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

[francie]

hi folks, anyone have a link to the floorplan of the rooms in the main bldg? i'm grying to figure out where the deluxe rooms are. anyone have any info? photos? janet2K? thanks in advance

 

[jen_mangini]

Hi - We are leaving on 2/28 for our 1st stay at the GF

We paid for the MK View room. Does anyone have a building suggestion? We are going with 3 kids under 5.

Thanks!!

 

[Neener]

We are staying at the GF in July (7-14) with a Magic Kingdom View and I recently heard that there is going to be some major construction going on during our stay. Has anyone heard anything about this construction and would you make reservations elsewhere because of the construction? Please help!!!

Thank you in advance!!!!

 

[heatherlynn444]

i thought refurb didn't start till sept. and they were starting with SL? I could TOTALLY be wrong though!

 

[Neener]

i thought refurb didn't start till sept. and they were starting with SL? I could TOTALLY be wrong though!

Ohhh that would be soooo magical if they did!!! Need some serious relaxation!!! Thank you for your response!!!

 

[Lives4Disney]

Heather, that is what the concierge CMs thought & told us when we were there over Xmas but there seems to be some updated info that they are starting in July in a different building. Plans changed, I guess. Or it's all hearsay and nobody knows what's up at all - which is most likely!

I would stay at the GF no matter what - but that's just me ('cause I love that place )

Other than 1900 PF being redone, the construction is going to be inside the individual lodge buildings that they're working on - not exterior, so I would just ask to be in a building w/out any construction going on. We are going for Thanksgiving and I am not worried at all. They try and make construction as discreet as possible.

Lives4Disney

 

[heatherlynn444]

Heather, that is what the concierge CMs thought & told us when we were there over Xmas but there seems to be some updated info that they are starting in July in a different building. Plans changed, I guess. Or it's all hearsay and nobody knows what's up at all - which is most likely!

I would stay at the GF no matter what - but that's just me ('cause I love that place )

Other than 1900 PF being redone, the construction is going to be inside the individual lodge buildings that they're working on - not exterior, so I would just ask to be in a building w/out any construction going on. We are going for Thanksgiving and I am not worried at all. They try and make construction as discreet at possible.

Lives4Disney

thanks channing. you are right, there are so many rumors etc. I don't think even teh CM's know! haha. but I agree, I would not let that stop me, just check whoch building it is being done it. maybe it wont start till LATE july and the above poster will be gone! good luck to all!

 

[hmp2z]

I just wanted to post an update to our GF IPO saga. At this point, it's amusing more than anything else. If you remember my earlier post, my complaints were that they wouldn't return calls or e-mails and wouldn't try to book the reservations for us.

I thought, well, maybe we can use the GF IPO for the low-priority places like the CG reservations that don't HAVE to be made 180 days out at 7:00 am So I fired off an e-mail, telling them to call me (since I obviously can't get through to them by phone) to get my CC number and giving them the details of date/time/# of people for the requested reservation. Instead, they wrote back, telling me that I could just e-mail them my CC# because their e-mail was secure.

Um, no.

First, it's not encrypted, so no, it's not secure. Anyone in the IT department on their end, or on Yahoo's end (my mail provider) could access the e-mail containing my information. I also sent them a quote from Visa's website saying to never, ever e-mail a credit card number as it was NOT secure to do so.

I had also sent the letter I posted here to the Concierge manager, and got a reply saying that she'd be calling me. Which, of course, she did not.

I did get a call, not once, but twice, from one of the IPO people. Both times he called while I was at work, though I'd told him to call after 4:45, since obviously me returning one of their missed calls was a no-go. I tried to return the call and, as always, went straight to voicemail.

Then yesterday, I got a call from the Wilderness Lodge IPO (?!?) telling me that they'd noticed I was staying at the GF and the BWI (like I didn't know) and giving me the same numbers I already had, for the GF & BWI IPO. I don't know whether one of the managers told this different IPO to return my call or not, but I thought that was kind of strange.

At this point, I have made all the necessary reservations myself through WDW-Dine, who actually bothers to answer the phone But it's just crazy to me how blunder after blunder has been made by this department. I think they should just shut it down and lower the concierge rates. To offer a service that's just a massive waste of my time is such an odd perk!

I was irritated at first, because I was upset that we didn't get our V&A's reservations, but now I just think it's kind of silly. I keep wondering what they will do & say next!

Oh, and by the way, the BWI concierge staff did make 1 or 2 reservations for me without any such craziness. The difference in the two IPO's is astounding.

Cheers!
Heather W

 

[Janet2k]

I've been on the other RPC elevator, and up to the lounge, etc, but I just couldn't imagine where these 2nd floor rooms were. I guess to get to the lounge from these rooms we'll have a bit of a walk...

