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

[3for Me]

I won the COOLEST THING ON EBAY!!!!!! I am SHAKING and can HARDLY TYPE!!!!!!!!

I won the WDW opening day plaque that Roy Disney used to dedicate the park and it has the coolest message on it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 Give me dancing bananas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't believe it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

* ACTUAL WALT DISNEY WORLD 1971 OPENING DAY DEDICATION PLAQUE, FROM OPENING CEREMONY, ACTUALLY HELD BY ROY O. DISNEY HIMSELF.
* ONCE AGAIN SURPLUSKINGDOM IS MAKING AVAILABLE, ONE OF THE RAREST PIECE'S OF DISNEYANA EVER.
* THIS IS YOUR CHANCE TO A REAL ICONIC PIECE OF DISNEY HISTORY.
* THIS ITEM WAS ACTUAL HELD AND READ BY ROY O. DISNEY ON OPENING DAY OF WALT DISNEY WORLD. OCTOBER 25TH 1971
* THIS AUCTION IS FOR THE ACTUAL DEDICATION SIGN THAT WAS MADE FOR THE DEDICATION OF WALT DISNEY WORLD, ALSO INCLUDED IS A FRAMED AND MATTED PHOTO FROM DISNEY SHOWING CEREMONY,AND ROY ACTUALLY HOLDING PLAQUE.
* THE PLAQUE READS AS FOLLOWS.
* WALT DISNEY WORLD IS A TRIBUTE TO HE PHILOSOPHY OF WALTER ELIAS DISNEY... AND THE TALENTS, THE DEDICATION AND THE LOYALTY OF THE ENTIRE DISNEY ORGANIZATION THAT MADE WALT DISNEY'S DREAMCOME TRUE. MAY WALT DISNEY WORLDBRING JOY AND INSPERATIONAND NEW KNOWLEDGE TO ALL WHO COME TO THIS HAPPY PALCE... A MAGIC KINGDOM WHERE THE YOUNG AT HEART OF ALL AGES CAN LAUGH AND PLAY AND LEARN-TOGETHER DEDICATED THIS 25TH DAYOF OCTOBER,1971

ROY O. DISNEY

OK, the spelling mistakes are NOT on the actual plaque LOL!

My DH is so happy & hopes it's an investment! I LOVE IT!

Channing

Sooooo jealous of you right now!!! All I won this week were those stupid Burger King mini jerseys for my son.

Still looking for the door plaque of my favorite room that I told you about, though...

CONGRATS!!!

 

[Brier Rose]

Welcome back! Glad it was a fun time. So, what the heck happened - why didn't you get that two bedrm suite??? How did it come about that you wound up in the one bedroom suite???? Curious minds want to know.

I also have a basic question.....what lounge did you have privileges to? Oooppsss...I forgot Sugar Loaf is down now anyway ....Did you make use of the RPC lounge even though you were in a diff building?? Just thinking that doesn't seem super convenient. I have been told differing things re which suites have access to which lounge or both.

Have any more GF or trip details to share?? I understand how you feel about the suite switching. Ya, you're not entitled or anything, but since you were told you would be upgraded to it and got all excited etc. you sure have a right to be a little bit disappointed IMO. At least you did still get a suite upgrade. That's still wonderful. Did they do anything special for your DD's bday??

I like the cheery old room colors, too, but I think I'd like the nicer TV and IPOD dock etc. It's a trade off at this point.

TIA for any more details!
Lives4Disney

Hi!

The only thing they told us about the 2 bedroom suite issue is that they decided to upgrade us the first night instead of the last 4.
Our reservations were like this..first night GV room, second night one- bedroom suite, and the last four nights GV room again.

Basically that second night was the hang up in everything because there were NO regular rooms available so I HAD to book a suite.

I had emailed concierge several weeks ago to ask if we could possibly arrange for an early check in to the suite because we had our dinner party and pictures etc. that day.

Instead of giving us an early check-in they just put us in the suite a full day earlier so it wouldn't be an issue.

When the day came to move, to what was supposed to be the 2 bedroom suite, that's when we were informed that we would no longer be receiving that upgrade because of the first upgrade.

They had even sent me a new confirmation, with the 2 bedroom suite on it, before I left home, so it was definitely booked for us, but they decided to not give it to us after all.

When we showed them the confirmations, they basically said it didn't matter!

Like I said, we didn't really feel like we could argue about something we never booked/paid for ourselves, so we just let it go.

To answer your other question..
We used the lounge in the Main Building once. It was around 1:00pm ,so there weren't really a lot of offerings available. To be honest, it not something I would pay for in the future.

