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

[Tink rules]

OMG I can't believe that one week from tonite dh and I will be spending our first night of our vacation at the GF. I know that this week will just fly by.

I have a spa appointment for a facial and massage at the GF. I have read elsewhere that they don't have a very nice changing area in the facility and I don't necessarily need a private stall, but I was wondering if they give you a robe and locker when you check in or would I look like a complete dork if I used the robe from the hotel over my swimsuit? Be honest now. Aside from my scheduled treatments, it there anything else available without an appointment? I have had plenty of facials but this is the first massage that I will have ever had. I have lost 100lbs in the last year and have always been way to embarrassed to do that. I am still a little "pooh" sized (another 40lbs to lose) so hopefully I will be able to relax and enjoy it.

Any spa details would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks. I am sure that I will have more questions this week as our trip gets closer.

BTW... if this is you very first massage... be prepared... it won't be your last!!!

 

[francie]

lives4disney, thanks for the info re the suites on the 5th fl. it's a shame none have the mk view. are there any single rooms up there with the castle view?

 

[BCV23]

Can anyone tell me the name/website/e:mail of the portrait artist at the GF? We were there during Christmas and we picked up a card and I lost it. Has anyone done this? Were you happy with your results? I tried to look through this thread and search, but did not find it. THANKS!

If no one comes along with an answer, I would call the GF directly and ask for the contact number. Good luck.

BCV Glad that you are having a good trip...sounds like alot of good dining... We always enjoy Narcoosees...usually best meal of the trip...I used to enjoy the lunch there too...enjoy the rest of your trip..

Oh, someone else who used to lunch at Narcoossee's. Even on the restaurant forum not many seem to remember that. Wasn't it lovely to look out at Seven Seas Lagoon sparkling in the sunlight?

Thanks...we had a great trip. We arrived home Friday night. Saturday morning our neighbor brought over our mail and there was a box from Basin White that I had sent from the GF. Just opening it brought back memories.

Sorry if this has been asked already - but are there microwaves available? Is there an extra charge?
Thanks!

One week until we leave!!

If someone answered this, I missed it. Microwaves are available and there is no charge. Just call housekeeping once in your room. Have fun...you are so close.

I have a room question for all the GF experts. We are staying at the GF in March for the first time in a MKV room. My DD4 loves the castle and the fireworks. Is there a specific building or room or location I could request for the best MK viewing?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

I would request Conch Key or Sago Cay.

Thank you to all of you for all of your guidance and advice over the last 6 mos. We leave in the morning (I should be sleeping!). I will post my thoughts and some pictures (ofcourse) when I come back. Everyone have a great week, and I hope we enjoy our week at the GF!!!! (praying for warm weather...well I guess anything beats 0 degrees that its suppose to be here in chicago on wednesday LOL and also really hoping nobody gets sick)

GF here we come!!!!!

Have a blast! I hope you got out without delays. We arrived Friday night just after the snow started again. We landed on time but the drive home was miserable.

Looking forward to your report and photos.

OMG I can't believe that one week from tonite dh and I will be spending our first night of our vacation at the GF. I know that this week will just fly by.

I have a spa appointment for a facial and massage at the GF. I have read elsewhere that they don't have a very nice changing area in the facility and I don't necessarily need a private stall, but I was wondering if they give you a robe and locker when you check in or would I look like a complete dork if I used the robe from the hotel over my swimsuit? Be honest now. Aside from my scheduled treatments, it there anything else available without an appointment? I have had plenty of facials but this is the first massage that I will have ever had. I have lost 100lbs in the last year and have always been way to embarrassed to do that. I am still a little "pooh" sized (another 40lbs to lose) so hopefully I will be able to relax and enjoy it.

Any spa details would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks. I am sure that I will have more questions this week as our trip gets closer.

Congratulations on your weight loss....that's awesome.

If you prefer to wear your room robe, go ahead and do that. Some people wear them to the pool and I'm sure some do to the spa as well.

My daughter changes in the stall....she's shy that way. Just do whatever makes you feel comfortable. Enjoy!

 

[brunette8706]

Can anyone give me a recommendation for a nice room in the "Garden" category? We're going May 20th for 1 week, any recommendations would be great!

Thanks so much!

