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

[K&C]

We stayed in room 9310 last October as well.

"It's a small world after all"

 

[sjaakie]

Anyone stayed at concierge level in the Sugar Laof Key?
How are the rooms and the view?
Is it worth the money?

 

[WishesQueen]

Clownfish1452

We love the Big Pine Key. We also watched Wishes from our room, but we were on the ground floor. Hoping for a higher floor this year!!

We think its close and easy to get to everything!!

 

[Lives4Disney]

Anyone stayed at concierge level in the Sugar Laof Key?
How are the rooms and the view?
Is it worth the money?

There are pics of SL at the front of this thread & also a map so you can see the view options/building location etc.

View is marina or courtyard pool. The rooms are the same as all others. Worth the money? That is just opinion. I love staying concierge at the GF. I have stayed concierge at almost all the other WDW resorts and GF is the best of all for what I enjoy about it. I have gotten to the point where I don't even book concierge at any other WDW hotels. They are not worth it IMO. Worth is just subjective, though.

Happy planning!

Lives4disney

 

[Mbg98]

Mbg98

The only number I could find was 407-824-3000 the main number to the GF. I don't know what number you have tried.

I was at the GF last July and a couple was doing almost the same thing, so they are there.

Good Luck!!!

Thank you...I didi try that # and they connected me to some recording that had to do with purchasing merchandise, so no luck there. I will call the # again and try.

I looked at having one of the Disney wedding photogs do it but that was $450 compared to the 124 for the disc and all, hopefully i will figure it all out!

Thanks again!!

MGG

 

[Mbg98]

Does anyone have a copy or can tell me what the room service breakfast menu is like?

We will be there for 7 days in July for our 10 year anniversary and hubby is playing golf 4 mornings so we will be doing alot of room service breakfasts so i don't have to eat alone.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Goofy_4_WDW]

Welcome to all the GF newbies. I hope you are finding the answers you are looking for.

Thank You!!! You all make me feel at home.

 

[Cinderumbrella]

This thread it great and I am still planning a few nights at GF and will be calling today since it is during the week of Christmas.

I did price it on the WDW website. The only rooms they have on the GV, LV and MK view. No others are listed. Do you have to call to get these?I am still on the fence as of what to do. Since it is our Anniversary and Christmas...I want to make it extra special, but I do feel a bit guilty since we are also DVC. We will be using our points to finish our the rest of the trip at BCV...this way we are getting the both of both worlds!

Also:
What building would you request for GV, for LV or MK view??

I am also looking at the main building rooms but the prices are not coming up. I am sure they are quite scary during the week of Christmas!

Click the button that you are intersted in concierge and if there is any availabilty that week for SL or RPC it will show up.

 

[Tinker*Shell*Bell]

Booked today!! August 19-26 I am too excited for words!

I have a few questions for the GF vets...

Is there a weekly plan at the Marina like there was at Poly in 06? (It covered unlimited boats for the week for the family) It was about $200.

Which pool has the slide? (the boys are dying to get to the pool and it's still 5 months!)

Is there a current scan of the room service menu somewhere? The allearsnet is really out of date for in room.


Anything else that I "need to know?" I have read a lot of this FAQ..but wondering if anyone has hints and tips for the family.

Thanks!!!
Sheli

 

[Cinderumbrella]

The Beach pool has the slide... not sure about your other questions but I am sure someone will be along shortly that does...

 

[vbarry]

Well... I just booked Sugar Loaf for 12/23-12/27. Cost was $750.00 per night but this was $10.00 more than MK view. I am still not sure. Maybe I should just do the GV room at $605.00 per night. Decisions, Decisions!

I am still a view person so any help with the views from SL is appreciated!

 

[Alicnwondrln]

the views from the sugar loaf are garden views of the quiet pool and the marina

 

[vbarry]

Is the Marina View better? Any photos of this?

Also- would you request a tower room? I really want a balcony!

Sorry for all the questions but I am just so dang excited!

 

[Cinderumbrella]

This is the view from my GV Marina View room last August. We were on the ground floor. We had a balcony Are there some rooms that don't have it?? We were in Conch Key (which is next to Sugar Loaf).

Remember that Sugar Loaf isn't necessaruly about a view but the services that go along with it (Concierge, continental breakfast etc.) If you are doing the Dining Plan, I would probably save the money and stay GV, but that is my opinion. I wouldn't upgrade just for concierge unless we were in the main building (RPC).

Happy Planning!Kristin

(Channing, I am stealing your line! )

 

[Tink rules]

Does anyone have a copy or can tell me what the room service breakfast menu is like?

We will be there for 7 days in July for our 10 year anniversary and hubby is playing golf 4 mornings so we will be doing alot of room service breakfasts so i don't have to eat alone.

Thanks in advance!

Don't worry about dining alone...

WDW is not like dining alone in other regular restaurants...

I've done it lots of times - I love my solo trips!!! The CM's usually make you feel very comfortable...

Make at least 1 ADR for GF Cafe and go and enjoy breakfast - my fave there... bring a book or a magazine if you feel like it...

Also...Gasparillas has a good selection for breakfast... you can get what you'd like and if it's a nice day...sit out in the sun and enjoy...

But then again... I do like room service...

 

[clownfish1452]

We stayed in room 9310 last October as well.

