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

[k&a&c'smom]

Oops! I forgot to thank Mouseturtle for the updated construction photos! Thank you, it's good to see things from that perspective.

 

[pas130]

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.

The movies in late August started around 830pm I think, it wasn't loud at all, my little guy was able to fall asleep no problem by 930...YAY for one month!!!

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

mouseturtle

Thanks for the updated construction pics

k&a&c'smom

 

[Jungle Cruiser]

Time to start posting some random GF pictures. Tonight's picture...

 

[Adlergray]

Hi Y'all, Dh and I are starting to plan our next trip. Unfortunately we are having trouble deciding on a resort. Last year we stayed at YC CL and loved the resort, DH had never been there and it had been about 18 years for me Anyway in loving the hotel itself we weren't as happy with the location since we have stroller age kiddos. We really want to be on the monorail and I really think the grand will work the best for us

BUT

We went to 1900 park fare last trip and my husband hated it! Not the hotel but the people. He thought it was nuts and crazy and the opposite of relaxing and vowed to never stay there. Any suggestions on how to bring him around? Any one have proof that the gf is relaxing!!!!

 

[k&a&c'smom]

Jungle Cruiser - Love the photo, can't wait to see more.

pas130 - back atcha!

AdlerGray - Welcome! I'm not sure how to prove the GF is relaxing, but I can tell you it is a big reason we love it so much. The grounds and pools are seldom busy, though the lobby can get that way at times.

Using 1900 PF as a guide to the resort is not a good gauge. It is one of the most popular restaurants, and the way the seating times are stacked makes it a little congested and crowded in the evening. The lobby in general gets busier during the late afternoon and evening, when music is playing and people pause to listen. Especially so when it is rainy! But on the whole, the resort is an oasis of calm, so nice to come back to after a busy day in the parks.

Good luck persuading him to give it a shot! I hate to say, this year might be less calm, with the construction of the DVC next door. Most people who have been recently have posted that it is not terribly obtrusive, but you should look at the photos and judge for yourself.

 

[baler31]

Hi Y'all, Dh and I are starting to plan our next trip. Unfortunately we are having trouble deciding on a resort. Last year we stayed at YC CL and loved the resort, DH had never been there and it had been about 18 years for me Anyway in loving the hotel itself we weren't as happy with the location since we have stroller age kiddos. We really want to be on the monorail and I really think the grand will work the best for us

BUT

We went to 1900 park fare last trip and my husband hated it! Not the hotel but the people. He thought it was nuts and crazy and the opposite of relaxing and vowed to never stay there. Any suggestions on how to bring him around? Any one have proof that the gf is relaxing!!!!

My DH likes a very low key resort. His idea of a vacation is staying out of the parks and sitting poolside in a cabana with some refreshments and making use of different recreational activities.

His favorite resort is the GF. Yes the lobby and 1900 can be loud and crowded but I would not judge the rest of the resort by just those two things. The pools are some of the least crowded (we have stayed at all the deluxe's with the exception of AK Lodge) and we enjoy the club level offererings. Also, we find Citrico's and Narcoosee's to be much more calm than 1900. We have also found the quick service to be much less crowded than other resorts and finally we really enjoy room service at GF.

 

[psac]

Time to start posting some random GF pictures. Tonight's picture...

Great pic, very unusual view!

 

[psac]

My DH likes a very low key resort. His idea of a vacation is staying out of the parks and sitting poolside in a cabana with some refreshments and making use of different recreational activities.

His favorite resort is the GF. Yes the lobby and 1900 can be loud and crowded but I would not judge the rest of the resort by just those two things. The pools are some of the least crowded (we have stayed at all the deluxe's with the exception of AK Lodge) and we enjoy the club level offererings. Also, we find Citrico's and Narcoosee's to be much more calm than 1900. We have also find the quick service to be much less crowded than other resorts and finally we really enjoy room service at GF.

I agree with this as well. If you need to stick with a monorail resort, you only have three choices. Between CR, Poly, and GF, there is no comparison. GF will be by far the most relaxed of the three.

 

[DrMomof3]

