The *New* Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa Frequently Asked Questions (FEB2004) Part 2

[TammiMcMan]

1) is there a pool open late night (after 10pm ?) Does it have a pool bar that stays open late as well?

The courtyard pool is always open, although after a certain hour, there are no lifeguards present. There are pool bars located by each pool, but I don't know the hours of operation.

2) Are there informal kid's activities during the day like at AKL? For example, a treasure hunt each day, story time around arushka rock, a daily scheduled craft?

Yes, just check the GF newsletter that you receive when you checkin. There are daily activities around the courtyard pool. Story time and arts & crafts are available during specific days/times in the Mickey Mouse Mercantile. There are also activities which charge a fee, like the pirate cruise, tea and the kids cooking program.

4) Dining options- which are the best?

Gasparilla Grille is an excellent counter service option. It's open 24 hours and the value is very good. I believe that the character meals have been temporarily moved into the GF Cafe, and Citrico's is now available for casual dining. You may want to check out their menu, if it's similar to what was offered in the cafe, you'll find everything from cheeseburgers to NY strip steak.

5) what rooms/buildings are the best?

There's really not a bad location. People will sometimes request a specific building based on what it's located near. This is a really cool site I found, that I've been having hours of fun with, http://local.live.com/default.aspx?cp=28.411444|-81.586792&style=h&lvl=15&v=1. When you click on it, you'll see the GF sort of on the left hand side of the screen. By clicking on the + button located on the screens tool bar, you can slowly zoom in. Use your mouse by holding it on the screen, clicking and holding down the mouse button, while you drag the GF into the center. You can keep zooming and get some great detail on how the resort is laid out. If you want to play with that and come back with some more questions, I'm sure anyone of us would be happy to help.

 

[LoveThatDarnMouse]

Two part question:

Staying at GF, 1. is the Pirate Cruise something I need to book ahead of time and 2. How do I book it? (who do I call, do you book it with a credit card?)

 

[MimiofOlivia]

Gasparilla Grille is an excellent counter service option. It's open 24 hours and the value is very good. I believe that the character meals have been temporarily moved into the GF Cafe, and Citrico's is now available for casual dining. You may want to check out their menu, if it's similar to what was offered in the cafe, you'll find everything from cheeseburgers to NY strip steak.

DH and I are also staying at GF for the first time Aug/Sept. We are checking in late in the day and wanted a place to eat where we didn't have to leave the resort. We are not interested in character meals so I was wondering if Citrico's will offer the same menu as GF Cafe using 1 dining credit if on the dining plan. TIA!!

 

[BCV23]

No from what I've read, Citricos will still be Citricos during the evening....fine dining and 2 credits on the DDP.

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

I believe that the character meals have been temporarily moved into the GF Cafe, and Citrico's is now available for casual dining. You may want to check out their menu, if it's similar to what was offered in the cafe, you'll find everything from cheeseburgers to NY strip steak.
QUOTE]

Does this mean there is an option for dining that is not CS and is not 2 TS?

 

[TammiMcMan]

Does this mean there is an option for dining that is not CS and is not 2 TS?

From the sounds of it, just during breakfast & lunch. Citrico's is typically only open for dinner and I believe it will continue with it's signature dinner service. No one has reported back on what the menu items are yet for breakfast & lunch, but most of us are assuming it will be standard GF Cafe offerings. If that's the case, it should fall into the 1 TS credit. It's probably best to get clarification from WDW-DINE though.

Staying at GF, 1. is the Pirate Cruise something I need to book ahead of time and 2. How do I book it? (who do I call, do you book it with a credit card?)

Yes, you do want to pre-book the pirate cruise, it does sell out. Call the 407-WDW-PLAY number and have your credit card handy.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

The very 1st time my family and I went to Gasparillas Grill & Games the Cast Member who took our order said they were opened 24 hours and that also meant the grill would be open, for people would come back very late from Pleasure Island if they were hungry. So if they wanted a Cheeseburger or Pizza at 3:00 AM they could that. When I look at their menu on Allearsnet.com it says Lunch and Dinner is 11 am - 11:30pm, so I am wondering was the Cast Member who told us that wrong, or did they change the way they do business there?

 

[TammiMcMan]

The very 1st time my family and I went to Gasparillas Grill & Games the Cast Member who took our order said they were opened 24 hours and that also meant the grill would be open,

Gasparillas is open, but I don't recall the grill ever being available past 11 o'clock or so. If you go in that late, you're limited to items that are already pre-packaged.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Gasparillas is open, but I don't recall the grill ever being available past 11 o'clock or so. If you go in that late, you're limited to items that are already pre-packaged.

Tammi thanks for that info.

 

[MimiofOlivia]

I also had a question about Gasparillas. I posted this on the dining board and got little response.

Hi, I had a question concerning the Bounty Breakfast Platter at Gasparillas. The menu states:Bounty Platter - choice of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, waffle, pancake, biscuit and gravy $7.99. What is this a choice of? Is everything included or do you pick what you want from the list? ie..eggs or a pancake or waffle or biscuit and gravy, bacon or sausage. If everything is included this would be a good breakfast to split with DH. There are other items on the menu that are very similiar for less money and includes meat. Need feedback from someone who has ordered this. Thanks!

 

[mirlow]

3) What is the mouseketeer club like? Will our 8 yr old be too old (he thinks many things are "fr babies" now and will be upset if he is surrounded by kid's younger than him.

My kids weren't impressed and I wasn't impressed with the Mouseketeer Club. Their favorite is Simba's and then Neverland. I think a lot of that had to do with the ladies working at Simaba's were wonderful! If you're at the GF I would suggest going to the Neverland Club. The Mouseketeer Club is really small and they only had one adult working. She had to stop whatever she was doing with the kids to tend to parents coming and dropping off kids.

