I’ve had some of my best sleeps at the Grand Floridian...stayed there multiple times and every time was better than the last. Never even heard neighbors once.
@@happycanadianguy I have and it’s wonderful. They have a full room service menu that doesn’t take an hour and a half to be delivered, their transportation to and from the parks is better, the rooms are amazing, they have a full spa, they’re on a golf course, they have onsite child care, and they remember me every time I stay. I live in Orlando so we do several one night stays a year. We have stayed at every Deluxe resort and the Waldorf is our favorite. We love the Ritz and Four Seasons as well but they are a much higher price. I honestly hope people don’t discover this hotel so I can keep it all to myself. 😁
This is true but anyone that stays within Disney bubble stays at these hotels because your on property that’s what you pay for location location location 🤙 especially Floridian
I've heard the same complaint from more than one person that I know who have stayed there. I've never personally stayed there as it's not my aesthetic. I'm more of a Port Orleans French Quarter girl or Wilderness Lodge if I'm splurging.
I’ve stayed at the Grand Floridian a lot and never had issues with noise from other guests. However I tend to stay at the parks until closing so it’s possible that the other guests were asleep already haha. Yes the price is crazy but it’s just so beautiful and that to me is worth it (if I can splurge). Grand Destino tower was nice but loses a lot of points for me because you’re stuck with buses. Might as well stay at pop century for less and enjoy the Sky Liner. Anyway just my thoughts. (I’m not angry haha don’t want you to miss interpret my response lol. Just commenting)
We've always said: "The Grand Floridian… a five-star property with Mickey Mouse service!" Yes, to everything. We've stayed there very often over the decades because it's a monorail resort, a major convenience which the Four Seasons and Waldorf=Astoria on WDW property do not have. There have been many major lapses in service over the years. Things have been improved including the concierge lounge. Citrico's is also another favourite restaurant at the GFlo, and the Enchanted Rose has become popular with locals too. One can also save up to 40% or more by renting DVC points for their stay at the GFlo. Also, not happy that the GFlo Orchestra was eliminated after decades of service. BTW, Jen, I've heard the same noise issue about the Riviera Resort especially with the plumbing noises from the neighboring rooms. Who wants to hear their neighbor's toilet and shower? This all should have been insulated during construction.
Wait...What??? The Orchestra doesn't play anymore?? Since when? Oh my goodness! I love the live music AND you could make requests! and then I'd dance with my daughter to In The Mood. It's such fun. I can't believe the band isn't there anymore.
@@margaretd3710 Yes, the GFlo orchestra was fired last October 2020. So that my comment isn't censored, I won't be saying anything about CEO Bob Paycheck. /s
Those room prices are absolutely ridiculous. Shameful! They look like an old holiday inn room . I go to Universal more and stay at the Portofino which is a beautiful resort and pay about $350 a night with an express ride pass included for everyone in the room . It’s a beautiful property for sure but paying $750 for the Grand Floridian is crazy .
I am so sad that you have had that experience. We have never stayed in the regular rooms, we always stay in the Villas. I can absolutely say that staying in the villas was quiet and everything that you might hope it would be.
We stayed in a Ground Floor 2 BR, literally right next to the lobby. Room 1124, the very first room right off the lobby. We want this room every time! It was perfect. After a day at the park, nothing beat walking right in the back door, 15 steps, and being at your room. No long hallways, no elevators. It was the most convenient room we've ever stayed in. It was a standard view, but for the convenience, I would almost take it over a Lake View room. But, anyway, I only mention this, because we never noticed any noise at all. And, we were right next to the lobby. With the monorail running right outside our door multiple times an hour. When we were in our room, it was nothing but peace and quiet. The monorail was no more than 100 feet outside our back door, and mid-day naps were no problem at all. Wouldn't even have known it was running if it weren't for the kids joyfully screaming, "The monorail!" every 5 minutes. Haha.
We have always stayed at the Wilderness lodge. I’ve never had a complaint.its a very relaxing and pretty hotel. The rooms are smaller than other deluxe resorts, but you cannot hear anyone around you. Hearing everyone around you is the worst and probably my biggest pet peeve.Another plus to staying at the wilderness lodge, is taking the boat to the magic kingdom everyday. Great review.😀
I cannot tell you how much I APPRECIATE this review!!! My husband and I have always wanted to stay at the Grand & I’m so happy to hear that we’re not missing out on the best experience ever 😊
@@markjones5757 Nope, just an old guy who loves Disney and finds the GFV the best on Disney property. Guess that is what makes the world go around, everyone has an opinion and we have the right to disagree.
I had the same experience at Boardwalk in April. We could actually hear their entire conversations with out tv on .,I have to say it was very awkward at times.
We recently visited the GF and LOVED it. We visited post COVID so rooms were booked every other so we had no one in the room next to us, therefore it was very quite. It was not crowded at all. We relaxed by the pool with no problem finding empty chairs, quick jump on the monorail with zero wait time, and the hotel itself was just beautiful. We also enjoyed movie on the lawn and our night time walk from the park back to the hotel using their newly built walk path was refreshing and relaxing. We will go back in a heartbeat simply for the quick and easy access to the Disney park:) We also loved the games at the pool and activities they offered throughout the day for the kids. On top of all this, our Narcoossee's Restraunt experience was amazing. We sat at the bar and had the most personable service. Our server and food were top notch!!!
Thanks for sharing this honest review. The GF was our “go to” resort for close to 20 years, but I haven’t been back for over 8. The biggest reason is that it just does not live up to expectations any longer. I’ve hesitated to share that POV broadly because, like you, I do love the resort. But I got tired of paying a premium for an experience that I felt had deteriorated over the years. It is a beautiful resort and I will always visit for shopping or a meal, but it will take me a while before I am ready to commit there again.
Wait until the monorail is available for all the resorts. During the busiest times, we found the monorail to be completely full by the time it got to the Floridian. For what one pays, it was ridiculous to have to wait for 3-4 monorails.
Hi Jen: Love your videos. In early November this year (2022), we stayed in GF's Big Pine Key, the hotel building that was converted to DVC since you were there. Despite the conversion and the DVC cachet, we were frankly stunned to hear a dawn chorus of flushing toilets each morning. I checked ours and discovered that Disney has installed a pressurized bladder in the toilet tank, which probably helps to avoid clogs and calls to Maintenance, but it also means the toilet sounds like one in an airplane.
We stayed at Grand Floridian Villa’s. I would never stay there again. Refrigerator ice maker was broken. They put a plastic ice cube tray in freezer that was all cracked. We were in a one bedroom. They had area rug in living room. My slipper got caught on rug. I fell and split my lip, broke my nose and chipped a bone in my knee cap.
Jen, I agree 200 percent. At such a pricey hotel, absolute silence is a must. I asked an architect if it's possible to soundproof hotels, apartments etc. He said it is, but many are too cheap to do it, it's expensive. Shame on Disney for this hotel. Very helpful info.!
I have heard that and the reviews for both are a very stark contrast indeed!! Since my horrible experience there(not on the dvc side) I’ve suggested everyone who wants to try it stays on the DVC side, renting points can many times make it a bit cheaper than the regular side anyway
Guard at the gate, and the valet out front at 6:30 am when we arrived spoke like they were stoned.The room where our tub reminded us of a bathroom in a cheap hotel. room. Never in all our trips have we been grateful to be leaving at check out at a Disney hotel until this stay.
