This latest update of my favorite resort features pictures of the STUNNING suite renovations, as well as details on every nook and cranny of the resort. It is no secret that it is my absolute personal favorite resort at Walt Disney Resort, and the one we choose most often for our family. As Mary Poppins would say, they are practically perfect in every way. As the flagship resort of Walt Disney World, this Victorian-style retreat is pristine and luxurious.
You know you’re in for a treat on arrival, with the bellmen and lush gardens.
The upscale Floridian theming carries across the pristine grounds.
The stunning five story lobby is both sumptuous and inviting. Like some of my other favorite Disney resorts, this one is a treat for the senses.
In the early evening you will find the grand pianist playing classic Disney tunes and friends and families relaxing in the many sitting areas.
Easter at Grand Floridian
Spring is one of my favorite seasons at the resort. The flower arrangements are even more gorgeous than usual.
The Grand Floridian Cottage sells all sorts of sweet treats to celebrate the season.
Christmas at Grand Floridian
Christmas is one of my favorite times at Grand Floridian, and they do it beautifully!
A visit to the Gingerbread House is a must during the Christmas season! Disney pastry chefs create a new house every single year and, best of all, inside is a sweet shop selling gingerbread and seasonal confections.
Transportation at Grand Floridian
You can’t ask for a more perfect location in the Magic Kingdom area. The iconic park is accessed by boat, monorail or a lovely walking path!
Epcot is accessible via monorail, while Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom are a bus (or Uber!) away.
It is also just a quick walk to Polynesian.
Accommodations at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
There are a wide variety of room types at Grand Floridian. You will find everything from standard rooms with two queen beds to studios to 1-, 2-, and 3- bedroom grand villas. The resort also has an excellent club lounge with both rooms and suites in the main building. All of the rooms are generous in size compared to any other resort on property, feature high end bathrooms and elegant linens and furnishings.
The new rooms are absolutely stunning, with Mary Poppins inspired decor and top to bottom updates. I’ve stayed here six times in the last two years and find it hard to pick anywhere else!
All non-concierge level rooms are located in outer buildings, but the resort is still small and intimate. Here’s a peek inside a common area of an outer building.
Outer Building Rooms
The standard room has two queen beds, a spacious bathroom, a small desk area and a balcony or patio. As noted, they are larger in size than many other resort hotel rooms.
I swoon over the Mary Poppins details!
Outer Building Resort Studios
The resort studios are stunning and almost identical in decor. They are spacious, beautiful and feel quite magical to wake up in each morning. The difference in a standard room and a studio is minimal, with the studio having a microwave.
The art is practically perfect in every way.
The chandelier is one of my favorite details – I noticed one evening that there was one penguin amidst the birds. Such a darling nod to the movie.
Main Building Concierge Level Rooms & Suites
All rooms in the main building plus suites in the outer buildings have access to the Royal Palm Club. There are specialty suites and regular hotel style rooms available. Some of these photos are outdated, but all suites are now fully updated!
Royal Palm Club
The Royal Palm Club is the premier concierge lounge of the Walt Disney World Resort. Here, you have access to the concierge, as well as spectacular food offerings all day long. You will enjoy hot and cold continental breakfast and coffee in the morning. Afternoons bring pre-packaged snacks, perfect to grab on your way from one fun agenda item to the next. Evenings have hot and cold apps that are enough to make a light meal out of. And then, gather on one of the balconies overlooking the Magic Kingdom for fireworks. Champagne, cordials and desserts are served. Beer and wine is on request throughout the day.
2 Bedroom Grand Suite
The 2-bedroom Grand Suite is highly sought after and absolutely stunning! This immaculate living space offers a variety of conversation areas, dining space, a bar and bathroom.
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Bedroom with 1 King Bed and bathroom
The second bedroom sleeps four in two queen beds and has a spacious bathroom.
And, finally, you will enjoy views of Magic Kingdom Park and a panoramic view of resort grounds from the balcony!
1-Bedroom Suite
The 1-bedroom suite is located in the main building and offers views of the Beach Pool. The spacious living room has a queen sized sleeper sofa, small dining table and bathroom.
The bedroom sleeps four with two queen beds.
The suite has two bathrooms.
There are beautiful views of the resort pool and beyond from the balcony.
2-Bedroom Theme Park View Suite with Club Access
This gorgeous suite is located in an outer building, but guests enjoy full access to the Royal Palm Club. The stunning living room opens to a dining rooms, sweeping outdoor spaces and a bar with service area.
There is a half bath off of the living room.
The primary bedroom is luxurious, with a king bed and spacious bathroom.
