Building will as soon as once more resume at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, with work lastly shifting contained in the foyer in 2025. This publish shares the newest information from Walt Disney World and our ideas on the affect to friends with stays right here for the remainder of this 12 months. We’ll additionally handle the reimagining of rooms, eating places, foyer, and extra.
This undertaking has been a number of years within the making. It truly began shortly earlier than the closure of the parks with a lounge replace, and continued shortly after reopening with extra restaurant reimaginings. Then with the pause of what’s now Disney Lakeshore Lodge, the corporate decided it “wanted” extra Disney Trip Membership factors to promote, resulting in the DVC overhaul of the Large Pine Key constructing.
Following that, all the outlying buildings within the resort have been redone in an identical type. (See Grand New Rooms at Walt Disney World’s Flagship Resort for a glance inside.) That occurred building-by-building roughly two years in the past, and was anticipated to culminate with the primary foyer in direction of the top of the 12 months. But it surely didn’t.
The expectation on the time was that Walt Disney World was unwilling to lose the foyer of the Grand Floridian in the course of the vacation season, which is an extremely profitable time of 12 months. Resort occupancy is excessive and there’s the well-known gingerbread home within the foyer that pulls friends and sells treats. It’s completely regular for Walt Disney World to pause resort building initiatives for October by December because of this, even at resorts that don’t have gingerbread homes.
Accordingly, we anticipated work to renew early final 12 months on the foyer. But it surely didn’t. Then there was the announcement that 1900 Park Fare could be reimagined previous to reopening within the spring, and we thought certainly the Grand Floridian foyer could be redone alongside that. But it surely wasn’t. Maybe after 1900 Park Fare reopened, which would supply the chance to shut Grand Floridian Cafe on the similar time? Nope.
After months of radio silence and Walt Disney World not together with the Grand Floridian when it launched the 2025 resort undertaking ‘warnings’ late final 12 months, we assumed the foyer overhaul had quietly died. But it surely didn’t!
Right here’s the newest replace from Walt Disney World:
“Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa will probably be receiving enhancements to pick out areas in phases, together with the foyer and conference middle, from April by November 2025. Friends may even see and listen to building throughout daytime hours, and parts of the foyer will probably be closed at instances. All swimming pools and most resort eating and different facilities will stay accessible. Please enable further time for journey, as path changes could also be in place.”
As of publish time, this discover (with particulars & date vary) solely seems on the Disney Trip Membership Member website. It doesn’t seem on the consumer-facing DisneyWorld.com web page for the Grand Floridian. To the most effective of my data, no discover has been despatched to journey brokers, both.
That declines to state what, precisely, the foyer and conference middle overhaul will entail, however we do have this from a pair years in the past when this was first introduced:
“2023 will even be a momentous 12 months for Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa because it celebrates its thirty fifth anniversary on July 1! The resort has been receiving some grand touches that weave acquainted storybook appeal into the Victorian magnificence of this flagship resort. Visitor rooms are presently being up to date as we communicate with extra to return because the beloved Grand Floridian ushers in its third decade of magic. The continuing renovation will even embody an upcoming refurbishment of the foyer, which can preserve the traditional theming you understand and love with some recent new enhancements.
The story doesn’t finish there, as you’ll be able to dine beneath the stunning London sky at Citricos, impressed by ‘Mary Poppins Returns’ … and possibly bookend your night with a shimmering sip at Enchanted Rose Lounge, impressed by “Magnificence and the Beast.” And our beloved Victoria & Albert’s – the culinary crown jewel of Walt Disney World Resort and AAA 5 Diamond Award winner – reopened its doorways this 12 months to rave opinions that includes a renovated inside.”
Past this, it was rumored that Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort would obtain a considerable overhaul to the foyer with “Enchanted Gardens” because the unifying visible type. (This rumor was corroborated by the official Disney Recordsdata journal for DVC members, which used the very same time period.)
When it comes to timing, our expectation is that work begins on the Grand Floridian foyer reimagining no sooner than April 22, 2025. There’s presently the favored Easter Egg show within the foyer, and that’s one other vacation (together with the entire of spring break season) that’s a well-liked time for the resort. It’s extremely unlikely work will start earlier than Easter. It’s potential they’ll wait one other full week after that, as some college districts nonetheless have recesses the week after Easter.
As for when work will wrap up, the goal date is probably going earlier than Veterans Day. Usually, the Grand Floridian is likely one of the first resorts to open its gingerbread home, and building typically begins in late October. We’d anticipate that to stay true right here, and for partitions to return down round all the pieces in early November 2025.
In fact, that’s assuming the undertaking is way sufficient alongside–however we strongly suspect that Walt Disney World would pause the undertaking over having work lower right into a portion of the vacation season. That will imply leaving an excessive amount of cash on the desk. (And keep in mind, this work additionally encompasses the conference middle–there’s nothing to say the foyer work received’t be finished on a tighter timeframe and the conference middle will probably be what drags into November 2025.)
As for the visitor affect, we’d anticipate it to be pretty important.
Whereas there have been different foyer initiatives which were comparatively minor initiatives, swapping out furnishings and furnishings in a single day with zero affect on friends (BoardWalk involves thoughts), that’s not what we’ve seen with the outlying buildings on the Grand Floridian. Furthermore, there wouldn’t be a brand new building warning–for April by November–if this have been a easy swapping of furnishings. Disney will be glacially sluggish, nevertheless it doesn’t take them over 6 months to take away and change some sofas.
