Grand Floridian Resort & Spa Review
Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is a luxury hotel at Walt Disney World within monorail, boat, and walking distance of Magic Kingdom. This WDW accommodations review features room photos, pool & restaurant info, pros & cons, and much more. (Updated May 5, 2023.)
Let’s start with the latest update for 2023, which is that the resort is currently in the midst of a large-scale refurbishment and reimagining project. You can check out Grand Floridian Resort Reimagining News & Construction Updates for 2023, which is updated periodically with progress reports and changes.
Officially, Walt Disney World has not shared many details about changes and construction. If you go to the official website, there’s simply an update stating: “Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is currently undergoing refurbishment. Guests will be able to see and hear construction during daytime hours. Most Resort hotel amenities will remain available. Please allow for extra travel time.”
That definitely understates the scope and scale of the work. In actuality, construction crews are going building-by-building and completely redoing both the interiors and exteriors. This project began over a year ago, and is now approaching its home stretch. Thus far, the Big Pine Key (now Disney Vacation Club), Boca Chica, Conch Key, and Sugar Loaf buildings are all fully reimagined and reopened.
Currently in progress is Sago Key buildings, which began work in the last couple of months. If past precedent is any indication, Sago Key should be finished before Summer 2023. As a result of the work on Sago Key, the glorious Grand Floridian to Magic Kingdom walkway is closed. Our expectation is that this will reopen as soon as that building is done, although that’s not yet certain. Officially, Walt Disney World lists the walkway closure as through “Late Spring 2023.”
On a related note, the walkway between the Grand Floridian and Polynesian has changed on a couple of occasions due to construction of the Poly DVC Tower. A new route just opened and is easier to navigate and feels safer. Given that this is open right now with the degree of structural construction that’s occurring, we expect that pathway to remain open for the duration of that project.
The only building that is not finished or even started is the main lobby. This means that if you book any of the “Outer Bldg” room categories at this point, you will get a new room. The buildings that are currently in progress are closed completely; only the reimagined rooms are available for booking. That’s the good news.
The bad news is that all of the Main Bldg. rooms (including Club Level and Suites) are still the old, dated, and bland style. However, you won’t even have the option to book these depending upon your travel dates, as the Main Building is totally unavailable for Summer & Fall 2023, which should provide insight into the timeline for that project.
The other bad news is that the scope and scale of the main lobby overhaul is unknown; construction could be majorly or minimally disruptive for stays between later this month and November 2023. Our expectation is that the work will occur in phases, meaning sections of the lobby will be closed off at different times. We do not expect the entire building to be walled off, but we do expect major areas unavailable and visible construction throughout the summer and fall.
What’s also unknown is what happens with Grand Floridian Cafe and 1900 Park Fare, the latter of which has still not reopened. Our expectation is that both receive reimagined interiors, with the former closing over the summer to accommodate that overdue update and the latter not reopening until the lobby project is done. (So perhaps sometime between October and December 2023–that’s the biggest stretch of the year for Walt Disney World restaurant demand.) That’s simply speculation, though.
On a positive note with regard to dining, Narcoossee’s has now reopened after its reimagining, joining Citricos and Victoria & Albert’s. This trifecta of fine dining establishments have all been overhauled in the last couple of years at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort.
Even more positive is the Grand New Rooms at Walt Disney World’s Flagship Resort. We’ve stayed in the reimagined rooms a few times in the last year (twice in the DVC version, once on the hotel side) and absolutely love them.
The themed design, attention to detail, and sense of luxuriousness is off the charts. They have so much more personality and style, and are also considerable improvements in terms of functionality. Here’s a video tour of the new hotel rooms at the Grand Floridian that showcases their quality:
For years, we’ve been complaining that the guest rooms at the Grand Floridian are not commensurate with the prices. I’d go as far as to say that the previous regular guest rooms are among the dullest at Walt Disney World. You’d be hard-pressed to distinguish them from a mid-range Hilton or Marriott. With these rooms being replaced, our opinion of the Grand Floridian has improved tremendously.
As a result of the new rooms and other enhancements, the Grand Floridian has shot up our Rankings of ALL Walt Disney World Hotels from Worst to Best. Previously, the Grand Floridian performed poorly, not living up to its flagship resort status due to datedness and underwhelming rooms. Now, there are only two reasons why it doesn’t rank higher.
The first is cost, as rack rates at the Grand Floridian start at over $700 per night. Those are the cheapest nights of the year, with most dates being in the $800 to $900 range for standard rooms. (However, discounts are often available that reduce those prices significantly.)
