Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

We booked a theme park view room, and it did not disappoint. From arriving, to bell desk, to front desk, everybody was very polite and friendly. Even the people working on the golf buggies around property said hello. The hotel was nicer than I anticipated, and was pleasantly surprised. The room wasn’t the biggest but did us for what we needed, the sofa bed was ideal for the toddler. Fridge was handy to keep some drinks in. Room was very quiet, we didn’t get disturbed at all. The pool area was nice. The view of the fireworks was fantastic, and perfect for us with a toddler as he could watch the fireworks with us, then go straight to bed without the long wait getting out of the park. We would 100% recommend the Grand Floridian and will stay here again in the future.

Tripadvisor needs better rating options - between average and very good. It's a beautiful property what I would say it sports understated elegance; quite charming in that respect. All the public areas are finely manicured right down to fresh cut flowers. But if white isn't your color of choice , best to avoid this hotel as it's basically all pastels and white mixed in with the Mary Poppins theme. And your wallet will be a bit emptier as rooms and services are quite expensive---- If you do opt to take the plunge as this is a Magic Kingdom hotel - ask for a Magic Kingdom view. It really was breathtaking at night -- the fireworks over the water, the Kingdoms monorail, steam train, electric light parade-- all so fun to look at day or night from your balcony. The room we had slept 5 although it was tight--it was redone just enough to be current but not spacious. Worth the tall bucks?? I'd feel better if it was a bit less expensive. But monorail access is a bonus. The pool areas were beautiful with their zero depth entries-- and a kids pirate ship to boot! Enjoy the ambiance but know that Mary Poppins needs a big spoonful of $ugar to rest your bones here.

Stayed with my three teenage children for 4 nights this July and loved it. The Grand Floridian is my happy place where everyone is pleasant both staff and guests, the location is fantastic, and the rooms and grounds are beautiful. From the the exquisite meal we had at Victoria and Alberts to the very good quick service meals at Gasparillas, we were very satisfied. The cast members at the front desk are very knowledgable and helpful concerning the Disney parks' sometimes complex booking system. It is like going to an Apple store for your computer question! I love the fact that if they happen not know the answer immediately they will find someone who does. BTW we self parked and never had an issue with finding parking or with the courtesy of the cast members based on our parking preference. I have had the privilege of travelling around the world and staying in luxury resorts but the Grand Floridian in my mind will always be the very best among them and my forever Happy Place.

The accommodation is, as you would expect, absolutely amazing but sadly our initial experience was badly let down by a rather unsatisfactory arrival. When arriving at comparable Disney properties, like the Castle Club at DLP, we've always been welcomed personally by the front desk team, invited to sit down and checked in professionally. Please don't expect that here based on our experience! The best you're going to get is the chance to stand in the middle of the lobby with a cast member frantically tapping Magic Bands and credit cards on an iPad with varying degrees of success :( I then naively asked whether we could have our baggage transferred to our different rooms and was invited to step back outside into the 98 degree heat and find the Bell Captain ... who wasn't there!!! Fifteen minutes and one conversation with a more senior but less helpful cast member, the Bell Captain was located and our baggage eventually materialized in our rooms. Having travelled for over 10 hours and spent many many thousands of dollars on our vacation ... it didn't feel particularly magical at this point. Come on Disney you can do much better than this!

The newly renovated rooms at the Grand Floridian are amazing! They did a fabulous job of bringing the rooms up to speed with what you would expect from the luxury price point, all without sacrificing the special Disney magic. The hotel staff were very helpful getting all of our party of 10 synced up with some magic band issues, and our server Matt at the Enchanted Rose gave us a run for our money in an epic Disney Trivia battle. We have always loved the Grand Floridian, and with all the upgrades we love it even more. If only they would bring back the Grand Floridian Society Orchestra!!!

