Grand Floridian Resort restaurants, shops and courtyard pool to close for refurbishment this year

[TP2000]

No, the GF charges rates that in some cases are double what I've paid to stay at Four Seasons locations. It was designed as the flagship of the Disney hotel chain. It is supposed to be 4-5 star/diamond caliber, but often is typical 3-star anywhere hotel. The problem is, and @TP2000 is great at explaining this, Disney really struggles to offer that level of service even at the ridiculous price points it charges (Spirited aside: Got an email from DLR offering 'great' rates for the summer. They were $321 for PPH, $415 for DLH and $500 for Grand Cal. Those were the starting points. I want to know what goes thru the minds of people dumb enough to spend that.)

And Donald Duck tees shouldn't be accaptable anywhere at the Grand beyond the pool, the arcade and the coffee shop.

My God, someone actually reads my occasional rants about the 3 Star Airport Sheraton On A Good Day type service you receive for 5 Star pricing at Disney's "deluxe" resorts on both coasts? I'm flattered.

What's even more criminal about those DLR prices is that you can spend that or a few bucks less and snag a room at the clifftop Montage or Ritz Carlton or St. Regis 30 minutes away in Laguna Beach, and receive service and amenities and professionalism that are way beyond anything Disney could do, or would ever try to do.

 

[ToTBellHop]

It doesn't prevent people from getting in. Gates get left open and people will open it for you. And it does nothing at all for safety. When is the last time a child wandered away from his/her parents and wound up dead on the bottom of a resort pool?

Well we didn't get a full explanation of that Pop Century death...

Tasteless? Sorry...

 

[FabulousFigment]

No, the GF charges rates that in some cases are double what I've paid to stay at Four Seasons locations. It was designed as the flagship of the Disney hotel chain. It is supposed to be 4-5 star/diamond caliber, but often is typical 3-star anywhere hotel. The problem is, and @TP2000 is great at explaining this, Disney really struggles to offer that level of service even at the ridiculous price points it charges (Spirited aside: Got an email from DLR offering 'great' rates for the summer. They were $321 for PPH, $415 for DLH and $500 for Grand Cal. Those were the starting points. I want to know what goes thru the minds of people dumb enough to spend that.)

And Donald Duck tees shouldn't be accaptable anywhere at the Grand beyond the pool, the arcade and the coffee shop.

Nope, nope, nope. This is only slightly insane. This is why we never stay onsite . We have stayed in really nice condo's for $79 a night and rented villas with private pools for around $130 a night. The dumb people that pay these prices - I want to work where they do!

 

[WDW1974]

My God, someone actually reads my occasional rants about the 3 Star Airport Sheraton On A Good Day type service you receive for 5 Star pricing at Disney's "deluxe" resorts on both coasts? I'm flattered.

What's even more criminal about those DLR prices is that you can spend that or a few bucks less and snag a room at the clifftop Montage or Ritz Carlton or St. Regis 30 minutes away in Laguna Beach, and receive service and amenities and professionalism that are way beyond anything Disney could do, or would ever try to do.

I ALWAYS read your rants and find them to perfectly sum up what Disney resorts are and what they are not. I am too lazy right now, but I wonder what those resorts go for vs. Disney on a random day in July or August. Rubes and mentally fragile arrested dvelopment types are the largest portion of folks who must stay on property. I know ... I was addicted too, but I got help and am perfectly happy Pricelining a 4-star hotel in O-Town for $43 a night and driving 15 minutes! Same in SoCal!

 

[WDW1974]

Well we didn't get a full explanation of that Pop Century death...

Tasteless? Sorry...

Not tasteless and I believe the kid dove in head first and suffered what likely was a fatal injury immediately. From talking to sources he was pretty much dead when transported, which leaves me to believe he was an organ donor and was kept alive until they could be taken. I don't think the cause of death was drowning per se, but as a result of smashing his head on the bottom with people all around.

 

[PhotoDave219]

It doesn't prevent people from getting in. Gates get left open and people will open it for you. And it does nothing at all for safety. When is the last time a child wandered away from his/her parents and wound up dead on the bottom of a resort pool?

Wel there was that teenager that was horsing around at Pop century a few weeks ago.... but that was under the supervision of his family.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Well we didn't get a full explanation of that Pop Century death...

Tasteless? Sorry...

No, i just made the same comment.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Saw it in person last night, have to agree. So cheap/tacky that I'm wondering if it's temporary.

We must have missed each other, I ended up drinking with two women from detroit. One was HAMMERED.

 

[PhotoDave219]

No, the GF charges rates that in some cases are double what I've paid to stay at Four Seasons locations. It was designed as the flagship of the Disney hotel chain. It is supposed to be 4-5 star/diamond caliber, but often is typical 3-star anywhere hotel. The problem is, and @TP2000 is great at explaining this, Disney really struggles to offer that level of service even at the ridiculous price points it charges (Spirited aside: Got an email from DLR offering 'great' rates for the summer. They were $321 for PPH, $415 for DLH and $500 for Grand Cal. Those were the starting points. I want to know what goes thru the minds of people dumb enough to spend that.)

