The *NEW* Grand Floridian Resort and Spa FAQ thread (Nov 2007)

[PrincessPaczki]

polyfan60, have a great trip! Take lots of pictures to come back and post! Have fun!!!

 

[princessesrule4]

Thanks for the wonderful pictures everyone! We luckily last minute booked this resort and are very excited as it was the only one available and seems very beautiful! Looking forward to our stay here! Should be very fun

Have fun! Give us some details if you don't mind when you return. We need our GF fix until we get there in June!

 

[minniebeth]

I'm sorry if something like this has been posted before, and 200 some odd pages for a thread is a lot of reading material!
Has anyone's DD done the mini-spa services at the spa?
I would love to know anyone's experiences. I would love for my DD to do this and then have tea at the GF. We are going when it is very hot and thought this would be a good AC activity to beat the heat.
Any thoughts?
Thank you!!!

 

[PSleight]

Hi, first time poster here. My wife and I are planning a trip to WDW in December (not Christmas week). We've always stayed at the Contemporary Resort in the Tower with a Magic Kingdom view and can't imagine staying at any other place without a view of the castle at night and Wishes.

We've never stayed at the GF and want to book Club Concierge, I think our sons (ages 7&9) would love to get up in the morning and see the great X'mas tree in the lobby. Would you get a decent view of the castle and the fireworks if you request a room with a Magic Kingdom view?

This is a great board for Disney information. Thanks everyone!

 

[johnsonet]

Has anyone's DD done the mini-spa services at the spa?
I would love to know anyone's experiences. I would love for my DD to do this and then have tea at the GF. We are going when it is very hot and thought this would be a good AC activity to beat the heat.
Any thoughts?
Thank you!!!

Hi.
My daughter has had a facial at the GF Spa and also a manicure and pedicure. It is always a fun treat for her.
I LOVE your idea of spa and then tea. It's the BEST! We have done it the other way around - tea and then spa (allowing PLENTY of time to walk over, check in, change into robes and enjoy the sauna, hot tub or just sitting with a magazine )
I have also seen other little girls having a ball getting their nails done - really cute (so long as they are well-behaved )
Enjoy!

 

[polyfan60]

Thanks! Will do!

 

[BCV23]

Hi, first time poster here. My wife and I are planning a trip to WDW in December (not Christmas week). We've always stayed at the Contemporary Resort in the Tower with a Magic Kingdom view and can't imagine staying at any other place without a view of the castle at night and Wishes.

We've never stayed at the GF and want to book Club Concierge, I think our sons (ages 7&9) would love to get up in the morning and see the great X'mas tree in the lobby. Would you get a decent view of the castle and the fireworks if you request a room with a Magic Kingdom view?

This is a great board for Disney information. Thanks everyone!

Welcome to the DIS!

If you book RPC, request MK view and get it, you will have a nice view of the castle and fireworks through the "canyon" formed by other buildings. It won't be nearly as close a view as from the CR but it will be centered quite a bit
more.

Happy planning and welcome again!

 

[minniebeth]

Hi.
My daughter has had a facial at the GF Spa and also a manicure and pedicure. It is always a fun treat for her.
I LOVE your idea of spa and then tea. It's the BEST! We have done it the other way around - tea and then spa (allowing PLENTY of time to walk over, check in, change into robes and enjoy the sauna, hot tub or just sitting with a magazine )
I have also seen other little girls having a ball getting their nails done - really cute (so long as they are well-behaved )
Enjoy!

Thank you so much, johnsonet! I actually think it would work better the way you did it, tea and then spa, so there is no time constraint on the spa time.
Do the girls get to change into the robes and all too? I wasn't sure how they do this. My DD will be 11 and I thought she would be too young for the other ammenities besides the treatments, as in other spas I've been to. Just wondering! Thanks so much! Beth

 

[vbarry]

I do not know if this is the right place to post it but I hope someone can help me out.

Can anyone tell me about the Perfectly Princess Tea Party at the GF?

I am trying to decide between the makeover at BBB and then breakfast at the castle or the GF spa with manicure and pedicures and the Perfectly Princess Tea Party.

Any thoughts??

Also- does the GF have a place that does the hair wrap??

Thanks a lot for any help!