The other is the simple fact that the construction is not yet completed. During our stays at Grand Floridian in the past year, work has been minimally invasive. There has been a minor amount of blight and noise, but going building-by-building has helped prevent the resort from feeling like a construction zone. We wouldn’t hesitate to stay here during the project–obviously, given that we’ve returned on multiple occasions during the work.
However, everyone’s tolerance for construction impacts differs. There are walls up around portions of the resort and you will see construction workers on carts, roof replacements being done, exterior stairways being rebuilt, and more. Additionally, the construction up until now has been on the outlying buildings of the resort. As that wraps up and impacts the grounds less, work on the main building and lobby will begin, and no one knows how disruptive that will be.
Accordingly, we hesitate to recommend Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort to first-timers for stays in Summer or Fall 2023. Perhaps we’ll revise this once work starts and we see how impactful it is, but for now, we’re erring on the side of caution and advising against staying at the Grand Floridian in the next few months if you’re an infrequent visitor to Walt Disney World.
Conversely, if you’re already looking ahead beyond that, we highly recommend Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa for Christmas 2023 or 2024 Walt Disney World vacations. The construction will be entirely complete by then, and every building–including the main lobby–will be feeling as fresh and looking as good as the outlying buildings do now. Walt Disney World’s flagship resort will once again be truly deserving of its status!
We always recommend booking with an “Authorized Disney Vacation Planner” (Disney’s term for a travel agent), but that’s doubly true if you’re thinking about rolling the dice and staying at the Grand Floridian during construction. That’s because it’s possible Walt Disney World will end up wanting to relocate you to a different resort–or you will want to change hotels after seeing the extent of construction. Among many other things, Authorized Disney Vacation Planners can advocate on your behalf and ensure a favorable outcome.
They receive commission from Disney, so most authorized planners will not charge you for booking the vacation package and planning services. The fee-free Authorized Disney Vacation Planner that we recommend is Be Our Guest Vacations. Their services don’t cost extra, they’ll reserve your room, help you with dining reservations and itineraries, and apply the best discounts to your reservation.
At that point, we’ll return to totally overhaul this review. For now, much of what follows (in particular the harsh criticism of the guest rooms) no longer applies.
Even prior to the reimagining, the common areas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa are upscale. The hotel is inarguably grandiose and sophisticated, and the execution of the Victorian theme is incredibly well done.
Most areas offer tremendous detail and a sense of luxury, with a handful of locations being stuffy or overly reminiscent of grandma’s house. In our view, this comes across better in person than it does via photos, which might make the hotel appear more antiquated than it actually is.
In person, the entire resort is permeated with a sense of opulence. There’s texture and quality to every surface, making the resort feel decidedly luxurious. Yes, it also feels a bit classical, but that’s true of many of the world’s nicest hotels. For now at least, the Grand Floridian skews towards classy luxury rather than modern luxury.
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa feels imbued with a sense of sophistication. The lobby makes a strong first impression, and the common areas are exactly what you’d expect of Walt Disney World’s flagship resort. It can feel a tad stuffy or old school, but it’s also beautiful and well-appointed. Even if you’re not staying at the Grand Floridian, the lobby restaurants are the perfect destination for a fancy date night or anniversary dinner.
Speaking of which, due to the overall style, slight sense of stuffiness, dining sophistication, and other features of the hotel, we do not view this as a great option if you’re doing Walt Disney World with Kids and are primarily concerned with their reaction to the hotel. It is a much better option for Honeymooning at Walt Disney World.
As for adult amenities, the Grand Floridian is a pretty ‘loaded’ hotel.
While they aren’t the most thematically exciting, it has nice pool areas and a new Alice in Wonderland water play area that was added around the time of the Disney Vacation Club Villas at the Grand Floridian.
Another highlight is the dining. Citricos was recently overhauled with a new menu and decor (supposedly) inspired by Mary Poppins. As you can read in our New Citricos Review, it is fantastic–a top 10 restaurant at Walt Disney World. There’s also the recently-reimagined Enchanted Rose Beauty and the Beast Bar. We think it’s out of place at the Grand Floridian and an inappropriate use of intellectual property…but it is undeniably modern.
Moreover, Victoria & Albert’s is far and away the best restaurant at Walt Disney World, and the perfect place for a special occasion. Our recent visits to Narcoossee’s have proven excellent–much better than the last meal there (our Narcoossee’s review needs to be updated–I’d now consider Narcoossee’s in the 8.5-9 range).
Then there are the grounds, which are lovely. The Grand Floridian typically has well-maintained gardens, nice paths, and pretty fountains, all of which make for a pleasant post-meal stroll.