CastleLight, even though the 2nd floor rooms are somewhat remote, the elevator that is located on the backside of the resort does allow access to the upper levels where the concierge desks (3rd floor) and lounge (4th floor) are located. The walk isn't that bad.

My guess is that every time you enter the resort from the front side (porte cochere or monorail platform), you’ll take the lobby elevator up to the 3rd or 4th floor. From there, you’ll walk down the corridor that heads towards the backside (a.k.a., marina side) of the resort. That is where you'll find the elevator that I spoke of in my prior post. You’ll use that elevator to get to your room on the 2nd floor.

I know I have a better photo of the marina side of the resort, but until I can locate it, I’ll point you at this photo: click here. Circled in yellow is Room 4401. That room is located on the 4th floor. If you look two floors down, you’ll see the floor where the Honeymoon Rooms are located (2nd floor). Not all of those rooms are shown in that particular photo, but it should at least give you an idea as to where those rooms are located. By the way, the first floor of the resort is partially shown in that photo. It is where the Mouseketeer Club (far right-hand side of photo – click here) and Gasparilla Grill (to left of Mouseketeer Club) are located.

Okay, here is another photo – it was taken from the front of the marina and looking back towards the Main Building: click here. It’s not quite the photo that I had wanted to share, but hopefully it will give you another idea as to where the Honeymoon Rooms that overlook the marina are located.

 

[Janet2k]

hi folks, anyone have a link to the floorplan of the rooms in the main bldg?

Francie, I ~think~ TammiMcMan might have a floor plan. Hopefully, she'll see your post soon and respond.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

I just wanted to post an update to our GF IPO saga. At this point, it's amusing more than anything else. If you remember my earlier post, my complaints were that they wouldn't return calls or e-mails and wouldn't try to book the reservations for us.

I thought, well, maybe we can use the GF IPO for the low-priority places like the CG reservations that don't HAVE to be made 180 days out at 7:00 am So I fired off an e-mail, telling them to call me (since I obviously can't get through to them by phone) to get my CC number and giving them the details of date/time/# of people for the requested reservation. Instead, they wrote back, telling me that I could just e-mail them my CC# because their e-mail was secure.

Um, no.

First, it's not encrypted, so no, it's not secure. Anyone in the IT department on their end, or on Yahoo's end (my mail provider) could access the e-mail containing my information. I also sent them a quote from Visa's website saying to never, ever e-mail a credit card number as it was NOT secure to do so.

I had also sent the letter I posted here to the Concierge manager, and got a reply saying that she'd be calling me. Which, of course, she did not.

I did get a call, not once, but twice, from one of the IPO people. Both times he called while I was at work, though I'd told him to call after 4:45, since obviously me returning one of their missed calls was a no-go. I tried to return the call and, as always, went straight to voicemail.

Then yesterday, I got a call from the Wilderness Lodge IPO (?!?) telling me that they'd noticed I was staying at the GF and the BWI (like I didn't know) and giving me the same numbers I already had, for the GF & BWI IPO. I don't know whether one of the managers told this different IPO to return my call or not, but I thought that was kind of strange.

At this point, I have made all the necessary reservations myself through WDW-Dine, who actually bothers to answer the phone But it's just crazy to me how blunder after blunder has been made by this department. I think they should just shut it down and lower the concierge rates. To offer a service that's just a massive waste of my time is such an odd perk!

I was irritated at first, because I was upset that we didn't get our V&A's reservations, but now I just think it's kind of silly. I keep wondering what they will do & say next!

Oh, and by the way, the BWI concierge staff did make 1 or 2 reservations for me without any such craziness. The difference in the two IPO's is astounding.

Cheers!
Heather W

the BWI ipo is great i stayed there last week and jackie lorenzo and pete were great aldo robin
you will love it we though it was way better than the GF SL concierge and the GF IPO is pathetic
good luck i would be calling guest services

 

[Janet2k]

i'm grying to figure out where the deluxe rooms are. anyone have any info? photos?

Francie, I'm sorry I didn't see this part of your question earlier. Yikes!

I personally only know where one of the Deluxe Rooms in the Main Building is located. I stayed in it a few years ago when I was confined to a wheelchair. The room is handicap-accessible and has a roll-in shower (precisely what I needed due to my physical limitations). It is found on the 4th floor and is located very close to the concierge lounge -- just a few doors down. The room is lovely and spacious. I'll post links to photos of it below:

Room 4419 (room area)
Room 4419 (bathroom area)

I hope that helped.

 

[Janet2k]

We paid for the MK View room. Does anyone have a building suggestion?

