Grand Floridian First Timer

[Melissa Fitzsimmons]

LONG time podcast listener, first time poster after LOTS of lurking (not creepy), haha! My husband and I are staying at the GRAND for the first time ever for my birthday this weekend and I am just so excited.

Any GF tips you can recommend? Best little things about the Grand that you think are a must do or are a magical moment? Pretty familiar with the restaurants, but would love ANY hidden gem advice that anyone has to offer to help make the weekend special!

 

[yaya74]

Enjoy your stay at the Grand and happy birthday wishes to you!
My family and I just stayed at the GF for the first time ever during the past week.
Our room was in the Main building.
I personally enjoyed sitting in the lobby listening to the music.
Everyday, except on Tuesday, around 3:30pm, Cinderella and her Prince will visit the GF and dance in the lobby.
You and your husband can join the couple and waltz around in the GF.

Have a wonderful time!!

 

[Nancyg56]

Oh my! I love the Grand. I also like the lobby. I enjoy sitting there in the afternoon as well. The grounds are pretty too, so I like to just walk all around.

Honestly, my favorites time of day when I vacation is early mornign. I tend to be up first, so I leave and look for coffee, and the mornign walk at the Grand is one of the lovliest. The view over the lake as the sun comes up is stunning.

 

[Dumbo7]

We love Mizners for a drink and if the band is playing it takes you to a different time.

 

[Ladyandthepuppies]

I love to buy the cut bars of soap from Basin White as souvenirs for my friends & family. They smell so nice and some have little Mickey beads, it's a more practical gift than a plush or something. At the very least you should get yourself a bar to commemorate your first GF trip I hope you have an amazing time!

 

[Timothy02359]

We enjoy grabbing a sandwich or burger and sitting outside at Gasparilla Island Grill by the docks.

 

[mickeynut1]

LONG time podcast listener, first time poster after LOTS of lurking (not creepy), haha! My husband and I are staying at the GRAND for the first time ever for my birthday this weekend and I am just so excited.

Any GF tips you can recommend? Best little things about the Grand that you think are a must do or are a magical moment? Pretty familiar with the restaurants, but would love ANY hidden gem advice that anyone has to offer to help make the weekend special!

The GF is amazing, you will love it! My thoughts are the same as Nancyg56. The GF grounds are beautiful and relaxing that it's so nice to just stroll around taking in the surroundings. Like the pp, I also love getting out in the early morning as it's so calm and peaceful watching the resort "wake up". The courtyard pool is also a great place to relax (nothing wrong with the beach pool, we just prefer the courtyard pool). Everything about the resort is great, IMO. Hope you have a great time and enjoy the GF .

 

[Babsy]

3 things we like:
*Watching the MK fireworks from in front of Gasparilla's at a table and chairs while indulging in a snack or beverage. Not crowded and magical!
*Taking the monorail to the MK, then returning on the little boat. Very pleasant and quick, first stop both ways.
*Walking along the path to the Poly for a visit.

You will love the GF!

 

[Sue M]

As everyone says, the grounds are beautiful to walk around. Love both the courtyard pool and beach pool. The Grill at the Beach Pool has some great lunch options and is cooked there, my fav is the crab cakes! Watching the MK fireworks and Electric Water Parade from Gaspys is a must. And sitting in the lobby listening to the orchestra or piano player. Looking at all the shops in the lobby, 2 floors of them! Early mornings they have the parasol parade on the grounds, I forget which days though.

 

[Princess Madeleine]

I don't stay at the Grand, but it's tradition to do tea at the Grand with all the females on our trip one afternoon (usually on an Epcot day, it seems to fit the mood ). It's so relaxing and a great way to get out of the heat, if that's the kind of thing you enjoy.

 

[rosiebean]

We stayed at the GF for the first time last August, and I LOVED it. One special memory is watching the Electric Water Pageant from the Beach Pool a few nights while my kids swam. The pool wasn't crowded at all...just a handful of kids and their parents. When the pageant started, several of us wandered over to benches closer to the lagoon to sit. I had a glass of wine from the room, and had soda for my kids, so we all sat down with our 'nightcap' and watched. It was really lovely, especially listening to the music over the water.

My parents were with us, and as my dad has mobility issues, didn't spend much time in the parks. They loved sitting in the lobby in the afternoon listening to the live piano music, and at night enjoyed the band.

I always thought GF was stuffy and that Poly was my true love, but that changed after last trip, lol. I hope you have a great time!

 

[bluejasmine]

Happy Birthday! Youll never want to stay anywhere else now!

 

[Disneyhenry]

Check out the soap shop, fun, cute and love their soaps - have fun

 

[marielynn724]

My stay at the GF was a completely wonderful experience - enjoy your birthday festivities there! Don't miss the music in the lobby - not only is there a pianist, but an orchestra plays in the evening too. Take some time to stroll, especially in the early morning. The mousekeeping used to do a cute little parade through the resort grounds every morning when they started their day - check for that info if you enjoy being up and about early. I don't know if they still do that. Also, take advantage of not just the monorail but the ferry. The ferry ride to and from the Magic Kingdom is so relaxing and scenic!

 

[kiford]

Take the boat to and from MK instead of monorail. It can be a lot faster and less crowded (although watch out at MK closing time as the lines can get long and they don't hold many people). If you're staying in an outer building, it's generally faster to get to your room from the pier than from the monorail.

 

[DisneyTravelers2008]

3 things we like:

*Taking the monorail to the MK, then returning on the little boat. Very pleasant and quick, first stop both ways.


You will love the GF!

I had no idea you could take a boat.....where does is launch?

 

[rosiebean]

I had no idea you could take a boat.....where does is launch?

By Narcoosee’s, between Conch Key and Boca Chita.

 

[kiford]

I had no idea you could take a boat.....where does is launch?

Just past Narcoosees near Conch Key. That's why we like to stay in Conch Key. When returning from MK, it's a quick duck into our building. No walking when exhausted. Sometimes they don't run until a little later in the morning, but during the day and early evening (before MK closes and they get full), they are much more convenient and fun.

 

[Puffy2]

What room do you most like to book when you stay at the GF? Does it matter to you if it is main building or others? Concierge or not?

 

[NJ Goofy]

Happy Birthday !

After a long day at the parks my DW and I would get an adult beverage (I think there was a CM to get one for you) and sit on one of the sofas in the main lobby and listen to the piano player. It was very relaxing and just what we needed after going crazy in the parks.