Disappointing experience at GCH

[Caseystigger]

Just wanted to share...

We got back this past weekend from staying at the GCH and off all the times we have been there this was the worst. It felt more like a two star then a four star hotel. I think we got two of the loudest dirtiest rooms, the furniture was wobbly, I thought the table in my room was going break if I touched it, nothing was dusted the entire time we were there, one day we returned from the parks and I had no soap...no shampoo, shower gel or anything. There was a horrible moldy musty smell our last day there in the bathroom/sink area, with my allergies I almost had to leave without a shower and speaking of the shower the first two days I had no hot water. They were very nice about the water when I asked about it though and it was fixed right that morning.

Has anyone else experienced anything like this there or did we just end up with a freak bad couple of days? I did give them feedback about our disappointment but I doubt we will hear back. It makes us question whether or not to stay there and again.

The time in the parks and seeing the dragon back in Fantasmic was amazing though...made the whole trip worthwhile.

 

[M4travels]

Sorry to hear of your experience. We, too, were there this weekend (Sat/Sun nights) and it couldn't have been better. We were in a courtyard view room on the 3rd floor and everything was great. I'll miss staying there on our DVC points but looking forward to the new wing with the DVC units.

 

[blackjackdelta]

We were there 3 weeks ago and could not have had a better room. Sorry this happened to you.

Jack

 

[akdaisy]

What kind of room were you in? I am so sorry you had a bad experience. For the amount of money you were paying, that kind of accomodation is unacceptable. I would definitely let them know.

 

[MommiePrincess]

We were there one week ago for 8 days.....our first room the bell man opened the door to was not cleaned and currently occupied YIKES!!! It also was not theme park view, which we paid for.

The second room the bell man took us to (theme park view) was over looking the tin roof of Soarin' and the monorail track (not what I want to pay extra $ for). We could see nothing other then the roof and the track. It was in no way a theme park view.

The third room the bell man and the front desk man took us to (after bringing my three year old cookies as we missed our dinner reservations at Rainforest Cafe during this 60 minute ordeal of treking through the hotel looking for a room).... was a great view of the theme park. We wanted 2 queen beds and ended up with a queen and a bunk bed, which turned out fine. I was quite upset about the room moving with the bell man and our luggage and a three year old and an infant. They did give us a free character breakfast at Storytellers...and all ended well. But at the time my blood pressure was boiling. Will post more later about the trip...had a GREAT time after a poor start!!!

BTW, the bell man was so nice during all this. He even called Rainforest Cafe and had our dinner reservation extended "until we got there" which was 60 minutes late. He was the one that got us the free character breakfast and cookies for my DD. The front desk was not real helpful and seemed to not care that we were not getting what we requested and I felt like the bell man did everything he could to ensure we were happy.

 

[momrek06]

OP, sorry about your experience at GCH!

We were there one week ago for 8 days.....our first room the bell man opened the door to was not cleaned and currently occupied YIKES!!! It also was not theme park view, which we paid for.

The second room the bell man took us to (theme park view) was over looking the tin roof of Soarin' and the monorail track (not what I want to pay extra $ for). We could see nothing other then the roof and the track. It was in no way a theme park view.

The third room the bell man and the front desk man took us to (after bringing my three year old cookies as we missed our dinner reservations at Rainforest Cafe during this 60 minute ordeal of treking through the hotel looking for a room).... was a great view of the theme park. We wanted 2 queen beds and ended up with a queen and a bunk bed, which turned out fine. I was quite upset about the room moving with the bell man and our luggage and a three year old and an infant. They did give us a free character breakfast at Storytellers...and all ended well. But at the time my blood pressure was boiling. Will post more later about the trip...had a GREAT time after a poor start!!!

BTW, the bell man was so nice during all this. He even called Rainforest Cafe and had our dinner reservation extended "until we got there" which was 60 minutes late. He was the one that got us the free character breakfast and cookies for my DD. The front desk was not real helpful and seemed to not care that we were not getting what we requested and I felt like the bell man did everything he could to ensure we were happy.

WOW, awesome!!!

 

[NVDisMom]

We've stayed there twice. The first time was in a regular view room and we could not have had a better experience. The second time we stayed concierge level. tWe didn't get our room until after 6pm, when we finally got in it the room was very worn, the housekeeping sucked (I don't think they ever made it before 1pm) and the service in the concierge lounge and at the concierge level desk left a lot to be desired. I doubt we will ever spend the money to stay there again on any level. We just cannot justify it when their most expensive and supposedly highest level of service is so aweful. We did make a complaint when we got home, but the response was anything but helpful or encouraging. Its too bad. The hotel is beautiful and the location can't be beat. I'm sorry OP that you had a similar experience. I must give the CMs' credit when they go the extra mile to make things right. It is so greatly appreciated!

 

[bumbershoot]

I think they are just working so hard at finishing up the villas that it's really not luxurious right now. Last time I was there, I took video of, well, nothing, just to catch the construction sounds right there in the lobby. It was SO loud. Of course that's probably done now, it was in June, but still. The dust, the musty smells, probably just from the construction. NOT fun!

