Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Spreading along the shore of the Seven Seas Lagoon with views of the Magic Kingdom, this world-class resort is Disney’s flagship. Its red-gabled roofs and Victorian elegance transport you to the time of Florida’s nineteenth-century grand seaside “palace hotels.”

Impeccably maintained and manicured grounds are strung with fragrant, blossom-filled lanes that meander among the gracious four- and five-story buildings fabricated with gleaming white clapboard siding, red shingled roofs, fairy-tale turrets, and intricate latticework; a favorite sight is the housekeepers in Victorian period costumes strolling the grounds twirling lacy parasols.

Guests’ preferred gathering spot is the soaring, five-story Grand Lobby topped with stained-glass cupolas and massive filigreed chandeliers. Strewn with potted palms, cushy seating, and extravagant flower arrangements, it’s at its liveliest in the late afternoon and evening hours when entertainment rotates between a relaxing piano player and a dynamic ragtime/jazz band. Because the resort possesses a popular wedding chapel, don’t be surprised to see white-gowned brides frequently roaming the lobby; if you’re in luck, a Cinderella coach with footmen and white ponies will be on hand to whisk away the newly wedded couple.

Aquatic enticements include a sugar-soft sand beach dotted with brightly striped, canopied lounge chairs, a large swimming pool in the central courtyard, a beachside Florida springs–style pool, and a marina sporting a wide assortment of watercraft including a 52-foot yacht. A full-service spa and health club, tennis courts, three lounges, and upscale shopping round out the list of exceptional offerings. The restaurants here are also quite a draw, notably Victoria & Albert’s, central Florida’s rightly famous, award-winning gem.

Check-in 3 p.m.; Check-out 11 a.m.

 

Accommodations

Guestrooms

Guest rooms, at just over 440 square feet, are decorated in a Victorian floral motif, each with either one king or two queen beds (only a few have kings), full-size sofa (some come with an additional easy chair), two chairs and a table, and minibar. The addition of 32” plasma flat-panel TVs, under-counter refrigerators, and IHome clock radio with IPod docks are a nice bonus along with a writing desk and bureau. DVD players can be added on request. Cream-colored marble baths have twin sinks, an extra phone, Spa H2O bath products, full-length and make-up mirrors, and hair dryer.

NOTE: Where I feel this resort falls flat are the guest rooms which don’t live up to a flagship resort’s reputation. Forget that the Victorian décor is a little boring. My issue is that the furniture is way overdue for replacement, the wallpaper is almost silly looking, and please lose the faded and dated bedspreads. Why not follow suit with what was done at the Boardwalk Inn with the same light Victorian look yet with white duvets and a lovely bed runner?

The closet contains an electronic safe, iron and ironing board, and robes, and all rooms have daily newspaper delivery, coffeemaker, and nightly turndown service. Most accommodations come with generous balconies and vary only in the view of either the gardens, the lagoon, or the Magic Kingdom.

If you’re smart, you’ll book a Theme Park view room with vistas of the Magic Kingdom, but remember that it doesn’t always mean a view of the castle (request the Sago Key or Conch Key building for a castle view; Boca Chica looks mostly at Space Mountain). Lagoon-view rooms are also a nice choice facing the Seven Seas lagoon and the Polynesian Resort. Garden views overlook the flowering grounds, the sparkling courtyard pool, or the marina. Top-floor guest rooms have vaulted ceilings along with very private balconies that require standing for a view; although their high ceilings give them a more open feel, they are actually a bit smaller than a normal guest room.

Lodge Tower rooms are located in turreted corners of many of the buildings. Similar to a standard room with balcony, they offer the bonus of an additional sitting area with an extra phone and TV.

Cara's Tip: Magic Kingdom® Park views are found in the Boca Chica, Sago Cay, Conch Key, and the Main Building (concierge), but the Boca Chica and Conch Key buildings do have trees that sometimes block part of your view. Rooms in Sago Cay have maximum peacefulness in a setting far from the pool; however, they also require a longer walk to the main building. Sugar Loaf and Big Pine are closest to the main building and the monorail, but because they are near the courtyard pool, they tend to be a bit noisier.

Concierge Rooms

Accommodations on the concierge level vary from standard guest rooms to larger Deluxe Rooms, to suites. Deluxe Rooms at 634 square feet are in the main building offering a spacious sitting area within the guest room with a sofa, coffee table, entertainment center, wet bar, writing desk, two chairs and a table, and two queen-size beds, but never a Magic Kingdom view–there are three on the 4th floor and three more on the 3rd floor (if you want a quieter location request the 3rd floor since 4th floor rooms are found just off the lounge).

Deluxe King Rooms sleeping two are in the main building and are privy to the Royal Palm Club, but there are two variations: six turreted rooms with 648 square feet offering a 4-poster bed, bay window-type sitting area with sofa and easy chair, and wet bar, but no balcony with only one offering a view of the Magic Kingdom; and 440 square feet, standard-size guest rooms all with a marina/Magic Kingdom view, balcony, and whirlpool tub located on the 2nd floor above Gasparilla Grill.

The Royal Palm Club, located on the fourth floor of the main building in a prime position overlooking the Grand Lobby, is the more upscale of the two concierge lounges with views of the Seven Seas Lagoon and the resort’s lovely courtyard. Serving all rooms of the main building and all suites throughout the property regardless of location, you’ll find a concierge staff on duty near the main elevator of the third floor. The Lodge Concierge lounge in the Sugar Loaf building offers the services of a concierge desk and the same food and drink as the Royal Palm Club, but in a less grand setting. Don’t look for a lagoon view room in this building—you’ll find only garden, marina, or pool views. Of course, the prices are lower than those in the Royal Palm Club. 

