Refurbishment coming to Disney's Grand Floridian Resort lobby

[Disstevefan1]

Disney has announced the new lobby bar, The Perch, is set to open November 10.

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Nov. 10th 2025?..

 

[DCBaker]

Where was this announced?

Disney Eats socials - it appears to have been pulled though.

 

[JohnD]

This may make me sound like a lush but before I went to MNSSHP last week, I wanted to stop at resort bar first. I settled on Tambu Lounge in Poly as it is on the same floor as the monorail and I head in, get the beverage and head out. I decided against GF because the effort to get into the BATB lounge. Mizner's used to be the type of place I could "head in and head out" for an adult beverage. Hopefully, The Perch solves that problem also.

 

[James Alucobond]

The more I think about it, the more I feel they should open the former tea room to extra lobby seating and then just make the Enchanted Rose into a dual-purpose area that turns over from tea room (Mrs. Potts-themed?) earlier in the day to the existing lounge in the later evening. It would probably mean a light refresh for the Rose, but it could use some lightening anyway.

 

[DrStarlander]

Any woodworkers/furniture-makers out there? Curious if when you look at this birdcage, does it look like the direction of the wood grain is arbitrary -- including veneers going the wrong direction -- for how something like this would actually be built?

Some specific examples:

 

[James Alucobond]

Any woodworkers/furniture-makers out there? Curious if when you look at this birdcage, does it look like the direction of the wood grain is arbitrary -- including veneers going the wrong direction -- for how something like this would actually be built?

Some specific examples:
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I think the second and third images would be atypical, but not exactly "wrong". The first looks weird to me both because of the direction and the lack of a faked mitre joint, though.

 

[lentesta]

"The Gilded Cage" was right there.

 

[lentesta]

Any woodworkers/furniture-makers out there? Curious if when you look at this birdcage, does it look like the direction of the wood grain is arbitrary -- including veneers going the wrong direction -- for how something like this would actually be built?

Some specific examples:
View attachment 891562

The grain here doesn't make a lot of sense.

The grain is running side to side, but if that was real wood it'd be running lengthwise for strength. And you can see at the bottom corner (below the arrow) where it's joined to another piece and the grains don't match.

Also, you wouldn't join two pieces of real wood like that. As @James Alucobond says, you'd want a mitred angle at the very least to make it look like you put some effort into it.

For reference, I worked in a woodworking shop during high school and college.

Okay, so fun story: Back in 2019 I was looking for a hobby that didn't involve sitting in front of a computer. So I went to one of those "maker spaces" with woodworking equipment. I've made windsor chairs by hand before and thought that was a decent thing to pick up again.

You have to go through a safety class before they let you play with the big power tools. So the staff person comes over and we start at the table saw. A nice table saw - one of the big Delta Unisaw 220 volt/3-phase things with the Biesemeyer fence. My shop had one. This place even got the expensive "finger saver" safety thing that stops the blade instantly if it hits flesh.

The staff person says "Have you ever used a table saw before?" and I explain that I worked in a woodshop for a decade and have experience with this model of saw. That made her feel better.

For some god-only-knows-reason I added "But we used to remove the safety equiment to work faster." And that's how I got a personal escort for my entire time at the maker space.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Oh great. Now we’ve entered the Disney fan -> Wood Grain Experts era, one we could never think would exist

 

[DrStarlander]

The grain here doesn't make a lot of sense.

The grain is running side to side, but if that was real wood it'd be running lengthwise for strength. And you can see at the bottom corner (below the arrow) where it's joined to another piece and the grains don't match.

Also, you wouldn't join two pieces of real wood like that. As @James Alucobond says, you'd want a mitred angle at the very least to make it look like you put some effort into it.

For reference, I worked in a woodworking shop during high school and college.

Okay, so fun story: Back in 2019 I was looking for a hobby that didn't involve sitting in front of a computer. So I went to one of those "maker spaces" with woodworking equipment. I've made windsor chairs by hand before and thought that was a decent thing to pick up again.

You have to go through a safety class before they let you play with the big power tools. So the staff person comes over and we start at the table saw. A nice table saw - one of the big Delta Unisaw 220 volt/3-phase things with the Biesemeyer fence. My shop had one. This place even got the expensive "finger saver" safety thing that stops the blade instantly if it hits flesh.

The staff person says "Have you ever used a table saw before?" and I explain that I worked in a woodshop for a decade and have experience with this model of saw. That made her feel better.

For some god-only-knows-reason I added "But we used to remove the safety equiment to work faster." And that's how I got a personal escort for my entire time at the maker space.

Yeah, I was looking at the photos and it just doesn't look right to me. Seems like the grain should be parallel with the direction of the stiles and rails, and generally (though I realize not always), with the long dimension of the boards, particularly when it's a span. And that butt joint doesn't seem very refined, for the theme/Grand Floridian.

I wonder whether the Imagineers nowadays study historic architecture, woodworking, and old trades. Do they know how the historic things they're replicating would have been built? The original Imagineers that came from Hollywood set design did. Sam McKim, Dorothea Redmond, Herb Ryman, John Hench...these Imagineers knew this stuff, and I'd love to see a return to that.

