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Post by rwethereyet on Feb 20, 2023 20:05:23 GMT -5
I had to change resorts from the Riviera to the Resort Villas at the Grand Floridian. Here are my thoughts on that stay.
The rooms are beautiful, just gorgeous.
The Cast Members have all been exceptionally friendly and courteous--could not have asked for any better.
The kitchenette is not enough. They need a toaster in here as well and the beverage cooler is just not enough--could be they could not get a small fridge to fit in the space available. Also, there are no paper towels or napkins. There is a microwave, small Keurig and a drawer with paper products and the coffee, sugar packets, etc. However, there are only two paper plates in the drawer--I had to snag some plates from Captain Cook's to bring back here to the VGF. Why does the Riviera have real plates and utensils and the VGF has paper products and plastic ware. Again, probably a space issue.
If you have a room that the door leads out right into the atrium, you hear everything--the people coming into the building, the people coming from the hallways to get to the elevator etc. and all conversations of people waiting for the elevator, even when you are up on a higher floor--this probably is not an issue if your room is down one of the hallways. Last Saturday they had a wedding reception on the end of the DVC building that is closest to the main building. Very loud DJ and the bass was beating in our room until 10:00. In the lagoon view rooms, you can hear the horn from the ferry boat going to and from the Magic Kingdom and also the Electrical Water Pageant comes by fairly close to the bulding and is pretty loud. It would wake me up if I were asleep.
The laundry rooms have two washers and two dryers. The room with the ice machine on the 3rd floor did not have any vending machines, just an old, old ice machine. I am not sure if some vending might have been elsewhere.
Would I stay here again, probably, but it will be only if I cannot book the original DVC rooms. After owning DVC for 23 years, I have truly become a room snob, and not afraid to admit it.
Any questions, ask away.
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Post by WDWGoof on Feb 20, 2023 22:49:29 GMT -5
Agree with hearing everything, but it’s not just the doors outside the atrium. I was down a hallway on the second floor. Walls are paper thin. Was almost asleep when I turned the light on quickly because I swore the connecting door had to have been open as the guy talking next door sounded like he was in my room. The door leading out to the hallway actually showed at least an inch of light when it was dark in the room. Felt like people in the hallway could see inside if they got down and looked. Decorations are lovely but when you look closely in the hallways, elevators, laundry room, etc., it’s just paint over old everything. Old moldings, old walls (thin ones at that). It’s definitely not a location I will be staying at anymore. I just wasn’t comfortable staying there.
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Post by allanadale on Feb 20, 2023 23:16:06 GMT -5
We had a 5th floor room, down the west hallway, and didn't have any of the noise issues you both mention. Ours was one of the oddly shaped rooms - Dormers, maybe they're called? - which had the vaulted ceilings but less space. We really liked it and might request that kind of room if we are able to stay there again (we own at AKV so the 7mo window can be an issue).
I don't mind having paper products in a studio, but I also found the quantity to be lacking. The best I can say about the beverage cooler is that it was adequate.
Our only real issue with the stay was that Housekeeping apparently put a 'room being serviced' sign on our door...and then forgot about it. So we waited outside for 30 minutes unnecessarily. Guess I'm too patient!
Our stay (August) was our first ever at Flo. It's second on our list now, behind the unbeatable Poly.
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Post by Adelard of Bath on Feb 20, 2023 23:51:13 GMT -5
The room with the ice machine on the 3rd floor did not have any vending machines, just an old, old ice machine. I was suddenly brought back to my youth, staying in those motels you don't see too much anymore unless it's a tv show, where you park right in front of the rooms and there is a line of "door, window, door, window" etc. Walk down the "hallway" (which is really a sidewalk) and you might find an "old, old ice machine" - the giant chest with a wood-paneling door, you lift the door and are presented with 500 lbs of ice cubes. You use a scoop to get some, then close the door and go back to your room. Ah, the old days. |
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Post by BWV Dreamin on Feb 21, 2023 6:19:40 GMT -5
All of your observations is why I sold all of my Grand Floridian points. It was a cheap refurb for a supposed flagship resort. The walls were always thin at Big Pine Key. As soon as I heard there was no microwave or real mini fridge, I knew it would put pressure on the deluxe studios. So the addition of the resort studios did nothing IMO to alleviate the demand for those deluxe studios. Disney really dropped the ball on this one.
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Post by nrspepe on Feb 21, 2023 10:20:18 GMT -5
We stayed in a resort studio the week they opened last year. We loved it and look forward to reserving another stay there sometime in 2024. We had a lagoon view on the 2nd floor…about 3 doors down from the atrium, no noise at all. Since there is limited closet space and only a beverage cooler, we think this is a perfect room for two with a great location for when we visit 3 - 4 nights and are including MK (about every 3rd stay). Many great restaurants to choose from in the area. No need to eat in the room for us on short stays.
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Post by rwethereyet on Feb 21, 2023 10:48:20 GMT -5
In response to some of the above comments. There is a microwave in the rooms now. Just no toaster.
I have also shoved a towel against the door leading to the atrium and it has cut down on some of the noise.
They are more generous with the towels here. At the Riviera there was only one hand towel for the whole room. Here there are extras of all the bathroom linens.
I agree about so many good restaurants to enjoy here, as well as the other restaurants on the monorail line.