To every their very own, but when we have been planning a keep on the Grand Floridian from late April by early November 2025, we’d change resorts. The foyer is just too essential of a characteristic and the resort is just too costly to accept it being a building zone. In fact, you shouldn’t substitute our judgment on your personal. In case you’re staying on the Grand Floridian for its visitor rooms, swimming pools, or proximity to the parks–and rarely step foot within the foyer–clearly this recommendation might not apply to you.
Regardless, it’s extremely irritating that Walt Disney World waited till late March 2025 to problem a warning for a undertaking that’ll begin one month later. It’s not the development about which we’re upset–that has to occur someday–it’s the shortage of discover and disrespect for friends.
This isn’t some pressing upkeep that’s being scheduled last-minute. We’ve seen that occur with just a few current pool initiatives, and are utterly understanding of these as a result of it’s unattainable to plan for issues that come up out of nowhere. (Properly, maybe higher preventative upkeep, however you get the concept.)
Against this, it is a foyer reimagining that’s elective in nature. It completely wants to occur, however the timing actually will not be catching Disney unexpectedly. They’ve undoubtedly been planning this for months, and have recognized precisely when it could occur for some time. So why not proactively present advance discover? It’s irritating, to say the least.
Even when you’re unbothered by the foyer undertaking, friends ought to nonetheless demand higher give the nightly price of the Grand Floridian and Walt Disney World’s personal requirements. (Considered one of our favourite accommodations on this planet, Park Hyatt Tokyo, is within the midst of an identical undertaking. That resort closed fully for the refurbishment, and made the announcement one full 12 months prematurely so potential friends may plan accordingly. Hyatt is a greater hotelier than Disney, however these are comparably priced accommodations.)
As famous above, Walt Disney World already introduced that the foyer “will preserve the traditional theming you understand and love with some recent new enhancements.” What which means is unclear; it leaves a variety of latitude for a spread of modifications. Our expectation is that the scope and scale is on par with the opposite buildings, making a constant visible type with these.
What’s additionally unknown is what occurs with Grand Floridian Cafe and Grand Floridian Tea Room, the latter of which has nonetheless not reopened. Our expectation is that each obtain reimagined interiors, with the previous closing over the summer season to accommodate that overdue replace and the latter not reopening till the foyer undertaking is completed. (So maybe the Grand Floridian Tea Room will lastly return this vacation season? One other Festivus miracle!)
That’s simply our hypothesis, however it could make sense. October by December is the busiest stretch of the 12 months for Walt Disney World eating places, in order that they’d probably need Grand Floridian Cafe to reopen by then. As for Grand Floridian Tea Room, there’s been fan hypothesis that it has been not directly “changed” by the Cake Bake Store. I don’t purchase that. Walt Disney World loves upmarket choices, and Grand Floridian Tea Room squarely matches the invoice. There’s no motive why the resort can’t maintain each.
Finally, I’m happy to see that the foyer reimagining of the Grand Floridian is lastly shifting ahead. I want the announcement have been made a lot earlier, and hope it’s not too late for impacted friends who don’t need to cope with this to relocate. However as for the substance of the information, I’m comfortable to see this wasn’t quietly cancelled.
That’s most likely going to get me excoriated amongst Walt Disney World purists. As a realist, I believe the ‘Enchanted Gardens’ type of the outlying buildings is just about the best-case state of affairs when accounting for tastes of contemporary friends and the worth level of the Grand Floridian.
Whereas WDW diehards would possibly love the present foyer and total aesthetic, I’d hazard a guess that the resort doesn’t comport with the expectations of the first-timers or informal friends who truly e-book it. As I’ve mentioned earlier than, it doesn’t strike me as “pure” Victorian themed design, however somewhat, the early Nineties interpretation of Victorian.
With that mentioned, my hope is that Imagineering can marry the visible type of the brand new rooms with the opulence and grandiosity of the primary foyer. It mustn’t turn out to be an Ethan Allen showroom, however with the next ceiling. Modernized doesn’t must imply uninteresting and devoid of character. There’s a solution to have the most effective of each worlds, a foyer that’s each well-themed and opulent. It’s a tricky steadiness to strike, however hopefully it may be achieved, if that’s what Walt Disney World opts to do.
With all of that mentioned, one factor is definite: we should shield the masterpiece monkey and bunny work in any respect prices.
I’m not one for petitions, but when somebody have been to start out one to get these puppies added to some historic register of culturally important artworks, I’d signal it. Maybe the Grand Floridian ought to even be added to the Nationwide Register of Historic Locations as residence to those priceless treasures. They’re arguably why it’s known as the Grand, and is the flagship resort at Walt Disney World.
Whatever the rabbit and monkey work, we’re cautiously optimistic in regards to the finish outcome. The Grand Floridian is arguably probably the most well-rounded Seven Seas Lagoon Resort, with fewer drawbacks than the Polynesian or Up to date (talking of which, redo the Grand Canyon Concourse subsequent, Imagineers!). As long as frequent areas and remaining eating places are modernized in a respectful type according to the outlying buildings, the Grand Floridian will emerge from this as a greater possibility than earlier than, and a resort really deserving of the flagship distinction.
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Find out about accommodations on our Walt Disney World Accommodations Opinions web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Opinions. To economize on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Suggestions for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets publish. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys publish takes a singular have a look at intelligent objects to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Experience Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the most effective place to start out is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for all the pieces you’ll want to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider the Grand Floridian’s foyer overhaul lastly taking place in 2025? Excited for the continued reimagining of Walt Disney World’s flagship resort, or apprehensive it’ll lose its character and richly-themed areas within the course of? Have you ever stayed on the Grand Floridian for the reason that new rooms debuted? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Different ideas or issues? Any questions we will help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even if you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
Building will as soon as once more resume at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, with work lastly shifting contained in the foyer in 2025. This publish shares the newest information from Walt Disney World and our ideas on the affect to friends with stays right here for the remainder of this 12 months. We’ll additionally handle the reimagining of rooms, eating places, foyer, and extra.
