Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Encyclopedia
Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is a AAA
Four Diamond Award–winning, Victorian
themed luxury 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 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 resort is owned and operated by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
.
The Grand Floridian is categorized as a deluxe resort, one of four types of accommodations at the Florida site. The resort is distinguished Disney's flagship and most luxurious resort. The resort has received designation in the Florida Green Lodging Program.
was inspired by the Victorian era
beach resorts built along Florida
's east coast during the late 19th century and early 20th century; its exterior is modeled after the Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire
and Hotel del Coronado
in Coronado, 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
. The hotel's main building features a five story lobby, a cage elevator, stained glass domes, and Italian marble floors.
Initially, Walt Disney wanted a Polynesian resort (reflecting Adventureland), the Contemporary Resort to echo Tomorrowland
, and other resorts that mirrored the 'lands' of the Magic Kingdom
. Main Street and The Grand Floridian act as analogous reflections. The resort was designed by the Disney company and executed by the architectural firm Wimberly, Allison, Tong & Goo.
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 an Asian themed resort
during the initial development of Walt Disney World Resort in the late 1960s. As of June 2007, smoking is permitted only in designated outdoor smoking locations. In 1992, a 40000 square feet (3,716.1 m²) convention center
opened adjacent to the hotel, which contains a business center.
The hotel has completed some major renovations over the last couple years. In 2007, all the guestrooms were redecorated and flat panel televisions were added. The lobby has gone under a major transformation since its beginning. Italian marble was put in to replace dated tiles. There are even some mosaics of Disney characters near common places such as the main entrance, monorail station, and elevators with new carpet installed in May 2010. During evening hours, a band plays on the second floor balcony for about 3 hours alternating with a pianist.
offers massages, therapies, and other treatments. The Walt Disney World Monorail System
, water taxis, and buses provide access to other Walt Disney World areas and attractions.
villas, as well as a new parking lot for Disney's Wedding Pavilion
and Grand Floridian Health Club. There has been no confirmation of these rumors, but if true, the Grand Floridian would be home to the second Vacation Club property on a monorail resort, following Bay Lake Tower
at Disney's Contemporary Resort which opened in 2009. Beginning on September 19th, the Grand Floridian's Spa will be closed for 18 months due to this expansion.
American Automobile Association
AAA , formerly known as the American Automobile Association, is a federation of 51 independently operated motor clubs throughout North America. AAA is a not-for-profit member service organization with more than 51 million members. AAA provides services to its members such as travel, automotive,...
Four Diamond Award–winning, Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
themed luxury hotel and spa
Destination spa
A destination spa is a short term residential/lodging facility with the primary purpose of providing individual services for spa-goers to develop healthy habits. Historically many such spas were developed at the location of natural hot springs or sources of mineral waters...
located at the Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort
Walt Disney World Resort , is the world's most-visited entertaimental resort. Located in Lake Buena Vista, Florida ; approximately southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States, the resort covers an area of and includes four theme parks, two water parks, 23 on-site themed resort hotels Walt...
in Florida. The property opened on June 28, 1988 as the Grand Floridian Beach Resort. The name 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 resort is owned and operated by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts is the segment of The Walt Disney Company that conceives, builds, and manages the company's theme parks and holiday resorts, as well as a variety of additional family-oriented leisure enterprises...
.
The Grand Floridian is categorized as a deluxe resort, one of four types of accommodations at the Florida site. The resort is distinguished Disney's flagship and most luxurious resort. The resort has received designation in the Florida Green Lodging Program.
History and influences
The hotelHotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
was inspired by the Victorian era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
beach resorts built along Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
's east coast during the late 19th century and early 20th century; its exterior is modeled after the Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire
Bretton Woods, New Hampshire
Bretton Woods is an area within the town of Carroll, New Hampshire, USA, whose principal points of interest are three leisure and recreation facilities...
and Hotel del Coronado
Hotel del Coronado
Hotel del Coronado is a beachfront luxury hotel in the city of Coronado, just across the San Diego Bay from San Diego, California. It is one of the few surviving examples of an American architectural genre: the wooden Victorian beach resort...
in Coronado, California
Coronado, California
Coronado, also known as Coronado Island, is an affluent resort city located in San Diego County, California, 5.2 miles from downtown San Diego. Its population was 24,697 at the 2010 census, up from 24,100 at the 2000 census. U.S. News and World Report lists Coronado as one of the most expensive...