We stayed at the GF about 10 years ago as a splurge (my dad had passed away, and we wanted to make the trip special for my mom), and I guess the rooms were much newer and fresher than they are now. I honestly don't remember a problem with noise, but at the time Gasparilla Grille was tiny and had very little seating. We enjoyed our stay, and my mother loved her room, but unless I could get a room in the main building or closer to it, I would not be in a hurry to go back.
@@genxkay358 yes. It was quite a walk from the building we were staying in to the GF restaurants and monorail station. It made things difficult for my mother in particular.
My wife/daughter and I are planning a trip to D World in May 2023. We are discussing possibly staying at the Grand Floridian, so I appreciate the honest review. Our usual stay is at Coronado Springs, so we need to try new resorts.
Thanks for that Jen! I like quiet too, and even though I've only stayed at Port Orleans and French Quarter, I never had a noise issue once and I was on the main floor! Planning my next Disney adventure as we speak! Hugs to you!
Omg I can’t thank you enough for this review! My parents and I were thinking of trying the GF, but thank god for this info. Especially since we are Canadians and need to pay for the exchange rate on top of the deluxe price. We have booked at Coronado Springs for our March 2022 trip.
Dont pay attention to this review .It is hands down the best hotel Secret to Grand Flo is spending less days but see and do way more in the parks Alot of perks at Grand Flo
@@katevalentine7075 Have you read the other comments? I assure you I have no agenda. I have literally no reason to make something up that didn't happen. Thanks for watching! I'm so glad your experience there has been good!
Love how honest you are Jen! To be honest grand Floridian isn’t in our price range but we are thinking of staying at Coronado Springs next time so I am feeling good about that having watched your last 2 videos!
Stayed at GF, Coronado Springs Gran Destino Tower, and Saratoga Springs during our honeymoon, and I have to agree with Jen. GF was beautiful, but not worth it. We will visit GF for food/grounds in the future, but not likely to sleep. The noise from the boats too was a bit obnoxious. Coronado was our favorite overall, and we loved SSR too and want to stay at either again in the future. We'd like to try Poly & Contemporary someday.
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I stayed at the Grand Floridian in concierge level (Sugarloaf) back in 2002. At the time, I owned a travel agency and got a VERY low travel agent rate. I didn't notice the noise issue - but I don't think that anyone was staying around us. At that time, they had trouble filling rooms, which is why I got one for CHEAP.
I stayed there right before the last refurb and was disappointed. There were old crackers on the floor when I move the curtain to go onto the balcony and everything was very banged up. Neither should happen in a hotel that expensive. Fyi, I had a similar noise experience at Wilderness Lodge. Walls too thin.
Hey Jen 🤗 I really appreciate your honesty. I heard people say about the hotel room feeling tired and needing updating but I haven’t heard about the paper thin walls. As a very light sleeper it’s good to know! Thank you 🥰 xxx
This was interesting to hear.. This was a bucket list stay for me at the end of 2018. I paid the exorbitant holiday rate to stay and felt very similar... Amazing lobby, grounds and restaurants. Great location but the room was not impressive. The pool was packed and never a place for me to lay out the entire time I was there.. But mostly I just didn’t feel I had that special immersive experience of AKL or WL. It felt almost like a Grand Wyndham really....For me GF is now checked off and I won’t be back to stay in the rooms..only for the restaurants or spa..but I can’t wait to stay at AKL or WL again.
I have stayed at Disney’s All Star Resorts where the smoking outside the room was so bad at night I woke up checking if my room was on fire.And the slamming of doors was unbelievable
100% agree! After a long day at the park, there is nothing worse than not being able to get a comfortable night of sleep because of thin walls! Great video!
Love the honest feedback and it fits with other reviews I've read. I expect I'll stick with my usual: visit GF and enjoy a meal and wander, then go back to stay elsewhere 😉
The biggest problem I find with the GF is the lack of a lap pool, adult pool, quiet pool. They built a DVC and a convention area without adding another pool, hence crowded pools.
We stayed at the Yacht Club the second week in May. A few days before our trip we got a call offering to “upgrade “ us to the Grand Floridian for no charge. We passed as we wanted to be able to walk to Epcot. Appears we made the right choice. 😄
We had this same experience at Wilderness Lodge. Walking down the hallway, we could hear everyone's conversations in the morning as all the families were getting ready for the day, with their doors closed. We also got to hear, clear as a whistle, our neighbors having "private time" 😳 We stayed on the new DVC side more recently, and did not have this issue
Thank you for your honest opinion I stayed there for my 40th birthday and I had waited 40 years to stay there and I was so disappointed it just was not what I expected it to be paper thin walls the plumbing is so old takes forever to flush the toilet and they get water pressure in the shower or sink so not worth the money
The DVC Villas are very quiet. The rooms are beautiful! With that said I have never stayed in the regular hotel part and won’t after hearing your review. The rooms do look very tired and run down.
The problem with these rooms changing to hard surface floors (Hardwood) is the sound in the rooms will not be absorbed. Sounds will be louder in all resort locations.
I'm a new subscriber and love your honest feedback. I have stayed at almost every Disney World resort but not GF. I'll continue stopping by for dining and shopping but will stay at other resorts. After a busy day in the parks, I appreciate quiet time in my room.
This is so good to know; thanks, Jen! I’d be much more inclined to stay at the Poly, AKL, or even Beach Club if I’m gonna go deluxe, but now I know to warn my friends too!
Hi Jen, Love your honest opinion. It’s been several years since our last stay at GF and I agree those rooms are in need of an update. I believe with the price of these room Disney absolutely should be staying on top of this resort always giving guest the best Disney has to offer. My family actually is a “Yacht Club” family. Updated rooms with hardwood floors (so agree lol). Also EPCOT is our favorite park so as you said location, location, location. Truthfully this October we booked for the “Grand Destino Towers” and so looking forward to it. We are worried about the buses but as you said if we find the wait is just too long “hello cute little Minnie Vans” but I think Disney should be watching the bus wait times & add more if guest are waiting longer than the 15-20 mins they state on their web site. We wanted to try somewhere new because in December 2019 our last Disney trip. Our normal 10 minute walk & entrance to EPCOT is now 40 mins because of all the people now being dropped off at the back entrance & there is no other choice for Yacht & Beach, Board Walk or Swan & Dolphin to access EPCOT.
I enjoyed this video! It made me feel like I’m not alone in some of my thoughts on the GF! I stayed there in April 2021 and was a little let down. We had a 5th floor dormer room and it felt smaller but sort of castle vibes with the vaulted ceilings. The balcony was also smaller than the lower level rooms. We had issues with the shower and lights around the bathroom. I think my Disney dreaming self doesn’t want to admit that it was dated and not worth the price, but I really think that. Thanks for the video!!
I felt the same way about the Disneyland hotel 😬 I’ve stayed at tons of cheap hotels and never been somewhere so noisy. Slept horribly with a baby crying for an hour next door
The Contemporary has modular rooms, so essentially you have a double wall between rooms. Can' hear the lobby noise, can't hear the monorails. Very nice. New theming is almost tacky, and honestly feels lazy, but it is quiet.
