The Grand Floridian Resort: The Great Disney Bathroom Challenge
When you think of Disney's Grand Floridian Resort, you probably picture elegance.
White Victorian buildings.
Grand chandeliers.
Afternoon tea.
A pianist filling the lobby with music.
Bathrooms probably aren't the first thing that comes to mind.
Unless you're me.
Welcome to the next stop in the Great Disney Bathroom Quest.
This time, I'm exploring seven bathrooms scattered throughout the Grand Floridian Resort, and I'm ranking them from worst to best.
Some are hidden.
Some are surprisingly beautiful.
One made me question whether the air conditioning had taken an extended vacation.
And one completely stole my heart.
Who will earn the Grand Floridian crown?
Grab your imaginary scorecard.
Let's judge some bathrooms.
bathroom #7: Grand Floridian Summerhouse #58
Confession time.
For years, I thought the Summerhouse was an abandoned outdoor bar.
Every time I walked past it I'd think, "Huh. I wonder when Disney is finally going to reopen that place."
Then I'd shrug and continue on my merry way.
I never questioned it.
I never Googled it.
I never bothered to walk around the building.
Then the Great Disney Bathroom Quest happened.
This quest has made me wander into places I never knew existed, peek around corners, investigate suspicious-looking pathways, and apparently question everything I thought I knew about Disney.
So I finally walked all the way around the Summerhouse.
And guess what I found?
Bathrooms.
Not one.
Two.
A men's room and a women's room.
I just stood there staring.
How had I completely forgotten these existed?
I felt like I'd discovered some long-lost Disney secret.
The bathroom signs immediately made me smile. They're elegant, charming, and fit the Grand Floridian perfectly.
Then I opened the door.
The smile evaporated.
A blast of hot air slapped me right in the face.
Not warm.
Not "the AC is struggling."
I'm talking "Is someone baking bread in here?" hot.
The kind of heat where your forehead starts making decisions before you've even picked a stall.
I have to imagine the air conditioning had been broken for a while because this wasn't a little uncomfortable.
It was sweat-pooling-on-your-back uncomfortable.
Which is especially disappointing because the Grand Floridian has some truly gorgeous bathrooms.
We'll get to those.
This one?
This one looks like it accidentally wandered in from a hospital renovation.
Everything is gray.
Gray walls.
Gray counters.
Gray everywhere.
It's so sterile that it almost feels like it should come with fluorescent lighting and someone asking if you've filled out your paperwork.
It has absolutely none of the warmth or elegance you expect from the Grand Floridian.
There are a few bright spots.
The artwork is beautiful.
I picture an Imagineer walking in, taking one look around, and saying,
"Well...we've made a terrible mistake."
Then hanging a few gorgeous framed paintings in a desperate attempt to rescue the room.
Unfortunately, the shiny light fixtures create such a glare on the glass that it's hard to fully appreciate them.
I also noticed a little Grand Floridian logo sticker on the baby changing station.
That tiny detail made me ridiculously happy.
The toilets are manual.
As you already know, manual flushers automatically earn bonus points around here.
And then I found one final little moment of Disney magic.
The toilet paper had been folded into neat little points.
Someone took the extra few seconds to make it look nice.
That tiny act of care made me smile.
It's proof that even when a bathroom is having a rough day, Cast Members are still doing their best.
Sadly...
No amount of folded toilet paper can overcome the sauna temperatures and fifty shades of gray.
This bathroom earns a C-.
And, after visiting every Grand Floridian restroom...
I can officially declare this the worst bathroom at the resort.
Bathroom #6: Grand Floridian Wedding Pavilion #59
This bathroom completely caught me off guard.
I was happily strolling along the walking path between the Grand Floridian and the Polynesian.
It's one of my favorite walks.
The lagoon is beautiful.
The wedding pavilion is beautiful.
Everything feels peaceful.
Then...
I saw it.
A restroom sign.
A restroom sign!
I stopped in my tracks.
How have I never noticed this before?
Has it been hiding in plain sight for years?
Did Disney quietly put it there yesterday?
Was I simply too busy admiring the castle to look down?
I honestly have no idea.
But when you're on the Great Disney Bathroom Quest, every restroom sign is basically a treasure map.
Naturally, I had to investigate.
The sign on the door said the restroom was for Grand Floridian and Polynesian guests.
I figured...
I was standing between the Grand Floridian and the Polynesian.
I tried the handle.
Success!
Inside is the cutest little bathroom.
It's tiny.
Not cramped.
Just...itsy bitsy.
Nothing really stood out.
There wasn't some incredible theme.
There wasn't an amazing hidden detail.
There also wasn't anything wrong with it.
The air conditioning worked.
The restroom was clean.
There were a few stalls, a sink, and everything was exactly where it was supposed to be.
Sometimes a bathroom doesn't need a dramatic story.
Sometimes it's just...
a bathroom.
And honestly?
That's perfectly okay.
The real star here is the location.
I've made that walk between the Polynesian and the Grand Floridian more times than I can count.
