at the GF on 8/26. DH has faith that it will work out and doesn't want me to change anything yet. I hope the GF execs accommodate you appropriately and generously! I'm sending positive thoughts your way.
Jane

 

[k&a&c'smom]

billnang - We are here at the Grand right now, and I haven't seen any construction around the SL building. There is some at Conch, and quite a bit at Sago, but SL seems to be finished. The impact to us has been minimal - I don't hear saws or pounding or anything, really, and the courtyard area is only slightly marred by one lift in front of Boca Chica. In the main building, the only work you can see is on the second floor near the bird cage elevator. Not even as unsightly as the drapes over the various floors when they were doing the renovations in 2007.

If you still think your trip will be ruined here at the GF, I would not hesitate to move to Poly CL. There is a variety of food, enough for even picky eaters to find something, and the view of the castle from either the lounge or a LV CL room is incredible! Really adds to the magic there, I think.

Good luck, and I hope you have a magical trip where ever you end up staying.

 

[Tam1067]

We are also here now. I see nothing disruptive. A bit of screens on 2nd floor but little noise. Walked around and saw some workers but no cranes or scaffolding.

 

[MommyGina]

I requested to stay in Sago. What is going on there now?

 

[Figment1990]

For those of you there now, THANK YOU for the live reports! There are a lot of worried people here... Have they begun any work on the "luggage" room? Having never been there, I have no idea where that is or if it would be disruptive to guests.

I'm going to guess that they are not moving everyone out of RPC, based on the work we've been told is happening in the main building (near Gasparilla's and the tile work). Perhaps they have decided to move everyone off of the second floor or above Gasparillas (not even sure if there are rooms there, but I think there are). I actually think that it is all these calls by us DISers that is waking them up to consider doing something to accommodate people during this.

I realize that they have to do work sometime and that August is probably one of the slower times for them to do it. Especially to have it done before the holiday season. I just wish they would be more forthcoming about it. On the other hand, given the way that Disney usually makes the public aware about refurbs, like SAB being down for a while or the work being done at AKL when they were building AKVs, the fact that they haven't said anything about the work on the Grand tells me that it is less disruptive than those two things. But until we are there, we won't really know.

 

[MommyGina]

Here is my report from a CM. I just had to call and find out what is going on. Work is being done in the Main Building - the flooring, and foot traffic is being rerouted. Now, Sago is going to be worked on from 8/16 - 8/26. Great, just the time that we are there. It will be done with cranes in high reach areas to clean the outside of the building and "it will be loud." Work will be done on BC and the work is being done on the exterior fire escapes.

All work is expected to end in October. The CM told me that I will be getting a letter in the mail regarding the construction. I wonder when that is coming, the day after I get there?

I am heartbroken.

 

[billnang]

Ok, just spoke to the room assigner:
All new to her this AM when she came in...the 3rd, 4th and 5th floors will be shut down because of there being work done in the stairwell, and they can not have guests on those floors.. this is happening the end of Aug to the first week(s) in Sept. they are very sorry for this inconvience...

I asked about construction everywhere else...I said I don't want to see a person on balcony... she said SL is DONE... she said there is some work going on other buildigs and it should be completed by the time they begin the Main building

I asked if I would be able to get through to the restaurants and the monorail.. she said yes it is the upper floors being the issue...


I guess it is just a well I hope everthign works out kind of thing!!!

Thanks to those there for our wonderful input on what is happening!!!

Angela

 

[Scott MC]

So here's what it sounds like to me.
Until roughly the 26th of August, the guests who will be inconvenienced will be all those staying in the outer lodges. I say "all" because let's face it, even if they building you're placed in isn't being worked on, you still will most likely have a view of the ugly cranes and scaffolding that is gong on in the other buildings.
After the 26th, the outer buildings should be ok, and those from the main building will be rerouted to Sugar Loaf with a discount or to CL at a comparable resort such as the Polynesian.
In all honestly, I'd rather have the latter problem. I'm sure that those of us with GVs will be told that for a fee we can upgrade to a lagoon view or to another resort or to the main building, or we can stay and accept the fact that refurbs happen.
This seems to be my take on the matter at this time.