This undertaking has been a number of years within the making. It truly began shortly earlier than the closure of the parks with a lounge replace, and continued shortly after reopening with extra restaurant reimaginings. Then with the pause of what’s now Disney Lakeshore Lodge, the corporate decided it “wanted” extra Disney Trip Membership factors to promote, resulting in the DVC overhaul of the Large Pine Key constructing.
Following that, all the outlying buildings within the resort have been redone in an identical type. (See Grand New Rooms at Walt Disney World’s Flagship Resort for a glance inside.) That occurred building-by-building roughly two years in the past, and was anticipated to culminate with the primary foyer in direction of the top of the 12 months. But it surely didn’t.
The expectation on the time was that Walt Disney World was unwilling to lose the foyer of the Grand Floridian in the course of the vacation season, which is an extremely profitable time of 12 months. Resort occupancy is excessive and there’s the well-known gingerbread home within the foyer that pulls friends and sells treats. It’s completely regular for Walt Disney World to pause resort building initiatives for October by December because of this, even at resorts that don’t have gingerbread homes.
Accordingly, we anticipated work to renew early final 12 months on the foyer. But it surely didn’t. Then there was the announcement that 1900 Park Fare could be reimagined previous to reopening within the spring, and we thought certainly the Grand Floridian foyer could be redone alongside that. But it surely wasn’t. Maybe after 1900 Park Fare reopened, which would supply the chance to shut Grand Floridian Cafe on the similar time? Nope.
After months of radio silence and Walt Disney World not together with the Grand Floridian when it launched the 2025 resort undertaking ‘warnings’ late final 12 months, we assumed the foyer overhaul had quietly died. But it surely didn’t!
Right here’s the newest replace from Walt Disney World:
“Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa will probably be receiving enhancements to pick out areas in phases, together with the foyer and conference middle, from April by November 2025. Friends may even see and listen to building throughout daytime hours, and parts of the foyer will probably be closed at instances. All swimming pools and most resort eating and different facilities will stay accessible. Please enable further time for journey, as path changes could also be in place.”
As of publish time, this discover (with particulars & date vary) solely seems on the Disney Trip Membership Member website. It doesn’t seem on the consumer-facing DisneyWorld.com web page for the Grand Floridian. To the most effective of my data, no discover has been despatched to journey brokers, both.
That declines to state what, precisely, the foyer and conference middle overhaul will entail, however we do have this from a pair years in the past when this was first introduced:
“2023 will even be a momentous 12 months for Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa because it celebrates its thirty fifth anniversary on July 1! The resort has been receiving some grand touches that weave acquainted storybook appeal into the Victorian magnificence of this flagship resort. Visitor rooms are presently being up to date as we communicate with extra to return because the beloved Grand Floridian ushers in its third decade of magic. The continuing renovation will even embody an upcoming refurbishment of the foyer, which can preserve the traditional theming you understand and love with some recent new enhancements.
The story doesn’t finish there, as you’ll be able to dine beneath the stunning London sky at Citricos, impressed by ‘Mary Poppins Returns’ … and possibly bookend your night with a shimmering sip at Enchanted Rose Lounge, impressed by “Magnificence and the Beast.” And our beloved Victoria & Albert’s – the culinary crown jewel of Walt Disney World Resort and AAA 5 Diamond Award winner – reopened its doorways this 12 months to rave opinions that includes a renovated inside.”
Past this, it was rumored that Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort would obtain a considerable overhaul to the foyer with “Enchanted Gardens” because the unifying visible type. (This rumor was corroborated by the official Disney Recordsdata journal for DVC members, which used the very same time period.)
When it comes to timing, our expectation is that work begins on the Grand Floridian foyer reimagining no sooner than April 22, 2025. There’s presently the favored Easter Egg show within the foyer, and that’s one other vacation (together with the entire of spring break season) that’s a well-liked time for the resort. It’s extremely unlikely work will start earlier than Easter. It’s potential they’ll wait one other full week after that, as some college districts nonetheless have recesses the week after Easter.
As for when work will wrap up, the goal date is probably going earlier than Veterans Day. Usually, the Grand Floridian is likely one of the first resorts to open its gingerbread home, and building typically begins in late October. We’d anticipate that to stay true right here, and for partitions to return down round all the pieces in early November 2025.
In fact, that’s assuming the undertaking is way sufficient alongside–however we strongly suspect that Walt Disney World would pause the undertaking over having work lower right into a portion of the vacation season. That will imply leaving an excessive amount of cash on the desk. (And keep in mind, this work additionally encompasses the conference middle–there’s nothing to say the foyer work received’t be finished on a tighter timeframe and the conference middle will probably be what drags into November 2025.)
As for the visitor affect, we’d anticipate it to be pretty important.
Whereas there have been different foyer initiatives which were comparatively minor initiatives, swapping out furnishings and furnishings in a single day with zero affect on friends (BoardWalk involves thoughts), that’s not what we’ve seen with the outlying buildings on the Grand Floridian. Furthermore, there wouldn’t be a brand new building warning–for April by November–if this have been a easy swapping of furnishings. Disney will be glacially sluggish, nevertheless it doesn’t take them over 6 months to take away and change some sofas.
