Have you ever had that dream hotel you always wanted to stay at? Well, mine was Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. I had the opportunity to stay there for my honeymoon/ birthday trip this past April. Just like my first trip to Walt Disney World when I was 16, my experience at Disney’s Grand Floridian did not disappoint.
We stayed in a 1 bedroom villa. The villas are located in a building between the main building and the wedding chapel. We had a lovely lagoon view from our room. The Victorian style king size bed was very comfortable (although I felt like I needed a step stool to get on). The living room furniture was very comfortable and there was even a hideaway bed under the TV which would be great for a child. The room had a nice balcony. I would be careful with young adventurous children though as the dividers between rooms on the balconies have a space at the bottom which is about 12-18 inches high and a young child could crawl right through there to the room for the other balcony and it would be difficult for the parent to get their child back.
The room had a washer/dryer combination that is great for families so they do not have to pack a lot of clothes. The machines were even quiet enough to run at night. The bathroom is a split bathroom with a sink/vanity, toilet, and huge shower (you could fit a whole family in there) in one room and a large Victorian tub (like a claw foot tub without the feet) and sink/ vanity (with a TV in the mirror!) in the other room.
The kitchen was open but not overly large. The refrigerator was interesting as it had an ice drawer along with the freezer. As the other 1 bedroom villas have, the kitchen is fully stocked with plates, tableware, glasses, and pots and pans. There is a stove, oven, and a dishwasher.
This is a great location for the family who prefers to cook some of their own meals and have the ability to do laundry. Although I felt like royalty at this hotel with the luxury, there are plenty of things for the kids to do. There are two regular pools and a splash area. The pool closest to the splash area also has a slide. The other pool is where the spa is located.
The restaurants at the hotel run the gamut from fine dining with the 5 Diamond Victoria & Albert’s (adults only), Citrico’s and Narcoosee’s to character meals at 1900 Park Faire. They also have a more casual table service restaurant (Grand Floridian Café). There are even a couple of tea parties one of which is kids only. My husband and I had dinner at Narcoosee’s. The food and service were amazing. We also had some of the best service we have seen anywhere from some of the cast members working at the villa’s concierge desks.
If you are looking for luxury, great service, great food and a beautiful atmosphere, look no farther than Disney’s Grand Floridian.