The **NEW** Grand Floridian FAQ!(MAY 2011)

[MommyGina]

KCMike - That is a great photo of the GF floor. What time of day did you take that? There is no one around. Is that where you get off from the monorail with Basin on the left?

Jungle Cruiser - I wish you the best. You deserve a magical experience at the GF!!!!

 

[4jmama]

I posted a few questions earlier today to the main board accidentally, when I meant to pose them to the GF thread. So, here goes...

Hi everyone,

I'm new here and am sure that you guys are the right folks to help answer my GF questions! I've enjoyed reading your posts and am a little behind in knowing all I need to about the hotel.

We're going to be staying at GF in two weeks for 9 nights with DH, DD (9) and DD (5, who will turn 6 while there). I will be attending a convention for a few days in the middle of the week for work, but we're really looking forward to the trip. We've been to the Disney parks many times and have eaten in a few of the resorts, but we've never stayed on property, so I have some questions.

Can you bring floats for the pool? Not the long, lay down kind, but we have some cool ones that let you sort of sit upright in the pool and we'd love to bring them.

Can you bring a little cooler to the pool with drinks/food? or is that prohibited?

As I mentioned, it's DD's birthday while there. We planned to have dinner at 1900 Park Fare that night as a special treat. Is there a way to get a cake or some balloons or something delivered to the room? Any other thoughts on how to make a magical birthday for her? (I will be in meetings from 9-5, so it's all on DH to make sure her day goes well!)

Any recommendations on what DH can do with the kids while I'm away? We have park tickets and they like the pool, but I'm looking for some other alternatives. Are there peddle boats to rent? or anything else at the resort or nearby that he should take them to check out?

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

 

[pinktink23]

Hi Everyone! My family and I are trying to decide whether to book Poly CL or GF SL for our next trip. We are also trying to decide whether it would be better for us to get three regular rooms or a 2 br suite. Does anyone have pictures (or know where I can find pictures) of the 2br suites in SL? Thanks in advance!

 

[KCmike]

KCMike - That is a great photo of the GF floor. What time of day did you take that? There is no one around. Is that where you get off from the monorail with Basin on the left?

Jungle Cruiser - I wish you the best. You deserve a magical experience at the GF!!!!

Exactly. I think it was late afternoon. Sometimes I get lucky.

 

[KCmike]

[/QUOTE]

Love the shot k&a&c'smom!

 

[KCmike]

KCMike, thanks again for all your beautiful pictures. I enjoy them every day even if I don't have anything to add to the thread.[/QUOTE]

No problem BCV23. Enjoying threads is what this is all about isn't it? Especially when you can't be there

 

[KCmike]

 

[Mouseturtle]

So for the past 3 years my DS14 and I have come to the GF - and it's our happy place. We have always stayed in Sugar Loaf.

After our trip in May I took advantage of the "bounce back" and booked a trip for Nov 27th. Sugar Loaf was not available.

Now, I just called the travel line and can get club level at the Beach Club for about $100 more for our entire stay.

So my question is...do I leave our dear GF and take CL at the BC? Am I gonna get in trouble for even asking that on this thread?

I just feel a little "spoiled" by the Grand and am not sure about switching resorts "just" to get club level. At least with Sugar Loaf we knew where we were gonna be located. Has anyone been to both and can give advice?

And BTW I recognize how blessed I am to be having this "problem"!

 

[dragonfly57005]

I'm not a big Club level fan....so I would vote Stay at GF. Unless you really want an excuse to try something else....you could convince yourself that you don't want to be as close to MK so you could stay at the other place.

 

[kaffinito]

Beautiful!

The link that kaffinito posted looks great. I hope to post pictures this weekend. I have been doing intense chemo for months and it's a week on a week off so I don't get things done in a timely manner! However, the GF is just the medicine I need to help me get through.

Some "pixie dust" came our way yesterday. I had booked the GF for 11 nights the end of Sept/beginning of Oct with the bounceback offer. AP rates came out yesterday, through Oct 1st. The bounceback didn't let us book Sugarloaf, however when I called I found out the AP rate did, for only half our stay...however the CM put me on hold for a bit to talk to her supervisor and when she came back "magically" we were able to get the whole vacation at Sugarloaf at a discount! I can't stop smiling! The magic of the GF!!!

I hope the link helps you - if you need more help, feel free to ask. I have to warn you that I post my pics a little bit backwards though, I haven't quite mastered "uploads from photobucket" yet. (Ok, at all )

So sorry to hear about your chemo - my Dad went through that and I know what a toll it can take on you. That's why I'm so very pleased to hear about your pixie dust! That's wonderful to be able to spend your whole trip in SL!

 

[Tink rules]

I'm a monorail snob... so that would do it for me...

 

[disneydreamin247]

Question for my GF folks. I had booked a room in SL under the 35% discount that was offered earlier in the year but had to buy a 1 day ticket for DS and I to add dining. I just called to change the package to the AP discount that is out now and the CM said that I'm upgrading from a GV to a standard view and saving $50. Huh? Isn't that the same thing? If it is the same thing then I should be saving more than $50 because I removed two 1 day tickets. I'm thoroughly confused. This is why I like booking online. Then I can see everything in front of me.

 

[MommyGina]

I had a similar problem with "free dining". We upgraded to Deluxe dining, staying in RPC and only saved $72. Some free dining.

 

[KCmike]

 

[DrMomof3]

So for the past 3 years my DS14 and I have come to the GF - and it's our happy place. We have always stayed in Sugar Loaf.