To every their very own, but when we have been planning a keep on the Grand Floridian from late April by early November 2025, we’d change resorts. The foyer is just too essential of a characteristic and the resort is just too costly to accept it being a building zone. In fact, you shouldn’t substitute our judgment on your personal. In case you’re staying on the Grand Floridian for its visitor rooms, swimming pools, or proximity to the parks–and rarely step foot within the foyer–clearly this recommendation might not apply to you.
Regardless, it’s extremely irritating that Walt Disney World waited till late March 2025 to problem a warning for a undertaking that’ll begin one month later. It’s not the development about which we’re upset–that has to occur someday–it’s the shortage of discover and disrespect for friends.
This isn’t some pressing upkeep that’s being scheduled last-minute. We’ve seen that occur with just a few current pool initiatives, and are utterly understanding of these as a result of it’s unattainable to plan for issues that come up out of nowhere. (Properly, maybe higher preventative upkeep, however you get the concept.)
Against this, it is a foyer reimagining that’s elective in nature. It completely wants to occur, however the timing actually will not be catching Disney unexpectedly. They’ve undoubtedly been planning this for months, and have recognized precisely when it could occur for some time. So why not proactively present advance discover? It’s irritating, to say the least.
Even when you’re unbothered by the foyer undertaking, friends ought to nonetheless demand higher give the nightly price of the Grand Floridian and Walt Disney World’s personal requirements. (Considered one of our favourite accommodations on this planet, Park Hyatt Tokyo, is within the midst of an identical undertaking. That resort closed fully for the refurbishment, and made the announcement one full 12 months prematurely so potential friends may plan accordingly. Hyatt is a greater hotelier than Disney, however these are comparably priced accommodations.)
As famous above, Walt Disney World already introduced that the foyer “will preserve the traditional theming you understand and love with some recent new enhancements.” What which means is unclear; it leaves a variety of latitude for a spread of modifications. Our expectation is that the scope and scale is on par with the opposite buildings, making a constant visible type with these.
What’s additionally unknown is what occurs with Grand Floridian Cafe and Grand Floridian Tea Room, the latter of which has nonetheless not reopened. Our expectation is that each obtain reimagined interiors, with the previous closing over the summer season to accommodate that overdue replace and the latter not reopening till the foyer undertaking is completed. (So maybe the Grand Floridian Tea Room will lastly return this vacation season? One other Festivus miracle!)
That’s simply our hypothesis, however it could make sense. October by December is the busiest stretch of the 12 months for Walt Disney World eating places, in order that they’d probably need Grand Floridian Cafe to reopen by then. As for Grand Floridian Tea Room, there’s been fan hypothesis that it has been not directly “changed” by the Cake Bake Store. I don’t purchase that. Walt Disney World loves upmarket choices, and Grand Floridian Tea Room squarely matches the invoice. There’s no motive why the resort can’t maintain each.
Finally, I’m happy to see that the foyer reimagining of the Grand Floridian is lastly shifting ahead. I want the announcement have been made a lot earlier, and hope it’s not too late for impacted friends who don’t need to cope with this to relocate. However as for the substance of the information, I’m comfortable to see this wasn’t quietly cancelled.
That’s most likely going to get me excoriated amongst Walt Disney World purists. As a realist, I believe the ‘Enchanted Gardens’ type of the outlying buildings is just about the best-case state of affairs when accounting for tastes of contemporary friends and the worth level of the Grand Floridian.
Whereas WDW diehards would possibly love the present foyer and total aesthetic, I’d hazard a guess that the resort doesn’t comport with the expectations of the first-timers or informal friends who truly e-book it. As I’ve mentioned earlier than, it doesn’t strike me as “pure” Victorian themed design, however somewhat, the early Nineties interpretation of Victorian.
With that mentioned, my hope is that Imagineering can marry the visible type of the brand new rooms with the opulence and grandiosity of the primary foyer. It mustn’t turn out to be an Ethan Allen showroom, however with the next ceiling. Modernized doesn’t must imply uninteresting and devoid of character. There’s a solution to have the most effective of each worlds, a foyer that’s each well-themed and opulent. It’s a tricky steadiness to strike, however hopefully it may be achieved, if that’s what Walt Disney World opts to do.
With all of that mentioned, one factor is definite: we should shield the masterpiece monkey and bunny work in any respect prices.
I’m not one for petitions, but when somebody have been to start out one to get these puppies added to some historic register of culturally important artworks, I’d signal it. Maybe the Grand Floridian ought to even be added to the Nationwide Register of Historic Locations as residence to those priceless treasures. They’re arguably why it’s known as the Grand, and is the flagship resort at Walt Disney World.
Whatever the rabbit and monkey work, we’re cautiously optimistic in regards to the finish outcome. The Grand Floridian is arguably probably the most well-rounded Seven Seas Lagoon Resort, with fewer drawbacks than the Polynesian or Up to date (talking of which, redo the Grand Canyon Concourse subsequent, Imagineers!). As long as frequent areas and remaining eating places are modernized in a respectful type according to the outlying buildings, the Grand Floridian will emerge from this as a greater possibility than earlier than, and a resort really deserving of the flagship distinction.
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Find out about accommodations on our Walt Disney World Accommodations Opinions web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Opinions. To economize on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Suggestions for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets publish. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys publish takes a singular have a look at intelligent objects to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Experience Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the most effective place to start out is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for all the pieces you’ll want to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider the Grand Floridian’s foyer overhaul lastly taking place in 2025? Excited for the continued reimagining of Walt Disney World’s flagship resort, or apprehensive it’ll lose its character and richly-themed areas within the course of? Have you ever stayed on the Grand Floridian for the reason that new rooms debuted? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Different ideas or issues? Any questions we will help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even if you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
Building will as soon as once more resume at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, with work lastly shifting contained in the foyer in 2025. This publish shares the newest information from Walt Disney World and our ideas on the affect to friends with stays right here for the remainder of this 12 months. We’ll additionally handle the reimagining of rooms, eating places, foyer, and extra.