Another awesome addition is the new-ish walkway to Magic Kingdom. We’ve already breathlessly covered this in “Photos & Video: Meandering the Magnificent Magic Kingdom to Grand Floridian Walkway.” In case you missed that, it’s now possible to walk all the way from the Transportation and Ticket Center to Magic Kingdom. Our enthusiasm for the walkway is not hyperbole. It’s a huge win for the Grand Floridian.
The resort is not too spread out, and walking around the Villas towards the Wedding Pavilion and Polynesian Village Resort–or just sitting in a quiet swing along the beach, is an enjoyable experience.
If you want to take advantage the Grand Floridian’s highlights while staying at a resort with a more relaxed theme and atmosphere, our recommendation would be Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. From there, you can walk or take the monorail over for a date night, and then having a peaceful nighttime stroll back to the Poly.
Another thing I appreciate about the Grand Floridian is its beauty at Christmas.
The tree in the lobby and the huge gingerbread house are both gorgeous, and highlights of my Free Self-Guided Yuletide Tour at Walt Disney Word. With that said, the lobby can be packed at this time of year, so I would not want to stay in the main building.
Finally, we come to the resort rooms at the Grand Floridian. Again, this is a look at the old style of the rooms. Thankfully, these rooms have been retired in the outer buildings and are on their way out in the main building. Unless you’re staying at the Grand Floridian in the coming weeks, you will not be stuck in one of these.
That’s a good thing, as these were on par with chained-brand hotels like Hilton or Marriott. And not their high-end properties like the JW or Conrad. (Also keep in mind the vast majority of Grand Floridian’s rooms have standard ceilings—the photos here are of dormer rooms and its vaulted ceiling—so they’re even duller looking than the one pictured here.)
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort is never going to compete with real world luxury hotels, or even the nearby Four Seasons Orlando at Walt Disney World. As with other Disney-owned hotels, stripping the rooms of their theme to make them more broadly appealing just made them bland.
The rooms are perfectly satisfactory. The furniture is nice enough and there are some high-end finishings. Just as a whole, it’s boring.
The bathrooms are well appointed, with nice countertops, tiling, and wallpaper.
With that said, these bathrooms are starting to show their age, and lack the modern lighting, large sinks, storage space, and other features of most hotel rooms at Walt Disney World.
The Grand Floridian rooms haven’t had a hard goods refurbishment in a long time, and thus feel like outliers as compared to pretty much every other Deluxe Resort at Walt Disney World.
For the sake of comparison, check out the new Moana Rooms at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort or Wilderness Lodge Reimagined Rooms, both of which are new. Likewise, Disney’s Contemporary Resort is currently receiving an Incredibles Overhaul. Our expectation is that Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort is next up, probably at some point in the next year.
As noted above, these photos are of a dormer room at the Grand Floridian. The upsides to this are the vaulted ceiling and the more secluded quality of the balcony.
The downsides are that the balcony is slightly smaller and you can’t see anything without standing up. I’m not sure why Disney doesn’t furnish these with taller chairs.
Overall, where you stand on the Grand Floridian is probably a matter of personal preference. Some people will want to book it regardless, as there’s a certain cachet in staying at the most expensive Walt Disney World hotel. Others might not have experience with real world luxury hotels and think the Grand is perfectly adequate. Others still might legitimately love the Grand Floridian and find my qualms about its rooms and pricing over-blown.
Personally, for this amount of money–even understanding that staying on property at Walt Disney World costs a premium–I expect perfection. The Grand Floridian is a far cry from perfection, and simply not worth the exorbitant rates it charges, at least in my opinion. If luxury were my utmost concern, I’d book the Four Seasons at Walt Disney World. If I weren’t so worried about luxury or were taking a trip more geared towards kids, I’d book one of the other superior and less expensive Walt Disney World hotels.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Do you love the Grand Floridian, or do you agree about its bland and boring rooms? Would you consider splurging on a stay here, or is it too expensive? If you’re a fan of the Grand, what do you consider its selling points? Planning on staying here someday? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
GF is our favorite resort and we always try to get a day or two there on our trips.. Love the color scheme of the new rooms, but as a mom of boys , I wish they had opted for a more delicate throw pillow. Those bolsters are easily weaponized and I spent a good portion of our last trip fearing for the safety of the delicate lighting fixtures in our room. Hoping the path to MK is opened by Memorial Day weekend, it’s one of my favorite running paths on property.
Beautiful, can’t wait to stay there!
