Grand Floridian stuck up? Your personal experiences?

[RJD]

We recently stayed at the Poly and used the boat that is shared with the GF to the MK, in just a short boat ride leaving MK, it was clear which guests would be getting off at GF. On one ride the boat pulled into dock at MK and there was a modest looking grandfather with his young grandson riding in the back, they stated to the Captain they were just going for a boat rideand wouldn't be getting off at MK, a man who clearly felt he was better than everyone else mocked this man and made rude comments as he got off at GF, something to the effect like, come on son now we'll tour the parking lot.

Yes, I'm sure this happens all over the place but these were the types I noted staying at GF. JMHO.

That is sooo rude and mean. When my son was little, he loved to ride the monorail and we sometimes would just "do the loop" around just because that's what he loved to do at that time. We don't stay at deluxes, but certainly like to eat at Ohanas and then walk around the Poly and same with GF. But as someone above stated, to say everyone staying at GF is snooty is like the posts about all rude people running around the values. There are good and bad everywhere, in Disney & out.

 

[CheshireVal]

I may get flamed but here are my thoughts anyway- you can tell the clientele has more $$ to spend. For instance- instead of "non labeled" polo shirts from Target, a lot of the men are wearing POLO shirts- like the one's with the horse's on them. The kids have logo'd clothing from higher priced stores. Mom's are wearing shorts from places like Talbots instead of Walmart. Sunglasses have labels, mom's all have makeup on, and hair looking like it was just "done" etc etc.

I'm not quite understanding this. So the GF people wear polos and everyone else dresses in clothes from Wal-Mart? And only rich people wear makeup and brush their hair?

Those are very broad generalizations. I don't equate expensive clothing labels with money, anyway. Just with people trying to show off.

 

[ntsammy5]

This has got to be one of the strangest threads on the DIS.

 

[DisneyBride'03]

It didnt start out this way.......lol I just keep watching to see where it goes....

Anyway...are we all in agreement that rude, snooty folks can be found ANYwhere in WDW..not just in the GF?

 

[conandrob240]

I would not say "stuck up" is the term we'd use. We did not enjoy our GF experience because of the atmosphere, decor, service but it (hotel , guests, CMs) were not snooty or stuck up. Guests were just guests- some nioce, some not, some classy , some not- the same as you'll find anywhere

We felt service was terrible at this hotel. No one knew the answers to anything, calls to the front desk (numerous times) went unanswered, calls to housekeeping had to be repeated multiple times to get what was asked for, housekeeping didn't clean well and wasn't timely, pool guys screamed at guests, etc, etc, etc. I felt like 95% of the CMs didn't care at all about their job - no Disney magic in the service. (With a few exceptions, of course)

I also felt that the hotel was more geared to adults. Our 8 yr old isn't really into an orchestra playing in the lobby (although he listened politely). I think they could have had more organizaed things for kids during the day like they do at AKL, for example. Story time, pool games, singalongs, etc.

I thought the pools were bad. The slide pool was dirty and not well laid-out (most chairs either down in the sand or behind bar) so no view of pool. Not good if you wantto sit while watching your kid! The large pool was so hot. Yes, it was August but that pool was so hot, it was uncomfortable!!!

The atmosphere was boring to me. Stuffy is maybe the right word. Not "stuck up". The lobby, instead of being a fun gathering place where people congregated with a cocktail and kids sat and watched tv or played, it was quiet with people listening to music. It seemed most people passed through but didn't stay except for a few minutes to listen to the music (which was very nice). BY comparison, the AKL or the Poly were always filled with fun music, laughter, and fun!!! Some might consider it too noisy but that's what we like in a hotel.

I hope that helps.

 

[grumpymakesmehappy]

Growing up, we used to stay at the Polynesian and come over to the Grand for breakfast at 1900 Park Fare. My cousin and I used to think the Grand was too stuffy...not at all like the carefree Polynesian where we could run around like maniacs and no one seemed to notice!!! Now that I am older, I look at the Grand and see it differently. It's not snooty or snobby. You may encounter some snobby guest there, but you will encounter those same snobby guest at the Pop. Those kind of people are just everywhere not just the Grand!!! The Grand is beautiful and we will welcome a stay in the future. No, it still doesn't appeal to me as much as the Poly, BC, or WL, but it does look lovely!

