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

[poohgirl6]

Praline,
I say let your DD be Jasmine whenever and wherever she wants.

Believe me, little princesses grow up fast

You'll never look back and think, "Wow, I wish I'd made DD grow up faster and not wear that crazy costume when she was 6 y/o." My DD is now 22 y/o and married but I'd love to have her be 6 y/o again for a day...I'd let her wear whatever she wanted and keep the magic as long as possible.rincess:

Sorry about your toe...here's pixie dust and prayers for your quick recover

 

[werfamily]

Werfamily - have a great time. I can't wait to hear about your trip when you get back. I hope you wind up LOVING WDW and the GF or you'll think we're all off our rockers. ....well maybe we are.

Thanks! Actually, that is absolutely my goal...to try and become immersed in the magic and transmit that to my article. I have really appreciated all of you who have written about your experiences. I’ve never before been able to find such a vast amount of material for pre-trip research. We still have 3 weeks until we leave, so I will be looking forward to hearing the reports of those who are going sooner.

 

[praline3001]

Thanks for the well wishes on my toe. I am still not sure if its broke or just jammed really bad. My mom said (yup even at 36 I run to mommy when I get hurt ) that if I went in for xrays and it was broke they wouldn't do anything for it. I can't take advil or any NSAID's as I am a former gastric bypass patient. I am stuck with tylenol and an ice pack.

The kids are fussing at me ...

I think I am going to let her wear her costume on the plane. We are flying Delta.. I just hope nobody looks at me like I am a bad parent
I guess she will look cute pulling up in the limo with her jasmine costume on

One good thing about my toe... our boy scouts are going to the local news station tonight to meet the local big wig reporters ( for arbonnette.. they are going to WDSU and meeting with Norman Robinson and crew...) its cold and rainy and a total curl up in the sweatpants and do nothing kind of day...
NOW I don't have to go Daddy can take them and I can stay at home with my foot up in my sweatpants and electric blankie

 

[arbonnette]

Just curious Is the pool heated at the GF? We will be there in March and was wondering if the kiddos will be able to swim. Thanks.

I was a competitive swimmer and our practice pool was typically kept at 81 degrees. I found this to be cold . So ... if the weather is chilly at Disney, even though the pool may be heated, it will be too cold for swimming, IMO!


Praline, OH NO!!! At LEAST you have a week to recover, but I can't believe that happened to you! So here you go ...
I would totally let my DD wear a costume on the plane. If that is what she wants to do, let her do it! In a few years, she won't want to anyway ...

I have a four foot stack of clothing that needs to be condensed into an average size suitcase ... That is my goal for this weekend!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

 

[stagemomto3]

Stagemomto3 – Hi there! Several people have PM’d me asking the same thing. Who would have thought that an all-girl family was so unique?! I do tend to talk about my family a lot in my articles because I am often hired to give the perspective travel with children.

Well I love the way you write your travel articles, so I'm really looking forward to this one. It would be great if it came out before our trip in June!

I'm curious about one thing. If they were to offer you an upgrade, would you take it, or are you trying to review a GV room? After all, regular people get upgraded sometimes! I'd love to read about the RPC or SL too.

 

[grannyminnie]

Thanks! Actually, that is absolutely my goal...to try and become immersed in the magic and transmit that to my article. I have really appreciated all of you who have written about your experiences. I’ve never before been able to find such a vast amount of material for pre-trip research. We still have 3 weeks until we leave, so I will be looking forward to hearing the reports of those who are going sooner.

Haven't posted lately due to travel (not Disney...boo hoo) but I'm catching up on the GF news and very eager to read your article also! May I please know what magazine to buy at the appropriate time? If you can't name it, put a hint in here, ok???

 

[Alicnwondrln]

HI everyone
I just wanted to let people know I updates some pics and other info at the
beginning and also the new IPO email address.

This is it ONLY IF YOU ARE STAYING CONCIERGE
Grand.Floridian.Itinerary.Planning@disneyworld.com

I have added this email to the beginning as well

 

[Alicnwondrln]

Thanks for the well wishes on my toe. I am still not sure if its broke or just jammed really bad. My mom said (yup even at 36 I run to mommy when I get hurt ) that if I went in for xrays and it was broke they wouldn't do anything for it. I can't take advil or any NSAID's as I am a former gastric bypass patient. I am stuck with tylenol and an ice pack.

