The Big Pine Key building has reopened at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort after an extensive refurbishment. This building holds the new Disney Vacation Club resort studio rooms, which are the first guest rooms in the new style. The rest of the rooms will receive the same remodel later in the ongoing resort overhaul.
Exterior
We’ve been watching for weeks as the exterior of the building was refurbished.
The stairwells were demolished and rebuilt.
The land around the building is devoid of plants and grass right now, but we expect to see landscaping completed soon.
There is a small porte-cochère at the entrance to the main building.
Entry
The entry has light blue walls and pink chairs.
Panels on the walls are painted with pink flowers and birds.
These chairs sit next to a small table topped with a potted plant.
The yellow flowers stick out of a blue and white pot.
The new furnishings and style match what we’ve seen in the other refurbishments so far, such as Cítricos and the Enchanted Rose Lounge (formerly Mizner’s).
Lights on the wall are silver with metal flower stems sticking out of them.
A different style of pink chair is on the other side of the entryway.
The floors are light brown wood.
A long table sits beneath a mirror.
The table is topped with bird figures, a bowl, and a vase.
The ceiling light looks like it is lined with giant transparent flower petals.
Lobby
The entryway leads into the larger lobby, with hallways overlooking.
The elevators are to the left of the entryway.
The walls of the elevator bank are blue-green. The elevators have gold doors.
Inside, the elevators have white walls and golden railings.
The floor has grey and white tiles.
The ceilings have translucent chandeliers made of flower-shaped pieces.
The elevator walls are decorated with patterned panels.
There’s a mirror along the back wall.
There are blue panels at the bottom of the elevator walls.
Between the elevators are light fixtures with golden stems and white translucent leaves.
The shade is white.
Other wall lamps have boxy lampshades and stems with wider petals/leaves.
The lobby is lined with white columns.
It has a blue carpet covered with flowers.
White flower-like tile is around the edge of the carpet.
Green armchairs are gathered around a white marble-top table.
White throw pillows with flowers on them sit on the chairs.
The table has golden accents.
A black table is against one wall, with four clear legs.
Two white vases and two sculptures sit on top.
On the wall above the table are several “Mary Poppins” paintings. The building and its studios join Cítricos in bringing the practically perfect nanny to the Grand Floridian.
A small white table at the center of the lobby is decorated with jars, sculptures, and glass bowls perched on golden stems.
There is a long dark green curved couch in one corner.
There are two chairs next to the couch.
A lamp carved with white roses sits on a flower-shaped table.
The chairs have a flower pattern on the outside and light green velvet where guests sit.
A standing lamp sits next to the other chair.
The couch is decorated with mismatched throw pillows with various patterns and textures.
There are two more pink chairs with pink velvet throw pillows next to a small white marble-top table.
Hanging above the lobby is a white chandelier.
It has glass panels around the outside and electric candles on the inside.
Hallways
Light blue walls lead to the hallways.
A golden and glass chandelier hangs from the ceiling.
The walls of the hallways are adorned with pink blossoms.
The carpet resembles a flowery oil painting.
All of the resort studio doors are white.
DVC Studio
Inside a refurbished resort studio, there is a marble-top table next to the entrance, below a circular mirror. We took a tour of a sample room earlier this year and the finished product is the same.
Behind the mirror, the wall is painted with green leaves, white flowers, and birds.
The mirror has a gold frame.
A blue velvet bench is under the table.
The edge of the bench has floral embroidery and the legs are gold.
The bathroom has a double basin sink, under-counter towel storage, and a shower/bath combination.
On the wall are a whimsical painting of a carnival and a hook. The towels are folded to look like a shell or perhaps a flower on the towel rack.
The bathroom has a backlit mirror edged in vine-like spirals.
To the left of the sinks is a swiveling makeup mirror.
The sink has golden faucets.
Disney’s H20+ Beauty line is provided.
The under-counter storage is stuffed full of washcloths and towels.
Gray-blue tile lines the shower walls.
The shower continues the theme with a golden shower head and handheld sprayer. The toiletries are wall mounted.
The bedroom has two queen beds and a nightstand between them.
There is a Mickey-shaped towel on the end of the beds.
The plush headboard is bordered with wood and includes a reading light on each side.
