As the rumor goes Bob Chapek, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, wants some big changes at the Grand Floridian which has largely gone unchanged since 1988 when it opened. Grand Floridian is the marquee hotel at WDW only for the most affluent of guests, and typically the highest prices for a room at the Resort wide. It has a Victorian theme and modeled after the very similar looking Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego.
The big changes come from competition from Four Seasons Resort Orlando which has more modern feel to it instead of an old Victorian theme. Chapek wants to come in and completely redesign the look and feel of Grand Floridian from the Lobby to the rooms.
This would be a huge mistake and a great loss to the Walt Disney World if it goes thru. If you’ve ever stepped into the lobby and felt the elegance which fits perfectly to late 19th Century Florida theme. By modernizing it would become just like any other luxury hotel. Guests are looking for something that only Disney can do. Not what you can get in almost any major metropolitan luxury hotel. Grand Floridian can be updated without removing the current theme.
There is still plenty of space at WDW (blessing of size) if they wanted to make brand new modern hotel, similar to Tokyo Disneyland Hotel at Tokyo Disneyland or the recent plans at Disneyland Resort to make a modern luxury hotel (which will be put on current Downtown Disney parking lot). Creating a hotel from the ground up instead of shoehorning into existing hotel which doesn’t fit is the way to go. It would be better themed and have all the modern amenities guests would want, the Disney way, not the Guardians of the Galaxy Chapek way.