There have absolutely been moments when I've picked up the pace because I needed a restroom.
Knowing there's one sitting right here on the path is incredibly convenient.
It may not win any decorating awards.
It may never become anyone's favorite Disney restroom.
But when nature calls halfway between two deluxe resorts...
This little bathroom is the hero of the story.
Final Verdict
I give it a solid C.
Perfectly average.
And when you're in the middle of a bathroom emergency, average is exactly what you want.
Bathroom #5: Grand Floridian Lobby, Near Grand Floridian Café & 1900 Park Fare #60
I have mixed feelings about this bathroom.
Actually...
I have feelings about this bathroom.
This used to be my bathroom.
My go-to.
My safe choice.
If someone asked me where to go at the Grand Floridian, this is where I sent them.
Before I started the Great Disney Bathroom Quest, I was absolutely convinced this would be my number one bathroom at the resort.
I was so confident.
Reader...
I was wrong.
Times have changed.
I think moving the entrance to 1900 Park Fare completely changed this area.
Now this poor bathroom has to serve guests from both restaurants.
It's also next to the main entrance.
It's close to the gift shop.
People are constantly walking through here.
It's like Grand Central Station...except everyone is looking for a restroom.
When I visited, it was so crowded that I couldn't even get a picture of the restroom sign.
That's practically unheard of.
Instead, I took a picture of the couch across from the entrance because there were people everywhere.
If you've ever wondered what bathroom traffic looks like...
That couch tells the story.
This bathroom has simply been outnumbered.
There aren't enough stalls anymore.
The air conditioning struggles to keep up.
It feels tired.
Which makes me sad because underneath all that traffic...
It's still beautiful.
There are elegant gold and silver accents.
The light fixtures above the mirrors are gorgeous.
The tile climbs almost all the way to the ceiling before giving way to beautiful wallpaper.
It's clean.
It's classy.
And somehow...
It smells really good.
That's actually impressive considering how busy it is.
But you can also tell it's getting older.
Every other Grand Floridian bathroom has received a beautiful makeover.
This one was starting to feel like the forgotten sibling.
So I gave my once-favorite bathroom a very sad B-.
Then...
The happiest plot twist happened.
I went back to the Grand Floridian on another visit.
Construction walls.
The bathroom was closed.
They're remodeling it!
I may have been more excited than a reasonable person should be over a bathroom renovation.
I can't wait to see what they do.
Will there be new wallpaper?
New lighting?
Will the restroom signs be gorgeous?
The anticipation is real.
I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas morning.
Maybe...
Just maybe...
My favorite bathroom will reclaim its crown.
Bathroom #4: Grand Floridian Conference Center #61
Did you know the Grand Floridian has a conference center?
Because...
I didn't.
Did you also know it's open during the day?
And that there's a bathroom inside?
Well, thanks to the Great Disney Bathroom Quest, I now know all kinds of random Disney facts that absolutely nobody asked for.
When I started reviewing the Grand Floridian bathrooms, I thought this resort would be easy.
There can't be that many bathrooms, right?
Silly me.
Disney said, "Hold my Mickey Bar."
Every time I turned a corner, there was another restroom hiding from me.
Eventually I wandered into the conference center.
The first thing I noticed was how beautiful it was.
The second thing I noticed...
The heat.
It was hot.
Not Florida-in-July hot.
More like, "Did someone accidentally turn the air conditioning off?" hot.
I imagine Disney turns the AC way up when there aren't meetings happening because it definitely wasn't conference weather in there.
The third thing I noticed...
A Cast Member looking at me.
Not just looking.
Looking.
She never said a word.
But the look she gave me could've melted Olaf.
For a brief moment my anxiety kicked in.
"Am I allowed in here?"
Then I remembered...
If I wasn't supposed to be there, she probably would've stopped me.
So I continued my very important scientific bathroom research.
The bathroom itself is nice.
Pretty.
Clean.
But also exactly what you'd expect a conference center bathroom to look like.
Professional.
Polished.
A little...business casual.
Feels like you're about to attend a PowerPoint presentation.
There is a companion restroom, and it's surprisingly large.
Both bathrooms have beautiful wallpaper that coordinates perfectly with the stall doors.
Someone clearly put thought into that choice.
One thing did confuse me though.
The bathroom can't decide if it's gold or silver.
If Disney couldn't find a gold hand dryer...
Maybe just commit to silver.
Sometimes it's okay to pick a team.
Overall, I give this bathroom a B.
It's not going to become my new favorite hidden retreat.
But now that I know it's here...
I'm glad it's another option.
And before I left, I committed the greatest bathroom-reviewing crime imaginable.
I forgot to photograph the women's restroom sign.
I am still kicking myself.
She was beautiful.
We'll just have to pretend I remembered
Bathroom #3: Grand Floridian DVC #62
You walk through the doors...
And it's magic.
The very first thing you see is a giant fountain filled with playful penguins.
Penguins!
Holding little cups!
