The Living Dining and Kitchen Spaces at The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

By Dave Shute

(For the first page of this review of the Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian, click here.)

PHOTO TOUR OF THE KITCHEN/DINING/LIVING SPACES IN THE VILLAS AT THE GRAND FLORIDIAN

As you enter a One or Two-Bedroom Villa at the Grand Floridian, you’ll find the main living space dead ahead, and halls that lead to the master bath and second bedroom/studio connecting door on either side.

Here’s the main living space from the back of the living room.

As you pass from the entry into the kitchen/dining area, there will be a cabinet on your side.

Because of its positioning versus how the kitchen is laid out, this cabinet creates an area reminiscent of a butler’s pantry–a nice touch, and nice use of space. And for those in a lock-off two bedroom villa, it can be used to extend the storage space in the Studio that’s just down the hall.

The kitchen and dining area cover opposite corners of the same space, with a half-wall separating this area from the living room beyond.

This–along with the 14 feet 4 inch width of this bay–allows for both a nicely sized kitchen and a good sized seating area.  Note the OK amount of counter space and tons of storage, the lovely upper cabinets, and the higher-end appliances…

The fridge in particular with its lower drawers is smarter than I am…

…while still containing plenty of space in the upper portion for all the essentials.

If you are new to these DVC villas, they all come supplied with all core food preparation and serving items–ranging from silverware…

…to glasses, ovenware, measuring cups…

…pots and pans, utensils, and…

…all other cook’s essentials.

Although these villas are not that old, they are wearing quickly. Note the dings and stains on the cabinet door…

…and the dings,  rust and staining on the fridge.

The dining table is in the other corner of this space. This view is from the kitchen…

…and this from nearer the living room.

This table will easily seat six, and with slimmer-hipped children and another chair brought in from a desk elsewhere in the villa, could possibly seat several more–though elbows, and place settings, will be tight.

This is more seating capacity than at many DVC two-bedroom 8 person villas–and especially much more than at those at the Beach Club, BoardWalk Inn, Boulder Ridge at Wilderness Lodge, and Saratoga Springs.

On the other side of the dining area is the living room, with a sofa and chair on one side.

Here’s the same space from the other end. The armchair on the left is quite large, has a large ottoman–and note the two smaller ottomans near the half-wall on the right.

The chair and couch will seat 4 to 5 depending on hips, and the three ottomans another 3 to 4.

On the opposite side of the room, you’ll find the door to the master bedroom, and this TV atop an enormous thingy.

There’s no storage space in this thingy (I’ll come back to what is in it in a minute), and at first glance not much elsewhere in the room other than in this larger end table near the half wall…

…and this smaller end table on the balcony side.

But in fact both of the smaller ottomans can store stuff…

…and there’s also two large drawers built into the half wall, running beneath the dining  table seating on the other side.

What you won’t find in the space is a closet, but there’s a small closet in the hall that links this area to the master bath.

The sofa unfolds into a queen-sized bed with a cushion that’s about five inches thick.

The second sleeping spot in this area is a Murphy Bed that folds down from the thingy under the TV. I measured this as 72 inches by 32 inches, with 77 inches clear for feetsies between the framing elements. I measured the cushion as about 5.5 inches deep.  This bed was too short for my 71+ inches, but will be fine for someone 5′ 9″ or less.

Overall, this is a nicely livable space, and better suited than most other DVC villas for larger families.  Only Disney’s Riviera Resort is in the same class of livability, and only Old Key West is clearly superior for larger families.

THE MASTER BEDROOM AND BATH OF THE VILLAS AT THE GRAND FLORIDIAN

This review continues here!

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