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

[KCmike]

Well I'm alive again. Came down with some sort of influenza since Wednesday and it brought me down to my knees. I haven't been this kind of sick since back in my grade school days. Had a fever of 104 at one point. Feeling like I turned the corner this morning. Need to go back to work tomorrow so I hope I can continue to the upswing. Everyone make sure they are washing their hands and all that health stuff. This flu knocked me down and I hardly ever get sick.

 

[WDWKOOK]

Well I'm alive again. Came down with some sort of influenza since Wednesday and it brought me down to my knees. I haven't been this kind of sick since back in my grade school days. Had a fever of 104 at one point. Feeling like I turned the corner this morning. Need to go back to work tomorrow so I hope I can continue to the upswing. Everyone make sure they are washing their hands and all that health stuff. This flu knocked me down and I hardly ever get sick.

Welcome back! That sounds just dreadful. You must be so relieved to finally be on the mend. Did the rest of the family come down with it, too? Good thing you weren't at WDW

 

[Jungle Cruiser]

Well I'm alive again. Came down with some sort of influenza since Wednesday and it brought me down to my knees. I haven't been this kind of sick since back in my grade school days. Had a fever of 104 at one point. Feeling like I turned the corner this morning. Need to go back to work tomorrow so I hope I can continue to the upswing. Everyone make sure they are washing their hands and all that health stuff. This flu knocked me down and I hardly ever get sick.

KCMike, so sorry to hear you have been so sick. Take care of yourself and hopefully you will continue to feel better! AND here's hoping the rest of your family stays well!

 

[Dreamsdocometrue9112]

Hi everyone! Popping in with a few more questions!:

1. Do the rooms in SL have mini refrigerators, or do you need to request one?

2. Do the rooms in SL all have private balconies, or are there some that don't? I want to make sure we request one if not!

Thanks for all your help!! I don't know what I would do without this thread!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

http://www.wdwmagic.com/Transportat...ing-Grand-Floridian-DVC-construction-work.htm

There is increasing speculation that the Walt Disney World monorail system will be operating on a reduced operating schedule in the near future due to the construction of the new Grand Floridian Resort DVC wing. The close proximity of the monorail beam to the construction site is assumed to be the primary factor in the need to halt monorail operations during certain times of the day. No details are yet available on when this will take place, or for how long. Alternative transportation would include additional watercraft and bus service. Should this come into effect, it will be the second major change to monorail operating hours in the last 12 months, following the suspension of monorail service during Extra Magic Hours since July 2011.

 

[Jungle Cruiser]

Hi everyone! Popping in with a few more questions!:

1. Do the rooms in SL have mini refrigerators, or do you need to request one?

2. Do the rooms in SL all have private balconies, or are there some that don't? I want to make sure we request one if not!

Thanks for all your help!! I don't know what I would do without this thread!

The rooms in SL do have mini refridgerators. Also, the rooms have balconies, except for the ground floor which have patios.

Hope this helps!

 

[Nicole786]

http://www.wdwmagic.com/Transportat...ing-Grand-Floridian-DVC-construction-work.htm

There is increasing speculation that the Walt Disney World monorail system will be operating on a reduced operating schedule in the near future due to the construction of the new Grand Floridian Resort DVC wing. The close proximity of the monorail beam to the construction site is assumed to be the primary factor in the need to halt monorail operations during certain times of the day. No details are yet available on when this will take place, or for how long. Alternative transportation would include additional watercraft and bus service. Should this come into effect, it will be the second major change to monorail operating hours in the last 12 months, following the suspension of monorail service during Extra Magic Hours since July 2011.

I'd have no choice but to switch resorts if this is true, I hope to hear more about this before April!

 

[johnnyr]

This is what I have been afraid of since I made my GF reservation. First the construction walls, now the reduced transportation service due to construction. I'm sure the reduced monorail service will affect all of the monorail resorts, not just GF. May have to rethink too.

 

[KCmike]

KCMike, so sorry to hear you have been so sick. Take care of yourself and hopefully you will continue to feel better! AND here's hoping the rest of your family stays well!

Welcome back! That sounds just dreadful. You must be so relieved to finally be on the mend. Did the rest of the family come down with it, too? Good thing you weren't at WDW

Thanks you two! Went back to work for half the day. I finally turned to corner and think after just a little more rest I will be up for the long haul again. So far no one else has gotten it in my family. Hope they don't!

Here are two pics for today that I would like to share.

 

[mindy20]

I agree, one of the main reasons we booked GF was monorail, if we can't use it I will have to switch resorts. GF needs to reduce rates if this is going to happen.

 

[WDWKOOK]

Thanks you two! Went back to work for half the day. I finally turned to corner and think after just a little more rest I will be up for the long haul again. So far no one else has gotten it in my family. Hope they don't!

Here are two pics for today that I would like to share.

What a great view! Get plenty of rest/fluids and don't overdo it too quickly, Mike.

I agree, one of the main reasons we booked GF was monorail, if we can't use it I will have to switch resorts. GF needs to reduce rates if this is going to happen.

You bring up a very good point. With no spa, the extensive construction walls, the impact on all the Lagoon Views and views from the chapel and the probable reduced monorail capacity, they should absolutely reduce their rates. Although, even with 40% off, I canceled our RPC reservation due to the construction, so the discount would have to be more than that for me to re-book.

 

[Lulu'sMom]

KCMike! Here's a get Well Soon HUG!

I SOOOOO AGREE with the above bolded, too, WDWKOOK and Mindy20!

