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

[grannyminnie]

Thanks so much!! Have a great time, can't wait to hear all about it!

Wishes, now that I'm back from the Grand, I wanted to add my two cents re: your question about Mizner's. The tea room as a replacement seemed pretty empty most nights, as far as I could tell. People were sitting in the lobby in front of the orchestra and enjoying their drinks. I personally loved the new location and seems alot of others did too.

 

[WishesQueen]

Wishes, now that I'm back from the Grand, I wanted to add my two cents re: your question about Mizner's. The tea room as a replacement seemed pretty empty most nights, as far as I could tell. People were sitting in the lobby in front of the orchestra and enjoying their drinks. I personally loved the new location and seems alot of others did too.

How was your trip? I hope you had an amazing time!

Thank you so much. I just loved sitting in Mizner's and looking out onto the property, so I hoping the tea room was an option.

 

[grannyminnie]

It is still an option, but seems like people are more likely to be sitting in the lobby.
I did enjoy my stay, but would have preferred to have my sister with me. It was a solo trip so I was free to come and go as I pleased. That meant a lot of lobby time for me. The heat was excessive but as I'm used to it, being north of Atlanta, it was not unexpected. The crowds were no worse than I figured. Matter of fact, I was surprised to be able to refresh and get fastpasses while in the parks.
I was in Big Pine Key, with a lagoon view (if you can call it that when you have to look between two big trees blocking the view!). There was a new pianist in the lobby, Jaime, who I really enjoyed. He was filling in for Wes. Only heard him once but sure would like him to be on the regular schedule. It was he who was at the piano in the current commercial featuring the GF lobby.

 

[trishadono]

You just about summed up most every review I've seen from Pete. Lots of whining and never happy. You are right some people just never can be. I'm of the opinion some bring it on just by the air they carry around with them, like walking around with a dark cloud. It is always interesting to see how some view things though. Even when they rarely like things


I may be wrong but I thought he is an AP holder. If so, he didn't pay $700. They are 40% rooms there right now. GF is one of the cheapest deluxe for the spring rates. That's why I gave in to DGD and stayed there last week. It is my least favorite deluxe resort and the second stay didn't change my opinion but had fine service. Especially the pool staff

Thanks for responding .

I was afraid I was too harsh.

 

[Pooh2]

We have a once-in-a-lifetime long weekend booked at the Grand to celebrate our 35th anniversary.
The review got me a bit anxious and rethinking our reservation but in the end, we are going to experience for ourselves and hope it is wonderful!
Kind of hoping Pete's review got the attention of management and the staff will be retrained very soon!

 

[jlee003]

I am very sorry if this is a repetitive question, but I was struggling to find a good answer to my question through 30 or so pages I read of this thread. I am sure it is somewhere in the 630+.

So I am booking as soon as packages open next Tuesday. Planning on a stay from June 9-23 of 2020. I was curious about a room request/ building preference to ask for. We are a family of four who love the pool, lagoon views, and refilling our our mugs often. I am also a fan of a late night cigar after the wife and kids go to bed, so proximity to one of the smoking benches would be nice (although not mandatory). We will be doing parks every day, but not rope to fireworks at all. We are more of a "get a late start" kind go group. Club level is not on my agenda seeing as we also do the DDDP.

We have stayed at AKL and POLY before. Last year at Poly, we had a 1st floor room in Samoa on the end directly across from the volcano pool gate. That was awesome.

Any way, any pointers would be awesome.

 

[theostwalts]

We have a once-in-a-lifetime long weekend booked at the Grand to celebrate our 35th anniversary.
The review got me a bit anxious and rethinking our reservation but in the end, we are going to experience for ourselves and hope it is wonderful!
Kind of hoping Pete's review got the attention of management and the staff will be retrained very soon!