Well, Disney is pricing the entire middle class out of their parks. I planned to take a vacation there a little under two years ago. The prices were so steeeeeep that I cancelled everything and waited until January. I asked Universal Orlando for any "off-season" specials. Their hotels were $90 cheaper for 3 days than if I had gone in October or December. I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected and the food in CityWalk is every bit as good as what's in Disney Springs.
Like the other person said Universal is less expensive. We stay at Portofino Bay or Royal Pacific and love them. You get fast passes and one hour earlier entry into parks. Citywalk is great. You can always take an Uber over to Disney if you wish.
Thanks for the honest review! I think that's why I prefer hearing reviews from Disney's fans who are not afraid to point out the negatives vs the Disney fans who are just apologists.
The GF grounds, Lobby & restaurants are beautiful, however you can experience that without paying all the money with rundown rooms. It’s like the facades they use in the parks. Looks great from the outside, but behind the fancy walls it’s a let down lol. Wouldn’t stay there again. Poly / Wilderness / Yacht are my favourites now.
Thanks for the heads-up! We stayed at Bay Lake Towers the last time we were there and we were so disappointed. It certainly didn't have that wow factor. Next time we'll go back to our home resort, Saratoga Springs.
We stayed at the GF in a DVC unit about 5 years ago and we didn’t notice this issue. Since that stay we have moved here to Orlando, and after spending much time at many other Disney resorts, if I ever move away, when I come back I will only stay at the Riviera Resort. It’s spectacular in every way, and since we are primarily Epcot and Hollywood Studios people...the skyliner access is wonderful. We used to own DVC with Beach Club as our home resort...which was great when our kids were little...but now that they are grown, I don’t think I’d stay there again either.
Wow Jen. I can't believe the walls are so thin there! I still think Coronado Gran Destino Tower is my next resort choice. After seeing your video on it I am intrigued.
Thank you for such an honest review! With 2 littles I’m always hyper conscious of our hotel room noise level so we’ll definitely be sticking to our other go to resorts.
Funny story, but when the boys were young my least stressful WDW vacation was the year we stayed in the cabins at Ft. Wilderness! No walls to share, didn't have to yell at them to not run and jump, and I felt they could be their own free-range selves. I get this.
Thanks for your honest comments. We stayed there about 5 years ago in Boca Chica, and were disappointed to find the thin walls did disturb us a lot. Not from guests, but the staff had a "meeting place" close by and were very loud. Also we were quite shaken when we discovered that the patio door had been left open behind the heavy drapes by someone, and we didn't notice until day 2. I questioned my decision to spend so much money on a mediocre room, and agree that I will not return to this hotel. Too bad, really.
Jen, look forward on your review of Riviera. Do you know when you will be staying at the Riviera? Thank you for your review on the GF. Always enjoy watching your videos.
I have no plans to stay there any time this year but maybe in 2022? I don’t own there and can’t use our resale points there and paying cash it’s out of my comfort zone. So unless I can get a really great discount, might not be very soon.
I more or less grew up in the Grand Floridian in the 90s and early 2000s. We always stayed in the main building (typically 3rd floor) with concierge. I don't remember ever having noise problems, but then again, it was the main building and the rooms in the 90s/00s were not nearly as expensive as they are now. Maybe the problems were because you were in one of the lodge buildings? Nevertheless, paper-thin walls are never good, and I have seen over the past three decades that the quality of the Grand Floridian has gone downhill. Sad times.
Hi Jen, Just watched your channel for the first time. Great content. My fam and I stayed at the GF years ago with a Disney Wonder Land as Sea. The Sea part was great. The GF stay not so great. The TV did not work in the room, water condensate leaking from air air conditioner leaked on us in the middle of the night. Now, the hotel is great, and of course, we were very fortunate to stay there, however, like you, I am just indicating our experience. I cannot remember the sound issue. We were in a remote building area a distance from the main lobby. Which is another thing we did not like. We have stayed at other Disney hotels and the GF was by far the lowest rated one of them all. Thanks again!
Hi Jen, I appreciate that you share what you experienced at the GF and give us information that will help us choose a resort when we go. They are all so expensive and i love honest input. We stayed at a 2 bedroom GF villa and did not experience any noise from our neighbors - not from the hallway nor bedroom walls. they were built at a different time and i guess they added more sound proofing. Let's hope they will address that issue when they convert the existing cash hotel building to more DVC studios. Love your channel!
Thanks for this helpful review Jen! I was going to consider this a hotel as a good place for my friends, Family, and I to stay in for several days when we go to Disney world next year, but because of this review, you persuaded me to look at other Disney resorts in the future. Thanks again and have a blessed one! 😃👍
I had a similar experience at the Polynesian, as far as room quality! I thought it was dark, dingy and dated! Of course, they updated two months after staying there, but it was disappointing and I don’t think I should’ve paid what I did for that room.
We've stayed at the GF quite a few times and haven't had the issue you did, paper thin walls, but I'm sure that did happen to you. I wonder if it depends on the building you're in?? We're headed back in October 2024, so I'll let you know if we have that problem. Thanks for the honest review!
So sorry to hear of your experience. I've never had this problem on the villas side. I wonder if the noise was coming through a shared vent or something?
We just stayed there and the room was completely dirty. I have 20 + photos of food on the floor left by previous guests, stains and dirty marks (dried on food) all over the sofa. Also a pile of flies in the corner of the room. The room was extremely tired, marked and in need of a total refurb. They are moving building by building to refurb but I would advise anyone to forget about staying the Grand until at least late 2023. 3 restaurants were also closed for refurbishment including Narcoosees and 1900 Park Fare. Grand Floridian Cafe was also terrible service and Citricos served pulled faces after getting a $20 tip, expected a bar of gold or something for taking our order and pouring two glasses of water. This stay we have stayed in Galactic Starcruiser (which was by far the best - what an incredible experience and food, service etc.) we stayed in Contemporary (much better and updated rooms than Grand) and also Animal Kingdom Lodge - new decent rooms, especially the Savanah view rooms.
The only Deluxe we ever did was Yacht Club and we were upgraded due to mold in the bathroom at Pop Century. We now stay at Shades of Green which is a quick hop & jump to the Polynesian. Grand Floridian is my favorite sit down on a hot day on my way back to Shades from MK. We only stay at Disney resorts unless we can’t get into Shades. We will never turn our back on our new resort and same perks of on property basically.
Hi Jen! First, I just want to say this is the first video I’ve seen of yours and I really enjoyed it! I think you’re super great and I subscribed right away. Can’t wait to watch more of your videos. Second, we are DVC members and the GF is the only DVC property we haven’t stayed at yet mainly bc my husband thinks it’s too stuffy and it costs too many points. I however feel like we can’t leave that stone unturned… So that brings me to my third and final thing, are you saying the paper thin walls are not an issue in the DVC rooms to your knowledge? Are those buildings newer like Bay Lake Tower for example?
I am so surprised it was so loud. That alone would not make me want to stay at the Grand. However, it's good to try out different resorts to see which you like. I think there are better options for DVC resorts.
The DVC resort portion of this resort doesn't have the noise problem from what I've experienced. I think it's probably cuz it's newer, not sure what the rooms they are refurbing to be studios will be like though...
Thank you for your honest review!! I would be extremely upset if I payed that much to hear my neighbors. If I want to "share" a room with strangers I will stay in a hostel!
