Hi there, Nicola. Welcome to planDisney!
Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is truly iconic. As the flagship resort, it oozes sophistication, but at the same time is accessible to everyone. Even when I'm not staying here, it's become a bit of a must just to visit, especially to enjoy the
Enchanted Rose. This lounge is beautiful with its touches and nods to the
Beauty and the Beast live-action story. And of course, the drinks and bites are both top-notch. We actually stayed at
Disney's Bay Lake Tower during our last trip but visited this resort for its dining options frequently! Sometimes it felt like we were there more than our own resort!
You are able to use the
pools and
recreational activities (some of which are an additional cost) at the resort on the day of check-in and the day of check-out. The check-in time for standard hotel rooms is typically 3 p.m. and for
deluxe villas, 4 p.m. Checkout for both is 11 a.m. You can check in through your
My Disney Experience account by selecting "My Plans" under the My Disney Experience dropdown menu. Then, locate your reservation and there should be a button that says "Start Check-in." You can also check in through your
My Disney Experience mobile app once you've arrived in the United States. To access your room, you can either use a Disney Band that is associated with your account or use the mobile app to unlock it once it's ready!
When you check in online, you will be asked a few questions about preferences and the time you are planning to arrive at the resort. Ensure that push notifications on your mobile device are enabled for the app so that you can receive a notification when your room is ready. There's also the option to have them send you a text as well (text messaging rates apply). Once it's ready, they will let you know and you can just go to your room.
Speaking of just going to your room, to use the My Disney Experience mobile app to unlock your door, open the app and click on the 3 horizontal lines (☰) at the bottom right-hand corner. Scroll down and select "Hotel Reservations." Then, scroll until you see "Unlock Door," which you'll click, and then hold your device against the door lock. You'll want to ensure Bluetooth is enabled for this to work. It's pretty magical!
Nicola, I wish you the best time when you visit in September. Make sure you check out the
EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival, which starts on August 29th this year and goes until November 23rd, 2024. I got significantly more excited for this event once the
Disney Parks Blog gave us
a little sneak peek!
If you have any other questions,
send them my way.
Most everyone's mad here,
Matt