, with red gabled roofs and white walls. Additional design inspiration was taken from the Belleview-Biltmore Hotel
Belleview-Biltmore Hotel
The Belleview Biltmore Resort and Spa is a currently closed historic resort hotel located at 25 Belleview Boulevard in the town of Belleair, Florida, USA. The hotel is situated along the eastern shores of Old Clearwater Bay, with views of the bay and the barrier islands which border the Gulf of...
in Belleair, Florida
Belleair, Florida
Belleair is a town in Pinellas County, Florida, United States.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of . of it is land and of it is water.-Form of Government:...
. 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
Florida Keys
The Florida Keys are a coral archipelago in southeast United States. They begin at the southeastern tip of the Florida peninsula, about south of Miami, and extend in a gentle arc south-southwest and then westward to Key West, the westernmost of the inhabited islands, and on to the uninhabited Dry...
. The hotel's main building features a five story lobby, a cage elevator, stained glass domes, and Italian marble floors.
Initially, Walt Disney wanted a Polynesian resort (reflecting Adventureland), the Contemporary Resort to echo Tomorrowland
Tomorrowland
- Tomorrowland 1955–1967 :The first Tomorrowland opened at Disneyland on July 18, 1955, with only several of its planned attractions open, due to budget cuts. The construction of the park was rushed, so Tomorrowland was the last land to be finished. It became something of a corporate showcase,...
, and other resorts that mirrored the 'lands' of the Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom Park is one of four theme parks at the Walt Disney World Resort located near Orlando, Florida. The first park built at the resort, Magic Kingdom opened Oct. 1, 1971. Designed and built by WED Enterprises, the park's layout and attractions are similar to Disneyland in Anaheim, California...
. Main Street and The Grand Floridian act as analogous reflections. The resort was designed by the Disney company and executed by the architectural firm Wimberly, Allison, Tong & Goo.
Along with Disney's Polynesian Resort
Disney's Polynesian Resort
Disney's Polynesian Resort is a Disney owned and operated AAA Four-Diamond Award–winning resort located at the Walt Disney World Resort. It began operation on October 1, 1971 as one of Walt Disney World Resort's first two on-site hotels. The resort has a South Seas theme, and originally opened...
, the Grand Floridian sits on the shores of the man-made Seven Seas Lagoon
Seven Seas Lagoon
The Seven Seas Lagoon is the man-made lake in front of the Magic Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida. The lake reaches a depth of 14 feet. The lake connects with the adjacent Bay Lake.- Uses and history :...
near the Magic Kingdom. The hotel occupies land that had been earmarked for an Asian themed resort
Disney's Asian Resort
Disney's Asian Resort was a themed hotel planned for Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Designed in the 1960s when the resort first was envisioned, it was scheduled to begin operation in 1974, three years after Walt Disney World opened in 1971.Due to the 1973 oil crisis, the...
during the initial development of Walt Disney World Resort in the late 1960s. As of June 2007, smoking is permitted only in designated outdoor smoking locations. In 1992, a 40000 square feet (3,716.1 m²) convention center
Convention center
A convention center is a large building that is designed to hold a convention, where individuals and groups gather to promote and share common interests. Convention centers typically offer sufficient floor area to accommodate several thousand attendees...
opened adjacent to the hotel, which contains a business center.
The hotel has completed some major renovations over the last couple years. In 2007, all the guestrooms were redecorated and flat panel televisions were added. The lobby has gone under a major transformation since its beginning. Italian marble was put in to replace dated tiles. There are even some mosaics of Disney characters near common places such as the main entrance, monorail station, and elevators with new carpet installed in May 2010. During evening hours, a band plays on the second floor balcony for about 3 hours alternating with a pianist.
Dining
- Victoria & Albert's - A critically acclaimed restaurant at the hotel, with a menu created nightly and an award-winning wine cellar. The restaurant has received AAA's Five Diamond Award each year since 2000 and currently is the one of three Floridian restaurants to receive the award (the others restaurants are at The Breakers Hotel and Four Seasons, both of which are in Palm Beach.) As of January 2008, children under 10 are no longer permitted.
