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

[kblandino]

We have a grand gathering staying at the GF next week - Can one person check in for the whole group? We have 3 rooms. Thanks.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

I checked in one morning at 744am conicerge and my room was ready

 

[Tinkaroo]

We have a grand gathering staying at the GF next week - Can one person check in for the whole group? We have 3 rooms. Thanks.

If that one person is paying for all the rooms - yes.

If each room is being paid for separately, then they will want each responsible party present at the desk to do the paperwork, make payment, etc.

 

[allisonswonderland]

Channing- you said you like to see what rooms are avaliable...do you ask them what all is avaliable or just take what they give you?

 

[WishesQueen]

I was just about to ask the same question!

 

[Lives4Disney]

Channing- you said you like to see what rooms are avaliable...do you ask them what all is avaliable or just take what they give you?

If they haven't paid any attention to my room requests and show me where my assigned room is and I'm not happy about it I NICELY (sometimes hard, haha ) ask them if there is anything else available or I just nicely tell them what I would prefer. I do it almost every time I'm not staying concierge because they NEVER seem to notice ONE room request. It has always worked out for me. I've done it at the CR, YC, BC, Swan....At the Poly they tried to stick me on the 2nd floor concierge but I asked to please have 1st or 3rd....they were huffy about it, but I got 3rd floor so WHATEVER. That is the ONLY time anybody has been huffy and I expected it from the Poly (been there done that ) I did it in Hawaii at the Royal Hawaiian, and guess where we wound up?? In a penthouse suite with a direct ocean/Waikiki Beach view. That was my best effort.

It pays to ask and be sweet.

Lives4Disney

 

[goofygal531]

I'm guessing Channing asks them what's available.

I do too. I'm not as picky as I was in the past (BC before children). Also, years ago you didn't have to pay for MK view, if you checked in early enough and the room was available, you got it. We checked into the CR at 7am once. They gave us MK view, but the room wasn't ready until noon. But the earlier you arrive, the better the selection. You can pick and choose. The rooms aren't assigned to you until you check in. It's not like a cruise where you book your stateroom, your just booking a category. (I'm a TA )

Now with the kids, I really like to be as close as possible to the "snack shack" as we always call them.

I try not to have too many requests, they won't acknowledge all of them. At the CR I requested MK view and 1 king bed. We got MK View. I called the front desk and asked why we had two beds (it was our anniversary) they said we thought MK view was more of a priority than the beds. So they pick and choose.

We always take the first flight out and check in around 9am.
Mare

 

[DiznEeyore]

At the Poly they tried to stick me on the 2nd floor concierge but I asked to please have 1st or 3rd....they were huffy about it, but I got 3rd floor so WHATEVER. That is the ONLY time anybody has been huffy and I expected it from the Poly (been there done that )

If you don't mind my asking ... I was just curious what you meant by you expected it from them? Did you have problems on different stays? We haven't always had the best service at the Poly, either, though it seems to have gotten better in the past couple of years.

I'm asking because I keep waffling between the Poly and the Grand for our holiday trip this year. Dh and ds prefer the Poly but we did all love the GF (and definitely felt more pampered there than any other stay we've had!), and I really want this trip to be magical in every way. I know you can't always predict how the CMs will be, but if there's a pattern of bad service, it would be really helpful to know.

Thanks for any thoughts!

 

[Lives4Disney]

If you don't mind my asking ... I was just curious what you meant by you expected it from them? Did you have problems on different stays? We haven't always had the best service at the Poly, either, though it seems to have gotten better in the past couple of years.

I'm asking because I keep waffling between the Poly and the Grand for our holiday trip this year. Dh and ds prefer the Poly but we did all love the GF (and definitely felt more pampered there than any other stay we've had!), and I really want this trip to be magical in every way. I know you can't always predict how the CMs will be, but if there's a pattern of bad service, it would be really helpful to know.

Thanks for any thoughts!

I have stayed Poly concierge 4 times and never had good service. The last stay was 2 yrs ago, though, so maybe they've improved??.......DH REALLY wanted to try it so we did. He never cared to stay there again.....I talked him into trying it a couple more times....wasn't great. Then once just my daughters and I extended a GF stay and all that was available was Poly concierge so we moved over there and had our last bad stay. I do like the Poly, but I don't think I could even talk myself into Poly concierge again.

After our last bad time I wrote a strong letter to guest services and an email to the crappy CM that added to our crummy stay. So....if that cm is still there, I don't think we'd be very welcome.

