It’s been an exciting time for Disney fans. So much more has reopened at Disney Parks, the Disney World 50th anniversary celebration kicked off just a few months ago and the holidays brought more seasonal magic back to the parks. During all of that, you might have missed some updates about the Grand Floridian DVC expansion that will increase DVC capacity at this popular resort. The new Grand Floridian DVC Building is projected to open later this year. In case you missed the details so far, it’s technically not a new building, just new to DVC, as the Grand Floridian footprint remains the same. The Big Pine Key building is being transformed from regular guest rooms to 200 DVC Resort Studios. Let’s take a minute to catch up on the Grand Floridian DVC expansion & refurbishment.
Grand Floridian DVC Expansion
The new DVC rooms are called Resort Studios and will be slightly different from the already established Deluxe Studios at the Grand Floridian. These will have two queen size beds and a daybed but the Resort Studio rooms will also sleep five. This is exciting for the many members interested in DVC resorts that sleep 5 guests. Especially those not wanting the queen size sleeper sofa found in the Grand’s Deluxe Studios. The 200 Resort Studios will more than double the number of DVC rooms at the Grand Floridian.
While full kitchens are only available in one bedroom villas or larger, the kitchen situation is rumored to be smaller in Resort Studios. Instead of the kitchenette we’ve become accustomed to in Deluxe Studios, the Resort Studios will have just a smaller area for drinks.
It’s not certain at this point whether the new Grand Floridian DVC building will fall into the same situation as Wilderness Lodge or Animal Kingdom but we can make some presumptions. At Animal Kingdom there are two separate DVC sections, Kidani Village and Jambo House, but members choosing either consider Animal Kingdom their home resort. However when a new section was added to Disney’s Wilderness Lodge in 2017, it opened as a separate thing all together named Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. It is separate from the original Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge building and members don’t buy at Wilderness Lodge in general but choose Copper Creek or Boulder Ridge. Reading into things, or listening into things I should say, does give us a clue about the status of the additional DVC rooms coming to the Grand Floridian. In a promotional video on VillasAtGrandFloridian.com we hear a narrator say: ‘There’s a new way to be welcomed home at The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. Soon you can enjoy elegance and comfort throughout a full range of new and refreshed accommodations.’ Since they are being advertised together as ‘new and refreshed accomodations’ and under the same The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa branding, it seems these will be considered more of the same. It will be interesting to see if Disney Vacation Club packages these differently or if they will have the same 2064 deed expiration.
Some of the fine print on the same promotional video shares the following: ‘Membership requires purchasing a deeded ownership interest in a Disney Vacation Club Resort that could expire as early as January 31st, 2062, and that typically ranges in price from $31,000 to $55,000 (subject to change).’ It doesn’t say how many points they are referring to for these prices, but for resale DVC points we are currently looking at an estimated price of $189 point at the Grand Floridian! It’s always worth pricing out resale DVC. The savings will surprise you!
Disney has shared these Resort Studios rooms will be available for booking in Spring of 2022. With the addition of more rooms comes the opportunity for more members to own at this resort. Disney hasn’t shared much more information about the new Grand Floridian DVC building other than what we’re chatting about at this time. With advertising the ability for guests to book in Spring, which is less than two months away at this point, and stay this summer we should be finding out more information very soon.
DVC Grand Floridian Refurbishment 2022
Sometimes I feel like the Grand is still a new DVC resort that couldn’t possibly need updates. Technically it is newer compared to the rest but it’s still creeping up on being ten years old as it debuted in 2013. So some minor refurbishments were needed at this point, especially cloth and linen decor.
On the eve of the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World, the Disney Parks Blog shared information about the current wave of DVC Grand Floridian enhancements. In late 2021, some of the refurbished Grand Floridian DVC rooms, like the one bedroom villa, debuted. Small changes can and add up to make a big difference. We saw details in the renderings Disney posted but now things like new curtains, different carpeting and updated upholstery have been seen in the refreshed rooms. One change in the current refurbishment is rumored to be the removal of the tv inside the mirror in the bathroom. While this was a really neat party trick, it’s likely that a television had a shorter shelf life in a humid Florida bathroom. I have no idea if there was an easy way to access these for maintenance but clearly Disney decided it was no longer worth it for whatever reason.
A new carpet also debuted in the halls on the refurbished floors. It seems construction may be going from the top down as work continues on middle floors. Apparently the higher floors are the ones that have been completed first. If you want the new room look on an upcoming stay, maybe request one higher up for a better chance.
Even if you’re already in agreement that resale DVC points are the way to go, it’s nice to stay up to date on new DVC additions and all the details. Some news will affect all owners. For example, this remodeled new Grand Floridian DVC building seems to be more of the same and not a separately named property within a property. We can probably assume it will mean more rooms for all to book at the Grand Floridian though the home resort advantage is especially valuable here. That and of course the refurbishment is exciting for anyone who can book here as well.
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