Thank you for your honesty! The bed and the noise is a huge deal to us - this is why we will never stay at Hard Rock again no matter how nice the rest of the hotel is. I have thought, based on other people's videos, that GF is not worth the money, not until they do some room updates, and especially now that I hear it was loud, real bummer! Thanks again!
We stayed at both Wilderness Lodge (Copper Creek side) and Old Key West at the start of June. The only time I heard the neighbors was when we were on the balcony of WL. I didn't hang out on the balcony of OKW because it just faced a bunch of trees and didn't seem very inviting. We never heard anyone walking down the hall or on either side (and there were neighbors on both sides of our room). On a side note: I hope they fix the sound issues when they convert the rooms to DVC studios. I would like to stay there once but the only things on our bucket list, for now, is Poly for the wife and BLT for me.
I’d only stay here on rented dvc points. No hotel on property worth $750. We’ve stayed at 6-7 Disney hotels and everyone we could here the neighbors at some point during our stay. Now, there are so many houses, condos and hotels off property that are so much nicer and cheaper. Our friends rented a 6 bedroom house with pool for $900/week built two years ago and 20 minute drive to the parks. Btw, CS is our favorite resort all time
We stayed at the Grand Floridian a couple of years ago. Our son was participating in the Disney College Program, so we got great rates and other discounts. Our room was on the ground floor overlooking the little boat dock. We could see the castle and fireworks from our patio. I missed not having a ceiling fan in our room to help with the humidity. If we go again, we would like to stay at the Poly.
I was very surprised to hear that your complaint was about noise at The Grand Floridian. I’ve stayed there 4 times with castle view and have never even heard our neighbors anytime. On the flip side, it was almost hauntingly quiet. Best place on property for a magical experience every time and you can not beat the hospitality.
Totally agree about the walls. They say if you stay in the main building, you can hear the Orchestra and Piano! I think that would get annoying after a while! But great video Jen!
Thank you for confirming my opinion that it wasn’t just that room - we thought about asking to be moved but we’re fairly certain we would have had the same situation and the hotel was fully booked!
We just stayed at GF last month. It was so strange not getting the room service! The room got to be disgusting with room service food never being tidied up and my 3 year old peed his sheets unbeknownst to us, till the next night we spotted yellow sheets. Uhm...had no idea housekeeping was not changing the sheets. Haha! Also the bathroom smelled so strongly of swamp water. My kids hated having baths in there. The whole bathroom reeked. So unfortunate.
Oh Jen, I'm so sorry you guys experienced that at GF! When we stayed we didn't have any issues with noise, but then again, we stayed in March so it was probably a lot quieter back then. Gran Destino is beautiful and great for the price! It would be perfect if it connected to the Skyliner or monorail.
Thank you for this honest review! The noise would have bothered me too! This is one of the hotels we haven’t stayed in yet and I’m thinking we just might skip it.
We stayed at a DVC studio for the first time with my boys and husband and LOVED it!!! Best customer service as soon as we walked in and we have stayed at a lot of the Disney resorts.. as soon as we walked in we were treated like royalty and spoiled so much snd I personally think it’s so so beautiful! My three and six year old boys LOVED it! Definitely very family friendly.
I agree with you. Paper thin walls are a deal breaker for me. We stayed at yacht club and it was so quiet and the rooms were new. Thanks for the review.
Yep, for the first time ever, we stayed at the Polynesian over Spring Break! Excited until we slept on the beds. It wasn't just me, but NO ONE in my family could sleep on those beds. They were like boards for us. A good night sleep is crucial for a Disney vacation. Maybe during the renovation this will be fixed, but we said NO. Never again.
the beds in the DVC also stunk! and literally the rooms smelled like stank. could hear neighbors and hall noise was the worst. Add that the hot water didnt work 2x on us and the maintenance guy said " Oh this has been a problem for long time the boilers are under the building and so old that they trip constantly. Yeah no thanks! We got the Heck outta there. One more, I like a balcony where I can sit and enjoy a view... as soon as I sat down I was staring into those wide brown dark old railings. I didnt have that problem at CCV, BRV, AKV, BLT, BCV, or BWV.
@@jenny71WDW Wow. I think I'll keep our reservation (it's the only DVC other than Riviera we haven't stayed at) but I will be oN THE LOOKOUT for issues! I appreciate the heads up! Also we have a lake view so I BETTER NOT have a bad view!
@@JenLefforge my guess is most people will need to stand up to look at the view! Sitting down in those awful chairs, and wide brown balcony slats puts you at a position you cant see anything! The remodel was like they put lipstick on a pig. Wishing you a better stay!!!!
Thanks Jen! I know if im paying more than my rent per night, id hope to be able to sleep! Could you imagine if the neighbors snored?? 😂
It's true though . . .
Can you imagine if they were on their honeymoon!
I’ve had some of my best sleeps at the Grand Floridian...stayed there multiple times and every time was better than the last. Never even heard neighbors once.
You can stay at the Waldorf, a true 5 star hotel, for 1/3 the price of GF.
You could, but people don't, which is why it costs what it costs
@@happycanadianguy I have and it’s wonderful. They have a full room service menu that doesn’t take an hour and a half to be delivered, their transportation to and from the parks is better, the rooms are amazing, they have a full spa, they’re on a golf course, they have onsite child care, and they remember me every time I stay. I live in Orlando so we do several one night stays a year. We have stayed at every Deluxe resort and the Waldorf is our favorite. We love the Ritz and Four Seasons as well but they are a much higher price. I honestly hope people don’t discover this hotel so I can keep it all to myself. 😁
@@katielemos8590 you’ve sold me on it.
This is true but anyone that stays within Disney bubble stays at these hotels because your on property that’s what you pay for location location location 🤙 especially Floridian
@@uik99 exactly. You can have a mansion in Alabama but most will chose the penthouse in Beverly hills. Its all about location.
I like hearing the positives and negatives about a place to make an informed decision. Frankly, for that price, I would expect exceptional.
I've heard the same complaint from more than one person that I know who have stayed there. I've never personally stayed there as it's not my aesthetic. I'm more of a Port Orleans French Quarter girl or Wilderness Lodge if I'm splurging.
Same here Heather.
I would never ever choose to stay at the Grand.
Same here....loved Port Orleans Riverside when we stayed there 7 years ago. We're now DVC and Copper Creek is our Home. Fabulous!!!!
I’ve stayed at the Grand Floridian a lot and never had issues with noise from other guests. However I tend to stay at the parks until closing so it’s possible that the other guests were asleep already haha. Yes the price is crazy but it’s just so beautiful and that to me is worth it (if I can splurge). Grand Destino tower was nice but loses a lot of points for me because you’re stuck with buses. Might as well stay at pop century for less and enjoy the Sky Liner. Anyway just my thoughts. (I’m not angry haha don’t want you to miss interpret my response lol. Just commenting)
We've always said: "The Grand Floridian… a five-star property with Mickey Mouse service!"
Yes, to everything. We've stayed there very often over the decades because it's a monorail resort, a major convenience which the Four Seasons and Waldorf=Astoria on WDW property do not have. There have been many major lapses in service over the years. Things have been improved including the concierge lounge. Citrico's is also another favourite restaurant at the GFlo, and the Enchanted Rose has become popular with locals too. One can also save up to 40% or more by renting DVC points for their stay at the GFlo. Also, not happy that the GFlo Orchestra was eliminated after decades of service. BTW, Jen, I've heard the same noise issue about the Riviera Resort especially with the plumbing noises from the neighboring rooms. Who wants to hear their neighbor's toilet and shower? This all should have been insulated during construction.
