The *New* Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa Frequently Asked Questions (FEB2004) Part 2

[traci]

Thanks Heather

 

[BCV23]

Traci, as Heather said using WDW transportation a bus is your only option for AK. We prefer to use our rental car though.

Von Drake, thank you for sharing your memories! What special ones they are too. I love your pillow treat tradition.

And no you weren't the only ones making reservations for the millenium way back then although you beat us by a little. I made ours for the Polynesian in either late 89 or very early 90 although we had to redo them later. And while we were at WDW during that celebration, there was a story about a family that had made reservations perhaps 25 years in advance. Their reservation was the first for the millenium and WDW really treated them royally. If I remember correctly, they had been camping at FW in the early to mid 70s and decided that it would be very cool to stay at WDW 12/31/99.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

we used the buses in august from wl and shared alot with the GF
it wasnt bad at all but i prefer a rent a car

 

[hmp2z]

we used the buses in august from wl and shared alot with the GF
it wasnt bad at all but i prefer a rent a car

We sat at a park one day last month & counted buses, just out of curiousity. We were curious to see how many buses each resort got in 1 hour, since it had always seemed like the GF had the worst bus service. Every single resort got 3-6 buses in that hour, except for the GF, who got 2 buses. The 1st one came after we'd been waiting at the stop for 40 minutes, and there were people who'd been there quite a while before us. They ended up taking the Poly/Contemporary bus, which came first.

My theory is that the GF's bus transportation should be at least equivalent to that of other resorts. Yes, I know they have fewer guests than, say, All Stars, but WDW is all about democracy, hence the fact that I can't use my concierge card as a FastPass (one of my biggest wishes). I'm not sure why they bother giving us cards of a different color than the other resort guests, because the COLOR doesn't do anything. The magnetic stripe can get us into the elevator, but I'm mystified as to why there is the color distinction.

Anyway, to return to the topic at hand, Ft Wilderness got 6 buses; All Stars got 5; all other deluxes got 3-4. And there was the GF, lonely with only 2 buses in 1 hour.

Just wondering why the bus service is the pits at a place where we pay $300-700/night for our room only!

Cheers!
Heather W

 

[Got Quattro?]

If I remember correctly, they had been camping at FW in the early to mid 70s and decided that it would be very cool to stay at WDW 12/31/99.

After spending the entire day at EPCOT 12-31-1999, I whish we hadn't been there for the millenium.

Shoulder to shoulder for 16 hours got old real quick. The only good thing that happened that day was we got into EPCOT free.

The boards for MK, EPCOT, and MGM all said full or at capacity as early as 7:00am. Traffic was bumper to bumper everywhere in WDW. We were staying at Old Key West.

So we got in the car and drove to the swan, that was back in the day before the swan and dolphin had parking gaurds.

The line for the world gateway entrance was wrapped around the lake to the bridge between the swan and dolphin. It took 1 hour to get up to the turnstyles.

At that time, a suit came by and had a CM open up the gate to the right of the turnstyles to clear the lines a l;ittle before the park was closed for being full.

We went to that line, and we were still using the old paper hoppers with your picture on it. The CM didn't have the correct tool to mark the ticket off. She looked to the suit, and he said let em in. We thanked him, and wallked or shuffled around aimlessly for 16 hours.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

i agree heather
i dont understand why I wait longer for a bus at a deluxe resort than at a value and
as for the club level cards ours was gold at the wl this august and people were always asking us what that meant
i never saw one other person with one our whole time there
eta i am not saying deluxes derserve more buses
we stayed at pop last xmas and there were always tons of pop buses we used our rent a car for most of the trip

 

[triplefigs]

Our SugarLoaf cards were gold in December, but our Atrium Club Concierge cards at the CR were blue in September.

 

[traci]

okay I feel better...I hated to admit that I hate waiting for that bus (or should I say two) at the GF! When we went to MGM last year, the bus was our one complaint.

 

[traci]

ohhhhh I just looked at my ticker and it says 4 DAYS

I can't believe it. I remember when it said something crazy like 7 months, 3 weeks and 5 days.....