On the other hand though, I DID love the fact that we were met out front and whisked away to our room. We had a very nice golf cart ride to our building, and when we reached our room, our concierge CM checked us all in right there. We definitely felt like VIP's !!

They did try and do something for DD's birthday!! When we came in the night before her birthday, they had left a plate that had a white chocolate Mickey, with Happy Birthday in a rainbow of white chocolate, and he was in the center of some truffles, cookies, and choc covered strawberries.

The only thing is it had MY name on it instead of DD's!!

I have a picture of it that I'll post later as soon as we get everything downloaded.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

I love they way they ake you to your room now. I loved that we were taken right over and to the room and given everything. I am sorry they didnt honor your paper work. Please post your pics I cant wait to see them.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

YES!!! I will!!!!! I just went and did my bedtime reading to DD and I am still shaking inside....I just cannot believe it. I am a seasoned Ebayer so know the drill, had my max that I wanted to bid and at the very last second put it in and won by $19! OMG. I am freaking out here. I paid already - and of course my CC was declined, ahahaha!!! More panic. Their security of course and it's all taken care of and done. I can't wait to see it - hope it's not garbage, haha.

Brian - THANKS!! I am just beside myself. I hope this is a really good thing because it cost me more than my 10 nt Thanksgiving GF stay!!! OMG. reality. I kind of see it as a piece of awesome history, but hope it's an investment, too. I was so happy to read that you want to stay RPC for your 40th. That will be great for you. I have always had very low key bdays but figured for my 40th I wanted a wingding!!! RPC was the best thing I ever did for myself! Felt like a loser planning my own bday party, but I did it the right way. So, go for it! After I won the plaque my girls were like, maybe we shouldn't go for Thanksgiving........haha . No. We are so there!

I am THRILLED!!!! DANCING on tables here!!!!!!

Channing

you are to much Channing!!

 

[Brier Rose]

Brier Rose - I should have asked....how was your GARDEN ROOM???? Here I am so stuck on concierge. I can't even get it out of my mind.

We booked our first ever GV for Thanksgiving so THAT is what I should really be asking about!! What building, what view, how was it??!!! So, after staying concierge was it a let down at all to move to a GV or was it just fine?? I have only stayed concierge at the GF and it is our absolute favorite concierge on property, so I am a little hesitant to get thrilled about staying GV - just thinking I'll be missing concierge too much - so I need to know.


THANKS!!

Lives4Disney

Our Garden Room was GREAT!! We were actually still in Sago, we just moved from the 5th floor to the 2nd floor.

We faced the Marina and could see Space Mountain in the distance. We were also VERY close to Gasparillas which was nice.

We've actually never stayed in Sago before, I usually request Big Pine, or Boca Chica, but I really loved this location!!

We've stayed GV several times and have never been disappointed.

I didn't think moving from concierge was a let down AT ALL, but then, it's just not a big deal for us.

I honestly think I'd rather put the money into a lagoon view room. OR..keep my GV room, and order flowers, snacks, drinks, etc..for my own room, and still come out less than what I would pay for staying concierge.

I already make all my own dining reservations, etc. so really for US I just can't see it.

I did LOVE the suite we stayed in though, so I can see how that might cause a problem in our travel future!

 

[Alicnwondrln]

I'm nearly positive it's over by the entrance to 1900 Park Faire. Hopefully someone can confirm that.

yes this where it is.

Hi Tammi!

 

[TammiMcMan]

Instead of giving us an early check-in they just put us in the suite a full day earlier so it wouldn't be an issue.

Personally, I'd rather have this upgrade (ie 2 nights in a 1-bedroom), then only 1 night in a 2-bedroom. Less moving around and more time spent in the RPC lounge . Just me though. Sorry about the mixup with your DD's name on the happy birthday plate. Sounds almost like one of those Murphy Law vacations.

 

[tammy]

Congrats to you Channing. That's great news.

 

[MickeyMaz]

Oh, have to answer this one.....because now I am broke.

Poor but happy!

Channing

I saw this last week out at the Disney History Blog. He was talking about the lucky people bidding on this. Very cool that someone that I "know" got it. What are your plans to display it?

 

[princessesrule4]

Sounds awesome - congrats! You know we would love to see pictures after you get it!

 

[irisbud]

Congratulations Channing! That is so cool!

 

[Brier Rose]

Personally, I'd rather have this upgrade (ie 2 nights in a 1-bedroom), then only 1 night in a 2-bedroom. Less moving around and more time spent in the RPC lounge . Just me though. Sorry about the mixup with your DD's name on the happy birthday plate. Sounds almost like one of those Murphy Law vacations.

Oh..it would have been 4 nights in the 2 bedroom!!