Wait...What??? The Orchestra doesn't play anymore?? Since when? Oh my goodness! I love the live music AND you could make requests! and then I'd dance with my daughter to In The Mood. It's such fun. I can't believe the band isn't there anymore.
@@margaretd3710 Yes, the GFlo orchestra was fired last October 2020. So that my comment isn't censored, I won't be saying anything about CEO Bob Paycheck. /s
Those room prices are absolutely ridiculous. Shameful! They look like an old holiday inn room . I go to Universal more and stay at the Portofino which is a beautiful resort and pay about $350 a night with an express ride pass included for everyone in the room . It’s a beautiful property for sure but paying $750 for the Grand Floridian is crazy .
Yep! The Portofino Bay is my favorite resort
@@kimberlylangston4595 Ditto!
I am so sad that you have had that experience. We have never stayed in the regular rooms, we always stay in the Villas. I can absolutely say that staying in the villas was quiet and everything that you might hope it would be.
I recommend staying at the GF villas before ruling out the DVC add-on. Had no sound issues whatsoever when we stayed in the DVC building.
I was wondering if this was the case.
I agree. Never had that problem on the dvc side. I've never stayed on the hotel side
Agree! We didn’t have that experience at the Villas!
same for us, We stayed at the villas this past January and truly thought no one was anywhere around us.
We stayed in a Ground Floor 2 BR, literally right next to the lobby. Room 1124, the very first room right off the lobby. We want this room every time! It was perfect. After a day at the park, nothing beat walking right in the back door, 15 steps, and being at your room. No long hallways, no elevators. It was the most convenient room we've ever stayed in. It was a standard view, but for the convenience, I would almost take it over a Lake View room.
But, anyway, I only mention this, because we never noticed any noise at all. And, we were right next to the lobby. With the monorail running right outside our door multiple times an hour. When we were in our room, it was nothing but peace and quiet. The monorail was no more than 100 feet outside our back door, and mid-day naps were no problem at all. Wouldn't even have known it was running if it weren't for the kids joyfully screaming, "The monorail!" every 5 minutes. Haha.
We have always stayed at the Wilderness lodge. I’ve never had a complaint.its a very relaxing and pretty hotel. The rooms are smaller than other deluxe resorts, but you cannot hear anyone around you. Hearing everyone around you is the worst and probably my biggest pet peeve.Another plus to staying at the wilderness lodge, is taking the boat to the magic kingdom everyday. Great review.😀
we also love WL!! Both Brv and Ccv and we have had quiet and amazing stays! We now own dvc at BRV!
I cannot tell you how much I APPRECIATE this review!!! My husband and I have always wanted to stay at the Grand & I’m so happy to hear that we’re not missing out on the best experience ever 😊
Cara, truly, you are NOT. Glad I could help save you some money! LOL
Unfortunately you are missing out on a "Grand" experience.
@@duwaynegunn1158 Let me guess...You work for Disney?
@@markjones5757 Nope, just an old guy who loves Disney and finds the GFV the best on Disney property. Guess that is what makes the world go around, everyone has an opinion and we have the right to disagree.
@@duwaynegunn1158 I also Love Disney (I love Universal a lot more) Sir. You're right, every has an opinion and that's absolutely fine.
I had the same experience at Boardwalk in April. We could actually hear their entire conversations with out tv on .,I have to say it was very awkward at times.
Oh Dear Lord just NO.
We recently visited the GF and LOVED it. We visited post COVID so rooms were booked every other so we had no one in the room next to us, therefore it was very quite. It was not crowded at all. We relaxed by the pool with no problem finding empty chairs, quick jump on the monorail with zero wait time, and the hotel itself was just beautiful. We also enjoyed movie on the lawn and our night time walk from the park back to the hotel using their newly built walk path was refreshing and relaxing. We will go back in a heartbeat simply for the quick and easy access to the Disney park:) We also loved the games at the pool and activities they offered throughout the day for the kids. On top of all this, our Narcoossee's Restraunt experience was amazing. We sat at the bar and had the most personable service. Our server and food were top notch!!!
Thanks for sharing this honest review. The GF was our “go to” resort for close to 20 years, but I haven’t been back for over 8. The biggest reason is that it just does not live up to expectations any longer. I’ve hesitated to share that POV broadly because, like you, I do love the resort. But I got tired of paying a premium for an experience that I felt had deteriorated over the years. It is a beautiful resort and I will always visit for shopping or a meal, but it will take me a while before I am ready to commit there again.
Wait until the monorail is available for all the resorts. During the busiest times, we found the monorail to be completely full by the time it got to the Floridian. For what one pays, it was ridiculous to have to wait for 3-4 monorails.
That’s crazy! We have stayed there twice and never had a problem with the noise. Sorry that happened to you but glad you had a good time.
Stayed there 4 times and never once had a noice issue!
great review! Paper-thin walls are a deal-breaker for me, too!
Hi Jen: Love your videos. In early November this year (2022), we stayed in GF's Big Pine Key, the hotel building that was converted to DVC since you were there. Despite the conversion and the DVC cachet, we were frankly stunned to hear a dawn chorus of flushing toilets each morning. I checked ours and discovered that Disney has installed a pressurized bladder in the toilet tank, which probably helps to avoid clogs and calls to Maintenance, but it also means the toilet sounds like one in an airplane.
We stayed at Grand Floridian Villa’s. I would never stay there again. Refrigerator ice maker was broken. They put a plastic ice cube tray in freezer that was all cracked. We were in a one bedroom. They had area rug in living room. My slipper got caught on rug. I fell and split my lip, broke my nose and chipped a bone in my knee cap.
Wow, that would be miserable!
Jen, I agree 200 percent. At such a pricey hotel, absolute silence is a must. I asked an architect if it's possible to soundproof hotels, apartments etc. He said it is, but many are too cheap to do it, it's expensive. Shame on Disney for this hotel. Very helpful info.!
They did it at Coronado Springs!
@@JenLefforge Exactly! So there's no excuse for not doing it elsewhere.
The DVC side of GF is much better than the hotel side.
I have heard that and the reviews for both are a very stark contrast indeed!! Since my horrible experience there(not on the dvc side) I’ve suggested everyone who wants to try it stays on the DVC side, renting points can many times make it a bit cheaper than the regular side anyway
Guard at the gate, and the valet out front at 6:30 am when we arrived spoke like they were stoned.The room where our tub reminded us of a bathroom in a cheap hotel. room. Never in all our trips have we been grateful to be leaving at check out at a Disney hotel until this stay.
Yea this place is a joke so overrated and a total scam job for the money. People are stupid
I so appreciate this honest review.
We stayed at the GF about 10 years ago as a splurge (my dad had passed away, and we wanted to make the trip special for my mom), and I guess the rooms were much newer and fresher than they are now. I honestly don't remember a problem with noise, but at the time Gasparilla Grille was tiny and had very little seating. We enjoyed our stay, and my mother loved her room, but unless I could get a room in the main building or closer to it, I would not be in a hurry to go back.
@@genxkay358 yes. It was quite a walk from the building we were staying in to the GF restaurants and monorail station. It made things difficult for my mother in particular.
So glad you mentioned this! I'm so curious if the DVC villas have better sound-proofing.
