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

[Cinderumbrella]

Well...this is a long story. SOOOOO....i was going to book a GV at the polynesian with the 4/3 deal....i had to wait till tomorrow morning ( 15th ) because thats when i get paid, and i can make a NICE down payment. Well, I looked tonight and GV at the poly is booked! Only one avail is theme park view. which i really can't afford right now.. So i decided to look at the GF and low and behold they have some GV with the 4/3 deal avail! that being said:

Ive never stayed at the GF. EVER! I've had the opportunity, but have always chosen the Contemporary or the Poly. I have read through this thread and have seen lots of ideas on rooms and stuff.

My DH and I are going. My DH first visit to disney ( so i want it to be special) and my birthday! WE are going this June.

So, my question is. with GV what building should i request? I don't want to get stuck with a Parking lot view in the Sago building, but like the idea of the marina view. Also i wouldn't mind looking at the monorail and the poly too. Please please help me decide what to request. should i do it when we get there? Should i put in my ressy that its' my bday and its my DH first disney trip???? I've got sooooo much on my mind! anyways...Thanks for your help everyone!!!!

Helen

There are very few GV rooms that are not desirable. That is why the room category is called Garden View and not Standard View. Most rooms will overlook a garden, one of the pools or the marina (not to be confused with the Seven Seas Lagoon- that is a separate booking category called Lagoon View) If by chance you get an undesirable dumpster view, feel free to ask to be moved.

I simply request marina view and leave it at that. When we check in, I even ask at that time if we have a marina view and if we do not, I POLITELY ask if one is available.

Have a fun trip!

 

[Cinderumbrella]

Thanks Yeah it would be a bummer not to have a balcony in June...It's a moot point right now since I don't have a LT room yet..just a GV..but I expect to have one booked by June. Fingers crossed for a balcony then Thanks again.

There are very few rooms at the resort that fall into this category so please do not be disappointed if you don't get one. Finger crossed that it works out

 

[Cinderumbrella]

Hello Everybody,

We just got back from 7 nights at the GF. It was our first stay ever and the first trip to WDW for our 18 month old Alex. Overall, we certainly had a "Grand" time and would likely return to stay at the GF in the future.



Thanks for the help from everyone in this thread. We had a "grand" time!

Eric

Thanks for your review! We had similar issues with mousekeeping and the bed rails We have also never gotten towel animals at the GF (except for the Mickey head that was on the bed when we first checked in)

That being said, it is still our favorite resort, hands down, for all of the other wonderful things that they do. Glad you had a good time!

 

[Lives4Disney]

was the lobby floor in the main building ever finished?

Does anyone have pictures?

Thanks so much!

Hi, NO!! They haven't even started working on it yet......I did hear maybe March....but that seems TBD.

Thanks, Any idea what the room number are for the castle/marina view rooms

YES....Make your request thru IPO....the numbers for the standard rooms that sleep 5 and face the castle are 4301-4309 and 4401-4409.

EAWildman....well I am glad you did wind up having a good time overall! I HATE bad housekeeping....I am not fussy, but I get so annoyed when they start taking stuff - robes etc. and not replacing. It's frustrating to have requested something - the bedrails - and have them go missing!! That is one mega reason I stay WAY far away from BWI....the housekeeping issues got so annoying. The CMs at the GF are great though! I am glad you experienced some of that magic. I don't think the dormer rooms are that much smaller though.....? Wow...I am surprised it made that much of a difference....but glad you wound up somewhere to your satisfaction.

Happy planning,

Lives4Disney

 

[Joe Cool]

You know, I was wondering about that floor. They installed a green carpet similar to the one in the rooms (with a "harder" feel under foot) in place of the old ceramic tile until they get the new marble in...which was reportedly back-ordered from Italy. I think they just didn't get the $ greenlighted to do it so fast, so they put in the carpet.

The first thing I noticed was the warmth and sound quality of the GF lobby...it didn't "feel" like I remember it. It seemed stuffier in there, like an 80s Hyatt Regency. Wall-to-wall carpeting is never a wonderful idea, for starters because it's so high maintenance and is a haven for dust mites. If the building were located in, say, the Northeast (or England, where its architecture was originally imported from before Coronado, California...), the carpeting would do a bit of insulating work. In Florida, it just doesn't make sense.

