Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa in Orlando, FL

Our three night stay at the Grand Floridian was nothing short of exceptional. We opted for the club level experience and stayed on the third floor at the Royal Palm Club. The room was spacious, beautiful, and very clean throughout. There was little to no noise noticed from neighboring rooms. The view from the balcony was of the pool area. The biggest benefit of club level was the food and snack service provided on the fourth floor. You could enjoy breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks throughout the day, as well as a small fridge containing soft drinks and juices. The food choices featured a wide variety, and everything I tried was delicious. My biggest compliment would be for the resort staff. From the moment we arrived until the time we departed, we encountered friendly and helpful staff members who seemed sincerely happy to be there. We've stayed twice before at the Polynesian, and really enjoyed it, but this experience was unforgettable, and hopefully can be repeated.

Clean, neat and very comfortable stay. We spent 7 nights and enjoyed all aspects of this resort. The grounds were immaculate and the location being right next to magic kingdom park was very convenient but also quiet and peaceful. Definitely more expensive than other resorts on the property but it was well worth the extra cost. All staff were great to deal with.

The Positives – Location, Grounds, Rooms and Service There’s no denying the Grand Floridian is one of Disney’s most iconic resorts. Its elegant Victorian-style architecture, immaculate grounds, and proximity to Magic Kingdom make it a dream destination for many. I’d been hoping to stay here for years and finally booked a 12-night stay, expecting the ultimate Disney World experience. The rooms themselves were spotless, spacious and beautifully themed. Housekeeping and front-desk staff were consistently polite and efficient, and check-in was smooth. The hotel grounds and lobby are genuinely stunning – you feel like you’re stepping into a Disney movie set. Narcoossee’s, the signature restaurant, was excellent. The steak and lobster were outstanding, and the service attentive. I’d still say the best steak on Disney property is at the Yachtsman Steakhouse over at the Yacht Club Resort, but Narcoossee’s was a highlight of our stay. The Grand Floridian Café offered a superb breakfast – fresh, hot and well-cooked – though dinner there was a little less inspiring. The Negatives – Transport Frustrations and Poor Value Sadly, the magic fades when it comes to day-to-day convenience. No Direct EPCOT Bus There is no dedicated EPCOT bus from the Grand Floridian. To reach EPCOT you must take the monorail three stops, disembark at the TTC, climb stairs or escalators to another platform, wait for a second monorail and then continue your journey. Returning is equally time-consuming. Considering rooms here start well over $700 per night, the absence of a direct bus feels like a major oversight. It took me 25 minutes just to reach EPCOT from my room – not ideal when you’re on a tight park schedule. Shared Bus Service Disney’s two most expensive hotels – the Grand Floridian and the Polynesian – share buses for Hollywood Studios, Animal Kingdom and Disney Springs. The Grand is picked up last, meaning buses often arrive full of Polynesian guests and you’re left standing for the ride. Coming back, the Grand is the final stop as well. It would be far fairer to alternate pick-up and drop-off order daily or run dedicated buses. Food and Beverage Issues Gasparilla Island Grill This quick-service outlet left a lot to be desired. Breakfast choices were limited and lacked savoury options. The famous mac and cheese, which used to be rich and indulgent, has been reformulated. Both times I ordered it, days apart, it was watery and flavourless – essentially just plain pasta. Yet again another cutback it seems. Drink Selection Fridge stock was also frustrating. Regular milk wasn’t available as a drink credit – only a nearly 500-calorie chocolate milk or a small paper carton. Yet over at the Polynesian, regular milk and original blue Powerade were readily available. At the Grand Floridian, the freestyle drink machines are missing the original Powerade flavour entirely, meaning you must buy it separately. Value for Money and Perks Compared With Other Deluxe Resorts The Grand Floridian is marketed as Disney’s flagship resort but offers fewer tangible perks than many cheaper deluxe options. Resorts like the Yacht Club and Beach Club have the massive advantage of EPCOT’s back entrance and the Skyliner to Hollywood Studios – an invaluable perk when you’re trying to maximise park time and ease. What’s remarkable is you get these conveniences at a significantly lower price point; even Pop Century offers Skyliner access at roughly a quarter of the cost. Final Thoughts The Grand Floridian is undeniably beautiful with great rooms, high-quality housekeeping and standout signature dining. However, the lack of direct transportation options, underwhelming quick-service food, and poor value compared to other deluxe resorts dampen the experience. Unless you’ve always dreamed of staying at the Grand Floridian and want to tick it off your Disney bucket list, I’d strongly recommend looking at the Yacht Club or Beach Club instead. Their EPCOT and Skyliner access make your Disney holiday smoother, faster and better value. For the price, you simply expect more than what the Grand Floridian currently delivers. It should offer better transport services. It’s not like they’re not making enough money, is it!

This used to be a well managed and magical hotel but our last trip has seen a noticeable decline in service standards. Renovations are having a major impact on guest experience - this isn’t minor stuff so don’t think it is.!!! Work is loud, inconvenient to guests (elevators out of operation causing long delays to get between floors) whilst work is going on in the hotel at obscene times (on more than one occasion waking family members). Experience was summarised by the nearly one hour wait for cases to be collected from the room today. When escalated to the bell hop manager, Lauren - who gave the impression she couldn’t have cared less - I was told that this kind of wait “was not unusual” and “normal”. I can certainly confirm whilst it might now be normal for the Grand Floridian it certainly isn’t for genuine service- led hotel chains like the Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton. It is only for the fact today is our last day and I’d already missed out on a timely hour of the park with the family that stopped me escalating to senior management. As long-time visitors to Disney over the last two decades it is sad to have seen standards drop so much. There are some experienced Disney staff - such as Sergio in the cafe and the club level concierge team - who are still fighting the Disney experience fight but I fear they are becoming outnumbered……..