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

[MelissaFromRI]

I found this news article which just came out about Disney's plan to lay off cast members and try to cut costs to remain viable.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/orl-bk-disney-reorg-021909,0,1094627.story

This kind of goes along with the cut backs you are seeing in the concierge lounges. The promotions they are running are cutting into their overall profits and they are cutting back on the amount of food that is put out.

So sad

 

[mmmears]

One I have noticed is the park hours seem to be going down. Most night, everything is closed by 9pm now, when in the past you'd have it open a lot later.

That is so true! When we planned our days and had the IPO offices book our ADRs, I used the park hours from the Disney website to pick the times. Then, a couple of weeks ago I checked on things and the park hours for AK had shifted and the MK ones were shortened! (and this is during Easter week, not a slow time!) Luckily the IPO office was able to shift all our ressies that I wanted changed -- which is making me wonder if it's going to be as crowded as expected...

 

[TinkTatoo]

....I've lost a lot of weight in the last year and I really dont want to gain some of it back. I've been worrying alot about that with this trip coming up, so knowing that the ellipticals are there helps me feel better. Whether or not I'll actually USE them is another story...

Well done on the weight loss - I know how how tough it is. Hopefully you can post when you get back and let us know how you got on.

....I know that for me it's much better to not allow myself to get off track in the first place b/c getting back ON track is the hardest part. Plus, you'll just FEEL better .....

I think that is the attitude I'll need to take. As we're spending more than a month in Orlando I'll have to carry on with the things I'm doing at home. I'll be doing lots of walking and swimming while we're there but whether or not I make it as far as the gym though is another matter

 

[BCV23]

TinkTatoo, congratulations to you too!

Over a month at WDW.....very sweet.

Has anyone ordered a cake at the GF lately? Did you go through the hotline, private dining or call the restaurant directly?

 

[Alicnwondrln]

TinkTatoo, congratulations to you too!

Over a month at WDW.....very sweet.

Has anyone ordered a cake at the GF lately? Did you go through the hotline, private dining or call the restaurant directly?

I did thru Linda the cake lady and the cake was wrong in so many ways.
I also tried to contact the IPO to set up a cake and they no longer will help you with cakes and told me to call private dining or Linda.

I am starting to wonder what the IPO even does anymore besides ADR's.
No one signs the emails so you cant hold anyone accountable and it makes the service less special. Calvin is great but the last coupld times I called he wasnt there.

 

[BCV23]

Thanks for the info. Calvin is great but we won't be staying at the GF on this trip so I can't use the GF IPO. Could try the AKL IPO (Don is amazing!) but I think I want it for a dinner at the GF rather than in our villa.

That's a shame that the cake was not what you ordered.

 

[Lives4Disney]

So maybe (fingers crossed) that we will meet up, somehow someway, over the 4th of July. That's one of my favorite times to go too. We always do the MK fireworks on the 3rd and EPCOT on the 4th.

Ds's birthday is June 23rd so we would miss his actual birthday. I promised him if we go a few days later something special to make up for the "birthday fastpasses". I'm think the AK safari that's open to CL guests or and Illuminations fireworks cruise. I'm sure I'll pay heavily for missing his "real" birthday. Of course we'll still do a special cake and all the trimmings in Disney!

Good luck switching your dates.

I'll let you know as soon as I hear something from the GF management.

I really would prefer something like July 1 to 8th....I'd love to do the week at GF and then a week at YC like we've done in the past...but with DS being so over WDW it won't happen. He went on his FINAL WDW trip with us last July and dragged us down ....so he would stay home with friends...and we'd just have to stick with a week max. We do that 3rd/4th plan too!

I am sure you will manage to have lots of bday fun with DS.

Have fun planning!! I haven't even really thought about it much yet.

That is so true! When we planned our days and had the IPO offices book our ADRs, I used the park hours from the Disney website to pick the times. Then, a couple of weeks ago I checked on things and the park hours for AK had shifted and the MK ones were shortened! (and this is during Easter week, not a slow time!) Luckily the IPO office was able to shift all our ressies that I wanted changed -- which is making me wonder if it's going to be as crowded as expected...