This undertaking has been a number of years within the making. It truly began shortly earlier than the closure of the parks with a lounge replace, and continued shortly after reopening with extra restaurant reimaginings. Then with the pause of what’s now Disney Lakeshore Lodge, the corporate decided it “wanted” extra Disney Trip Membership factors to promote, resulting in the DVC overhaul of the Large Pine Key constructing.
Following that, all the outlying buildings within the resort have been redone in an identical type. (See Grand New Rooms at Walt Disney World’s Flagship Resort for a glance inside.) That occurred building-by-building roughly two years in the past, and was anticipated to culminate with the primary foyer in direction of the top of the 12 months. But it surely didn’t.
The expectation on the time was that Walt Disney World was unwilling to lose the foyer of the Grand Floridian in the course of the vacation season, which is an extremely profitable time of 12 months. Resort occupancy is excessive and there’s the well-known gingerbread home within the foyer that pulls friends and sells treats. It’s completely regular for Walt Disney World to pause resort building initiatives for October by December because of this, even at resorts that don’t have gingerbread homes.
Accordingly, we anticipated work to renew early final 12 months on the foyer. But it surely didn’t. Then there was the announcement that 1900 Park Fare could be reimagined previous to reopening within the spring, and we thought certainly the Grand Floridian foyer could be redone alongside that. But it surely wasn’t. Maybe after 1900 Park Fare reopened, which would supply the chance to shut Grand Floridian Cafe on the similar time? Nope.
After months of radio silence and Walt Disney World not together with the Grand Floridian when it launched the 2025 resort undertaking ‘warnings’ late final 12 months, we assumed the foyer overhaul had quietly died. But it surely didn’t!
Right here’s the newest replace from Walt Disney World:
“Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa will probably be receiving enhancements to pick out areas in phases, together with the foyer and conference middle, from April by November 2025. Friends may even see and listen to building throughout daytime hours, and parts of the foyer will probably be closed at instances. All swimming pools and most resort eating and different facilities will stay accessible. Please enable further time for journey, as path changes could also be in place.”
As of publish time, this discover (with particulars & date vary) solely seems on the Disney Trip Membership Member website. It doesn’t seem on the consumer-facing DisneyWorld.com web page for the Grand Floridian. To the most effective of my data, no discover has been despatched to journey brokers, both.
That declines to state what, precisely, the foyer and conference middle overhaul will entail, however we do have this from a pair years in the past when this was first introduced:
“2023 will even be a momentous 12 months for Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa because it celebrates its thirty fifth anniversary on July 1! The resort has been receiving some grand touches that weave acquainted storybook appeal into the Victorian magnificence of this flagship resort. Visitor rooms are presently being up to date as we communicate with extra to return because the beloved Grand Floridian ushers in its third decade of magic. The continuing renovation will even embody an upcoming refurbishment of the foyer, which can preserve the traditional theming you understand and love with some recent new enhancements.
The story doesn’t finish there, as you’ll be able to dine beneath the stunning London sky at Citricos, impressed by ‘Mary Poppins Returns’ … and possibly bookend your night with a shimmering sip at Enchanted Rose Lounge, impressed by “Magnificence and the Beast.” And our beloved Victoria & Albert’s – the culinary crown jewel of Walt Disney World Resort and AAA 5 Diamond Award winner – reopened its doorways this 12 months to rave opinions that includes a renovated inside.”
Past this, it was rumored that Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort would obtain a considerable overhaul to the foyer with “Enchanted Gardens” because the unifying visible type. (This rumor was corroborated by the official Disney Recordsdata journal for DVC members, which used the very same time period.)
When it comes to timing, our expectation is that work begins on the Grand Floridian foyer reimagining no sooner than April 22, 2025. There’s presently the favored Easter Egg show within the foyer, and that’s one other vacation (together with the entire of spring break season) that’s a well-liked time for the resort. It’s extremely unlikely work will start earlier than Easter. It’s potential they’ll wait one other full week after that, as some college districts nonetheless have recesses the week after Easter.
As for when work will wrap up, the goal date is probably going earlier than Veterans Day. Usually, the Grand Floridian is likely one of the first resorts to open its gingerbread home, and building typically begins in late October. We’d anticipate that to stay true right here, and for partitions to return down round all the pieces in early November 2025.
In fact, that’s assuming the undertaking is way sufficient alongside–however we strongly suspect that Walt Disney World would pause the undertaking over having work lower right into a portion of the vacation season. That will imply leaving an excessive amount of cash on the desk. (And keep in mind, this work additionally encompasses the conference middle–there’s nothing to say the foyer work received’t be finished on a tighter timeframe and the conference middle will probably be what drags into November 2025.)
As for the visitor affect, we’d anticipate it to be pretty important.
Whereas there have been different foyer initiatives which were comparatively minor initiatives, swapping out furnishings and furnishings in a single day with zero affect on friends (BoardWalk involves thoughts), that’s not what we’ve seen with the outlying buildings on the Grand Floridian. Furthermore, there wouldn’t be a brand new building warning–for April by November–if this have been a easy swapping of furnishings. Disney will be glacially sluggish, nevertheless it doesn’t take them over 6 months to take away and change some sofas.
To every their very own, but when we have been planning a keep on the Grand Floridian from late April by early November 2025, we’d change resorts. The foyer is just too essential of a characteristic and the resort is just too costly to accept it being a building zone. In fact, you shouldn’t substitute our judgment on your personal. In case you’re staying on the Grand Floridian for its visitor rooms, swimming pools, or proximity to the parks–and rarely step foot within the foyer–clearly this recommendation might not apply to you.