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Post by amdev on Feb 21, 2023 16:58:25 GMT -5
OMG! I was just coming on here to vent these same feelings. We checked in yesterday and are staying for 3 nights. I swear I didn't book a Resort Studio, because I knew I wouldn't like it, but here we are. I asked the CM at check-in if that's what I booked and he said they don't usually change categories and he did look to move me as I complained but there wasn't anything ready at the time and we wanted to get to our room after a very long day at HS. Not only are we just off the atrium, we are next to the elevator. They started shining the tile floors this morning between 7:00-7:30, which I could hear. We can also hear everything from outside (construction, vehicles, screaming children) and the shower running from the room above. I made coffee this morning and wanted to wash my cup, but nope, no sink or dish washing detergent. I was happy to see there was a microwave, but we won't be staying here again. It's more of a hotel room and we love DVC for the distinct feeling of it not being a hotel room. I guess they think we should overlook the shortcomings since there is mouth rinse and Aloe Vera gel in the rooms!  |
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Post by swat08 on Feb 21, 2023 17:27:03 GMT -5
We stayed in resort studio lagoon view last month. We were on 4th floor I think and our room was right off the elevator. Maybe we are heavy sleepers but we didn't have any of the noise issues that are mentioned. We aren't bothered at all by the beverage cooler and it was perfect for keeping our bottled waters. We are on vacation so we don't eat any meals in our room - this is my time to not be responsible for anything and that includes making meals! The location of the villas is perfect - right by the pool, easy walk to lobby, quick service, boat, buses. We were really happy there and will book again.
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Post by BWV Dreamin on Feb 21, 2023 19:51:48 GMT -5
OMG! I was just coming on here to vent these same feelings. We checked in yesterday and are staying for 3 nights. I swear I didn't book a Resort Studio, because I knew I wouldn't like it, but here we are. I asked the CM at check-in if that's what I booked and he said they don't usually change categories and he did look to move me as I complained but there wasn't anything ready at the time and we wanted to get to our room after a very long day at HS. Not only are we just off the atrium, we are next to the elevator. They started shining the tile floors this morning between 7:00-7:30, which I could hear. We can also hear everything from outside (construction, vehicles, screaming children) and the shower running from the room above. I made coffee this morning and wanted to wash my cup, but nope, no sink or dish washing detergent. I was happy to see there was a microwave, but we won't be staying here again. It's more of a hotel room and we love DVC for the distinct feeling of it not being a hotel room. I guess they think we should overlook the shortcomings since there is mouth rinse and Aloe Vera gel in the rooms!  I wonder if they changed you. Booking a deluxe studio is a separate booking category even though the points are the same. Your confirmed reservation should tell you that. |
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Post by dmkedm on Feb 22, 2023 5:43:14 GMT -5
We stayed on the ground floor, in a room "in" the lobby (our room door opened into the lobby), during the week of Hurricane Ian last fall....we loved it. We could hear noise from the lobby (quite a lot of it during the hurricane shut-down time--they had games set up in the lobby and lots of people congregated there) if we were in the little hallway as you enter (I had my laptop set up on the make-up table that's right there), but not when we were all the way inside the room (where the beds are)....we asked for a real mini-fridge and they delivered one--it looked just like the cooler, so it may not have been a mini-fridge, but it did keep our cold items cold enough (we stocked some quick-eat foods, like sandwich meats, the day before the hurricane hit)...we absolutely loved being in Pine Key....great location, absolutely gorgeous decor and we weren't at all bothered by the noise. Our patio was right across from the pool building, too, which made going out for a morning swim (on the non-hurricane days, of course) very easy--altho it wouldn't have been "hard" had we had to go through the lobby....there were also containers of towels in the hallways, so we could have (but didn't) grabbed extra towels if we wanted to. Can't emphasize enough how much we loved it. So worth the high points cost. Just loved it.
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Post by bakerworld on Feb 22, 2023 10:23:26 GMT -5
I kinda strong armed DH by booking GFV studio for our pre-cruise night. If it's bad then it will just reinforce his view of the GF when we stayed as guests in the resort hotel.
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Post by BWV Dreamin on Feb 22, 2023 10:39:43 GMT -5
I kinda strong armed DH by booking GFV studio for our pre-cruise night. If it's bad then it will just reinforce his view of the GF when we stayed as guests in the resort hotel. Did you book a resort studio or the deluxe? Totally two different units. If it’s deluxe, you will be fine. If Resort, I don’t think your DH gonna like it. I think some of those rooms don’t even have a balcony. |
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Post by WDWGoof on Feb 22, 2023 11:29:53 GMT -5
I kinda strong armed DH by booking GFV studio for our pre-cruise night. If it's bad then it will just reinforce his view of the GF when we stayed as guests in the resort hotel. Did you book a resort studio or the deluxe? Totally two different units. If it’s deluxe, you will be fine. If Resort, I don’t think your DH gonna like it. I think some of those rooms don’t even have a balcony. Agree, both are totally different. Deluxe was a great stay. It was the new one I wasn’t keen on. Kind of like Jambo vs. Kidani. I love Jambo, not so much Kidani. Two different animals. |
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Post by Brian5581 on Feb 22, 2023 14:59:18 GMT -5
Both just fine with me.
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