Disneyland Hotel or Grand Californian

[sonofanarchy]

For a first time visit, which would you choose?

I thought we were sold on the DLH based on the room decor, restaurants and Disney theming. However, I read a couple of reviews that said the hotel feels much like the Contemporary at WDW, which we don't care. Read it has almost a business like feel to it. Can anyone familiar with the hotel comment?

We're big fans of the Wilderness Lodge which I know the GCH resembles. But we're ultimately looking for the hotel that feels the most Disney.

If you could choose either hotel which would you pick?

 

[interstate70s]

We love the GCH! Location location location. Beautiful relaxing pools, rooms with balconies, and turn down service. I haven't stayed at the DLH, but have eaten there several times. Some of the decor is more simplistic, more 60s modern. The pool area is beautiful and next time we go I can't wait to try Trader Sam's. Both are great. I would just look at photos and trip reports to see which one's vibe you like more.

 

[Cinderpamela]

I have stayed at all 3 on site hotels and while each are enjoyable, if you can swing it, I would do GCH over DLH. If you love the WL then you will love the CGV... they were designed by the same architectural firm (from my hometown of Seattle I might add), while WL was modeled after the old National Parks hotels with the giant logs and such, the GC has a similar vibe but is California Craftsman in style.

It also has the most resort like feel of all the DLR properties... something that WDW vets find more in keeping with the resorts at WDW.

 

[Niebz]

I am not at all a fan of the contemporary but DLH is my favourite disney resort in north america hands down. I actually think they're quite different. The new room decor is so disney, and so elegant and beautiful. The grounds are gorgeous and while there is a sort of retro modern design with the monorail slides and such there is also a very lush, tropical feel to it as well. There are disney topiaries and disneyland themed touches everywhere. It definitely has the most overall disney feel to it IMO. I think the best part of GCH is the lobby and that's something you can visit without paying for the higher-price rooms that aren't as nice as the rooms at the DLH (IMO). Hope that helps - I really think that going by your criteria the DLH would make you very happy.

 

[Niebz]

Wanted to add that I don't think DLH has a business feel to it at all but again that is just my opinion. If you like the pictures and vibe on the official disneyland website I think they are pretty representative of what the Disneyland hotel is like in person. I would go by those and pick the hotel you're most drawn to.

 

[damo]

I prefer the DLH. GCH is so dark. Even the rooms are dark. They are also small.

 

[Dot2Vegas]

We have never stayed at either hotel but would probably chose DLH because it does seem to be more Disney themed. We have been in the lobbies of both places and I think the lobby at the Grand is just gorgeous! Either would be a good choice!

 

[KCmike]

We've stayed at both. Grand Californian is the one by far. Location, location, location.

 

[lucysmom]

We stayed at the GCH this past Christmas. Have never stayed at the DLH. But, when we walked over to have dinner at Goofy's, it seemed to be a bit of a walk. After a long day exploring the parks, we were very grateful that we chose to stay at GCH. Some nights we thought we couldn't have taken another step by the time we got back to our hotel! The hotel itself is beautiful. It is very California craftsman. However, it doesn't scream Disney. The DLH is the hotel on property that does that.

 

[hitodis2016]

We stayed at the GCH during March for the first tim and absolutely loved it! Twice daily housekeeping, once in the morning and the nightly turndown...so nice to go back for a nap, then come back after an evening in the park to find the room completely made up again. Like other members have said, the location can't be beat. My DH really appreciated how close the hotel was when my DS fell asleep at WOC and he carried him all the way back. After long days in the parks, the GCH felt so calm and relaxing, and just walking through the lobby refreshed us. The lobby has a kids corner with a TV playing classic Disney cartoons, and my sons (ages 5 & 11) loved to unwind there. The fireplace is also another wonderful place to relax. Hope this helps, and have a great trip!

