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

[k&a&c'smom]

mickeynut1 - you're welcome!

pas130 - I missed that you were booking a 2BR suite! That 1BR info wasn't very helpful, was it?! Cali-D has suite descriptions on the first page, post #2. Suite B5 looks like a possibility.

Congrats on getting your BC booking. We haven't done BC CL, but love the overall resort, the location and the pool!

 

[pas130]

pas130 - I missed that you were booking a 2BR suite! That 1BR info wasn't very helpful, was it?! Cali-D has suite descriptions on the first page, post #2. Suite B5 looks like a possibility.

Congrats on getting your BC booking. We haven't done BC CL, but love the overall resort, the location and the pool!

You are always helpful I was told it has a marina view. 1 king in the bedroom, and 2 queens in the other bedroom, the parlor has a queen sleeper sofa. The only difference in the description was the outer lodge suite we had also had a daybed (It was a 1 bed suite with a connecting room from how it was described to me)

And when my practical side kicks in (and it will) I will most likely change to 2 connecting SL rooms. DD wants SL, she was VERY clear on that

And I can't go from GF to BC without staying CL, right?

 

[LuvLuvLuv]

And I can't go from GF to BC without staying CL, right?

Um... that is FOR SURE!! Lol... the offerings are pretty different so it'll be a nice change!! If they're the exact same as YC-CL... it'll be great!!

 

[pas130]

Um... that is FOR SURE!! Lol... the offerings are pretty different so it'll be a nice change!! If they're the exact same as YC-CL... it'll be great!!

Thank you

 

[focusondisney]

Congrats!! Do you mind sharing the room number? I was looking for a few with good views to request!

Thanks!

Can't speak for focusondisney, but DH & I loved RPC #4401 - same floor as the lounge and a beautiful TPV of the Castle!

(ETA: this was a "regular" room, no whirlpool or anything fancy, but we loved the location & the view!)

Hi! Got back from our vacation late Saturday night. We did a split stay: 5 nights YC (our favorite resort) & 2 nights GF (king deluxe RPC room). I was nervous about staying @ GF; just didn't know how well we would like it. As you all know, that was a worry I didn't need to have! Beautiful resort & every cast member we encountered was friendly, sweet & helpful. We will definately stay here again.

We took a cab over from YC @ about 10 AM & were met by "Denny". What an enthusiastic guy!! DH thought maybe a touch too much coffee; but I thought what a great job he has. No wonder he's in such a good mood! I think club level greeter would be my ideal Disney job. Our room was ready, so he took us right to it. According to Denny, we had the best room in the place; he siad this is the room all the CMs would want to stay in. We were in 4205. There are 9(?) deluxe kings on the 2nd floor & our room was smack in the middle. Entered the room to see THE CASTLE right in the middle of our view.

NOTE: This would be almost the exact same view as Stitchlet had, just to the right a little. Spectacular!!

The room was very clean & comfortable. Even tho we were right over the enterance to Gasparilla's, we never heard a sound from outside our room. We did not mind taking the elevator to the lounge. We usually request a room away from the lounge @ YC, so we are used to that. Loved, loved the SOFT, oversized bath towels! Never had that at any hotel we've ever stayed at.

Finally know the "smell" you guys always talk about. I couldn't smell it in the lobby, but did in the hallway. I loved it! DH thought it was a little too strong, but he's a man; what does he know?!

Found I really loved sitting in the lounge listening to the band & piano. While sipping that delicious tropical fruit juice. So relaxing & the music choices were great. Only regret I didn't video any of it. I didn't think of it until they were done.

Lounge food: here's what was there the 2 nights we were there: Thurs. 5 -7 PM: steak & blue cheese tarts & pot stickers. There was a cold shrimp crostini type offering too.

Fri. 5 -7 PM: A spinich/ cheese/ pastry plus fried shrimp (very tiny shrimp) for hot plus BBQ pork with a fruit salsa (cold).

I loved the bread with roasted garlic & seasoned oil. YC has nothing like that. The other cold offerings both nights were roasted green & yellow zucchini & asparagus, dips, many cheeses, crackers & rolls.

Desserts I saw: chocolate covered strawberries, mini eclairs, cupcakes, fruit tarts, a fruit & chocolate mousse layered cake & a mousse type cheesecake.

Breakfast: Several varieties of bagels; white, multi grain & raisin bread for toasting; blueberry muffins (regular sized with huge blueberries!); cheese & strawberry turnovers; croissants; ham & turkey lunch meat slices with rolls.