Brunette

 

[Baby Yeti]

Just subscribing to the thread. After many times trying to plan a stay at the GF and having to cancel, we are so excited to be coming in May for my birthday and my DD's birthday. On the spa subject, we are going to do the mother/daughter spa treatment on my birthday. My DD will be 7. Anyone have any recommendations or any experiences with this package? It's a bit pricey, but I figure it's worth it. My DD and I went to the local Aveda Spa once and had pedicures together. I think the people there thought I was crazy for paying for a pedicure for her (she was 5 at the time), but she absolutely LOVED it and always asks when we can go to the spa together, so I'm really excited about this and want it to be very special. Any advice or tips? Thanks in advance. This is such a wonderful thread!

 

[DisneyMomx7]

We haven't done the mother/daughter package but both my girls have done the "My First Facial" "My First Manicure" and "My First Pedicure" several times. They love it! I usually have a facial or a massage while they are doing their thing.

 

[Lives4Disney]

lives4disney, thanks for the info re the suites on the 5th fl. it's a shame none have the mk view. are there any single rooms up there with the castle view?

Hi, for the most part the 5th floor is made up of suites. There are two turret "suites" up there that are actually deluxe king club rooms. (more priced in the range of standard club) They are booked as deluxe king club - and sleep 2 but are larger than a standard room - but that type of room (turret suite) and location are request only. If you book a deluxe king club room,they are also located on the 2nd floor over Gaspies and in other turrets on floors 3 and 4. AND...before I lose my train of thought I think only two of those turret rooms (the 4th and 5th floor) would have a castle view. THey have lovely panoramic views, but not balconies. The other 4th and 5th floor turret room faces the front for a monorail view and toward the Beach Pool. (there are also turret suites on the 3rd floor but neither of those would even have a chance of a castle view as the one facing that direction is not up high enough)

If you want to be in the main building and have a castle view, there are standard club rooms on the 3rd and 4th floor that sleep 5 and you can request a castle view. It's not guaranteed though....we've always been lucky to have it until last July we had a 1 bedroom 5th floor suite with the Beach Pool view - which was GORGEOUS. I was NOT disappointed.

Happy planning - hope that jumble made sense...

Lives4Disney

 

[traci]

Hello Question about Narcoosees - thought I would post here instead of restaurant because I know several of you GF experts have eaten there. What are your thoughts on taking our 4 and 5 year old? Is it a long meal (3 hours) or average (1.5 hours)? I want dh to eat good while we are there so I am trying to balance out the character meals vs. nicer restaurant meals so everyone is happy.

 

[mickeynut1]

Hello Question about Narcoosees - thought I would post here instead of restaurant because I know several of you GF experts have eaten there. What are your thoughts on taking our 4 and 5 year old? Is it a long meal (3 hours) or average (1.5 hours)? I want dh to eat good while we are there so I am trying to balance out the character meals vs. nicer restaurant meals so everyone is happy.

Hey Traci . I can't help you on Narcoosees as we've never eaten there ourselves but I just wanted to say "hi"....we miss you on chat . Come back over . TTYL.

 

[Baby Yeti]

Hello Question about Narcoosees - thought I would post here instead of restaurant because I know several of you GF experts have eaten there. What are your thoughts on taking our 4 and 5 year old? Is it a long meal (3 hours) or average (1.5 hours)? I want dh to eat good while we are there so I am trying to balance out the character meals vs. nicer restaurant meals so everyone is happy.

We ate there on our last trip with our kids and my brother's kids. I would say it was about 2 hours, but they were very accommodating for kids, and there were lots of young kids there. The food was awesome, and the service was great. Also, the view is very pretty. I don't think you'd be disappointed.

 

[Lives4Disney]

Hello Question about Narcoosees - thought I would post here instead of restaurant because I know several of you GF experts have eaten there. What are your thoughts on taking our 4 and 5 year old? Is it a long meal (3 hours) or average (1.5 hours)? I want dh to eat good while we are there so I am trying to balance out the character meals vs. nicer restaurant meals so everyone is happy.

Hey Traci! You're back!

We ate at Narcoossees last July and we asked if they could hurry us though (I bet they don't get that request often )...we were in and out in less than an hour . )We wanted to meet friends to watch the fireworks. So...just let your server know. We skipped dessert. No biggie...we were full anyway. And you know how much I love that place any whoooo.....

Happy planning for your trip!