"It's a small world after all"

Wow that is cool. We loved that room we wanted to move in. It is a small world.

Sarah

 

[mr.mike]

Thanks for the tip that you can get a Marina view when booking a Garden Room!! Which building should I request to be close to Gaspies? Need my morning coffee and I'm usually the one getting the Mickey Waffles in the am while the kids are watching playhouse disney! Is that Conch Key?

Mare

If you get a marina view you would be in Sago or Conch and Gaspies is right there facing the marina so either would be close I'd guess, depending on where you are in each building.

 

[vbarry]

This is the view from my GV Marina View room last August. We were on the ground floor. We had a balcony Are there some rooms that don't have it?? We were in Conch Key (which is next to Sugar Loaf).

Remember that Sugar Loaf isn't necessaruly about a view but the services that go along with it (Concierge, continental breakfast etc.) If you are doing the Dining Plan, I would probably save the money and stay GV, but that is my opinion. I wouldn't upgrade just for concierge unless we were in the main building (RPC).

Happy Planning!Kristin

(Channing, I am stealing your line! )

I am still thinking about this ! I though SL might be nice since is is Christmas in case we would need to change an ADR etc. RPC is $950 per night YIKES!

I may go back to GV...I just do not know yet. We always stay GV at the Poly and love it.

 

[mr.mike]

This thread it great and I am still planning a few nights at GF and will be calling today since it is during the week of Christmas.

I am also looking at the main building rooms but the prices are not coming up. I am sure they are quite scary during the week of Christmas!

Very true!! I told my travel agent to bill my card for the deposit and don't tell me the total!

When you are used to one season its quite a shock to go during the most expensive season.

I mentioned elsewhere that I chose the RPC for Christmas because its our first Christmas trip and even though we are going for Christmas 2009 I doubt there will be many Christmas trips and we want the first to be special.
Also I'm hoping to use the lounge as an escape from the crowds everywhere and enjoy the ambience of the GF's Lobby.

 

[Tinkaroo]

Good morning...

Hubby and I are staying at the GF for 6 nights to celebrate our 10 year anniversary in July (we were married in a Disney fairytale wedding) After reading all these posts I just called to request my GV room be a Marina view, so thanks for the heads up!

My question is...
When we were there in the couple visits last year we noticed that the GF has a photopass kiosk and you can make appt. and have a photo shoot done on the GF grounds, problem is I can't get a number to call ahead and set up this appt. I keep getting transfered and noone seems to be able to help... Can anyone offer advice or know who to contact?? The last few visits they have been booked so i want to call in advance and I think it would be great to have our pics done 10 years later in alot of the same place we had our first ones done.

Any advice would be great! Thanks a bunch!!

MGG

This information is from the Stitch Kingdom website (very good resource for PhotoPass stuff - www.stitchkingdom.com):

Grand Floridian Photo Shoot - You can arrange for a private photo session with a Disney PhotoPass photographer at the Grand Floridian Resort. The session includes around 40 photos taken around the picturesque resort and its beach. Pricing is as follows: $49.95 for a Disney's PhotoPass card containing your photos which can then be added to your disneyphotopass.com account; $124.95 (or save 20% by pre-ordering - see details below) which will get you a PhotoCD with your images. If you choose to get the PhotoCD, you can save your receipt and CD and exchange it later on during your vacation for a new PhotoCD containing all of your Disney's PhotoPass images. The only catch is you won't be able to make enhancements to any of the photos; or bring the required proof that you pre-ordered the PhotoCD and the cost is only $25. Reports from guests who have participated in the photo sessions are overwhelmingly positive. Call 407-824-1700 to make reservations up to 30 days in advance or for additional information. These sessions may be extended to other deluxe level resorts in the future.

That number is the same # I used to book the session my family did in December. You can book at the 30-day mark.

We were already planning on getting the PhotoPass CD, so all in all, we were only out about another $25 to do the shoot. However, I was incredibly underwhelmed by the quality (and quantity) of pictures they took. We were a group of 10 (8 adults and 2 children), and we got better pictures the next day by having my DH set up his tripod at the resort. The CM who was our photographer cut off people's heads, didn't center the photos, etc., and put us in some areas that were questionable as far as desirability in photos.

I have seen other photos that were quite good from these sessions, but it truly is luck of the draw (as it is with all the PhotoPass CM's). In hindsight, since it was a special family trip, I should have hired one of the Disney professional photographers. Definitely more pricey, but we would have had some photos we could use! Live and learn.

Is the Marina View better? Any photos of this?

Also- would you request a tower room? I really want a balcony!

Sorry for all the questions but I am just so dang excited!

Congrats on booking!

I was going to say that having a lounge and a quiet respite from the parks will be a nice reprieve for your busy dates. However, the SL lounge is considerably smaller than RPC, and I hear it does get a bit crowded/hectic in there.

That's already a pretty hefty price tag for SL. Unless you were truly going to use a lot of the concierge offerings (food, planning assistance, etc.), I'd probably just stay GV. Like Kristin, when I'm looking at booking at the GF, it's either GV or RPC.

Good luck with your decision! Either way, the GF is beautiful at the holidays!

(I do believe there are some lodge tower rooms in SL that might have a balcony - hopefully somone that has stayed in one can come along and confirm.)