Between the balcony and the bed are another charging station and crystal-like lamp.
There is a small platform for phones and other items.
The window allows for a look at the Floridian flora and fauna.
The gold and white curtain rod holds up a thick tan curtain.
Disney Resorts have moved away from carpeting in guest rooms, but there is a rug under the beds.
The blue couch converts into a twin bed.
This room is being advertised as a model room.
These are the instructions on how to open and close the sofa bed.
The side table is also accented with gold.
Above the sofa bed is a watercolor painting of Mary Poppins gliding above Cherry Tree Lane.
Above the room are a paneled ceiling and golden chandelier.
The nightstand includes a phone, lamp, and Bible.
More accents of gold are on the nightstand.
The lamps have designs of umbrellas, butterflies, and flowers.
The flower design is continued to the wardrobe which has pink paneling and rose prints.
The inside includes two bathrobes, an extra blanket and pillow, slippers, and coat hangers.
The interior door has a mirror as well.
Upon opening the other wardrobe door, we discovered a hair dryer, an ironing board, a handheld steamer, and a safe for valuables.
The television is framed with white wood.
The tv sits across from the beds and above a dresser. The welcome channel is playing upon entering the room.
The dresser has more information about the resort, parks, and in-room dining. The remote is packaged in a plastic sleeve.
A small built-in nook reveals a quint coffee station complete with four mugs, four glasses, an ice bin, and a mini Keurig.
Below the coffee station is a mini-fridge.
The mini-fridge has two shelves.
The wallpaper behind the coffee station features more birds, umbrellas, and flowers.
The centerpiece of this wall shows Mary Poppins and the Banks family.
Even the vent is covered with a latticed, white-metal guard with designs of umbrellas (and a hidden Mickey!)
The renovated rooms from Big Pine Key at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort is decked out with references to “Mary Poppins” and designed to suit a family looking for comfort and class.
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa has been undergoing refurbishment to move away from the old Victorian style and toward a new, modern version (including the increased presence of IP). CEO Bob Chapek reportedly expressed his displeasure with the property, claiming it was not up to standard. Other aspects of the resort are on the slate for refurbishment, including Narcoosee’s (which closed on June 18 for work to begin) and the iconic main lobby.
Watch our full video tour of the refurbished Big Pine Key building and DVC studio below.
Let us know what you think of the refurbishment below!
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My Grandmother would have been thrilled with this renovation. It looks much like the parlor in her home decorated in 1960. Pretty but.. what is with the drink fridge. It is the same one at the All Star resorts and doesn’t keep drinks cold and can’t hold a refrigerated snack safely. I expect better of a room that will go for $500 or more a night.
I am all for investment and refurbishment, but this “style” of rooms is simply not sufficiently in keeping with the early 20th century Victorian aesthetic of the resort that its fans know and love. This would be a great room design, just somewhere else. Grand Floridian 2007 room renovation was the pinnacle of the resort. 2014 room renovation a downgrade, this will be the death blow for long time guests of this resort who kept coming back for the unique aspects of its theme. Earlier this year, I stayed at the inspiration for the Grand Floridian, the Del Coronado in San Diego, which recently went through a massive restoration. The owners were able to balance modernity while still being true to the property’s Victorian design. Too bad Disney did not just take inspiration from that property again. Sad to see another vestige of classic Disney World irreparably impaired.
Refrigerator looks very small, and there’s no microwave by default. That’s going against standards for a DVC studio.
Huh…I think I’m not a fan. Thanks for capturing so many of the details in pictures. They’re slathering Disney characters and scenes all over the place, as they’re doing with nearly everything else on property. This time it’s Mary Poppins, which seems to be the only thing even remotely Victorian left in this resort’s interior design. Otherwise, the furnishings, fixtures, carpeting, etc. look like like they’re from a cruise ship or in older woman’s apartment. It’s like they’re trying to recreate the contemporary elegance of the Riviera. In fairness, I haven’t stayed at this resort yet, and I understand rooms were in need of a refit. But now I’m in no hurry to stay here at all.
Also: I guess bedspreads or even bed scarves are gone for good. Another COVID change Chapek realized could save them $$?