The second bedroom has two queen beds, sleeping four guests, and a private bathroom.
I can’t even get over this amazing outdoor space!
Villa Rooms
In a separate building you will find the studios and 1-, 2- and 3- bedroom villas. There is a covered walkway connecting the main building (dining, shopping, monorail) to the villa building.
If you’re driving or using Minnie Vans and Uber like we tend to do, the villas have their own parking area and porte cochere as well.
Inside the villas building you will find a lovely lobby, as well as dedicated check-in and concierge cast members.
Grand Floridian Villas: Studio
My family loves staying in a studio, no matter the resort. They kids are fine sleeping on pull-outs and then during the day it gives so much more space to move around without having a second queen bed in the room. The studio at Grand Floridian has a queen bed, sleeper sofa and a pull down bed. The other thing we love about this set up is that the boys each get their own bed. Makes going to sleep at night so much easier! These are the kind of things I help my clients with day in and day out!
Note: All rooms have been fully updated since these photos!
Here you can see where the pull down stores when not in use…
… I adore the Dumbo sweet dreams when pulled down.
Studio accommodations also come with a kitchenette, including a microwave, toaster, coffee maker and mini fridge.
The kids are always wowed by the bathroom mirror tvs at Grand Floridian. Who am I kidding… I love it as well :-) The studio bathroom is a split style, which I also love. You have a toilet and tub/shower combo on one side and a very nice shower and sink on the other side with a pocket door between.
There is really no bad view category at Grand Floridian. You can get everything from garden to theme park! We love having something nice to look out on from our room – even if just to have a quick breakfast out here or glass of wine before dinner while getting ready.
Grand Floridian Villas: 1 Bedroom
We love the 1 bedroom villa so much that it is our #1 type of room to stay in at Disney. It is HUGE!!!
You enter into a foyer area great for storing shoes and backpacks. The hallway connects the kitchen to the bathroom, with the laundry closet being on the right here.
Note: All rooms have been fully updated since these photos!
There is a very generously sized living room and kitchen space. It is so open, light and bright.
Like in the studio, the living room has a sleeper sofa and pull down bed under the TV.
The banquette dining space was large and we were all able to spread out. One thing I loved about the villa was the attention to detail in all of the wall hangings.
The 1-, 2- and 3- bedroom villas all have a full kitchen, as well as washer and dryer.
The master bedroom was also extremely spacious, with a king bed, chair, workspace, walk in closet and TV.
Like the studio, the 1-bedroom also has a split style bathroom – but it is about three times the size! One section has a free standing tub and sink, while the other has a shower, toilet and sink.
This is an example of the lagoon view category. We really enjoyed our view in this villa – watching the boats and monorails by day and fireworks by night.
And this is an example of the standard view category.
Grand Floridian Villas: 2 Bedroom
The 2-Bedroom Villa has become a wonderful option for us as the kids have gotten older and started to want to bring friends. The 2-bedroom villa as the same set up as the 1-bedroom, but the second bedroom opens off of the den area and has room to sleep 4 more plus another bathroom.
The villa opens into a hallway, with the common areas just ahead. There is a full, eat in kitchen.
The living room has tons of comfy seating, a balcony, nostalgic art and a queen sleeper sofa and twin pull down. The villa sleeps 9 comfortably.
The murphy beds – both a queen and a twin – are super comfy and have hidden artwork once folded down. The living room is plenty spacious and accommodates these extra beds well!
The primary bedroom is spacious, with a king bed, tray ceilings, a work space and large balcony.
The ensuite is also massive, with a soaking tub and sink area, and separate space with a second vanity, toilet and shower.
Here is the second bedroom, with two queen beds and a split bath, consisting of a shower, two sinks, toilet and shower/tub combo! It opens onto the shared verandah and has gorgeous views.
The laundry room is functional, and the views (standard) are wonderful!
Dining at Grand Floridian
One of the wonderful benefits of staying at a deluxe resort is the fantastic array of dining choices. Grand Floridian has it ALL. From pool side to quick service facing the castle to character dining to the five diamond Victoria and Albert’s, no other resort rivals Grand Floridian.
Gasparilla Island Grill
The quick serve restaurant is one of my favorites because after you order they bring your food to your table. They also have a Coke Freestyle machine, which I love. There is ample dining inside, but we almost always take our food out to the patio overlooking the marina and Cinderella Castle. It is always quiet and I’ve never seen the crowds like at other resorts.