We were supposed to stay the first night in the GV room that I had paid for, then move to the One bedroom suite, that I also paid for, and then instead of the last four nights in the GV room that I paid for they were supposedly putting us in the 2 bedroom suite!

The confirmation they sent was for October the 18th-22nd in a 2 bedroom suite..total price..$7,500!!

But I was told to ignore the price, as we would only be paying the balance on our original GV room.

 

[CastleLight]

Congrats, Channing! That is so wonderful!

 

[brandt79]

Channing, congratulations! I can't wait to see pictures!

 

[Tinkaroo]

Congrats, Channing, on your win! Is there not at least a replica of this plaque near the Roy/Minnie statue in Town Square at the MK? It seems like there is, but now I'm not sure.

I do know that you can purchase a small paper-weight style replica of this plaque - I saw it at the World of Disney in DTD just a few days ago!

And Brier Rose - welcome home from your trip! Sorry that you didn't get the initial upgrade you were told about - I'm like Tammi, I think they should not let people in advance know that will happen. So then you feel the PD even more when it happens on the spot, and no one is disappointed. I'd love to see the pictures of your birthday treat plate when you get a chance.

 

[Lives4Disney]

Brier Rose, thanks for the added info and the GV info, too! I did request Sago because I also really like that location, but hope for a new room just for the electronic updates. I really do like concierge at the GF, but not sure how I'd feel about it if I was in an outer building and had to trapse over to the main building for the lounge.

THANKS guys! I am still happy with the purchase. It has a good home and I will cherish it. I will take pics and post then when it arrives.

There is the BRONZE dedication plaque in Town Square in MK....this is a handpainted wood one that Roy actually held and read his dedication from on the opening day because the bronze was too heavy. I told DH about the bronze one in MK -I couldn't believe they'd sell this thing and not have it in MK, anyway he is a bit let down rolleyes: ) but THIS wooden one is the one that was used in the ceremony, held by Roy and photoed with him and so to me the bronze is the "copy"...

I am still really excited about it! No regrets yet. I think it's a special part of Disney history and I just love the message on the plaque.

Lives4Disney

 

[Brier Rose]

Here's the pic of the goodies that the GF sent for DD's birthday..except they sent it to me by mistake!

[/IMG]

 

[minnie my my]

Hi everyone,

I mentioned in a post a few weeks ago that we were wanting to take a quick trip to see all of the halloween decorations but couldn't get a reservation in RPC (which is where we would have loved to of been). Actually, all of the GF was booked. We ended up booking PO French Quarter mostly because it is the only Disney resort I had not stayed at. I had this crazy thing where I wanted to have stayed at all of the Disney resorts so we went with French Quarter. Well, we got there and had a bad experience. We tried to move but couldn't get anything at any of the three monorail resorts so spent Friday night at French Quarter to mark it off of our list. Saturday I went to the Grand in person to try and move. They had a GV room available and I jumped on it very quickly. I couldn't wait to get out of that dirty room at FQ. I have stayed in the RPC many times and love it there so I wondered if I would miss it. Channing, you will be happy to know that we had a wonderful time in our gv room. I think you will be happy over Thanksgiving. No, it wasn't RPC but I didn't miss it that much. The thought of how much money I was saving more than made up for the fact that I wasn't staying there. We were in Boca Chica and had an end room (I can't remember the number but it was on the first floor). I still got that wonderful smell time I walked into the lodge that I get in my room in RPC. I still felt very pampered even though I didn't have that extra level of personal service. I also liked the new decor. I was one of those people that was a little uncertain from the pictures. It really is a lot prettier in person. It felt very elegant and relaxing at the same time. I know that is just a matter of personal taste though. We stayed around the hotel Saturday evening and just relaxed. It was great.

 

[Brier Rose]

Minnie -

I'm sorry to hear about your experience at French Quarter! My dad and step-mom were there last week also, October 16th-19th, and had the same exact problem.

I was hoping that their room was just a housekeeping fluke but it doesn't sound like it from your report.

My step-mom is a true germ-a-phobe, and she did NOT want to stay there. I tried my best to get them moved to the Grand, but no luck at all.

POFQ wouldn't even move them to another room..they said they were totally booked. They did send someone over to clean everything, and a manager came by and inspected after it was done.

She said the bed looked half made up..like it had been slept in already, there was hair in the sink and shower, and trash/crumbs all over the floor.

I can honestly say they will NEVER stay there again. POFQ has always been one of our favorites though, so I sure hope they get their act together!

 

[s&k'smom]

Wow sorry to hear about your bad experience. I too feel the extra money and pampering are well worth the extra $. I have a friend who's mom always loved the French Quarter so I was really sorry to hear that.

Two more days friends and we are off.