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

[marcij]

Thanks Michelle! The report and pics from your trip were wonderful. And I see you got Dream fastpasses as well! We smiled all day because of our fortune.

My friends via the DIS have been so incredible. I really only kept up with one or two threads during my mom's illness, but those friends really kept me going and were my free therapy, and they continue to do so now.

I'm so glad to be back on my regular threads!

 

[DisneyDoogie]

Michelle,

Your question about how high the rates can go at the GF before they level off is one we've been asking ourselves for a while now. We've been pricing an April or May vacation at the GF and for the last few weeks now, every room category has been available - from gardenview to RPC - and it's only 3 months away. Usually one or two of the categories, if not more, would have been sold out by now. We're waiting to see if the current annual passholder specials extend past March 30 and into April or May. But, even the 10% AAA isn't a big deal any more -- 10% off of RPC's $725 is around $650, and then when you add the tax, it's back to over $725 again. Plus, we live in Canada, so we get dinged with the exchange rate so the nightly RPC rates is almost $850. It'll be interesting to see if the availability changes between now and April.

 

[triplefigs]

Marci, I'm so glad we were able to help you feel better at Disney! Calvin at IPO was a tremendous help and so wonderful to work with in planning the surprises.

And for everyone else who doesn't frequent the DISigns board, the red shirt with the Christmas palm tree and white shirts with the yellow mickey in sunglasses that Marci and family are wearing are my designs. Wearing matching, personalized shirts get lots of attention at Disney!

 

[Lives4Disney]

Cute design, Denise! I had to go back and take a closer look!!

I bet you're getting excited about your girls' only weekend and the cool party!? Hope it's a blast. I am curious to hear about the party. I was hoping to maybe sneak away for a short, inexpensive trip with my girls to try the party, but they have both been sick since we returned and have just missed too much school.

I am looking into renting DVC points for a July stay and maybe tacking on some GF after. Zack wants to bring a friend so a 2 bdrm BWV or BCV would be great. Let me know how your stay was when you get back. I called CRO re GF suites (I wanted a one bedrm in SL or RPC) and found out that ONLY SOME CERTAIN SUITES HAVE RPC lounge ACCESS!!! Of course the one I wanted to book (SL one bdrm) does not. I am not too happy. I thought ALL SUITES have RPC access. There is an RPC one bdrm, but it only sleeps 4.....the SL sleeps 6.

Lives4Disney

 

[mlill]

I am looking into renting DVC points for a July stay and maybe tacking on some GF after. Zack wants to bring a friend so a 2 bdrm BWV or BCV would be great.
Lives4Disney

Channing-
Uh oh! Once you stay in a 2 bedroom villa, you're going to want that kind of room to spread out for every vacation! It really is like being at home, only you're in WDW. (and I mean that in a good way!) I know you will miss the concierge lounge and the daily maid service (although, you can get that if you want it), but you will love having your own master bedroom, jacuzzi tub and full kitchen. (Not that I have EVER cooked at WDW! LOL!) It's just nice to have the big fridge and microwave. I ordered some items from GardenGrocer before our trip and had it delivered right to the room when we got to the Boardwalk. It's really nice having whatever you want, right at your fingertips, and not have to get dressed and go to the lounge for snacks and drinks! Good luck with the point rental!

-Michelle

P.S. I hope the girls feel better soon! We brought home the WDW cold over here, too! We've all been pretty miserable, but no one has missed any school.

 

[mlill]

And for everyone else who doesn't frequent the DISigns board, the red shirt with the Christmas palm tree and white shirts with the yellow mickey in sunglasses that Marci and family are wearing are my designs. Wearing matching, personalized shirts get lots of attention at Disney!

Great shirt design, Denise! You guys are so talented over there on the DISigns board! Do you have a link to the designs that you've created? I'd love to see more!

-Michelle

 

[mlill]

I just wanted to post a few of my favorite Grand Floridian pictures from our December trip...

We really enjoyed our stay there, and will be going back someday! The Grand Floridian really does the holidays right!

