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

[psac]

Dh and I will be stay at GF for the first time this coming Nov!! We are going down with DH's family to celebrate his folks 50th Annivesary. We are super excited, we have walked around the resort many times but never thought we'd get to stay there.

Enjoy your visit, you'll love it.

PS -- Thanks to your husband (and by extention, to you) for his service!

 

[CoachBagFanatic]

Dh and I will be stay at GF for the first time this coming Nov!! We are going down with DH's family to celebrate his folks 50th Annivesary. We are super excited, we have walked around the resort many times but never thought we'd get to stay there.

Doing the for you. November is a great time to visit and I am sure you all will have a Grand time.

Thanks so much for the welcome!!

Yeeeeeah, I realized after I'd submitted the post that I'd shouted through more than half of that... My husband is military so we've taken 1 family vacation ever and that was just 2 days at the beach. It was nice, but wasn't a true vacation. I'm definitely over the moon about this one. I've been loving looking at the photos that are posted here daily and I'm not ashamed to admit, I've snagged several and used them as my wallpaper on my comp. I can understand your sentiments about your first visit! I am not by any means the emotional type. I rarely cry at movies. But I just know I'm going to be a blubbering mess when this trip comes around. Thanks again for the help! I've got my cabana booked!

First off I would like to say a big THANK YOU to your DH for his service.

Hey you shout as loud as you want with excitement. We have all been in your shoes at one time or another.

So glad that you were able to get the cabana booked. You are going to love them. Those chaise lounges are so comfy. There are 4 cabana's. Two of them #3 and 4 you can see everything and two #1 and 2 have a blocked view. #1 more so than #2 but not that bad though.

 

[pas130]

pas130 - Yes, it is frustrating for daily life to take precedence. Everything is well here, I'm simply trying to get the house back in order after the Christmas festivities, and we're still working on renovations. My new pantry is wonderful, but we are waiting for the door.

I still have to take the tree down...I guess I just don't want to.

Thanks pas. It's good to be back.

Sometimes I am amazed at what comes out of my DS's mouth. Some good some not so good. He turns 16 tomorrow so I can't really complain too much. He's a great kid.

I completely understand. even my little guy, who is 3 amazes me...Thanks do CRO calls (multiple) my son knows his name, address, and phone number...oh and our reservation number by memory

Thanks so much for the welcome!!

You and your family DESERVE this trip, and will have a GRAND time

 

[MikeandReneePlus5]

Hi all - sorry if some of this in in the thread...i did read a bunch but couldn't find exactly what I was after -

1. Is the Health club closed also during the refurb, or just the Spa?

2. Is the entire RPC Club Level and/or suites?

3. I guess the best way to avoid a construction view is to not request Lagoon view? i.e. a garden view or MK view would not face that construction?

Thanks for any help!

 

[Jungle Cruiser]

One of my new pictures!

 

[pmaurer74]

I am sure this has been asked but forgive me I am new to the GF thread. We are booked for a Lagoon view outer building view... is there a chance we can see the castle and fireworks if we crain our necks?

 

[MommyGina]

MikeandReneePlus5 - RPC Level is all Club Level. Not all of the rooms are suites. If you choose to TPV, I know that is an upgrade, extra money. We stayed in RPC last summer with TPV. It was nice, but we are not doing it again this summer. We are going back to Sugarloaf - Club Level.

The gym is still open at the GF. However, the spa is closed.

I would ask for a courtyard pool view or TPV if you want to stay at PRC.


JungleCruiser - welcome home and glad that you are doing better. Did you happen to notice if there were still movies on the beach at night? I'm wondering if the construction has stopped that feature or if the movies have been moved to a different location.

 

[pas130]

junglecruiserAnother LOVELY pic

 

[CoachBagFanatic]

I completely understand. even my little guy, who is 3 amazes me...Thanks do CRO calls (multiple) my son knows his name, address, and phone number...oh and our reservation number by memory

Oh your little guy sounds so cute and just like my DS when he was little. He would memorize everything and forget nothing. Now that he's in HS he seems to forget everything and memorize nothing. JK I like to give him a little hard time sometimes when it comes to school but not too much as he is in advanced classes. He comes home with some stuff that DH and I never heard of in US History. It's crazy.

 

[pas130]

Oh your little guy sounds so cute and just like my DS when he was little. He would memorize everything and forget nothing. Now that he's in HS he seems to forget everything and memorize nothing. JK I like to give him a little hard time sometimes when it comes to school but not too much as he is in advanced classes. He comes home with some stuff that DH and I never heard of in US History. It's crazy.

This new math that they are teaching has me lost...my DS10 has to help DD7...thank goodness they are so bright. I am good at math, but I don't want to teach her differently than they are teaching her at school...they are making kids much smarter these days...must be those prenatal vitamins

 

[Jungle Cruiser]

MikeandReneePlus5 - RPC Level is all Club Level. Not all of the rooms are suites. If you choose to TPV, I know that is an upgrade, extra money. We stayed in RPC last summer with TPV. It was nice, but we are not doing it again this summer. We are going back to Sugarloaf - Club Level.

The gym is still open at the GF. However, the spa is closed.

I would ask for a courtyard pool view or TPV if you want to stay at PRC.


JungleCruiser - welcome home and glad that you are doing better. Did you happen to notice if there were still movies on the beach at night? I'm wondering if the construction has stopped that feature or if the movies have been moved to a different location.

The movies have been moved to the courtyard pool area. The screen is on the grass between the shallow end of the pool and Boca Chica. When I was there in September there were a number of people enjoying the pool while watching the movie. They were showing movies a couple of weeks ago, so clearly it's something they are continuing.