Regardless, it’s extremely irritating that Walt Disney World waited till late March 2025 to problem a warning for a undertaking that’ll begin one month later. It’s not the development about which we’re upset–that has to occur someday–it’s the shortage of discover and disrespect for friends.
This isn’t some pressing upkeep that’s being scheduled last-minute. We’ve seen that occur with just a few current pool initiatives, and are utterly understanding of these as a result of it’s unattainable to plan for issues that come up out of nowhere. (Properly, maybe higher preventative upkeep, however you get the concept.)
Against this, it is a foyer reimagining that’s elective in nature. It completely wants to occur, however the timing actually will not be catching Disney unexpectedly. They’ve undoubtedly been planning this for months, and have recognized precisely when it could occur for some time. So why not proactively present advance discover? It’s irritating, to say the least.
Even when you’re unbothered by the foyer undertaking, friends ought to nonetheless demand higher give the nightly price of the Grand Floridian and Walt Disney World’s personal requirements. (Considered one of our favourite accommodations on this planet, Park Hyatt Tokyo, is within the midst of an identical undertaking. That resort closed fully for the refurbishment, and made the announcement one full 12 months prematurely so potential friends may plan accordingly. Hyatt is a greater hotelier than Disney, however these are comparably priced accommodations.)
As famous above, Walt Disney World already introduced that the foyer “will preserve the traditional theming you understand and love with some recent new enhancements.” What which means is unclear; it leaves a variety of latitude for a spread of modifications. Our expectation is that the scope and scale is on par with the opposite buildings, making a constant visible type with these.
What’s additionally unknown is what occurs with Grand Floridian Cafe and Grand Floridian Tea Room, the latter of which has nonetheless not reopened. Our expectation is that each obtain reimagined interiors, with the previous closing over the summer season to accommodate that overdue replace and the latter not reopening till the foyer undertaking is completed. (So maybe the Grand Floridian Tea Room will lastly return this vacation season? One other Festivus miracle!)
That’s simply our hypothesis, however it could make sense. October by December is the busiest stretch of the 12 months for Walt Disney World eating places, in order that they’d probably need Grand Floridian Cafe to reopen by then. As for Grand Floridian Tea Room, there’s been fan hypothesis that it has been not directly “changed” by the Cake Bake Store. I don’t purchase that. Walt Disney World loves upmarket choices, and Grand Floridian Tea Room squarely matches the invoice. There’s no motive why the resort can’t maintain each.
Finally, I’m happy to see that the foyer reimagining of the Grand Floridian is lastly shifting ahead. I want the announcement have been made a lot earlier, and hope it’s not too late for impacted friends who don’t need to cope with this to relocate. However as for the substance of the information, I’m comfortable to see this wasn’t quietly cancelled.
That’s most likely going to get me excoriated amongst Walt Disney World purists. As a realist, I believe the ‘Enchanted Gardens’ type of the outlying buildings is just about the best-case state of affairs when accounting for tastes of contemporary friends and the worth level of the Grand Floridian.
Whereas WDW diehards would possibly love the present foyer and total aesthetic, I’d hazard a guess that the resort doesn’t comport with the expectations of the first-timers or informal friends who truly e-book it. As I’ve mentioned earlier than, it doesn’t strike me as “pure” Victorian themed design, however somewhat, the early Nineties interpretation of Victorian.
With that mentioned, my hope is that Imagineering can marry the visible type of the brand new rooms with the opulence and grandiosity of the primary foyer. It mustn’t turn out to be an Ethan Allen showroom, however with the next ceiling. Modernized doesn’t must imply uninteresting and devoid of character. There’s a solution to have the most effective of each worlds, a foyer that’s each well-themed and opulent. It’s a tricky steadiness to strike, however hopefully it may be achieved, if that’s what Walt Disney World opts to do.
With all of that mentioned, one factor is definite: we should shield the masterpiece monkey and bunny work in any respect prices.
I’m not one for petitions, but when somebody have been to start out one to get these puppies added to some historic register of culturally important artworks, I’d signal it. Maybe the Grand Floridian ought to even be added to the Nationwide Register of Historic Locations as residence to those priceless treasures. They’re arguably why it’s known as the Grand, and is the flagship resort at Walt Disney World.
Whatever the rabbit and monkey work, we’re cautiously optimistic in regards to the finish outcome. The Grand Floridian is arguably probably the most well-rounded Seven Seas Lagoon Resort, with fewer drawbacks than the Polynesian or Up to date (talking of which, redo the Grand Canyon Concourse subsequent, Imagineers!). As long as frequent areas and remaining eating places are modernized in a respectful type according to the outlying buildings, the Grand Floridian will emerge from this as a greater possibility than earlier than, and a resort really deserving of the flagship distinction.
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Find out about accommodations on our Walt Disney World Accommodations Opinions web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Opinions. To economize on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Suggestions for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets publish. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys publish takes a singular have a look at intelligent objects to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Experience Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the most effective place to start out is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for all the pieces you’ll want to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider the Grand Floridian’s foyer overhaul lastly taking place in 2025? Excited for the continued reimagining of Walt Disney World’s flagship resort, or apprehensive it’ll lose its character and richly-themed areas within the course of? Have you ever stayed on the Grand Floridian for the reason that new rooms debuted? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Different ideas or issues? Any questions we will help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even if you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
Building will as soon as once more resume at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, with work lastly shifting contained in the foyer in 2025. This publish shares the newest information from Walt Disney World and our ideas on the affect to friends with stays right here for the remainder of this 12 months. We’ll additionally handle the reimagining of rooms, eating places, foyer, and extra.
