PRICE:
Frommer's Exceptional

From the moment you step into the opulent five-story domed lobby, you'll feel as if you've slipped back to an era that started with the late 19th century and lasted through the Roaring Twenties, when a guy named Gatsby was at the top of his game. Expect tea to be served in the afternoon (3-6pm daily), while a piano runs the spectrum from lullabies to ragtime; then, as the evening arrives, a small, '40s-style band takes the helm upstairs. The Floridian has become the romantic choice for couples, especially honeymooners, who like luxuriating in the first-class spa and health club -- one of the top two in WDW (the other is the one at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort). Families, however, will appreciate the extensive recreational facilities, including the large children's pool and play area, as well as the children's programs and character dining offered here. Virtually all of the inviting Victorian-style rooms overlook a garden, pool, courtyard, or the Seven Seas Lagoon; many have balconies, and the "dormer rooms" have vaulted ceilings (though they're smaller than standard rooms). It's one of three resorts located directly on the monorail system and near the Magic Kingdom. Top-end restaurants here include Victoria & Albert's and Citricos, and there are also some special programs for pint-sized princesses and young aspiring cooks. A Piece of Yesterday, Today -- The Grand 1, the Grand Floridian's 52-foot Sea Ray yacht, is available for hire for groups of up to 18. It cruises Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake, where in the evenings you can see the Magic Kingdom's Fantasy in the Sky fireworks or arrange a gourmet-dinner cruise. Voyages cost $450 per hour (dinner and a personal butler at an additional cost), including a captain and deck hand (tel. 407/824-2439 or 407/824-2682). Facilities: 5 restaurants; grill; 3 lounges; character meals; heated outdoor pool; kids' pool; beach; 2 lighted tennis courts; health club; spa; watersports equipment; children's club; arcade; concierge; car-rental desk; WDW Transportation System; transportation to non-Disney parks for a fee; business center; limited Wi-Fi access (fee); shopping arcade; salon; 24-hr. room service; babysitting; guest laundry; valet; concierge-level rooms

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Walt Disney World & Orlando 2009, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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