[RUMOR]: Grand Floridian Resort to Be Gutted to Become Modern Luxury Resort

[LAKid53]

O. M. G. WTH. (Insert several other acronyms here) Come on now Disney, that's crazy.

I completely disagree with this. I think Poly vs GF is probably the biggest competition. The Four Seasons is for people who want to be away from the madness. Poly & GF resorts are for people who want to be up close to the madness.lol
If I'm at Disney World with my family, I want to be at a hotel where I can have breakfast in my room while looking at the Castle and hearing the sounds of the park...and then hop on a monorail or walk to the boat launch to take me to those sounds.

I always have breakfast in my room...I stay in a 1 bedroom villa.

I've thought about staying at the 4 Seasons...but then transportation concerns stop me. I'm like you - when I want to get back to my hotel room, I don't want to have to take a ferry/monorail to a tram to get to my car and then drive to my hotel.

 

[JoeCamel]

I always have breakfast in my room...I stay in a 1 bedroom villa.

I've thought about staying at the 4 Seasons...but then transportation concerns stop me. I'm like you - when I want to get back to my hotel room, I don't want to have to take a ferry/monorail to a tram to get to my car and then drive to my hotel.

Maybe this will change you mind

TRANSPORTATION TO DISNEY PARKS
Four Seasons provides complimentary transportation to Magic Kingdom® Park, Epcot®, Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios®. Luxury motor coaches will transport guests every 30 minutes to the Magic Kingdom® Park and every hour to the additional parks. Please note, for transportation to Magic Kingdom® Park, guests arrive to the Ticket & Transportation Center and must take a short monorail ride into the park.

 

[JoeCamel]

I believe this is what is being referenced. Still I don't believe this would ever happen.

View attachment 187201

Last I heard that land was not buildable but maybe it has settled enough by now. They would have to take core samples to know

 

[Bocabear]

Last I heard that land was not buildable but maybe it has settled enough by now. They would have to take core samples to know

That is always the argument that comes up...but you know, anything is buildable if they want it to be...
It is just about wanting to invest in the site...

 

[LAKid53]

I believe this is what is being referenced. Still I don't believe this would ever happen.

View attachment 187201

Is there really enough room to build a resort and sufficient parking for guests?

Most guests would want/demand a theme park view, which will limit the number of rooms that can be built, since rooms will have to be oriented away from a view of the canal for the water parade floats to the MK. Guests would also get noise from the TTC, ferrys, bus depot, boats from WL and what noise the monorail makes. But like Poly, you could walk over to the TTC.

 

[LAKid53]

Maybe this will change you mind

TRANSPORTATION TO DISNEY PARKS
Four Seasons provides complimentary transportation to Magic Kingdom® Park, Epcot®, Disney’s Animal Kingdom® Theme Park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios®. Luxury motor coaches will transport guests every 30 minutes to the Magic Kingdom® Park and every hour to the additional parks. Please note, for transportation to Magic Kingdom® Park, guests arrive to the Ticket & Transportation Center and must take a short monorail ride into the park.

But if I stay at GF, Poly, or WL, it's just a monorail or boat to the MK and then bus or monorail to other parks....

 

[LAKid53]

That is always the argument that comes up...but you know, anything is buildable if they want it to be...
It is just about wanting to invest in the site...

Well, they can always dredge another lake and use that soil.....

I would then envision a 100 page thread on this forum debating the destruction of vegetation in site preparation...

 

[Redsoxfn79]

Better off building a new resort along the monorail Fill that wasted space. Would create huge buzz and keep the Floridian as it is.

 

[LAKid53]

If, and that's a big IF, Chapek is considering building a new resort, would it be DVC, since that appears to be their model right now? Wasn't the last cash room resort AoA and everything since then DVC?

 

[HauntedPirate]

I thought that land north of the TTC was long ago flagged for a high-end resort but the site was deemed unsuitable. Help us, Obi-Wan @marni1971 !!

 

[Haymarket2008]

Or just put that money into fixing its' theme parks?

 

[LAKid53]

I'm going to throw out a hypothetical...

Say Chapek is strongly considering building a new resort. So,

(1) Does Disney really need more rooms? I thought one of the reasons the entire South wing at WL was converted to DVC is because (a) room occupancy at WL was below what norms are and (b) the demand for DVC is growing [according to Disney].

(2) If a new resort - not a conversion of existing cash rooms to DVC (is that still under consideration for CBR?) is planned, what should it be? I look to the two resorts Uni has built in the last 2-3 years - Cabana Bay, comparable to a Disney Value and Sapphire Falls, a high end Moderate/low end Deluxe.

I'd suggest a higher end Moderate with some suite type rooms (like the family room in WL). If it's true that a building(s) at CBR will convert to DVC, that removes more cash rooms from the inventory. But I doubt that type of resort would be built on the land we are discussing. Disney only has 4 Moderate resorts and 8 Deluxe ones. Do they really need another Deluxe? Especially considering how popular and in demand POR and POFQ are.

 

[LAKid53]

Or just put that money into fixing its' theme parks?

What, a billion plus budget wasn't enough?

