Logistics

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As one of the three monorail resorts, the Grand Floridian enjoys optimal positioning on the Walt Disney World campus. As a part of the Disney lineup, it includes complimentary Magical Express service. Since the hotel rests beside Seven Seas Lagoon, you can use Disney’s water taxi service for a ride to Magic Kingdom. It’s not quite direct service, as you’ll share rides with the guests of Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. That’s rarely a bother since the Polynesian is so lovely, but you should add a few minutes to your expected travel time, at least on your return trip from the park.

Guests of the Grand Floridian who are seeking to “plus” their trip have a special option. You can charter a private water taxi at a charge of $20 per family of up to 10 people for one way service. Sure, it’s a hefty charge for a 10-minute boat trip, but you’ll get to control the entire transportation process, a rarity for Walt Disney World guests.

Image: Disney

The real joy of staying at a monorail resort is self-evident. You step outside the second floor exit at the Grand Floridian, and boom! You’re only a few steps away from boarding a monorail. It will take you straight to Magic Kingdom if that’s your destination. Alternately, you can ride it to The Transportation and Ticket Center and switch over to an Epcot monorail. The two most popular theme parks at Walt Disney World are only a monorail ride away. As for the other two parks, bus service is the best option, and the hotel conveniently offers monitors with up to the minute arrival and departure schedules for each destination (including the water parks and Disney Springs). Anyone addicted to park hopping will love their options at the Grand Floridian.

Pricing

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Guests who aren’t using DVC points will pay a pretty penny to stay at the Grand Floridian. The rack rate at the hotel fluctuates between $646 and $844 per night. It even tops $900 during the holiday season, Disney’s busiest time. Obviously, those rates will cause most theme park tourists to think, “Okay, that’s not happening.” That’s an understandable thought process.

Something you should keep in mind is that by using or renting DVC points, staying at the Grand Floridian is much more than a pipe dream. It’s a viable option. Should you choose to visit during the fall, you can spend a week at the hotel for the cost of ~150 points. At a current rate of $14 per point, that’s a weekly price of $2,100, and that includes sales tax. For $300 per night, you can stay at the most revered Disney resort at Walt Disney World, if not the entire country.

Staying at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa should be on every self-respecting theme park tourist’s bucket list. It’s stood the test of time for 30 years as the stateliest of all Disney hotels in Orlando. It also offers the sorts of amenities, shops and restaurants that one would expect at a five-star luxury villa, not a resort only a couple of monorail hops away from Magic Kingdom. The hotel offers a rare combination of patrician elegance and Disney utility. Use some DVC points to make your vacation dreams a reality!