And of course oatmeal, yougurt & fruit. Which brings me to the only negative thing I can say about GF. Unfortunately, I saw many fruit flies all over the food service area. I know it's Florida in the summer, but I have a severe intolerance for bugs on my food. They were on the whole & cut fruit, rolls & bagels (sitting right on the foods). So I avoided those things. I did not ask anyone about it. DH hates when I complain about stuff, so I just ate what I thought was "safe". I don't know if this is a new problem or what. I have never seen anyone mention this before so maybe it just started. We have never seen this @ YC, in probably 10 club level stays there.


Swam once on Thursday evening. We were surprized that the water was pretty cold in the lakeside pool & the life guard laughed @ how long it was taking us to get in. He told us they had just put a new heater in the day before & it was taking a while to get the water temp back up. Only lasted a few minutes before we headed to the courtyard pool. Lifeguard wasn't surprized!


Monorail from MK Thursday afternoon about 3:30 had issues. Ended up waiting for a boat along with a lot of other people. Line for monorail got really long but it finally started up again. Because the MK was closing @ 6 for a private event, it was stopping @ 7 for the night. So we really didn't get too much monorail time.


Final thoughts: we really were happy here & will probably be back. Although next time I will probably do a garden view; we didn't really need the king deluxe room; it was just for a treat.


Thanks to you all for your advice & expertise. And photos! Sorry this post was sooo long. Thanks for reading!

 

[pas130]

focusondisney I'm glad you had a wonderful trip!!!!! Denny met us on arrival too, he was great! The kids loved him Sounds like a fantastic room...My DH said the same thing about the smell

Your post was NOT too long at all, welcome back! Fruit flies are bad this year (even up here in NJ) I didn't notice them in SL last month, I did notice some in Gasparillas though. I agree it's gross.

 

[Jungle Cruiser]

Jungle Cruiser and pas130, here is the info that CaliforniaDreaming posted on page 31, post #464:

With the outer building one bedroom suite (2 queens in the bedroom), you can be in any of the outer lodge buildings. The suite in Sago Cay faces the marina, Conch Key faces toward the pool and Narcoossee's, and the Boca Chica and Big Pine Key suites face the courtyard pool. All of them are on the fifth floor.

The other type of outer building one bedroom suite (1 king in the bedroom) are only in Sago Cay, third and fourth floors with nice park views.

As we have been discussing outer building suites, I thought re-posting this info might be warranted.

Thank you k&a&c'smom for this information, I had no idea. It is good to keep in mind for the future. And, I have to agree with you about DVC at the GF. I love the resort as it is and just don't want to change the feel of it.

Pas130, so you are doing a suite at the GF and then going to CL at the BC, it that right? When is the trip? I will be curious to hear what you have to say about BC CL. As much as I LOVE the GF, I do like the location of the BC. We stayed there once a few years ago, and it's great to be so close to EPCOT. However, now that I have stayed CL at the GF my past few trips I am not sure I can switch!

 

[k&a&c'smom]

pas130 - thanks for the sweet compliment. And, yes, it will be nice to have CL at BC, after being in a suite at the GF!

focusondisney - Welcome back! Glad you had such a wonderful stay, albeit short. Your room and view sound perfect.

Even without a new heater, the beach pool is always cooler than the courtyard pool. I'm a big baby about cold water, so I'm right there with you on heading over to the courtyard.

Sorry to hear about the fruit flies, that has never been an issue at any of the CLs we've visited. I wonder if they had a mass hatching this summer? We have had problems here at home the last two summers, these tiny gnat-like bugs are all over the house! I'm used to gnats outside, but when they invade the house, I'm not amused. They seem to be during the hottest part of the summer, I hope it isn't a permanent change here.

LOL about your DH and the smell!

 

[k&a&c'smom]

Thank you k&a&c'smom for this information, I had no idea. It is good to keep in mind for the future. And, I have to agree with you about DVC at the GF. I love the resort as it is and just don't want to change the feel of it.

Pas130, so you are doing a suite at the GF and then going to CL at the BC, it that right? When is the trip? I will be curious to hear what you have to say about BC CL. As much as I LOVE the GF, I do like the location of the BC. We stayed there once a few years ago, and it's great to be so close to EPCOT. However, now that I have stayed CL at the GF my past few trips I am not sure I can switch!

You are welcome! Those suites sound wonderful, don't they?!

It is tough to book another resort for us, too, we miss the GF. The proximity to Epcot won out this summer, as DD and I planned to hop over there for margaritas at La Cava, dinner at La Hacienda, and assorted snacks and slushies throughout the week. We did manage to visit the GF twice, had tea both times and enjoyed the lobby for the afternoon.

Which reminds me, I have to get those photos of the beach poolhouse uploaded and posted on the first page!

 

[zippitydooda]

Hi everyone!

So, I've been a member of some other Disney forums and I've been using the disboards while researching trips for years, but never officially joined until now! I just got engaged on the Disney Dream in March, and I re-booked for my honeymoon the same day hehe, but we're also going to Disney World.

