*The Official VILLAS AT DISNEY'S GRAND FLORIDIAN RESORT & SPA Owners & Lovers Group*

[Avery&Todd]

We’re using a car service this time that will deliver us right to the villas main lobby. If bell services isn’t available, we’ll just bring our luggage to the main lobby to hold. I’m really hoping they’ll be able to keep a bag of groceries cold for us. If not, I’m not sure how I’m going to keep a gallon of milk cold in the FL heat! I’ll report back since we go next week.

YES! please do! This is exactly what we're doing too!! Hired a car service from MCO and we're stopping at the store for essentials, aka "wine for hubby" and I'd like to store a few things in the fridge with bell services!!

 

[CarolynFH]

I’m really hoping they’ll be able to keep a bag of groceries cold for us. If not, I’m not sure how I’m going to keep a gallon of milk cold in the FL heat! I’ll report back since we go next week.

I'd like to store a few things in the fridge with bell services

I'm confident that they'll be able to store your items. It sounds like this weekend's policy change relates to transporting perishables from one resort to another (they will not transfer perishables for you). If you bring the items to Bell Services yourself, they'll store them for you. AFAIK, there hasn't been official word from Disney on this (why are we not surprised?) but again, based on the reports I've read I'm confident that storage isn't the issue, transfer between resorts is.

 

[Simba's Mom]

No, I checked mine at the Villas as they have their own bell services.

Then I wonder why Bell Services lied to me last week, when they told me that all Bell Services were at the main building, the GF?

 

[LadybugsMum]

Then I wonder why Bell Services lied to me last week, when they told me that all Bell Services were at the main building, the GF?

I was there in mid April, so they could have changed. But it doesn't really make any sense since they have their own check in desks as well. BLT also has it's own check in desks and bell services.

 

[CarolynFH]

Doesn't Bell Services at VGF shut down at some point in the late evening, and all Bell Services is handled from the Main Building until some time in the morning?

 

[erionm]

Doesn't Bell Services at VGF shut down at some point in the late evening, and all Bell Services is handled from the Main Building until some time in the morning?

Unless it's changed, the front desk and bell services hours at VGF and BLT used to be 6 or 7 am to 10 pm daily. Outside of those hours and you needed to go to the main building where they operate 24/7.

 

[DisneyMom_3]

Looking forward to getting back to VGF next year. Been using my points to stay at the Riviera since there had been some pretty decent availability after the shutdown. I figured this would be a good time to try it since before the shutdown I rarely saw any standard view availability at 7 months. Now it looks like all of the resorts are booked up pretty solid. The only think I don't like about VGF is we used to be able to book a standard studio during the first or second week of December, but now they are being walked so bad that I changed my travel dates or I will just try for a 1BR. Hoping that VGF II doesn't make the 1BR at the Villas difficult to book.

I’m a bit concerned as well, we love the 1 br.s and I’m hoping the flood of new points they sell for BPK doesn’t negatively impact my chance of getting a 1 br. in early Dec..

I’m worried about it too. I think the math says it will be a problem. There will be many more owners, and no greater supply of 1beds. I guess it could even out if current owners that stay in 1beds start to gravitate to the new studios, but I don’t expect that.

Add me to the list of those concerned about the availability of the 1 Bedrooms. I love Poly and GF, but I bought VGF specifically because I had the option of the 1 and 2 Bedrooms. We are a family of 5 and the extra space is nice as the kids get older.
I also hope there is a distinction between booking but that the points are the same like Kidani and Jambo.

 

[sjrec]

I'm confident that they'll be able to store your items. It sounds like this weekend's policy change relates to transporting perishables from one resort to another (they will not transfer perishables for you). If you bring the items to Bell Services yourself, they'll store them for you. AFAIK, there hasn't been official word from Disney on this (why are we not surprised?) but again, based on the reports I've read I'm confident that storage isn't the issue, transfer between resorts is.

This is what we experienced this week. The policy officially changed only two days ago. They will hold cold items, but will not transfer them to another resort. You make take them to the new resort and they will hold until check in. The CM we spoke with alluded to “an incident “ but wouldn’t elaborate! We didn’t have any perishables left, and they transferred a small bag of non-perishables for us along with our luggage-which was here when we checked in at the BCV at 2:00.

 

[PsycProfPlum]

This is what we experienced this week. The policy officially changed only two days ago. They will hold cold items, but will not transfer them to another resort. You make take them to the new resort and they will hold until check in. The CM we spoke with alluded to “an incident “ but wouldn’t elaborate! We didn’t have any perishables left, and they transferred a small bag of non-perishables for us along with our luggage-which was here when we checked in at the BCV at 2:00.