It was VERY crowded in early Feb when we were there (I had been those SAME dates a few years ago and it was EMPTY).....and the shortened park hours didn't help. Some nights the MK closed at 8 pm...and Spectro was only shown one night while we were there. We had our plans set...and then Disney went and chopped off hours from the parks....but we were up in the dark and at park openings so we did get to take advantage of low crowds during that time. It was painful but it worked.

I did thru Linda the cake lady and the cake was wrong in so many ways.
I also tried to contact the IPO to set up a cake and they no longer will help you with cakes and told me to call private dining or Linda.

I am starting to wonder what the IPO even does anymore besides ADR's.
No one signs the emails so you cant hold anyone accountable and it makes the service less special. Calvin is great but the last coupld times I called he wasnt there.

No kidding. Improvement needed. Send a memo.

Chan
GF Gal in the cold north

 

[johnsonet]

... As we're spending more than a month in Orlando I'll have to carry on with the things I'm doing at home...

Awesome TinkTatoo! How long will you be staying at the GF?

Thanks for the info. Calvin is great but we won't be staying at the GF on this trip so I can't use the GF IPO. Could try the AKL IPO (Don is amazing!) but I think I want it for a dinner at the GF rather than in our villa.

BCV23 Not sure what kind of cake you have in mind for your family's latest trip but check out the cake at the bottom of this page http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=29489717#post29489717 It's from 1900 PF in late December and it looks AMAZING!
P.S. Don is #1

 

[mmmears]

It was VERY crowded in early Feb when we were there (I had been those SAME dates a few years ago and it was EMPTY).....and the shortened park hours didn't help. Some nights the MK closed at 8 pm...and Spectro was only shown one night while we were there. We had our plans set...and then Disney went and chopped off hours from the parks....but we were up in the dark and at park openings so we did get to take advantage of low crowds during that time. It was painful but it worked.
Chan
GF Gal in the cold north

Oh, well. I'll be prepared for the crowds. We always make rope drop and closing and we rest and swim in the middle of the day. I just checked all the park hours again, just in case they changed them again. So far, so good. I guess I'll have to keep checking every week until our trip comes up -- I dont want any "surprises" when we're there...

Sorry you had so many crowds in Feb! We used to go in Oct (back when it was the slow season), but I dont like the reduced park hours since we like to take a break in the middle of the day. That's been the one good thing about going during the busy season -- long park hours. If they take them away...

 

[BCV23]

johnsonet, that is an amazing cake! The little girl's expression is priceless. This cake is for my DH though so . I should have mentioned that!

I was trying to wade through the cake thread yesterday.

Whoops, went back to look at the cake again and forgot to say thanks!

 

[Lives4Disney]

Oh, well. I'll be prepared for the crowds. We always make rope drop and closing and we rest and swim in the middle of the day. I just checked all the park hours again, just in case they changed them again. So far, so good. I guess I'll have to keep checking every week until our trip comes up -- I dont want any "surprises" when we're there...

Sorry you had so many crowds in Feb! We used to go in Oct (back when it was the slow season), but I dont like the reduced park hours since we like to take a break in the middle of the day. That's been the one good thing about going during the busy season -- long park hours. If they take them away...

I know! I kind of prefer summer ....at least the parks are open late.

I took my daughters for a girl trip last October and although we did the Halloween party one night....which was CROWDED....the MK closed at 7 almost every night we were there for the MNSSHP ...and my daughters didn't want to do a second party. That MK closing at 7 pm was a bummer....but we were at the GF so we had resort fun and spent a lot of time chatting and visiting with CM friends. I think THAT was what they preferred to do actually ...hang out at our favorite resort and just visit with friends.

Rope drop was painful....but it worked. We had a lot of fun early.....well...we had a lot of fun late and in between too.

Channing
GF Gal

 

[johnsonet]

johnsonet, that is an amazing cake! The little girl's expression is priceless. This cake is for my DH though so . I should have mentioned that!

Yeah. I don't think there's a husband out there that's THAT good of a sport

 

[DisneyBride'03]

Hello everyone.....Hi Kelly!