My wife/daughter and I are planning a trip to D World in May 2023. We are discussing possibly staying at the Grand Floridian, so I appreciate the honest review. Our usual stay is at Coronado Springs, so we need to try new resorts.
Thank you for sharing; it's very honest and you did not come off as a complainer, but rather as a valuable sharer. Much appreciated!
That's a very kind comment, thank you!
I have heard this complaint for years. I am sad because I always wanted to stay there. Sleep is very important whilst Disney vacationing
Thanks for that Jen! I like quiet too, and even though I've only stayed at Port Orleans and French Quarter, I never had a noise issue once and I was on the main floor! Planning my next Disney adventure as we speak! Hugs to you!
Omg I can’t thank you enough for this review! My parents and I were thinking of trying the GF, but thank god for this info. Especially since we are Canadians and need to pay for the exchange rate on top of the deluxe price. We have booked at Coronado Springs for our March 2022 trip.
We stayed at Coronado Springs in 2019 and loved it!
The restaurant on the lake and the bar terrace overlooking the fireworks were great!
😊
Dont pay attention to this review .It is hands down the best hotel
Secret to Grand Flo is spending less days but see and do way more in the parks
Alot of perks at Grand Flo
Stay there alot and you dont hear anything .She must have some agenda here
@@katevalentine7075 Have you read the other comments? I assure you I have no agenda. I have literally no reason to make something up that didn't happen. Thanks for watching! I'm so glad your experience there has been good!
I completely agree with you on the paper thin walls
Love how honest you are Jen! To be honest grand Floridian isn’t in our price range but we are thinking of staying at Coronado Springs next time so I am feeling good about that having watched your last 2 videos!
Coronado Springs is one of my fav resort. Rooms are a great size, pool is great. Would stay there again!
Stayed at GF, Coronado Springs Gran Destino Tower, and Saratoga Springs during our honeymoon, and I have to agree with Jen. GF was beautiful, but not worth it. We will visit GF for food/grounds in the future, but not likely to sleep. The noise from the boats too was a bit obnoxious. Coronado was our favorite overall, and we loved SSR too and want to stay at either again in the future. We'd like to try Poly & Contemporary someday.
I stayed at the Grand Floridian in concierge level (Sugarloaf) back in 2002. At the time, I owned a travel agency and got a VERY low travel agent rate. I didn't notice the noise issue - but I don't think that anyone was staying around us. At that time, they had trouble filling rooms, which is why I got one for CHEAP.
YES the hotel was packed and I have no doubt that had a lot to do with it! I mean, Aimee, it was WILD.
@@JenLefforge As much as I miss Disney, I just can't see going now based on everything that I've heard.
I stayed there right before the last refurb and was disappointed. There were old crackers on the floor when I move the curtain to go onto the balcony and everything was very banged up. Neither should happen in a hotel that expensive. Fyi, I had a similar noise experience at Wilderness Lodge. Walls too thin.
Hey Jen 🤗 I really appreciate your honesty. I heard people say about the hotel room feeling tired and needing updating but I haven’t heard about the paper thin walls. As a very light sleeper it’s good to know! Thank you 🥰 xxx
This was interesting to hear.. This was a bucket list stay for me at the end of 2018. I paid the exorbitant holiday rate to stay and felt very similar... Amazing lobby, grounds and restaurants. Great location but the room was not impressive. The pool was packed and never a place for me to lay out the entire time I was there.. But mostly I just didn’t feel I had that special immersive experience of AKL or WL. It felt almost like a Grand Wyndham really....For me GF is now checked off and I won’t be back to stay in the rooms..only for the restaurants or spa..but I can’t wait to stay at AKL or WL again.
I have stayed at Disney’s All Star Resorts where the smoking outside the room was so bad at night I woke up checking if my room was on fire.And the slamming of doors was unbelievable
You truly are one of the best TH-camrs out there. Thank you for your honesty and transparency. It is so appreciated! 😌
LeeAnn, THANK YOU for that. I'm not all sunshine and roses but I can promise you I will ALWAYS shoot straight with you all!
100% agree! After a long day at the park, there is nothing worse than not being able to get a comfortable night of sleep because of thin walls! Great video!
Thank you for your honesty. We appreciate you looking out for people who save and save for big experiences like staying at GF.
Love the honest feedback and it fits with other reviews I've read. I expect I'll stick with my usual: visit GF and enjoy a meal and wander, then go back to stay elsewhere 😉
Wise choice, Carly! Thanks for watching!
Gift shopping at other hotels is fun to me.
Finally! Someone Finally made a true video about the Grand Floridian!! 🙌
Thanks, Mark!
I agree the place sucks.
The biggest problem I find with the GF is the lack of a lap pool, adult pool, quiet pool. They built a DVC and a convention area without adding another pool, hence crowded pools.
We stayed at the Yacht Club the second week in May. A few days before our trip we got a call offering to “upgrade “ us to the Grand Floridian for no charge. We passed as we wanted to be able to walk to Epcot. Appears we made the right choice. 😄
The Grand Floridian is my family’s favorite. We always stay there.
We had this same experience at Wilderness Lodge. Walking down the hallway, we could hear everyone's conversations in the morning as all the families were getting ready for the day, with their doors closed. We also got to hear, clear as a whistle, our neighbors having "private time" 😳
We stayed on the new DVC side more recently, and did not have this issue
Thank you for your honest opinion I stayed there for my 40th birthday and I had waited 40 years to stay there and I was so disappointed it just was not what I expected it to be paper thin walls the plumbing is so old takes forever to flush the toilet and they get water pressure in the shower or sink so not worth the money
The DVC Villas are very quiet. The rooms are beautiful! With that said I have never stayed in the regular hotel part and won’t after hearing your review. The rooms do look very tired and run down.
Agreed. We didn't want to love VGF as much as we did ($$). VGF blew us away on every level.
The problem with these rooms changing to hard surface floors (Hardwood) is the sound in the rooms will not be absorbed. Sounds will be louder in all resort locations.
I'm a new subscriber and love your honest feedback. I have stayed at almost every Disney World resort but not GF. I'll continue stopping by for dining and shopping but will stay at other resorts. After a busy day in the parks, I appreciate quiet time in my room.
This is so good to know; thanks, Jen! I’d be much more inclined to stay at the Poly, AKL, or even Beach Club if I’m gonna go deluxe, but now I know to warn my friends too!
Hi Jen,
Love your honest opinion. It’s been several years since our last stay at GF and I agree those rooms are in need of an update. I believe with the price of these room Disney absolutely should be staying on top of this resort always giving guest the best Disney has to offer. My family actually is a “Yacht Club” family. Updated rooms with hardwood floors (so agree lol). Also EPCOT is our favorite park so as you said location, location, location. Truthfully this October we booked for the “Grand Destino Towers” and so looking forward to it. We are worried about the buses but as you said if we find the wait is just too long “hello cute little Minnie Vans” but I think Disney should be watching the bus wait times & add more if guest are waiting longer than the 15-20 mins they state on their web site. We wanted to try somewhere new because in December 2019 our last Disney trip. Our normal 10 minute walk & entrance to EPCOT is now 40 mins because of all the people now being dropped off at the back entrance & there is no other choice for Yacht & Beach, Board Walk or Swan & Dolphin to access EPCOT.
