Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is a themed hotel and spa located at Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida. It is categorized as a deluxe resort (one of four types of accommodations at the Florida site) and is widely considered to be the vacation resort's most luxurious hotel.

The property opened on June 28, 1988 as the Grand Floridian Beach Resort. It was designed to resemble Victorian era beach resorts built along Florida's southeastern coast during the early 1900s; its exterior is modeled after the famous Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, California.

Along with Disney's Contemporary Resort and Disney's Polynesian Resort, the Grand Floridian sits on the shores of the man-made Seven Seas Lagoon and provides views of Cinderella Castle at the Magic Kingdom. The hotel occupies land that had been earmarked for an Asian-themed hotel during the initial development of Walt Disney World Resort in the late 1960s.

The Grand Floridian contains 867 rooms, at an average of 400 square feet (37 m²) per room. A standard room can sleep five people. There are six honeymoon rooms in the hotel towers. The monorail, water launches and bus connections at the resort provide easy access to other areas on Disney property. The resort changed its name to Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa during the fall of 1997.

The resort offers two swimming pools, one junior pool, and two jacuzzis. Other recreational activities include watercraft rentals, fishing excursions, water skiing, a white sand beach, two tennis courts, an exclusive barber and beauty salon, and preferred access to five Walt Disney World golf courses.

In 1992, a convention center opened adjacent to the hotel.

The spa offers hundreds of massages, therapies and treatments, all in the $100-$2,000 range. A one-day pass is free to hotel guests, US$12 to others.

Dining

• Grand Floridian Café: Traditional Floridian fare, with fresh fruit, seafood and burgers. $10-$20 per person.

• 1900 Park Fare: Buffet dining with character breakfasts and dinners. Inside this restaurant is "Big Bertha", an organ built in Paris and used from 1909 to 1955 in a Grand Rapids, Michigan amusement park. The organ's instruments include pipes, drums, bells, cymbals, castanets and a xylophone, and is played by a piano-roll score. It plays short concerts periodically during mealtimes.

• Cítricos: French food with a Floridian flair. The site was formerly a restaurant called Flagler's that operated until November 1997.

• Narcoossee's: An up-market seafood restaurant with an open kitchen and views of the lagoon and Cinderella Castle.

• Victoria & Albert's: The most elegant restaurant at Walt Disney World Resort, with a unique menu created nightly and an award-winning wine cellar. A favorite of the resort's affluent guests.

Resort facts

• Category: Deluxe

• Theme: Victorian Seaside Resort

• Location: Magic Kingdom Resort Area

• Opened: June 28, 1988

• Areas: Main Building, Sago Key, Sugar Loaf Key, Conch Key, Boca Chica, and Big Pine Key

• Rooms: 897