The Grand Floridian is my favorite hotel in the world. Not just on Disney property, but in the world. A huge part of that is the nostalgic factor for me. We always stayed there when I was a kid. Aside from that, it’s just amazing. :) The hotel is gorgeous and the service is fantastic. That being said, I’ve always stayed club level here (I’m spoiled, I know). Growing up we always stayed in the Main Building. My husband and I did that as well the first several times we stayed there after getting married. Last August (2013) when we stayed there we decided to try the Sugar Loaf building, which also has club level services, to see the difference. I thought I’d compare the two for you today! First, let’s talk price. It’s an expensive hotel and if you want to stay club level it’s even more expensive. I’m not going to lie. That being said, there’s a reason (or many) why my family kept going back and why my husband and I keep going back to this day. If you want to stay in the main building the only option is club level. These are the most expensive rooms in the resort. You don’t have to leave the building to get to the monorail station on the second floor (especially nice for the ever-so-frequent Florida showers). You also (obviously) don’t have to leave the building if you want to go to any of the shops. There are also a few restaurants in the main building as well. The concierge staff are located on the third floor and the food offerings are located on the fourth floor. The guest rooms are on floors three, four and five. To access floors 3-5 you have to use your magic band (which has your “room key” in it) in the elevator. Now, if you want to stay in the Sugar Loaf building, like the main building, the only option is club level. These rooms still cost more than non-club level rooms, but are significantly cheaper than those in the main building. It is the closest building to the main building with only the width of a sidewalk between the two. To access the building itself you must touch your magic band outside the building for the sliding doors to open. The concierge staff and food offerings are both located on the first floor. Because you touched your magic band to get into the building you don’t have to touch it again in the elevators. Now, for the comparisons…. the concierge services and food offerings are EXACTLY the same in both buildings. The rooms are also styled the same. The differences (other than physical location) are really very minimal. Some people want to know every last detail, so I thought I’d share… I swear I’m not nitpicking. :) I noticed that the tile on the first floor of the Sugar Loaf building was still the old, peach-colored tile while the tile in the main building had been updated a few years ago. The seating around the food area is definitely more ample in the main building (where there are also tables into the hallways a little bit as well as on other guest room floors. In the Sugar Loaf building the tables are really just in the middle area where the food is served. There aren’t any in the hallways or on the other floors. The quiet pool is directly outside the Sugar Loaf building. This is the pool my husband and I prefer, so this was actually nicer for us than when we stay in the main building. If you want to go to the new Mad Hatter splash pad area or the waterslide pool it’s a little closer to the main building than the Sugar Loaf building (since the buildings are so close together, though, this really isn’t a big deal). These are the similarities and differences I’ve either thought of, experienced or noticed. I’m not going to say I’ll never stay in the main building again. I definitely will. It is so nostalgic for me for many reasons. However, I certainly won’t bat an eye at the thought of staying in the Sugar Loaf building instead. Due to the minimal differences and the huge cost savings I think we will primarily return to the Sugar Loaf building and stay in the Main Building only every so many trips. The money saved can be put toward our next trip! Brittany
Dawn Hendershot
3/20/2016 07:33:44 am
Thanks for the review. This is our first time staying at the GF, however, we have stayed at several other Disney delux resorts. Based on your comments, it sounds like this could become our favorite place to stay. Comments are closed.
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AuthorBrittany is a Disney fanatic and an agent with Magical Journeys Travel. As a College of Disney Knowledge graduate, she has plenty of expert tips to share. Brittany can help you plan a spectacular Disney vacation and ensure you get the best deal possible... for free! Archives
October 2023
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