The **NEW** Grand Floridian FAQ!(MAY 2011)

[k&a&c'smom]

....any comparisons to the Poly would be great! Thanks!

As others have mentioned, the rooms at the GF are lighter than the recent decor at the Poly. Both resorts have beautiful landscaping, and the view of the castle from the Poly grounds is more direct - the view from the GF is at an angle, though you don't notice it until the fireworks.

I much prefer the restaurants at the GF; for one thing, there are so many! We do love Kona for breakfast, but the GF Cafe has a delicious breakfast and lunch (we are rarely there for dinner), Citricos and Narcoosee's are very nice Signature restaurants (Poly doesn't have a Signature), and 1900 Park Fare is nice for the kids (although, Ohana at the Poly is more popular). V&A's is in a class by itself, an incredible dining experience.

I think both resorts have a good counter service option - Gasparilla's at GF; Captain Cook's at the Poly.

ETA: LOL about still loving your dad!

I am so sorry that I missed this. I am sad that we won't be staying at the GF either but we will still visit. With two teenagers, the second bathroom is priceless.

Thankfully we only had to change one meal.

YAY about the one meal change. You are so right, a second bathroom will be heaven.

Hi all! Checked into GF today for our short 2night stay. Sitting inthe RPC lounge listening to the band right now. Surprized DH with deluxe whirlpool room. It's beautiful & everyone has been so sweet & enthusiastic about our anniversary. Got a wonderful room with spectacular castle view & champaine. Too bad vacation is almost over!

Glad you are there, and having a wonderful time. Congrats on the anniversary.

Does anyone know if there is a good view of the castle from SL?? Not sure what the views there would be. But I would love to see the castle. Help from anyone would be appreciated. I'd like a higher floor in case that might give us a better view. I sure don't want to look at another roof top however.

Sorry, there are no castle views from Sugar Loaf, only courtyard pool and marina views.

The only roof top views I've seen at the GF are of the pool house, from Big Pine Key or Boca Chica.

 

[CoachBagFanatic]

For a few teips we stayed a BLT in a 1BR suite instead of my beloved GF. We had our young adult children with us and the extra room, the second bathroom, not to mention the washer and dryer made a huge difference. Like you said, you can visit the GF, but sometimes more room and privacy makes more sense.

The GF isn't going anywhere, you will be staying there again soon!

You know before we stayed at BLT in June 2010, I would do maybe one load of clothes on our vacation. Then when we returned, boy did I have laundry up the whazoo. Well, after staying at BLT and being able to do clothes every day and go home with clean clothes, boy I became really spoiled at that point. I always said that I would never to my daily chores while on vacation and I have since eaten those words. Being able to come home and just unpack our suit case instead of doing laundry is .

We looked at it that way as well, the GF will always be there and we have something to look forward to for 2013.

YAY about the one meal change. You are so right, a second bathroom will be heaven.

Oh after we changed resorts I was like, OH we have to do the dining again. and then I was like wait, we are just across the seven seas lagoon. No we don't Only one breakfast changed. Boy was I a happy camper.

 

[pas130]

Hi all! Checked into GF today for our short 2night stay. Sitting inthe RPC lounge listening to the band right now. Surprized DH with deluxe whirlpool room. It's beautiful & everyone has been so sweet & enthusiastic about our anniversary. Got a wonderful room with spectacular castle view & champaine. Too bad vacation is almost over!

2 days is too short I agree, but all the more reason to plan another trip Enjoy the rest of your stay!

You know before we stayed at BLT in June 2010, I would do maybe one load of clothes on our vacation. Then when we returned, boy did I have laundry up the whazoo. Well, after staying at BLT and being able to do clothes every day and go home with clean clothes, boy I became really spoiled at that point. I always said that I would never to my daily chores while on vacation and I have since eaten those words. Being able to come home and just unpack our suit case instead of doing laundry is .