 

[jaxonp]

The Villias are nicer than the current rooms at GF. The rooms need updates to everything. The bathrooms need to be a more sophistcated modern with current offerings and the hotel itself could use some updates. The grounds are the best thing about the resort! The hotel can maintain its theme but have the most modern amenities. Everything should be top notch. Power blinds in all rooms, incredible showers and amazing beds/linens/towels and robes. The latest in technology. Everything should always be evolving and updating at Disney's best!

 

[jaxonp]

I love how people complain when Disney wants to make changes. I love the GF but I also see that it should be better for what they market it to be as well as the rates they charge. Disney wants to put money into this resort and feels it isn't good enough. Why do people resist that notion? Of course... if this rumor is true. I kind of hope it is!

 

[LAKid53]

The Villias are nicer than the current rooms at GF. The rooms need updates to everything. The bathrooms need to be a more sophistcated modern with current offerings and the hotel itself could use some updates. The grounds are the best thing about the resort! The hotel can maintain its theme but have the most modern amenities. Everything should be top notch. Power blinds in all rooms, incredible showers and amazing beds/linens/towels and robes. The latest in technology. Everything should always be evolving and updating at Disney's best!

In agreement. Rooms at Uni's Royal Pacific now have two bathroom options since the refurbishment - the standard shower/tub combo and just a nice glass walled shower, like the ones in the Poly studios and GF Villas, but without the pebble floor of Poly or 10 person shower in the 1 bedroom GF villas.

For its flagship hotel, Disney can and needs to do better...

 

[DougK]

The Grand Floridian is not even a four star hotel. The service is no better than in any other Disney hotel. It's not cleaner than the other hotels. The rooms are not bigger than some other Disney hotels.

It is four star in price only (OK more like 5 star in that category). It does have a great location, it's pretty to look at (except at night when all the burned out lights tend to ruin the look) and it has a fantastic restaurant called Victoria and Albert's. But that fantastic restaurant is priced higher than the average family or couple can afford so most guests never eat there anyway. V&A is priced even higher than the amazing restaurants at the Four Seasons in Orlando. The other two sit down restaurants are very expensive also and again no better than the dining options at many other Disney hotels. The quick serve has no better food than any of the other quick serve areas in Walt Disney World.

When they remodeled the Polynesian and added DVC they could have just closed it for a year or so and gotten everything done much quicker, but they did not want to lose the revenue. I cannot fathom that they will tear the GF down to replace it when I am sure it is generating much revenue for the company.

Walt Disney World still has much space to build on, even prime space near the Magic Kingdom. If they want to build a luxury hotel on the level of the Four Seasons they can do so without replacing the GF.

 

[Figments Friend]

It's not the 15 story pagoda they promised me, but GF has been meh since the start. Burn it to the ground and redevelop the site

I like your thinking!
Bring it on!


-

 

[LAKid53]

The Grand Floridian is not even a four star hotel. The service is no better than in any other Disney hotel. It's not cleaner than the other hotels. The rooms are not bigger than some other Disney hotels.

It is four star in price only (OK more like 5 star in that category). It does have a great location, it's pretty to look at and it has a fantastic restaurant called Victoria and Albert's. But that fantastic restaurant is priced higher than the average family or couple can afford, higher even than the amazing restaurants at the Four Seasons in Orlando. The other two sit down restaurants are very expensive also and again no better than the dining options at many other Disney hotels. The quick serve has no better food than any of the other quick serve areas in Walt Disney World.

When they remodeled the Polynesian and added DVC they could have just closed it for a year or so and gotten everything done much quicker, but they did not want to lose the revenue. I cannot fathom that they will tear the GF down to replace it when I am sure it is generating much revenue for the company.

Walt Disney World still has much space to build on, even prime space near the Magic Kingdom. If they want to build a luxury hotel on the level of the Four Seasons they can do so without replacing the GF.

But I ask again, does Disney really need more rooms? I'd rather the money go to updating/upgrading all rooms - Value, Moderate and Deluxe. Real upgrades, not a "refreshing". Novel idea - ask the resort guests what they'd like to see in their hotel room. But do it in some manner other than the standard online resort survey.

If I'd been asked, "will the lack of a dresser in our new studios at Poly be a concern for you?", my answer would have been a resounding YES!

Edit: forgot this comment.

If Disney is going to use empty land around the MK, they need to use it to expand the acreage of the park, rather than just reconfigure what's there. An add-on renovation....

 

[MerlinTheGoat]

I love how people complain when Disney wants to make changes. I love the GF but I also see that it should be better for what they market it to be as well as the rates they charge. Disney wants to put money into this resort and feels it isn't good enough. Why do people resist that notion? Of course... if this rumor is true. I kind of hope it is!

The rumored changes would in no way "improve" the resort, just remove any of the unique theming that makes the resort so special in favor of something inappropriately modern and bland. Which isn't far off from what they have already done to the rooms (with the Villas also clashing with the original hotel somewhat due to a lack of proper theming in key areas), but there is still much more damage to do to the rest (such as the lobby, restaurants and surrounding areas).

What is wrong with this resort is the management, the way it is run, not the absence of a modern theme. And THAT is the primary reason why it falls short of Four Seasons. Converting the appearance into a modern theme would absolutely ruin the hotel. It's supposed to look old. What a farce if they actually want to do this, but I assume this is nonsense until someone respected says otherwise. Better housekeeping, amenities and all the perks that make a deluxe resort are all welcome changes. Removal of Disney details and appropriate theme is not.