The kids are fussing at me ...

I think I am going to let her wear her costume on the plane. We are flying Delta.. I just hope nobody looks at me like I am a bad parent
I guess she will look cute pulling up in the limo with her jasmine costume on

One good thing about my toe... our boy scouts are going to the local news station tonight to meet the local big wig reporters ( for arbonnette.. they are going to WDSU and meeting with Norman Robinson and crew...) its cold and rainy and a total curl up in the sweatpants and do nothing kind of day...
NOW I don't have to go Daddy can take them and I can stay at home with my foot up in my sweatpants and electric blankie

what! I hope you are ok

 

[praline3001]

what! I hope you are ok

Yeah i think it was a false alarm thank goodness! I am doing better this evening. DH and the kids went to scouts and I soaked it in the tub. Its still sore but the swelling has gone way down so its just black and blue. DH ... who is a scout leader and does all the first aid stuff for the troop said he thought it was just a bad jam. I didn't know a jam could turn your toe black and blue!!!!

I took my tylenol PM so I should be in dream land any minute

On the plus side, the kids have promised to clean the house tomorrow and do the laundry for me so I can rest my toe for our trip this should be interesting

 

[NeverSayNever]

Hi everyone...

Wow... this thread has been busy again...

Praline Sorry to hear about your toe, rest rest rest... and hopefully it will be ok. Oh, I agree, I would let your DD be Jasmine on the plane... let her enjoy and you enjoy it too!

Lives4... Uhmmm... I hear ya on staying put, but somehow I think you are gonna have GF withdrawal if you don't spend a night or two there... just my two cents worth.

WerFamily... Ok, now my curiosity is really peaked... You gotta give us a hint at least.. Pretty Please...

Fairytale Bride... Re Private Dining... I was lucky in Sept and didn't have a problem getting the "right" person on the phone, we had ordered several special treats and I have to say she did a wonderful job and was creative. IMO, it was well worth it!

Ok.. everyone is packing and I haven't even started... YIKES... and worse yet I can't even figure out what to pack! I really really hate packing... It seems so hard to me to think about warm temps and what to wear when it is SOO cold here and I am freezing. I guess I better start tomorrow! Packing light... I don't think so... I seem to always go over the 50lb weight limit on one of the bags and DP just gives me the look and then he pays...

My kids are still sick so please everyone send a little pixie dust that they get better in the next couple of days... I don't wnat to have to canx again... and even worse I don't want to have to go to 24hr care like in Sept....

Well... gotta do the laundry and get out those suitcases. It's only a week away... looks like we will be there at the same time as some others... We'll be the foursome that is trying to get their family photo shot wearing the winter clothes! Give us a wave!

Best,

 

[werfamily]

I'm curious about one thing. If they were to offer you an upgrade, would you take it, or are you trying to review a GV room? After all, regular people get upgraded sometimes! I'd love to read about the RPC or SL too.

My goal is not to have my job influence what happens during a vacation. I like to just go on vacation, and then tell the story as if I was talking to a friend. (Of course, I take a lot of notes on vacation!) There have been times when we were upgraded, and this worked very well into the story – particularly in telling about our girls’ reactions. Other times we’ve had bad service, or problems with the room…you know, the regular ups and downs that anyone experiences when traveling frequently. I like when “real” things happen – both bad and good, it makes the story more accessible to people, and more fun for me to write.

So, yes, we would take an upgrade…but since we will be checking in on the Saturday of President’s Weekend, I’d be extremely surprised! Also, as you may remember from way back in this thread, my partner will be attending a conference for a couple of days while we are there, so we booked on a conference rate. In my experience in other hotels, those are the absolute last rooms to ever get upgraded.

grannyminnie & NeverSayNever - I will absolutely let you all know when and where the article is published. Whenever a freelancer is featured in a magazine, the sales for that issue can help determine future earnings. So, I really want it to sell well!

