Disney's GRAND FLORIDIAN RESORT & SPA Information & Questions + Construction Updates

[lorimay]

We are finally approaching a stay that has been delayed several times and I am so excited! This will be our first GF stay. I have a couple questions! We are a family of 4 with an infant and 4 year old.

1) We have a garden view outer building room booked. I am thinking of requesting a quiet, upper floor room, near the walkway to magic kingdom. Any recommendations? Since sugar loaf isn’t club level right now is that something I should consider requesting?

2) what is the best stroller rental company? My 4 year old has not used a stroller in a long time but I am thinking the walk home from magic kingdom may be too much for them after a long day. I’m thinking of renting a double.

3) I have a reservation one night at California grill early (like 5pm). Will it be worth planning for one of us to take the 4 year old back to CG that night to view the fireworks from there? Or is the view from GF good enough that it’s not worth the effort?

4) Can my 4 year old ride on the pool slide in a parents lap? Or would she need to go independently?

I think the view from Gasparilla's is wonderful for fireworks, then you can be back in your room in 5 minutes after. I agree with PP better than view from CG.

You are not allowed to ride down the slide with your daughter, but you can walk her up.
My 3 yr old grandson was fine after he saw how other kids were going down. You can be right next to the slide as she goes down.

 

[Lyons Family]

Yesterday did a final price check before I paid off our August vacation, and found out the price came down by an additional $500 for our MK view. Had a price reduction also earlier this year. I do not know of everywhere, but the week we picked is the first week in Ohio that kids go back to school.

We originally booked through our TA (she called Disney number for our reservations) months back and was excited to find this out. So we have save over $1200 since the starting price.

I purchased gift cards to get my stores fuel perks, and have the left over to pay for some meals, since there is no dining plan.

Check your prices.

 

[4Spen]

Good Morning- I was wondering if anyone has walked back from MK to the GF after park close. We stayed during the Christmas holiday in 2020 and were turned away when attempting to use the walkway. We were directed to a boat. I wasn’t sure if that was just a one time thing or if the walkway closes at a certain time. We check in the 12th. TYIA for any info on this.

 

[lukemorenus]

...similar question: is the path between the Grand Floridian and the Polynesian still closed for construction?

 

[ColoradoMom12]

Good Morning- I was wondering if anyone has walked back from MK to the GF after park close. We stayed during the Christmas holiday in 2020 and were turned away when attempting to use the walkway. We were directed to a boat. I wasn’t sure if that was just a one time thing or if the walkway closes at a certain time. We check in the 12th. TYIA for any info on this.

My daughter and I walked back from MK last week after the park closed. I can’t remember the timing exactly, but I think we walked back about 30 minutes after the park closed. We were held at the bridge because the EWP was ending and needed to go through.

...similar question: is the path between the Grand Floridian and the Polynesian still closed for construction?

It was closed last week.

 

[JFDIS]

Do all the rooms come with robes and slippers? I was watching the Tracker family GF stay and it made me curious. We have our first GF stay in September and I’m imagining myself in a robe sipping champagne and ordering room service. I have a stressful job and these thoughts are what get me through the day. Lol

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Do all the rooms come with robes and slippers? I was watching the Tracker family GF stay and it made me curious. We have our first GF stay in September and I’m imagining myself in a robe sipping champagne and ordering room service. I have a stressful job and these thoughts are what get me through the day. Lol

I don't watch YouTubers but I think I saw a post somewhere online that their stay was in a suite? If so, then yes, the suites tend to come with robes/slippers. Regular rooms do not.

 

[JFDIS]

I don't watch YouTubers but I think I saw a post somewhere online that their stay was in a suite? If so, then yes, the suites tend to come with robes/slippers. Regular rooms do not.

Well hot dang. Thanks for the reply.

 

[mocfan]

Do all the rooms come with robes and slippers? I was watching the Tracker family GF stay and it made me curious. We have our first GF stay in September and I’m imagining myself in a robe sipping champagne and ordering room service. I have a stressful job and these thoughts are what get me through the day. Lol

Our lagoon view room last month came with robes, but no slippers.

 

[Kms943]

In our 2018 and 2019 stays in the main building club level rooms, we had both robes and slippers. I’m not sure if that applies to the outer buildings.