I don't know who pitched that idea to the Imagineers, but I hope they got a raise.
You simply cannot be in a bad mood when penguins are welcoming you.
The lobby itself is bright, open, and peaceful.
Then I noticed something that made my little bathroom-loving heart so happy.
Two restroom signs.
Two!
First, Disney gives me adorable penguins.
Then they give me clear directions to the bathroom.
This is my kind of paradise.
The restroom itself is just one large companion restroom.
But don't let "one stall" fool you.
This thing is enormous.
You could probably do cartwheels in here.
Or somersaults.
Or choreograph an interpretive dance about toilet paper.
Not that I recommend any of those activities...
I'm just saying you have the space.
The design is clean, modern, and calming.
Soft grays.
Bright whites.
Everything flows together beautifully.
Nothing feels out of place.
But the real masterpiece...
Is the floor.
Seriously.
Look at it.
It's gorgeous.
Someone actually sat down and designed this floor, and it shows.
Even better, the pattern carries the same style as the flooring in the lobby outside, making the whole space feel connected.
I absolutely love when Disney remembers that bathrooms are part of the story too.
Even though this is technically just one companion restroom, Disney still dressed it up with beautiful finishes instead of treating it like an afterthought.
That's something I always appreciate.
This bathroom earns a well-deserved A.
It's elegant.
It's peaceful.
It has penguins.
Honestly, the penguins almost earned it the A all by themselves.
Bathroom #2: Grand Floridian, upstairs Near Victoria & Albert's and Citricos #63
This bathroom is elegance wrapped in wallpaper.
Seriously.
I think this might be the fanciest bathroom I've ever walked into.
Everything about it whispers...
"You probably should've dressed nicer."
The dark green wallpaper is absolutely stunning.
The beige accent walls with delicate floral patterns are gorgeous.
The cabinetry under the sinks is beautiful.
The gold fixtures sparkle without being over the top.
Every single detail feels intentional.
Nothing is loud.
Nothing is trying too hard.
It's simply...Grand Floridian.
If someone asked me to imagine what a Grand Floridian bathroom should look like...
This would be it.
It's always spotless.
The air conditioning deserves its own standing ovation.
There is no sweating in this bathroom.
Just cool, glorious air.
There is also a wonderfully large accessible stall, and the restroom itself feels spacious.
I've visited several times, and I'm usually the only person in there.
Outside are benches where family members can comfortably wait.
It's peaceful.
It's refined.
It's everything you want in a deluxe resort restroom.
I honestly have zero complaints.
This is an easy A.
Choosing between this bathroom and my number one was surprisingly difficult.
I went back and forth more times than I'd like to admit.
In the end, I realized something about my ranking system.
I don't just fall in love with bathrooms that are beautiful.
I fall in love with bathrooms that make me smile.
Give me a little whimsy.
A surprise.
A quirky detail.
Something that makes me stop and say, "Well...that's delightful."
This bathroom is absolutely stunning.
It is elegant.
It is functional.
It is everything the Grand Floridian promises.
But my number one bathroom has just a little more personality.
And sometimes...
Personality is what wins the crown.
Bathroom #1: Grand Floridian Lobby #64
We have a winner!
Out of seven Grand Floridian bathrooms...
This one takes the crown.
And honestly?
I think I love it because it's a little quirky.
A little unexpected.
A little...different.
Just like me.
The first thing I noticed was the layout.
Nothing is predictable.
Some of the stalls are designed in different shapes.
No boring rows of identical rectangles here.
Even the sink area curves instead of sitting in a straight line.
The whole bathroom has this delightfully offbeat flow to it.
It feels like someone designing it said,
"Let's make this interesting."
Mission accomplished.
The mirrors are framed with beautiful crystal accents that catch the light.
The wallpaper is elegant.
The flooring is gorgeous.
Everything works together without feeling overly fancy.
One thing I really appreciate is the consistency throughout the Grand Floridian.
Three of the seven bathrooms share the same color palette and overall design style.
It makes the entire resort feel connected, and I love when Disney commits to a theme instead of treating every restroom like its own little project.
The bathroom itself isn't huge.
It's actually on the smaller side.
But good design beats square footage every single time.
It's spotless.
Beautifully maintained.
Exactly what you'd expect from the Grand Floridian.
Then there's the companion restroom.
And it is stunning.
The floor absolutely sparkles.
Not in a "someone spilled glitter" kind of way.
In a subtle, elegant, Disney kind of way.
I caught myself staring at the floor far longer than any normal person should.
But then again...
I'm the woman voluntarily reviewing Disney bathrooms.
Normal sailed away a long time ago.
This bathroom earns my number one spot because it has something the others don't.
Personality.
It's elegant without being stuffy.
It's polished without being boring.
And it isn't afraid to be just a little different.
That little bit of whimsy is exactly what pushes it over the top.
This bathroom earns an enthusiastic A+.
Congratulations, Grand Floridian Lobby bathroom.
You are officially the champion of the Grand Floridian Bathroom Challenge.
