Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

**Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa** is a Victorian themed hotel and spa located at the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. The property opened on June 28, 1988 as the *Grand Floridian Beach Resort*. The name was changed to *Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa* during the fall of 1997. The resort contains 867 rooms among six buildings at an average of 400 square feet (37 m²) per room. A standard room can sleep up to five people.

The Grand Floridian is categorized as a *deluxe* resort, one of four types of accommodations at the Florida site. According to The Walt Disney Company, it is considered Disney's flagship resort.The resort has received designation in the Florida Green Lodging Program. It represents Florida's Victorian Age. It was also tied into the backstory of the former Pleasure Island nightlife district, being described as having once been the Pleasure Family Mansion built by Merriweather Adam Pleasure as an anniversary gift for his wife.

## History and influences

The hotel was inspired by the Victorian-era beach resorts built along Florida's east coast during the late 1800s and early 1900s; its exterior is modeled after the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, California, with red gabled roofs and white walls. Additional design inspiration was taken from the Belleview-Biltmore Hotel in Belleair, Florida.

The resort's outer lodge buildings — Sago Cay, Sugarloaf Key, Conch Key, Boca Chica and Big Pine Key — are named for islands in the Florida Keys. Along with Disney's Polynesian Resort, the Grand Floridian sits on the shores of the man-made Seven Seas Lagoon near the Magic Kingdom. The hotel occupies land that had been earmarked for Disney's Asian Resort during the initial development of Walt Disney World Resort in the late 1960s.

In 1992, a 40,000-square-foot convention center opened adjacent to the hotel, which contains a business center.

As of June 2007, smoking is permitted only in designated outdoor smoking locations.

## Dining

* Victoria & Albert's: A restaurant at Walt Disney World Resort, with a menu created nightly and an award-winning wine cellar. The intimate restaurant has received AAA's Five Diamond Award each year since 2000 and is currently the only Central Florida restaurant to achieve the designation. Serves dinner nightly. As of January 2008, children under 10 are no longer permitted.
* Cítricos: American food with a Mediterranean flair. Serves dinner five to seven nights a week, depending on season. Formerly an Italian restaurant called Flagler's, which operated until 1997.
* Narcoossee's: A seafood restaurant with an open kitchen and views of Seven Seas Lagoon and the Magic Kingdom fireworks show, *Wishes*. Serves dinner nightly.
* 1900 Park Fare: Buffet dining with Disney characters including Mary Poppins and Cinderella. Inside this restaurant is "Big Bertha", an organ built in Paris and used from 1909 to 1955 in a Grand Rapids, Michigan amusement park. The organ's instruments include pipes, drums, bells, cymbals, castanets and a xylophone, and are played by a piano-roll score. It plays short concerts periodically during mealtimes. Serves breakfast and dinner (buffet-style) daily.
* Grand Floridian Café: Traditional American fare, with fresh fruit, seafood, and burgers. Serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily.
* Gasparilla Grill and Games: A 24-hour snack bar with an adjacent arcade.
* Courtyard Pool Bar
* Enchanted Rose
* Private Dining
* Afternoon Tea at Garden View Tea Room
* Beaches Pool Bar & Grill

## Shops

* Basin White
* Curiouser Clothiers
* M. Mouse Mercantile
* Sandy Cove Gifts and Sundries

## Entertainment

* Grand Floridian Lobby Pianist
* Electrical Water Pageant

## Recreation and amenities

Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa offers multiple amenities and recreational activities.

* **Courtyard Pool** - Situated between the guest room buildings, the pool features zero-entry access, a jacuzzi, cabanas, and the Courtyard Pool Bar.
* **Beach Pool** - Located beachside between the main resort and Villas, the zero-entry Beach Pool offers an Alice in Wonderland water playground for children, as well as a slide, cabanas, and pool bar.
* **White Sand Beaches** - The resort fronts the Seven Seas Lagoon and features a stretch of man-made white sand beaches, which continue to the nearby Polynesian Village Resort.
* **The Captain's Shipyard** - A marina containing watercraft rentals, fireworks and fishing excursions, and a yacht.
* **Arcadia Games** - Connected to Gasparilla Island Grill.
* **Grand Floridian Spa & Health Club**
* **Senses Spa and Fitness Center** - Senses - A Disney Spa is located adjacent to the Villas building and also houses a 24-hour fitness center for the use of Grand Floridian and Polynesian guests.
* **Jogging Trail** - The Grand Floridian and Polynesian Village have an interconnecting jogging trail which is approximately one mile in length.
* **Shopping** - Located within the Main Building is a variety of stores.
* **Dining** - 1900 Park Fare is located within the Main Building which is an old time carnival and carousel themed character buffet. The antique Limonaire Band Organ "Big Bertha" is located overhead where the guests eat and plays occasionally. The organ was formerly a part of the Paul Eakins collection. Other locations include Citricos, Narcoossee's and Victoria and Alberts (all upscale dining), Grand Floridian Cafe (casual dining), the Garden View Tea Room and Gasparilla Island Grill (quick service).
* **Ivy Trellis Salon** - a hair and beauty salon.
* **Franck's Studio**
* **Lobby Entertainment** - The Main Building lobby features live music in the form of piano and singer during the daytime, and a dedicated orchestra in the evenings.
* **Convention Center** - Situated to the right of the lobby upon exiting, the Grand Floridian features its own convention center.
* **Walt Disney World Transportation System** - The resort has its own Walt Disney World Monorail System station, as well as a water launch to the Polynesian Village Resort and the Magic Kingdom. Buses provide access to all other Walt Disney World attractions.
* **Disney's Wedding Pavilion** - Disney's Wedding Chapel located on the property.

## Transportation

* Monorail
* Bus
* Minnie Van Service
* Boat Launch (Gold Launch)
* Self Parking Lot

## Villas

### **The Villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa**

1. ↑ http://www.mainstgazette.com/2009/08/estate-suitable-for-someone-of-their.html