Today it is my great pleasure to review Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, which is a favorite among many celebrities including Oprah and Mariah Carey. It is known as being the most expensive hotel at Walt Disney World and one of the nicest hotels in all of Florida. They have world class dining including Victoria and Albert’s, arguably considered to be the nicest restaurant in all of Orlando. Those looking for a true five star dining experience shall look no further.

But in fact, I think every visitor to Orlando should visit this hotel because it’s true gem is it’s lobby. I think the rooms are actually a little bit outdated and older looking (most rooms are actually in separate buildings away from the hotel lobby, giving visitors no reason to ever even visit it!) but the lobby is one of the nicest in the country. It can be accessed quickly and for free via the WDW monorail system, which also goes to the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, the Contemporary Resort, and the Polynesian Resort. Budget seekers: Stop by to check it all out, listen to the band play and try one of their more affordable restaurants.

The pool is nothing all that state-of-the-art but it is plenty nicety say the least! Who needs a pool anyway when the Magic Kingdom is steps away and two world class WDW water parks are just minutes away.

This is their second pool, which looks a little more natural and offers picturesque views of the lake (and in the distance you can even see the outline of the Magic kIngdom theme park). 

The exterior really sets the standards for other five star resorts!

We even got to witness a wedding here, which was a real treat. Photos on the grand staircase, a harpist, and the whole nine yards. What an incredible place to do it. What better place to tie the knot!

 Is this room really worth $500 a night? Probably not, it’s just a normal sized room with a view of the gardens. No special theming or anything but you’re paying for the proximity to the Magic Kingdom, the most visited theme park in the entire world! As well as being steps away from 5 star dining and a 5 star atmosphere as well.

$500 a Night For…

Some rooms are lakeside and even have a little bit of a view of the Magic Kingdom. You can barely see the outline of the Magic Kingdom Cinderella’s castle and Space Mountain. It’s not much of an inside look at the park, but it is nice, never the less.

Delicious custom Cobb & salmon salad at The Grand Floridian Cafe! They were more than happy to make it just how we asked and it was actually was not all that expensive. I definitely plan on returning to The Grand Floridian Cafe on my next visit.

Yummy desserts at the Grand Floridian Cafe.

The orchestra six person orchestra plays on the second story of the lobby. It really sets a festive mood for anyone passing through, checking in, or simply lounging in the lobby. I spoke with an Orlando resident who told me that she comes by once a week just to listen to this complementary orchestra and I can’t blame her! I would too.

 How much did that custom chandelier cost?!

The Grand Floridian even has it’s own private beach with views of the Polynesian and as I said, the Magic Kingdom. This sandy beach is a great place to wind down after a fun long day at the theme parks.

You thought that six person orchestra was elaborate? Wait till you see the grand piano player in the lobby.

This little breakfast area was included in our stay, as an up charge. It is very convenient and offers a wide variety of quick treats to stuff down before an exciting day in WDW.

Pictured above is the bottom of the couch in our living room. As you can see, it’s all dinged up and doesn’t really look like something you would expect to see in a room that you paid $500 a night for.

More scratches on the TV stand. What would Walt think?!

This was taken the moment we arrived at the Grand Floridian, which was our first stop upon arrival. There’s nothing like that first glance at they property after anticipating it for 10 miserable hours!

As you can tell, I was blown away by the attention to detail that was put into this ingenious resort. I think every Disney World visitor should stay on property because it is so much more fun, especially for kids. Kids love looking for the hidden mickeys and they will love the convenience of all the on-proprty ammenities. Not to mention the extra magic hours, which allow you to stay in the parks longer than regular guests. The value resorts really are not all that expensive and disney World even offers a campground, so you really have no excuse for not wanting to stay on property – unless you have a timeshare (see my post on why I think every timeshare is a ripoff!).

In the comments section, let us know your thoughts on the Grand Floridian. We would love to hear from you!

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