Greetings, Lori!
Welcome back to planDisney! You picked a wonderful time of year to visit. The
holidays at Walt Disney World Resort are extra magical, and staying on-site means you'll be immersed in Christmas-time wonder throughout your stay. I also love checking out the unique decorations at the resorts during my visit. Each Disney Resort hotel features exclusively themed trees and decorations, and you'll find some great holiday treats too! Let's go through the recent transportation changes so you know how you can (and cannot) get to other hotel locations to enjoy the holiday offerings.
Buses departing from Disney Springs to Disney Resort hotels are
available for Guests with a hotel reservation or a dining or experience reservation. Guests will be asked to scan their MagicBands, Key to the World Card, or provide a confirmation number to board the appropriate Disney bus. If you are heading to the Grand Floridian from Disney Springs, you may be asked to provide a reservation confirmation for this location. But this does not mean you cannot visit during your stay! My recommendation would be to take the bus from Saratoga Springs to Magic Kingdom, and then use the monorail to visit The Grand Floridian Resort. At this time, there have been no changes to the monorail transportation policy.
Another option would be to make a dining reservation at
the Grand Floridian. This resort has some
truly fabulous options. A personal favorite of mine is
Narcoossee's. The restaurant is beautiful, with great views and delicious food. And if you are looking to make a night of it, plan your reservation close to the evening's fireworks. Guests with a reservation can watch
Happily Ever After from the large wraparound porch, and the location pipes the music in so you don't miss out on the magic!
Wishing you the best holiday stay ever!
Tammy