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

[Tinkaroo]

ok happy helpers. need some advice. I am by NO MEANS planning a trip, as we are broke haha. BUT for teh future....I ave been crunching numbers....we love the GF so much, but could get a super nice room somewhere. Icould get conceirge at some other deluxes for teh price of a GV room at the GF. I am torn. do I try somewhere new and get more perks, or stick with teh GF? (we were thinking either WL or AKL) help me ladies!!!! (like i said, we have no trip planned, but my wheels are turning....)

Heatherlynn - DH and I absolutely adore AKL! It is one of the very few resorts we've repeated thus far. There is something truly special about it - it's a different kind of special than the GF, but is so well done (and the restaurants there are awesome!). We stayed there for DH's 30th b-day - it was his choice, and admittedly, I was less than thrilled going into it, as I am not a "nature" type of girl. Boy was I wrong - it was an amazing resort and stay - and we usually go back by to "visit" each trip, even when we're not staying there.

The WL has a huge following as well. We've stayed there once, and didn't have the greatest trip, but I think it was colored more by personal circumstance (we got really sick!) than by the resort itself. If I don't change my mind, we'll be giving it another try in about 3 weeks. They do have those nicely renovated rooms that I'd like to check out (but I'm less than thrilled that the pool will still be under construction).

I think if you go into the trip knowing that it will be different than the GF, but have an open mind to enjoy these same differences, I think you will be pleasantly surprised and find another favorite!

 

[heatherlynn444]

thanks for the opinions everyone. i keep changing my mind about what to do! lol. i def. want to go, but the question is, where? haha. we are really consdering AKL or WL. we will def. go to the GF again, but probably nt until DH gets out of law school. hopefully after he has a good job we will be able to afford it! I have done RPC twice and there is just nothing like it! but when you can stay conceirge at another deluxe for the price of the cheapest GF room it is hard to justify!thanks so much for all your input. I have been trying to seel old textbooks on ebay to earn money for the trip!

 

[minnie my my]

Heatherlynn,

We are going through the same thing as you. We had a trip in April booked for Polynesian LV concierge. Our two favorites are GF RPC and Poly conc. We have always liked GF around Christmas and Poly the rest of the year. After our trip this past Christmas to the RPC we left with a bad taste in our mouth. Everyone was nice and friendly but I definitely did not feel that I got my money's worth or even came close. The prices are just too high now. I feel like I'm wasting my money even though I can afford it. There is a very very nice five star resort where I live with 24 hour butler service, a Range Rover the entire length of your stay, and much more that is less per night than GF RPC is. That is just crazy. I still like the GF but I don't think we will be returning any time soon. Infact, we changed our April trip from the Poly to the WL conc. and are saving $2000.00. I feel like the prices (especially when I compare them to incredible resorts in other places and the service you get at them) are getting way out of hand. I am actually looking forward to our stay at the WL.

Myra

 

[triplefigs]

We just changed our trip to the BC. Saving a ton of money over the GF. We aren't staying concierge (for the 1st time which kind of scares me). I know lots of you have stayed at the BC. I hate to hijack the GF thread, so if you have any info could you please PM me? Thanks!

 

[triplefigs]

Heatherlynn,

We are going through the same thing as you. We had a trip in April booked for Polynesian LV concierge. Our two favorites are GF RPC and Poly conc. We have always liked GF around Christmas and Poly the rest of the year. After our trip this past Christmas to the RPC we left with a bad taste in our mouth. Everyone was nice and friendly but I definitely did not feel that I got my money's worth or even came close. The prices are just too high now. I feel like I'm wasting my money even though I can afford it. There is a very very nice five star resort where I live with 24 hour butler service, a Range Rover the entire length of your stay, and much more that is less per night than GF RPC is. That is just crazy. I still like the GF but I don't think we will be returning any time soon. Infact, we changed our April trip from the Poly to the WL conc. and are saving $2000.00. I feel like the prices (especially when I compare them to incredible resorts in other places and the service you get at them) are getting way out of hand. I am actually looking forward to our stay at the WL.

Myra

Someone posted on the Resorts board today that the Deluxe rooms at the WL now include Concierge service at the WL. Another option for families larger than 4 like us!