I don't mind laundry too much. Less to do when you get home, and for me I get "quiet time" to walk around the resort a little But it is fabulous to have the washer/dryer right there in the villa. DD mentioned the ONLY thing she would want at GF is a kitchen It's not enough to let her agree to BLT for her birthday though- no negogiating this one

 

[KCmike]

You can see Wishes from both the dock and the marina outside of Gaspiralla Grill. Music is piped in both places, unless the speakers aren't working!

KCmike, loving the pictures from the Seven Seas Lagoon. What a great picture from a sea racyer! I have tried to take a picture when I am in one but there always seems to be a patrol boat close by and they say no pictures while on the sea racyers. I guess they don't want you to stop or slow down.

Thanks Jungle Cruiser!

 

[KCmike]

TGIF

 

[Mousemommy1]

I can give you some comparisons of the GF to Poly as I stayed at both in December. We spent a week at GF and couldn't get home because of a blizzard so they found us a room at the Poly for 2 nights. I can't tell you how many times I became disoriented walking the Poly grounds, although the lush landscaping certainly beats GF. We prefer sinks outside the bathroom, and at Poly you aren't going to be guaranteed that. Our room at Poly was larger than at GF, but I didn't feel that made up for the cleanliness issues we had. I prefer GF laundry facilities in each outer building rather than having a large facility as the Poly does. The towels at GF were thicker and larger than at Poly and the complimentary toiletries are a step above at GF. And you certainly compare the smells... Grand Floridian has a very distinguished aroma that takes your breath away. LOVE IT! I prefer the light and airy feeling of the GF buildings and rooms to the darker ambience at Poly.

And if you like bacon, the deal breaker will be for GF. Gasparilla's was the only quick service restaurant and buffet that served thick bacon. Mmmmm....

If you were to ask my boys (ages 9 and 7) what hotel they prefer, they will say hands down it's GF!

DH read this...and as he always says "bacon makes everything better"!!! Now, he's seriously intrigued by the GF, willing to spend an extra $250 for bacon...MEN!!!

 

[Jungle Cruiser]

I got a call on my cell phone this afternoon from a number I didn't recognize. However at second glance I saw the area code was 407, you know what that means...DISNEY! It was the IPO for the GF calling. We aand arriving in 10 days and they called to see if there was anything they could help us with. Needless to say I am happy I answered the phone.

 

[CoachBagFanatic]

I don't mind laundry too much. Less to do when you get home, and for me I get "quiet time" to walk around the resort a little But it is fabulous to have the washer/dryer right there in the villa. DD mentioned the ONLY thing she would want at GF is a kitchen It's not enough to let her agree to BLT for her birthday though- no negogiating this one

After staying at BLT I really don't mind doing laundry now. You are right, less to do when you get home. Because everyone knows the mom always unpacks everything and puts things away.

Hey maybe once the GF DVC is done than your DD can have her kitchen. I know some are not thrilled with the DVC but we are and can't wait. We are definitely spoiled by the amount of space in the villa's as opposed to a regular room.

I got a call on my cell phone this afternoon from a number I didn't recognize. However at second glance I saw the area code was 407, you know what that means...DISNEY! It was the IPO for the GF calling. We aand arriving in 10 days and they called to see if there was anything they could help us with. Needless to say I am happy I answered the phone.

This happened to me as well back in 2008. I wasn't going to answer the phone but like you I noticed the 407. After the phone call I was jumping out of my skin because our vacation was so close. How exciting for you to be going to the GF soon.

 

[mom of 3G's]

DH read this...and as he always says "bacon makes everything better"!!! Now, he's seriously intrigued by the GF, willing to spend an extra $250 for bacon...MEN!!!

I have to be honest...part of me wants to try Contemporary MK view because it would be considerably less than a GF theme park view, but I just can't talk myself out of the GF and this is one of the reasons why. Our entire family loves bacon and we get tired of the thin stuff served at all the buffets.

