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| Fast
Facts |
| Resort Address: |
4401 Grand Floridian
Way, Lake Buena Vista, 32830 |
| Resort Phone: |
(407) 824-3000 |
| Resort Fax: |
(407) 824-3186 |
| Number of Rooms: |
900 |
| Resort Category: |
Deluxe |
| Resort Location: |
Magic Kingdom Resort
Area |
| Check In Time: |
3:00pm |
| Check Out Time: |
11:00am |
| Room Types (maximum
capacity): |
Standard Room (4-5),
Concierge Room (5), Suite (4 to 10) |
| Room Service: |
Yes |
| Valet Parking: |
Yes |
| Laundry Service: |
Yes |
| Fully Handicapped
Accessible: |
No |
| Semi-Handicapped Accessible: |
No |
| Wheelchair Roll-In
Showers Available: |
Yes |
| Hearing Impaired Conveniences: |
Yes |
| Non-Smoking Rooms
Available: |
Yes |
| Room Safes: |
Yes |
| VCR Available: |
Yes |
| Data Port Available: |
Yes |
| Coffee Maker Available: |
No |
| Microwave Available: |
Yes. On Request |
| Refrigerator Available: |
Yes, Fee |
| Full-Kitchen Available: |
No |
| Concierge Service: |
Yes |
| Monorail Service: |
Yes |
| Table Service Restaurant(s): |
Citricos, Grand Floridian
Cafe, Narcoossee's, 1900 Park Fare, Victoria & Alberts |
| Character Meals: |
Breakfast and Dinner
at 1900 Park Fare (Mary Poppins). Wonderland Tea Afternoon
Tea at 1900 Park Fare (Alice) |
| Counter Service Restaurant(s): |
Gasparilla Grill and
Games |
| Lounge(s): |
Garden View Lounge,
Mizner's Lounge, Summerhouse (pool side) |
| Services (Salons,
etc.): |
Ivy Trellis Salon |
| Shopping: |
Sandy Cove sells resort
souvenirs, and sundries and provides film developing
service and is usually open from 7:00am - 11:30pm.
There are several other upscale retailers that offer
everything from resort wear to formal attire and character
merchandise to wedding gifts. |
| Pool Description: |
The pool at the Grand
is unthemed. |
| Children's Clubs,
Programs: |
Mouseketeer Clubhouse
(4-12, $5 per hour, 4:30pm - midnight, 4 hour maximum.) |
| Fitness Center: |
St. John’s Health Club:
Nautilus Equipment, Sauna, Whirlpool, Steam Room, Full
Spa (massage, herbal wraps, aromatherapy) |
| Other Recreational
Facilities: |
Sailboats, Water Mice,
Canopy Boats, Pontoon Boats, Grand I yacht can be rented,
Tennis, Arcade at Gasparilla Grill and Games, Beach
(for sun bathing, not swimming). |
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Overview
The crown jewel of the Walt Disney World resorts,
the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa is themed to be reminiscent
of turn-of-the-century Florida and has a strong resemblance to San
Diego's Hotel del Coronado. The lobby is magnificent. Themed
like the Victorian era, it has a piano (which is manned for live
music occasionally, especially in the evenings), a small orchestra
pit on the second floor balcony overlooking the main floor, a glass
enclosed brass cage elevator, and many details that make you feel
like you are in the 1870's. The Grand Floridian boasts the
finest of WDW's dining establishments, and an ambiance that just
exudes opulence and luxury. This resort boasts a marina filled
with watercraft and lovely white sand beaches.
Room Description
It's not surprising that a resort that features the
intricate design of the Grand Floridian has rooms that are quite
different from the standard rectangular hotel room layout.
A short list includes standard rooms (which are quite typical),
dormer rooms, lodge tower rooms, and octagon rooms. Each room
is similar in basic furnishings but each has some unique architectural
features. The standard list of room accompaniments includes
a pair of queen sized beds (a single king size bed is available
in some rooms), television, dresser, table and chairs, and a spacious
bathroom area. Turndown service and plush bathrobes (not intended
to be taken from the resort) are also standard features. There
are a handful of rooms that have an in-room hot tub, too, and some
rooms feature a walk-in closet.