 

[MA pigletfan]

hello helpful GF people!
I just read in a post that Sugar Loaf is up for Rehab in September..do you think it willbe done by the time my stay rolls around ( December 6th)??? Just curious....

 

[princessesrule4]

It is anybody's guess! We all keep hearing different info on what will be rehabbed by what date - I think that the CM's honestly don't know or are being told certain dates and then those dates change!

We will be there in December so it will be exciting if we get a new room in RPC! But if not ,we will just be happy to be at the GF!

 

[Cinderumbrella]

Kristin, you'll pay about $125 for the basket from the Disney Florist. It will come with champagne, the etched flutes and chocolates. If you wanted to do it on your own, you can get Champagne for $21 at Gaspy's and maybe call the Disney merchandising folks at 407-363-6200 for the champagne flutes. You can get them shipped home and transfer them down yourself or they can deliver them to the GF gift shop for you to pick up.

Lynr, it's confusing with the RPC deluxe rooms. The ones that are coded as honeymoon style have the king bed and accomodate 2, while the standard deluxe design comes with 2 queens and accomodate 4. I have the room layouts on my webpage if that's helpful. Just scroll down to the last 2 sets of pictures and you'll see that the standard deluxe comes with two options and the honeymoon rooms come with two options. The pictures you posted were of a honeymoon turret suite. We stayed in the same room. They're a very different layout than a standard deluxe room.

Kristin, I got Marci a basket from WDW florist that had tons of snacks, wine, 2wine glasses and some other stuff for around $85. She may have a picture of it she could post for you to see. She said it was really nice, and WDW florist was very easy to work with.

Kristin, the shop on the first floor that sells sundries carries champagne flutes, wine glasses and champagne....having a senior moment and can't think of the name. The champagne flutes are usually bride and groom ones though.

Thanks everyone for the answers!! I definitely will be grabbing the champagne from Gaspy's and just need to decide about the flutes. I am working with Betsy on the basket for DS so I may still just have her do a small one for DH to include the flutes and a couple of other odds and ends just so it is 1 less thing to worry about! If not, I may give Disney merchandising a call and have them sent to the resort.

When things are sent to the resort (pakcages from the parks etc) where do they go? To a gift shop or to your room? We are not staying on a concierge level...
Thanks! Kristin

 

[TammiMcMan]

When things are sent to the resort (pakcages from the parks etc) where do they go? To a gift shop or to your room? We are not staying on a concierge level...

Park purchases are left for you in the gift shop.

 

[heatherlynn444]

I also had a question about Gasparillas. I posted this on the dining board and got little response.

Hi, I had a question concerning the Bounty Breakfast Platter at Gasparillas. The menu states:Bounty Platter - choice of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, waffle, pancake, biscuit and gravy $7.99. What is this a choice of? Is everything included or do you pick what you want from the list? ie..eggs or a pancake or waffle or biscuit and gravy, bacon or sausage. If everything is included this would be a good breakfast to split with DH. There are other items on the menu that are very similiar for less money and includes meat. Need feedback from someone who has ordered this. Thanks!

my DH ordered it in january, it was huge and plenty! if you go to my dining reviews in my siggy there is a picture of it.

also to whomever asked about gaspy's and ordering food late, the grill was closed but we could order a pizza if i remember correctly after 11.

 

[marcij]

Kristin, I got Marci a basket from WDW florist that had tons of snacks, wine, 2wine glasses and some other stuff for around $85. She may have a picture of it she could post for you to see. She said it was really nice, and WDW florist was very easy to work with.

It was a great basket! We loved it and the GF wrapped the glasses in handtowels to ship them home for us. Here's a pic -- if it's not big enough, I can try to post another one from my home computer. It really was truly fabulous!

It had wine, the two classes, a roll of fabulous cookies, and several boxes of gourmet cookies, food etc. I liked it so much that I sent a similar one to a friend who was celebrating a birthday at the World in January.

 

[marcij]

The courtyard pool is always open, although after a certain hour, there are no lifeguards present. There are pool bars located by each pool, but I don't know the hours of operation.
Yes, just check the GF newsletter that you receive when you checkin. There are daily activities around the courtyard pool.

We were just there a couple of weeks ago, and at that time, the theme pool was open 10 - 10, and they tried to get everyone to leave right at 10. The bar by that pool was open 10 - 7 p.m., and if you wanted food you could use their phone to call private dining.

I believe the lifeguard was gone after 10 p.m. at the regular pool, but there were people in it as late as midnight, and there were people in it before 7 a.m. doing laps, although they were cleaning it at that time. They weren't as strict about people staying out of it.

 

[Twingle]

It was a great basket! We loved it and the GF wrapped the glasses in handtowels to ship them home for us. Here's a pic -- if it's not big enough, I can try to post another one from my home computer. It really was truly fabulous!

It had wine, the two classes, a roll of fabulous cookies, and several boxes of gourmet cookies, food etc. I liked it so much that I sent a similar one to a friend who was celebrating a birthday at the World in January.

That looks lovely! Do you know if Disney Florist will replace the wine with Sparkling Cider or something similar? My DH and I don't drink wine or champagne.

Thanks!

 

[triplefigs]

That looks lovely! Do you know if Disney Florist will replace the wine with Sparkling Cider or something similar? My DH and I don't drink wine or champagne.

Thanks!

Yes, they will. When I ordered it, I had my choice of red wine, white wine, champagne, or non-alcoholic cider. They had every price range available and will customize it for you. Call them to make personal choices vs ordering on-line.