*The Official VILLAS AT DISNEY'S GRAND FLORIDIAN RESORT & SPA Owners & Lovers Group* - LOBBY REFURB BEGAN 4/14!

[mrsap]

Infrastructure Work Underway for All-New Grand Floridian Lobby Bar

As you can see in our photos below, some plumbing work is underway as crews lay the first bit of infrastructure for the lobby bar. Before we get to the construction photos, here’s a look at concept art for the refreshed lobby. We can see that the lobby bar replaces the birdcage, but retains nods to the Grand Floridian relic.

Going back to our visit this morning, you can see that the area of work is uncovered, with exposed dirt and pipes as crews continue to work on the area. As you might imagine, the smell of dirt was noticeable, but minor.

The early infrastructure work appears to be related to drainage, perhaps for sinks or other types of drains such as in-floor drainage.

We visited early enough this morning to be outside of work hours, but Disney notes that “construction will be noticeable during daytime hours, [and] efforts will be made to minimize disruptions”.

Elsewhere in the lobby, work was continuing on refreshing the check-in counter area. In case you missed it, front desk operations have shifted.

 

[mrsap]

Some more pics to share from another blog…

Grand Floridian Lobby Refurbishment Update - June 2025​

Half of the front entrance is currently blocked off (above) along with the theme park bus pick-up point. Signage directs guests to the airport transportation stop to catch buses to Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Disney Springs and waterparks.

Just inside the main entrance, temporary guest relations positions have been set-up to assist those arriving at the hotel.

Tackling both the bar expansion and the front desk update simultaneously has eliminated quite a bit of the seating normally found in the Grand Floridian lobby.

The resort's Tea Room is also set to be updated. The lobby modifications are scheduled for completion by November 2025. The holiday gingerbread display will not be presented this year at the Grand Floridian, however Disney is reportedly considering other locations for a similar exhibit.

 

[sndral]

Wow, what a maze! Wonder what they’re doing over at the bus stops, they seem far enough away from the lobby to not be impacted by that work?

 

[Disney Spaz]

Wow, what a maze! Wonder what they’re doing over at the bus stops, they seem far enough away from the lobby to not be impacted by that work?

Currently the bus pick up is in front of the building where the airport pick up is. It looks like they were painting the area by the regular bus depot. I do not have a timeline for how long it will be moved to this temporary location but with all the concrete work inside and out it may be awhile.

Despite it all our trip has been nice and quiet and peaceful. But we are staying in the original Villas at Grand so we are removed from a lot of it.

 

[mrsap]

Currently the bus pick up is in front of the building where the airport pick up is. It looks like they were painting the area by the regular bus depot. I do not have a timeline for how long it will be moved to this temporary location but with all the concrete work inside and out it may be awhile.

Despite it all our trip has been nice and quiet and peaceful. But we are staying in the original Villas at Grand so we are removed from a lot of it.

Thanks for sharing! If you happen to venture over there, can you please try and take pictures to share with us of the bus area and new pickup area? Thank you!

 

[Disney Spaz]

Below are the signs and the temporary bus depot where the airport shuttle usually picks up.

Below is the walkway to the regular bus stop.


Here is the only construction in the area which is at the convention center.

 

[Disney Spaz]

Here is a picture of the back stairs off the lobby near Sandy Cove.

 

[Disney Spaz]

Here are a few lobby shots from this morning. There are a lot of construction crews and upper CM’s around monitoring things.

Doors to the monorail station.

Front desk area

This is the stairs area near the beach pool next to Big Pine Key building. The whole area has its concrete torn up and the stairs are not accessible.

 

[DisneyGal24]

Would you walk from GF to MK for rope drop? If so, how long does it take?

 

[Matty B13]

Would you walk from GF to MK for rope drop? If so, how long does it take?

We have walked the path from GF to MK, not for rope drop, but to get to MK. It is just under a mile from the DVC Villas, so probably 15 to 20 minutes for the average walker. It can get hot along the path because it doesn't have a lot of tree cover, but since you will be taking it early morning it should be cooler. I wish they would do a little more landscaping along the path, but overall it is nice to walk it once in a while to avoid the Monorail.

