(2014-2020) Disney's GRAND FLORIDIAN RESORT & SPA + VILLAS Information & Questions

[DisneyLifePapioNe]

Hey guys! So I officially booked Thanksgiving 2019 at The Grand this morning!! I’m very excited to be back for the holidays!! Crazy I had to book ADR’s two days ago for our summer trip and then make fall resort reservations within 2 days of each other.

!!!

 

[DisneyLifePapioNe]

Hello fellow GF fans ..It's been quite a while..but I wanted to pop in and wish you all a Happy New Year!!

SmithSmith Beautiful pic of the grand Grand lobby in all of its holiday finery!

mrsap Lucky you doing summer ADR and booking the fall.....Are the fall discounts out already....??? lol...I am always missing stuff...I am on the look out for summer..last year the Poly was so fun on the 4th...especially with so many Dis friends there!! ....in any case Congrats!! The only thing better than a Disney trip is two Disney trips!!

We sadly were not able to take our usual fall/early winter trip...but..have already planned for the spring... and may even have a quick GF weekend with a friend in a few weeks......

Hope that everyone is having a fabulous Friday...and wishing you all a happy healthy 2019

ETA...Looks like a new ticker is in order....

Happy New Year!!!

 

[mrsap]

Hello fellow GF fans ..It's been quite a while..but I wanted to pop in and wish you all a Happy New Year!!

SmithSmith Beautiful pic of the grand Grand lobby in all of its holiday finery!

mrsap Lucky you doing summer ADR and booking the fall.....Are the fall discounts out already....??? lol...I am always missing stuff...I am on the look out for summer..last year the Poly was so fun on the 4th...especially with so many Dis friends there!! ....in any case Congrats!! The only thing better than a Disney trip is two Disney trips!!

We sadly were not able to take our usual fall/early winter trip...but..have already planned for the spring... and may even have a quick GF weekend with a friend in a few weeks......

Hope that everyone is having a fabulous Friday...and wishing you all a happy healthy 2019

ETA...Looks like a new ticker is in order....

Hey!! How are you?! Good I hope!! I agree, Poly was definitely a lot of fun over the 4th, more fun than I expected, actually. I enjoyed just hanging around the resort for the most part!
We were thinking of booking Poly CL for the 4th in 2019, but DH chose SL for his 40th! So we’ll be next door instead!! Will you be going back for the 4th this year?

For November, we booked with our DVC, but it definitely too early for the fall discounts to be out yet. That’s great you might go in a few weeks! I hope you have a great time! Make sure you take some pictures for us!!!!

 

[ajh88]

Hello Grand Floridian lovers! I'm new to this thread but looking for a bit of insight. We are usually a Poly family - stayed there in 2011 and have been loyal ever since - but we have a trip planned for October next year and I think GF might suit our needs better. I'm just looking for any insights (or pictures!) - we are thinking of either a 1 BR or 2 BR villa (and I would probably rent points for it). It will be our family of 4 and a family friend. We are cool with sharing space but we would like our friend to have some privacy if he wants some. We also like the idea of having an actual kitchen (vs the kitchenette in the Poly studios).

Besides the obvious difference of 1 BR vs 2 BR, are there any pros or cons to one vs the other? If you have stayed in both, do you have any thoughts about how they compare or if the 2 BR is worth the extra money? I know these are subjective - just trying to get some ideas from people who have actually been there!

Thanks so much in advance!

 

[WishesQueen]

Hello fellow GF fans ..It's been quite a while..but I wanted to pop in and wish you all a Happy New Year!!

SmithSmith Beautiful pic of the grand Grand lobby in all of its holiday finery!

mrsap Lucky you doing summer ADR and booking the fall.....Are the fall discounts out already....??? lol...I am always missing stuff...I am on the look out for summer..last year the Poly was so fun on the 4th...especially with so many Dis friends there!! ....in any case Congrats!! The only thing better than a Disney trip is two Disney trips!!

We sadly were not able to take our usual fall/early winter trip...but..have already planned for the spring... and may even have a quick GF weekend with a friend in a few weeks......

Hope that everyone is having a fabulous Friday...and wishing you all a happy healthy 2019

ETA...Looks like a new ticker is in order....

Hello my friend! I hope you and your family had a great Christmas and I hope you a wonderful & safe New Year!

My DH surprised me for Christmas with a quick trip with out the kids to the GF. I was shocked to say the least, we leave in a few weeks. He even booked FPs and dinners, who knew he knew how and he did great. I had to tweak it a bit but it looks great!! Now I am just hoping for the best weather possible.