Enchanted Rose Lounge
The Enchanted Rose Lounge at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort was a relatively new addition in late 2019. It is located on the upper level off of the main lobby and features four sophisticated spaces themed after the Disney live-action film. The details throughout are just wonderful! The main bar area glows from the light of a magnificent golden chandelier inspired by Belle’s flowing ball gown. There are lovely views of the Grand Floridian gardens from this perch.
Grand Floridian Cafe
Grand Floridian Cafe is a table service restaurant and, in my opinion, one of the most under-rated on property. I just don’t think people think to eat here. They are open from breakfast through dinner and I have enjoyed every single meal I’ve had here.
Find a full review of Grand Floridian Cafe here:
Citricos
Citricos was recently renovated and is just stunning! The dress maker details and subtle Mary Poppins touches are absolute perfection. I’ve been for dinner twice and my favorite menu items are short ribs and scallops! On most trips, we also stop in to the lounge for a dessert and cocktail. It is usually a walk up and makes for a wonderful way to relax after a day in the parks.
Read a full review here:
Narcoossee’s
Narcoossee’s is another signature dining option at Grand Floridian, and made it to the “best of the best on our Disney dining list years ago. It is located right on the water in the gazebo like structure sitting on the Seven Seas Lagoon. Our meal was excellent and the view spectacular. The menu primarily consists of seafood and steaks. We absolutely love watching the Magic Kingdom fireworks and Electric Water Pageant from our table.
Find a full review of Narcoossee’s here:
Victoria and Albert’s
I surprised Honey with dinner at Victoria and Albert’s for his 40th birthday. This is one of the premier restaurants in the Southeast and the recipient of many, many awards. It is terribly expensive, but is the nicest meal we’ve ever had and we STILL talk about it three years later! So much so that John as asked if we will take him for his high school graduation. We said college… maybe… :-) If you are looking for the highest level of quality in a dining experience for a special celebration, THIS is the place!
Room Service
Last but not least, it goes without saying that room service is a true indulgence on a Disney World vacation and Grand Floridan is the only resort that offers this!
Recreation at Grand Floridian
There are so many options of things to do and I highly recommend taking advantage of them! You’ll find a poster in the lobby and it is handy to snap a picture so you know what happens and when.
There are two pools – the Courtyard Pool is large, has a zero entry, hot tubs, food service and a bar. You will also find ping pong on the deck. It is usually very quiet here – no matter the time of day.
The Beach Pool overlooks the Seven Seas Lagoon and has a water slide, cabana rentals, dining and drinks.
The Alice in Wonderland kids splash area is located next to the Beach Pool and is fully gated.
The Grand Floridian is one of just 3 Walt Disney World Resort pools that offer cabana rentals. Learn more here:
At any time of day you can play volleyball, a larger than life chess game, corn hole or just relax in a chair while the kids make sand castles!
Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort (not open)
A new addition to the Grand Floridian in 2019 was a Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique! This has been so convenient for many of my clients.
Afterwards, there is a walk-up PhotoPass area for princess portraits. This is open already!
Senses Spa at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
Grand Floridian is home to Disney World’s only full service Senses Spa location! I’ve visited a few times over the years and, while it is not the best spa experience I’ve had, it is a nice addition to a 7 night or longer vacation. If you go, leave plenty of time to relax in the whirlpool, enjoy the eucalyptus steam room and lounge on the heated zero-gravity chairs.
Read a full review here:
Grills, Basketball and Tenns
Adjacent to the spa you will find outdoor grills (for the villas) as well as a basketball court.
Arcade
The Arcadia Games arcade periodically does a free arcade hour daily from 1-2PM. My boys LOVE this! Be sure to check the resort activity guide for availability.
Campfire and Smores
A staple of any Disney resort are the evening campfires and ‘smores!
And, there are SO many more things to do here as well, including:
- Boat rentals
- Fishing excursions
- Private fireworks cruises
- Movies under the stars
I’ll leave you with two of my favorite things about Grand Floridian. One being the monorail AND boat service to the Magic Kingdom, walking path to Polynesian, and reliable bus service to the other parks.
The other is being able to enjoy fireworks and the Electrical Water Pageant either from our room or by just walking a few steps out of our room! The view over the Seven Seas Lagoon is lovely and you can’t beat stepping out in your jammies to end your night with what feels like a private viewing of Happily Ever After.
It is always a grand stay at the Grand and I really cannot wait for the opportunity to go back!!
Oh, and here a little “did you know” about the Grand… Princess Diana rented the entire fifth floor for Prince William and Prince Harry on their 1993 visit! Prince Harry was spotted there again in 2016 as he traveled to Disney for the Invictus games!
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