We were celebrating our anniversary at the Grand Floridian Cafe Saturday evening. Upon arrival at the entrance gate, the security person told us of the parking options: self-parking was "across the street" or valet. We opted for valet and proceeded to the hotel entrance where we were informed the cost was $39. At that point, we did not know what across the street meant so we opted for valet parking. The cost of valet parking was more than the highest priced entree on the menu. We did speak to two employees at the front desk regarding this, There answer was, "We have heard this before, sorry, cash or credit. We feel the cost is excess for the small service provided. A disappointing end to an otherwise wonderful evening.

The Villas themselves are, as you would expect, absolutely amazing but sadly our initial experience was badly let down by a rather unsatisfactory arrival in the DVC building. When arriving at comparable Disney properties, like the Castle Club at DLP, we've always been welcomed personally by the front desk team, invited to sit down and checked in professionally. Please don't expect that here based on our experience! The best you're going to get is the chance to stand in the middle of the lobby with a cast member frantically tapping Magic Bands and credit cards on an iPad with varying degrees of success. I then naively asked whether we could have our baggage transferred to our different rooms and was invited to step back outside into the 98 degree heat and find the Bell Captain ... who wasn't there!!! Fifteen minutes and one conversation with a more senior but less helpful cast member, the Bell Captain was located and our baggage eventually materialized in our rooms. Having travelled for over 10 hours and spent many thousands of dollars on our vacation ... it didn't feel particularly magical at this point. Come on Disney you can do much better than this!

The Villas are, as you would expect, absolutely amazing but sadly our initial experience was badly let down by a rather unsatisfactory arrival. When arriving at comparable Disney properties, like the Castle Club at DLP, we've always been welcomed personally by the front desk team, invited to sit down and checked in professionally. Please don't expect that here based on our experience! The best you're going to get is the chance to stand in the middle of the lobby with a cast member frantically tapping Magic Bands and credit cards on an iPad with varying degrees of success. I then naively asked whether we could have our baggage transferred to our different rooms and was invited to step back outside into the 98-degree heat and find the Bell Captain ... who wasn't there!!! Fifteen minutes and one conversation with a more senior but less helpful cast member, the Bell Captain was located and our baggage eventually materialized in our rooms. Having travelled for over 10 hours and spent many thousands of dollars on our vacation ... it didn't feel particularly magical at this point. Come on Disney you can do much better than this!

We've been visiting Disney for decades, and have stayed at many hotels on property, but this was our first trip to the Grand Floridian. The hotel is beautiful, and offers easy access to the parks by virtue of the on-site monorail. Rooms are very spacious and generally quiet; of course you can hear hallway noise if guests talk loudly or linger near your door. Our room, a theme park view, overlooked Bay Lake and offered such a peaceful retreat in the morning, with a nice view of the Electric Water Pageant and fireworks at night. I wanted to love the "GF", but honestly probably would not stay here again. Parking is a nightmare unless you choose to pay the valet fee; at this writing it is $39/day. There was no parking available in the main lot, so we were forced to park near the DVC villas. Apparently this is often an issue late in the day because of visitors to the hotel's restaurants. Our room was on the other side of the property, in the Boca Chica building. According to my pedometer, it was 1/3 of a mile walk. Not an issue in itself, especially if you love to walk, but try schlepping bags all that way. The valet who greeted us on arrival seemed disinterested once we said we preferred to self-park. I asked about dropping our bags and coming back for them after parking, and he said, "you'll have to go in and check with bell services." Contrast this with the Contemporary, where we stayed just a month prior - the valet took care of everything for us even though we self-parked, and greeted us so warmly. Everything is in the main building, therefore, if your room is in one of the outer buildings, you'll have to travel to dine, visit the front desk (if your magic band doesn't open the door, for example) or shop. Again, not an issue until it rains. On goes the poncho - but, it would surely be nice to have a covered walkway. I hardly ever write a critical review, because I know everyone tries his or her best. Many of the staff were outstanding, wanting to make you feel welcomed and valued. And, I love Disney, so there's that. Sadly, the GF fell short in a few respects. It will be the Contemporary or Poly, next time.