I wondered how the Skyliner would affect the international gateway entrance, especially at rope drop!
Thank you so much for your honest review! I don’t think you were negative or ungrateful. This is how we learn from each other. 💕
I enjoyed this video! It made me feel like I’m not alone in some of my thoughts on the GF! I stayed there in April 2021 and was a little let down. We had a 5th floor dormer room and it felt smaller but sort of castle vibes with the vaulted ceilings. The balcony was also smaller than the lower level rooms. We had issues with the shower and lights around the bathroom. I think my Disney dreaming self doesn’t want to admit that it was dated and not worth the price, but I really think that. Thanks for the video!!
Well I feel like a lot of people feel that way and I had never heard a bad review! Which is why I was (wait for it) SHOCKED. LOL
I felt the same way about the Disneyland hotel 😬 I’ve stayed at tons of cheap hotels and never been somewhere so noisy. Slept horribly with a baby crying for an hour next door
The Contemporary has modular rooms, so essentially you have a double wall between rooms. Can' hear the lobby noise, can't hear the monorails. Very nice. New theming is almost tacky, and honestly feels lazy, but it is quiet.
The prices you quoted sound absolutely ridiculous, even for Disney.
Well, Disney is pricing the entire middle class out of their parks. I planned to take a vacation there a little under two years ago. The prices were so steeeeeep that I cancelled everything and waited until January. I asked Universal Orlando for any "off-season" specials. Their hotels were $90 cheaper for 3 days than if I had gone in October or December. I enjoyed it a lot more than I expected and the food in CityWalk is every bit as good as what's in Disney Springs.
Like the other person said Universal is less expensive. We stay at Portofino Bay or Royal Pacific and love them. You get fast passes and one hour earlier entry into parks. Citywalk is great. You can always take an Uber over to Disney if you wish.
@@largol33t1 I've heard about Disney pricing the middle class out before (just recently), why? Do you know?
Thanks for the honest review! I think that's why I prefer hearing reviews from Disney's fans who are not afraid to point out the negatives vs the Disney fans who are just apologists.
The GF grounds, Lobby & restaurants are beautiful, however you can experience that without paying all the money with rundown rooms.
It’s like the facades they use in the parks. Looks great from the outside, but behind the fancy walls it’s a let down lol.
Wouldn’t stay there again. Poly / Wilderness / Yacht are my favourites now.
Thanks for the heads-up! We stayed at Bay Lake Towers the last time we were there and we were so disappointed. It certainly didn't have that wow factor. Next time we'll go back to our home resort, Saratoga Springs.
We stayed at the GF in a DVC unit about 5 years ago and we didn’t notice this issue. Since that stay we have moved here to Orlando, and after spending much time at many other Disney resorts, if I ever move away, when I come back I will only stay at the Riviera Resort. It’s spectacular in every way, and since we are primarily Epcot and Hollywood Studios people...the skyliner access is wonderful. We used to own DVC with Beach Club as our home resort...which was great when our kids were little...but now that they are grown, I don’t think I’d stay there again either.
Wow Jen. I can't believe the walls are so thin there! I still think Coronado Gran Destino Tower is my next resort choice. After seeing your video on it I am intrigued.
You will LOVE it, Jen! And my suggestion would be wait until they open the club level back up and do that. Because that lounge is DIVINE.
Thank you for such an honest review! With 2 littles I’m always hyper conscious of our hotel room noise level so we’ll definitely be sticking to our other go to resorts.
Funny story, but when the boys were young my least stressful WDW vacation was the year we stayed in the cabins at Ft. Wilderness! No walls to share, didn't have to yell at them to not run and jump, and I felt they could be their own free-range selves. I get this.
Thanks for your honest comments. We stayed there about 5 years ago in Boca Chica, and were disappointed to find the thin walls did disturb us a lot. Not from guests, but the staff had a "meeting place" close by and were very loud. Also we were quite shaken when we discovered that the patio door had been left open behind the heavy drapes by someone, and we didn't notice until day 2. I questioned my decision to spend so much money on a mediocre room, and agree that I will not return to this hotel. Too bad, really.
Jen, look forward on your review of Riviera. Do you know when you will be staying at the Riviera? Thank you for your review on the GF. Always enjoy watching your videos.
I have no plans to stay there any time this year but maybe in 2022? I don’t own there and can’t use our resale points there and paying cash it’s out of my comfort zone. So unless I can get a really great discount, might not be very soon.
I more or less grew up in the Grand Floridian in the 90s and early 2000s. We always stayed in the main building (typically 3rd floor) with concierge. I don't remember ever having noise problems, but then again, it was the main building and the rooms in the 90s/00s were not nearly as expensive as they are now. Maybe the problems were because you were in one of the lodge buildings? Nevertheless, paper-thin walls are never good, and I have seen over the past three decades that the quality of the Grand Floridian has gone downhill. Sad times.
Hi Jen,
Just watched your channel for the first time. Great content. My fam and I stayed at the GF years ago with a Disney Wonder Land as Sea. The Sea part was great. The GF stay not so great. The TV did not work in the room, water condensate leaking from air air conditioner leaked on us in the middle of the night. Now, the hotel is great, and of course, we were very fortunate to stay there, however, like you, I am just indicating our experience. I cannot remember the sound issue. We were in a remote building area a distance from the main lobby. Which is another thing we did not like. We have stayed at other Disney hotels and the GF was by far the lowest rated one of them all. Thanks again!
Hi Jen, I appreciate that you share what you experienced at the GF and give us information that will help us choose a resort when we go. They are all so expensive and i love honest input.
We stayed at a 2 bedroom GF villa and did not experience any noise from our neighbors - not from the hallway nor bedroom walls. they were built at a different time and i guess they added more sound proofing.
Let's hope they will address that issue when they convert the existing cash hotel building to more DVC studios.
Love your channel!
I hope they do as we have considered adding on! Thank is for watching!
The Grande Floridian is my all time favorite.
Thank you for being honest. I have never wanted to stay at the Grand Floridian and this makes me feel even better about that.
Thanks for this helpful review Jen! I was going to consider this a hotel as a good place for my friends, Family, and I to stay in for several days when we go to Disney world next year, but because of this review, you persuaded me to look at other Disney resorts in the future. Thanks again and have a blessed one! 😃👍
I had a similar experience at the Polynesian, as far as room quality! I thought it was dark, dingy and dated! Of course, they updated two months after staying there, but it was disappointing and I don’t think I should’ve paid what I did for that room.
We've stayed at the GF quite a few times and haven't had the issue you did, paper thin walls, but I'm sure that did happen to you. I wonder if it depends on the building you're in?? We're headed back in October 2024, so I'll let you know if we have that problem. Thanks for the honest review!
So sorry to hear of your experience. I've never had this problem on the villas side. I wonder if the noise was coming through a shared vent or something?
We just stayed there and the room was completely dirty. I have 20 + photos of food on the floor left by previous guests, stains and dirty marks (dried on food) all over the sofa. Also a pile of flies in the corner of the room. The room was extremely tired, marked and in need of a total refurb. They are moving building by building to refurb but I would advise anyone to forget about staying the Grand until at least late 2023. 3 restaurants were also closed for refurbishment including Narcoosees and 1900 Park Fare. Grand Floridian Cafe was also terrible service and Citricos served pulled faces after getting a $20 tip, expected a bar of gold or something for taking our order and pouring two glasses of water.
