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

[glass slipper girl]

Hi ladies! I have a quick question about Sugarloaf requests and expectations. My family and I were booked at CR 14th floor for mid-September but I just changed us to Sugarloaf. A little disappointed but we all fell in love with the Grand Floridian last December (we were in Sago Cay) so we're excited about that. My reason for the change was that I will be 7 months pregnant on this trip (SURPRISE! DSs were both the product of fertility meds and treatments and this was a total shock, but a good one. ). I have our itinerary planned with lots of half days and plenty of time hanging at the resort. The kids LOVED the GF pool and we felt like for so much time just hanging out at the resort, the GF was a better choice, more small child friendly pool and more relaxing grounds. I was also worried that we'd end up bumped out of 14th floor by renovations and I really want a monorail resort for convenience (especially with 2 kids and 7 months pregnant!) and I would be very disappointed if we had to go to an Epcot resort for this trip. I figured we would just go ahead and take matters into our own hands and change over now and plan for 14th floor next year.

SO...what should I request at Sugarloaf? I already have a request for a tower room on our reservation. I emailed IPO to let them know the change even though CR and GF share an IPO, I just wanted to make sure they knew to just transfer all my ADRs to a new itinerary. I noted that request for IPO too. Anyone have any suggestions for requests if we are not in a tower room?

Also, food offerings...anywhere to look for examples (DH was looking forward to the Cali Grill stuff at CR, I want to show him that this won't be so bad ). I'll be in RPC in July for a girls weekend and I hear that the offerings are the same so I guess I'll get to check them out then. Is that true, that they are the same for both locations?

So, we've shifted our focus but we adored the GF so we're looking forward to that too!

 

[Docsknotinn]

SO...what should I request at Sugarloaf?

Pickles & Ice cream ?

 

[TammiMcMan]

Anyone have any suggestions for requests if we are not in a tower room?

Also, food offerings...anywhere to look for examples

If the tower room is your priority, then I would leave the request "as is". There really aren't any bad rooms in SugarLoaf and either the marina or garden view are lovely.

StephH put together a really nice website for her SugarLoaf visit a few months ago. She has some great pictures of the food offerings. http://www.thehawkinsfamily.org/thf/sugar_loaf.htm

 

[glass slipper girl]

Pickles & Ice cream ?

I'm actually more of a buffalo wings and blue cheese pregnant person.

Thanks for the link, Tammi. I knew I had seen that before and was going to dig through the thread here for it today. I'd love to have a tower room but I also felt our standard room in Sago was plenty spacious last year so I'll be fine w/o it. I would prefer not a dormer room b/c DS (6) likes to sleep on the day bed and I guess they don't have day beds, plus I like the full, open balcony better. We're tall people (I'm 5'10, DH is 6'4) and the sloped part of the ceiling, we can't stand under for a good part of it. We had a dormer room in VWL a few years ago and definitely would have preferred a regular room. I guess I will just wait to put in a request for that at check in though.

 

[triplefigs]

I'm actually more of a buffalo wings and blue cheese pregnant person.

Thanks for the link, Tammi. I knew I had seen that before and was going to dig through the thread here for it today. I'd love to have a tower room but I also felt our standard room in Sago was plenty spacious last year so I'll be fine w/o it. I would prefer not a dormer room b/c DS (6) likes to sleep on the day bed and I guess they don't have day beds, plus I like the full, open balcony better. We're tall people (I'm 5'10, DH is 6'4) and the sloped part of the ceiling, we can't stand under for a good part of it. We had a dormer room in VWL a few years ago and definitely would have preferred a regular room. I guess I will just wait to put in a request for that at check in though.

We had the Tower Room in SugarLoaf in December. It was wonderful. we had the 2nd floor one, and if you were sleeping on the sofa you could hear the service elevator at night. the 3rd floor would be the best (has the sofa that pulls out). the 4th floor doesn't have a balcony and the sofa (I don't think) pulls out.