We returned Monday night from our 1st stay at the Grand. We truly had a magical trip. My crew (me, DH, 3 kiddies) stayed in Sugarloaf and my parents stayed in a non-CL room (I'm embarrassed to realize that I never found out which building because we met in the lobby or at the pool).
This was a short-ish trip for Marathon Weekend. We arrived for a late dinner on Thursday night and flew home Monday night. I have a few thoughts since we are Disney regulars even if we are new to GF...
The quick-serve food (Gasparilla's) was good but I hated that the arcade was there. My kids wouldn't sit and eat when distracted by video games. It was too chilly at night for outdoor dining. The arcade made an otherwise nice dinner very noisy and chaotic.
It took a bit to realize that e huge pool in the middle of the resort was not the "themed" pool. My kids liked the slide but felt there are better slides elsewhere at Disney. They truly enjoyed the pool-side games and the cast members were terrific with the kids!!,
Our room was 1st floor in SL and about 2-3 rooms off the lounge. I really liked being so close to the lounge!!! We met some lovely families and wonderful cast members. One disappointment....last year we stayed CL at the Poly for race weekend. The Poly lounge had some bananas and other breakfast foods set out for the runners at whatever ungodly hour we had to get up. The lounge at SL had nothing. Absolutely nothing. I was a little surprised and disappointed by this. Luckily I had made a grocery stop on the way to the resort so it was ok.
We are a family of 5. While our room was adequate for a 4 night trip, I'm not sure I would have wanted to spend a full week in there. I feel like our room in the Poly last year was bigger but maybe it's just that my children have grown! we did stay in a one bedroom villa at BLT last summer so I'm sure that spoiled us. For our next week-long trip we are trying a deluxe room at BC. Not because we didn't love GF but because we can get the extra square footage for the same price as CL at GF.
Overall we all felt that the Grand was just gorgeous. A lovely resort for the more laid-back trip we had planned. We had a lot of running activity all weekend - kid races Fi, DH in half marathon on Sat, and me in full marathon on Sunday - so we really appreciated the lounge and the whole relaxing feel of the Grand. I can highly recommend it to anyone!

Amanda

 

[k&a&c'smom]

DrMomof3 - Welcome back! Thanks for your review, great to hear about your trip.

I'm so sorry you didn't realize there were two pools at the GF. Did you notice the photos and info on the first page? If so, maybe I need to do something to make it more apparent where each of the pools is located.

I believe the GF and Poly rooms are close to the same sq. footage, but the dressing area in the GF rooms takes up some of the floor space. Hence the feeling of a smaller room. For us, this works out great, as it gives us two prep areas, but for a larger family it probably does make it a bit more cramped.

I can't believe the SL cast members did not provide anything for the runners! I could swear there were reports last year of fruit and drinks, at least, but I'll have to go back to be sure. Did you ask the CMs about it? I think I would have, good grief. For anyone else reading, if you know you'll need provisions in the early hours before the lounge is open, it is perfectly acceptable to grab some snacks the day before to put in your room.

I'm glad you enjoyed the resort overall. I understand your plan for next year, I think the BC deluxe rooms are very nice, especially with 3 little ones!

ETA: Did you find the construction to be a nuisance? Everyone is wondering how it affects the rest of the resort.

 

[CoachBagFanatic]

I am to say that our upcoming GF SL trip was short lived. DH was not happy at all with the picture of the green wall along the beach by the pool. I have to say farewell and we are off to the BC. so I am. I thought that I was finally going home. Oh well.

 

[DrMomof3]

DrMomof3 - Welcome back! Thanks for your review, great to hear about your trip.

I'm so sorry you didn't realize there were two pools at the GF. Did you notice the photos and info on the first page? If so, maybe I need to do something to make it more apparent where each of the pools is located.

I believe the GF and Poly rooms are close to the same sq. footage, but the dressing area in the GF rooms takes up some of the floor space. Hence the feeling of a smaller room. For us, this works out great, as it gives us two prep areas, but for a larger family it probably does make it a bit more cramped.

I can't believe the SL cast members did not provide anything for the runners! I could swear there were reports last year of fruit and drinks, at least, but I'll have to go back to be sure. Did you ask the CMs about it? I think I would have, good grief. For anyone else reading, if you know you'll need provisions in the early hours before the lounge is open, it is perfectly acceptable to grab some snacks the day before to put in your room.

I'm glad you enjoyed the resort overall. I understand your plan for next year, I think the BC deluxe rooms are very nice, especially with 3 little ones!

ETA: Did you find the construction to be a nuisance? Everyone is wondering how it affects the rest of the resort.

We hardly noticed the construction. Honestly. I just asked my DH if he felt that the construction impacted our trip and he said not at all.
In terms of the pools, I knew the big pool in the middle wasn't the themed pool but my DH and my parents took the kids swimming there while I was picking up the race packets from WWoS. The kids enjoyed the "quiet" pool but were relieved when I told them there was another pool with a slide!

Amanda

 

[Disney-Kim]

We booked the GF tonight, yeah!
This will be our first stay there.

I have seen all the worry over the construction. We have a garden view booked. Should we be concerned? I would hate to finally splurge to stay there and then have it be not great. But I also figure they would try to make it better if we weren't happy.

 

[Mouseturtle]

I was in Big Pine Key but facing the courtyard. I did NOT even know construction was going on until I went for my run. I also do not use the other pool (we go to the big one in the courtyard) - I would say the construction would NOT be a reason for me not to stay at the Grand! It's very well done and they are doing everything to minimize guest impact

 

[Mouseturtle]

We booked the GF tonight, yeah!
This will be our first stay there.