This stay we have stayed in Galactic Starcruiser (which was by far the best - what an incredible experience and food, service etc.) we stayed in Contemporary (much better and updated rooms than Grand) and also Animal Kingdom Lodge - new decent rooms, especially the Savanah view rooms.
The only Deluxe we ever did was Yacht Club and we were upgraded due to mold in the bathroom at Pop Century. We now stay at Shades of Green which is a quick hop & jump to the Polynesian. Grand Floridian is my favorite sit down on a hot day on my way back to Shades from MK. We only stay at Disney resorts unless we can’t get into Shades. We will never turn our back on our new resort and same perks of on property basically.
The GF DVC Villas in their newer building do not have this problem. Thanks for the info.
Hi Jen! First, I just want to say this is the first video I’ve seen of yours and I really enjoyed it! I think you’re super great and I subscribed right away. Can’t wait to watch more of your videos.
Second, we are DVC members and the GF is the only DVC property we haven’t stayed at yet mainly bc my husband thinks it’s too stuffy and it costs too many points. I however feel like we can’t leave that stone unturned… So that brings me to my third and final thing, are you saying the paper thin walls are not an issue in the DVC rooms to your knowledge? Are those buildings newer like Bay Lake Tower for example?
Maybe next time Jen you should stay at the Polynesian resort.
I am so surprised it was so loud. That alone would not make me want to stay at the Grand. However, it's good to try out different resorts to see which you like. I think there are better options for DVC resorts.
Stayed there years ago with my family, we all felt the same. Didn’t deliver and wouldn’t go again. This September I am trying the Beach Club resort.
Beach Club is amazing!! Love Beach Club!!
The DVC resort portion of this resort doesn't have the noise problem from what I've experienced. I think it's probably cuz it's newer, not sure what the rooms they are refurbing to be studios will be like though...
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! 👏👏👏 We agree completely, and your honest review will help others!
With the thin walls you can listen in on what rich people talk about. Maybe stock tips that can pay for your hotel stay investment.
Jen, Since you mentioned the Polynesian have you been there since the post renovation were completed in October 2022?
Thank you for your honest review!! I would be extremely upset if I payed that much to hear my neighbors. If I want to "share" a room with strangers I will stay in a hostel!
Thank you for your honesty! The bed and the noise is a huge deal to us - this is why we will never stay at Hard Rock again no matter how nice the rest of the hotel is. I have thought, based on other people's videos, that GF is not worth the money, not until they do some room updates, and especially now that I hear it was loud, real bummer! Thanks again!
Have you tried the VGF on the DVC building? Would love to get updates to your previous videos.. :)
We stayed at both Wilderness Lodge (Copper Creek side) and Old Key West at the start of June. The only time I heard the neighbors was when we were on the balcony of WL. I didn't hang out on the balcony of OKW because it just faced a bunch of trees and didn't seem very inviting.
We never heard anyone walking down the hall or on either side (and there were neighbors on both sides of our room).
On a side note: I hope they fix the sound issues when they convert the rooms to DVC studios. I would like to stay there once but the only things on our bucket list, for now, is Poly for the wife and BLT for me.
I’m so impressed by how much your channel has grown. A true testament to your work product and verve!
What a kind comment, Kevin, thank you!
I’d only stay here on rented dvc points. No hotel on property worth $750. We’ve stayed at 6-7 Disney hotels and everyone we could here the neighbors at some point during our stay. Now, there are so many houses, condos and hotels off property that are so much nicer and cheaper. Our friends rented a 6 bedroom house with pool for $900/week built two years ago and 20 minute drive to the parks. Btw, CS is our favorite resort all time
We stayed at the Grand Floridian a couple of years ago. Our son was participating in the Disney College Program, so we got great rates and other discounts. Our room was on the ground floor overlooking the little boat dock. We could see the castle and fireworks from our patio. I missed not having a ceiling fan in our room to help with the humidity. If we go again, we would like to stay at the Poly.
I was very surprised to hear that your complaint was about noise at The Grand Floridian. I’ve stayed there 4 times with castle view and have never even heard our neighbors anytime. On the flip side, it was almost hauntingly quiet. Best place on property for a magical experience every time and you can not beat the hospitality.
Totally agree about the walls. They say if you stay in the main building, you can hear the Orchestra and Piano! I think that would get annoying after a while!
But great video Jen!
Thank you for confirming my opinion that it wasn’t just that room - we thought about asking to be moved but we’re fairly certain we would have had the same situation and the hotel was fully booked!
We just stayed at GF last month. It was so strange not getting the room service! The room got to be disgusting with room service food never being tidied up and my 3 year old peed his sheets unbeknownst to us, till the next night we spotted yellow sheets. Uhm...had no idea housekeeping was not changing the sheets. Haha! Also the bathroom smelled so strongly of swamp water. My kids hated having baths in there. The whole bathroom reeked. So unfortunate.
Oh Jen, I'm so sorry you guys experienced that at GF! When we stayed we didn't have any issues with noise, but then again, we stayed in March so it was probably a lot quieter back then. Gran Destino is beautiful and great for the price! It would be perfect if it connected to the Skyliner or monorail.
Thank you for this honest review! The noise would have bothered me too! This is one of the hotels we haven’t stayed in yet and I’m thinking we just might skip it.
We stayed at a DVC studio for the first time with my boys and husband and LOVED it!!! Best customer service as soon as we walked in and we have stayed at a lot of the Disney resorts.. as soon as we walked in we were treated like royalty and spoiled so much snd I personally think it’s so so beautiful! My three and six year old boys LOVED it! Definitely very family friendly.
I ha e heard from many that the DVC villas don’t have the same sound issues. So glad you had a great trip!
@@JenLefforge yes the DVC parts are better it seems lol.. So so so sorry Jen u had such a horrible experience!
I agree with you. Paper thin walls are a deal breaker for me. We stayed at yacht club and it was so quiet and the rooms were new. Thanks for the review.
Yep, for the first time ever, we stayed at the Polynesian over Spring Break! Excited until we slept on the beds. It wasn't just me, but NO ONE in my family could sleep on those beds. They were like boards for us. A good night sleep is crucial for a Disney vacation. Maybe during the renovation this will be fixed, but we said NO. Never again.
Oh no, that's horrible, Kim! I mean, I love some beautiful grounds but if you can't SLEEP what is the point?
the beds in the DVC also stunk! and literally the rooms smelled like stank. could hear neighbors and hall noise was the worst. Add that the hot water didnt work 2x on us and the maintenance guy said " Oh this has been a problem for long time the boilers are under the building and so old that they trip constantly. Yeah no thanks! We got the Heck outta there. One more, I like a balcony where I can sit and enjoy a view... as soon as I sat down I was staring into those wide brown dark old railings. I didnt have that problem at CCV, BRV, AKV, BLT, BCV, or BWV.
@@jenny71WDW Wow. I think I'll keep our reservation (it's the only DVC other than Riviera we haven't stayed at) but I will be oN THE LOOKOUT for issues! I appreciate the heads up! Also we have a lake view so I BETTER NOT have a bad view!
@@JenLefforge my guess is most people will need to stand up to look at the view! Sitting down in those awful chairs, and wide brown balcony slats puts you at a position you cant see anything! The remodel was like they put lipstick on a pig. Wishing you a better stay!!!!