With these jacked up 2012 rates, even 40% off isn't cutting it. Sorry, Disney.
This stuff just keeps adding up and here I'm looking at doing a GF BB when we go in less than 3 weeks.


I may just go ahead and book it and get back on the resort changers thread for the next six minths!

Hope everyone is well!

 

[KerryCM]

Started packing today. It is so nice to be packing shorts and a bathing suit when the forcast is calling for snow in our area Wednesday night into Thursday. I am now really happy I changed our plane tickets to Wednesday morning!!!!!

 

[k&a&c'smom]

KCmike - Sorry to hear you've been sick, glad you seem to be on the mend. I'm glad, too, that your family hasn't gotten sick yet.

Thanks for the lobby photos!

KerryCM - Two more days, woohoo! I'll keep my fingers crossed the weather holds off until you are in the air.

CR Fan - thanks for the info and the link. Very worrisome for anyone staying on the monorail in the near future - especially since there is no info on a date. Typical, I'm afraid.

I don't blame those of you who are worried about your trips. My only suggestion is to keep reading here on the DIS, they usually get the word out as soon as info becomes available. I doubt calling will do anything at this point, since there are no details. From past experience, the CMs are probably more in the dark than we are.

Lulu'sMom - good luck with your BB. Maybe another stay in the Epcot area is in order, or WL.

 

[Jungle Cruiser]

Lulu'sMom, 19 days Sooo excited for you!!!

KCMike, so glad to near you are feeling better! AND thank you for the wonderful pictures. I can't wait to spend some time in that lobby

KerryCM, just a couple more days

The monorail rumors. Honestly to anyone who sees the construction it won't come as a surprise that there will be monorail interruptions. I honestly think that Disney will not leave guests staying at the monorail resorts stranded and in a transportation nightmare. There are also numerous restaurants that will be hurt if there isn't good transportation. To be honest the monorail has been experiencing a lot of problems. I hope that if there are big monorail interruptions that they at least use that opportunity to fix the monorails!

 

[BC1836]

A simple foot bridge (over the canal where the EWP is docked) connecting the GF and the extended pathway to the MK seems like it would work, as long as a proper path can be provided to the foot bridge.

All the best.

 

[TomorrowlandFamily]

Hi,
please forgive me for not knowing very much about this, but will the construction at the Grand Floridian be very troublesome? I mean, do you think it will interfere with having a smooth vacation? I don't need perfection, just wondering if our view will be of a construction site or that parts of the inside will be boarded up. If this wasn't our first trip with the kids, I wouldn't mind as much, but this is a special first for us. Thank you!

 

[KerryCM]

I want to thank everyone here for the great information and the stunning pictures. It has gotten me so excited for my trip tomorrow!!

I have been such a BWI fan, but I am really looking forward to trying the Grand.

Tomorrow at this time I will be boarding my flight. I hope I will be able to share some information live, I am bringing my laptop. I need to be able to Skype with my grandchildren.

Off to run errands, get a mani and pedi and finnish up packing!!!

 

[k&a&c'smom]

KerryCM - enjoy your day, how exciting that you will be at the Grand tomorrow! Looking forward to your live reports.

TomorrowlandFamily - Welcome! What a wonderful first trip you have planned!

The construction we have all been discussing is not at the Grand itself, but on the beach next to it, where the Spa and Wedding Pavilion are located. There are walls up around the foot path between the GF and Polynesian resorts, which winds past the beach, but no walls in the GF lobby or on the grounds. Lagoon view rooms that look toward the Poly will have a view of this construction, but most of the rooms will not.

So far, guests have reported there has been little to no disruption of their vacations, other than the unsightly dirt work you can see from the monorail. How long this will continue before the more noisy work begins is anybody's guess. Hard to tell how it will affect the resort month-to-month, but if you keep reading here and elsewhere on the DIS, I think you will get a clear picture of what is going on at the resort. We have quite a number of posters with trips planned in the upcoming months.

BTW - if the rumored monorail shutdown occurs before your trip, that will definitely have a negative impact on your stay. Unfortunately, there is no way to know if that will happen until Disney announces details.

Jungle Cruiser - I know what you are saying, and I agree Disney will likely come up with transportation options. I do have to agree with those who are saying the rates should drop for monorail resorts, though, as that is a big, big reason for the higher rates (over other deluxe resorts).

BC1836 - I'm sure Disney could figure some way of making that path work, but doubt they will go to the trouble and expense of doing it!

 

[coopersmom]

I'm sure Disney could figure some way of making that path work, but doubt they will go to the trouble and expense of doing it!

That "almost" path kills me. It's especially galling when waiting over an hour from a ferry to a destination you can see and, except for the last few yards, walk to in under 5 minutes. And when the ferry finally does come it can hold, maybe, 50 people ... When there are more than a 100 in line. When the monorail isn't running anymore and buses come once every 5 minutes for POP or All Star and you don't see a single, shared, Grand/Poly/Contemporary bus for 30 minutes, or more and the line is stretching two bus stops down.

Honestly, if they completed that path I wouldn't care about interrupted, delayed, etc. monorail service and actually think it would bump the Grand up several notches in my estimation as whether it's "worth it" to stay on property or not.

As is, except for the short monorail trip to the Magic Kingdom, which is awesome, WHEN it works, I found the transportation options at the Grand pretty dismal. Far worse than the Poly, Contemporary or Epcot area resorts in terms of convenience and service for guests.