This undertaking has been a number of years within the making. It truly began shortly earlier than the closure of the parks with a lounge replace, and continued shortly after reopening with extra restaurant reimaginings. Then with the pause of what’s now Disney Lakeshore Lodge, the corporate decided it “wanted” extra Disney Trip Membership factors to promote, resulting in the DVC overhaul of the Large Pine Key constructing.
Following that, all the outlying buildings within the resort have been redone in an identical type. (See Grand New Rooms at Walt Disney World’s Flagship Resort for a glance inside.) That occurred building-by-building roughly two years in the past, and was anticipated to culminate with the primary foyer in direction of the top of the 12 months. But it surely didn’t.
The expectation on the time was that Walt Disney World was unwilling to lose the foyer of the Grand Floridian in the course of the vacation season, which is an extremely profitable time of 12 months. Resort occupancy is excessive and there’s the well-known gingerbread home within the foyer that pulls friends and sells treats. It’s completely regular for Walt Disney World to pause resort building initiatives for October by December because of this, even at resorts that don’t have gingerbread homes.
Accordingly, we anticipated work to renew early final 12 months on the foyer. But it surely didn’t. Then there was the announcement that 1900 Park Fare could be reimagined previous to reopening within the spring, and we thought certainly the Grand Floridian foyer could be redone alongside that. But it surely wasn’t. Maybe after 1900 Park Fare reopened, which would supply the chance to shut Grand Floridian Cafe on the similar time? Nope.
After months of radio silence and Walt Disney World not together with the Grand Floridian when it launched the 2025 resort undertaking ‘warnings’ late final 12 months, we assumed the foyer overhaul had quietly died. But it surely didn’t!
Right here’s the newest replace from Walt Disney World:
“Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa will probably be receiving enhancements to pick out areas in phases, together with the foyer and conference middle, from April by November 2025. Friends may even see and listen to building throughout daytime hours, and parts of the foyer will probably be closed at instances. All swimming pools and most resort eating and different facilities will stay accessible. Please enable further time for journey, as path changes could also be in place.”
As of publish time, this discover (with particulars & date vary) solely seems on the Disney Trip Membership Member website. It doesn’t seem on the consumer-facing DisneyWorld.com web page for the Grand Floridian. To the most effective of my data, no discover has been despatched to journey brokers, both.
That declines to state what, precisely, the foyer and conference middle overhaul will entail, however we do have this from a pair years in the past when this was first introduced:
“2023 will even be a momentous 12 months for Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa because it celebrates its thirty fifth anniversary on July 1! The resort has been receiving some grand touches that weave acquainted storybook appeal into the Victorian magnificence of this flagship resort. Visitor rooms are presently being up to date as we communicate with extra to return because the beloved Grand Floridian ushers in its third decade of magic. The continuing renovation will even embody an upcoming refurbishment of the foyer, which can preserve the traditional theming you understand and love with some recent new enhancements.
The story doesn’t finish there, as you’ll be able to dine beneath the stunning London sky at Citricos, impressed by ‘Mary Poppins Returns’ … and possibly bookend your night with a shimmering sip at Enchanted Rose Lounge, impressed by “Magnificence and the Beast.” And our beloved Victoria & Albert’s – the culinary crown jewel of Walt Disney World Resort and AAA 5 Diamond Award winner – reopened its doorways this 12 months to rave opinions that includes a renovated inside.”
Past this, it was rumored that Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort would obtain a considerable overhaul to the foyer with “Enchanted Gardens” because the unifying visible type. (This rumor was corroborated by the official Disney Recordsdata journal for DVC members, which used the very same time period.)
When it comes to timing, our expectation is that work begins on the Grand Floridian foyer reimagining no sooner than April 22, 2025. There’s presently the favored Easter Egg show within the foyer, and that’s one other vacation (together with the entire of spring break season) that’s a well-liked time for the resort. It’s extremely unlikely work will start earlier than Easter. It’s potential they’ll wait one other full week after that, as some college districts nonetheless have recesses the week after Easter.
As for when work will wrap up, the goal date is probably going earlier than Veterans Day. Usually, the Grand Floridian is likely one of the first resorts to open its gingerbread home, and building typically begins in late October. We’d anticipate that to stay true right here, and for partitions to return down round all the pieces in early November 2025.
In fact, that’s assuming the undertaking is way sufficient alongside–however we strongly suspect that Walt Disney World would pause the undertaking over having work lower right into a portion of the vacation season. That will imply leaving an excessive amount of cash on the desk. (And keep in mind, this work additionally encompasses the conference middle–there’s nothing to say the foyer work received’t be finished on a tighter timeframe and the conference middle will probably be what drags into November 2025.)
As for the visitor affect, we’d anticipate it to be pretty important.
Whereas there have been different foyer initiatives which were comparatively minor initiatives, swapping out furnishings and furnishings in a single day with zero affect on friends (BoardWalk involves thoughts), that’s not what we’ve seen with the outlying buildings on the Grand Floridian. Furthermore, there wouldn’t be a brand new building warning–for April by November–if this have been a easy swapping of furnishings. Disney will be glacially sluggish, nevertheless it doesn’t take them over 6 months to take away and change some sofas.
To every their very own, but when we have been planning a keep on the Grand Floridian from late April by early November 2025, we’d change resorts. The foyer is just too essential of a characteristic and the resort is just too costly to accept it being a building zone. In fact, you shouldn’t substitute our judgment on your personal. In case you’re staying on the Grand Floridian for its visitor rooms, swimming pools, or proximity to the parks–and rarely step foot within the foyer–clearly this recommendation might not apply to you.