Also, Anaheim has some funky smelling water...the stuff that comes out of the tap and showerhead...bleah. I smelled the smell last night while making rice noodles (hubby says that's how rice noodles always smell), but to me it just smells like horrid bad breath. So that could have been part of it too.

It's very good that you told them what was going on and gave them feedback *while there*, that seems to make ALL the difference. Telling them once you're home really dilutes the situation; it prevents them from possibly making things right, and also...what are they going to do, you know? Refunds, giftcertificates...not as good as being able to make it right. So they got your water fixed, that's good, but I hope they were able to hep with the other problems right then? They brought toiletries up straightaway when you called them? We had a problem like that on our very first night at PPH...we checked in really late (somehow a "seven hour drive" from the Bay Area turned into 13 with one stop for lunch and a couple quick bathroom breaks, and one traffic jam) and there was nothing in the bathroom but a dirty towel in the basket...called 'em, they were up immediately with toiletries.

I hope that once the construction is totally done that things like this won't be happening...

 

[goodvibrations]

what was your room number??????? i really want to know

now i feel like a complete fool for booking at GCH.

i guarantee that if thats what i'm subjected to i won't put up with it. either they will put me in a suitable room and not some disgusting hole like you described or they will be giving me a credit. i paid for my trip so i satisfied my side of the contract... disney better satisfy their side and deliver a room as represented and i don't recall anything in all the promotional materials disclosing filth and shoddy conditions

 

[ChristiJ]

We stayed there for the first time this July, and have no desire to stay there again. My whole family wished we were staying at Paradise Pier instead. I was completely unimpressed (my standards aren't very high), and found the service to be awful. On the plus side I no longer feel like I'm missing anything when I walk by and wonder what it's like to stay there.

 

[Sherry E]

what was your room number??????? i really want to know

now i feel like a complete fool for booking at GCH.

i guarantee that if thats what i'm subjected to i won't put up with it. either they will put me in a suitable room and not some disgusting hole like you described or they will be giving me a credit. i paid for my trip so i satisfied my side of the contract... disney better satisfy their side and deliver a room as represented and i don't recall anything in all the promotional materials disclosing filth and shoddy conditions

I think your room will be fine. These sorts of things do happen from time to time, but mainly they are flukes in the big picture. The 2 times I have stayed at GCH, the rooms were fine. No complaints. I had one 'bad room' at the PPH last October, which I consider a fluke because every other time I've stayed at PPH it was fine. And every time I stayed at DLH in the past it was fine.

Now as to whether or not people feel the rooms at any of the 3 DLR hotels are worth the money spent on them is a different story, but generally, Disney does a good job at their hotels with maintenance and housekeeping, etc.

 

[queenie82]

Wow...I'm really shocked by this report. It has been my dream to stay here for so long. We bought into the DVC there so I hope by early January things will have settled and improved. I agree that these are probably anomalies with what most experience...but it doesn't make you feel any better about it.
Even when not staying there we have received excellent help and service from CMs we have lassoed to ask a question...
It is possible construction has been an issue with everything. Construction mess stuffs many things up...

I agree with the PP on funky water. I can't drink Florida or Anaheim water. We only use it if it has been boiled and are adding coffee or tea to it. Otherwise Dasani all the way.

I'm so sorry you had such an awful time but at least the bellhop returned some magic to the experience...

 

[daneenm]

So sorry you had a bad experience. We just got back from a 4 day stay at GCH and had the best experience we ever had there. Room was clean, DTD view with great fireworks viewing (we usually do Theme Park view), bunk bed per our request, mousekeeping was there every morning early, turndown every night. We could not have been happier and we are quite picky.

I think every hotel can have its 'off' days/rooms. Last summer we stayed at DLH and were not really happy. We were first put in a room with two double beds that backed up to the elevator shaft so the room was tiny. When we inquired, we were told that while the room listed when we booked said 2 Q beds, we were not guaranteed that and they were not sure they could do anything about it. Fortunately, they found a room with 2 Q beds. However, is was dingy and less than clean. We usually love the DLH.

We walked through PPH and DD thought it felt like a hospital. Good thing there is a choice for all opinions!

 

[bumbershoot]

Wow...I'm really shocked by this report. It has been my dream to stay here for so long. We bought into the DVC there so I hope by early January things will have settled and improved.

Remember, the hotel side and the villa side will likely be different.

LOL, we're staying at the hotel side on DVC points in a month from tomorrow...I've *never* wanted to stay there, always thought it seemed silly and overblown and I believe I've said that the only time I'd want to spend that much money on a hotel room it had BETTER be in a Westin or higher, in a very expensive city...and here we are. But it's where DH got the call that he got a job, during a very stressful time, and now that I see that the lobby is not dim and dark (the xmas tree at yuletime sucks up all the light, and I cannot see well in dim conditions thanks to Lasik) unlike the Decembers Iv'e walked through there...so we're staying. I'm not expecting miracles...I don't expect to be the "family of the day" like we were at PPH and get upgraded to a suite...but it'll be interesting to see what it's like!

We walked through PPH and DD thought it felt like a hospital. Good thing there is a choice for all opinions!