FWIW, I’m not a hater—I’m a long-time DVC member disenchanted by Disney constantly diluting its magic, systematically dismantling what’s unique about each resort, park, and attraction, in favor of promoting its intellectual property at every opportunity.
Beautiful. Classic Disney. They gave this renovation a lot of thought Good storage. Can’t wait to go. Very happy.
Colors are nice, not a huge fan of the giant print on the carpet, but biggest change is… It’s not Victorian, not at all! I fear this is what is coming to the lobby. The whole resorts redesign team is missing the mark, at every level.
Not bad. Overall a good refresh but I still feel like something is missing, like true theming. Still a bit too sterile for my liking but overall not bad.
I bought multiples of that blue and white flowerpot they have in the entryway from TJ Maxx about 20 years ago for around $12 each. A couple are still in the backyard somewhere. So the Grand Floridian is now apparently an Asian-art-themed hotel decorated with leftover TJ Maxx furnishings and a couple of Mary Poppins prints? And it costs how much to stay there?
Looks terrible. It’s not a villa, just a hotel room. This shouldn’t be DVC! The Grand Floridian value will certainly plummet from here. Chapek has no clue and needs to go! Ruining my favorite resort is a crime.
I would like to stay there. I think the blue rooms are prettier than the brown and red ones in the other buildings. It’s not likely my family will ever stay there.
Gone are all of the GF-themed touches that used to make this the jewel in the WDW crown. Welcome ladies and gentlemen, oops I forgot – welcome folks to the no-longer Victorian-themed hotel that is taking on the homogeneous character of every other hotel on the property. Oh and BTW, it’s a thousand bucks a night.
If dropped blindfolded in this room, with the curtains drawn, I would probably name 20 other on-property hotels before I would EVER name the Grand Floridian S&S my location. What a shame.
Bob Chapek at his best being Bob Paycheck. Sorry Hoosier
Staying here for a week. The rooms are by far the prettiest on property.
Wow. I hate to be a Negative Nelly but this is disappointing. I was happy when I heard they were bringing in more of the Mary Poppins theming and I loved the way Citricos turned out, but this does not look very attractive. The rooms themselves look pretty good, but the lobby and hallways just look awful to me. I know the wallpaper is supposed to represent the cherry blossoms for Cherry Tree Lane but this wallpaper comes off more Asian. When she opened the door and walked into the entryway I thought “hello 1985”. And the floral patterned rug along with all of the other patterns just doesn’t work for me. I like a mix of patterns and textures but this is too much and kind of hodgepodge. At least everything is new and clean . My favorite parts are the inside of the elevator and the vent cover in the rooms. And I love the nods to Mary Poppins of course. I really hope this isn’t the exact look that they give the main lobby. We love the Grand Floridian lobby the way it is right now but I fear this is what we are going to get.
I think the refurbishment is overall nice and I see how Mary poppins works but at the same time the resort is not themed to Europe and the resort does not look so much like a Victorian beach resort on the inside. These resorts are not just supposed to be IP everywhere and are instead supposed to pertain the theme throughout the resort. Overall not bad but could have been better.
It has a very quiet feel, and almost ocean-like with the color scheme. Aside from the floral and Mary Poppins prints, it reminds me of Beach Club and the Little Mermaid. It’s pretty and lovely, but it does reminds me of Home Goods, and I prefer the gold and white Victorian feel more than this.
I know it’s referencing Mary Poppins, which is very much English, but considering the amount of English settlers in Florida around the same time period, I can understand referencing this movie. I wish it the theming was the same or more Floridian. Although I suppose they’d leave that to Old Key West?
Coming from a design background, I applaud the designers ability to take some traditional Victorian themes and give them a modern flip. Chinoiserie wallpaper was huge in the Victorian period, as well as nature themed sconces and decor. The color palette and fabric choices were absolutely used in the period, if not exactly in this way. The coffee tables are not Victorian, but neither are refrigerators or electricity, if you want to get nit picky. At the end of the day, everything that was changed, can just as easily be replaced in another 5 years. I for one am happy to see those awful smoked mirrors and red sofas go!
subliminal message “Universal Orlando”
This is just terrible! Why are not staying with the original, unique Victorian design that we love. What’s next? Changing the Boardwalk Beach Club resort to no longer give us a Cape May feel into a Marvel Comics resort?