We don't have a ton of money and are not people who can afford to stay at Deluxe resort normally (we stay off property or do value typically), but its our honeymoon so we're obviously splurging! For the moment we have a standard garden view room booked at the Grand Floridian with the deluxe dining plan (I want to eat at a signature dining restaurant for dinner every day and I like having it all paid for before). My question is whether this is worth it? I mean, I know the Grand is worth it, but it is a LOT more than any of out other options and now there's a good chance of construction noise on top of that. This is pretty much our one chance of staying at this resort (at least for the next long, long while) and so I want it to be good! I feel as though for a honeymoon no where will take care of us as much as the Grand, and we are not the type of people to let a bit of noise get us down (and we're going to be out and about lots anyways), but we will save over $300 by staying at the Poly, which is nothing compared to the cost of the whole trip, but is some awesome souvenir spending money!

What do you guys think? Is it worth all the money and will we still be wowed and pampered for our honeymoon? I hope the path between the poly and grand aren't closed cause I would love to walk over for some tonga toast breakfast one or two mornings

 

[k&a&c'smom]

Well, GF fans, I've finally gotten my August photos uploaded to my computer, and some of them are even on Photobucket! I know, I know - hard to believe it has only taken me a month and a half. I posted some pool house photos in post #10 on the first page; a couple new restaurant photos in post #11 (hallway, doors and interior of 1900 PF, and the interior of V&A's). I've got some photos of the shops, I'll try to add those tomorrow.

zippitydooda - Congratulations on your engagement, how magical it was on the Disney Dream!

When will you be going to WDW? I would say that will affect how much noise and construction are going on during your stay. Many visitors this month have said they didn't feel hampered by the walls or construction at all; when things really get going, it might be a different story, it's hard to say.

If you request a room in one of the buildings further from the construction - say, Conch Key, or better yet, Sago Cay - you will have less chance of being disturbed. And if the path is closed during your stay, you can still hop the ferry boat to the Poly for breakfast - it is the next stop! We often take the boat to Kona Cafe, then the monorail back (the GF is the next monorail stop from the Poly).

I hesitate to say it is worth it, as it is very hard to judge what anything is worth to another. For us, it is usually worth the extra cost, as we love the resort so much. We do try to grab a discount, which makes it even better.

 

[zippitydooda]

zippitydooda[/b] - Congratulations on your engagement, how magical it was on the Disney Dream!

When will you be going to WDW? I would say that will affect how much noise and construction are going on during your stay. Many visitors this month have said they didn't feel hampered by the walls or construction at all; when things really get going, it might be a different story, it's hard to say.

If you request a room in one of the buildings further from the construction - say, Conch Key, or better yet, Sago Cay - you will have less chance of being disturbed. And if the path is closed during your stay, you can still hop the ferry boat to the Poly for breakfast - it is the next stop! We often take the boat to Kona Cafe, then the monorail back (the GF is the next monorail stop from the Poly).

I hesitate to say it is worth it, as it is very hard to judge what anything is worth to another. For us, it is usually worth the extra cost, as we love the resort so much. We do try to grab a discount, which makes it even better.

Oh woops, totally forgot to say when I'm staying! My wedding is august 18th 2012 and then we're leaving the next day. Obviously no one knows what the construction will be like then, but I just don't know if I want to risk it! I didn't know that the boat went right to the Poly, that's awesome! Thank you!!

We did book with MEI/Mousefan travel so if there ends up being a discount (fingers crossed!) our agent will find it. I had an annual pass last year and I'm really missing that ap discount right now haha. We've walked around the Grand Floridian on many trips and I've eaten at 1900 Park Fare before, and I do love the resort and it just seems SO honeymoon-ish to me! I was pretty much convinced I would stay at the Poly for my honeymoon for years, but there's no King sized bed and no hot tub, which I know seems silly in august but it's pretty much a deal-breaker for my fiance. We stayed at the Beach Club last august for one night with his mother (her gift!) and while we swam in the awesome pool he just sat in the hot tub the whole time

 

[Lyons Family]

I have never in my life (sheltered of course) heard of Magic Kingdom closing for a private party.................any other scoop??

Inquiring minds would love to know.

Thanks for the beautiful report.

Safe travels
Sue and crew

 

[Tink rules]

they do "rent" out the parks... usually it's a corporation that does it. Often goes with some of the conventions that they are having.

A Spanish Corp. chartered the entire Disney Magic for it's last 7 day cruise though the Med. It really got some people mad because they had booked the cruise adding it onto the Transatlantic and they had to go back and change all of their plans.

 

[Tink rules]

Orrrr...

It could be a press event. Sometimes before they open something or premier something.. they will have a press event at one of the parks.

 

[dragonfly57005]

Zippitydooda - congrats on the engagement!