Oh great. Now we’ve entered the Disney fan -> Wood Grain Experts era, one we could never think would exist

Meanwhile, I don't care about popcorn buckets, parades, meet and greets, and dozens of other aspects of theme parks. But I don't chime in to announce how uninterested in those things I am when others are talking about them. I just ignore it. I figure, whatever, people are interested in theme parks in different ways. You could consider that approach.

But keep in mind...places like Main Street and New Orleans Square and Frontierland wouldn't exist, essentially, without Imagineers understanding the history of building with wood.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Yeah, I was looking at the photos and it just doesn't look right to me. Seems like the grain should be parallel with the direction of the stiles and rails, and generally (though I realize not always), with the long dimension of the boards, particularly when it's a span. And that butt joint doesn't seem very refined, for the theme/Grand Floridian.

I wonder whether the Imagineers nowadays study historic architecture, woodworking, and old trades. Do they know how the historic things they're replicating would have been built? The original Imagineers that came from Hollywood set design did. Sam McKim, Dorothea Redmond, Herb Ryman, John Hench...these Imagineers knew this stuff, and I'd love to see a return to that.


Meanwhile, I don't care about popcorn buckets, parades, meet and greets, and dozens of other aspects of theme parks. But I don't chime in to announce how uninterested in those things I am when others are talking about them. I just ignore it. I figure, whatever, people are interested in theme parks in different ways. You could consider that approach.

But keep in mind...places like Main Street and New Orleans Square and Frontierland wouldn't exist, essentially, without Imagineers understanding the history of building with wood.

It was just a silly joke my friend

This is what I get for going against the grain.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Yeah, I was looking at the photos and it just doesn't look right to me. Seems like the grain should be parallel with the direction of the stiles and rails, and generally (though I realize not always), with the long dimension of the boards, particularly when it's a span. And that butt joint doesn't seem very refined, for the theme/Grand Floridian.

I wonder whether the Imagineers nowadays study historic architecture, woodworking, and old trades. Do they know how the historic things they're replicating would have been built? The original Imagineers that came from Hollywood set design did. Sam McKim, Dorothea Redmond, Herb Ryman, John Hench...these Imagineers knew this stuff, and I'd love to see a return to that.


Meanwhile, I don't care about popcorn buckets, parades, meet and greets, and dozens of other aspects of theme parks. But I don't chime in to announce how uninterested in those things I am when others are talking about them. I just ignore it. I figure, whatever, people are interested in theme parks in different ways. You could consider that approach.

But keep in mind...places like Main Street and New Orleans Square and Frontierland wouldn't exist, essentially, without Imagineers understanding the history of building with wood.

Not to mention you don’t need to be an expert in woodgrain to recognize quality, if something is done poorly it stands out to everyone.

You don’t need to be a tiler to notice uneven grout lines on a bathroom floor. Disney has always been known for their attention to detail, they’ve slipped on that, I still like this refurb more than all the other recent ones but it’s these little details that will age horribly.

Edited to add the 2nd and 3rd photo probably go unnoticed to 99.9%, it’s only the first I think will be obvious to everyone.

 

[lentesta]

Oh great. Now we’ve entered the Disney fan -> Wood Grain Experts era, one we could never think would exist

I'll add that in the third image, it may not be period- or style-correct simply to place moulding over a continuous panel of wood, as is done here.

An upscale piece of furniture, such as in a fancy hotel, would've used an actual panel insert, either painted or of a different wood or grain, for visual interest:

The Met Museum's collection of American furniture is filled with good examples:

For reference, during my woodworking days I studied American furniture from pre-colonial to ~1900. Here's a reproduction 1761 Nathaniel Mulliken tall case clock, and a Michael Dunbar sack-back windsor. I made them both by hand from plans:

 

[Disney Analyst]

Photo update. The metal posts on the bar are finally covered. The elevators look cute

 

[DrStarlander]

For me, this issue is not just about modern Disney. Or even theme parks. I see this stuff all over. Look at this talk show set for example...

Look at those arched windows...they're missing the true arch (of bricks) along the top. Instead, it's a giant sheet of fake brick panel they just cut a hole out of.

There's quite a bit of scenic design, set construction, theme park fabrication where people don't know about the actual thing they're simulating, or they don't care. Do most people notice? No. Or at least they don't think they do. I took a fantastic "Psychology of Design" class and it was all about how even if people don't realize how they're affected by the design around them, they are. People are familiar with the idea that the color of paint in a room affects mood. But we sense when all sorts of things are inauthentic or don't feel right based on our experience with the world.

 

[James Alucobond]

Photo update. The metal posts on the bar are finally covered. The elevators look cute

You can see in the background of the first shot that the GF insignia is finally being added to the lunette above the tea room as well.

 

[UNCgolf]

The more I think about it, the more I feel they should open the former tea room to extra lobby seating and then just make the Enchanted Rose into a dual-purpose area that turns over from tea room (Mrs. Potts-themed?) earlier in the day to the existing lounge in the later evening. It would probably mean a light refresh for the Rose, but it could use some lightening anyway.

Ideally they would completely overhaul the whole Enchanted Rose because it's a mess.

 

[DCBaker]

Disney has shared a behind-the-scenes look at creating The Perch - the Cast Members in the video are with Facility Asset Management:

 

[DCBaker]

Here's a look at the menu:

 

[JohnD]

Here's a look at the menu:

View attachment 891613

Limited to what's on the menu or full bar?