So I just split our stay with BCV....I havent stayed at the Grand since the "familymoon" after our FTW in 2003! While it will be a short stay, I am excited to return, and introduce Ava to the GF as it holds many special memories for our family!
Our wedding was 6/28..(GF's anniv) and then Ava was born on 6/28 in '06!
DH will not stay in a non DVC resort at this point...lol...so unless GF becomes a part of DVC I better stay here when he is not joining us! lol
Anyway...
We stayed in Boca Chica last time, LV..we still saw the castle Imagine the trees have blocked some of these views by now.
Does anyone care to share their recommendation for the most desirable GV?
Thanks

 

[johnsonet]

DisneyBride
We have liked all of our rooms - even one with a view of Conch Key and the sidewalk from one room Boca Chica years ago... But probably my favorite GV was in Boca Chica on an upper floor in the center of the bldg. overlooking the Quiet Pool and the Main Bldg. It's beautiful at all times of the day and night
Also, we were put in Big Pine Key last May and loved the location. VERY close to both pools and to beach and to Main Bldg.
Good luck. Sounds like a special trip

 

[Cinderumbrella]

DisneyBride03- we like the marina view rooms over in Conch Key. They are in the GV category, but sometimes you can see the castle from your room to the right It is also close to Gaspy's, the bus stop and the main pool (a little farther to the Beach Pool, but since the GF isn't that spread out, we don't mind the walk)

BCV23- if I have learned nothing else from the cake thread and my limited experience with Linda the cake lady, it is to be as speicifc as possible with what you want. She won't offer ANY suggestions as to what they can do, but if you have a solid idea of what you want, they will do it. But as Kel said, no guarantee it will come out right. It really is sad that in the year of celebrations etc. where cakes will be a big deal, that they can't have someone with some good CS skills taking the orders. Good luck!

 

[TinkTatoo]

Awesome TinkTatoo! How long will you be staying at the GF?....

We're only there for 5 nights but it's right at the end of our trip.

BCV23 Not sure what kind of cake you have in mind for your family's latest trip but check out the cake at the bottom of this page http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=29489717#post29489717 It's from 1900 PF in late December and it looks AMAZING!

I've been looking at the cake thread as it's DD's 11th Birthday while we're there, some of those cakes look amazing.

 

[johnsonet]

We're only there for 5 nights but it's right at the end of our trip.

5 nights is PLENTY. Some of our trips are only 3-5 nights total (we live pretty close to WDW and go pretty frequently). The GF will be a wonderful place to wind down your long vacation

I've been looking at the cake thread as it's DD's 11th Birthday while we're there, some of those cakes look amazing.

They really are! I hope you'll have good luck with whatever you order for your DD I sort of want to order that cake for my DD and nieces for fun during our Spring Break trip...

 

[Alicnwondrln]

Hello everyone.....Hi Kelly!

So I just split our stay with BCV....I havent stayed at the Grand since the "familymoon" after our FTW in 2003! While it will be a short stay, I am excited to return, and introduce Ava to the GF as it holds many special memories for our family!
Our wedding was 6/28..(GF's anniv) and then Ava was born on 6/28 in '06!
DH will not stay in a non DVC resort at this point...lol...so unless GF becomes a part of DVC I better stay here when he is not joining us! lol
Anyway...
We stayed in Boca Chica last time, LV..we still saw the castle Imagine the trees have blocked some of these views by now.
Does anyone care to share their recommendation for the most desirable GV?
Thanks

hey girl!! nice to see you again!

I like big pine right in front of the pool on a high floor.

 

[DisneyBride'03]

Thanks for those comments..much appreciated!

Cakes...love that one in the link, actually was the same name as my DD12, "CJ" o it! Very pretty, but it is Big!!
On the topic of cakes, I was very lucky last June, had a special cake for my DS15 and his friend for their 8th grade graduation...it was also Star Wars weekend....this was through OKW though!

 

[desparatelydisney]

Hello everyone.....Hi Kelly!
Our wedding was 6/28..(GF's anniv) and then Ava was born on 6/28 in '06!

My little girl was born 6/28/05 - how cool!

This is our first stay at GF and we are super exited. We spend A LOT of time at the resort. I have rented a cabana for two afternoons and DH is psyched!

Sorry if this has been covered many times before, but...last year DS did Grand Adventures in Cooking and LOVED it. I know they don't have it anymore but is there something new that is similar to replace it?