Construction continues at Grand Floridian Resort, with extra work to constructing exteriors and (presumably) interiors. In this publish, we’ll share pictures and ideas on the influence to friends with stays right here between now and 2023. We’ll additionally tackle the reimagining of rooms, eating places, foyer, and extra. (Updated December 16, 2022.)
Right now, the official announcement from Walt Disney World is that “Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is undergoing refurbishment. Guests will be able to see and hear construction during daytime hours. Most Resort hotel amenities will remain available. Please allow for additional travel time.”
This began again in March, and the idea on the time was that discover the challenge pertained to the Disney Vacation Club overhaul of the Big Pine Key constructing of lodge rooms at Walt Disney World’s flagship resort. This constructing reopened over the summer season and the brand new rooms have debuted–see Grand New Rooms at Walt Disney World’s Flagship Resort for a glance inside. However, work has continued.
December 16, 2022 Update: Walt Disney World has since confirmed a lot of what’s mentioned beneath on this publish as ‘rumor,’ which is that the foyer and visitor rooms are being reimagined. This wasn’t actually a ‘rumor’ within the conventional sense of the time period earlier than, because it was printed within the official Disney Vacation Club journal, but it surely’s the primary official affirmation we’ve seen from the corporate exterior of that. Here’s what Walt Disney World has now shared in regards to the Grand Floridian overhaul:
2023 will even be a momentous 12 months for Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa because it celebrates its 35th anniversary on July 1! The resort has been receiving some grand touches that weave acquainted storybook appeal into the Victorian magnificence of this flagship resort. Guest rooms are at present being up to date as we communicate with extra to return because the beloved Grand Floridian ushers in its third decade of magic. The ongoing renovation will even embody an upcoming refurbishment of the foyer, which is able to keep the basic theming and love with some recent new enhancements.
The story doesn’t finish there, as you may dine beneath the stunning London sky at Citricos, impressed by “Mary Poppins Returns” … and perhaps bookend your night with a shimmering sip at Enchanted Rose Lounge, impressed by “Beauty and the Beast.” And our beloved Victoria & Albert’s – the culinary crown jewel of Walt Disney World Resort and AAA Five Diamond Award winner – reopened its doorways this 12 months to rave evaluations that includes a renovated inside.
All of this was already recognized primarily based each on circumstantial ‘evidence’ and related statements within the aforementioned DVC Files journal. However, it’s good to see separate affirmation, even whether it is exceedingly gentle on particulars. Here’s hoping that Imagineering releases some precise idea artwork and a building timeline for when the foyer will likely be impacted.
Knowing when the entire challenge will wrap up in 2023 (or will it’s 2024?) would even be good. This might be a comparatively minor initiative that swaps out furnishings and furnishings in a single day and has zero influence on friends, or it might be a significant challenge that largely takes the foyer out of fee. It might be the type of factor that makes friends need to keep away from the Grand Floridian, or a complete non-factor. There’s no method of understanding till Disney offers precise, substantive particulars.
At the time of our final in-person picture replace, most of Boca Chica was lined by scaffolding, with building partitions erected across the perimeter of the constructing. As of December 2022, the outside of Boca Chica is now completed and crews have moved on to the buildings across the marina.
In watching building, it’s fairly apparent that a couple of issues are occurring. The roof is being changed in sections; that is overdue and makes an evening and day distinction. Additionally, there’s repainting and repairs to the constructing and its lattice work.
Finally, the stairwells are being rebuilt. This additionally occurred with Big Pine Key, and the outcomes are comparatively underwhelming–the brand new stairwells have an virtually momentary really feel. We at all times use these stairwells as an alternative of elevators, and the outdated ones didn’t have any seen points.
Of course, that doesn’t imply they didn’t have to be changed for no matter motive. I’m no building knowledgeable and I extremely doubt Disney would’ve undertaken this (at greatest) lateral if it was pointless. (On that observe, I’d love to listen to from somebody who is a building knowledgeable and would possibly perceive the why of this.)
