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

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

well we get there the day after memorial day so hopefully it won't be too crowded for summer yet!

I mean, there was nothing WRONG with AKL, an dI am glad we stayed there just for the experience, but if we ever decided to stay somewhere other than GF again we weould try other resorts before we went back there. I am so lazy I just love the monorail

Oh I was not referring to you in general. I meant it is odd that I liked the theme of AKL and YC or BWI which are so different. I hated (that is a strong word for me) WL. I was so depressed seeing pine trees and not palm trees I never felt like I was in FL. AKL I just loved the CL staff and my son was in love with the giraffes and zebras out front every day. I am so excited to try GF. After WL and then pop with our nephews it will be a normal family vacation for once. LOL

 

[Lives4Disney]

We are a family of six, so we have to get two rooms and have only stayed GV. Though I would LOVE to try RPC, I'm afraid that two rooms at that price are way way way too expensive
Still, we feel totally pampered at regular GV standard level! You still get turndown service and I agree, the CM's are the most wonderful at the GF! I love the victorian maid uniforms they wear...kind of reminds me of the servants in Mary Poppins! Adorable!
Ahh, there is nothing like the Grand in my opinion!

Question for all you GF divas....what are some of your favorite things from Basin? I bought my daughters the sliced soaps and some of the lotions this past christmas. I'm thinking of sending my 18 year old daughter, who is away at college, an Easter basket filled with stuff like that and her favorite H2O shampoos and conditioners. She won't be able to come home for Easter, so I thought this would be a very happy surprise. I remember she loved the pink sugar soap. What else is great?

Thanks Bunches!!

Hi!!

Sorry your DD won't be home for Christmas. My kids are getting older...and the holidays are different here, too.

Dawn (Tinklvr) is the resident Basin expert...and I am sure she will be around later to help....but I have some products that I LOVE...and I know what my friends love.

I am a huge pink sugar fan. They make a body lotion, bath/shower gel/ and I LOVE their pink sugar body butter...it is an awesome moisturizer and that scent is sooo yummy. I use those regularly.

My daughters LOVE the pink sugar bath bombs. I would too...if I enjoyed a long soak like they do....but when you use one it makes the whole bathroom smell heavenly..and the scent stays on your skin for a LONG time. I was really impressed with that!

I know friends that love the parafin treatment for dry hands and feet. There is a pink sugar solid perfume that I have and love....

You can browse their website online at BasinWhite dot com....and if you order online the items come directly from the GF.

Enjoy!!!

Channing
aka Lives4Disney
aka GF GAL

 

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

So has anyone been the first week of May. Am I in trouble with the crowds/ weather???

As for the Basin products I love the bath bombs and sugar scrubs.

 

[Lives4Disney]

So has anyone been the first week of May. Am I in trouble with the crowds/ weather???

As for the Basin products I love the bath bombs and sugar scrubs.

Oooh...I never tried the sugar scrubs...I saw them out for testing a couple weeks ago. We were kind of in and out quick on the run so I didn't notice if they have pink sugar. I just LOVE that pink sugar!

I have been the first week in May!! It was AWEsoME!!! I have also been there mid month a couple times...the 12-19 approx and that was one of our best trips ever...and we were able to see the Flower and Garden Fest and the Teddy Bear and Doll Show. We had some of the lowest crowds and most beautiful FL weather on that trip.

May is GREAT!!! There are conferences going on....we were going to go for one for DH but plans changed...bummer...but there is always a next time.

You will have a wonderful time!

 

[BlueSkies]

whiteside61 My DD is a teen also and she loves the sliced soaps and especially the bath bombs (and any thing pink sugar also...)...What a nice idea to send your DD a basket!

 

[Cinderumbrella]

They aren't doing the Teddy Bear Weekend anymore

I have stayed at AKL before and we REALLY liked it. It is surprising to me as well since it is so different from the GF, but we enjoyed our stay a lot. We also went at Christmastime, so I think the "darkness" of the resort added to the ambience of the hotel.

We stayed at the BC once and were REALLY disappointed. It was our first stay at WDW since our GF honeymoon (which was my first ever WDW visit) and it was such a let down. The location was great, but we hated the bus service. Also I wondered where my fluffy robe and chocolates on the pillow were Perhaps under different circumstances we would have liked it better, but after the GF it was a let down.

Like Heatherlynn said, we are lazy and we like the monorail So we either stay GF or Pop (talk about your extremes!!) No in between for us anymore!!

 

[BlueSkies]

Kristin Lots of changes.... wonder why they are not doing that any more...no more super soap week end either...

I'm a monorail gal too...

 

[Lives4Disney]

They aren't doing the Teddy Bear Weekend anymore

I have stayed at AKL before and we REALLY liked it. It is surprising to me as well since it is so different from the GF, but we enjoyed our stay a lot. We also went at Christmastime, so I think the "darkness" of the resort added to the ambience of the hotel.

We stayed at the BC once and were REALLY disappointed. It was our first stay at WDW since our GF honeymoon (which was my first ever WDW visit) and it was such a let down. The location was great, but we hated the bus service. Also I wondered where my fluffy robe and chocolates on the pillow were Perhaps under different circumstances we would have liked it better, but after the GF it was a let down.