So, like I said, the last bad time for us was 2 yrs ago....maybe things have changed, but I am not up to try it. I think I am probably on their sh*t list anyway.

Lives4Disney

 

[landsmommy]

You should be fine at the pool with your guests. If you really want to spoil everyone- rent a cabana!! See page 1 for details and pricing.

I think renting one of the bigger boats from the Marina sounds terrific (We usually do a Boston Whaler but I am not sure how many people it holds). I am pretty sure they have Pontoon boats as well which obviously hold more. If you wanted time away from the resort, you could also go to DTD Marketplace or the Westside and tour the shops.

Our friends come with their 4 kids every year to meet us at the GF. Thats 5 of them all together. We rent a cabana (I gave the pool staff a heads up and asked if it was OK) and stay at the pool until 2:00, then the girls take showers, while the boys play video games at Gaspies. Then the boys take showers while the girls shop. I make dinner ressies real early so we can sit together. This year is the first time we are going into the parks. My friends kids are just tortured by not going in but it is an expensive DAY for them. Renting the boats sounds like a great idea, maybe next year if the park thing doesn't work this year.

By the way, mousekeeping was great. I gave her a heads up and she had tons of towels waiting for us and she straightened up after we all left. I wish she would come home with me!!

Thanks to you both for your responses. Glad to hear it shouldn't be a problem to have guests at the pool.

I'm so glad you both recommended a cabana. I had been reading about them thinking that could be a great idea since we'd be a large group.

There's so many fun things to do, we just have to figure out what works best for folks considering time, budgets, transportation issues, etc.

Thanks!
T

 

[kblandino]

If that one person is paying for all the rooms - yes.

If each room is being paid for separately, then they will want each responsible party present at the desk to do the paperwork, make payment, etc.

The rooms were bought together - but have different reservation numbers. Perhaps, he could check-in and they could assign the rooms so that they are connected? Would that work?

 

[DiznEeyore]

I have stayed Poly concierge 4 times and never had good service. The last stay was 2 yrs ago, though, so maybe they've improved??.......DH REALLY wanted to try it so we did. He never cared to stay there again.....I talked him into trying it a couple more times....wasn't great. Then once just my daughters and I extended a GF stay and all that was available was Poly concierge so we moved over there and had our last bad stay. I do like the Poly, but I don't think I could even talk myself into Poly concierge again.

After our last bad time I wrote a strong letter to guest services and an email to the crappy CM that added to our crummy stay. So....if that cm is still there, I don't think we'd be very welcome.

So, like I said, the last bad time for us was 2 yrs ago....maybe things have changed, but I am not up to try it. I think I am probably on their sh*t list anyway.

Lives4Disney

Wow! Sorry you had such terrible luck with them!

We stayed LVC in '06 and while it was nice, we certainly weren't impressed with the service we received. The CMs all seemed sort of on auto-pilot or something ... not a lot of interaction, pleasant or otherwise.

We're not doing concierge this trip, so I'm just comparing "regular" rooms. I just wish I could settle on the way to go.

Thanks for your post!

 

[Lives4Disney]

Wow! Sorry you had such terrible luck with them!

We stayed LVC in '06 and while it was nice, we certainly weren't impressed with the service we received. The CMs all seemed sort of on auto-pilot or something ... not a lot of interaction, pleasant or otherwise.

We're not doing concierge this trip, so I'm just comparing "regular" rooms. I just wish I could settle on the way to go.

Thanks for your post!

It's tough when the family is split on where to stay. DD8 & DS17 would like to stay CR again, but I hate their pool area. If we do stay there, it would have to be during a nonswimming trip....and that would most likely be during Thanksgiving or Xmas and DH & I couldn't pass up the GF during the holidays.

Good luck with your choice. I do like Poly, I just wouldn't care to stay concierge there again. I just didn't feel the love or the magic.

PS...I have to tell you your Eeyore's are SO CUTE. My daughter is Eeyore's number one fan.
Lives4Disney

 

[DiznEeyore]

It's tough when the family is split on where to stay. DD8 & DS17 would like to stay CR again, but I hate their pool area. If we do stay there, it would have to be during a nonswimming trip....and that would most likely be during Thanksgiving or Xmas and DH & I couldn't pass up the GF during the holidays.

Good luck with your choice. I do like Poly, I just wouldn't care to stay concierge there again. I just didn't feel the love or the magic.