 

[grannyminnie]

Do all the rooms come with robes and slippers? I was watching the Tracker family GF stay and it made me curious. We have our first GF stay in September and I’m imagining myself in a robe sipping champagne and ordering room service. I have a stressful job and these thoughts are what get me through the day. Lol

I saw those videos too and I'm wondering if when you order in-room dining do they really set the table up so nicely? I was even doubting the fact that slippers were provided until a poster above mentioned they do, in suites.

 

[VeronicaZS]

4) Can my 4 year old ride on the pool slide in a parents lap? Or would she need to go independently?
[/QUOTE]

This is not allowed and it is never a good idea to go down a slide with a child on your lap. They can get nervous and try to use their leg to stop or slow down (or their leg can just get caught on the side) and your body weight keeps the train moving and their leg snaps. This happened to my nephew with the "other" grandmother. Thankfully he is now perfectly fine but I will forever have a phobia of kids sliding with lap parents.

 

[YCFAN]

No, none of the main building views face parking lots. They can be looking at different parts of resort/pools/grounds - but I’d venture to say there literally isn’t a bad view from any main building room, no matter which way you’re facing. It’s one of the nice things about main building - not much to worry about!

Thank you. I am considering a GF Royal Palm CL stay in 2022 and was wondering about the difference in price between theme park view and standard. There is a $245 difference for view alone with both being CL.

 

[kylenne]

In our 2018 and 2019 stays in the main building club level rooms, we had both robes and slippers. I’m not sure if that applies to the outer buildings.

I had robes but no slippers in my main building room in May (deluxe king). I suspect the slippers might be a covid casualty.

 

[Aurora79]

Robes are in all rooms. Slippers are just in suites.

I think they do always set your table with table service, but I’m not 100% sure on that one.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Well I feel jilted - no robes in my recent rooms in BPK and Conch. I guess YMMV.

I haven’t been since March so maybe it has changed but at the time room service delivered in brown bags/plastic containers and they just drop it off and go.

Pre-pandemic private dining operated more like what you’d see at most nicer hotels - they wheel it in on a cart, real plates/cutlery, glasses, etc.

 

[rick1zoo2]

I think I remember my wife wearing a robe on our last trip in February, but not sure if it was Riviera or Grand Floridian. Most likely Riviera. Most likely my wife...

 

[MamaJJ2018]

4) Can my 4 year old ride on the pool slide in a parents lap? Or would she need to go independently?

This is not allowed and it is never a good idea to go down a slide with a child on your lap. They can get nervous and try to use their leg to stop or slow down (or their leg can just get caught on the side) and your body weight keeps the train moving and their leg snaps. This happened to my nephew with the "other" grandmother. Thankfully he is now perfectly fine but I will forever have a phobia of kids sliding with lap parents.
[/QUOTE]

thank you! I hadn’t given it enough thought. We will see if she is ready to go down independently!

 

[trishadono]

Good Morning- I was wondering if anyone has walked back from MK to the GF after park close. We stayed during the Christmas holiday in 2020 and were turned away when attempting to use the walkway. We were directed to a boat. I wasn’t sure if that was just a one time thing or if the walkway closes at a certain time. We check in the 12th. TYIA for any info on this.

When the gate is activated to move out the EWP floats they may turn you away.

 

[Dispro1]

Well I feel jilted - no robes in my recent rooms in BPK and Conch. I guess YMMV.

I haven’t been since March so maybe it has changed but at the time room service delivered in brown bags/plastic containers and they just drop it off and go.

Pre-pandemic private dining operated more like what you’d see at most nicer hotels - they wheel it in on a cart, real plates/cutlery, glasses, etc.

You didn't miss anything...the robes were the scratchy waffle weave ones. We were in the main building for our end of May/early June trip, and I was very disappointed that they didn't have the buttery soft robes they usually have in the main building. I'm hoping they bring them back once CL comes back! We have always had slippers in our rooms too before this trip (main building but not suites) so I was hoping those would come back with CL too but maybe they won't?? I know most of the deluxe resorts with robes have those waffle weave robes, but I think Disney needs to upgrade those. We were in the CL building at Westin Maui Resort last week and their waffle weave robes were lined with really soft fabric. Of course, they just completely remodeled that building and turned it into CL so the robes were probably new. Disney has been using those same waffle weave robes as long as I can remember!