And Donald Duck tees shouldn't be accaptable anywhere at the Grand beyond the pool, the arcade and the coffee shop.

Theres no way in the world that I would pay those prices for anything less than concierge service. I had a junior (corner) suite at the Copley Place Westin in Boston over St Pats Day weekend in 07 & 09. Fantastic room, fantastic bed, fantastic service and a fantastic view for 1/3rd the cost of a basic room at a deluxe disney resort.

The prior 10-year trend is for Disney to market crap as the best thing ever and people fall for it. My money & time are worth so much more than what i get out of a deluxe anymore.

 

[71jason]

Resurrecting this thread because I have an update on the new fence around the pool, from a CM. Not to prevent pool-hopping, not really for safety--per Reedy Creek regulations (i.e. Disney policy), putting the fence up means they don't have to staff the pool with lifeguards.

In other words, a cost-cutting measure.

 

[wdwmagic]

Resurrecting this thread because I have an update on the new fence around the pool, from a CM. Not to prevent pool-hopping, not really for safety--per Reedy Creek regulations (i.e. Disney policy), putting the fence up means they don't have to staff the pool with lifeguards.

In other words, a cost-cutting measure.

Are they no longer putting life guards at that pool? or is the fence there for outside lifeguard hours?

 

[COProgressFan]

Resurrecting this thread because I have an update on the new fence around the pool, from a CM. Not to prevent pool-hopping, not really for safety--per Reedy Creek regulations (i.e. Disney policy), putting the fence up means they don't have to staff the pool with lifeguards.

In other words, a cost-cutting measure.

Thanks for the update. Just a shame what they put up is so tacky.

 

[kane47]

Thanks for the update. It is a shame that they are poring all kinds of money into a resort just to cut corners and skimp out on the little things. I absolutely love the GF. It is one of my all time favorite places. I just can't believe the direction it is going in. I am so disappointed I am actually taking the money I would have spent on the GF and splitting time between the Waldorf and the Beach club. I was able to get an extra day on my vacation with the cost savings. If I want to look at a cheep plastic fence I will drive by my local Wendy's and look at the one surrounding there dumpster.

 

[yamitz]

The plastic fence was temporary so the pool could be open for Easter. The new fence was just finished yesterday. It is a Florida Code to have fences around any newly constructed or renovated pools. The problem with having lifeguards is that it will limit deck space even further (due to the space they need around the pool), but it is being looked in to. There should be a fence going up around the water play structure too. You don't need a room key to get in through the gates, they're unlocked 24/7.

 

[yamitz]

...or so I have heard.

 

[kane47]

The plastic fence was temporary so the pool could be open for Easter. The new fence was just finished yesterday. It is a Florida Code to have fences around any newly constructed or renovated pools. The problem with having lifeguards is that it will limit deck space even further (due to the space they need around the pool), but it is being looked in to. There should be a fence going up around the water play structure too. You don't need a room key to get in through the gates, they're unlocked 24/7.

What does the new fence look like? Any pictures?

 

[kane47]

Any additional details about what you said? Can anyone else verify this report?

The plastic fence was temporary so the pool could be open for Easter. The new fence was just finished yesterday. It is a Florida Code to have fences around any newly constructed or renovated pools. The problem with having lifeguards is that it will limit deck space even further (due to the space they need around the pool), but it is being looked in to. There should be a fence going up around the water play structure too. You don't need a room key to get in through the gates, they're unlocked 24/7.

 

[kane47]

The new GF DVC looks huge compared to the original. From the looks of it they did a nice overall job on making it look like the original. Does anyone know if they are going to add the ginger breading under the top of each balcony like the original hotel?, or are they going to cut corners again and leave it off? If they add it, I must say I don't think visually it will take anything away. I going to miss the beach a lot, but I will adapt. If they do not add the ginger breading, I feel it will look very incomplete and completely different. Here's hoping for the Ginger breading!

 

[DznyGrlSD]

Good gravy this is a thread from last year - I thought @wdwmagic had made a typo on the year (2012 vs 2013)...

...I confuse easily

 

[jdmdisney99]

The new GF DVC looks huge compared to the original. From the looks of it they did a nice overall job on making it look like the original. Does anyone know if they are going to add the ginger breading under the top of each balcony like the original hotel?, or are they going to cut corners again and leave it off? If they add it, I must say I don't think visually it will take anything away. I going to miss the beach a lot, but I will adapt. If they do not add the ginger breading, I feel it will look very incomplete and completely different. Here's hoping for the Ginger breading!

It looks like they have started. If you look to the fourth room on the first floor in the picture below...