The New Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa FAQ (March 09)

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

Hey GF gals just a quick question. I read on another site review that someone got a room at GF with double beds. I thought all the rooms had queen size beds; even the dormer rooms. I hope this person was just mistaken.


Also I signed up for the GF tea. Any recommendations would be nice. I was going to get the Buckingham palace for the adults and dont know weather to do the cheese plate for the kiddo and ala cart or what is the best option. Anyone have favorties?

TIA Liz

 

[KMLOVESWDW]

At the Poly there are benches & hammocks at quiet areas around the property. Any recommendations for quiet "get away" spots at the GF? Also, is there anything else you find special about the GF that a first timer should know about? Just wondering!!

 

[BlueSkies]

Evening All!

I see we have a new and improved DIS!!

mmears We didnt stay at the GF on our last trip and although it was a short one we couldnt be at disney and not visit the GF...so we visited twice!!..even got to meet up with the wild and crazy GF Gals who were there for their trip... and your right visiting and not staying there is bittersweet...the GF just feels like home....

Brook I guess your DD does not like to interrupted while enjoying her tea and crumpets..

Liz Not sure what to reccomend at the GF tea...so many nice options....my DD is a teen and loves to drink tea...so for us its all about the tea.... The gardenview lounge is just so nice I think the atmosphere makes everything taste good...

KM Veruca is so right about there being so many relaxing spots at the GF...we really do enjoy the lobby in the evenings...even if its busy it really dosent seem to feel that way (except for around the holiday time when the gingerbread house is up!!) another spot we like is to sit out at the boat dock and just watch the happenings on the water...very relaxing....

Veruca Your siggie and avatar look great....

 

[praline3001]

Have you guys seen the new GF website on the Disney website?
It is soooo cool, i was just playing with it.
click on lobby, then click on the pic with the green circle, then on the left click the big green box~ full screen of the lobby and you can scroll around and look at it!!!

If you as dorky as I am you can blind your eyes with your hands like blinders and block out your house and screaming kids and just scroll around the lobby

I did notice something on there that I had a quick question about .. here is the quote:
Standard Club Level Rooms, Deluxe Rooms, and Club Level Suites include Concierge Service and amenities and access to the Royal Palm or Sugar Loaf Clubs (depending on room location), as well as additional services and discounts.

What extra discounts are they talking about?

 

[Sunburst]

Hi Veruca! Its me Chris!
I cant believe i made it here. I registered and was signed on for over an hour looking for where to post. I think there is too much information here. My eyes are tired just from looking around.
I'm glad you gave me your phone number. It was much easier asking you where to type on here than looking for myself. Thanks again and I hope i was interrupting anything by calling so late in the evening.
Thanks for telling me about this place. I love talking Disney but im annoyed that I have never heard of this place before and all the ways to save. Im not the most savy computer person. When you told me about types of discounts I was almost embarrassed to say I've been paying full price on rooms and everything.

I'm sorry we didnt get to see you before you left last week, i sort of lost track of the days and thought we were both leaving on friday and then remembered you left the day before.
Thanks for recommending that wine too...i dont remember the name but it was very good and we drank it on the beach.

 

[Sunburst]

opps i see i forgot a word in what i wrote.
I meant to say I hope I WASNT interrupting anything.
Must still have some of that wine in me.

 

[Sunburst]

Yeah I guess i should read some of that introductory stuff...is it labeled 'disney for dummies or something like that?
Ok im off to read.

 

[loralie]

Have you guys seen the new GF website on the Disney website?
It is soooo cool, i was just playing with it.
click on lobby, then click on the pic with the green circle, then on the left click the big green box~ full screen of the lobby and you can scroll around and look at it!!!

If you as dorky as I am you can blind your eyes with your hands like blinders and block out your house and screaming kids and just scroll around the lobby

I did notice something on there that I had a quick question about .. here is the quote:
Standard Club Level Rooms, Deluxe Rooms, and Club Level Suites include Concierge Service and amenities and access to the Royal Palm or Sugar Loaf Clubs (depending on room location), as well as additional services and discounts.

What extra discounts are they talking about?

I don't know what discounts they are talking about either but I just wanted to say thanks for telling us about the website. The way to scroll around the lobby is so cool and so much fun. I was looking at the pictures of the restaurants. For the character one they showed Minnie and I think Pluto is in the background. From what I have been reading...GF does not have those characters in their restaurants so I find it weird that they would show that on the GF site. I also love the pictures of the rooms. Here is a quick question...the blue chair and ottoman, is it in every room? We booked GV and I know my DH would love a chair and ottoman like that to relax in.

Loralie

 

[praline3001]

I don't know if every room has one but I know the standard GV I was in in Feb had one and the dormer I had in june had one. I am guessing most rooms have one..maybe not the suites and I am not sure about the deluxe rooms but from all the pics I have seen, the standards all have them.