Chan

 

[BCV23]

Hello Question about Narcoosees - thought I would post here instead of restaurant because I know several of you GF experts have eaten there. What are your thoughts on taking our 4 and 5 year old? Is it a long meal (3 hours) or average (1.5 hours)? I want dh to eat good while we are there so I am trying to balance out the character meals vs. nicer restaurant meals so everyone is happy.

We dined at Narcoossee's this month and have many times over the years. When the GF opened, all our children were young and they were just fine at that restaurant.

I agree that two hours is probably typical if you will be ordering 3 courses. If your child(ren) better tolerate shorter meals, eliminate a course or two.

When ours were little, I was always amazed at how well WDW servers paced the meals including at Narcoossee's. I imagine the same is still true.

Children are the norm at all WDW restaurants save V&A and Le Bistro.

 

[traci]

Thanks! That's what I was hoping to hear. I am going to plan on making that ADR then. I better go check in on the chitty chat thread now

 

[JoeMickey]

Just getting ready to book for Nov. 15-22 at the GF, we got a PIN code from Disney Travel and I sent to my TA and was able to get a great deal. We were at the GF the last week of Oct. 08 and got an upgrade to Magic Kingdom View to Conch Key 4th floor, it was spectular. Waking up to the boats, train whistle and music was well MAGICAL! Can't wait now only 308 days til we leave. This site has been atremendous help in planning our trips and although we visited the GF during some our other trips staying there for the first time was wonderful. After a long day/night at the MK just being able to get on the boat for a short trip across the lake was so convenient.

Thanks,

Joe

 

[LittleMissMagic]

We stayed in Sago Cay 5th floor, and my parents didn't believe that I could hear the Spectro music and train whistle from MK when on the balcony (talking on the phone ... actually, it was very loud).

 

[brunette8706]

Hi ALL!!!

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Can anyone give me a recommendation for a nice room in the "Garden" category? We're going May 20th for 1 week, any recommendations would be great!

Thanks so much!

Brunette
*****
HI All! Bumping up again. If anyone has any suggestions or tips please let me know. With garden view can we get pool side or partial lagoon view?

thanks so much!

Brunette

 

[denisekayt]

So speaking of hearing music...what is the resort music like at the GF...do they have soft music playing over speakers outside like the other resorts?

We loved the WL sound background, but we found the Poly music to be sad (I know it was "authentic" Polynesian, but for us it just didn't do it, we wished it had been more update).

 

[Baby Yeti]

We haven't done the mother/daughter package but both my girls have done the "My First Facial" "My First Manicure" and "My First Pedicure" several times. They love it! I usually have a facial or a massage while they are doing their thing.

Do they have child-sized robes for the little girls? I thought I read they did somewhere in the past, but now I can't find it on the spa website.

 

[goofygal531]

Hello Question about Narcoosees - thought I would post here instead of restaurant because I know several of you GF experts have eaten there. What are your thoughts on taking our 4 and 5 year old? Is it a long meal (3 hours) or average (1.5 hours)? I want dh to eat good while we are there so I am trying to balance out the character meals vs. nicer restaurant meals so everyone is happy.

We were there last June for my bday dinner and start to finish (without rushing) our meal lasted 1.5 hours. It was just DH and me, we had Kid's Nite Out watch the boys in the room. I though the restaurant was a lot more casual than I expected and there were a lot more kids there too. This June, we'll be bringing my DS1 with us while DS4 enjoys the Neverland Club at the Poly. This is one 2TS meal, I would not hesitate to bring the kids to. The service and food were amazing too!!

Can anyone give me a recommendation for a nice room in the "Garden" category? We're going May 20th for 1 week, any recommendations would be great!

If anyone has any suggestions or tips please let me know. With garden view can we get pool side or partial lagoon view?

You can request "Marina View" which falls under the Garden View category. I don't specify buildings, they're all close by and I truly believe there's not one bad room in the resort. DH likes to request "top floor" so that's our only request (we've had a family of gorillas above us too many times!!)

 

[brunette8706]

You can request "Marina View" which falls under the Garden View category. I don't specify buildings, they're all close by and I truly believe there's not one bad room in the resort. DH likes to request "top floor" so that's our only request (we've had a family of gorillas above us too many times!!)

**********

Thanks so much! Great tip, I really appreciate your comments. Take care. Brunette