Although the Grand Floridian may be one of the most well known resorts at Walt Disney World it is not one of the original resorts. It was built and added to the monorail in 1988. This beautiful resort is modeled after a turn of the century Floridian/Victorian hotel and this beautiful theme is carried through every aspect of the resort fr
om the rooms to the restaurants.
When you arrive at the Grand Floridian you will find yourself in the Main Building. The check in area has an adorable area for children to watch Disney cartoon within eye shot of where mom and dad are checking in. There is often live music playing from either a piano player or a small band. This main building also has several restaurants located in it including 1900 Park Fare and the Grand Floridian Cafe. To keep with the theme the characters at 1900 park fare are the turn of the century characters such as Alice and the Mad Hatter, Mary Poppins, and characters from Cinderella. There is also a mid day tea party. If you have not been to the Grand Floridi
an lately you will want to take notice of the new tile in the entrance that has the Disney characters in it. There are several of them including one that has all the characters from Peter Pan in it. They are beautiful.
The main building is also home to concierge rooms and suites. There are also concierge rooms in Sugar Loaf Key. If you did not book a concierge room then you will not be in the main building. The concierge rooms are the same layout as the other rooms but offer the addition of the concierge services such as the lounge, complementary food and beverage, as well as a concierge desk to take care of any reservations and assistance you need.
Typical rooms at the Grand Floridian sleep 5 with 2 queen size beds and a day bed. The rooms throughout the different categories will be basically the same with the only differences being their location and view. 
To evoke the turn of the century Floridian/Victorian theme these beautiful rooms will have long lines and crown molding. The vanity area will be outside of the bathroom. As with all Deluxe category resorts all the room entrances are from within the building and the rooms have a balcony or patio.
The pool areas have recently been renovated and a splash area has been added. Keeping with the theme of the resort, it features the mad hatter and characters from the same time period. This splash area is fun for kids of all ages especially when the mad hatters hat fills with water and tips over.
In the background you can see the new Grand Floridian Villas that are now being built. This will give guests a second opportunity to stay on the monorail and in a villa accommodation. The Grand Floridian has a convention center and is also home to Disney’s Fairytale Wedding Pavillion.
The Grand Floridian, like other deluxe resorts, offers several forms of transportation. Guests can use the monorail to get to Magic Kingdom or transfer at the TTC to the Epcot monorail. They can also get to the Magic Kingdom by boat. The other theme parks, water parks and downtown Disney can be accessed by bus.
You do not have to stay at the Grand Floridian to enjoy one of their many dining opportunities. I have enjoyed breakfast and dinner at 1900 Park Fare and have also enjoyed a romantic dinner with my husband at the Signature Dining restaurant Narcoossee’s. Victoria and Albert’s is on my bucket list! Come in on the monorail to have a light lunch and a break from the Magic Kingdom. If you come for dinner take a stroll around this beautiful resort after or go sit on the beach and catch a glimpse of Wishes at the Magic Kingdom. Enjoy!