 

[Mousemommy1]

I have to be honest...part of me wants to try Contemporary MK view because it would be considerably less than a GF theme park view, but I just can't talk myself out of the GF and this is one of the reasons why. Our entire family loves bacon and we get tired of the thin stuff served at all the buffets.

I started to laugh at this...until my DH asked what I was laughing about...and he reminded me that I once considered having a 3rd child just so I could get the delicious free bacon at our local hospital...true story!!!! I guess we all have our priorities.

 

[disneydreamin247]

A week from now I will be riding the monorail over to the Grand from the Poly so we can switch over and check in.

 

[mickeynut1]

For those who have stayed RPC TPV.....did you think it was worth it for the view? I have stayed GV, SL, and RPC (standard) and was wondering if TPV was worth the extra cost? We are booked Poly GV CL for December (we've stayed GV and loved it) and I'm excited to give CL a try. But I can't stop thinking about how relaxing it would be to sit in the RPC lounge listening to the band play and taking in all the Christmas decorations . We are currently booked with a 40% off code and I haven't called to see if RPC is even available with my code, but looking at rack rates for our week, RPC TPV is available. I know availability with rack rate doesn't mean anything and I know "worth" is different for everybody, but I was just curious as to what other's opinions were. We don't usually spend the extra money on views, but if there is availability with my code and TPV is all there is, I might consider it as it would be nice sitting on our balcony watching the fireworks .

 

[KCmike]

 

[thehighprincess44]

Four weeks from now the only "cooking"I will be doing is putting the cup in front of the nespresso machine while lounging in the club!

 

[pas130]

I got a call on my cell phone this afternoon from a number I didn't recognize. However at second glance I saw the area code was 407, you know what that means...DISNEY! It was the IPO for the GF calling. We aand arriving in 10 days and they called to see if there was anything they could help us with. Needless to say I am happy I answered the phone.

After staying at BLT I really don't mind doing laundry now. You are right, less to do when you get home. Because everyone knows the mom always unpacks everything and puts things away.

Hey maybe once the GF DVC is done than your DD can have her kitchen. I know some are not thrilled with the DVC but we are and can't wait. We are definitely spoiled by the amount of space in the villa's as opposed to a regular room.

I know what you mean...DVC there would be perfect for us!!!

A week from now I will be riding the monorail over to the Grand from the Poly so we can switch over and check in.

KCMike More photos to keep me going, thanks!

 

[MommyGina]

Mickeynut1 - We stayed in Room 4401 this past July. It was RPC TPV. We have stayed in SL the previous two times and Sago three times before that. Was RPC worth the extra money? In our minds - no. We are going back to SL next year.

DS and I watched the fire works every night from the balcony. It was nice, but we could have sat down at Gasparialla's and watched just as well. We really didn't spend enough time in our room, as usual.

Also, staying in RPC, we rarely walked around the resort as we did when we stayed in SL. It seemed like we were missing something this trip. Don't get me wrong, RPC is just beautiful. If it is raining when you come back from the parks from the monorail, you don't have to run to another building. You are already in your building. SL and RPC have the same food offerings and drinks. Also, we found that we talked to more people when we stayed in SL because it was a smaller seating area than RPC. We never made "friends" this time.

Whatever you choose, you can't go wrong with the GF. I love to sit in the lobby and listen to the music. Yes, we did hear the music from RPC, but unless you were hanging over the railing, you couldn't see what was going on there. I hope that no one takes my findings the wrong way. It is just our opinion.

 

[latinqt]

Can't wait to get to the GF. We'll be leaving on the 29th Dec. for the NYE cruise on the Dream. Here's hoping that the weather is great, seas calm and no serious mishaps. Have fun to all who stay at the GF.

 

[k&a&c'smom]

Jungle Cruiser - You are sooo close! Isn't that cool that IPO is contacting guests right before their arrival? Very nice addition, I think.

Mouseymommy1 - Your family truly DOES love bacon.