Aw man that's too bad. We often do split stays and grocery delivery to the first resort. It was so nice to have our groceries delivered to the second resort while we were off at a park. Given the hassle of resort to resort transportation, this is another good reason to consider renting a car I guess.

 

[Matty B13]

Anyone know of a good pizza/sub/grinder place to order out from near VGF?

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

We check in tomorrow and we got a welcome email from Disney that states:

We have the information you provided within the Online Check-In Service and you’re still eligible to use the Direct-to-Room service upon arrival. If your 11:59 PM estimated arrival time has changed, please update via Online Check-In. Providing an accurate ETA will allow us to try to have your room available when you arrive, when possible. We’ll send you room status updates when it gets closer to your arrival time

Ummm...no where did I tell them that we are arriving in at 11:59PM. When I go to Online Check-In, there's no way for me to alter the time because it just says Disney's Magical Express. There is no edit button. We're flying in from MA in the morning and our plane lands at 8:50am! Is this just a normal email from Disney that is just a little messed up?

Edit: Caught someone on chat and they said that is the time it defaults too when no time is put down.

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

I just flew on a flight from hell on SW. Delayed over two hours and when we finally got to Orlando, they had to divert our flight to Tampa because they were running low on fuel. At that time they couldn’t land because of cloud cover and didn’t have enough fuel to circle around I guess. Ugh. A 2, almost 3 hour nonstop flight turned into a 5 hour, one stop ordeal. Luckily, our room was ready at 11:30! So when we finally arrived at 3, we were able to drag our tired bodies up to our room. We’ve been up since 5am. We were suppose to land at 9am originally but got the alert of our delay at 2am.

I have a question about the jet tub, is there a way to turn off the constant cleaning cycle? I’m afraid it’s going to wake up my toddler!

 

[CarolynFH]

I have a question about the jet tub, is there a way to turn off the constant cleaning cycle?

I would call Maintenance/Engineering or Housekeeping. It shouldn’t be running constantly.

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

I would call Maintenance/Engineering or Housekeeping. It shouldn’t be running constantly.

It’s not running nonstop but every so often it comes on. I wonder if this is normal for the tub after it has been in use? It seems to have stopped.

 

[CarolynFH]

It’s not running nonstop but every so often it comes on. I wonder if this is normal for the tub after it has been in use? It seems to have stopped.

I believe it’s supposed to run after it’s used but then shut itself off. It just seems strange it would still be running when you arrived at 3, if your room was ready at 11:30 (meaning housekeeping was finished cleaning it). If it’s running on and off, I’d definitely call and ask. Just do not call the “front desk”!

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

Finally back home and we all enjoyed our stay at our standard view 1 bedroom at VGF. I had requested higher floor, monorail view and our room did not disappoint! We even got a surprise fireworks view too. Our room number was 1327 and we looked out towards the main GF building. We had views of the monorail on the left side and and views of the beach/water on the right. My son loved being out on the balcony to people/monorail watch. Super nice!

*Can't seem to get the fireworks pic upright *

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

Can someone help settle a TikTok debate for me? Do all GFV studios have the split bathroom and Murphy bed under the TV? (With the exception of maybe an accessible room) A cast member who works at the grand is debating that some studios are the exact layout to an animal kingdom villa value studio.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Grand Floridian Lake View one bedroom, #1508. I had points to burn (expired on August first) so I took a solo trip in July, and was fortunate enough to get this.

 

[Avery&Todd]

EEEKK!!! I got our Merriest After hours party this morning for Nov 12th - its our first ever "party" and I'm super excited!! I told DH that we were going, but not how much the tickets were , and I'm excited enough for the 2 of us!!

85 days until our first stay at the VGF!! We've stayed in the hotel side but that was back in 2016....

 

[DisneyMom_3]

EEEKK!!! I got our Merriest After hours party this morning for Nov 12th - its our first ever "party" and I'm super excited!! I told DH that we were going, but not how much the tickets were , and I'm excited enough for the 2 of us!!

85 days until our first stay at the VGF!! We've stayed in the hotel side but that was back in 2016....

So excited for you! I love Christmas at Disney!
I was able to get December 21st this morning. I definitely won’t be telling my hubby what I paid for our family of 5 either. Now, I just need my waitlist to come through for that night (the only night I’m missing!)