- Cítricos - American food with a Mediterranean inflection. Serves dinner five to seven nights a week, depending on season. It operates in a location that was formerly an Italian restaurant called Flagler's that operated until 1997.
- Narcoossee's - A seafood restaurant with an open kitchen and views of Seven Seas LagoonSeven Seas LagoonThe Seven Seas Lagoon is the man-made lake in front of the Magic Kingdom at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida. The lake reaches a depth of 14 feet. The lake connects with the adjacent Bay Lake.- Uses and history :...
and the Magic KingdomMagic KingdomMagic Kingdom Park is one of four theme parks at the Walt Disney World Resort located near Orlando, Florida. The first park built at the resort, Magic Kingdom opened Oct. 1, 1971. Designed and built by WED Enterprises, the park's layout and attractions are similar to Disneyland in Anaheim, California...
fireworks show, WishesWishesWishes: A Magical Gathering of Disney Dreams is a fireworks show at the Magic Kingdom theme park in Florida and at Disneyland Park in Disneyland Paris...
. Serves dinner nightly.
- 1900 Park Fare - Buffet dining with Disney characters including Mary PoppinsMary PoppinsMary Poppins is a series of children's books written by P. L. Travers and originally illustrated by Mary Shepard. The books centre on a magical English nanny, Mary Poppins. She is blown by the East wind to Number Seventeen Cherry Tree Lane, London and into the Banks' household to care for their...
and CinderellaCinderella"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune...
. Inside this restaurant is "Big Bertha", an organ built in ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and used from 1909 to 1955 in a Grand Rapids, MichiganGrand Rapids, MichiganGrand Rapids is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located on the Grand River about 40 miles east of Lake Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 188,040. In 2010, the Grand Rapids metropolitan area had a population of 774,160 and a combined statistical area, Grand...
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 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.
Recreation and spa
The resort offers two pools, a jacuzzi, and a white sand beach. The marina contains various watercraft rentals, including fishing excursions and a yacht. Other recreational activities include tennis programs, a mile-long jogging trail, health club, and preferred access to the Walt Disney World golf courses. The full service spaSpa
The term spa is associated with water treatment which is also known as balneotherapy. Spa towns or spa resorts typically offer various health treatments. The belief in the curative powers of mineral waters goes back to prehistoric times. Such practices have been popular worldwide, but are...
offers massages, therapies, and other treatments. The Walt Disney World Monorail System
Walt Disney World Monorail System
The Walt Disney World Monorail System is a public transit system in operation at the Walt Disney World Resort.The Walt Disney World Resort currently operates twelve Mark VI monorail trains on three lines of service. The monorail system opened in 1971 with two routes and with Mark IV monorail trains...
, water taxis, and buses provide access to other Walt Disney World areas and attractions.
DVC Addition
In March 2011, plans of a potential addition to the Grand Floridian Resort surfaced on the internet. Architectural renderings show a new wing on the southern tip of the property that may be used for Disney Vacation ClubDisney Vacation Club
Disney Vacation Club is a vacation timeshare division owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company. It allows buying real estate interest in a DVC resort. Disney Vacation Club's President is Claire Bilby....
villas, as well as a new parking lot for Disney's Wedding Pavilion
Disney's Wedding Pavilion
Disney's Wedding Pavilion is a facility at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida that hosts weddings, vow renewals and commitment ceremonies. Located on the shores of the Seven Seas Lagoon near the Magic Kingdom theme park, the pavilion opened on July 15, 1995....
and Grand Floridian Health Club. There has been no confirmation of these rumors, but if true, the Grand Floridian would be home to the second Vacation Club property on a monorail resort, following Bay Lake Tower
Bay Lake Tower
Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort , is a Disney Vacation Club resort located at the Walt Disney World Resort. It officially opened on August 4, 2009....
at Disney's Contemporary Resort which opened in 2009. Beginning on September 19th, the Grand Floridian's Spa will be closed for 18 months due to this expansion.