Thus far, nothing else has been formally introduced or revealed with regard to the interiors of the buildings.
However, it’s fairly apparent that reworking is happening. During a current keep within the new Disney Vacation Club rooms on the Grand Floridian, we inquired about this on the resort, and have been instructed that the lodge aspect is getting the identical rooms because the DVC aspect.
Normally, we’d take these phrase of mouth experiences with a grain of salt as on-the-ground rumors aren’t precisely probably the most credible.
In this case, we additionally noticed a staging space arrange whereas utilizing the walkway to Magic Kingdom (no pictures as a result of, despite the fact that it’s in visitor view, it’s technically backstage–I’m not breaking any guidelines for a building replace). There have been additionally carts zooming round all through the day, and a pair carried giant containers marked “Ethan Allen.” I’m fairly positive I’ve by no means seen roofing supplies at our native Ethan Allen retailer.
Here are a couple of extra pictures to present you an concept of what the development is like:
We stayed within the Big Pine Key constructing, in a room immediately going through the development the place work was actively occurring all through our keep. Sitting on the balcony, I might see welding on the stairwell, which was oddly transfixing. I wouldn’t essentially name that an “enhancement” however I did choose it to the choice of wanting on the pool. That’s simply me, although.
Otherwise, there wasn’t a lot of a building influence. So lengthy as this work continues constructing by constructing–and I assume that’s the plan–the Grand Floridian doesn’t really feel or sound like a building zone. Sure, there are building staff coming and going (significantly alongside the trail main previous Gasparilla Island Grill), however there are at all times upkeep staff, landscaping, housekeeping, and so on. That’s par for the course, and essential to service the lodge and hold the grounds wanting good.
There are instances once I’ve felt like there’s an excessive amount of noise or visible blight resulting from lodge building at Walt Disney World. That’s not my take right here; I’d not hesitate to ebook one other keep on the Grand Floridian throughout this challenge. (Well, I’d since we’re out of factors for the 12 months, however that has nothing to do with building!)
As at all times, your mileage could range. If you’ll be spending loads of time within the room throughout daytime hours or are delicate to noise, contemplate making a room request away from wherever the work is happening throughout your trip.
Anyway, it looks as if an open secret that the Grand Floridian is changing its commonplace lodge rooms (pictured above) with one thing within the fashion of the resort studios.
We are extremely happy by this information (or rumor, relying upon the way you have a look at it). For years, we’ve been complaining that the rooms should not commensurate with the costs. I’d go so far as to say that the Grand Floridian common visitor rooms are among the many dullest at Walt Disney World. You’d be hard-pressed to tell apart them from a mid-range Hilton or Marriott.
Above is a have a look at the Resort Studio.
To me, it’s an evening and day distinction–simply the most important earlier than/after enchancment of any lodge room at Walt Disney World within the final decade. This reimagining introduced with it larger usability, consideration to particulars, luxurious finishings, thematic thrives, and a variety of different particulars. Whether you’re assessing from a perform or type perspective, these are a marked enchancment.
I’d go a step additional than that, and say the Resort Studios are the very best rooms from an goal perspective–or no less than in rivalry for that. I personally choose a handful of different rooms, however there’s no denying the standard of those.
It makes full sense that Walt Disney World is replicating this fashion on the lodge aspect of Grand Floridian, because the crew behind these rooms completely crushed it. This will likely be an enormous enchancment, with friends now not questioning (to the identical diploma) how this room value $800 or extra.
Additionally, Narcoossee’s–the waterfront restaurant at Grand Floridian–is now closed. Narcoossee’s is anticipated to reopen in 2023 as an enhanced eating expertise. In the meantime, Citricos is now open seven days every week.
Specifics of this reimagining additionally haven’t been formally introduced, however the size of the challenge alone suggests we’re going to see important adjustments. Probably larger in scope than the largely-cosmetic updates at Citricos, and probably entailing structure adjustments to the eating room and kitchen. While we liked the ambiance and magnificence of Narcoossee’s, we’re keen to withhold judgment because the Citricos reimagining turned out properly. (Although I feel there was much less draw back danger there; Citricos wanted a brand new look, Narcoossee’s doesn’t.)