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

glass slipper girl, do you mind 1st floor? I have 3 children and I loved being on 1st floor at SL. I requested 1st floor, marina view and got it. We were 2 doors behind the concierge desk. There are heavy doors that close to keep lounge noise out of the hallway. It was very quiet when these doors were closed. Being 7 months pregnant I think this would be a great location for you.

Lori

 

[glass slipper girl]

tripplefigs - thanks for the info on the different tower rooms! I copied and pasted that into my trip info file to bring with us just in case we are given options at check in. I remember reading your trip reports. We were there part of the same dates you were and whenever we were out and about at the resort I had an eye out for triplets!

Lori, that does sound like it would be a good option for us! DH has said he would like to be close to the lounge. We were at AKL CL last December (split stay GF/AKL) and our room was a hike and a half to the lounge. We were all the way out at the opposite end of the horseshoe (like 3 rooms from the end) and on a different floor from the lounge. We joked that we needed a "lounge sherpa" to get back and forth. Because of the incovenience, we didn't use the lounge much at all. I pointed out to him that the lounge is the lobby of Sugarloaf. We were about half way down one hallway of Sago and agreed that the hallway walk and down to the lobby wasn't far from any point.

The tower rooms look terrific! I'll keep my fingers crossed for one but we'll be fine in a regular room if need be and a first floor request would be a good idea! We are getting in late the night before and spending that night at Pop since it will be too late to really go to a park or anything (my DH is joking that staying at Pop will send me, the self confessed resort snob, into labor...but to be honest I'm curious to see it and it saves us enough to buy 2 of our tickets!). One of my cousins and his family will be there and checking out on our first day so we figured we could check in, meet up with them and hang at the pool for a bit then put the kids to bed and the adults can sit and chat. We've requested connecting rooms for that one night, hopefully that will work out. I plan to get up early and drive over to the GF (borrowing their car since they are driving in and won't be needing it untill they head out at 11 am) and check us in telling them we will wait for a tower room if one is available for our dates. We will then check out of Pop, have the luggage transferred and head to the MK. The plan is to stay till after the afternoon parade so we wouldn't be getting back to the GF untill at least 4:00. Hopefully that plan will be successful in getting a "good room" if one is available. If not...hey, we're still at the GF and in Sugarloaf so I'm sure there isn't a "bad room" to be had.

 

[tinkerrn]

OK...just booked SL for 5 nights in Sept.. Dh said we will discuss adding an extra night when he comes home this evening. SOOOO...what do I do know? When does the concierge contact you? Can I contact them? I have a ton of questions to ask...especially since this will be our first anniversary. I am wanting some really special things to do for DH. By the way, has anyone done the romance dinner, where they set up dinner for you anywhere at the resort? I would love to do that on the beach and watch Wishes. Also, any news on the cananas? I am sooo excited!!! Any where I should request a room at? How are the first floor rooms? Would really like a marnina view, how are the patios? Thanks!

 

[jimenyfan]

Has anyone else had problems with the planning staff getting back to them. I requested a copy of my current itinerary since I was within my 90 day window for a Wishes Cruise, Pirate Adventure and Animal Kingdom Safari and havent heard anything back yet. We will also be at the YC for 8 nights and they are right on top of everything.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

anyone have any pics of the alice rooms besides the ones all earsnet or laighing place
they dont show mcuh detail

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Has anyone else had problems with the planning staff getting back to them. I requested a copy of my current itinerary since I was within my 90 day window for a Wishes Cruise, Pirate Adventure and Animal Kingdom Safari and havent heard anything back yet. We will also be at the YC for 8 nights and they are right on top of everything.

This is a VERY VERY busy time for that office. They are getting on average 60+ voicemails per day, and 30+ e-mails. Just be patient, and they will get back to you -- it just might take a little bit of time.

 

[jimenyfan]

This is a VERY VERY busy time for that office. They are getting on average 60+ voicemails per day, and 30+ e-mails. Just be patient, and they will get back to you -- it just might take a little bit of time.

Thank You, I was starting to get aggravated.

 

[superbird]

I have a question about the easiest way to get to the spa from the WL.We have appointments at 9:30, is it better to just drive there.If so how do we do this?

 

[Lives4Disney]

Happy Easter, everybody.

