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A grand hotel with gabled roofs and Victorian balustrades typical of the fabled Florida beach resorts of the 19th century is among Walt Disney World's themed resort adventures.

Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, nestled on 40 acres of picturesque shore-front on the west side of Seven Seas Lagoon, between the Magic Kingdom and Disney's Polynesian Resort, welcomed its first modern-day time-travelers in mid-1988.

The 900-room hotel featuring complete resort facilities recalls the days when John D. Rockefeller, Thomas Edison and even President Theodore Roosevelt led the annual winter pilgrimage to the land of friendly sunshine, where rowboats and palm fans replaced snow shoes and pot-belly stoves. Canary palms, southern magnolias and richly colored gardens complete the historic theme.

Often referred to as "the jewel in the crown" of Disney's Vacation Kingdom, the Grand Floridian also may be the first resort of its kind since the golden era of Henry M. Flagler and Henry Plant. But this time, it has all the advantages of 21st century living -- such as air conditioning and monorail service that stops right beside the 19th century Grand Lobby.

Complementing the guest accommodations are five restaurants, two lounges, two snack bars, an arcade, a "Mouseketeer Club" child-care facility, five shops, a swimming pool, children's playground, marina, beauty salon and 9,000-square-foot spa and health club. The luxurious spa offers an array of fitness and beauty treatments from seaweed body wraps to aromatherapy.

Like Disney's other resorts, the Grand Floridian has a distinctive theme that carries through architecture, landscape, furnishings and costumes.

"The Grand Floridian is a journey to the turn-of-the-century -- roughly 1890 to 1910," says general manager John Hallowell. "It's life at a leisurely pace -- a stroll along broad verandahs, wicker rockers beneath lazy ceiling fans, palm trees and white-sand beaches."

The style of the buildings is reminiscent of the Victorian era but is more playful and relaxed -- embellished by intricate lattice work and balustrades and 120 miles of scrolls, turnposts and curved moldings. Snow-white towers and red-shingle roofs make a dramatic first impression on guests.

The resort accommodations are among the most luxurious on Disney property. The 74 concierge and suite rooms with private elevator access in the 225,000-square-foot main building include in-room facilities such as a wet bar and lavish decor. One of the resort's five lodge buildings also features personal concierge service.

In the main building, the third-floor concierge lobby includes three guest-services desks designed to provide personalized services such as check-in/check-out, reservations, information, etc. The fourth-floor concierge lobby includes a quiet seating area where guests can enjoy complimentary continental breakfasts and evening cocktails. The fifth-floor suite lobby features a bookcase filled with a wide variety of reading materials.

In addition to the main building with its palatial vaulted lobby, the complex includes five lodge buildings, four and five stories in height, with 825 additional guest rooms.

Guest-room decor, as it did a century ago, enhances the atmosphere of a refuge from harsh winters and the hectic big-city pace. Features include soft, spring-like colors and printed wall coverings, armoires and other furnishings in light woods, marble-top sinks with old-fashion fittings, and Victorian woodwork.

Most rooms include two queen-size beds plus a day bed. Suites include a parlor plus one to three bedrooms.

An open-cage elevator, aviary, palms and ferns set the mood in the sitting area of the 5,800-square-foot Grand Lobby, which reaches five stories to a Victorian ceiling adorned with three illuminated stained-glass domes, ornate chandeliers and metal scrolls.

Shops carry on the theme in displays featuring turn-of-the-century toys and clothing. Shops are Summer Lace (ladies' shop), Commander Porter's (men's shop), Sandy Cove (liquor, gifts and sundries) and M. Mouse Mercantile (character shop).

Dining opportunities at the Grand Floridian are diverse -- from top-your-own burgers at Gasparilla Grill and Games to intimate, candlelight, gourmet dinners at Victoria & Albert's, with elegant service fit for royalty. The largest restaurant is Cítricos featuring sun-drenched Provençal colors and an open-air kitchen. 1900 Park Fare hosts character dining at breakfast and dinner plus the Character Wonderland Tea Party. Grand Floridian Cafe serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.

All major dining locations are in the main building except Narcoosee's, a seafood restaurant on a romantic shoreline location. Octagon-shaped and open-beamed, Narcoosee's features a show kitchen where cooks broil, steam, sauté and smoke the catches of the day.

Hotel recreation is water-oriented -- white sand beaches on 200-acre Seven Seas Lagoon, a marina with rental craft, a 275,000-gallon swimming pool and a children's playground. For the most lavish water experience, the Grand 1 offers a pampered VIP boating experience on Seven Seas Lagoon overlooking the Magic Kingdom. The 44-foot Sea Ray yacht sails on morning, afternoon or evening excursions, featuring a fireworks display above the Magic Kingdom on select evenings. For the ultimate cruise, private butler service and on-board gourmet dining is available.

A full-service spa and health club pampers guests with a variety of personalized treatments including massage therapy, body treatments, facials, manicures and pedicures. Men's and women's sauna, steam room, whirlpool and workout room round out the amenities.

Principal architect for Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa was Wimberly, Allison, Tong and Goo of Newport Beach, Calif. Several specialty consultants were responsible for elements such as lighting, landscaping and interior design. The general contractor was F.J. Rooney Inc. of Fort Lauderdale.

 
 Resort Info 

4401 Grand Floridian Way
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
Phone: 407) 824-3000
Fax: (407) 824-3186


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 Current Rack Rates 
Room Type:
Weekday Rate, Weekends Slightly Higher

Value Season:  $460.00
Regular Season:  $505.00
Peak Season:  $595.00
Fall Season:  $485.00
Holiday Season:  $730.00

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