Beyond this, it’s rumored that Grand Floridian will obtain a considerable overhaul in 2023 with “Enchanted Gardens” because the unifying visible fashion. (That’s the time period utilized by the Disney Files journal for DVC members. I haven’t seen “Enchanted Gardens” used wherever else when describing the reimagining, however there’s presumably a foundation for it someplace.)
This might embody the foyer, eating places, and different facilities. An overhaul of the foyer looks as if an inevitability at this level. Although I don’t assume that’s crucial (do the Grand Canyon Concourse within the Contemporary first!), I do assume this fashion might be used as the premise for a refresh.
That’s in all probability going to get me excoriated amongst Walt Disney World purists. As a realist, I feel this fashion is just about the best-case situation when accounting for tastes of contemporary friends and the value level of the Grand Floridian. While WDW diehards would possibly love the foyer and total aesthetic, I’d hazard a guess that the lodge doesn’t comport with the expectations of the first-timers or informal friends who really ebook it.
With that stated, my hope is that Imagineering can marry the visible fashion of the brand new rooms with the opulence and grandiosity of the primary foyer. It mustn’t change into an Ethan Allen showroom, however with a better ceiling. Modernized doesn’t have to imply boring and devoid of character. There is a strategy to have the very best of each worlds, a foyer that’s each well-themed and splendid. It’s a tricky stability to strike, however hopefully it may be achieved, if that’s what Walt Disney World opts to do.
If Walt Disney World does decide to overtake the foyer of the Grand Floridian, one factor is for certain: we should defend the masterpiece monkey and bunny work in any respect prices.
I’m not one for petitions, but when somebody have been to start out one to get these puppies added to some historic register of culturally important artworks, I’d signal it. Perhaps the Grand Floridian ought to even be added to the National Register of Historic Places as house to those priceless treasures. They’re arguably why it’s known as the Grand, and is the flagship resort at Walt Disney World.
Ultimately, we’re more than happy that it seems the Grand Floridian is lastly getting visitor rooms which are worthy of Walt Disney World’s flagship resort. It’s not completely clear why Walt Disney World hasn’t introduced this, or launched main particulars a couple of new foyer, eating places, and rooms?
Regardless, it’s a near-certainty that the visitor rooms on the lodge aspect are being reimagined in a mode that’s equivalent or similar to the resort studios that simply debuted within the new Big Pine Key DVC constructing. Given the tempo of building so far and the truth that that is occurring on a building-by-building foundation, it’s seemingly that this challenge will final effectively into 2023.
In the tip, that was the aim of this publish–to present you a heads up about ongoing building on the Grand Floridian in case you’ve got a keep booked this Christmas or anytime in 2023. Hopefully the pictures and commentary provide you with an concept of what to anticipate. While I don’t plan on making standalone Grand Floridian building updates an everyday factor, you may comply with our Walt Disney World Resort Refurbishment Tracker for future updates.
We’re cautiously optimistic in regards to the finish outcome. The Grand Floridian is arguably probably the most well-rounded Seven Seas Lagoon Resort, with fewer drawbacks than the Contemporary or Polynesian. The rooms are probably the most obtrusive weak spot, and people will quickly be resolved in an distinctive method. So lengthy as frequent areas and eating places aren’t screwed up an excessive amount of, the Grand Floridian will emerge from this as a greater choice than earlier than, and a resort actually deserving of the flagship distinction.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider the rooms on the Grand Floridian? What in regards to the new DVC resort studio rooms v. current lodge rooms? Are you a Grand Floridian fan? Excited for a possible overhaul to Walt Disney World’s flagship resort, or frightened it’ll lose its character and richly-themed areas within the course of? Have you stayed on the Grand Floridian since that wonderful walkway debuted? Did you employ it or the monorail? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Other ideas or issues? Any questions we might help you reply? Hearing your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!