CoachBagFanatic - I'm one of those that isn't excited by DVC at the GF, as I'm afraid it will change the feel of the resort. But I have friends who own DVC, so I am happy for them, and I'll just have to get used to the changes. I hate change to something I love - I've never recovered from the decor switch in 2007.

thehighprincess44 - Four weeks to go, won't be long now!

latinq - December will be here before you know it.

KC Mike - love that pool photo, even with our cooler temps.

mickynut1 - We have not stayed in a TPV room in the main building. My feeling about TPV in general is that it's a nice splurge for a first time stay, a special occasion or when you have little ones that need to be in bed before the fireworks. However, we never book TPV, as we usually choose either garden view or club level, which seems a better bang for your buck (for us).

DD and I love being in the main building, but as MommyGina posted, we seem to spend less time wandering the grounds when we do. We do, on the other hand, spend more time listening to the music in the lobby!

If it were me, and I wanted to try RPC, I'd probably grab it while it is discounted. A 40% discount doesn't come around that often, so it would be a good time to give it a try.

Best of luck in your decision! December is our favorite time in the World.

 

[mickeynut1]

Mickeynut1 - We stayed in Room 4401 this past July. It was RPC TPV. We have stayed in SL the previous two times and Sago three times before that. Was RPC worth the extra money? In our minds - no. We are going back to SL next year.

DS and I watched the fire works every night from the balcony. It was nice, but we could have sat down at Gasparialla's and watched just as well. We really didn't spend enough time in our room, as usual.

Also, staying in RPC, we rarely walked around the resort as we did when we stayed in SL. It seemed like we were missing something this trip. Don't get me wrong, RPC is just beautiful. If it is raining when you come back from the parks from the monorail, you don't have to run to another building. You are already in your building. SL and RPC have the same food offerings and drinks. Also, we found that we talked to more people when we stayed in SL because it was a smaller seating area than RPC. We never made "friends" this time.

Whatever you choose, you can't go wrong with the GF. I love to sit in the lobby and listen to the music. Yes, we did hear the music from RPC, but unless you were hanging over the railing, you couldn't see what was going on there. I hope that no one takes my findings the wrong way. It is just our opinion.

Thank you . We don't spend alot of time in our room either, so that has been going through my mind as well. My DS really wants to go back to the Poly, so I'll probably keep my ressie as it is, especially since we've never stayed CL at the Poly and I've always wanted to try it. Thanks again for your input .

 

[mickeynut1]

mickynut1 - We have not stayed in a TPV room in the main building. My feeling about TPV in general is that it's a nice splurge for a first time stay, a special occasion or when you have little ones that need to be in bed before the fireworks. However, we never book TPV, as we usually choose either garden view or club level, which seems a better bang for your buck (for us).

DD and I love being in the main building, but as MommyGina posted, we seem to spend less time wandering the grounds when we do. We do, on the other hand, spend more time listening to the music in the lobby!

If it were me, and I wanted to try RPC, I'd probably grab it while it is discounted. A 40% discount doesn't come around that often, so it would be a good time to give it a try.

Best of luck in your decision! December is our favorite time in the World.

I'm kind of the same way about views. I don't usually pay extra for views as we aren't in the room much and I never really felt like the extra cost was worth it; that's why I'm not sure about spending the extra now . When I stayed RPC in May, one of my favorite things to do was to sit in the lounge with my coffee early in the morning before anyone else got up. I loved it as it was so calm and peaceful looking out over the courtyard pool . I just keep thinking how nice that would be during Christmas time. This will be our 3rd time going in December, which is one of my favorite times of the year to go .

One question for you if you don't mind. Have you stayed CL at the Poly? If so, how would you compare Poly CL to GF RPC as far as food offerings, CMs, etc.? I thought the CMs in RPC were FABULOUS and were always there to help or assist in any way they could. But with that said, in all the years we've been going to Disney, we have never had bad CMs anywhere......I was just curious how they compare between those two CLs .