The differences between the various room types are:
Standard rooms sleep up to five people and have shared balconies.
Dormer rooms sleep only four, have vaulted ceilings, and have private
balconies. Lodge Tower rooms have a sitting area and private
balconies. The striking feature that makes the octagon rooms
so unusual is the "wrap-around" windows. They also
feature a wet bar and a private balcony. , and has windows
almost all of the way around, providing a greater view.
The room views available include the standard (parking
lot, etc.) view, garden view, water (or pool) view, and lagoon view.
The lagoon rooms are the only ones that are at all likely to have
a view of the Magic Kingdom, and you can't reserve a room that has
a view of the park. However, you can reserve a lagoon view,
then request a view of the Magic Kingdom. You
will be guaranteed a specific view (standard, garden, water, lagoon)
as long as you're paying for the upgrade, but no one at the resort
will guarantee exactly what sights will be framed by your window.
All of the concierge rooms and suites at the Grand
Floridian Resort and Spa are located in the resort's main building
and Sugar Loaf Key (which is a reduced level of service from that
found in the main building).
Concierge service at the Grand Floridian Resort and
Spa includes very personalized service including full access to
the concierge staff. The Concierge lounge on the fourth floor
provides a place to relax and serves complimentary snacks throughout
the day. The lounge also serves continental breakfast, "tea"
service in the afternoon, dinner (featuring appetizer selections
from one of the hotel's restaurants) as well as wine and cheese
in the early evening, topped by dessert in the later evening.
Preferred Room Locations
Except
for Sago Cay, all of the buildings have rooms that are close to
the main pool. Conch Key is furthest from the main building
(where most of the restaurants, shops, and monorail station are
located). These two buildings are where you want to be if
seclusion is your thing.
It's not surprising that the main building is the
place to be if you want to be closes to the restaurants, shops,
monorail station, and bus stop.
As stated before, all of the concierge rooms and suites
at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa are located in the resort's
main building and Sugar Loaf Key (located adjacent to the main building).
Boca Chica is the building most likely to have spectacular
lagoon views.
Food and Drink
The Grand Floridian has several restaurants to choose
from. Gasparilla Grill is a snack bar. The Grand Floridian Cafe
provides simple table service lunches similar to those at the Plaza
Restaurant in the Magic Kingdom, but expensive (even if delicious)
entrees at night. 1900 Park Faire, one of my personal favorites,
is a buffet-style restaurant that features a lot of character visits.
Narcoossee's is a steak and seafood restaurant nestled on the shore
of the Seven Seas Lagoon while Citrico's specializes in Mediterranean
dishes. In addition, several lounges are scattered about the property
for the refreshment of the parched.
The top restaurant at WDW, though, is Victoria and
Albert's. Victoria and Albert's provides extremely refined food
and service, at premium prices, to a very limited number of guests
each night. Jacket and ties are required for the male diners at
this premium restaurant while ladies are expected to be dressed
appropriately, too.
Activities
The Grand Floridian has a heath club, as well as many
other recreational activities (tennis, volleyball, croquet, swimming
-- in the pool or on the beach, and a game room). Shopping is a
wonderful experience here, too, as long as deep pockets abound.
Otherwise, stick to window shopping. I remember the price for a
Grand Floridian bathrobe being in the $200-$400 price range on a
trip several years back. I didn't buy it.
Disney Transportation
Travel to the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT can be done
via the monorail. Buses carry guests to other WDW locations. Water
taxis can also whisk the waiting to the Magic Kingdom and a few
other destinations on the lagoon.
Other Comments
Three special events are worth being aware of:
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The Afternoon Tea features several varieties of
tea, scones, crumpets, and other goodies. It is served
in the Garden View Lounge during the late afternoon hours.
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You can view the Magic Kingdom's "Fantasy
in the Sky" fireworks from the beach or boat dock (next
to Narcoosee's).
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Those same locations are the best place to see
the Water Pageant, too.
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