I have seen all the worry over the construction. We have a garden view booked. Should we be concerned? I would hate to finally splurge to stay there and then have it be not great. But I also figure they would try to make it better if we weren't happy.

If you don't like your view, request to be moved. I have done it every time! I prefer pool view, and that way you won't see any construction

 

[k&a&c'smom]

DrMomof3 - thanks for relieving the construction fears, I'm sure it is helpful for anyone heading there soon.

Thanks, too, for clarifying about the pools, I'm sure the kiddos WERE glad to find there was a pool with a slide!!

Disney-Kim - Welcome, and congrats on your first GF stay! With a garden view, you won't be overlooking the construction, so hopefully you won't be impacted too much.

Mouseturtle - thanks for the construction info, very helpful. We have asked to be moved on a few trips, too, even though it had to wait overnight a couple times.

CoachBagFanatic - Aww, I'm sorry you won't make it back to your favorite. You'll have a good time at BC, I'm sure, but I understand your disappointment.

 

[addiedisney]

Hello!

We are so excited to be staying at the GF for the first time in March! We have tried all the other deluxe resorts, so now we finally will get our stay at GF.

Can someone tell me about the room assignments? Do you know what building you are in before check in, or are all the rooms assigned at check in?

I know we have a lagoon view and all it says on our reservation is: GRAND FLORIDIAN- L4R. I imagine the "L" stands for lagoon, anyone know what the 4R part is?

I did read about the construction and yes, that's a bummer, but we don't spend a lot of time in the room, so I don't think it will bug us too bad.

Thanks for the help!
Addie

 

[MommyGina]

Hello!

We are so excited to be staying at the GF for the first time in March! We have tried all the other deluxe resorts, so now we finally will get our stay at GF.

Can someone tell me about the room assignments? Do you know what building you are in before check in, or are all the rooms assigned at check in?

I know we have a lagoon view and all it says on our reservation is: GRAND FLORIDIAN- L4R. I imagine the "L" stands for lagoon, anyone know what the 4R part is?

I did read about the construction and yes, that's a bummer, but we don't spend a lot of time in the room, so I don't think it will bug us too bad.

Thanks for the help!
Addie

When you check in, you will be told your room assignment. You can request a specific room, but there is no guarantee that you will get it. For example, in Sago Cay, we love room 5427. We requested it two times after the first time we stayed there. I have requested the same room in Surgarloaf that we stayed in the first time at Club Level.

I just checked our reservation, and we also have "L" in there, but we do not have a lagoon view booked. Are you staying for 4 nights? That could be what the 4 stands for. Ours has "7" in the reservation for 7 nights.

Can't answer what the L is for, sorry. Maybe somone else knows?

 

[addiedisney]

When you check in, you will be told your room assignment. You can request a specific room, but there is no guarantee that you will get it. For example, in Sago Cay, we love room 5427. We requested it two times after the first time we stayed there. I have requested the same room in Surgarloaf that we stayed in the first time at Club Level.

I just checked our reservation, and we also have "L" in there, but we do not have a lagoon view booked. Are you staying for 4 nights? That could be what the 4 stands for. Ours has "7" in the reservation for 7 nights.

Can't answer what the L is for, sorry. Maybe somone else knows?

Thanks for the answer. We are staying for 9 nights, so I'm not sure what that "4" is. Thanks for the help!!

Another question for anyone...all rooms sleep 5 correct? I'm looking at the photos and I see a sofa. Do they count that sofa as the 5th sleeping location? Thanks again!

 

[k&a&c'smom]

addiedisney - Welcome, and congrats on your first stay at the Grand!

As MommyGina posted, the rooms are assigned at check in at the GF, as at all the WDW resorts. The room number is only given out when the room is ready for you, as they don't want guests heading to their rooms until it is released by housekeeping.

I'm afraid I won't be much help with the code on your reservation. Usually, numbers and letters on the reservation are resort codes for the type of room, but the GF room codes all start with a B.

Looking at several past reservations, I notice there is usually a line under the room description/number of nights which designates the type of discount used. For instance, our BC reservation from last August has "Room Only PIN" and the AKL reservation for this January said "Room Only." We used a general public room only code for January.

I found a reservation for the GF from 2010, and it had this series under the room description: 10 RO PH Q2-Q3 4+. Our BC reservation for that same year had this code: 10 RO PH Q3 SUM. Knowing the discount we used, I believe this means: 10 (2010) RO (room only) PH (pass holder); the 4+ might designate the discount was for 4+ days (we booked six). The "Q" codes and SUM are a complete mystery, lol.

The sofa in the photos is actually a daybed that flips down to make a wider sleeping area. This is, indeed, for the 5th person - but you are welcome to call and ask for a rollaway if that would suit you better. If available, they are free at the GF.