I can’t seem to find the video you reference, “Here’s a video tour of the new hotel rooms at the Grand Floridian that showcases their quality:”
So beautiful. Love the grand! Hoping to stay there Feb. 2024. Have to go during presidents week though—assuming no discounts then? Historically have there been?
As beautiful as all of these refurbishments are, the one thing that this hotel is still missing is the orchestra that played nightly in the lobby. The sounds of that fantastic ensemble imbued a sense of “grand” more than any of the other features of the lobby. Bring them back!!!
Agree completely–such a significant loss to the ambiance and elegance of the Grand Floridian lobby. Fondly remember hearing them after leaving many meals at the resort–it was like the perfect finale or ‘kiss goodnight’ and made such a strong impression. An incalculable loss for the overall guest experience.
Definitely love the new rooms! Have you heard anything about when the tea room may reopen?
Nothing at all–sorry!
My suspicion is that it’ll happen on a similar timeline as 1900 Park Fare; that at this point, they’re holding off on bringing both back until overhauling the main building. So maybe between October and December 2023. That’s just a guess, though.
Best hotel at Disney! Surround yourself with beautiful grounds and classy people. Best location by far. First stop from monorail to MK! Best overall dining options in Disney and 1900 Parkfare is a top breakfast dining experience. Let’s not forget the walking bridge being built to MK and the newly added BBB the GF now offers. Worth every penny. You get what you pay for!! Book during the 25% off and you’ll get the best bang for your buck. I recommend lagoon view from Boca Chica you get a castle view for free!
Hi! I’ve stayed at the GF on opening day and many times after that. Its my Dad’s favorite place to stay. We love cocktail hour with the piano player playing and having old-time drinks. The empty bird cage used to be filled with finches. I loved that. Too bad they did away with them. The ‘paintings’ that you pictured are not paintings, they are prints. Most hotels and resorts use prints since they are pennies to re-produce rather then spend thousands on originals. I’m a professional artist and have my work in sports bars some originals, some prints.
The best steak house is Victor/Victoria I think its called in a gazebo type building on the water. So good, great atmosphere. Christmas time at the GF is always a treat and my son and I just love to go there to look at the decorations….the big tree on the floor where the monorail is will always remind me of my Mother who would love to pose in front of it. I can go on and on….we where there at Disney worlds opening day way back then and have stayed at all of the resorts as they opened since back then it was very in-expensive. We are a Disney family! Thanks for the pictures.
We stayed at the Grand Floridian for the 1st time the week before Thanksgiving 2019 & absolutely loved it!! We were in the villas & my daughter, SIL, husband & 2 grandkids never want to stay anywhere else. We loved being so close to the park & watching the fireworks every night! The staff were always so nice & went out of the way to help in any way they could. We are DVC members & have stayed at Animal Kingdom which we loved & the grands loved waking up to the animals everyday but it was too far out. We have also stayed at Saratoga Springs which is our home base love it there as well as the kids like the different pools. We go every 2 years & hoping to stay at the Grand again!!
We love the Grand Floridian! It is the best of all Disney resorts, and we have stayed at most of them, including the Polynesian, Beach Club, Yacht Club, etc. The GF, particularly the main building, is the most distinguished, refined, and luxurious of all Disney Resorts. Once you stay there, you won’t want to stay anywhere else. The daIly piano player and band in the lobby are totally relaxing, and the on site dining is adult oriented (Victoria and Alberts is world class, and Narcoossees and Citricos are top notch. We totally disagree with the author’s opinions about the GF.
Carol and Joe – 5 time guests. Most recently, April 2019
we absolutely LOVE the Grand Floridian! the first time we went, our daughter was 4 1/2 years old…. I did not think it was too stuffy at all, even w/ a little one. Let’s face it, you’re paying for the monorail….. and that was one of the reasons we chose it. We didn’t want the Contemporary because of the noise, the Poly kind of seemed dated at the time we first went, (although we would totally stay there now ) but there’s something serene about the Grand. We loved the Grand Floridian Cafe and the 1900 Park Fare Breakfast. The pools are fantastic, and you can’t beat watching the electric parade from your balcony. There’s so many magical reasons to stay here. I totally get that it’s not for everyone…. but for us, it’s amazing. We are planning our 3rd trip to the Grand for 2020, and I cannot be more excited !
We love the GF and are returning for the 3rd time, April of this year. We love the Club Rooms and the staff!! We just love Disney World and how special everyone makes you feel.