Jen_mangini, for a view of the Magic Kingdom, in particular, one of Cinderella Castle, I would request either Sago Cay or Conch Key. Here is a link to the map of the Grand Floridian: click here.

I hope you have a wonderful vacation.

 

[Janet2k]

Your photos of the GF laundry room made me miss doing laundry there ! Sounds crazy, but that is what the GF does to you, everything you do there seems wonderful!!

Magical4us4, you are ~crazy.~ I'm going to hook you up with my husband on our next vacation. The two of you can go hog wild in the laundry room: click here.

 

[Janet2k]

Has anyone heard anything about this construction and would you make reservations elsewhere because of the construction? Please help!!!

Neener, I've heard the same rumors that everyone else has heard. Hopefully, we'll hear something official soon.

I thought I'd let you know that when the Grand Floridian underwent *major* (and I’m talking major here) renovations several years ago, I was vacationing there at the time. I don't know where my photos are from that particular vacation, but if I can locate them, I'll post a few so you can see what things looked like.

During that vacation, my family was staying in a suite in the Conch Key building. That building had recently been renovated. During the prior year, we had stayed in another suite in that same building. The two suites were identical in layout (located one floor away from each other), but after the renovation their interiors were as different as night and day. As much as I loved the prior suite’s interior, I loved the new suite’s interior twice as much. I don’t know what is in store for the resort in the near future, but I am definitely looking forward to it.

Disney did a beautiful job with the construction barriers that were placed around the particular building that was undergoing renovation. Those barriers were painted white – to blend in with the look of the resort -- and they even had baskets of flowers hanging from them in certain locations. I remember being struck by that detail. It was amazing for me to see how Disney had beautified something as mundane as a construction barrier.

The construction workers (the vast majority of which were contractors) were as nice as could be, too. Whenever I passed one or two of them on the sidewalk, they smiled and said hello. And if memory serves me correctly, they pretty much stuck to the hours of 8 AM to 5 PM (they might have started earlier and ended earlier, I can’t remember exactly, but I do remember them primarily sticking with normal working hours – that is, they didn’t work into the evenings, at least not when they were doing any exterior work).

The construction work that was going on never hampered my family’s vacation in any way. For me, personally, it wouldn’t keep me from booking a Grand Floridian vacation. But that is me and this is you. Only you can decide what is right for your vacation.

I hope this helped.

 

[Janet2k]

They try and make construction as discreet at possible.

Well said, Lives4Disney. That has been my experience, too.

 

[Janet2k]

I just wanted to post an update to our GF IPO saga...

Hmp2z, I'm sorry to hear of your recent experience. I had that experience last summer with the concierge of two other resorts (one MK area and the other Epcot area). It was the first time that I was staying concierge in either of those two resorts and it left a horrible taste in my mouth. Luckily, I am the type who always books my own recreation and dining reservations so I really didn't need their assistance with that. But, still, that is a part of the job of the IPO and it pains me to hear that you are experiencing similar issues with the Grand Floridian.

At this point, I would simply suggest you contact the resort's Front Desk folks and nicely but firmly tell them that you need someone from the Grand Floridian's Itinerary Planning Office to contact you at such-and-such time (translate it to East Coast time so there is no doubt as to what time they are to contact you). Explain that you need assistance with your upcoming vacation planning and all your phone calls and e-mails to the IPO have gone unanswered. Hopefully, that will get your point across and they will handle you as quickly as possible.

Please keep us posted.

 

[Misti]

Loving all your recent posts, Janet!! Thanks for taking the time to share all the wonderful information and pictures!

 

[heatherlynn444]

i'm sorry for the [[; who have had bad GF IPO experiences....I can honestly say nothing but good things about them. I e mailed back and forth, almost every day and always got a reply. even when i changed ressies fifty times! the didn't seem to mind! hope you have better experiences next time!

 

[Lives4Disney]

Well said, Lives4Disney. That has been my experience, too.

Haha, except I had a typo!! AS possible.

Janet, I enjoyed your laundry room info and pics! I am a chronic overpacker, so I kind of decided (kind of) that maybe (MAYBE ) next time I will bring fewer items & do laundry. Now that I know where the place is and it is actually pretty cute in there, lol. I usually send a few items out to be cleaned, but that isn't always on my mind on vacation so it doesn't always work out.

And I agree about IPO. It IS the first impression guests get of the resort. It should be a fantastic and impressive one. First impressions matter. BWI IPO was good for us, but the service we received onsite was really really lacking. Mistake after mistake. Despite the fact that I really like the BWI, that stay left a bad taste with us. I am softening, but DH says NO WAY would he stay there again. Compared to what we are used to at the GF, BWI service was a nightmare. He's footing the bill and if he prefers GF, hahaha - who am I to argue, LOL.

Lives4Disney