 

[praline3001]

RPC gals~ been doing some reading =)

Is the RPC coffee the same as it is everywhere else still? I know last June the SL coffee was nasty... I was hoping the upgrade meant an upgrade in coffee

I was emailing Kelly asking and she wasn't sure.
We are driving this time so if RPC serves crappy coffee I am bringing my coffee maker! The little 4 cup pots don't even make enough for DH and I to have 1 good mug of coffee each.
Also my pot has a timer
If RPC has some GOOD coffee ~ no need to bring my own coffee pot...

I also read some places have changed their coffee recently so not sure what RPC has done.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

Remember this an FAQ thread. If you want to chat make a GF CHAT, remember what Webmaster Doc posted just a few weeks ago.
( This is not said to start fights or drama but the chattiness was an issue in the past with several people. We dont want the thread being reported again to the mods)

 

[BCV23]

Praline, thanks for the info about the official WDW site. Aren't those pictures stunning? I was checking out a couple of my favorite resorts. You should start a thread telling everyone about the changes to the site so others can check out their favorite resorts. I wonder when those changes were made. Nice improvement.

loralie, I think it's a staged picture don't you? The characters at 1900 have changed over the years....do you think they're hinting at a change there? Probably not!

 

[goofygal531]

I requested to be as close to the parking lot as possible. I am going to guess that a parking lot view is not a top booking room I am sure we will get what I want no problems! It will most likely be getting dark when we get there so what use is a view?!

Brook every building has a parking lot behind it. If you want a ground floor room, you need to make note of it in your reservation. I insisted on it since I had a double stroller at the time. I'll tell ya, I never spend so much time at any WDW resort walking thru parking lots like I did at CBR getting to and from the food court and bus stop! But if ground floor is important to you, you need to let them know.

One of our possibilities is doing the afternoon tea. BUT Savannah is at an age that when we were in SL in June she considered tea time in the club lounge afternoon tea

I love afternoon tea in the tea room, but when Channing did it with her girls she compared all the offerings to what they had in RPC. If you're staying there, it might not be worth it to spend the $$ on the tea room since they offer afternoon tea. Just a thought.

Also I signed up for the GF tea. Any recommendations would be nice. I was going to get the Buckingham palace for the adults and dont know weather to do the cheese plate for the kiddo and ala cart or what is the best option. Anyone have favorties?

TIA Liz

Hi Liz, Here's what I do: On days when I have lunch, I order the Sally Lunn Tea which is just two courses. Sally Lunn bread (toasted pound cake w/apricot jam) and dessert w/pot of tea. On days when I have a big breakfast and skip lunch, I order the Buckingham Palace Tea (lots of courses, with tea sandwiches). It's very filling. I've never brought my kids with me, I usually go alone for some quiet Mommy-Time. I have heard that some moms order the Buckingham Palace tea and order an a la carte item for their child. That way you can share all your food, which is more than enough to share. Enjoy it. It's very relaxing and the food is really good.

Hi Blueskies! Found you!

 

[BlueSkies]

I am curious to know what that extra discount could be referring to...

Kelly you are the resident GF expert ...have you heard anything about this...

 

[BCV23]

Also I signed up for the GF tea. Any recommendations would be nice. I was going to get the Buckingham palace for the adults and dont know weather to do the cheese plate for the kiddo and ala cart or what is the best option. Anyone have favorties?

TIA Liz

The cheese plate is probably not to the taste of most young children...I think it includes the Stilton for example which is a delicious blue cheese but strongly flavored for a child's palate. Maybe do a la carte.

GoofyGal, the things offered at the tea are quite different from the concierge lounge. The scones are the exact same and the same bread might be out at times. But I've never seen the delicious tea pastries offered in the lounge nor the tea sandwiches. Not to mention the choices of tea itself.

 

[BCV23]

Veruca, I just saw that you posted. Have you see tea sandwiches, the beautiful and dainty pastries or even the trifle served in the lounges?

 

[BCV23]

I must have missed the pastries then. I think I remember trifle once. And yes, the scones are the same. Wonderful scones.

What type of view did you have?

 

[Sunburst]

I loved loved that afternoon tea. and the only place i eat tarts is at the Grand Floridian. i really enjoy them.
And you say the serve better tea at the GF tea? Maybe I should try that sometime.
Veruca we were on the third floor with the castle view...im surprised we didnt ask each other where our rooms were. I love that view so much. We did hear a bit of noise above us..I wonder if that was you. (that was a joke by the way. It is wierd trying to type the way you would say something)

Wish I was hearing that lobby music now.

 

[PrincessPaczki]

I have a question about doing a afternoon tea with my DH. Can I use my dining plan towards it? Would it be considered a ts?
Thanks!

 

[grannyminnie]

Question about the cabanas, which I am so looking forward to booking:
How many are there? I read somewhere, maybe here, that there are only 4 of them..two for advance booking and two for "walk-ups". Please tell me that is old info and that there are more! My fear is that when my 90 booking window opens, that I am not going to be fast enough to get one!!