Attn GCH rate hounds...is this a good price?

[noryglory]

Hi those of you who follow these rates better than I do....HELP!!

On a lark I checked the rate at the GCH for the last two nights of our stay, and it is ringing up $347 plus tax ($414.50 a night)...this is for a "standard" room, which I guess to mean parking lot? Any chance it would be a DTD view? (I know it's not pool or DCA view.)

If I book through Orbitz can I call the hotel and request that we get one of the bunk bed rooms versus two queens or 1 king and sleeping bags--I'm getting that list of possible rooms for that rate.

Whenever I've checked the rates in the past they were upwards of $500 a night. This seems like the best deal I've seen. We've never stayed there, and would love to, it just seems too expensive for what you get. But the $347 rate, while still a lot, could be justified with using the pool, eating a character breakfast at Storyteller's on checkout, having some time to stroll DTD, etc. Things we might not do if we were checking out of the Hojo.

The caveat is that we have the Entertainment rate at the Hojo right now, and are paying $74 a night. We'll still stay there the first three nights of the trip regardless. But I wonder, is it REALLY worth it? It will be my youngest son's first trip to Disneyland. On one of our prior trips with just our oldest boy, we had DLH concierge so it seems like we ought to "do it up" in some regard!

Before I check with DH and blow his mind I thought I'd see if I'm really offering up a steal or if it is just not really worth it. We would have to deal with checking out, checking in, etc. But I assume we can go early on Tuesday and drop our bags and "pre check in" and let them get us settled while we are at the park, showing up later for our keys?! Does anyone know how this sort of thing works, esp. at the GCH? I don't want to waste my time in a long check in line so I'm hopeful we can "sneak in" the morning and have it taken care of for us.

What do you think I should do? HELLLLLLLLLLLLP!

 

[bumbershoot]

Wow...I don't know what you should do, but I absolutely know that there's no way I would do it. We love a luxury hotel, we do, but almost $300 extra per day with the spotty service reported from the GCH recently, there's no way. Think of the souvenirs you could get for 300 extra per day...

Standard view..could be watching the construction of DVC that whole time...

HoJo lets you park ahead of time, would very likely watch your bags before a room is ready, and they let you park after you check out, too. So you could easily wander DTD, do a character b'fast, and so on on your check out day from HJ, too.

I'm going to post this and see if you have your dates in your sig. If not, post your dates and I can look on the AP calendar, see if there's anything good that might make getting an AP worth it for you, if you really really want to go to the GCH.

 

[DangerMouse]

That's a no-brainer for me. HoJo wins hands down. I'd pick the HoJo even if I was able to find the $179 rate I got last time I stayed at the GCH. Our standard view was of the courtyard/monorail.

Edited to add: Depending on when you are going, the HoJo may have their newly themed Castaway pirate-themed pool with slide completed. It would be just one more reason to go HoJo!

 

[SeansMom]

Hi those of you who follow these rates better than I do....HELP!!

That seems to be the rate these days. Having said that, here is what I would consider after having stayed at the GCH three times:

1) The rates keep going up, so that might be the best you can do.

2) If you're looking for a luxury hotel, it not on par with other luxury hotels. The room size is small, there are no luxury extras like a fireplace, CD player (unless they've added them), or even a strong Disney theme. Room service was SLOWWWWW, and even though the tip is included in the bill(at 15%), the servers don't get the full 15% so stand there waiting for more. Housekeeping was spotty. Great two times, and AWFUL a third.

3) If you're looking to be close to the parks, especially DCA, it's great.

4) The pool is near the construction in DCA...which would be a MAJOR concern for most.

5) We've gone back becaue I either found bargain rates (less than $250) or got the stay the 4th night free deal.

Have fun whatever you decide.

 

[biolabetty]

I've stayed at the GCH many times, and any price for a standard that is over $300 is too much. $300 seems to be pretty much the normal rate for a standard room. Do you have AAA? That would lower your rate by about 10%, which is not great, but better than nothing. I would go Hojo too. I like Hojo and have stayed there several times as well.

 

[noryglory]

Wow, this is why this board is so awesome! I completely trust you guys, and I agree, now seeing some more details from you. Because the rates were SO much higher when I last checked--seriously the standard was about $500 a night--I thought maybe this was a better "deal." And certainly closer to what I'd consider paying. I know enough from my past readings that the cost doesn't equal what it might get you somewhere else--not luxury, but "Disneyness"--but the other factors you list seriously give me doubt to change. And, thanks for the reminder of the DVC construction, I completely forgot about it. No doubt this room would overlook that. Ugh!!

Molly, I so appreciate your offer to check on the AP rates, but I'm going in early May and I already know from previous posts that they have GCH blocked out during AP6 or I would have considered getting an AP and trying for the best rate possible. In terms of what IS available, we've stayed at DLH before and wouldn't switch just to stay there and the PPH doesn't interest me seeing as I'm staying at its doppelganger in terms of distance to the entrance gates! And you're right, we might as well pocket that $300 in mindset at least, and use it to our advantage.

And of course we have Dangermouse, the Rah Rah Cheerleader of Hojo Visitors Everywhere! Thanks for your continued praise of the hotel. I am really excited to stay there, but unfortunately the dang main pool is going to be renovated during our time. Bummah. But, next time, if we enjoy our stay there, it will be fantastic!

THANKS!!

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

We stayed at the GCH in October using the Gay Day rate of $209 a night. That's pretty much as high as I want to go for any hotel! It is a beautful hotel, and we didn't have any problems with the service.

I love staying on site, it adds to the magic. But those prices can take any magic away! LOL We are staying at the Hojo during the renovation. We got a really great price for a Disney view room, so we're still excited to stay there.

I'd look in to the Tropicana, we liked their pool area, and the location is wonderful. Good luck!

 

[nunzia]

I think in the mid 350's sounds about right. I used my AAA card and can't really check my per night rate, because the tickets were added. I do know that they now charge the going rate per night, instead of per trip..such as, weekends cost more.
I know it's expensive and in my real life I'd never pay this, but I'm hooked on DGC and IMO it's worth it for me. The location and convenience mean alot at my stage of life.
View..I'd actually love to have a view of the DVC construction the whole time!

 

[disneegrl4eva]

Wow...I don't know what you should do, but I absolutely know that there's no way I would do it.

amen sister....I think GC is awesome but the only time I have found where I will bust out some money and stay there is when I got the AP rate of $189 for a DCA view last Feb. but again its late Jan. through end of Feb. when you can get those rates...$300 let alone $400 is ridiculous imo....