 

[johnsonet]

Thank you so much, johnsonet! I actually think it would work better the way you did it, tea and then spa, so there is no time constraint on the spa time.
Do the girls get to change into the robes and all too? I wasn't sure how they do this. My DD will be 11 and I thought she would be too young for the other ammenities besides the treatments, as in other spas I've been to. Just wondering! Thanks so much! Beth

My daughter is the same age!

She had her treatments several years ago. She especially LOVED her facial. She also got a cute pedi with Mickey heads on her big toes. Later I was told by the woman who'd done them that they were no longer allowed to do the Mickey shape in the pedicures
I just asked her and she was NOT given a robe. In the ads they now show little girls in fluffy robes getting their nails done - not sure whether that is just for the ad or they actually get them?? Years ago they had small robes in the rooms at GF for children but by the time my DD was big enough to fit into a kid's robe they had done away w/ them Anyway, child-size robes are such a cute touch. They should offer them! Hopefully, someone else can help.
The only downside to having tea first is potentially getting too full!!
Have fun~

 

[WishesQueen]

They had child size robes in my room last summer. I don't know about the spa, only my DH went!!

 

[PSleight]

Welcome to the DIS!

If you book RPC, request MK view and get it, you will have a nice view of the castle and fireworks through the "canyon" formed by other buildings. It won't be nearly as close a view as from the CR but it will be centered quite a bit
more.

Happy planning and welcome again!

Thanks BCV23! Grand Floridian here we come.

 

[polyfan60]

Hi everyone. We decided instead of staying at the Grand Floridian to stay at the Boardwalk Inn (we have kids so) but think that this is a beautiful resort and will probably eat here one night so we will still post pictures anyway!

 

[Lives4Disney]

Hi everyone. We decided instead of staying at the Grand Floridian to stay at the Boardwalk Inn (we have kids so) but think that this is a beautiful resort and will probably eat here one night so we will still post pictures anyway!

Well, have a fun trip anyway!

Maybe GF next time.

Lives4Disney

 

[polyfan60]

Yeah! It will definitely be an option!

 

[Lives4Disney]

Yeah! It will definitely be an option!

I saw you posted that the BWI seems more "family oriented" or something like that - I don't what you mean by that, but I guess since they have the DVC over there I stayed at BWI once and it was OK but the GF is where my heart is. I have three kids and they LOVE the GF and are treated so nicely there. It is a very family friendly resort. Just an FYI. GF has a lot to offer.

Have a great time,

Lives4Disney

 

[goofygal531]

I totally agree with Lives4disney. GF is very child friendly and you're close to MK. I wasn't thrilled at the BWI. My DH likes the Epcot area resorts, we prefer the Beach club over there. Best pool on WDW property!

Lives4disney: I just reserved Southern Elegance! DH can't understand why I want to pay for a limo when we can ride ME for free! I told him everyone arrives at the GF by limo! He said okay, only because it's my birthday trip. I'm milking this birthday for everything possible! It's not even a milestone birthday, it's just my excuse What time do you have them pick you up to return to the airport? The airport is only 20 minutes away. I HATE ME picks you up THREE HOURS prior to your flight. My kids get so antsy waiting in the airport that long! We might make this a new tradition on our return drive, don't think DH will go for limo round trip every vacation, but on the return drive, it's worth it.

Friday at 9pm on the Travel Channel is the next show in the "Season of Disney" series. This week is "Disney Splurges". I seriously should not watch this. I've already booked so many special things DH will KILL ME if I come up with anything else!!

 

[allisonswonderland]

So I am on the count down WOOOWHOOO....28 days until I am the World. I think Josh (my husband) is getting really excited.

Is there anything else we should know....

On ME what order does it drop off so I will know what to expect?

I know as soon as we get there I am headed to Casey's at the Mk to get a dog then hopping on Pirates (our tradition since I was a kid) and then to Splash (my fav at MK)! That night we have ressies at Le Cellier and a cake being delivered to our room!

Thanks for the remonder on the Disney Splurges....are they covering a wedding on there?

 

[polyfan60]

Thanks for the feedback! A big reason we chose BWI is because we love Epcot and we have never stayed near it and we wanted to try something new. I think GF seems beautiful and it is definitely one of our first choices for next vacation! The family oriented thing came out wrong and I meant more that we loved the location of the BWI! So sorry if it offended you! But thanks for the info! And we will eat at the GF one night and post photos!

 

[goofygal531]

The only thing that I love about the BWI is the pizza window at Spoodles! My kids LOVE the pizza window!