Let’s Discuss the Booking Options at the Grand Floridian

The only “hard” part of Disney Vacation Club membership is deciding where to stay. Since every DVC property embodies luxury and Disney charm, it’s tough to pick your next destination. 

Odds are good that you want to stay in the best place Disney has to offer, though. At Walt Disney World, we all know where that is. So, let’s discuss the booking options at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. 

Let’s Talk about the Views 

The first thing you should know about the Grand Floridian is that your DVC room includes a view. Some of them are better than others, empowering you to decide the best distribution of your precious DVC Points.

In the classic DVC rooms, your choice is simple: Do you want a view of the water? If so, you should book Lake View. It’ll cost a few more points, but you’ll look out your hotel window and admire the view throughout your trip. Otherwise, your room will feature a standard view of the hotel grounds or possibly the parking lot.

The newer Grand Floridian building, the one formerly known as Big Pine Key, introduces another booking opportunity. Theme Park View is exactly what it sounds like. The balcony/patio of your DVC room features a direct view of Magic Kingdom. 

You’ll pay the most for this view of any room option. Whether you’ll get enough value from the view depends entirely on how much time you expect to spend in your hotel room. Anecdotally, I’ve had lovely experiences with all three Room Types. I don’t think DVC members can go wrong with any of them. 

Let’s Talk about the Resort Studios

When we discuss hotel rooms, we should be honest. The ones at the Grand Floridian are quite possibly the finest in the entire DVC catalog. Only the rooms at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa could compare in terms of elegance and opulence.

Disney designed these two hotels to be the crown jewels at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Both properties more than live up to that billing. 

At the Grand Floridian, you’ll choose between the classic Deluxe Studios and the newer Resort Studios. You’ll discover the latter rooms in the aforementioned Big Pine Key building, which is now an exclusively DVC facility. Here’s a DVC Fan video of these Studios:

The Mary Poppins theme in these rooms is subtle, as it’s primarily noticeable in the artwork. Still, it lends a calming dignity and upbeat energy to the space. I would point your attention to the dressing area with ample mirror and the section that’s not quite a kitchenette. So, it varies a bit from typical DVC rooms. 

If size matters to you, the Resort Studios cover 440 square feet of space, as opposed to the Deluxe Studios, which are a respectable 374 square feet. Note that some Resort Studios don’t come standard with a microwave, although they’re available on request via a first-come, first-served process if your room lacks one. This is an evolving situation. Initially, the Resort Studios lacked them, but DVC has gradually added more over time. 

Let’s Talk about the Deluxe Studios

With the Deluxe Studios, you’ll find a more efficient use of space and, yes, these rooms have microwaves. My brother would disown me if I failed to mention the high-quality tiles and flooring in both hotel rooms. He mentions them literally every time he stays here. The finishes and décor at the Grand Floridian are the gold standard. 

You’ll notice that Amy Krieger emphasizes this point in both the DVC Fan videos. When you stay in one of these hotel rooms, you definitely feel as if you’re experiencing the best of DVC/Disney. 

In terms of bedding, the Deluxe Studio features a queen bed, a queen-sized pulldown bed, and a 29” by 67” pulldown. These rooms sleep five as do the Resort Studios. That Room Type’s bedding includes two queen beds and a daybed of similar size to the pulldown in the Deluxe Studio. 

As a taller person, I prefer the Resort Studio. My brother, who has been in DVC longer than me, fell in love with the Deluxe Studio the day the Grand Floridian joined the program and has never looked back. Again, it’s another situation where you cannot go wrong with either option.

Let’s Talk about the Villas 

The Villas at the Grand Floridian are as luxurious as you’d expect. The One-Bedroom Villas sleep five, the same as the Deluxe/Resort Studios. However, you gain a full-sized kitchen, washer and dryer, and a dining room table I adore. In terms of sitting areas, this suite rivals/surpasses anything else in the DVC library.

Importantly, the rooms include 844 square feet of space, making them more than twice as big as Deluxe Studios and nearly double Resort Studios. You’ll adore the extra space. The suites feature a king bed, a queen pulldown, and a single pulldown. 

When you book the Two-Bedroom Villa, you’re adding even more space. These suites are a generous 1,232 square feet and sleep up to nine guests, making them ideal for large traveling parties. 

The bedding consists of a king bed, two queens, and a double-sized sleeper. So, everyone should be perfectly comfortable here. However, you may want to go even bigger. If so, the Grand Villa embodies the ultimate in DVC vacations. 

These rooms sleep up to 12, and they’re palatially sized at 2,800 square feet. You can throw quite the Disney party here. Nobody will lack a place to sleep, either. The suites include one king bed, four queens, and a queen-sized sleeper. When you have the DVC Points to splash around, the Grand Floridian Grand Villa is the ideal choice for a dream vacation.