First things first, I must say that Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is just that … GRAND! Since it was my “40th finale”, bestie M and I decided to finally knock something off of both of our Disney bucket lists and we booked a room at the Grand Floridian!! The Victorian-style resort is pristine and luxurious in every possible way.
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 afternoon you will find the grand pianist playing classic Disney tunes and friends and families relaxing in the many sitting areas.
You might even get to have a little waltz with Cindy and Charming!
The evenings are splendid with the orchestra playing ragtime, jazz and Disney classics. I might have had to wipe away a tear as we watched couples take the floor in the lobby below.
The resort is small and walkable. Our room overlooked the Courtyard Pool and was extremely nice!
We ate a couple of lunches at Gasparilla Island Grill on the patio overlooking the castle. Quick serve doesn’t get much better than this!
We squeezed in a LOT during our 48-hour whirlwind stay. I guess when your 10K is over before the sun comes up that leaves a lot of time :-) We hit up the Courtyard Pool for celebratory Bloody Mary’s.
Bestie M treated us to pedicures at the Senses Spa for my birthday!! She scheduled them for the afternoon after our race and it was such a wonderful indulgence!!! We made a whole afternoon of it, relaxing in the whirlpool, enjoying the eucalyptus steam room and lounging on the heated zero-gravity chairs.
Another thing we’ve both always wanted to do at Disney is high tea at the Garden View Tea Room. It was a wonderful and delicious experience that I’d highly recommend!!
On our first night, we had dinner at the Grand Floridian Cafe. I enjoyed the fabulous pasta dish and bestie M had the steak. We shared the chocolate fondue for dessert. Everything was REALLY good and I’d say that this is an under-rated eatery.
On our last night, we had a late lunch over tea and a snack at Gasparillas so we didn’t make any formal dinner plans. Instead, we found fabulous spots at the bar at Citricos and rehashed the weekend over cocktails :-)
One of my favorite things about the Grand Floridian was being able to enjoy fireworks and the Electrical Water Pageant by just walking a few steps out of our room! The view over the Seven Seas Lagoon was lovely and you can’t beat stepping out in your jammies to end your night with what feels like a private viewing of Wishes.
You could even see the tops of Illuminations from the same vantage point!
On the second night we discovered that we didn’t even need to take the few steps out of our room for Wishes… we had a spectacular view right from our balcony!!
It was a grand stay at the Grand and I really cannot wait for the opportunity to take my family 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 this weekend as he traveled to Disney for the Invictus games!
xoxo
As an independent consultant with Glass Slipper Concierge, an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, I offer concierge travel planning for Walt Disney World® Resort, Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland® Resort, Adventures by Disney®, Aulani and other delightful destinations.
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