-Michelle

 

[triplefigs]

Great shirt design, Denise! You guys are so talented over there on the DISigns board! Do you have a link to the designs that you've created? I'd love to see more!

-Michelle

Only around 200 designs or so...

http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y128/triplefigs/?

 

[mlill]

Only around 200 designs or so...

http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y128/triplefigs/?

That's all?!?! Holy cr*p! You've been busy! I've seen some of these designs floating around, I had no idea that you made them! Awesome! Thanks for posting the link! I'm an artist, too. I make photo quilts! I posted a few quilt pictures on the Arts & Crafts board awhile ago...

My Quilts

I'll have to swing by the DISigns board and say, "Hi!"

-Michelle

 

[Lives4Disney]

Michelle, those are just beautiful pictures. It looks like you really thought about what you were taking....unlike me, who just realizes I should take a pic and grabs the camera out of my pocket! Your pics are so pretty & creative.

I am kind of nervous about the whole points transfer thing. I just replied to someone with a reservation to rent or buy the points to be used before 7/31. I now noticed he has only this post, so I don't know what to think.

If we do go over summer, the 2 bedroom would be the way to go. The kids and I enjoy the BC pool and the BW at night is fun. How is the BW pool?? I know about the cool clown slide...is there any zero depth area? How deep is it??

If we do a 2bdrm, Zack could bring his two or three best buds and that would be great. I know they'd have a ball. I just NEED a MK resort for part of the trip. Preferably GF, but I am considering the other two actually just for a change and due to our (maybe) teen boy group. It may be better to just do two Poly or CR rooms vs suite. If I could have done a GF suite w/access to RPC that would have cinched it for me. I was totally surprised by the info CRO gave me about only CERTAIN suites having RPC access.

Thanks for the idea of Gardengrocer. That would be perfect. I am hoping to get a reply from my PM to the DVCer with the points. If not, I will just keep my eyes open for other opportunities.

Michelle - your quilts are super cute!

Denise - I gotta check your link, too!!
Lives4Disney

 

[mlill]

Channing-
I'll PM you 'cause I'm sure people here on the GF board don't want to hear about the Boardwalk. LOL!

-Michelle

 

[dingoballs]

We really enjoyed our stay there, and will be going back someday! The Grand Floridian really does the holidays right!

-Michelle

Great trip report and photos Michelle! We love the GF and always stay there.

 

[minnie my my]

Channing,

I would double check the info you got on RPC access with suites. I have considered booking a suite for our next trip. I sat down and talked to 3 concierge cm's while we were there a few weeks ago about our options. They all told me that all of the suites have RPC access. One of them was an actual room assigner. I don't know who is right but I would tend to think the people that actually work at the GF are more informed. Try calling the concierge lounge directly and talk to someone about it. I have done that before when I needed an answere to things and each CRO cm I spoke with gave me a different answer. I know they try hard and have a lot of information to retain so I usually double check the info I am given.

Myra

 

[phyllis1966]

I've read a couple of times now about an upcoming GF rehab, but can't find any info about it - has anyone heard when it may be starting?

Thanks!

 

[BCV23]

Marci, I'm sorry for your loss.

We checked out of the GF today and are now at BCV. We had a nice stay and an absolutely wonderful private tea. Dotty was our server and was such a delight. It will be a great memory for my family. I hope they can figure out a way to make it cost effective...maybe minimum # of people or minimum cost? But it was just perfect.

All the Christmas decorations were down at the GF when we checked in on 1/4 although there was Christmas music until today. Someone told me that the tree came down on 1/2.

I heard the rehab includes public areas as well as the rooms but no start date. I do think the frontline CMs aren't told the details.

A big thanks to Ducklite for help on where to view runners for the half marathon. Our elder son and his wife ran it on Saturday and it was very easy to cheer them on from the GF. Thank you, Anne!

The Basin shop was closing yesterday until early March.

And again Dotty was a gem at our private tea. Request her if you go to Gardenview.

 

[Tinkaroo]

I've read a couple of times now about an upcoming GF rehab, but can't find any info about it - has anyone heard when it may be starting?

Thanks!

