Hotel Happenings

There are so many advantages to staying at a Disney property.  You certainly can't go wrong at the Grand Floridian.  Despite the "look" and the Victorian theme, the hotel is surprisingly laid-back and relaxed.  Everyone is walking around in shorts and flop-flops - even in some of the finer restaurants.  You definitely get a beachy, resort feeling when you stay here.

Thanks to Nana's resourcefulness, we had a wonderful room overlooking the main pool.  It was perfect for the right combination of fun and action (you could see the nightly movie from our balcony and listen to the music at the pool) and peace and quiet (when we closed the sliding door). The quick service restaurant, water taxi, and monorail were a short walk away making everything we needed fast and convenient.

Magic Kingdom was one stop on the monorail, but we liked riding the boat.  We took it several times to Magic Kindgom, to transfer to another boat for a dinner show at Fort Wilderness, and to connect with a bus to Downtown Disney.  There is a lot going on in the lakes with other boats going by, birds and fish, and the electric water parade each night.

Grace loved both of the pools at the Grand Floridian.  She went on the slide at the beach pool but for some reason, she preferred the main pool.  I think it was because this was where they played music and games in the afternoons.  When we gave her a choice, this is the pool she chose....and so did the ducks!

It was funny to see a duck swimming in the pool.  Several of the children tried to get close to it at different times, but the duck evaded them.  It could have easily flown away, but it must have liked it too much in the cool pool water to make the effort to find another place to go!

Inside the hotel, they had a musician playing a grand piano.  It was wonderful for Grace to see him play.  One evening when he was taking a break she sat down at the piano to pretend she was playing. Hmmm...Can you picture her performing in Carnegie Hall someday?

Even after a long, tiring day (and we had a few of them!) it was a welcome, beautiful place to come "home" to.