 

[trishadono]

We haven’t stayed in the original DVC building since it 1st opened. Do the 1 and 2 bedroom villas still have the TV in the mirror in the tub bathroom section? I usually hang out in regular GF thread and haven’t seen anybody mention it.

Also bringing a 6 month old. Dvc only has pack n plays?

I know the resort has brown and white small cribs, I have pix of them because I have seen them in the halls. Can you get those?

I thought the pack n plays used to be in closets in DVC rooms but I don’t remember seeing them in pix anymore?

Kind of rambling today. This NE heat!

 

[OnThisMagicNight]

We haven’t stayed in the original DVC building since it 1st opened. Do the 1 and 2 bedroom villas still have the TV in the mirror in the tub bathroom section? I usually hang out in regular GF thread and haven’t seen anybody mention it.

Also bringing a 6 month old. Dvc only has pack n plays?

I know the resort has brown and white small cribs, I have pix of them because I have seen them in the halls. Can you get those?

I thought the pack n plays used to be in closets in DVC rooms but I don’t remember seeing them in pix anymore?

Kind of rambling today. This NE heat!

Sadly they removed the tv in the mirror during the soft goods refurbishment .

Pack and Plays are normally in one of the closets, but if not you can call and request - and can also request one of the rolling travel cribs you are describing. You can also ask for a high chair and they will bring one!

 

[trishadono]

Sadly they removed the tv in the mirror during the soft goods refurbishment .

Pack and Plays are normally in one of the closets, but if not you can call and request - and can also request one of the rolling travel cribs you are describing. You can also ask for a high chair and they will bring one!

Thank you!

 

[LadybugsMum]

They took out the PnPs during Covid and have not put them back, but just ask at the front desk or call Mousekeeping for one.

 

[mrsap]

Some pictures posted on the DVC Fan FB page:

Villas Lobby around fountain

 

[teamsamant]

Here now:

The good - scanning and banding at the pools. Chairs are attainable and the pool is not overly crowded.

The bad(maybe,depending on pool usage and room location): Summerhouse concrete work includes jackhammer and cement truck. Anyone hoping for a quiet time at the courtyard pool or in the low number Big Pine Key rooms must be at a major inconvenience. There are club level rooms in the main building right across from summerhouse getting the full construction noise experience.

Haven't seen this directly reported elsewhere but if you are checking in during the next couple of weeks at least now you are aware.

 

[mamaofsix]

Here now:

The good - scanning and banding at the pools. Chairs are attainable and the pool is not overly crowded.

The bad(maybe,depending on pool usage and room location): Summerhouse concrete work includes jackhammer and cement truck. Anyone hoping for a quiet time at the courtyard pool or in the low number Big Pine Key rooms must be at a major inconvenience. There are club level rooms in the main building right across from summerhouse getting the full construction noise experience.

Haven't seen this directly reported elsewhere but if you are checking in during the next couple of weeks at least now you are aware.

Glad it's less busy at the pool area. Hard to believe there would be that many people who use the GF pool without staying there!

It stinks that they are doing so much outdoor construction at the same time as the lobby. How frustrating for guests. They owe you all a gift card or something.

 

[mrsap]

The bad(maybe,depending on pool usage and room location): Summerhouse concrete work includes jackhammer and cement truck. Anyone hoping for a quiet time at the courtyard pool or in the low number Big Pine Key rooms must be at a major inconvenience. There are club level rooms in the main building right across from summerhouse getting the full construction noise experience.

Haven't seen this directly reported elsewhere but if you are checking in during the next couple of weeks at least now you are aware.

Thanks for sharing. I just posted a picture of the Summerhouse work yesterday. It was posted on FB. There was no context added. I’ll copy and paste so everyone has a visual of what you saw and are describing. If you have time to take outside construction pics for us, it would truly be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[mrsap]

Grand Floridian Lobby Refurb: Drains & More Plumbing Installed for Walk-Up Birdcage Bar

When we last visited, the biggest news was that some plumbing was installed through some exposed dirt in the floor. We assumed that the pipe was to support drains, and our most recent visit to Grand Floridian confirms our suspicions. New plumbing work was also underway when we recently visited.

Beyond the lobby bar construction, new work is taking place on a stairway refurbishment near Citricos, and work continues on the walls and ceiling of the former check-in area.

There are additional pics if you click link above.