I hope all my GF peeps had a great Christmas and I hope you all have safe and wonderful New Year. I am sure I'll be around a bit more often considering my excitement.

 

[miTnosnhoJ]

Hello Grand Floridian lovers! I'm new to this thread but looking for a bit of insight. We are usually a Poly family - stayed there in 2011 and have been loyal ever since - but we have a trip planned for October next year and I think GF might suit our needs better. I'm just looking for any insights (or pictures!) - we are thinking of either a 1 BR or 2 BR villa (and I would probably rent points for it). It will be our family of 4 and a family friend. We are cool with sharing space but we would like our friend to have some privacy if he wants some. We also like the idea of having an actual kitchen (vs the kitchenette in the Poly studios).

Besides the obvious difference of 1 BR vs 2 BR, are there any pros or cons to one vs the other? If you have stayed in both, do you have any thoughts about how they compare or if the 2 BR is worth the extra money? I know these are subjective - just trying to get some ideas from people who have actually been there!

Thanks so much in advance!

October is a popular time, with Food and Wine and Mickey’s Not So Scary, so if you are interested, you should act soon. It is already within the 11 month window.

I have stayed in both 1BR and 2BR at VGF. Both are spectacular.
Both have a full kitchen, balconies, washer/dryer, etc.

A one BR has a King bed in the bedroom. There is a queen-sized sofa and a Murphy bed in the living area.
The Master BR has an adjoining sink area with a spa-type tub. That adjoins the bathroom, which has another sink area, a walk-in shower, and a toilet. Usually the living room dwellers would use this sink, while the Master BR dwellers use the other sink. But all will share the shower and toilet.

A 2BR comes in 2 varieties. A 2BR lockoff sleeps up to 10. It is basically a 1BR as described above, with an adjoining studio. The studio has a bathroom so you have 2 showers, 2 bathtubs, 2 toilets etc. You have a King Bed in the Master, a Queen Bed and a queen sofa in the Studio, A Queen sofa in the living area of the 1BR section, and Murphy beds in both.

A dedicated 2BR sleeps up to 9. There is a Master with a King, and a 2nd bedroom with 2 queens. There is a sofa bed and Murphy bed in the living area. There are 2 full bathrooms, so you get 2 showers, 2 toilets, 2 bathtubs.

A 2BR is more comfortable with the extra bathroom. A 1BR is doable but crowded if everybody gets along and you can navigate the sharing of the bathroom.

The Murphy beds are not bad, but best used for a child. They are not the best for an adult male. If you know the Murphy beds at Poly,, they are similar.

 

[MommyGina]

Hi Blue! Good to hear from you. Happy New Year to you and your family.

Happy New Year to all my GF friends and my New Year wishes for all of you is a trip in 2019 to the Grand Floridian!!!

 

[Ralphmiller007]

Forgive the dark pics, we arrived late to our one bedroom villa in November. I haven’t figured out how to upload some of the larger photos, but these give you a general idea of some of the bathrooms and kitchen. It was beautiful, but it was only my husband and I. I would think for 5 people, one being a family friend, that the 2-bedroom would be amazing!

 

[mickeynut1]

We are staying at the VGF for the first time in February. We will be in a studio so no in room laundry. I’m trying to decide whether I should plan on doing laundry (and pack less) or not plan on it (and pack more/overpack ). Sounds like there is a laundry room in the fourth floor.

How busy have you found the laundry rooms to be? Good bet to put in two loads at once and comfortable leaving them there while we head to a quick dinner?

I never do laundry on vacation, so my vote would be to over pack (which I always do ) and not plan on doing laundry .

Hey guys! So I officially booked Thanksgiving 2019 at The Grand this morning!! I’m very excited to be back for the holidays!! Crazy I had to book ADR’s two days ago for our summer trip and then make fall resort reservations within 2 days of each other.

Congrats on having another trip booked! It's always exciting to have one trip to plan/look forward to, but any more than that is just a bonus! Enjoy all the planning .

My DH surprised me for Christmas with a quick trip with out the kids to the GF. I was shocked to say the least, we leave in a few weeks. He even booked FPs and dinners, who knew he knew how and he did great. I had to tweak it a bit but it looks great!! Now I am just hoping for the best weather possible.

What a great surprise! Have a great time .

Forgive the dark pics, we arrived late to our one bedroom villa in November. I haven’t figured out how to upload some of the larger photos, but these give you a general idea of some of the bathrooms and kitchen. It was beautiful, but it was only my husband and I. I would think for 5 people, one being a family friend, that the 2-bedroom would be amazing!

