The *NEW* Grand Floridian Resort and Spa FAQ thread (Nov 2007)

[Alicnwondrln]

I hear her bribing Savannah to go to the GF!!

 

[Cinderumbrella]

Hi GF friends, I know this isnt GF related but say a little prayer for the school shooting that happened today..this university, Northern Illinois, is relatively close to us and is my husband's alma mater. We also have lots of friends whose kids go to school there. Thanks.. it really is a sad world sometimes.

I graduated from NIU in 1996... I just can't even imagine this...

 

[Cinderumbrella]

Kelly is either going to hurt me or hurt you... I have already changed this ressie a FEW times ....
Let me think about it for a few days as Savannah really had her heart set on the poly.... she liked the jungle feel in the lobby.
She knows I have it booked at the poly already but maybe I can convince her to change her mind....

We did that with DS for this years trip.. he wants to stay at the CR. DH will only stay at the GF now cool1: ). Even though we booked over a year out, we told DS the CR was alreay booked... good thing he is only 4 and too young to realize what BIG LIARS we are!!

 

[MomNeedsVacay]

We did that with DS for this years trip.. he wants to stay at the CR. DH will only stay at the GF now cool1: ). Even though we booked over a year out, we told DS the CR was alreay booked... good thing he is only 4 and too young to realize what BIG LIARS we are!!

I'm surprised any kid would want to stay at the contemporary with the lack of theming!

 

[praline3001]

Do I hear split stay?

NOOOOOOOO I never ever ever do a split stay... its not worth the packing and repacking mid trip

I would rather stay in a tent at the campgrounds than to move resorts mid stay... did you see my luggage in my TR?!?!?!

 

[Lives4Disney]

My 3 kids LOVE LOVE LOVE the Contemporary. That was the first resort we stayed at 30+yrs ago and the first we stayed at with our own kids and they just LOVE that place. It is a fun & hoppin place to be.

Praline, I am actually doing a split stay. We are most likely doing 4 nts Swan/4 nts GF RPC in March! We live out of our suitcases, though. It is a slight pain to transfer, but it's kind of fun to stay on both sides of the world.

I am watching the news now and it is so sad. I feel creepy about this. We live in such a small community & Dekalb is such a small (well it was way back when I went to NIU ) quiet farming town and where WE live it just seemed we were in a safe little corner of the world....now I just don't know. I feel awful for kids these days. It is such a scary world to grow up in.

Lives4Disney

 

[WishesQueen]

Praline - I did a split stay last time and I did unpack, I just stayed real organized and the move was soooo easy!!!

Lives4Disney is right it was fun, I missed the GF but I felt like we has two vacations in one because the WL is so different.

It's something to think about!!!

 

[Alicnwondrln]

i have turned the news off its to sad
it reminds me of what happened at VT

 

[grannyminnie]

Well, we live north of Atlanta, and ALWAYS hear news of shootings in "in-town" neighborhoods, as in "drive-bys"....one would think you could send your kids out to play and feel/know they are safe, but "this old world" is getting meaner by the minute, so to speak. Makes ya want to move to the country, and homeschool, I bet!!

 

[princessesrule4]

I'm surprised any kid would want to stay at the contemporary with the lack of theming!

Between the monorail running through it, the fun atmosphere of Chef Mickey's, the game room (the old one was bigger but the new one is still good!) and the awesome MK views - a lot of kids LOVE the CR! Mine sure do! They begged to go back there last August since we've mostly been staying GF the last few years and they had a blast. I stayed there as a kid in 1972 so it has sentimental value for me as well!

Praline,
We live out of our suitcases like Lives4disney so we've done split stays without too much hassle, but if I had to unpack and repack I probably wouldn't want to do a split stay either!

 

[Lives4Disney]

Well, we live north of Atlanta, and ALWAYS hear news of shootings in "in-town" neighborhoods, as in "drive-bys"....one would think you could send your kids out to play and feel/know they are safe, but "this old world" is getting meaner by the minute, so to speak. Makes ya want to move to the country, and homeschool, I bet!!