 

[MAKHayes-DisneyDiva]

I'm very interested in reading werfamily's article too! Having read the last few pages of this thread, i feel like I have a 3rd cousin twice removed type connection to her. Do we know where/when it will be published? Sorry if that information has already been shared - I may have missed it.

 

[stagemomto3]

Okay, I'm a little confused on the private dining. Now, I understand if I want to order things like chocolate strawberries or cookies, then I call the private dining. But I'm reading three different things about where to call for cake orders (to be delivered to a guest room). I've read of people ordering cakes from the general WDW cake hotline, GF private dining, and through the GF cake lady, Linda.

For a generic kids birthday cake, where would I start?

 

[Tink rules]

Michelle[/B] - OMG!! What a fabulous trip you're taking!!! As far as packing...I'd be so up the creek....I can't imagine the load you'll be hauling. I just have a tough time leaving anything behind for fear I will get the urge to wear it and won't have it. Duh. What fun though!! I hope you post about it and a link to the cruise and Disneyland trip. I LOVED Disneyland. Last March was our first time but we fell in love with it & want to go back.

Happy packing! I am looking forward to reading your live report posts and the reviews when you guys all return....not to rush ya or anything.

Lives4Disney

So far everyone is trying to figure out what to pack... some of the staterooms do not have the steamer trunk for storage and they are freaking out... I'm going to stick to capri's for casual nights with Polos and some nice tops... we have 3 themed nights, 2 formal, 1 Palo and a semi formal night. We joke that as long as you change your undies (bedazzled spankx thank you... ) We should be fine... yeah, right.

So far most of us are in GTY with no rooms assigned. We joke that we are homeless on board and we are moving into the lifeboats. We've been told NOT to expect any type of upgrade. What you booked is what you get - it is totally sold out. That said, there will not be as many people on board because it is more couples than families seeing as school is in for our cruise (in May...) Last time they had only 300 kids in the programs and clubs.

We are all sending boxes to the ship ahead of time. One woman owns a wine shop in California and is hosting a champagne tasting on board (i am of course signed up...) & last time shipped over a dozen boxes to the ship. Lanyards are being ordered, lime green bracelets, fish extenders, group brunches and tea... my head is seriously spinning.

We are all wondering what the entertainment will be... Last time and for the Med Repo they had Jim Brickman, Boyz 2 Men, & Linda Eder. This time our last formal night is a Ballroom one and it is rumored that they will have some of the dancers from DWTS on board - seeing as Joey Fatone and Kym Johnston were on the 1st Med cruise...)

There are as of this count 89 confirmed Dis names on the cruise. That does not equal how many staterooms because some have more than one stateroom. I am in charge of getting the group photo arranged (not sure how I ended up with that one, but I must somehow talk the big cheese into showing up!!!) We expect over 400 people to be in the photo.

We have as of now 3 confirmed Dis meets going on the night before. There is one at DTD on the 9th by the stage by the WOD store at 4:30 if you are around... Another at the MCO Hyatt and yet another at Grills, the restaurant at Cape Canaveral.

Our thread is one of the ones that got shut down last night because we were up to 46,000 replys... which is not as much as the EB repo cruise which was up in the 80,000+ replys... It is not uncommon to sign on and find that 25 pages have gone by. Our record was last monday - seems everyone had the day off and Dis'd the whole day - it was 33 pages.

If we don't know each other by now.... we are in trouble...

I will be taking my laptop with me (I do have to work during this trip) so I will be doing 2 different TR's one for the people and another for a special guest I will be taking on board with me. He is a semi celeb on the boards - often written about by a very talented author who has included him in her facinating TR's... when we confirm that he is coming, I will link it for you so you can learn his background...

We are also going to try to take a picture of all of our "traveling" buddies...stuffed or otherwise - it seems we all have them - mine is a teddy bear - which I swear is the BEST cervical pillow I've ever had - his head is flat from my chin, but hey... he loves me...

i think I broke my toe... i think i broke my toe
I am crying and laughing at the same time. It figures... a week before our trip and I break my little toe .... I was moving suitcases and packing and one of the big ones (full) landed smack on my toe. its now swollen and black and blue
I am limping around the house feeling like a complete fool!!!!
The kids will be home in an hour and they are going to be at me!!!