I'm looking forward to seeing the new marble. I heard it will be detailed in larger slabs in "a very high-end way". Anyone ever been to the restored Congress Hall hotel (est circa 1870) in Cape May, NJ? They did a cool 'splicing' of old and new marble with carpets woven from fragments of the original.

ciaociao

 

[AliciaS]

Another view question!

We are booked GV (May 2 - 9) and WANT a garden view. We live on a lake so I really don't care to look at water over vacation and I don't want to look at the Poly or the Contemporary. I booked the GF because I like the GF!

Can you tell me which building(s) and maybe sets of rooms would look at the Main Building, but not have a view of half naked people by the pool? I would LOVE to see the main building lit up at night, perhaps with the fountain burbling in the background.

Oh, and ground floor would be awesome since we'll have a stroller. We had third floor at the Poly two years ago and that was a little irritating.

I don't think I plan on requesting this ahead of time as that doesn't seem to do much good. I just wanted to know what to be thrilled with or happy with when we get there.

Thanks so much!

P.S. Now if they want to bump us up to concierge, just for fun, well.....I wouldn't complain!

 

[MelissaFromRI]

Another view question!

We are booked GV (May 2 - 9) and WANT a garden view. We live on a lake so I really don't care to look at water over vacation and I don't want to look at the Poly or the Contemporary. I booked the GF because I like the GF!

Can you tell me which building(s) and maybe sets of rooms would look at the Main Building, but not have a view of half naked people by the pool? I would LOVE to see the main building lit up at night, perhaps with the fountain burbling in the background.

Oh, and ground floor would be awesome since we'll have a stroller. We had third floor at the Poly two years ago and that was a little irritating.

I don't think I plan on requesting this ahead of time as that doesn't seem to do much good. I just wanted to know what to be thrilled with or happy with when we get there.

Thanks so much!

P.S. Now if they want to bump us up to concierge, just for fun, well.....I wouldn't complain!

I would request a ground floor room in Big Pine Key. Big Pine Key is closest to the main building. If you really want to get ambitious you could request a room at the end of the hall too

 

[CoachBagFanatic]

YES....Make your request thru IPO....the numbers for the standard rooms that sleep 5 and face the castle are 4301-4309 and 4401-4409.

We have stayed in 4304, 4403 and 4404 several times. It is dead center the marina and what a view of the castle.

Lives4Disney, that is one BIG beautiful baby you have there.

 

[MelissaFromRI]

We have stayed in 4304, 4403 and 4404 several times. It is dead center the marina and what a view of the castle.

Lives4Disney, that is one BIG beautiful baby you have there.

We've had room 4406 on the 4th floor of the main building.
The room was very pretty with a great view of Cinderella's Castle & the nightly fireworks. It had the 2 queen beds , a daybed and one of those new comfy blue chairs

 

[CoachBagFanatic]

We've had room 4406 on the 4th floor of the main building.
The room was very pretty with a great view of Cinderella's Castle & the nightly fireworks. It had the 2 queen beds , a daybed and one of those new comfy blue chairs

OMG how fabulous were the nightly fireworks. I don't sleep that well (DH snores alot) so I would sit out on the balcony throughout the night and just watch the castle change colors. Oh do I wish we were there right now.

 

[MelissaFromRI]

OMG how fabulous were the nightly fireworks. I don't sleep that well (DH snores alot) so I would sit out on the balcony throughout the night and just watch the castle change colors. Oh do I wish we were there right now.

Being able to enjoy the fireworks from the comfort of your balcony is PRICELESS!!! No fighting the crowds to get back to the hotel
Also , if you go during Halloween or christmas time you can see the special party fireworks too

 

[CoachBagFanatic]

Being able to enjoy the fireworks from the comfort of your balcony is PRICELESS!!! No fighting the crowds to get back to the hotel
Also , if you go during Halloween or christmas time you can see the special party fireworks too

Oh I know. We have been during both of those times and it was great. We were there the one year when several pyrotechnic companies were competing for the wishes spectacular. It was December 5th and my DH chartered the Grand 1 for the evening as a surprise for me and DS. Our Captain Michael kept us floating in front of the Poly beach facing MK and what a night we had. My DS and I sat out on the bow of the boat and we had the most amazing time. DH was too busy talking to Captain Michael. But that was okay. I would do that again in a heartbeat.

 

[WED]

Hi Everyone

I have just walked through the door from my 23 hours trip back home from 32 days in WDW! I spent 8 nights at the GF RPC and i just want to say what a wonderful time my family and i had, Vonnie and Joe at conceirge are the best, Vonnie made our trip so very special by spreading her wonderful pixie dust and Joe provided many laughs!