PS...I have to tell you your Eeyore's are SO CUTE. My daughter is Eeyore's number one fan.
Lives4Disney

I don't know why I'm having such a hard time deciding ... the guys are willing to do the GF if I *really* want to but I want the trip to be really great for them, too. Sometimes it's hard being the only princess in the house, LOL!!

And thank you for the compliments on my Eeyores -- that's one of my favorite things about Disney; the ability to keep some of that childhood fun! Your daughter has great taste in characters!

 

[Tink rules]

What is the earliest that anyone has been aloud to check in? Regular rooms and concierge.

"You can check in anytime... but you can never leave"



(Ok... that's my Smarta@@ response to Hotel California...) (ok... so it was supposed to be Check OUT... )

BUT

There are some people who would NEVER leave the GF if they didn't have to!!!

 

[Tinkaroo]

The rooms were bought together - but have different reservation numbers. Perhaps, he could check-in and they could assign the rooms so that they are connected? Would that work?

Is everyone arriving separately?

If you're doing a Grand Gathering, your reservations should be linked in the system, and the whole idea is that they will do their very best to have them close together. If you haven't already, I would make sure you're clear with the GG dept. that you want connecting rooms (i.e., connecting interior doors between the 2); otherwise, they might just put the rooms near each other on the same floor, or even right next to each other, but without connecting doors (i.e., adjoining rooms).

If the group is all checking in at separate times, then whoever is the first to check-in should be able to draw the CM's attention to the fact that they're part of a GG, and could they make sure that the rooms for the entire party are connecting? They likely won't give the first person checking in the room numbers for all 3 rooms (and they won't get any room #'s at all if the room(s) aren't ready), but the CM can verify their location, or try to move you.

I did a GG in Dec. at SSR. I was already on property (at the GF, actually!) and went over to SSR at 7:30 a.m. check-in morning to get a jump on the line, make sure we got the location we had requested, etc. I was able to check my villa in, and the CM was able to confirm that my other linked reservations would be nearby. (They were right down the hall.)

Hope this helps!

 

[BOLTZPRIDE]

hey everyone,
ive booked one of the honeymoon rooms in rpc for august. is it a real hassle doing the 2 elevators to get anywhere?also when going to akl or studios does taking a cab cut out a lot of travel time?
thanks

 

[Lives4Disney]

hey everyone,
ive booked one of the honeymoon rooms in rpc for august. is it a real hassle doing the 2 elevators to get anywhere?also when going to akl or studios does taking a cab cut out a lot of travel time?
thanks

I thought the 2 elevators would be a pain but it's not. Last trip we were on the 3rd floor so we would use that corner elevator to go up to the lounge from there we'd head to the monorail down the other elevator. It was fine. The corner elevator is also nice when you come back from the MK boat, you just head there and up to 2nd. It sounds lke more of a hassle than it is. You wont' mind it. It's almost always empty, too. NOt a lot of competition for that elevator.

Plus, you'll have a fabulous MK view from your room.

We always do the Disney bus to AK, but a cab would definitely shorten the trip. AK is not our favorite and we don't even care if we skip it so we often do. That bus is nasty....it stops at the water park(s) before AK and after. That's the worst route & always crowded. I don't mind the studios bus. GF shares with WL. Never had a problem w/it. They pick up WL first so goes from GF to DS. On the way back it stops at WL first.

Enjoy,

Lives4Disney

 

[shoppgirl]

We always do the Disney bus to AK, but a cab would definitely shorten the trip. AK is not our favorite and we don't even care if we skip it so we often do. That bus is nasty....it stops at the water park(s) before AK and after. That's the worst route & always crowded. I don't mind the studios bus. GF shares with WL. Never had a problem w/it. They pick up WL first so goes from GF to DS. On the way back it stops at WL first.

Enjoy,

Lives4Disney

You mentioned the disney bus to the Studios, and it doesn't sound too bad! What are the buses from GF to DTD like? Which other hotels run on the same route? How long does it take? Thanks in advance!

 

[WishesQueen]

You mentioned the disney bus to the Studios, and it doesn't sound too bad! What are the buses from GF to DTD like? Which other hotels run on the same route? How long does it take? Thanks in advance!

The only thing I remember is that it was kind of a long ride. But not too bad!! Worth it because we enjoy DTD.

Channing...We always skip AK too, but I was thinking about running over for a couple of hours to at least do the Safari (the kids don't remember it). I guess I am taking a cab because that doesn't sound fun at all. But how do you get back, I was thinking about checking out AKL and grabbing a cab back from the hotel. Is the hotel close enough to walk to from the park?