Please send me some little toe pixie dust my way ... i so don't want to be walking around disney with a broken toe

We told you to pack light!!!

 

[Tink rules]

Oh and I forgot...

I have at least 2 pages on my to do list and I have to fit in 3 trips inbetween then... Starting next week...

1st to Zurich Switzerland for work... I spend a week there then I fly to...

2nd to Houston - my nephew got the lead in the high school play (and I am super aunt and must be there...) come home a week later and 10 days after that I to to...

3rd to WDW for a week in March... I tell myslef I'm going to rest... HUH!!!

Then I have about 5 weeks to pull my butt together and resist the urge to rent a Uhaul to pull behind the ship!!!

 

[DVC Mary]

GF experts I need your help.

I booked 2 nights at GF in a garden view, which now I find out has been aside as a dormer room which sleeps only 4 instead of 5. I did this using my DVC points, but I did it very quickly b/c it was so hard to get rooms for the nights we were looking for. We move over the BWV for the rest of our trip but . . . .

I thought GF would be a nice treat for my Mom. Little did I know that the main & closest buildings are ALL concierge. My Mom is almost 80 & doesn't walk as well as she'd like to. I am worried that they'll put us in one of the furthest buildings--especially since our flight gets in late.

Will I be disappointed in a "dormer room"? Does it feel small despite the high ceilings?

Does anyone have an photos of a dormer room?

Should I keep calling back & trying to change to a different resort?

 

[Tink rules]

I just put some up on the room resort pics they are before the renovations... just start at pg 1 here and scroll - Kelly's really good at putting current pictures towards the beginning of the thread so you will get the best including the new rooms...

Have fun!!!

 

[Tink rules]

GF experts I need your help.

I booked 2 nights at GF in a garden view, which now I find out has been aside as a dormer room which sleeps only 4 instead of 5. I did this using my DVC points, but I did it very quickly b/c it was so hard to get rooms for the nights we were looking for. We move over the BWV for the rest of our trip but . . . .

I thought GF would be a nice treat for my Mom. Little did I know that the main & closest buildings are ALL concierge. My Mom is almost 80 & doesn't walk as well as she'd like to. I am worried that they'll put us in one of the furthest buildings--especially since our flight gets in late.

Will I be disappointed in a "dormer room"? Does it feel small despite the high ceilings?

Does anyone have an photos of a dormer room?

Should I keep calling back & trying to change to a different resort?

The GF looks big, but it's really quite manageable. Smaller than alot of the other resorts. Call and have them list it on your reserevation that you will need a room that is close to the main building - give them the reason - and also tell them that you will be checking in late.

 

[Tink rules]

Here you go back to the room resort thread...

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=22780714&postcount=1425

 

[Nicole721]

GF experts I need your help.

I booked 2 nights at GF in a garden view, which now I find out has been aside as a dormer room which sleeps only 4 instead of 5. I did this using my DVC points, but I did it very quickly b/c it was so hard to get rooms for the nights we were looking for. We move over the BWV for the rest of our trip but . . . .

I thought GF would be a nice treat for my Mom. Little did I know that the main & closest buildings are ALL concierge. My Mom is almost 80 & doesn't walk as well as she'd like to. I am worried that they'll put us in one of the furthest buildings--especially since our flight gets in late.

Will I be disappointed in a "dormer room"? Does it feel small despite the high ceilings?

Does anyone have an photos of a dormer room?

Should I keep calling back & trying to change to a different resort?

We took grandma (in her late 80s) to the GF last year (we're going again this summer).

We booked a garden view room and upon check-in, we told them we needed to be as close to the monorail/main building as possible because grandma's uses a walker (or a wheelchair if she's in the parks sometimes) and she gets really winded.

They put us in the closest non-concierge building they had (Big Pine Key) and we were fine. Quick walk, grandma was fine, and we had a lovely view of the pool from our balcony (and a late-night impromptu fireworks show one night).