Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa

Booked three rooms for our 40th anniversary, having stayed at the Beach Club two years ago the Floridian had a lot to prove it was #1. On arrival our family was split between two buildings but that was not an issue, my son in laws Magic Bands were totally messed up with my grandsons band and ours were also messed up, ours were rectified within minutes, however my son in laws took three days to re program? Rooms were excellent in both size and furnishings ( larger than the Beach Club). America is getting out of hand for Brits with ever increasing prices and the waining pound, restaurants in the Floridian are top notch top price, I mean Ritz Hotel prices. Our package booked through Theme Park Tickets Direct had the dining plan (A 21st Century must when visiting Florida,Saved our Family around $1,000 during our 5 day stay) all park photos (Memory Maker) , drink mugs offering free beverages for our entire stay and $200 dollar gift card (which is aiding our food bill at the Art of Animation as I write). Magic Kingdom can be reached by both boat and monorail with the boat being the most relaxing, Epcot can also be easily reached by monorail with one change. The harbour at the hotel offers magnificent views of the fireworks with music piped in from the park adding to enjoyment. The self serve restaurant/ cafe offers pastries, hot food and beverages, for those hoping to self cater it’s not Tesco’s but does offer limited products. In summary, the hotel is majestic, massive, immaculate and #1, the staff are not quite up there with the Beach Club but still very good, I do have to say that having visited Walt Disney world in 1998 for the first time including a character breakfast at the Floridian the Disney Magic is slowly disappearing, staff at all of the parks and hotels are slipping in standards set many years ago by Walt? Having said that, this will be our #1 choice for future visits.

This place was great. Exceptionally clean and impressive. The room was bigger than a standard room and had nice touches. Great view, nice pools and a great view of the fireworks at night. Extremely friendly, knowledgeable and polite staff. Over the top impressive with all of them. This will be the only place we stay when we come back. My only knock was food. There was no casual diner type place to grab a quick sandwich. The cafeteria was OK but they could use something a little better. Something in between that and the fine dining they offered.

We first stayed at the Grand Floridian about 30 years ago when it first opened, and sadly it has not withstood the test of time. The furnishings are all a bit tired and it no longer has that premium feel you would expect given the high prices. The bathrooms need refreshing and the shower heads are inferior at best. The water also smells of sulfur, which is really unpleasant, and bottled water is not complimentary. That being said, the staff are all very pleasant. The lobby bar and nightly entertainment were really enjoyable. Overall, needs work.

We have stayed here for our last five visits to Disney World. Its really our favorite resort on property. Very specious rooms, clean , super comfortable beds We came in May and had a small issue with the room assignment but it was rectified right away and the next day One of managers , zack Hamilton apologized and went out of his way for us . We were so impressed ! So the service to guests is always number one to GF. We also booked club level which is a little more money but well worth it . The food and drink alone you get outweighs the cost!

I will preface this review with- this hotel comes with a very high price tag. Is it the equivalent of a “real world” hotel with this price? Probably not, but the “real world” doesn’t come with unobstructed views of the Castle and Space Mountain! During our stay, we paid for a regular room (which I was happy about) and were upgraded to one of the most outer buildings, top floor with a full view of the lake and castle. We had problems at check in, so this was a fantastic surprise! The room was a bit smaller in square footage, but had great character with the peaked ceiling and the cute balcony. The fireworks were a nightly display, the electrical water pageant was my son’s favorite and the overall feel really was once in a life time. We chose GF because of my son’s age (2.5 at the time) and really wanted the convenience of the monorail to MK (where we planned to spend most of our time) and midday naps. This was a great combination, and worked like a charm. MK is the first monorail stop from the resort. Our building was also next to Narcosse’s, so we had an option of water taxi. Gasparilla Grill (quick service) is also one of the best quick Service I have had anywhere on property- second maybe to Pandora. My critiques would be: If you want to spend more time at Animal Kingdom or Hollywood Studios and bus rides aren’t your thing, GF location may not be your best choice. The Deluxes in Epcot are great and offer a better location for those parks. If you are interested in “after hours” activities- read adult themed fun- the MK resort area isn’t great for that. Magic Kingdom itself is open late during peak season, no special ticket event nights, and you can easily monorail to Poly or Contemp, but neither options are as good as walking the Boardwalk. Lastly- theming of GF is very Victorian. I think it’s lovely, and was magical for our stay. But on a “regular” day, I personally prefer Yacht Club (that’s strictly personal preference). My Tip would be: Spring for a theme park view if it’s within budget. So.Worth.It. Also, if it’s within budget get a Early Morning Magic ticket for MK in combo with your stay. We did... you can be at the event in ten minutes, and can stroll down Main Street before the Florida heat sets in, with fewer crowds and cut your wait time! Again, So.Worth.It! Would I stay again? Sadly, my son has moved on from MK to HS! So we don’t stay in the MK area often, but I definitely would stay again- especially for a special event or holidays at MK.