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(A version of this article was shared on Pirates & Princesses, along with similar articles on other Disney Resort Pocket Guide pieces.)
Looking for a touch of Victorian luxury, while retaining the conveniences of modern day living? Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa combines both to offer guests a splash of elegant splendor. Come learn more about the granddaddy of all Walt Disney World resort hotels.
(A quick note up front. At the time this article is published, the resort is undergoing extensive renovations, which are likely to last into mid-2023. Some of the locations and experiences listed below may be temporarily unavailable during renovations. Check in with us to find out more of the timely specifics of the resort’s refurbishment schedule.)
The Grand Floridian is located right on the Seven Seas Lagoon – super close to Magic Kingdom. Guests can get to the park by boat, Monorail, or a short 10-minute walk. In fact, the close proximity to Magic Kingdom makes this resort one of the few for which I would consider a brief respite during an otherwise long day in a Disney park. Guests can travel to Epcot and Hollywood Studios via the Epcot Monorail beam (with a brief change at the Transportation and Ticket Center). For access to Animal Kingdom, it’s either bus or drive (or ride in a Minnie Van).
The “Grand Flo” offers plenty of standard rooms sleeping three to five adults, as well as suites which can sleep six to eight adults. Deluxe Villas range in size from studios sleeping up to five, all the way to three-bedroom Grand Villas which can sleep up to twelve! If you want to class it up even more, Club Level rooms are available, and can sleep three to five. As with most Disney resort hotels, preferred rooms and deluxe level rooms offer guests better views and more convenient placement within the resort area. The planDisney PDF Pocket Guide offers more details on the different room types.
An appetite for fine dining will suit guests well at this resort. It doesn’t get any better than the selection of cuisine offered at Victoria & Albert’s. American fare with Mediterranean flare is on the menu at Citricos. Guests with a hankering for seafood will find their satisfaction at Narcoossee’s. Aside from full dining, Grand Floridian offers several lounges, including Enchanted Rose – inspired by Beauty and the Beast. If high tea is more your speed, you’ll enjoy Garden View Tea Room.
Soon, kids can get back in on teatime with the Mad Hatter’s Unbirthday Party at 1900 Park Fare. This teatime event is temporarily unavailable, along with other character dining options Supercalifragilistic Breakfast and Cinderella’s Happily Ever After Dinner, but these options are expected to come back online soon. The Grand Floridian offers several quick service and grab-and-go options too, for families on the run.
Take a look around the grand lobby of the resort to find several boutique-looking shops that might catch your fancy, including M. Mouse Mercantile, Curiouser Clothiers, Basin White, and Sandy Cove Gifts and Sundries.
The little princess in your family will love to glam it up at Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. Other than Magic Kingdom and Disney Springs, the Grand Floridian is the only other place at Walt Disney World to get the full princess treatment. Unfortunately, this Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is temporarily unavailable. But like much of the character dining and other immersive guest experiences, this fan favorite experience is expected to return before too long.
Wanna get wet? Grand Flo has two beautiful pools. The 110,000-gallon-plus Beach Pool is where the action is at. Glide down a 181-foot-long water slide, or take it easy and gaze out over Seven Seas Lagoon. Beach Pool has a water play area for kids, and in keeping with the high-scale style of the resort, there are poolside cabanas available for rent. Guests looking for a quieter scene will prefer Courtyard Pool, which is tucked in behind the main building and away from the heavier guest traffic. Both pools have zero-entry zones, and both offer outdoor lounges with cocktails and lighter fare.
This resort offers nighttime campfires and movies under the stars, along with fishing, motorboat rentals, specialty cruises, and an evening peek at the Electrical Water Pageant on the lagoon. Adults can relax at the Grand Floridian Spa, while kids will have fun spending their parents’ money at Arcadia Games. Runners and walkers will enjoy walking around the Seven Seas Lagoon – just note that foot traffic cannot pass between the Contemporary Resort and the Transportation and Ticket Center. Still, those lagoon views…
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa offers guests the luxury of yesteryear, with the conveniences of nowadays. If you are looking to pamper yourself during your vacation, this is just the place for you!
planDisney Pocket Guides are especially helpful to guests who are considering staying at a resort they’ve never before experienced. The Pocket Guides take the form of 5-14 page PDF slides, which are easily printable and savable to smart devices. They offer efficient snapshots of the resort basics, including:
- Transportation options
- Room sizes
- Food and beverage options and locations
- Pools and recreation activities
- Shopping
- Tips from the planDisney panel
Check out the full list of planDisney Pocket Guide summaries here.
Are you interested in checking out the Grand Floridian, or another Walt Disney World resort hotel? Contact us today at Facts and Figment Travel Planning to start planning your next Disney Vacation! We’ll get your trip planning off the ground, so you can start looking forward to your experience.
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(Cover image: Visit Orlando)
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