No one seems to have a lot of info. on it, but it's rumored that it may start in Sept. of this year with SL.

 

[mlill]

We checked out of the GF today and are now at BCV. We had a nice stay and an absolutely wonderful private tea. Dotty was our server and was such a delight. It will be a great memory for my family. I hope they can figure out a way to make it cost effective...maybe minimum # of people or minimum cost? But it was just perfect.

And again Dotty was a gem at our private tea. Request her if you go to Gardenview.

I'm SOOO glad that your private tea turned out great! I hope you will post some pictues when you get home! Have a wonderful time at BCV!

Take care,
-Michelle

 

[ducklite]

Does anyone else think the prices are getting a bit out of hand, or is it just me? I wonder how high it will go before we see it leveling off a bit? Sorry, the rack rates always make me shudder...

-Michelle

DH and I have decided that enough's enough. We had an OK time last weekend, but there was no magic. I could have booked a room at the Hilton and gotten the same feeling. The RPC CM's were pleasant, but none of them seemed to want to go out of their way for anyone. We had never been contacted by IPO in advance (I booked directly through CRO) and I had contacted them for some dinner ADR's.

When we went to the lounge five monuites before the end of that particular offerings time, they had already packed it all away--the CM said it was because there was no one in the lounge at the time, so they started to put things away early.

We had a beautiful view of the castle from our room, but it was noisy--right over Gasparillas. The people in the connecting room next to us came back from whereever around 10:30 Saturday night and between their kid crying non-stop for half an hour, and them yelling at the kid to stop crying, we were woken up and then couldn't get back to sleep.

Sunday at 10:30 am there was only one CM at the concierge desk who was dealing with a guest issue on the phone, with several guests waiting to speak to her. She didn't even acknowledge me (the first one waiting) even though I stood there for about 20 minutes.

At those prices, I jsut expected a bit more. The room was clean and comfortable, but really just not worth the money. We would have enjoyed the visit just as much in a lagoon view non-CL room for half the cost. As much as I love staying CL, I love it for the extra service, and we just didn't find anything extra service-wise this visit. It was definitely not worth paying for.

Anne

 

[mlill]

Anne-
I'm very sorry that you had a less than magical time at the GF RPC. I don't think any of us are afraid to spend money, if it's worth it! The point is: if GF is going to charge such high rates, then they had better back it up with excellent service!

How was the marathon? Did you run in it?

-Michelle

 

[Lives4Disney]

Anne, sorry about your less than magical stay. I went home from our Xmas stay with the same type of feelings. We have become friends with a really special concierge CM and a few others recognize us and remember us by name and that is really nice and welcoming, but the particular concierge CM that we are friends with is the one that adds the magic to our stays. SHE's the reason we return. I hope the GF realizes what a gem they have in her. (I write after every stay to let them know!) She is all about Disney and helpful service and MAGIC for everybody at the GF. Some CMs are not as dedicated in their jobs - and it's too bad Disney isn't willing to PAY to hire and keep excellent CMs.

I have never been contacted by IPO first. I always book thru CRO. I have a hard time getting them to even reply to my emails. That sure does start the trip planning off on a sour note. DW/GF really needs to do something about IPO - it is a guest's first impression of the resort and the service.

The GF was fine for us, but I was so disgusted by the behaviour of the guests - mostly PARK guests. At the Gf, though, people thought nothing of piggying up the lounge and then leaving everything on their tables (after sitting there for hours and accumulating BIG messes. That was the first time I had seen that "Poly" behaviour in RPC ) People really have become illmannered savages and they are raising brats and taking them to WDW! (Stay out of our park!!!!) Realizing that turned me off this trip. I remember the early 90s when people were so much better dressed and mannered & respectful at WDW. The parks are starting to become filled with the wild and skankily dressed carnival/fair crowd hahaha . Where do they get the money??!! (Actually I always wondered that about the carnie crowd, too!) It is just sad.

(OK, I am NOT against carnivals and fairs, lol - have to say that - but we all know the type of folks that frequent them!! )

Channing aka Lives4Disney