 

[sharlon]

After years of waiting, we finally got to stay at the GF at the beginning of August. One of the things that DH mentioned before we left was that we would finally have the good bus stop, having remembered that in the past it was always one of the first ones. Well, not only has that changed, but as hmp2z mentioned, there were very few buses, and the ones there were shared with WL. Of course, they went to WL first. We got out to the bus stop one morning to go to EMH at Typhoon Lagoon. We wanted to get there right at 8:00, so we got to the stop at 7:20. There were other people already there who had been waiting for awhile. After asking 2 different drivers of other buses and guest services to check on it for us, a bus FINALLY showed up at 8:20. By the time we got to Typhoon Lagoon, EMH was almost over. This was indicative of bus service our entire trip. Like a previous poster mentioned, at those rates, we should at least get decent transportation.

 

[princessesrule4]

After years of waiting, we finally got to stay at the GF at the beginning of August. One of the things that DH mentioned before we left was that we would finally have the good bus stop, having remembered that in the past it was always one of the first ones. Well, not only has that changed, but as hmp2z mentioned, there were very few buses, and the ones there were shared with WL. Of course, they went to WL first. We got out to the bus stop one morning to go to EMH at Typhoon Lagoon. We wanted to get there right at 8:00, so we got to the stop at 7:20. There were other people already there who had been waiting for awhile. After asking 2 different drivers of other buses and guest services to check on it for us, a bus FINALLY showed up at 8:20. By the time we got to Typhoon Lagoon, EMH was almost over. This was indicative of bus service our entire trip. Like a previous poster mentioned, at those rates, we should at least get decent transportation.

This is our only complaint about GF! We drive down, so when we were there 2 weeks ago, we drove our car to AK, MGM and DTD and we will definitely do so again when we go in June! BTW, We stayed RPC and our room keys were gold!

 

[Lives4Disney]

I just got back from my DD's hip hop class where I sat and listened to 4 moms that I don't know very well talk on and on and on and on about WDW and the hotels, rides, food, etc. I am hipped to go!!! One even had her DVD player with the WDW planning DVD running! And to think I will be staying at the "Hotel del Coronado", lol in December. That's what they kept calling the GF. I heard so much misinfornation I had to keep biting my tongue not to correct them and show my true WDW nutty side. Apparently there is a "swim up bar" at the Poly, the Dr. Suess Cat in the Hat ride is in Toon Town, on Xmas bubbles are dropped over Main Street, the mini golf courses are FREE....OMG! I could go on and on.... I am sure more "facts" will hit me later. At least it got me totally excited (as if I weren't already ) because it's almost November and we all know that once it's November, Thanksgiving is around the corner and after Tgiving - IT'S CHRISTMAS!!!!

I am a true Disney fanatic. I could feel my heart beating faster like an addict while they talked about my addiction!

Another thing - boy are they going to be surprised when they find out about some of the menu changes re the kids choices. They were going on and on about how picky their kids are but how WDW caters to kids with the chicken nuggest, mac & cheese etc. From what I have read on the restaurant board, there are some big changes in that area. We shall see how that plays out. I am counting on chick nuggets and mac & cheese myself for DD6. She lives on it while we are there. VERY picky eater.

Traci - I am hanging in there with ya!!! Two or three more days - depending on how you count!! (til you'll be checking into the Hotel Del, lol)

Lives4Disney

 

[traci]

oh my gawd "Hotel del Coronado." I am cracking up at that!! Swim up bar at the Poly?? I thought that was at Pop (tee-hee!)

I am saying 2 days now...that sounds even better This time Saturday night I'll be in Disney baby at the Hotel del Coronado!!

 

[mlill]

That's too funny! I've learned over the years to just keep my mouth shut about Disney. I'm so glad we've got the DIS!

Well, we're off to WDW on Friday for our Halloween trip at the CR! When we get home, it'll be 6 weeks until our December stay at the GF! I made reservations at the Ivy Trellis salon for the girls to get their hair done before our Victoria & Albert's dinner. Thanks to everyone for all of the info!!!