I still have to go back and watch the review so I can see what the negatives were. It came out while we were at the GF. I was hoping it would come out before we left. We just got back last night from a 4 night stay (arrived on a Wed and checked out on Sun). Let me say that the staff was wonderful. From the security guard at the stop pulling in when we arrived, to the bell hop when we left, everyone was great. I don't remember passing one cast member who didn't smile and speak. I don't have one complaint about the staff at all. In fact, when I called down to have someone come get our bags when we were going to check out, the bellman asked if there was anything he could do to make sure our stay had been wonderful. I will try to post a little more once I watch the review, but as for staff, they were all great while we were there last week.

 

[Tessaf]

While I sit here and impatiently wait for June 18th to arrive so I can book for 2020, I have a quick question...
We've stayed at GF before and have done lagoon view, outdoor TPV and sugar loaf CL and on our last trip our girls mentioned how they'd love to try the main building. Just looking to see what people thought of the RPC, we'd be looking at TPV rooms.

 

[WDW1970]

We have a once-in-a-lifetime long weekend booked at the Grand to celebrate our 35th anniversary.
The review got me a bit anxious and rethinking our reservation but in the end, we are going to experience for ourselves and hope it is wonderful!
Kind of hoping Pete's review got the attention of management and the staff will be retrained very soon!

I would not worry about “Pete’s Review”. You will have a great time. We have stayed at the GF several times and each one has been magical. Never an issue with the staff - the exact opposite in fact.

 

[baler31]

While I sit here and impatiently wait for June 18th to arrive so I can book for 2020, I have a quick question...
We've stayed at GF before and have done lagoon view, outdoor TPV and sugar loaf CL and on our last trip our girls mentioned how they'd love to try the main building. Just looking to see what people thought of the RPC, we'd be looking at TPV rooms.

We enjoy RPC, especially over SL. It is more of a calm oasis with more private and expansive lounge and seating areas. Personally, I don’t care for the location of the TPV rooms. They are a distance from the lounge and I prefer the views from the Contemporary for TPV. We typically book the larger deluxe main building rooms or a standard and request rooms facing the Poly.

 

[trishadono]

I am very sorry if this is a repetitive question, but I was struggling to find a good answer to my question through 30 or so pages I read of this thread. I am sure it is somewhere in the 630+.

So I am booking as soon as packages open next Tuesday. Planning on a stay from June 9-23 of 2020. I was curious about a room request/ building preference to ask for. We are a family of four who love the pool, lagoon views, and refilling our our mugs often. I am also a fan of a late night cigar after the wife and kids go to bed, so proximity to one of the smoking benches would be nice (although not mandatory). We will be doing parks every day, but not rope to fireworks at all. We are more of a "get a late start" kind go group. Club level is not on my agenda seeing as we also do the DDDP.

We have stayed at AKL and POLY before. Last year at Poly, we had a 1st floor room in Samoa on the end directly across from the volcano pool gate. That was awesome.

Any way, any pointers would be awesome.

I have stayed at gf several times but only once with a smoker/mom.

Conch has a smoking section nearby. That building is near courtyard pool, boat and marina with great fireworks views with sound piped in at GGG.

I would get off boat, cut through the Conch lobby and out the door on other side of the lobby facing the marina. The smoking area/bench is to the right of those doors. Made it easy for MOM.

We were in rpc which is great for smokers with 2 huge balconies on the 3rd floor.

 

[jlee003]

We were in rpc which is great for smokers with 2 huge balconies on the 3rd floor.

thank you so much for the info, and sorry to ask a newb question, but what is "rpc"?

 

[sndral]

We have a once-in-a-lifetime long weekend booked at the Grand to celebrate our 35th anniversary.
The review got me a bit anxious and rethinking our reservation but in the end, we are going to experience for ourselves and hope it is wonderful!
Kind of hoping Pete's review got the attention of management and the staff will be retrained very soon!

I watched his review. There’s actually very little he says about the GF itself. He called the front desk CM he dealt with a ‘witch’ which tells me more about the reviewer than it does about the CM, so, since he didn’t show the interactions with the front desk I’ll reserve judgement on whether the CM needs to be retrained or as he suggested - kept in the back.
I’ve always had positive experiences with the CMs at the GF, including the front desk CMs, and yes I’ve dealt with issues there (lost luggage & a room maintenance issue.) I’ve also dealt with issues at AKL & YC. Of course I dealt with those issues and the CMs who helped me resolve them as an adult and as an experienced traveler who knows glitches happen and whether I laugh about them or dwell on the negative is entirely up to me, therein lies the difference, I expect.