At both lounges you’ll find a continental breakfast of juice, fruit, yogurt, cereal, toast, bagels, muffins, sticky buns, danish, brioche, cheese coffeecake, strawberry turnovers, croissants, cheese, and ham. Midday offerings of pretzels, chips, vegetable crudités with dip, hummus, brownies, cookies, two types of lemonade as well as iced tea, and late afternoon tea of scones with clotted cream and jam, trifle, fruit, banana bread, cookies, jam tarts, coffee, and tea are served. Early evening brings appetizing hors d’oeuvres such as chayote slaw, Virginia ham and biscuits, sweet and sour chicken skewers, crab cakes, chicken Caesar salad, stuffed chicken with fig relish, green mussels, spanakopita, beef empanadas, quiche, dates with proscuitto and parmesan, salmon with potato salad, mozzarella salad, crudités with dip and hummus, cheese and crackers, guacamole and chips, and Southwestern chicken salad. Wines include Penfolds Cabernet, Coppola Merlot and Riesling, Beringer Zinfandel, Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay, and Iron Horse sparkling wine with a nice assortment of beer. Kids look forward to their own spread of tuna and PB&J sandwiches, fish nuggets, cookies, brownies, and cupcakes with the occasional adult sneaking an irresistible taste of their own. After-dinner desserts like éclairs, cream puffs, tarts, petit fours, cookies, cupcakes, brownies, and Rice Krispies treats are served with a selection of liqueurs. And everyone enjoys the self-service cappuccino machine and the refrigerator filled with beer and sodas.

Suites

Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa's twenty-five suites can be had in all shapes and sizes. All have upgraded robes and H2O bath products, DVD players, and fresh flowers. In the main building are four Signature Suites: the Grand Suite, Walt Disney Suite, Roy O. Disney Suite, and Victorian Suite.

From its fifth-floor perch, the Grand Suite at 2,220 square feet features five dormer-style balconies with sweeping views of the Seven Seas Lagoon, Cinderella’s Castle, Space Mountain®, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Polynesian Resort, even Spaceship Earth in the distance. A long entry hall with marble half bath leads to the sunny, turreted living room with hardwood flooring, and massive chandelier lighting. Thankfully an unattractive wall of mirrors has been removed and furnishings now include two fern green and buttercream sofas atop an area rug, a strange faux stacked book side table, two coffee tables, two peach-colored easy chairs, a dining table for four, desk, Bose stereo system, an oversized LCD TV with DVD player, an upright shiny white piano, and a corner marble wet bar with undercounter refrigerator, coffee maker, and microwave. Off one side of the large foyer is the master bedroom with a four-poster, king bed decorated in a soft green spread. It has a desk and entertainment center with flat-panel TV with balcony views of  the Polynesian, the wedding chapel, and the Floridian-style pool. The solid marble master bathroom has double sinks, mini LCD TV, two closets, large whirlpool tub, huge shower, and a separate toilet and bidet. On the other side of the entry foyer is a second bedroom with a twin bed and sleeper chair, entertainment center, a single-sink bath with mini-LCD TV, and a balcony with the suite’s best view of Cinderella’s Castle.

The 1,690-square-foot Walt Disney Suite is a favorite filled with Walt memorabilia including railroad models and family pictures; you almost feel you’re in Walt’s apartment, expecting him to return any minute. Enter into a marble foyer with half bath to a cozy living room in shades of rose, green, and cream with wet bar, desk, entertainment center with flat-panel TV, chaise lounge, sofa, easy chairs, coffee table, and four-person dining table. The master bedroom has a king-size bed, desk, sofa, entertainment center, a huge walk-in closet with a bureau, and a marble bathroom with two sinks, whirlpool tub, and separate shower. The second bedroom has twin beds, two easy chairs, an entertainment center, and another bathroom. Balconies face the courtyard pool, the beach, and the lagoon with views of the Disney's Polynesian resort.

Just below the Walt Disney Suite is the Roy O. Disney Suite, comparable in shape and size, with a moss green and salmon color scheme and memorabilia representing Walt’s brother Roy, including a wall of family photographs.

The intimate Victorian Suite at 1,083 square feet, on the top floor of the main building, is bedecked in soft green, peach, and rose hues. The living area holds a small sofa, coffee table, entertainment center, wet bar with refrigerator, four-person dining table, and even an old Victrola. Overlooking the courtyard pool are three balconies with views of the top of Cinderella’s Castle and Space Mountain®, Disney’s Polynesian Resort, and the Seven Seas Lagoon. Through French doors is the bedroom with a four-poster king-size bed covered in a standard spread, desk, oversize easy chair and ottoman, and bureau with flat-panel TV. The master bath has a large walk-in closet with dressing area, double-sinks, mini TV, and oversize tub. Off the small foyer is a half bath.

Two bedroom Outer Lodge Suites found throughout the resort are basically two standard-size guest rooms (one with a king and the other two queens), a living room with sleeper sofa, two occasional chairs, coffee table, desk, and four-person dining table. All have an additional full bath off the living area.

Two-Bedroom Theme Park Suites with 1,792 square feet offer the distinction of a straight on view of the lagoon and Cinderella’s Castle; only two of these suite exist: the Everglades Suite in Conch Key, and the Cape Coral Suite in Sago Cay, both located on the ground floor with a waterfront, oversized patio. For more privacy and quiet request the Cape Coral Suite (the Everglades Suite is near the boat launch). The double-size living area features a full-size dining table and wrap-around wet bar. A standard-size bedroom is found (one with a king and the other two queens) on either side of the living area.

You’ll find complete information on dining, recreation, services, and transportation at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa in The Luxury Guide to Walt Disney World® Resort.