-Michelle

 

[triplefigs]

FYI, Tikiman (steve) is planning a Tikifest for July 27 to Aug 6, 2007. He has group rates at the GF (GV and LV) that are great. I don't think I'm allowed to post any details, so PM Tikiman if interested.

 

[Lives4Disney]

Michelle - Have a great time!

Traci - Oh, yea....forgot about those "Life size chocolate horses"..... Man, I wish there was a swim up pool bar - I'd stay at Pop for that (hee hee)!!!

Lives4Disney

 

[Lives4Disney]

FYI, Tikiman (steve) is planning a Tikifest for July 27 to Aug 6, 2007. He has group rates at the GF (GV and LV) that are great. I don't think I'm allowed to post any details, so PM Tikiman if interested.

So, Triplefigs.....do you have another trip up your sleeve??

Lives4Disney

 

[Tinkaroo]

I just got back from my DD's hip hop class where I sat and listened to 4 moms that I don't know very well talk on and on and on and on about WDW and the hotels, rides, food, etc. I am hipped to go!!! One even had her DVD player with the WDW planning DVD running! And to think I will be staying at the "Hotel del Coronado", lol in December. That's what they kept calling the GF. I heard so much misinfornation I had to keep biting my tongue not to correct them and show my true WDW nutty side. Apparently there is a "swim up bar" at the Poly, the Dr. Suess Cat in the Hat ride is in Toon Town, on Xmas bubbles are dropped over Main Street, the mini golf courses are FREE....OMG! I could go on and on.... I am sure more "facts" will hit me later. At least it got me totally excited (as if I weren't already ) because it's almost November and we all know that once it's November, Thanksgiving is around the corner and after Tgiving - IT'S CHRISTMAS!!!!

I am a true Disney fanatic. I could feel my heart beating faster like an addict while they talked about my addiction!

Another thing - boy are they going to be surprised when they find out about some of the menu changes re the kids choices. They were going on and on about how picky their kids are but how WDW caters to kids with the chicken nuggest, mac & cheese etc. From what I have read on the restaurant board, there are some big changes in that area. We shall see how that plays out. I am counting on chick nuggets and mac & cheese myself for DD6. She lives on it while we are there. VERY picky eater.

Traci - I am hanging in there with ya!!! Two or three more days - depending on how you count!! (til you'll be checking into the Hotel Del, lol)

Lives4Disney

Isn't it funny when you overhear things like that?! I, too, usually bite my tongue - because to go into all the info. they have wrong would take hours - and people would probably look at me as if I've sprung 2 heads!

One of my coworkers was "consulting" with me re: taking his young family sometime soon - at one point, he was like "how in the world do you know all this stuff?" I almost hated to admit that I spend WAY more hours than I care to contemplate reading about Disney - and it's some of the only stuff that I have a photographic memory on!

 

[triplefigs]

So, Triplefigs.....do you have another trip up your sleeve??

Lives4Disney

Tenatively booked Aug 1- Aug 6 and then planning Jan 2-8, 2008.

 

[Lives4Disney]

Tenatively booked Aug 1- Aug 6 and then planning Jan 2-8, 2008.

You go, girl!!! I thought you were booking another Xmas trip!!! I think you got spoiled by that great low season, didn't you??!

I booked a beginning of July '07 trip with AAA rate, but forgot to follow thru with putting a deposit down... I never received any paperwork or emails, and totally forgot. Oh well. I still may go. I do miss those good ol' days where we could just pick up the phone two weeks out and book a whole vacation, ADRs and all. I kind of don't like this 180 day thing. Kills the spontanaety. JMO

Oh, did you know WL has just SO MANY hidden Mickey's they will take you on a private tour to find them?? (just another bit of useful info I picked up today) It may be true, but I thought it was just so "amazing". Who knew? Of course that's where the one mom will be staying over Xmas with her life size chocolate horses. I am so mean.

Lives4Disney