 

[CogsworthTN]

thank you so much for the info, and sorry to ask a newb question, but what is "rpc"?

It’s the Royal Palm Club. The main building club level.

 

[AngiTN]

thank you so much for the info, and sorry to ask a newb question, but what is "rpc"?

The name of the CL that is inside the main building at GF (GF has 2)

 

[jlee003]

gotcha, thanks again. From the Map I was also looking at Boca Chica. It seems to be located for good views of the Poly and Lagoon. Anyway. Appreciate the feedback.

 

[trishadono]

thank you so much for the info, and sorry to ask a newb question, but what is "rpc"?

Royal Palm Club aka main building club level.

 

[PolyTigger]

I watched his review. There’s actually very little he says about the GF itself. He called the front desk CM he dealt with a ‘witch’ which tells me more about the reviewer than it does about the CM, so, since he didn’t show the interactions with the front desk I’ll reserve judgement on whether the CM needs to be retrained or as he suggested - kept in the back.
I’ve always had positive experiences with the CMs at the GF, including the front desk CMs, and yes I’ve dealt with issues there (lost luggage & a room maintenance issue.) I’ve also dealt with issues at AKL & YC. Of course I dealt with those issues and the CMs who helped me resolve them as an adult and as an experienced traveler who knows glitches happen and whether I laugh about them or dwell on the negative is entirely up to me, therein lies the difference, I expect.

I agree it does reveal a lot about the reviewer. I always had excellent CM going beyond their requirments. I do now question Pete's integerity.

 

[theostwalts]

So we just arrived home from a 4 night stay at GF. I posted earlier about our interactions with cast members. It was extraordinary. Every cast member we had contact with was great. Security, valets, bell services, check in....all were a pleasure to deal with. Even in the mornings when we were walking down to hall to go out for the day, any housekeeping staff that happened to be walking out of another room would greet us. I really can't think of one bad thing to say about the staff. We did a pool day on our arrival day and got a cabana. The staff was great there as well.

Our overall stay was outstanding and we had a great time. The only complaint I could even have, and it is really not a complaint, would be about breakfast at 1900 Park Fare. The food was good, but as far as breakfast buffets go, I think Boma and The Wave both have much better food. But our server was fantastic and the character interaction was good as well. Dinner at the Grand Floridian Cafe was very good. The shrimp and grits are delicious!

We stayed in a 4th floor room in Conch Key, which is basically the same room as in the review, only in a different building. Our room was clean and we had an excellent view of the castle, lake and monorail. As far as the complaints about the couch, I don't remember seeing any stains on ours and it was comfortable to sit on. However, I guess it is just kind of a plain red couch, so maybe a litter fancier couch would fit the GF better. Although I probably wouldn't have even thought about that without seeing the review. The room was in good shape, well cleaned each day and there were no issues with housekeeping at all.

We never had any issues with our magic bands while there, but we only had one room. I do know that when we went in November we booked 2 rooms at All-Star Movies because we needed at least 2 rooms for the number of people going. I booked both rooms, but they did put the second room lead name under my adult daughter. So the explanation about the same name on 2 rooms does kind of make sense.

Now I will say that we did not pay the price quoted in the review. There was a good AP rate available when we booked and, at the time the GF had better rates under the AP special than any other of the monorail resorts.

I wouldn't hesitate to stay again.

 

[Minnie1222]

While I sit here and impatiently wait for June 18th to arrive so I can book for 2020, I have a quick question...
We've stayed at GF before and have done lagoon view, outdoor TPV and sugar loaf CL and on our last trip our girls mentioned how they'd love to try the main building. Just looking to see what people thought of the RPC, we'd be looking at TPV rooms.

The TPV rooms have a slightly constricted view, in my opinion, due to having buildings on both sides. The TPV rooms at Conch Key have a better panoramic view.