There’s a rumor that Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa may soon be refurbished into an even more exclusive luxury resort. Opening in 1988, the Victorian-style resort is already one of Walt Disney World’s most expensive hotels. Featuring the famed Five-Diamond Victoria & Albert’s restaurant, rooms at the Grand Floridian range from approximately $700 per night at the lower end to over $3,000 for a Club Level suite.
But thanks to competition from the posh Four Seasons Orlando, the Grand Floridian may be getting an extreme makeover that could potentially push those rates even higher.
The rumor — apparently first reported by Tom Corless at WDW News Today — speculates that Bob Chapek (Chairman of Disney Parks and Resorts) feels that Disney’s own luxury hotels pale in comparison to other upscale hotels such as the Four Seasons Orlando. The solution, according to the rumor, is to “completely gut” the Grand Floridian and go even more upscale.
It’s no secret that Disney’s current business model seems to hinge on offerings that cater to wealthier consumers (with those results being hit or miss) so an even more upscale resort option isn’t completely out of the realm of possibility. However, to “completely gut” the Grand Floridian would be a massive undertaking that would likely see the hotel closed (in whole or in part) for many months. That might just have the opposite effect — driving that wealthy clientele to a non-Disney hotel.
The other option would be to build a new “super deluxe” hotel that’s even more expensive than the Grand Floridian, but the feasibility of such an undertaking is questionable.
Still, the resort has changed very little in nearly 30 years. Perhaps it’s past time to “plus it.”
What are your thoughts? Is the Grand Floridian lacking, or fine just the way that it is? Comment in the forums!
The Grand Floridian is very Grand. If Disney wants to focus on a Luxury property then the Grand Floridan is the perfect property. It will cost less for them to renovate a hotel rather then build one, I have seen first hand a hotel renovation and it can be a logistical nightmare. They don’t close the hotel, they block a certain number of rooms at a time, doing construction around the guests. Not only does it look bad, but it also brings negative reviews to the hotel. It’s just flat out annoying.
Grand Floridian is going to be renovated sooner or later. The hotel has a very old world and “magical” feel to it. It will be interesting what design they go to update the rooms.
as we all know it’s not the design of the hotel that makes it great it’s the service and that’s what the Grand Floridian and Disney is known for.