 

[Lives4Disney]

Heatherlynn,

We are going through the same thing as you. We had a trip in April booked for Polynesian LV concierge. Our two favorites are GF RPC and Poly conc. We have always liked GF around Christmas and Poly the rest of the year. After our trip this past Christmas to the RPC we left with a bad taste in our mouth. Everyone was nice and friendly but I definitely did not feel that I got my money's worth or even came close. The prices are just too high now. I feel like I'm wasting my money even though I can afford it. There is a very very nice five star resort where I live with 24 hour butler service, a Range Rover the entire length of your stay, and much more that is less per night than GF RPC is. That is just crazy. I still like the GF but I don't think we will be returning any time soon. Infact, we changed our April trip from the Poly to the WL conc. and are saving $2000.00. I feel like the prices (especially when I compare them to incredible resorts in other places and the service you get at them) are getting way out of hand. I am actually looking forward to our stay at the WL.

Myra

Hi, Myra! OK aren't you going to let us know the name of that great sounding resort, lol??

I felt the same. There are a handful of concierge and lounge CMs that make our RPC stays so special - and they really have been special! - but the rates are absolutely out of hand at this point. I am reading more and more of us are backing out of RPC stays lately. I had it reserved for 5 nts in July (deluxe room,too - first time that was available for me) and canceled it to book Dolphin. If great AP rates pop up, I will probably switch to YC this trip for the pool. I LOVE RPC, but the rates choke me. For as much as we go to WDW, I think we will have to cut back on the RPC stays. Maybe we've just done it too much & need a break to make staying there feel more special. I have GV booked in Nov for Thanksgiving, and honestly I feel REALLY good about it.

Take care,

Channing

 

[triplefigs]

Channing, you going to let BK have one of those gorgeous dresses when your girls outgrow them? That picture from the GF at Christmas is just beautiful.

I will be watching to see if you really stick with the GV at the GF. Somehow you and I both always start out in regualar rooms and end up in Concierge?

 

[Lives4Disney]

Channing, you going to let BK have one of those gorgeous dresses when your girls outgrow them?

Hey, Hi, Denise!! I loved reading your BCV report!! What an awesome trip!

What size does BK wear?? Jojo's dress is a size 7. I don't think it will fit her next year. I SHOULD have ordered her an 8 because she's between sizes. She is going to wear it for Valentines Day and then that will probably be it. What size is BK? Or what size will she be next Xmas?? It is an American Girl dress "Chocolate Cherry" and I actually bought them on Ebay new because they are discontinued and we have the matching AG doll dress for Jo's Jess doll. They were cute together.

I saw you asking about YC.....your kids would LOVE that pool. If you book a standard room, I would ask for a gazebo view and it will be pretty and facing the Epcot/SAB area but at the far end toward the Dolphin resort. We had a few stays in that wing years ago (near laundry room, too) when DH would go to conferences there, but didn't realize how lucky we were not to have a roof or parking lot view. We are thinking about YC for June 30 - July 9....we'll see what kind of fabulous rate come out.

PS...do you know why my pics don't show up in all my posts??? I am frustrated by this!!!

Happy planning!!

Lives4Disney

 

[minnie my my]

Triplefigs,

Thanks for that info. That is nice to no. My 3rd ds is only 7 mths and still in a crib at this point. But it want be long before that will definetly be an issue. I'm glad you mentioned that.

Channing,

The resort I mentioned is The Lodge at Sea Island. I haven't checked the rates at the Cloister but they are both owned by Sea Island just a few miles apart from each other. When I compare the prices with the service it just isn't worth it to pay for RPC any more. There is no way I am going to keep paying these high prices as often as we go. Maybe it would be okay, like you said, for an occaisional trip just to be something extra special. I would still have to think hard about it though. For now, I'm saying I don't forsee any upcoming trips back to RPC and probably not to the GF. I do still love the look and feel of the resort. Its really the prices that I am not happy with.

Myra

 

[marcij]

Channing -- I love your new sig pictures. I remember when you first posted them after your trip. The girls are just gorgeous!

 

[DisneyMomx7]

Denise and Channing,

It looks like I might be running into one or both of you at YC. We're at YC June 28-July 6 and GF July 6-12!

I have to agree about the wedding gazebo rooms at YC. We had a waterview room last year and in-laws had a garden view. We both lucked out. Our room was directly lakefront (across from the laundry room, which I loved) and in-laws was close by but looking out towards the wedding gazebo. If you looked to the right you could see the marina. I loved being by that side door too. I always hate traisping through the lobby for the pool - even though we all have cover ups!

 

[triplefigs]

Robyn and Channing, you both keep mentioning YC over the BC. We got the BC. Should we switch to the YC instead?

