- Mar 13, 2024
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Since it opened back in 1988, The Grand Floridian Resort & Spa has been Disney World’s flagship resort.
The Perch at the Grand Floridian
Situated on the Seven Seas Lagoon, the hotel features the crème de la crème of perks, some of Disney World’s most renowned restaurants and lounges, and is just a Monorail ride away from the Magic Kingdom. However, what many fans may not realize is that the hotel shares a major thematic connection with the theme park, one which harkens back to an opening day concept.
The Grand Floridan is themed Victorian Era beach resorts that began popping up around the United States, including on Florida’s Atlantic coast near the turn of the 19th century into the 20th century.
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Interestingly, the hotel’s unique color scheme of white faux wood and red gabled roofs actually comes from across the country as it was directly inspired by the Hotel del Coronado in Coronado, California, near San Diego.
California’s Hotel Del Coronado. Look familiar? ©Wikipedia
This Victorian design directly ties the Grand Floridian to the Magic Kingdom’s Main Street, U.S.A., which itself is themed to the turn of the century Victorian United States (though the park’s land is more based on Midwestern small towns than opulent coastal beach resorts). This was no fluke or coincidence, but rather a part of A design philosophy that Disney has employed over the years in the Magic Kingdom Resort Area: Hotels that distinctly reflect the Magic Kingdom’s lands.
Main Street
The very first hotels built at Disney World, the Polynesian Village Resort and the Contemporary Resort, were built as analogous to Adventureland and Tomorrowland, respectively. In fact, the latter hotel was positioned to serve as a backdrop to Tomorrowland when seen from within the park.
Disney’s Contemporary Resort
In addition, the Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground was very reminiscent of the park’s Frontierland, especially during its early years.
Fort Wilderness
Further planned-but-unbuilt 1970s Magic Kingdom Resort Area hotels like the Asian Resort and Persian Resort would have also reflected Adventureland.
Asian Resort Concept Art ©Disney
By the time the Grand Floridian was built in the late 1980s, much of Disney’s approach to hotels at the resort had changed dramatically, but the idea of theming the closest resorts to the Magic Kingdom was still prevalent, leading to the Victorian theme of the Grand Floridian. Stay tuned to Magical Guides for more dives into Disney’s fascinating history of design choices.
Did you ever put together that some of Disney World’s hotels somewhat reflect the Magic Kingdom’s lands? Let us know in the comments below.
The Perch at the Grand Floridian
Situated on the Seven Seas Lagoon, the hotel features the crème de la crème of perks, some of Disney World’s most renowned restaurants and lounges, and is just a Monorail ride away from the Magic Kingdom. However, what many fans may not realize is that the hotel shares a major thematic connection with the theme park, one which harkens back to an opening day concept.
The Grand Floridan is themed Victorian Era beach resorts that began popping up around the United States, including on Florida’s Atlantic coast near the turn of the 19th century into the 20th century.
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Interestingly, the hotel’s unique color scheme of white faux wood and red gabled roofs actually comes from across the country as it was directly inspired by the Hotel del Coronado in Coronado, California, near San Diego.
California’s Hotel Del Coronado. Look familiar? ©Wikipedia
This Victorian design directly ties the Grand Floridian to the Magic Kingdom’s Main Street, U.S.A., which itself is themed to the turn of the century Victorian United States (though the park’s land is more based on Midwestern small towns than opulent coastal beach resorts). This was no fluke or coincidence, but rather a part of A design philosophy that Disney has employed over the years in the Magic Kingdom Resort Area: Hotels that distinctly reflect the Magic Kingdom’s lands.
Main Street
The very first hotels built at Disney World, the Polynesian Village Resort and the Contemporary Resort, were built as analogous to Adventureland and Tomorrowland, respectively. In fact, the latter hotel was positioned to serve as a backdrop to Tomorrowland when seen from within the park.
Disney’s Contemporary Resort
In addition, the Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground was very reminiscent of the park’s Frontierland, especially during its early years.
Fort Wilderness
Further planned-but-unbuilt 1970s Magic Kingdom Resort Area hotels like the Asian Resort and Persian Resort would have also reflected Adventureland.
Asian Resort Concept Art ©Disney
By the time the Grand Floridian was built in the late 1980s, much of Disney’s approach to hotels at the resort had changed dramatically, but the idea of theming the closest resorts to the Magic Kingdom was still prevalent, leading to the Victorian theme of the Grand Floridian. Stay tuned to Magical Guides for more dives into Disney’s fascinating history of design choices.
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Did you ever put together that some of Disney World’s hotels somewhat reflect the Magic Kingdom’s lands? Let us know in the comments below.