If the ducks turned around in the photo they would be facing the movie screen.

pas130, I was a math major in college and I haven't a clue how they were teaching math when my kids were in elementary school years ago. I am sure it is worse today

k&a&c'smom. Going to WDW meant I did a "speed clean up" from Christmas. Since my daughters were going to WDW also, I was able to get them to pitch in. Otherwise it can be overwhelming, plus with renovations... ...good luck!

 

[pas130]

The movies have been moved to the courtyard pool area. The screen is on the grass between the shallow end of the pool and Boca Chica. When I was there in September there were a number of people enjoying the pool while watching the movie. They were showing movies a couple of weeks ago, so clearly it's something they are continuing.

If the ducks turned around in the photo they would be facing the movie screen.

pas130, I was a math major in college and I haven't a clue how they were teaching math when my kids were in elementary school years ago. I am sure it is worse today

We were able to watch the movie from our SL balcony

They re-vamped how they are teaching the kids...the methods they are using (I should clarify) I am SO lost

 

[baler31]

Well, despite the construction most of our family still voted for GF. I had thought we might return to BWI but one of the deluxe queens in RPC was available with the passholder discount and no more needed to be said.

Will be there 6/9-6/15, will be curious how much the construction affects our stay. For our summer trips we spend quite a bit of time at the pools, cabana, etc.

Also curious to see if we get the same deluxe room that had the Keurig, we have stayed in 2 RPC rooms since and none had it.

 

[CoachBagFanatic]

This new math that they are teaching has me lost...my DS10 has to help DD7...thank goodness they are so bright. I am good at math, but I don't want to teach her differently than they are teaching her at school...they are making kids much smarter these days...must be those prenatal vitamins

It's either the prenatal vitamins that I took or all the won ton soup that I ate.

Oh you are so right with the new math these days. I too am good at math but helping Michael with his Algebra 2 honors class is a no go for me. DH knows Algebra and fingers crossed he will be able to help him next semester if need be. He aced his honors Algebra class last year so hopefully he will follow suit again this year.

pas130, I was a math major in college and I haven't a clue how they were teaching math when my kids were in elementary school years ago. I am sure it is worse today

Oh it is Jungle Cruiser My DM and DD who are both 68 are raising their great-grandson who is 10 and my DM said the way they teach the math is absolutely crazy. She too doesn't want to go against how they are teaching it even though she has a simpler solution to get the correct answers. It's crazy these days.

 

[pinktink23]

Hi all! We will be arriving at SL on Jan 31 and I was wondering if there is a room request that I should be making. Is one floor better than another? Does one side have a better view than the other? I would appreciate feedback from anyone who has stayed in that buidling before!

 

[bowbat]

We were able to watch the movie from our SL balcony

How late do the movies go? I'm wondering if we'd hear it inside our room, and if it might be a bother. Of course, we're going in February, so maybe they don't even do movies by the pool then.

 

[Jungle Cruiser]

How late do the movies go? I'm wondering if we'd hear it inside our room, and if it might be a bother. Of course, we're going in February, so maybe they don't even do movies by the pool then.

I am not sure when they start because it gets dark earlier at this time of year. However, they aren't loud. If you close the curtains they do block out most of the noise. I would imagine they will still be doing them in February though since they were doing them last week.

 

[bowbat]

I am not sure when they start because it gets dark earlier at this time of year. However, they aren't loud. If you close the curtains they do block out most of the noise. I would imagine they will still be doing them in February though since they were doing them last week.

Good to know! Thank you.

One more month, people! One month!

 

[Mouseturtle]

I was just here in late November/early December, and went for a run from there GF to the Poly. Here are the pics as seen from my run, along the walkway to the Poly. I love that they "decorated" the wall. Unless I would have taken this run, the construction is really unobtrusive. I am just bummed that there will be no more "movies on the beach" - I did take some pictures from the water that I will post later (new camera, figuring it out ) that shows the construction extending from the beach into the water. Anyway I thought they did a fine job of keeping it "clean"

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[k&a&c'smom]

Wow, this place got busy! I love it!

MikandReneePlus5 - Welcome! I think MommyGina covered everything, but feel free to ask for clarification, or any other questions.

pmaurer - Welcome! Don't worry about asking questions, it is hard to find exactly what you need within the thread.

With a lagoon view, you have a high likelihood of getting a room in Big Pine Key. If so, you will not be able to see the castle, the building faces the wrong way. At this time, a lagoon view in BPK means a construction view, sorry to say.

If they are still booking some of the rooms in Boca Chica as lagoon view, you DO have a chance of an oblique view of the castle - or, at least, the fireworks! Probably through trees, but still something.

Another possibility is an upgrade to MK view. Doesn't always happen, but they may bump you up if the resort is nearly full. I'll keep my fingers crossed!

pinktink23 - Welcome! You are so close to your Grand vacation!

Sugar Loaf has views of either the marina, or the pool. Both are very nice, it's simply personal preference which is better.

We prefer the upper floors for the overall view of the resort. Some people prefer to be on the first floor to avoid using the elevator, and to be on the same floor as the lounge. Again, personal preference, I don't think one or the other has more merit.

bowbat - One more month, yay!

Jungle Cruiser - Thanks for the photos, and for the info on the movies at the pool. I realized after you returned I should have asked you if it was still going.

Good for you, getting your DDs to pitch in with the clean up, and getting it all finished before your trip! I'm doing it slowly, per usual, lol. I always find little things after I'm sure I have everything packed away, and have to find a place for them all.

baler31 - Kudos for getting your favorite room, and at a discount! How strange about the Keurig, I wonder if they were doing a test and decided not to put them in all the rooms?

MommyGina - thanks for the info regarding the health club and spa. Good to know the health club is still open.