I finally found the time (well, my DH has ) to deal with getting the CABANA pics up for ya! Sorry it took so long! I haven't even really gone thru my vacation pics yet. In one of the pics it looks like my DH is on his laptop, but he has a cellular modem and that is what he was using. There is NO wireless internet service from the GF that reaches out to the cabanas. We tried and he asked and got help from CMs out there - there is NO wireless at the GF pool cabanas.

I also have pics of the Bippity Boppity Boutique following the cabana pics. My girls slept on their backs, still as stone for three nights to try and keep those funky doos as long as possible! ~ They loved that BBB experience. ~

Happy planning,

Lives4Disney

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[marcij]

Happy Easter, everybody.

I finally found the time (well, my DH has ) to deal with getting the CABANA pics up for ya! Sorry it took so long! I haven't even really gone thru my vacation pics yet. In one of the pics it looks like my DH is on his laptop, but he has a cellular modem and that is what he was using. There is NO wireless internet service from the GF that reaches out to the cabanas. We tried and he asked and got help from CMs out there - there is NO wireless at the GF pool cabanas.

I also have pics of the Bippity Boppity Boutique following the cabana pics. My girls slept on their backs, still as stone for three nights to try and keep those funky doos as long as possible! ~ They loved that BBB experience. ~

Happy planning,

Lives4Disney

​

I can't see the pictures -- can anyone else?

 

[poohluvrs]

Thanks Lives4Disney! THe pool looks crowded! Was the cabana worth it? We have 2 toddlers, is it a convenient location, what do the drinks in the fridge run, & did you order lunch there?

I cant see the BBB pix! Thanks again

 

[Lives4Disney]

Here's some Bippity Boppity Boutique for you. My girls both got the funky Diva princess looks which I believe were about $45 each. They wound up looking like a couple GoGos, but they loved it. I wasn't too sure about the makeup and nails, but they both chose very subtle light pink shades and both had their nails painted delicate, sheer colors and took the tacky press-on nails to go. I had fun watching and taking pics. On another thread, it was posted that the Fairy Godmothers aren't licensed. Well, all they do is cutesy stuff. There is no hair cutting or anything like that. Just very nice styling and glittery makeup. FUN!! And the styles DID LAST - my girls got them done on a Monday morning and they lasted until Thursday night when I MADE them shampoo their hair.

Happy planning,

Lives4Disney

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[Lives4Disney]

Here they are, guys!! We had to go buy more data transfer!!!

Poohlovers, the pool wasn't too crowded, actually. My girls went down the slide continuously w/out waiting in any lines. We rented the cabana from 3pm to 7pm, so we didn't eat lunch there. The drinks and fruit in the cabana are "free" included in your rental price of $60 for the 4hour period. There was a room service type menu on the table for orders, but we were eating at 1900PF, so we didn't take advantage of that.

My husband liked the cabana, my girls liked it too. But I thought it was no big deal. I had to be in the water watching my girls. DH wasn't. I had to follow them around over to the sand. DH didn't. I had to take them to the bathroom. DH didn't. You get the picture. If I could have sat on my butt and read a book and relaxed, I would have liked it more. My husband thought it was a good deal. You never know. I was worried he would be like "You paid for this?"

Lives4Disney

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

In one of the pics it looks like my DH is on his laptop, but he has a cellular modem and that is what he was using. There is NO wireless internet service from the GF that reaches out to the cabanas. We tried and he asked and got help from CMs out there - there is NO wireless at the GF pool cabanas.

Hmm... I could have sworn that there is supposed to be. I'll have to check on that.

At any rate, there IS wireless service at various locations at the main pool.

 

[poohluvrs]

What great pix! The Fairy Godmothers are quite amusing! Your girls are dolls, they look like they loved it! THe banners they have are adorable too! DId your girls pick the ALice & Ariel dresses there, or did you bring those, were the dresses on the rack hanging the ones they sell for the full princess package? Do you recommend? Thanks again!!! You brightened my night!\PS-Was it easy to get to BBB form GF & how did you do it? THanks!!!