Grand Floridian stay?

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mrs moon

Active Member
Original Poster
Hi everyone..
We are a family of 4 travelling to Orlando in November and have booked a room at the GF as a "always dreamed of splurge"!..However as the time is getting nearer i am beginning to panic!...Will it be worth the splurge?...Will we fit in there?...Please help esp if you have stayed there, i would hate to come away thinking wasn't worth it!...I want to come away thinking Wow what a perfect holiday!...
 
F

FamilyCallsMeWalt

Member
mrs moon said:
Yacht club.Beach club AKL.POFQ
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It is worth it depending on what you want. If you want more convenience to MK and Epcot rather than Epcot and Studios then the Grand Floridian is the way to go. It's a nice resort and you'll certainly love it. Never stayed there but have dropped by for dinner and other events before a few times, never felt out of place there and I certainly don't have the income to live there lol!
 
LAM378

LAM378

Well-Known Member
Don’t worry about fitting in. Everyone fits in at the GF. I have seen it all there, just like at other WDW resorts.

Whether it’s worth the splurge is hugely personal. I’ve had excellent stays at the GF, and a couple of poor ones. It sometimes suffers from the same disinterested CMs and managers that you can find anywhere in WDW. I’ve found that my overall experience at any resort will basically hinge on who’s on duty during my stay, and I’ve had less than perfect stays there. Nothing truly awful, nothing that makes me never want to stay there again, just less than perfect. The problem is that expectations are higher when you’re staying at GF, and rightfully so, considering it’s their flagship, the one in all the brochures and commercials.

All that said, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed if it’s been your dream to stay there. There’s something about going up to the check in desk in that grand lobby, something about opening the door to your room for the first time, something about returning there to sleep after a night in the parks. It’s magical. I think you’ll enjoy it.
 
M

mrs moon

Active Member
Original Poster
LAM378 said:
Don’t worry about fitting in. Everyone fits in at the GF. I have seen it all there, just like at other WDW resorts.

Whether it’s worth the splurge is hugely personal. I’ve had excellent stays at the GF, and a couple of poor ones. It sometimes suffers from the same disinterested CMs and managers that you can find anywhere in WDW. I’ve found that my overall experience at any resort will basically hinge on who’s on duty during my stay, and I’ve had less than perfect stays there. Nothing truly awful, nothing that makes me never want to stay there again, just less than perfect. The problem is that expectations are higher when you’re staying at GF, and rightfully so, considering it’s their flagship, the one in all the brochures and commercials.

All that said, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed if it’s been your dream to stay there. There’s something about going up to the check in desk in that grand lobby, something about opening the door to your room for the first time, something about returning there to sleep after a night in the parks. It’s magical. I think you’ll enjoy it.
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thank you so much
 
Gainesvillain

Gainesvillain

Well-Known Member
I would definitely not worry about fitting in at the GF; it may be modeled after hotels of a bygone era, but it is still full of all kinds of (tacky) tourists. That being said, the GF is the one deluxe hotel that I DON'T think is worth the splurge. Maybe because I am a Floridian and have stayed at hotels that inspired the GF (usually right on a beautiful beach), I just prefer the more exotic theming of AKL, Poly, WL. Personally, I wish that Disney has stuck to one of the original monorail hotel ideas (Arabian, anyone?!). But if you like the idea of the GF, you will love the GF.
 
Heppenheimer

Heppenheimer

Well-Known Member
My personal opinion... the Grand Floridian is probably the most beautiful resort on the property with the second best location, if proximity to the Magic Kingdom is important and the best dining of any resort (well, I'm assuming, I haven't tried every restaurant at every resort).

That being said, it is far too expensive for what you get, even at Disney World. I've stayed at far nicer hotels in Europe with more extensive services and better dining for far less money than the Grand Floridian. I have no complaints about my stay there other than the price, and for that reason, I probably will never book it again.

You already have it booked, so I assume affordability is not an issue for you. There's no reason to change your reservation, just enjoy the ambiance and try not to think too hard about the relative value you're getting for your money.