The conceirge staff at the lounge were like family, i loved to just sit in the lounge and absorb all that was around me.

All i can say is that i would recommend the RPC!! I am now planning my next trip for the end of the year

 

[WED]

Oh, we also had a Magic Kingdom view.....this is priceless, to wake up and see the castle, to fall asleep at night and the castle is the last thing you see is just magic!!!!

I cannot speak highly enough of the RPC!

 

[MelissaFromRI]

Hi Everyone

I have just walked through the door from my 23 hours trip back home from 32 days in WDW! I spent 8 nights at the GF RPC and i just want to say what a wonderful time my family and i had, Vonnie and Joe at conceirge are the best, Vonnie made our trip so very special by spreading her wonderful pixie dust and Joe provided many laughs!

The conceirge staff at the lounge were like family, i loved to just sit in the lounge and absorb all that was around me.

All i can say is that i would recommend the RPC!! I am now planning my next trip for the end of the year

Vonnie and Joe are the absolute best Disney cast members anywhere!!! I love them so much , they are like family
I swear I keep going back to the GF RPC to see them as much as I do for anything else.

 

[Lives4Disney]

Hi Everyone

I have just walked through the door from my 23 hours trip back home from 32 days in WDW! I spent 8 nights at the GF RPC and i just want to say what a wonderful time my family and i had, Vonnie and Joe at conceirge are the best, Vonnie made our trip so very special by spreading her wonderful pixie dust and Joe provided many laughs!

The conceirge staff at the lounge were like family, i loved to just sit in the lounge and absorb all that was around me.

All i can say is that i would recommend the RPC!! I am now planning my next trip for the end of the year

THey are the best. They're what keep us coming back over and over again. I am glad you had a nice time.

We have stayed in 4304, 4403 and 4404 several times. It is dead center the marina and what a view of the castle.

Lives4Disney, that is one BIG beautiful baby you have there.

I've stayed in just about all of the rooms. They are great. Love the view and the convenience.

THANKS!! She is my big baby alright. She is well loved.

Lives4Disney

 

[MelissaFromRI]

THey are the best. They're what keep us coming back over and over again. I am glad you had a nice time.



I've stayed in just about all of the rooms. They are great. Love the view and the convenience.

THANKS!! She is my big baby alright. She is well loved.

Lives4Disney

Is your baby a Newfoundland? She's gorgeous
I have 2 Golden Retrievers and they are my babies

 

[Lives4Disney]

Is your baby a Newfoundland? She's gorgeous
I have 2 Golden Retrievers and they are my babies

YES..thank you. She is precious to me. She's been with me thru some rough times and I adore her. She's my first Newfie and I am constantly amazed by her. I just cannot say enough about what a fabulous dog & companion she is.

Channing

 

[Baby Yeti]

Oh, we also had a Magic Kingdom view.....this is priceless, to wake up and see the castle, to fall asleep at night and the castle is the last thing you see is just magic!!!!

I cannot speak highly enough of the RPC!

You have me so excited about our first RPC (and first GF stay for that matter) in May! We have a standard room RPC booked (there are 5 of us). I hope we get a MK view! My DD wants a dormer room, but I'm sure that's out because there are 5 of us. I've noted the room numbers that were kindly listed above, and I sure hope we get one of them!

I don't think my DH is sold on GF , and I can't wait to WOW him with RPC. I keep telling him, "You don't understand how great the RPC is." Thanks to this thread, I KNOW I've made the right resort choice for my birthday trip! You guys are soooo keeping me motivated to work hard (I work at home) to pay for the trip! I go to this thread every morning first thing before I start my work. Thanks.

 

[CoachBagFanatic]

Hi Everyone

I have just walked through the door from my 23 hours trip back home from 32 days in WDW! I spent 8 nights at the GF RPC and i just want to say what a wonderful time my family and i had, Vonnie and Joe at conceirge are the best, Vonnie made our trip so very special by spreading her wonderful pixie dust and Joe provided many laughs!

The conceirge staff at the lounge were like family, i loved to just sit in the lounge and absorb all that was around me.

All i can say is that i would recommend the RPC!! I am now planning my next trip for the end of the year

We just absolutely adore Vonnie. She goes way above to make your stay magical. Gosh do I wish we were there right now. Glad that you and your family had a wonderful time.