That sucks. We did one trip where all it did was rain like that. No fun at all.
That sucks. We did one trip where all it did was rain like that. No fun at all.
So for those who have stayed at both Grand Floridian and Yacht Club what did you like better (or dislike) about Grand Floridian compared to Yacht Club? We are staying Grand Floridian first time in September having stayed Yacht Club our last 4-5 trips.
For me it’s more about the trip plan/length more than anything. At heart I’m a MK resort / monorail resort person. That’s where I feel I’m really at WDW, get the most value for the money, have the best views, more things to do/watch, etc. I’m a sucker for the whole “vacation kingdom of the world” era WDW vibe, and I get that at a monorail resort like GF.
We frequent YC as well, but that’s a different type of trip for us. More Epcot time, more time spent away from the resort. Epcot provides more of the amenities we use vs the resort itself. I really sort of despise the lobby at YC (and BC), but I tolerate it because of the locational advantages and SAB, if I’m being honest.
The MK walkway has absolutely upped my opinion of GF lately.
SAB was full of people and I just felt overwhelmed and never attempted it.
This is one of the big reasons I'm looking for something other than YC/BC. This adults-only trip we plan on spending a good bit of time relaxing at the pool and SAB just gets way too busy and crowded with kids. Hoping the courtyard pool will be pretty laid back.
I think you'll like the vibe at the Courtyard Pool. The Beaches Pool, to me, does get quite crowded/cramped and doesn't feel all that relaxing (it's such a relatively small footprint), but the Courtyard Pool is big, spread out - and with its own bar, there's almost no downside.
We are in the middle of a split stay between GF and YC. Everything has it's highs and lows. While I do like a more contemporary look at home, I like the themed hotels at DW. We arrived at GF around 10 am (9 am CDT - my home time zone). Our room was just a regular 2Q. I booked a lagoon view and was disappointed in the view, but didn't ask for a change due to the fact that our room was ready and we had been traveling and had gotten up super early. Our room was at the end of Big Pine and our view was mostly of a tree. We could see the water fall at the Beach Pool and a peak at the Poly. At CR and YC, our water views were expansive views of Bay Lake and Crescent Lake. Just mentioning my experience in case you enjoy a water view you may be better off with a Theme Park view.This is one of the big reasons I'm looking for something other than YC/BC. This adults-only trip we plan on spending a good bit of time relaxing at the pool and SAB just gets way too busy and crowded with kids. Hoping the courtyard pool will be pretty laid back.
Thanks for all the responses to my question about the comparison with YC/BC. This makes me feel better. Having never stayed at Grand Floridian I wasn't sure what to expect, but I don't plan on spending much time this trip at Epcot and we can just grab an Uber over to Hollywood Studios. Being able to walk to MK is going to be a huge plus I think--we really like that park at night.
Everything has it's highs and lows.
Can anyone tell me the latest on Magic Kingdom rope drop from GF? What time have they been opening the walkway? What time should we head out to walk over (is walking still the best method?) And anyone know which rides have been opening first?
I totally agree with this! With a cabana, the Beach pool is nice, but otherwise, I prefer the Courtyard pool. I wish the Courtyard pool had a real cabana option or at least the covered patio areas like Poly Oasis pool has! Of course, if you have young children, the Beach pool is probably necessary because of the games and the slide lol, but my kids are basically grown! My DD17 only went down the slide once...but that was partially due to the long line to slide.I liked the Beaches pool a lot (the slide was fun!) but it did get a bit crowded at the peak of the day and I was glad I had the cabana to retreat to. I preferred the Courtyard pool on the other days I was there, taking breaks from the parks. Next time I might consider a patio there.
Enjoy your time at the GF! It will always be magical to me.We leave in the morning - can't wait for our first stay at GF! Things have been a little hectic this week so I've been following along but not able to post much...there will be many pictures, however! Cabanas, balcony views, lobbies, adult beverages, grounds, pools, etc...
Thank you for all of the information - much appreciated!