The *New* Grand Floridian Resort and Spa FAQ thread (NOV 2008)

[Glorydaz]

Channing Just reading about the cabanas...glad to hear that even though they are newly refurbished and lovely they have not gone up in price...almost a Disney bargain... Cant believe thay are hard to book even in December...

Glorydaz Good luck hope are able to book one...I think they are such a nice way to spend a day at the pool also...

thanks BlueSkies ( what a pretty name!) ..I'm starting to really get excited now!!

Michelle

 

[CNYGuy]

Just got back from 5 days at GF...1st time staying there and had a great time. we checked in for our Garden View room and were upgraded without even asking! We were escorted to our Concierge marina View room in Sugar Loaf, 6205.

Concierge was great...eating and drinking several times a day...wine and beer with snacks at night, liqueurs and desserts at bedtime. i never knew what I was missing...

I have to say room view didn't really matter, we used our balcony rarely and used the room to sleep between tired adventure-filled days...

The pools were great, especially zero entry for the kids, and hot tub for all. We would definitely stay at GF again, but would hate to actually pay for concierge level...

 

[steffali]

HAPPY TURKEY DAY EVERYONE

 

[denisekayt]

Just curious, is there a hot tub at the themed pool? I know there is one (maybe more than one?) at the courtyard pool, but don't think I've seen one in any of the pictures at the themed pool.

Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving!!

 

[Lilmattie13]

No hot tub at the themed pool just the courtyard one. I kind of liked the courtyard pool better anyway It was quiet and much more room to swim around in.

The themed pool has the waterslide so you have to be out of the path of those that come sliding down. The lifeguard kept reminding me I was in the way especially when I would come out from having my head underneath the water fall. I would be all out of sorts and kind of wander over into the line of fire from the slide

Plus if you are in the courtyard pool at night when Wishes or fireworks are going off you can stay right there in the pool and watch them. It was such a nice ending to magical days.

 

[denisekayt]

Thanks Lilmattie!!

Plus if you are in the courtyard pool at night when Wishes or fireworks are going off you can stay right there in the pool and watch them. It was such a nice ending to magical days.

Thanks also for this little tidbit! I hadn't realized you could see the fireworks from the courtyard pool

 

[BlueSkies]

Lilmattie I happen to be a fan of the court yard pool also(wish they had some cabanas there too!)...didnt realize that you could see the firewokrs from the pool either...how nice ...you can always learn something new around here!! One more reason to take another vacation at the GF...

 

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

Can anyone tell me if GF has self laundry and where is it located. I didnt see it on the map. Thanks in Advance.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

they have laundry in the buildings on the 1st floor except for the main building I believe. Usually its 2 washers and 2 dryers so it can get crowded.

When I was there in August the one in the main building wasnt open at all. THere isnt one in Sugar Loaf the other concierge building which is another reason they fill up so fast.

 

[BCV23]

Can anyone tell me if GF has self laundry and where is it located. I didnt see it on the map. Thanks in Advance.

Sugar Loaf doesn't have a little laundry room. Conch Key is the closest if you'll be in SL. In RPC, the laundry room is on the second floor as I recall which is reached by the pool elevator if you're a RPC guest.

 

[heatherlynn444]

oohh michelle so glad you are going to try and get a cabana again! you and JJ need to relax!

so thanksgiving day was my 180 day mark! woo hoo! GF here we come (again!)

 

[BlueSkies]

Heatherlynn You can never have too many trips to the GF IMO although my DH would try to argue that point...the trip will be here before you know it...(hope youre going to do another great TR!! ) We have plans to go back in the summer too...

 

[heatherlynn444]

Heatherlynn You can never have too many trips to the GF IMO although my DH would try to argue that point...the trip will be here before you know it...(hope youre going to do another great TR!! ) We have plans to go back in the summer too...

of course I will do a TR! I feel like such a slacker that I am only 1/2 way through my september TR! i am going to disney for a w/e in january with friends and hate that I won't be at the GF!

 

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

My husband has just surprised me with 8 days at GF as a 40th birthday gift. I would like to book him some sort of massage/spa service for being such a sweetie. Does anyone have any recommendations on what to book? I am so psyched and he just mentioned some interest in doing something like this. We have a 4 year old that I would either have to bring or put into one of the clubs if I were to go with him. Thanks for any info.

 

[tinkerrn]

Could someone please explain the difference between the std. RPC room and the Deluxe RPC rooms? They are both available and the price is the same. Is it location? Do they both have a balcony? I would really like a balcony. We always get stuck with a really crudy balcony at the other resorts. Please help...this is going to be a christmas gift....to myself. Hubby has been wanting to stay at the GF for years but always backs out, much to my broken heart.

This time, I am calling the shots and am staying at the GF.

If you have any pics, I'd love to see some.

 

[k&a&c'smom]

tinkerrn - I answered your questions on the thread you started, with photos. In that thread, you said it was a king deluxe RPC room, is that right? There is a difference between king deluxe and deluxe rooms.

IWISHFORDISNEY - I've had the Swedish massage at the GF spa, I think I did the 50-minute (could have been the 80-minute) massage. It was great! I've tried the aromatherapy massage at the AKL spa, but I don't care for the oily feeling it leaves me with - even after showering, my hair had oil in it!

 

[Lives4Disney]

Could someone please explain the difference between the std. RPC room and the Deluxe RPC rooms? They are both available and the price is the same. Is it location? Do they both have a balcony? I would really like a balcony. We always get stuck with a really crudy balcony at the other resorts. Please help...this is going to be a christmas gift....to myself. Hubby has been wanting to stay at the GF for years but always backs out, much to my broken heart.

This time, I am calling the shots and am staying at the GF.

If you have any pics, I'd love to see some.

All the deluxe rooms are in the main building....

There are very few rooms at the GF without balconies....BUT some of the KING DELUXE rooms are in the turrets of the main building and they do not have balconies. If you book a deluxe king room you might be on the 2nd floor over Gaspies with a beautiful marina/castle view & a balcony....OR you might be in a turret suite - that is larger and has a lot of charm but no balcony.

The deluxe queen rooms do all have balconies. The thing we never cared for with those is that they have no castle views. They are about 650-700 square feet. Nice and roomy!

I am surprise the price is the same .....there is usually not much difference, but about $15/nt more for the deluxe rooms.

Happy planning,

Lives4Disney

 

[brunette8706]

I'm thinking about booking a GARDEN VIEW room at the GF in June. Does anyone have any pictures for this type of category? Also, does this room have a patio or balcony and does it have the french doors? Thanks All!!!

Brunette

 

[Lives4Disney]

I'm thinking about booking a GARDEN VIEW room at the GF in June. Does anyone have any pictures for this type of category? Also, does this room have a patio or balcony and does it have the french doors? Thanks All!!!

Brunette

Hi, all the rooms now look the same. There are photos on the first few pages of this thread.

There are GV rooms in all the outer lodges except Sugarloaf - that is concierge. There is a map at the front of the thread...you can see what's located where. The marina views in Conch and Sago are also considered garden views.

They do all have patios and/or balconies. They aren't true French doors...just sliders that look like French doors.

Happy planning,

Lives4Disney

 

[tinkerrn]

tinkerrn - I answered your questions on the thread you started, with photos. In that thread, you said it was a king deluxe RPC room, is that right? There is a difference between king deluxe and deluxe rooms.
QUOTE]

Thank you so much for the photos; they were certainly a help. The room is very lovely, but my heart is et on a balcony. Std. RPC is what I decided to book. We didn't need the extra space and would much rather enjoy the balcony.

Many thanks!!!!