After our trip in May I took advantage of the "bounce back" and booked a trip for Nov 27th. Sugar Loaf was not available.

Now, I just called the travel line and can get club level at the Beach Club for about $100 more for our entire stay.

So my question is...do I leave our dear GF and take CL at the BC? Am I gonna get in trouble for even asking that on this thread?

I just feel a little "spoiled" by the Grand and am not sure about switching resorts "just" to get club level. At least with Sugar Loaf we knew where we were gonna be located. Has anyone been to both and can give advice?

And BTW I recognize how blessed I am to be having this "problem"!

I actually love Beach Club but we've only stayed in the Villas and not Club Level. Although you lose the easy access to MK, you gain easy access to Epcot and DHS. We loved having dinner in World Showcase every night and then having a 5 minute walk home. We haven't stayed at GF yet (our 1st trip to GF is in January) but we've stayed at YC and BCV. Loved them both! I think we must be easy to please because we've enjoyed exploring different resorts (CR, Poly, and - in August - BLT) and have never had a bad stay. The only place I wouldn't return is SSR and then only because the bus transportation was awful. If I had a car and got a good deal, I would totally return (especially for the Treehouses!).
If going to GF is part of what makes your Disney trip special, don't switch. But there are several "regulars" on the BC/YC thread who also hang out here so I think there are several of us who like them both!
Good luck with your decision!

Amanda

 

[Mouseturtle]

Funny thing is we don't spend much time at MK except to do the 3 Mountains - so basically the GF feels like "home" and DS14 doesn't want to switch to Beach Club, even though most of our trip will be at Epcot & HS.... So now I have the dilemma of asking which building to be in to be in a similar location as Sugar Loaf - we LOVE the pool view - any suggestions?

 

[Tink rules]

Conch key

 

[k&a&c'smom]

I've been out of town for a couple days, and just getting back online. Sorry if anyone has been waiting for an answer, I'll try to get to you quickly! I just walked in the door, but give me a few minutes to get situated, and I'll be back to get caught up.

**I'm sure the other DISers have been very helpful, I just mean anyone who is still waiting...I hope that makes sense.

 

[BCV23]

The link that kaffinito posted looks great. I hope to post pictures this weekend. I have been doing intense chemo for months and it's a week on a week off so I don't get things done in a timely manner! However, the GF is just the medicine I need to help me get through.

Some "pixie dust" came our way yesterday. I had booked the GF for 11 nights the end of Sept/beginning of Oct with the bounceback offer. AP rates came out yesterday, through Oct 1st. The bounceback didn't let us book Sugarloaf, however when I called I found out the AP rate did, for only half our stay...however the CM put me on hold for a bit to talk to her supervisor and when she came back "magically" we were able to get the whole vacation at Sugarloaf at a discount! I can't stop smiling! The magic of the GF!!!

Congratulations on the the magic. Great good luck with the rest of your chemo. Hopefully, it will soon be a dim memory as you make better ones at the GF.

I posted a few questions earlier today to the main board accidentally, when I meant to pose them to the GF thread. So, here goes...

Hi everyone,

I'm new here and am sure that you guys are the right folks to help answer my GF questions! I've enjoyed reading your posts and am a little behind in knowing all I need to about the hotel.

We're going to be staying at GF in two weeks for 9 nights with DH, DD (9) and DD (5, who will turn 6 while there). I will be attending a convention for a few days in the middle of the week for work, but we're really looking forward to the trip. We've been to the Disney parks many times and have eaten in a few of the resorts, but we've never stayed on property, so I have some questions.

Can you bring floats for the pool? Not the long, lay down kind, but we have some cool ones that let you sort of sit upright in the pool and we'd love to bring them.

Can you bring a little cooler to the pool with drinks/food? or is that prohibited?

As I mentioned, it's DD's birthday while there. We planned to have dinner at 1900 Park Fare that night as a special treat. Is there a way to get a cake or some balloons or something delivered to the room? Any other thoughts on how to make a magical birthday for her? (I will be in meetings from 9-5, so it's all on DH to make sure her day goes well!)

Any recommendations on what DH can do with the kids while I'm away? We have park tickets and they like the pool, but I'm looking for some other alternatives. Are there peddle boats to rent? or anything else at the resort or nearby that he should take them to check out?

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

Welcome. I'll try to help and I'm sure others will join in. My children are all adults now but when they were little, floats were prohibited at the WDW pools. They do have life jackets for those who might need one. I hope some of our posters with young children can help with current policy.

You can bring a small cooler to the pool but no glass containers, of course.

Cakes and other treats can be ordered through in room dining/room service. Disney Florist also has various treats and surprises that can be ordered....

No peddleboats at the GF but there are other larger boats that our DH could rent. Taking a boat out on Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake is a lovely way to pass some time. There are also small, two person boats that can be rented but I don't think that would work as your husband would need to drive and leave one DD behind. There are various activities at the pool. Those are listed on a board near the activity pool and also in the literature you'll receive at check in. They might also enjoy taking a ride on the launch that makes the round between the MK, GF and Polynesian. Lovely way to explore. Or hop the monorail to explore the CR and Polynesian.

Happy planning.

 

[BCV23]

I've been out of town for a couple days, and just getting back online. Sorry if anyone has been waiting for an answer, I'll try to get to you quickly! I just walked in the door, but give me a few minutes to get situated, and I'll be back to get caught up.

**I'm sure the other DISers have been very helpful, I just mean anyone who is still waiting...I hope that makes sense.

Hi! Hope you had a great trip.