Like Heatherlynn said, we are lazy and we like the monorail So we either stay GF or Pop (talk about your extremes!!) No in between for us anymore!!

Kristin Lots of changes.... wonder why they are not doing that any more...no more super soap week end either...

I'm a monorail gal too...

OH!!! BOOOhoooO!!! Why no doll and teddybear weekend?!?!?!?!!? DDs LOVED that!!!!! We have a couple cool signed items from that....

Bummer....

I heard about the Soap weekend.....I am not a soap person....but we loved the doll and teddybear fest!

Chan
GF Gal

 

[Tinkaroo]

So has anyone been the first week of May. Am I in trouble with the crowds/ weather???

As for the Basin products I love the bath bombs and sugar scrubs.

My mom and I took a "girls only" trip to the GF last year the first week of May. Next to December, I think May is my favorite time at the World. You have warm weather (but usually not unbearably hot and humid yet), Epcot is all decked out for the F&GF, crowds are totally manageable, etc. There's also usually not much rain, either, compared to the summer.

We'll be there this year around Memorial Day - not looking forward to the increased crowds, but that's the best time for us to go. No GF this time (unless I can come up with some extra cash), so we'll be Beach Club-ing it. I've thought about switching to the CR garden wing for the same price, but since we want a good pool, I know we'll be much happier with SAB. CR is the only deluxe we haven't stayed in, though.

We love a variety of the WDW resorts for all different reasons - our overall favorites are the GF, AKL, Poly, and the BC. We also liked the BWI. For whatever reason, YC just didn't float our boat - preferred the atmosphere over at the BC. And we didn't like WL at all, either. We did at Christmas-time, and once was enough for us - just not the "outdoorsy" type!

 

[PolynesianAlex]

Ok i have made up my mind I am staying at the Grand Floridian in May 2010 i am going to avoid the poly thread and stay on this thread its time for a change in resorts

 

[Cinderumbrella]

Lindsay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congratulations on your ticker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Alicnwondrln]

Lindsay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congratulations on your ticker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was just thinking the same thing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

woo hoo way to go GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Tinkaroo]

Ok i have made up my mind I am staying at the Grand Floridian in May 2010 i am going to avoid the poly thread and stay on this thread its time for a change in resorts

I saw your posts from last night - I haven't been around recently, but I can certainly feel your pain as a resort-switcher! It's great to try them out, though, so you can form your own opinion.

I'm a bit of a minority here, since I love both the GF and the Poly (GF reigns supreme, though ), and you'll never know what's best for your family until you give them both a try. We also find that different resorts can meet different needs for each trip, and that always factors in for us, too. For instance, if possible, we HAVE to be at the GF if we visit around the holidays, because the ambiance is so wonderful. When we've stayed at the Poly in the past, we've enjoyed it in spring when you can enjoy the beach more. For my upcoming trip, we knew we would be spending a lot of time at the resort and in the pool, so that really narrowed it to GF or BC for us (BC is getting the nod for now).

I hope you have a great trip, no matter what resort you choose!

Lindsay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Congratulations on your ticker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks! We're excited.

 

[magical4us4]

Ok i have made up my mind I am staying at the Grand Floridian in May 2010 i am going to avoid the poly thread and stay on this thread its time for a change in resorts

Congratulations on your choice...you won't be disappointed!

 

[Cinderumbrella]

Kristin Lots of changes.... wonder why they are not doing that any more...no more super soap week end either...

I'm a monorail gal too...

My IL's loved going to SSW!!! They are bummed. But from what they tell me, that was an ABC decision, not WDW's.

 

[Lives4Disney]

Lindsay!! Congratulations!!! THaT is WONDERFUL!!!

Have a great stay at the BC!! I love the YC though!!

Enjoy!!

Channing
GF Gal

 

[Tinkaroo]

I was just thinking the same thing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

woo hoo way to go GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks, Kelly!!

My IL's loved going to SSW!!! They are bummed. But from what they tell me, that was an ABC decision, not WDW's.

I've heard that they're going to do some sort of bus tour instead (or was it a cruise...). I'm not a soap person, but I think that's what I heard when they announced last year was the last one at the Studios.

Lindsay!! Congratulations!!! THaT is WONDERFUL!!!

Have a great stay at the BC!! I love the YC though!!

Enjoy!!

Channing
GF Gal

Thanks, Channing!

I know - and we were fully expecting to like the YC when we stayed there. Our room was a bit "worn" so I think that factored in - and we were given a great king-bed room at the BC with a full balcony when we stayed there last. I also like the BC Marketplace - their gelato is yummy!

I'll be interested to see if my opinion changes once the YC rooms have been refurbed - we'd give it another "go". I actually really like the look of the new rooms at the BWI, but we're still giving the nod to SAB (and B&C!). I do like the fact that you can get full balconies there, though.

I saw that the GF Chat Thread was closed - was sad to see that. I have time to chat now!

 

[PolynesianAlex]

Does anyone have any pictures of the garden view rooms

 

[Tinkaroo]

Does anyone have any pictures of the garden view rooms

Are you looking for pictures of the views, or the rooms themselves? (Since the rehab, all the rooms pretty much look the same, unless you've booked a deluxe, lodge tower room, or suite of some kind.)

 

[lizet313]

Just stoping by to say hi and get information