DVC Grand Floridian Villas...

[rikkis_playpen Diamond Club Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close rikkis_playpen]

Disney is so smart..

Going into the ARDA conference, they will be the conversation for many due to the rumors about the Grand Floridian expansion. As always, Tim Krazniewski does a good job of covering the info.

Is it any surprise that this is now being reported by the Orlando Sentinel and local TV stations? No.. Disney has cozy relationships with local reporters so it is easy to fan the rumor flames..

mouseplanet.com is claiming that 200 keyed villas will be contructed, and that existing units in the hotel itself will be converted to DVC villas.

Reading material is below:

DVCNews.com - The essential Vacation Club resource! - Sentinel and WESH fan Grand Floridian rumors | DVCNews.com - The essential Vacation Club resource!

Disney planning addition to Grand Floridian - OrlandoSentinel.com

Walt Disney World Resort Update (Walt Disney World Resort Update) by Mark Goldhaber

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

We've got a lively thread over on Mouseowners on the subject too from the 17th. I wish it was at the Poly instead but maybe they're working their way around the lake.

Is this Grand Floridian DVC Villas??!! - The DVC Boards at MouseOwners.com - the place to talk DVC and Walt Disney World

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

I really like the Grand Floridian!

These should be a great addition to DVC.

[bnoble Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close bnoble]

I wish it was at the Poly instead but maybe they're working their way around the lake.

The knock against developing the Poly is that it is already so popular that they don't need to convert existing rooms from cash rental to fractional. The other recent developments (BLT, AKV) both took cash rooms out of service to replace them with timeshare units. And, if mouseplanet is right about the conversions, this project would too.

I'm not 100% sure mouseplanet is right though---their WDW "expert" doesn't have the best record in the rumor department. And, so far, they are the only ones reporting that rooms will be removed from cash-rental service.

I had thought the property between VWL and Fort Wilderness might have been developed first---there are drawings around for a villa-style building there as well, and they were also submitted to the Water Quality board.

http://dvcnews.com/index.php/other--...er-country-dvc

[djyamyam Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close djyamyam]

I'm going to be attending a conference held at the Grand Floridian. So which are the closest onsite TS to the Floridian. I'm trying to decide if I'm better off staying at the hotel or one of the villas.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

I'm going to be attending a conference held at the Grand Floridian. So which are the closest onsite TS to the Floridian. I'm trying to decide if I'm better off staying at the hotel or one of the villas.

The closest TS is BLT and VWL. Probably better to stay onsite with the conference discount. I recently went to a conference at Contemporary and stayed in BWV. It required leaving about 1/2 hour travel time. Shoulda stayed in the Contemporary for the $200 a night but had some DVC points I needed to use so decided to stay in the TS and on President's weekend, you can't get picky. I was lucky to find something on short notice.

[bnoble Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close bnoble]

Agreed. Nothing is close to anything at WDW. Just stay at the conference hotel.

[TomandRobin Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close TomandRobin]

I'm going to be attending a conference held at the Grand Floridian. So which are the closest onsite TS to the Floridian. I'm trying to decide if I'm better off staying at the hotel or one of the villas.

Bay Lake Tower.....Quick three-stop ride on the monorail.

None of the other DVC resorts have direct access to the Grand Floridian. Your choices from the others would be:

1. Drive, if you have a car
2. Taxi Service to GF
3. Bus to MK, then take boat or monrailto GF
4. Bus to TTC, then ride the monorail to GF
5. VWL only - Take boat to MK, then another boat or Monorail to GF