All night parade testing at DCA

[Hatboxer]

I’m currently staying at the Grand Californian and my entire family is awake (12:30am) because of blaring Christmas music from DCA. Front desk tells me it’s parade testing scheduled all night through to 6:30am. “It will be loud all night ma’am, they should have told you at check in. I can send up earplugs” is all I got from the front desk manager.

Anyone else here experiencing this? Seems insane to me that they would do this next to a hotel from 11p-6am.

 

[BadPinkTink]

Disney has whats known as a third shirt. These are people who start work when the park closes and all the park cm's go home. The third shift are people like cleaners, maintenance , gardeners, the teams who put up and take down the holiday decorations. The third shift also includes the testing of fireworks, Fantasmic, World of Color AND the parades.

The third shift are the unknowns, the Disney fairies who no one sees and very few know about.

Instead of moaning about the inconvenience, be grateful that the third shift work throughout the night to help create Disney magic!

 

[mom2rtk]

We were at PPH a few years back and heard them testing the Viva Navidad parade every night. It was kind of cool to watch from our window. Up closer could have been really annoying though.

 

[BecAus]

>>>Seems insane to me that they would do this next to a hotel from 11p-6am.<<<

I think you have every right to be peeved. At the price point you're paying to stay at that hotel you don't expect to be experiencing that amount of noise ALL night, particularly when you were not advised beforehand or at the very least at check-in which is still too late for you to change your arrangements if you don't wish to put up with that.

I get they probably have to do some testing but all night would seem a little ridiculous, especially without notice.
They usually give notice of things like pool reno's or hotel reno's noise that is likely to affect your stay and those are during the day!! It seems like they should apply the same policy with something like this.

To suggest you are 'moaning' about it is more than a little harsh.

I hope your stay gets better or they at least do something extra special for you to make up for the unexpected inconvenience.

 

[SherylLC]

I am with OP. I would NOT be "grateful" to be kept up from 12-6 AM due to loud parade rehearsals. I get a hotel room so I can sleep!

 

[Karin1984]

Disney has whats known as a third shirt. These are people who start work when the park closes and all the park cm's go home. The third shift are people like cleaners, maintenance , gardeners, the teams who put up and take down the holiday decorations. The third shift also includes the testing of fireworks, Fantasmic, World of Color AND the parades.

The third shift are the unknowns, the Disney fairies who no one sees and very few know about.

Instead of moaning about the inconvenience, be grateful that the third shift work throughout the night to help create Disney magic!

Yes, making magic is all fun and games, but when they have large scale renovations at a hotel, they also inform you on forehand. This is not something to be grateful for. Lack of sleep is disastrous to be able to enjoy your vacation. The manager/reception should check if there are other hotels available if his hotel cannot deliver a quiet room at night. Especially what you pay for these hotels. I would make a huge deal out of this.
You can be understanding that there is work going on after hours and happy they do it, but to say 'be grateful' and 'stop moaning' is really not appropriate here.

With normal hotels if they are completely booked, so they cannot switch rooms within their own hotel, they usually have agreements with other hotels in the area to pay for the inconvenience and move guest somewhere else.

 

[MilitaryMouse]

I’m currently staying at the Grand Californian and my entire family is awake (12:30am) because of blaring Christmas music from DCA. Front desk tells me it’s parade testing scheduled all night through to 6:30am. “It will be loud all night ma’am, they should have told you at check in. I can send up earplugs” is all I got from the front desk manager.

Anyone else here experiencing this? Seems insane to me that they would do this next to a hotel from 11p-6am.

You should definitely ask to speak to a manager - that’s not okay!! I’d be so pissed. We’re at the Grand too and had a much smaller issue that yours (also due to a failure of communication when checking in) but I asked to speak to a manager and she made it right.

 

[cruisehopeful]

They could at least knock off a couple hundred bucks per night. That's insane to me that they would be that loud and charge the prices that they charge.

 

[dieumeye]

GCH is big. You should ask to be moved to a room farther away from the park noise. At the least, they should have given you this option when you checked in.

After staying at GCH this past weekend, I believe the customer service at this hotel is not up to past standards and that there are definitely some improvement needed.

 

[BrianL]

While it stinks that it's keeping you up and they definitely should have offered to move you, the big question is what parade are they testing? Is one coming to DCA? I'd probably be annoyed too, but trying to watch from my window if I had a view.

 

[starlite_]

I would be throwing hands if they did this to me in such an expensive hotel.

 

[pharmama]

While it stinks that it's keeping you up and they definitely should have offered to move you, the big question is what parade are they testing? Is one coming to DCA? I'd probably be annoyed too, but trying to watch from my window if I had a view.

I think its probably the Viva Navidad street party mentioned earlier. It's not a parade exactly but does happen in the parade route area in Paradise Gardens which is pretty close to one area of the GCH.

 

[BrianL]

I think its probably the Viva Navidad street party mentioned earlier. It's not a parade exactly but does happen in the parade route area in Paradise Gardens which is pretty close to one area of the GCH.

Thanks. Good to know.

 

[Hatboxer]

Thanks for the comments, all. Im not certain what parade it was, but was definitely Christmas themed (Mariah Carey on repeat ). I think a simple heads up that it was scheduled and the opportunity to move to a room on the other side of the hotel before we went to bed would have avoided a night of no sleep! Today, they comped us some room charges and lunch which was a nice gesture. They actually offered to refund points also but we had rented.

All this to say, hopefully it won’t impact any other nights and they’ll have a fantastic holiday parade for you all to see if you’re coming soon

 

[Epicnemesis]

Thanks for the comments, all. Im not certain what parade it was, but was definitely Christmas themed (Mariah Carey on repeat ). I think a simple heads up that it was scheduled and the opportunity to move to a room on the other side of the hotel before we went to bed would have avoided a night of no sleep! Today, they comped us some room charges and lunch which was a nice gesture. They actually offered to refund points also but we had rented.

All this to say, hopefully it won’t impact any other nights and they’ll have a fantastic holiday parade for you all to see if you’re coming soon

 

[fly girl]

I love how Disney does a lot behind the scenes that we never see or hear ... key word, HEAR!!

No way and I mean NO.WAY this is considered acceptable. I love GCH, it is our favorite out of all Disney resorts, but a constant barrage of Mariah through the night for those room prices?! Nope And then to vent on here and told to be grateful and quit moaning ... oh child, please. This family needs sleep. Period. End of story.

I am very happy to hear they have made amends, @Hatboxer. They dropped the ball by not informing you during check in. And the lame response by management in the beginning was not up to Disney standards. I am glad you talked to them again.

Enjoy the rest of your vacation!

 

[MonocularVision]

You people are nuts. Having Mariah Carey Christmas blasting all night should cost extra.

So jealous.

 

[Geemo]

You people are nuts. Having Mariah Carey Christmas blasting all night should cost extra.

So jealous.

Only if it's her in-person.