 

[DizHistory]

Been to GF many times ... stuck up is not how I would describe any of the employees. Sounds like something people who haven't stayed there would say. I would never comment on the All Star Resorts, because I don't know anything about them.

 

[dannyh23]

I would lose all respect for somebody that behaved like that. Totally unprofessional and uncalled for - and basically just all around not nice.

Actually she very well might have been the CM I witnessed last spring at the GF in RPC act very immature and unprofessional to her fellow RPC CMs right in front of my DD and I. SHe did it for show. It seemed she got a kick out of her own "attitude". Funny because I know she did move to the CR.

So we finally have confirmation that "bad" concierge staff get banished to the Atrium Club!!!

 

[ducklite]

Interesting observation. Is there anyone who has stayed there who disagrees? I certainly thought the staff and guests were all completely friendly when we stayed there.

I agree. We've had service issues there a couple of times, but nobody was "snooty," just incompetent.

 

[ducklite]

I'm not quite understanding this. So the GF people wear polos and everyone else dresses in clothes from Wal-Mart? And only rich people wear makeup and brush their hair?

Last time I stayed at the GF, RPC no less, I was wearing a t-shirt from Old Navy and shorts from Kohl's.

Those are very broad generalizations. I don't equate expensive clothing labels with money, anyway. Just with people trying to show off.

The best clothing lines don't have logos or labels that conspicuously name the label/designer.

BTW--We won't be back to the GF. It has nothing to do with "snootiness," but rather it's simply not worth the money they are charging these days.

 

[LeftCoaster]

I am not defending what this Cast Member did, however maybe she had some bad experiences with some guests and some Cast Members, which might be the reason for the way she feels.

The CM can feel anyway they want. However, while they are on Disney's dime, the need to act a certain way. By chatting up some kid and saying the things he or she did, was extremely unprofessional and should result in disciplinary action.
Once you grow up and join the adult world, I'm sure you'll understand better.

 

[Duckfan-in-Chicago]

This past August when my parents and I were speaking to a Cast Member on the Atrium Club Level floor of the Contemporary, who use to work on the Royal Palm Club Level at the Grand Floridian. She thought the Cast Members and guests up there were rude and stuck up. While I am sure others have had positive experiences there that was her opinion.

So to paraphrase her opinion, she kinda said a whole group of people (both workers and guests) at one hotel were beneath the people at another hotel. And she called them stuck up?

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

The CM can feel anyway they want. However, while they are on Disney's dime, the need to act a certain way. By chatting up some kid and saying the things he or she did, was extremely unprofessional and should result in disciplinary action.
Once you grow up and join the adult world, I'm sure you'll understand better.

So to paraphrase her opinion, she kinda said a whole group of people (both workers and guests) at one hotel were beneath the people at another hotel. And she called them stuck up?

1st off all I don't understand why I am being flamed here, because of something a Cast Member told me. I never said I agreed with what she said, all I did was tell you what she said. So for the record she was not chatting me up, my parents were the ones who asked how different the Atrium Club was to the Club Levels at the Grand Floridian and it was a coincidence she use to work at the Grand Floridian and did not like it there.

Finally she never said the guests were better at the Contemporary so I am not sure where you can see that part since it was never mentioned.

 

[Dis Ohana]

The CM can feel anyway they want. However, while they are on Disney's dime, the need to act a certain way. By chatting up some kid and saying the things he or she did, was extremely unprofessional and should result in disciplinary action.

I agree that the CM was out of line, I can't even imagine someone working anywhere saying something like that. I'd be extremely uncomfortable if she were to have that conversation with me.

Once you grow up and join the adult world, I'm sure you'll understand better.

However, I also feel your comment to the poster was a little snippy and uncalled for.

 

[LeftCoaster]

I agree that the CM was out of line, I can't even imagine someone working anywhere saying something like that. I'd be extremely uncomfortable if she were to have that conversation with me.


However, I also feel your comment to the poster was a little snippy and uncalled for.

I've actually been in that situation before and reported the Castmember to a friend that was a high up in the WDC. I was staying at the Grand Californian and went to the front desk to have a minor mistake cleared up. No big deal. The CM's response "It's not my fault. I can't help it if people aren't trained right here." Yikes!

As for my comment to CR fan, I just wanted to point out that he'll get a different perspective once he's older and in the professional world. I view things much differently now than when I was in my late teens.