Regardless, it’s extremely irritating that Walt Disney World waited till late March 2025 to problem a warning for a undertaking that’ll begin one month later. It’s not the development about which we’re upset–that has to occur someday–it’s the shortage of discover and disrespect for friends.
This isn’t some pressing upkeep that’s being scheduled last-minute. We’ve seen that occur with just a few current pool initiatives, and are utterly understanding of these as a result of it’s unattainable to plan for issues that come up out of nowhere. (Properly, maybe higher preventative upkeep, however you get the concept.)
Against this, it is a foyer reimagining that’s elective in nature. It completely wants to occur, however the timing actually will not be catching Disney unexpectedly. They’ve undoubtedly been planning this for months, and have recognized precisely when it could occur for some time. So why not proactively present advance discover? It’s irritating, to say the least.
Even when you’re unbothered by the foyer undertaking, friends ought to nonetheless demand higher give the nightly price of the Grand Floridian and Walt Disney World’s personal requirements. (Considered one of our favourite accommodations on this planet, Park Hyatt Tokyo, is within the midst of an identical undertaking. That resort closed fully for the refurbishment, and made the announcement one full 12 months prematurely so potential friends may plan accordingly. Hyatt is a greater hotelier than Disney, however these are comparably priced accommodations.)
As famous above, Walt Disney World already introduced that the foyer “will preserve the traditional theming you understand and love with some recent new enhancements.” What which means is unclear; it leaves a variety of latitude for a spread of modifications. Our expectation is that the scope and scale is on par with the opposite buildings, making a constant visible type with these.
What’s additionally unknown is what occurs with Grand Floridian Cafe and Grand Floridian Tea Room, the latter of which has nonetheless not reopened. Our expectation is that each obtain reimagined interiors, with the previous closing over the summer season to accommodate that overdue replace and the latter not reopening till the foyer undertaking is completed. (So maybe the Grand Floridian Tea Room will lastly return this vacation season? One other Festivus miracle!)
That’s simply our hypothesis, however it could make sense. October by December is the busiest stretch of the 12 months for Walt Disney World eating places, in order that they’d probably need Grand Floridian Cafe to reopen by then. As for Grand Floridian Tea Room, there’s been fan hypothesis that it has been not directly “changed” by the Cake Bake Store. I don’t purchase that. Walt Disney World loves upmarket choices, and Grand Floridian Tea Room squarely matches the invoice. There’s no motive why the resort can’t maintain each.
Finally, I’m happy to see that the foyer reimagining of the Grand Floridian is lastly shifting ahead. I want the announcement have been made a lot earlier, and hope it’s not too late for impacted friends who don’t need to cope with this to relocate. However as for the substance of the information, I’m comfortable to see this wasn’t quietly cancelled.
That’s most likely going to get me excoriated amongst Walt Disney World purists. As a realist, I believe the ‘Enchanted Gardens’ type of the outlying buildings is just about the best-case state of affairs when accounting for tastes of contemporary friends and the worth level of the Grand Floridian.
Whereas WDW diehards would possibly love the present foyer and total aesthetic, I’d hazard a guess that the resort doesn’t comport with the expectations of the first-timers or informal friends who truly e-book it. As I’ve mentioned earlier than, it doesn’t strike me as “pure” Victorian themed design, however somewhat, the early Nineties interpretation of Victorian.
With that mentioned, my hope is that Imagineering can marry the visible type of the brand new rooms with the opulence and grandiosity of the primary foyer. It mustn’t turn out to be an Ethan Allen showroom, however with the next ceiling. Modernized doesn’t must imply uninteresting and devoid of character. There’s a solution to have the most effective of each worlds, a foyer that’s each well-themed and opulent. It’s a tricky steadiness to strike, however hopefully it may be achieved, if that’s what Walt Disney World opts to do.
With all of that mentioned, one factor is definite: we should shield the masterpiece monkey and bunny work in any respect prices.
I’m not one for petitions, but when somebody have been to start out one to get these puppies added to some historic register of culturally important artworks, I’d signal it. Maybe the Grand Floridian ought to even be added to the Nationwide Register of Historic Locations as residence to those priceless treasures. They’re arguably why it’s known as the Grand, and is the flagship resort at Walt Disney World.
Whatever the rabbit and monkey work, we’re cautiously optimistic in regards to the finish outcome. The Grand Floridian is arguably probably the most well-rounded Seven Seas Lagoon Resort, with fewer drawbacks than the Polynesian or Up to date (talking of which, redo the Grand Canyon Concourse subsequent, Imagineers!). As long as frequent areas and remaining eating places are modernized in a respectful type according to the outlying buildings, the Grand Floridian will emerge from this as a greater possibility than earlier than, and a resort really deserving of the flagship distinction.
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? Find out about accommodations on our Walt Disney World Accommodations Opinions web page. For the place to eat, learn our Walt Disney World Restaurant Opinions. To economize on tickets or decide which sort to purchase, learn our Suggestions for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets publish. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys publish takes a singular have a look at intelligent objects to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Experience Guides will assist. For complete recommendation, the most effective place to start out is our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information for all the pieces you’ll want to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you consider the Grand Floridian’s foyer overhaul lastly taking place in 2025? Excited for the continued reimagining of Walt Disney World’s flagship resort, or apprehensive it’ll lose its character and richly-themed areas within the course of? Have you ever stayed on the Grand Floridian for the reason that new rooms debuted? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Different ideas or issues? Any questions we will help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even if you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
