Would You Stay at Grand Floridian? Beach Avoidable? No Parent Bashing Please!

[pezaddict231]

From the beach pool area and splash pad you will see the beach. If you think you'll be upset by the beach it might be better to stay somewhere else. You can completely avoid going onto the beach FWIW. For me, I don't think I can go there for a little while. I would be thinking of the terrible tragedy, I'm glad we don't even have dining plans there for our upcoming trip. I would definitely stay there again, it's an amazing resort, just not for a little while. You would also want to request any building but Big Pine Key which is right along the beach.

 

[valentinasdad]

I have been watching news about this since it broke. Where is it saying that the child was playing in water 100pct and the parents werent paying attention. Why dont we let this play out for a few days and get the facts. There were other reports that they were watching a movie on the beach. Which is a regular event. We were on that same beach watching a movie with my 2 year old daughter 2 weeks ago. Never did it cross my mind that an alligator may pop up and take her. I have been to disney multiple times im a dvc member and i feel disney needs to take some fault in this. Just today they took out 4 alligators out of the water. Something needs to be done to prevent this from ever happening again. And for now no blame should be on the parents at all

 

[bshrewz90]

You're over worrying. I would only consider switching if my dates were like now ir next week. Mainly due to things going on there now, press, police etc.

How do you plan to get to Disney? Using your analogy you shouldn't fly or drive as people have died doing that. This was a freak thing. And if it makes you feel better they have removed many the past few days

#1 Do not tell me I am over worrying, I am a mom that is what I do and not that it is any of your business but no I do not fly when we go to Disney I drive. The reason I created this thread was to get info on the RESORT not to discuss mine or anyone else's parenting or the incident of that little boy. My questions has been answered by several nice people who took their time to make me maps and show me pictures. Unless you have a positive thing to add to this that will help me in my decision, which has already been made, Please do not comment.

 

[bshrewz90]

From the beach pool area and splash pad you will see the beach. If you think you'll be upset by the beach it might be better to stay somewhere else. You can completely avoid going onto the beach FWIW. For me, I don't think I can go there for a little while. I would be thinking of the terrible tragedy, I'm glad we don't even have dining plans there for our upcoming trip. I would definitely stay there again, it's an amazing resort, just not for a little while. You would also want to request any building but Big Pine Key which is right along the beach.

Thank you I will write that down and make sure to remember when booking!

 

[HappyGrape]

Yes.

1st - It's incredibly rare accident, and first of this kind
2nd - I believe they will do very good risk assessment and implement measures if needed
3rd - I would have not gone in the water, but may be near it! I wouldn't do that now with the awareness of what may be in

 

[atricks]

The only reason I wouldn't stay at the Grand Floridian is because I think it's ridiculously overpriced for what you actually get, the alligator incident is not a reason at all. I'd enjoy it.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

Yes we own DVC here. I am disabled so never use the beaches anyway. It was a tragic accident. I would not avoid the MK if a one off tragic accident occured there. Freak accidents occur everywhere. It has just remind me to be extra cautious that's all. Gators can't read signs that say 'keep out of our Disney bubble'.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Absolutely I would stay there. In a heartbeat.

 

[Aliceacc]

If I had the money and enjoyed the theming, absolutely. As it stands, we leave in a few weeks for the Boardwalk, also on a Disney waterway. Will we be on the beaches at night? Nope, we never were, and I suspect they'll be closed at night for the forseeable future.

This is not a "Grand Floridian" issues. It's not a "Disney" issue. It's a "Florida issue."

The gator didn't target that family or the Grand Floridian or Disney. WDW was built on swampland in Florida, the gator's natural habitat.

That heart-wrenching tragedy could as likely have happened at any other WDW resort, or at any part of Florida remotely near water. Or at any other location anywhere near the Gulf Coast. Just as a family vacationing in LA may have to face the remote possibility of an earthquake, or a family vacationing in the Midwest may have to fact the remote possibility of a tornado, or a family vacationing on Long Island or NJ may have to face the remote possibility of a shark encounter, or a family enjoying a mountain vacation may have to face the remote possibility of a bear encounter, a family vacationing in the southeast may have to face the remote possibility of an encounter with an alligator.