View attachment 372081 View attachment 372082 View attachment 372083 View attachment 372084 View attachment 372085 View attachment 372086 View attachment 372087

Love the pics, thanks for sharing .


Hope everyone had a great Christmas .

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year and a happy and healthy 2019

 

[mrsap]

I never do laundry on vacation, so my vote would be to over pack (which I always do ) and not plan on doing laundry .



Congrats on having another trip booked! It's always exciting to have one trip to plan/look forward to, but any more than that is just a bonus! Enjoy all the planning .



What a great surprise! Have a great time .



Love the pics, thanks for sharing .


Hope everyone had a great Christmas .

Wishing everyone a Happy New Year and a happy and healthy 2019

Thank you, and Happy New Year to you as well!!!

 

[mickeynut1]

Thank you, and Happy New Year to you as well!!!

Thank you

 

[Amy M]

We are staying at the VGF for the first time in February. We will be in a studio so no in room laundry. I’m trying to decide whether I should plan on doing laundry (and pack less) or not plan on it (and pack more/overpack ). Sounds like there is a laundry room in the fourth floor.

How busy have you found the laundry rooms to be? Good bet to put in two loads at once and comfortable leaving them there while we head to a quick dinner?

I vote for overpacking. I never do laundry on vacation unless I am staying in a condo at the beach! Disney laundry always comes home with me. There is just too much fun to be had to worry about laundry while at WDW!

 

[TJA]

Hey guys! So I officially booked Thanksgiving 2019 at The Grand this morning!! I’m very excited to be back for the holidays!! Crazy I had to book ADR’s two days ago for our summer trip and then make fall resort reservations within 2 days of each other.

GF during the Christmas holiday ….!! Congrats! Besides home, I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be during the holiday!

 

[mrsap]

GF during the Christmas holiday ….!! Congrats! Besides home, I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be during the holiday!

Very excited to get back! I agree, between GF and WL, I couldn’t imagine staying anywhere else during the holiday season!! Do you think you’ll go that week again?

 

[bkfamilyof5]

Just leaving GF after an 8-night stay. We were in Big Pine Key room 9103, it was fine but quite dated and a lot smaller than our room at Poly our last time in a Deluxe. The bathroom was particularly dated, but everything was clean and functional. Not much storage for a family of 5.

The decorations especially in main building were pretty but the sickly sweet potpourri or whatever they think smells like gingerbread was nauseating, as was the smell of the soap shop right outside the monorail. I had a difficult time spending more than a few minutes in that building our entire stay.

Dh and the kids enjoyed the pools a couple of times. We roasted marshmallows once, had a few snacks at the grill and got treats once at the gingerbread house which is cute but again I could do without the smell!

Service in our room was fine, it was cleaned and tidied daily. They did seem to throw away A lightweight sweater of mine, I think it may have been picked up with the towels but no one was able to find it.

This afternoon when we were checking out and trying to go to the airport was atrocious, however. We noticed a strange double charge on our room bill so I went to the concierge to ask about it. It took the cm over 30 minutes to even acknowledge that there was an error, and finally another 10 to
Get a manager to approve a refund.

Then we inquired about the magical express because the letter we received didn’t show a departure time on it (it said not assigned). The letter states “dme recommends 3 hours prior to departure for domestic flights”. It was @4:20 when I was having this conversation and the cm told me that for our flight leaving at 7:59 it meant we needed to be on the 4:30 bus. Well, that wasn’t going to happen - kids needed to eat, we had to change and one of our kids is sick and was trying to rally on a lobby couch. I asked if we could please take the 5pm (which was our original plan because that is basically 3 hours before our flight) and they said no. I pushed back, they said they would give us a taxi voucher. Fine, but I have 6 people and at least 2 kids needing car seats. “No problem”. I did speak with a manager at this point to ensure that we would be able to transport our kids safely to the airport, and he was apologetic and assured me they would. He didn’t do anything other than say he would speak with the cm who was so slow and unhelpful.

Well, we fed kids, got ready and requested our taxi at 5:30. At 5:56 I checked in and was told the “request hadn’t been picked up”, so we needed to find another arrangement. We are now in one of 2 taxis to the airport. We have to pay for one of them because they wouldn’t give me another voucher. They also couldn’t give me a phone number to speak
With a manager of the GF. We left with such a bad taste in our mouth with regard to the supposed superior service that is provided at Disney hotels.