 

[grannyminnie]

This has got to be one of the strangest threads on the DIS.

And this is not the first time that this particular subject has been discussed, either. Frankly, I don't see why it's even brought up, except that people who can't or don't want to stay there want to talk trash about the GF or have "resort envy". As other posters have commented, maybe it's just the Victorian decor that "scares" people!

 

[grannyminnie]

It didnt start out this way.......lol I just keep watching to see where it goes....

Anyway...are we all in agreement that rude, snooty folks can be found ANYwhere in WDW..not just in the GF?

Absolutely, DisneyBride...they just might not dress in RL polo shirts!!!

 

[CheshireVal]

Frankly, I don't see why it's even brought up, except that people who can't or don't want to stay there want to talk trash about the GF or have "resort envy".

I don't understand this mentality. Every single resort at Disney is discussed here every day with an equal mixture of positive and negative comments.

But if someone says something negative about the GF, it's suddenly "resort envy."

Maybe people just don't like the theme. It doesn't mean they're jealous! Heck, I probably couldn't afford to stay at GF unless I saved every single penny and never did anything fun at home. But even if I had the disposable income, I wouldn't choose GF. I just don't care for the atmosphere. It doesn't mean I'm envious of those *real* polo shirt wearin' people with brushed hair and lipstick who do choose to stay there.

Me, I'm happy wearing my Wal Mart sweat pants and $3 Hanes tee-shirt walking around the lobby of Wilderness Lodge with curlers in my hair and Clearasil smeared on my face.


(Edited to add: just joking about that last part. I really don't walk around in public in sweat pants!)

 

[bullet875]

of GF. It's a little too fancy for my taste as are the male cast members and their morning suits (look like the ones that late DH and groomsmen wore for our wedding...lol). However, I don' t think that the place is snooty, I just don't like the more staid atmosphere. I'm a well-educated woman with a decent job, but I guess I'm just a blue collar girl at heart....lol. We are not loud, obnoxious, or rude (I raised my children similarly to the Japanese culture), and none of us drink or smoke, but sometimes I do tend to act a little but more like a teenager than my 19 year old daughter does...lol .

I happen to love the Victorian era...but the gothic aspect...which GF isn't! lol

My family usually stays at the Beach Club because Epcot is our favorite park and we like to be close to the International Gateway. The Magic Kingdom is one of our least favorite parks so, other than being a monorail hotel, the GF , and CR don't hold much appeal for us. We would stay at the Poly only because we love the South Pacific decor.

Actually, I think that some of the people who stay at the B&YC seem snottier than the guests at the GF.

What REALLY drives me crazy...DVC member who act like they own the place because they prepaid some time in a room. I don't mean all DVC members..just the ones who act this way. Heck I probably own more of WDW through stock than they do thru DVC!

 

[bullet875]

Maybe people just don't like the theme. It doesn't mean they're jealous! Heck, I probably couldn't afford to stay at GF unless I saved every single penny and never did anything fun at home. But even if I had the disposable income, I wouldn't choose GF. I just don't care for the atmosphere. It doesn't mean I'm envious of those *real* polo shirt wearin' people with brushed hair and lipstick who do choose to stay there.

Me, I'm happy wearing my Wal Mart sweat pants and $3 Hanes tee-shirt walking around the lobby of Wilderness Lodge with curlers in my hair and Clearasil smeared on my face.

I agree! I love Walmart and Steve and Barry's! I buy a lot of my clothes on Ebay because I have a unique style (love the Victorian look actually..and the price of shoes can't be beat!) and I can buy my unique clothes there. I don't believe in spending a lot of money on things that will be worn or damaged soon or will depreciate in value.

BTW, S and B is having an awesome sale...$40-50% off fall clothes. I'm wearing a sweater that I got for $7.79 there that someone thought I got for $45 at a department store. They also thought that my $12 skirt from Walmart came from the same store and that my $11 Ebay knit boots were Uggs!

I don't like the WL...even though I'm Native American and there is a little Native theming. That's actually why I don't like it...lol. I do find the tying to the chair (like tying someone to the stake)in the WCC offensive...just kidding..lol. I also don't like the CR even though I basically grew up there. I find it to be very Blah. The BWR reminds me too much of home (I'm from the area that resort is modeled after). I would like the try the Carribean or Coronado resorts sometime though...they look interesting.