On the flip side, I will gladly pay similar prices to stay at the Grand Californian in Disneyland. The differences comes down to the fact that Disneyland visits are usually much shorter.
 
Thingamabob

Thingamabob

Active Member
mrs.moon, out of the 4 resorts you have already vacationed at I have stayed at I have stayed at the AKL and POFQ and loved them both. I was only 8 when I stayed at POFQ, but remember loving the pool. The AKL was my most recent vacation for my High School Senior Week trip with my boyfriend and that resort quickly became my favorite. Now I have stayed at the GF, but I have been through the lobby and have dreamed of staying there and if you have the chance I say go for it.
 
SamandplanningUK

SamandplanningUK

Well-Known Member
Mrs.moon I completely see where you're coming from regarding fitting in, my family and I stayed at the Disneyland Paris hotel and felt rather out of place there. However, Disney World as a whole is a very friendly place to be and I don't think you need worry at all. Just on a side note, if we were to book a luxury resort my pick would be Wilderness Lodge, it blew me away when we visited for dinner!
 
zurgandfriend

zurgandfriend

Well-Known Member
I had to laugh about your worrying to “fit in.” When my DS was little he was worried he would not fit in after we told him we were staying there. He put up a fight for the Contemporary or the Wilderness Lodge, however this was a special trip for my DW as she was cancer free and the GF was her choice.
For weeks before the trip he drank with his “pinky” sticking out and talked like Thurston Howell III. As it turned out he loved the pools, the mini mouse pancakes, Narcoosee’s and the nighttime orchestra. He accidently walked into my Disney Girl’s Perfect Princess Tea, but that’s another story.
The Yacht club is no more “fancy” than the GF go and enjoy.
 
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mrs moon

Active Member
Original Poster
zurgandfriend said:
I had to laugh about your worrying to “fit in.” When my DS was little he was worried he would not fit in after we told him we were staying there. He put up a fight for the Contemporary or the Wilderness Lodge, however this was a special trip for my DW as she was cancer free and the GF was her choice.
For weeks before the trip he drank with his “pinky” sticking out and talked like Thurston Howell III. As it turned out he loved the pools, the mini mouse pancakes, Narcoosee’s and the nighttime orchestra. He accidently walked into my Disney Girl’s Perfect Princess Tea, but that’s another story.
The Yacht club is no more “fancy” than the GF go and enjoy.
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Thanks you so much for your reply..and so pleased to hear the great news with your wife..x
 
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EdnaMode

Well-Known Member
I love the property/grounds and the relaxed beach hotel vibe at Grand Floridian. I don't think it's stuffy or fancy at all, but there is a 'granmma's house' feel to the furnishings that isn't my thing. If I was looking at the room or hotel interior only, it is overpriced and I would describe it as "nice." Don't expect anything in the standard room categories there to knock your socks off when you enter. Things are aging and going without being replaced.

But if you look at the overall picture of the resort, it's great, in fact it's pretty relaxing and even dreamy...and you will fit in. Everybody there (or nearly everyone) is off to a theme park. :happy: Be sure to skip the monorail once or twice and take the boat to MK. Also, grab a treat and then sit down in the area near Gasparilla's/the marina to watch the fireworks at least once; it's a small crowd, very ooh and aah.

I hope you love it and have a great time!
 
21stamps

21stamps

Well-Known Member
You’ll love it! Perfect location, good restaurants, great pools, foosball and pumping which are always a plus.. and super quick boat ride to Poly for food, and a gorgeous walk back!

If you have children with you, I highly recommend booking the pirate adventure cruise that leaves from GF. Fun for kids, a little me-time for parents!

Finally, It’s a laid back Disney resort.. don’t worry about it being uptight.
 
M

mrs moon

Active Member
Original Poster
21stamps said:
You’ll love it! Perfect location, good restaurants, great pools, foosball and pumping which are always a plus.. and super quick boat ride to Poly for food, and a gorgeous walk back!

If you have children with you, I highly recommend booking the pirate adventure cruise that leaves from GF. Fun for kids, a little me-time for parents!

Finally, It’s a laid back Disney resort.. don’t worry about it being uptight.
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Thats great to hear,thank you so much..
 

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