Still on the way to the airport but I don’t have any love for GF.

 

[JoJoGirl]

Then we inquired about the magical express because the letter we received didn’t show a departure time on it (it said not assigned).

This happened to us a couple of weeks ago at the Boardwalk. Luckily I noticed it first thing in the morning the day before we left, when I opened the transportation notice which was slipped under the door. What had happened was that Delta changed our flight number after we registered for ME — same flight time, different number. ME couldn’t find our flight’s departure time so they left it unassigned. I called the ME number on the transportation notice, and they had it fixed within 10 minutes *phew*.

I’m sorry that your stay at the GF was not as pleasant as you hoped. Hopefully you were able to create many other positive memories of WDW to take home with you!

 

[DisneyLifePapioNe]

Just leaving GF after an 8-night stay. We were in Big Pine Key room 9103, it was fine but quite dated and a lot smaller than our room at Poly our last time in a Deluxe. The bathroom was particularly dated, but everything was clean and functional. Not much storage for a family of 5.

The decorations especially in main building were pretty but the sickly sweet potpourri or whatever they think smells like gingerbread was nauseating, as was the smell of the soap shop right outside the monorail. I had a difficult time spending more than a few minutes in that building our entire stay.

Dh and the kids enjoyed the pools a couple of times. We roasted marshmallows once, had a few snacks at the grill and got treats once at the gingerbread house which is cute but again I could do without the smell!

Service in our room was fine, it was cleaned and tidied daily. They did seem to throw away A lightweight sweater of mine, I think it may have been picked up with the towels but no one was able to find it.

This afternoon when we were checking out and trying to go to the airport was atrocious, however. We noticed a strange double charge on our room bill so I went to the concierge to ask about it. It took the cm over 30 minutes to even acknowledge that there was an error, and finally another 10 to
Get a manager to approve a refund.

Then we inquired about the magical express because the letter we received didn’t show a departure time on it (it said not assigned). The letter states “dme recommends 3 hours prior to departure for domestic flights”. It was @4:20 when I was having this conversation and the cm told me that for our flight leaving at 7:59 it meant we needed to be on the 4:30 bus. Well, that wasn’t going to happen - kids needed to eat, we had to change and one of our kids is sick and was trying to rally on a lobby couch. I asked if we could please take the 5pm (which was our original plan because that is basically 3 hours before our flight) and they said no. I pushed back, they said they would give us a taxi voucher. Fine, but I have 6 people and at least 2 kids needing car seats. “No problem”. I did speak with a manager at this point to ensure that we would be able to transport our kids safely to the airport, and he was apologetic and assured me they would. He didn’t do anything other than say he would speak with the cm who was so slow and unhelpful.

Well, we fed kids, got ready and requested our taxi at 5:30. At 5:56 I checked in and was told the “request hadn’t been picked up”, so we needed to find another arrangement. We are now in one of 2 taxis to the airport. We have to pay for one of them because they wouldn’t give me another voucher. They also couldn’t give me a phone number to speak
With a manager of the GF. We left with such a bad taste in our mouth with regard to the supposed superior service that is provided at Disney hotels.

Still on the way to the airport but I don’t have any love for GF.

Unfortunately it is possible to have some bad experiences or certain things that don’t work out as planned but that can happen at any place.

I really like the Grand Floridian!

 

[Amy M]

This happened to us a couple of weeks ago at the Boardwalk. Luckily I noticed it first thing in the morning the day before we left, when I opened the transportation notice which was slipped under the door. What had happened was that Delta changed our flight number after we registered for ME — same flight time, different number. ME couldn’t find our flight’s departure time so they left it unassigned. I called the ME number on the transportation notice, and they had it fixed within 10 minutes *phew*.

I’m sorry that your stay at the GF was not as pleasant as you hoped. Hopefully you were able to create many other positive memories of WDW to take home with you!

I had the exact same thing happen in July...also a Delta flight number change. They fixed it at the front desk within a few minutes at BC.

 

[TJA]

Very excited to get back! I agree, between GF and WL, I couldn’t imagine staying anywhere else during the holiday season!! Do you think you’ll go that week again?

We are tinkering with the possibility of trying NYEve next year instead of thanksgiving. My kids have a lot more time off right now versus at thanksgiving, so it would work better for us in that regard. So we'll see!

 

[mrsap]

We are tinkering with the possibility of trying NYEve next year instead of thanksgiving. My kids have a lot more time off right now versus at thanksgiving, so it would work better for us in that regard. So we'll see!

I’m sure it will be just as fun!!!!