I live in the country. I live in an unincorporated area very rural and woodsy & quiet. I have my front door open now (with a 130lb furry "rug" lying in front of it) but still.....now I think I want to close it.

DeKalb where NIU is is in the middle of cornfields!!! That's what is so disturbing to me. I mean, there is (well was - last time I was there) NOTHING out there but NIU rising above corn stalks. SO crazy weird. It just feels so safe out here, but in reality it's just not safe too much anyplace these days.

Lives4Disney

 

[Cinderumbrella]

Praline- I am with you about the split stays!! I unpack once we get to the room just to get all the suitcases out of there. I too need a support group for BIG packers (I got hammered over my outrage for the new United $25 fee for extra bags over on the transportation board- you would think I was the devil for thinking that 2 bags per person for a 10 day trip is not a lot!!) I can't imagine having to repack and move mid trip.

As for the CR, I think DS4's obsession with it is the fact that the monorail runs through the building. He thinks that is the neatest "trick" ever!! DH stayed there when he was a kid, and in his mind, that one time was more than enough!! Besides, with DH on my side, I can now stay at my beloved GF for all our future trips

Ditto to what Channing said about DeKalb and the cornfields... it is so scary that this happened in such a quiet place. They were saying the school has 25000 students, but it seems so much smaller than that. It is not like the Big Ten schools at all in terms of size and poplulation...

 

[MomNeedsVacay]

Between the monorail running through it, the fun atmosphere of Chef Mickey's, the game room (the old one was bigger but the new one is still good!) and the awesome MK views - a lot of kids LOVE love the CR! Mine sure do! They begged to go back there last August since we've mostly been staying GF the last few years and they had a blast. I stayed there as a kid in 1972 so it has sentimental value for me as well!

Praline,
We live out of our suitcases like Lives4disney so we've done split stays without too much hassle, but if I had to unpack and repack I probably wouldn't want to do a split stay either!

You've all convinced me that I should give the Contemporary another chance!!!!
There are still others I'd like to try.... I've never stayed at the Poly or the AKL. We've never done Chef Mickey's either.... whats the best character meal there??? Breakfast?

 

[Alicnwondrln]

I love the Donalds breakfast its soo good.

 

[heatherlynn444]

You've all convinced me that I should give the Contemporary another chance!!!!
There are still others I'd like to try.... I've never stayed at the Poly or the AKL. We've never done Chef Mickey's either.... whats the best character meal there??? Breakfast?

i would try poly before AKL. AKL was just "eh" for me, but you may liek the themeing. it was very interesintg in unique, but to dark adn jsut not for me. i like the light aireness of the GF and SSR etc.

 

[tinklvr64]

Its a sad day at our school...one of our teachers was very close friends with the family of one of the victims.
I know things can happen anywhere...AND thats why I LOVE Disney it allows me to have that carefree, magical feeling!! GF take me away.....................

 

[MomNeedsVacay]

i would try poly before AKL. AKL was just "eh" for me, but you may liek the themeing. it was very interesintg in unique, but to dark adn jsut not for me. i like the light aireness of the GF and SSR etc.

I think my issue with the AKL is where its situated...It seems so far from everything!

 

[heatherlynn444]

I think my issue with the AKL is where its situated...It seems so far from everything!

well i am so spoiled with staying at GF that i did NOT like taking busses to all four parks. it really cuts into your time when you think about the amount of time you spend on transportation. we love just on a whim hopping over to MK on the monorail..from AKL there is no hopping anywhere quickly!

 

[Lives4Disney]

Its a sad day at our school...one of our teachers was very close friends with the family of one of the victims.
I know things can happen anywhere...AND thats why I LOVE Disney it allows me to have that carefree, magical feeling!! GF take me away.....................

so sorry. The whole thing is just awful. Unbelievable really.

Lives4Disney

 

[Lives4Disney]

I just got my little IPO message from the GF for our March stay!!!! Whhoooohooo...yes! Take me away GF. Well, that is unless that stupid falling satellite lands on WDW or our home.

Heatherlynn, so you weren't thrilled with AKL??? It looks pretty to visit, but I agree it's so far out there that has kept me from being interested in a stay there.

Lives4Disney