Yes, of course I'll be more attuned to the alligator issue than I was a week ago, just as I'm more attuned to airline safety after 9/11. And obviously Disney and Universal and every single other tourist attraction and college in gator territory will now be much more attuned to the same issue.

But we'll be in WDW at the Boardwalk in a few weeks.

 

[Disneylover99]

I wouldn't hesitate to stay there if I had made plans. But my kids are older. Maybe if I had a two year old I would feel different.

 

[Minniesgal]

I wouldn't hesitate to book the gF it's my favourite resort but then we are not really beach people so we never go there

 

[gzmtlock]

The problem is, I can't think of a deluxe or moderate resort on Disney property without a large body of water.

AKL, Jambo or Kidani. Other than pools, there is no large body of water or any canals. And with all the animals and fencing associated with keeping the animals, I would venture to say absolutely no alligators.

I wouldn't base my resort choice on relative "gator risks." Just sharing info.

 

[BagOLaughs]

I would still stay there in a heartbeat (if i could afford it, which I can't )

This could have happened at any of the deluxe resorts. There are two pools at the GF. one near the beach and one not, also one water play area. So far as I know they are all gated.

Its a freak, horrible, devastating accident that's happened but I think your holiday will be just perfect if you do decide to stay in that hotel. You're a good mum, just don't let your kids down near the waters edge at the beach.

 

[McKelly]

I would stay there. In the future, I will just be more mindful around the water - at ALL of the resorts. We have stayed at CSR and saw a fairly large alligator in the water near the food court. People were throwing food to it over the bridge. Ever since then.....I am always watchful around the lagoon areas.

 

[amg35]

Yes! And I am not so patiently waiting for Tuesday so I can finally book there for next year!

 

[Kona65]

Okay so my husband and I are planning our daughters birthday for next year, Grand Floridian was our choice because of the Alice & Wonderland themes (shes a huge fan!) With recent events I am now hesitant, I know tragedies happen and this was most likely a freak accident, we have another daughter who will be 2 when we go next year so of course its really hitting home. How close is the beach/lagoon area to the pools? Is the beach lagoon area something that we can avoid all together or is it something you have to walk by? Please no parent bashing or hateful comments, I am just a concerned mom who has never stayed in this resort knows nothing of the layout and wants to make a good decision for my family =) Thanks! Also any other resort that has Alice in Wonderland Motifs is appreciated! You just can't beat that awesome looking splash pad tho!

I would stay at the GF or any other resort at WDW. Remember, this is Florida, Gators are everywhere. All of the resorts have water around them. Just me aware of your surroundings, and enjoy yourself.

 

[lynch34]

Honestly - I have such young kids that I don't think I would. There are so many other great resorts at Disney. Why introduce a risk even if its very small?

 

[mousefan73]

#1 Do not tell me I am over worrying, I am a mom that is what I do and not that it is any of your business but no I do not fly when we go to Disney I drive. The reason I created this thread was to get info on the RESORT not to discuss mine or anyone else's parenting or the incident of that little boy. My questions has been answered by several nice people who took their time to make me maps and show me pictures. Unless you have a positive thing to add to this that will help me in my decision, which has already been made, Please do not comment.

Woooo back off It is obvious from your detailed questions on excately how far pool areas are from the beach you have concerns ( byw a synomon of to worry). And where the heck did you read into my post I was critizing anyones parenting??? I was just stating
1. This was a freak instance
2. There are more dangerous in our daily life ( getting from A to B).

 

[manhattan]

Yes! I am thinking of staying there in August and would not hesitate staying at any of the hotels with a beach! This was an awful accident, but I am sure that Disney will do something (thinking maybe a fence) to prevent something like this from happening again.

 

[jazzyscoob]

Yes, I would stay there. There are alligators all over Disney World. From what I remember reading one popped up in a bathroom in MK once.

All the resorts are filled with wildlife of some kind. Snakes etc. Be aware of your surroundings and stay on paths. I see so many people cutting through the bushes and grass to shorten their walks.