 

[Alicnwondrln]

channing your daugthers look beautiful

i like YC way over BC
the lobby the atmosphere we just liked it more
we did BC club level in dec and it nice the room was nice very casual
the staff was ok the food was ok
the lounge was way to SMALL
its was all ok nothing spectacular but better than GF sugar loaf
the pool area was a huge hit with my sons

 

[Alicnwondrln]

We just changed our trip to the BC. Saving a ton of money over the GF. We aren't staying concierge (for the 1st time which kind of scares me). I know lots of you have stayed at the BC. I hate to hijack the GF thread, so if you have any info could you please PM me? Thanks!

not to hijack but here are some pics of our room at the bc concierge
and I know what you about cLub level our last 4 stays have been there and i cant imagine not staying club level now
i think you just get used to having the food snack and service oh my

now some pics of my room at the GF sugar loaf

hehehe

 

[DisneyMomx7]

Denise - both are great and share a lot of the same facilities. The reason we pick YC over BC are - YC has mostly full balconies. DH runs early every morning and I like to have my coffee on the balcony or patio while he's running and before the kids wake up. Also YC seemed a little less hectic to me - more along the lines of GF. Of course if your kids are like mine they won't care if they are at YC or BC as long as they are at SAB!

 

[Tinkaroo]

Channing - just wanted to say that I love the new pics in your siggie. Your girls are just gorgeous (and the dresses are, too!)!

 

[triplefigs]

Ok, I trust all of your opinions since we all love the GF so much. So I just called the AAA agent and she's checking into switching the ressie to the YC instead.

We're getting the standard room vs the water view. What would be good requests to try to get a decent standard view? I need to be close to transportaion if possible for DS. I hate to hijack the GF thread, but the BC/YC thread doesn't get many hits. Maybe this should become the GF/YC/BC FAQ!

Thanks!

 

[Alicnwondrln]

i agree with channing and would request the gazebo view
your right the YC BC and BWI threads dont have alot of traffic

 

[Lives4Disney]

Kelly I love your pics....thanks for putting those up. Your little man is so cute. He looks like a funny guy!

BC room didn't thrill me, but the pool is awesome. YC rooms don't thrill me, either, lol, but they're pretty. I always choose YC because of the balconies and as Robyn said, it just isn't as CrAzY. When I think of BC, I think of wet, rowdy, unsupervised kids running thru the hallways. Also, the hallways are a maze. It gets confusing. (well for us anyway ....we had rooms in odd places) GF rooms....now those thrill me! I loved your dormer room, Kelly!!

Robyn, I hope we make it. I have some SWA credits that need to be used by July 14 or lost. I am waiting for a great DING!!! And a nice AP rate would be appreciated, too, so I can stay YC vs Dolphin.

Denise, you may want to consider WV at the YC. Our WV was soooo pretty of SAB and BW area. It was nice to wake up to and sit on the balcony and see the start of the day on the lake. OK, just a thought. If I push an upgrade, I bet you'll be sitting in concierge before long. If you do standard, request gazebo view near the laundry room and you will be near an exit door by the marina - way on the end, though. If you go thru the inside, you walk past the gift store (always fun, lol) down the hallways - not too far - to the lobby. Either way, you will have a great time at BC or YC. It's a fun area.

I know what you mean about styain concierge, Kelly, but I have no interest in doing concierge anywhere else except RPC (too expensive to be taken casually at this point) or might try Atrium Club because my kids love CR. NOT for summer though & NOT with that concourse construction. That CR pool area doesn't have appeal for me. I hear soso things about YC & BC concierge and I have done Poly concierge and it left me disatisfied. BWI was a really bad concierge experience. I like the BWI deluxe rooms, though, so maybe again in the future. Despite being spoiled by almost always staying CL, most WDW properties CL don't do anything for me.

Myra, those resorts sound really great!

Thanks for all the compliments on the girls. They are so much fun for me - my sweet little pals. That was just such a magical moment for us....talking to Vonnie & Joe and all of a sudden Minnie gets off the elevator and then Mickey comes strolling down the hall toward the elevator!! Just us and M & M. Very fun memory. Then later that night, DH and DS rode the elevator up with Mickey.

Happy planning,

Lives4Disney aka Channing

 

[triplefigs]

We just changed to June 16-24 (thought the earlier we go the less crowded) at the YC standard room. Thanks for all the help and I'm sorry I'll miss seeing Disneymomx7 and Channing!