 

[hjgaus]

The villas @ The Grand don't seem that dark as the hotel rooms PLUS the views for World of Color and half of DCA park are hard to beat!! LOVE my DVC!!!

 

[AZlady]

The villas @ The Grand don't seem that dark as the hotel rooms PLUS the views for World of Color and half of DCA park are hard to beat!! LOVE my DVC!!!

You can't rent them, right. Unless you buy points??

 

[whoever]

You can't rent them, right. Unless you buy points??

We are thinking we may try to rent points for next year's trip. I'd really like to buy in, but I don't have the $20k to buy a contract which would give me what I would need.

 

[PatMcDuck]

While I like all 3 hotels at DL, I really LOVE the upper level them park view rooms at Paradise Pier.

 

[ChristianR]

The DLH is just so magical and has much brighter rooms. And I am a huge fan of the public bathrooms at the DLH. The wallpaper fits the theme of the different towers.

 

[belle10]

For me it's GCH! I love the convenience of having a park enterance right in the lobby! Plus it uses points. To use points to stay at DLH it's outrageous!! Oh and an awesome WOC view like BLT has of Wishes!

 

[sonofanarchy]

I really love the 1 bedroom villa at GCH, so we thought about possibly renting points and going that route.

We just want to really feel immersed in the Disneyland experience. The new rooms with all the little touches at DLH seem awesome to me. I'm just curious if the feeling extends into the lobby and towers.

 

[BraveMom]

I have stayed at dlh and gch, much prefer disneyland hotel for decor, size of rooms, ambience. Grand Californian does have the advantage of being closer to the parks but it is so dark, very busy/noisy, small rooms and more expensive. I wouldn't choose to stay at gch again. Dlh is simply magical, and staff interactions there have always been positive.

 

[whoever]

We will do our best to never stay anywhere BUT the GCH. It is simply the most convenient, nice, and best views of them all for what we like.

The lobby is breathtaking.

'

 

[ktlm]

We don't care for the Contemporary either, and I really don't get that feel from the DLH. We are WDW vets, and we usually stay at DLH when we go to DL. We get the Disney "feel" there. Actually before the lobby and room renovations, I would say that we got more of the "Disney" feel there than every anywhere at WDW. The rooms are beautiful after the renovation and still feel "Disney", just not as classic old Disney as they used to be. I do get a more "business" feel in the lobby now and do think it lost some charm in the renovation, but it still has Disney touches, and Goofy hangs out in the lobby quite often.


We are WDW vets. We've stayed at the Grand Floridian; Poly, Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, and Port Orleans Riverside. We have stayed at WL multiple times over the years, and like you, we are fans of the place. To us, the Grand Californian is just a scaled down version of the WL. It is nice, but having stayed at WL multiple times, I can not stomach spending more money to spend 3 or 4 nights at GCH, than we ever have to spend 7 or 8 nights at the WL, when GCH is just a scaled down version. I will say that having an entrance to CA is incredible and that if you want to pay the big bucks for a theme park view there, it would be amazing. Aside from those things, you will feel like you are staying at the WL, but on a smaller scale. We like having a different experience at DLR. Plus, the rooms at DLH are larger than the rooms at GCH, which also makes it hard for me to spend more money for GCH.

As far as DLH, the first time we stayed there was pre-lobby renovation and we got an old room too, and we felt totally immersed in Disney. We absolutely loved it there. We have stayed there since the renovations, and as I said above, we feel that the lobby and the exterior of the lobby have lost a lot of its charm. It does feel a bit more business than Disney now. We really don't like what they did to it at all. The entrance used to have such charm and detail, right down to pink and blue glass chips in the ground (which obviously were the result of Flora, Fauna and Merryweather fighting about the color). We really miss the big Mickey outside too. That always felt like our DL greeting. But, as I said above, you have Goofy running around! The rooms are now more modern and upscale. They are really nice. . By terms of WDW standards, the walk to the park is nothing. We enjoy walking through Downtown Disney to and from the parks.