The GF is on my bucket list. Somehow, we always end up there, whether we stay at Wilderness Lodge, AKL, POR, Coronado Springs or the one time at All Star Music. We enjoy the boat ride which is gorgeous from MK, take in breakfast at 1900 park fare or dinner at Narcoossee’s, stroll and sit around the grounds and hang out in the lobby listening to the music, smelling the gingerbread house or the aroma from the soap shop, looking at the Mickey’ s hidden around, shopping at the gift shop and wishing we could stay longer. Then we catch the monorail or take the boat back to MK for a night of fireworks, fastpasses and I like to sit on a park bench and just take in the atmosphere. I would love to see an article for people with disabilities, if you haven’t done one. If you have, please let me know. 🙂 What is considered “walkable” by the young and fit or in good health, is a nightmare for people with disabilities, especially if mobility and pain are factors. The only other resort we usually end up at is Beach Club because of Cape May Cafe breakfast. You get the character experience without having to deal with the Chef Mickey crowd’s, while the breakfast food is still good quality. Then we take the boat to DHS as it is not in walking distance for those with a disability. I often find myself sitting and waiting while my family rides the attractions so I enjoy the ambiance of the water, the theming in which I agree all the resorts need to keep, the dining, the shows and the vibe that everyone gets to be a kid again, even if just for a short while!
We love the GF. Yes; it’s expensive, but it is worth it. The hotel is beautiful, the grounds are extremely well kept and the staff is outstanding! We have been to the house of the mouse approximately 25 times. We have stayed at other Disney resorts and they were a disaster. We only stay at the GF!
Really? A disaster? Every other resort – which were built, maintained and staffed by the same company that operates the GF and is known for its commitment to customer service – was a disaster. I doubt it.
To All it May Concern, I did not agree with the previous reviews recently about the Grand Floridian Resort. I found the Grand Floridian Resort a Breath of Fresh Air and I felt everything was above and beyond quality of other resorts. The best quality about the Grand Floridian Resort is the Resort Staff. Everyone I encountered on Staff were pleasant, helpful and knowledgeable and appeared to enjoy and like their jobs helping Me, a Guest. I was with my Sister Andrea Smith on Sept. 2, 2018, when I had a need to set up my Disney Grand Express Bus registration for the trip back to the Airport. Miss Morgan from NJ, helped me to resolve my issue quickly and efficiently and provided individualized attention to my needs and was very helpful. Also, She truly was interested in how Our trip with My Niece, age 7, and my Nephew age 3 was going. She provided helpful hints as to what to think about doing at the Park. Also, the Service Staff were very responsive to all Our needs. Our Service Staff, Chris from Miami was very personable and was able to refresh Our room quickly and without hesitation. Chris from Miami also told Our Family about H20+ Softening Mint Foot Rub for aching feet. I am a Combat Veteran and he knew to let me know about the Foot Rub available to all guests. I tried it and was able to have more comfort on the second night of Disney in regards to my feet. I appreciate that I got a tip from staff. Overall, I have been all over the world , and I am a Doctor myself, so I felt the Services at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa were Impeccable due to the Staff’s attention to detail. I would rate this Hotel a 5 Star Hotel, without doubt, as a Guest. We paid more than what the previous blog said, but I felt it was worth it 100% due to the Awesome Staff at the Resort. All staff were Professional and Pleasant which made me feel Happy that Old World Hospitality is not Dead. I am going to stay at this Hotel next year, the next year after that, etc. It was really convenient to the Park and after discovering the Boat Ride directly back to the Resort, it was AWESOME!!! If You have sore feet like Me, it was Miraculous to get back and kick off the shoes!!! Thank You Morgan and Chris or Your Awesome Hospitality. Because of Staff like You both, I am only going to stay at The Disney Grand Floridian in the Future!!! To all that disagree about the Greatness of the Grand Floridian, I stayed at a hotel about 15 miles away, spent money on taxis, until I found out there was a free shuttle (staff never told me), and my toilet did not flush and the paint was soiled/cracking off in my room. It was more along the lines of staying at a Noisy Hotel, hearing Your neighbors, but it was affordable. I guess You get what You pay for. At the Grand Floridian, You cannot hear Your neighbors!!! Important with Screaming Kids, Think about It!!! Very Respectfully, Matt Gomez (Smith Party)! See You All Next Year, Thanks!!!
We love it to, for the exact reasons you stated. We are returning for the 3rd time, April of this year. We love the Club Rooms and the staff!!
Booked July 4th stay for fireworks months in advance. Check in was a disaster. Had to switch rooms. A horrible experience. Certainly Not a magical experience..NEVER again.
A disaster? Really? Was there an active volcano behind the check-in counter? Maybe an earthquake split the floor? Did somebody cry, “Oh, the humanity?” Those are disasters. Let’s keep a little perspective in our word choice.