You will love the GF, don't change over to poly. It is busier and noisier. In Sept when it is slow in the parks, poly is busier because many of it's repeat customers like coming in the slow season. It will be full and crowded come Sept. GF will be more relaxing and spoiling. And more beautiful!

 

[zippitydooda]

Zippitydooda - congrats on the engagement!

You will love the GF, don't change over to poly. It is busier and noisier. In Sept when it is slow in the parks, poly is busier because many of it's repeat customers like coming in the slow season. It will be full and crowded come Sept. GF will be more relaxing and spoiling. And more beautiful!

Yep, I think I'm going to stick with the GF I love how quick the walk between it and the Poly is and so I factored that into my original decision, so that if I want some tonga toast or eat at Ohana its not far at all, so it's nice to know that even if the path is closed there is still just a quick boat ride over.

Even though I've never stayed at a monorail resort before, I resort hop a LOT so I've eaten at all three resorts and done a lot of walking around the grounds and lobby's. It's funny how I went from feeling like the GF was a bit snobby or pretentious for us, to feeling totally peaceful and happy when I walk into the huge lobby and hear the band playing. I also loved when I was engaged on the Disney Dream how special they made us feel, and of course I'm not expecting any special treatment, I feel as though the GF will be the most likely to make our celebration more special

I also want to say that I read through this entire thread, and it took like a week! haha... but I think I'm all caught up on any GF updates now! Based on what everyone says though, I'm a bit afraid of staying here and then never, ever being able to stay at a non-deluxe resort again My fiance likes Disney, but I think he would be waaaay more likely to tolerate all my trips if the location was nicer too, so I don't think he's going to help!

 

[psac]

I was pretty much convinced I would stay at the Poly for my honeymoon for years, but there's no King sized bed and no hot tub, which I know seems silly in august but it's pretty much a deal-breaker for my fiance.

You mentioned that you had a standard view booked for the GF. If that's the case, chances are you will NOT get a king sized bed. Pretty much the only kings they have are in the special booked "King Deluxe" category.

I still think you'll love the GF though!

 

[pas130]

Thank you k&a&c'smom for this information, I had no idea. It is good to keep in mind for the future. And, I have to agree with you about DVC at the GF. I love the resort as it is and just don't want to change the feel of it.

Pas130, so you are doing a suite at the GF and then going to CL at the BC, it that right? When is the trip? I will be curious to hear what you have to say about BC CL. As much as I LOVE the GF, I do like the location of the BC. We stayed there once a few years ago, and it's great to be so close to EPCOT. However, now that I have stayed CL at the GF my past few trips I am not sure I can switch!

After going over my invoice I will probably end up in 2 CL rooms both resorts. Right now I booked SL 2 BR suite, and BC 2 BR suite. I LOVED GF!!! DD said BC looks bright and has flowers in the lobby like GF I am sure the trip will be awesome. It's end of Sept 2012 (DD 8th Bday and DS 4th Bday)

pas130 - thanks for the sweet compliment. And, yes, it will be nice to have CL at BC, after being in a suite at the GF!

DH is at his wits end, he wanted to encourage DD to try a new resort. He can't figure out how she landed on BC We were at the BCV when we only had 4 kids, and DH wasn't very happy with the decor and the resort But I think the kiddos will have fun at SAB. Our youngest last time we went was an infant, and the next one up was 2. So the kids are a little older now....I just don't see how ANY CL can be as great as Sugarloaf

 

[k&a&c'smom]

zippitydooda - I like your reasoning! Of course, we are a bit biased here, but I do agree that the GF seems more like a honeymoon resort.

Keep in mind, even at the GF, the king bed is just a request in the standard room. No guarantees. I'm not sure how many king beds they have in the outer buildings, but I do know there are a few - here is a link to a post from a DISer who got one in a SL dormer room in 2010 (scroll down to post #387): http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1768829&page=26 ETA: oops, had to fix the url! Someone posted photos of their king bed in another outer building, we had a discussion not long ago regarding whether they have daybeds in the king rooms or not! I'll see if I can find it.

Even so, there are not nearly as many king beds as queens in the outer buildings. The only way to guarantee a king bed is to book a king deluxe main building room (as psac posted). Quite a bit more money!

Lyons Family - we've been in the World several times when the MK or DHS was closed for a private event. We never knew what the event was, but the park had to be cleared out by 6:00 p.m.

pas130 - I don't blame you, that invoice would be tough for me to open. LOL!

I'm not sure about the decor at BCV, but I know they have recently renovated the BC rooms. I didn't like the photos of the new decor, but when we saw the actual rooms, we fell in LOVE with the soothing colors. Now we really enjoy staying at the BC.

I agree, it's hard to beat GF CL. AKL CL is a close second, for us.