For the first page of this review of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, click here.
MORE ON DISNEY’S GRAND FLORIDIAN RESORT
Disney’s Grand Floridian is one of 8 official Disney owned and operated deluxe resorts at Walt Disney World.
In their recommended order for first time family visitors, they are
Many of these also offer Disney Vacation Club (“DVC”) studios and villas, all for rent to the general public–see this for more on the Disney Vacation Club resorts. At the Grand Floridian, the DVC offering is The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
You enter the Grand Floridian’s main building into its lovely lobby, where on the first floor you’ll find check in and concierge services, some shops and some restaurants.
On the left is 1900 Park Fare, where at breakfast you can find Mary Poppins, Alice in Wonderland, the Mad Hatter, Tigger and Winnie the Pooh, and at dinner Cinderella and her homies–Prince Charming, Lady Tremaine, Anastasia, Drizella, and the Fairy Godmother.
From The easy Guide to Your First Walt Disney World Visit: “Food is quite good for a buffet. Breakfast includes specialties like lobster benedict, smoked salmon lox, and hickory-smoked ham, in addition to the usual. Dinner brings a large selection of salads and roasted meats, in addition to spice-crusted salmon, sushi, and Roasted Root Vegetable Gratin. Don’t forget the strawberry soup. The five very different characters present at each meal otherwise steal the show as they visit every table taking pictures and mingling with guests.”
More on 1900 Park Fare here.
Also in this side is a small shop with a lot of sundries and groceries.
Around the corner is another of the resort’s five table service restaurants, the Grand Floridian Cafe. Alone among the Grand Floridian offerings, there’s nothing special here, so it can be a quite easy reservation to get.
From The easy Guide to Your First Walt Disney World Visit: “Grand Floridian’s least expensive and most casual restaurant, with charming views of the rose gardens outside. Nobody will bat an eye if you arrive with fanny packs still on waists and Mickey ears still on heads. Breakfast is best, with upscale items like lobster eggs benedict and citrus pancakes stealing the show. Lunch is a relatively inexpensive affair with sandwiches, salads, and burgers all coming in under $20. Still, upscale touches remain with butter poached lobster topping the burger and roasted garlic aioli, balsamic onions, spinach, and fennel salad adorning the chicken sandwich. Don’t miss the gigantic Grand Sandwich. Dinner isn’t great, with just six or seven entrees on the menu, but the shrimp & grits, grilled pork Chop, and chicken breast all arrive under $22 with large portions and fresh ingredients. Kids are unlikely to be impressed by the ambiance, but they can get in on the action with salmon, cheese pizza, chicken, and meaty mac ‘n cheese.”
Centered at the back of the lobby is the Garden View Tea Room with its Perfectly Princess Tea Party, which is I suppose a steal at $275 for a parent and a princess. I will have to borrow a princess (and $275) and do this someday.
Back out through the main entrance and to the right by the Convention Center you will find the resort’s bus stop. To get there you pass these props…
…and depending on who’s marrying whom, may see this.
The bus stop has a monitor that indicates the next bus. On my visit, there was no $275 charge for this.
Back in the lobby, head upstairs, and you’ll find the monorail stop. The first stop from the Grand Floridian is the Magic Kingdom, but the resort is the last stop on the way back. The boat at the right of the MK entrance may present a faster trip from the park back to the resort if lines aren’t too long.
Also on the second floor of the main building you’ll find a bunch more shops–this one catering to the unclean.
At the back center of the second floor is the bar Mizner’s Lounge.
On the left is the stunning Victoria and Albert’s–some of the best dining you’ll ever enjoy.
From The easy Guide to Your First Walt Disney World Visit: “Victoria & Albert’s, boasting the AAA Five Diamond Award every year since 2000, is unlike any other restaurant at Disney World. With a seven-course menu that starts at $150 per person, it’s also the most expensive. The restaurant does not serve children under the age of ten in the main dining room and there is a strict dress code – Men must wear dinner jackets with dress pants or slacks and shoes. Ties are optional. Women may wear a cocktail dress, nice dress, dressy pant suit or a skirt with a blouse. The 18-table restaurant is otherwise equal parts intimate and opulent with reliably impeccable service from the inviting staff. Menus change daily, but Chef Hunnel reliably offers Australian Kobe style beef tenderloin, Holland white asparagus, braised oxtail, Imperial osetra caviar, and other fine ingredients. Desserts, overseen by the venerable Erich Herbitschek, are excellent. While expensive, Victoria & Albert’s may be the best value on property. Strongly consider the $65 wine pairings with seven healthy pours of fine wines perfectly paired to each selection. V&A’s is not for everyone, but for it doesn’t get any better than this for those celebrating something special.”
(Find even more details in this review)…
…and further back, Citricos, a two-credit signature dining venue.
From The easy Guide to Your First Walt Disney World Visit: “Citricos is Grand Floridian Resort’s best signature restaurant, serving inspired steak and seafood with a Mediterranean twist. Old World furnishings and mosaic-tiled floors invite guests into a restaurant that is just fancy enough that everyone feels welcome, yet an air of glamour and prestige permeates throughout. Shrimp, pork, and veal are done best here with seasonal changes that bring out the freshest flavors. Kids can choose from basics like cheese pizza and macaroni and cheese or go big with grilled Berkshire pork tenderloin or grilled steak.”
Downstairs, outside, and around the corner you’ll find one of the best counter-service venues in a deluxe resort, the Gasparilla Grill.
Gasparilla Grill has both indoor and outdoor seating, and the outdoor seating is popular during Wishes.
The marina is in this area as well.
There’s a dock from which you can take a boat to and from the Magic Kingdom and Polynesian Resort, pretty much at the far end of the property from the main building.
Near the boat dock is the remaining table service restaurant, the two-credit Narcoossee’s.
Among the three top dining options at the Grand Floridian–Narcoossee’s, Citricos, and Victoria and Albert’s–Narcoossee’s has the most familiar menu and the hardest name to spell.
From The easy Guide to Your First Walt Disney World Visit: “Disney’s most expensive signature restaurant is not its best in food quality, service, or ambiance. The windows and waterfront veranda do provide decent, albeit off-centered views of Magic Kingdom and Wishes, but it’s far less impressive than California Grill’s 15th floor observation deck. Food is generally on point, but the menu is far less innovative than Citricos, and it’s hard to justify a $70+ filet mignon/lobster tail combo when the beef isn’t even certified Choice. The atmosphere is otherwise bland at what Disney describes as an “elegant waterfront retreat” with basic wood furniture and standard wood floors.”
Outside Narcoossee’s and on the boat dock is another favorite spot for viewing Wishes. This shot is from the boat dock.
Between this area and the main building you’ll also find the principal pool at the Grand Floridian, the Courtyard Pool. It’s the only principal pool at Disney World not aimed at kids, and is marketed by Disney as “tranquil.”
There’s also a hot tub here…
…and a pool bar…
…with an extensive menu.
On the far east side of the resort is a more kid-friendly pool/water area. There’s a water play area…
…the Beach Pool with a slide (and another bar)…
…and a beach.
Movies are shown on the beach at night.
THE THEMING OF DISNEY’S GRAND FLORIDIAN RESORT
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2 Comments on "Review: Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Page 3"
Jane, personally I don’t think there’s that much else to see at GF that would take more than 30 minutes. However, you can hop the monorail and also tour the Contemporary and Polynesian in between.