Ooh I'd love to hear the why for that! I wonder where you walked in...did you smell the "suntan lotion" smell they pump in? I didn't notice that until the *third* time I stayed there...but I wonder if DD's nose is interpreting it hospitaly instead of beachy?

 

[queenie82]

Remember, the hotel side and the villa side will likely be different.

LOL, we're staying at the hotel side on DVC points in a month from tomorrow...I've *never* wanted to stay there, always thought it seemed silly and overblown and I believe I've said that the only time I'd want to spend that much money on a hotel room it had BETTER be in a Westin or higher, in a very expensive city...and here we are. But it's where DH got the call that he got a job, during a very stressful time, and now that I see that the lobby is not dim and dark (the xmas tree at yuletime sucks up all the light, and I cannot see well in dim conditions thanks to Lasik) unlike the Decembers Iv'e walked through there...so we're staying. I'm not expecting miracles...I don't expect to be the "family of the day" like we were at PPH and get upgraded to a suite...but it'll be interesting to see what it's like!

Oh I do realise the differences between DVC and hotel...but my point was sort of once they get the building finished and the integration sorted the flow and overall experience will hopefully improve. Along the lines of Animal Kingdom - sort of.
One of the main issues here was service and cleaning and mousekeeping services both the villas and hotel (although the amount is different) so I just hope this is an anomaly.
They have obviously done better before (including very recently) looking at the positive reviews.

 

[kari12177]

Last Sept was our 2nd stay there, the rooms were clean, but that wasnt our problem. This was....
We just got drenched on Splash around dinner time and wanted to go back to our room and change. Having been drenched, I layed out all our soaked money on the bed. Me, dlh,dls and my parents (connected room) went to dinner. I always leave our-Do Not Disturb sign out!!! We came back to our room and the door wasnt shut all the way, our pillows were fluffed and new towels and the sign-was still hanging there. Now I wouldnt hav minded if they came in, when they shouldnt have, but the door was NOT shut. Someone could have came in and robbed us and my parents. I was pissed!!!!

 

[daneenm]

Ooh I'd love to hear the why for that! I wonder where you walked in...did you smell the "suntan lotion" smell they pump in? I didn't notice that until the *third* time I stayed there...but I wonder if DD's nose is interpreting it hospitaly instead of beachy?

Actually it wasn't the smell at all, it was the long narrow hallway with white linoleum that turned her off. We came in the back entrance, went past the check in desk and through to PCH Grill. I must admit, at least that part of the hotel did not really impress me either. Haven't seen the rooms or pool, this was just a first impression.

 

[Sherry E]

Actually it wasn't the smell at all, it was the long narrow hallway with white linoleum that turned her off. We came in the back entrance, went past the check in desk and through to PCH Grill. I must admit, at least that part of the hotel did not really impress me either. Haven't seen the rooms or pool, this was just a first impression.

I think the PPH has a lot of cute touches fitting in with the surf/beach/sun/nautical theme, not just in the rooms themselves but in the hallways and carpets leading to rooms and the Surfer Goofy statue in the lobby, the previously mentioned piped-in suntan lotion smell, etc. In fact, I only wish they had more area on which to build because I think they could do some really cool things with a few more acres. I don't get 'hospital feel' at all when I stay there or walk through, although I can sort of see where someone would get that from the hallway/breezeway with the linoleum. I think PPH seems shinier and newer than the DLH and certainly brighter and sunnier than the GCH.

 

[ScooterL]

Remember, the hotel side and the villa side will likely be different.

But you have to remember that the new wing isn't all DVC - actually most of it is hotel rooms. There are only 50 DVC units and over 200 hotel rooms in the new wing.

 

[mom2pirateNpooh]

Wow, reading through this thread actually makes me feel better about our stay in August, when we had a very rough first night at the GCH. I’d heard so many rave reviews about the GCH that I felt guilty about my first impression of our room. The carpet and bathroom were visibly in need of cleaning, the towels were dirty (really dirty), and the noise – the noise was enough to keep us all awake most of the night! Not fun with a two-year-old. There was a tremendous amount of noise from both the hallway and the room directly above us. It sounded like someone was moving heavy furniture around the room.

Since it was just me and the kids arriving after several days of vacation elsewhere, I was simply too tired to make a fuss at the time. But I remember phoning DH in the morning, before he flew down to join us, and groggily telling him the caveat on the great deal we got must’ve been a lousy room.

Naturally, by the time DH arrived the next evening, everything was fine, the room was spotless, and the noise never returned! At first DH seriously doubted my sanity, but apparently the kids told him the same story.

On the other hand, I thought that the GCH had fantastic customer service. The CMs at the front desk really made DS10’s birthday special on more than one occasion, and the 3 different people we encountered from Bell Services went above and beyond what I would expect, even for a 4-star hotel. Mousekeeping, after the initial problem, also went to extra lengths, and was very accommodating of DS2’s weird and unpredictable nap schedule. The rest of our stay was so good that DH, the Disney skeptic, decided to buy into VGC, something I never thought he'd even consider.

Oh, and we solve the “weird water” problem by bringing along a Brita pitcher/filter to keep in the fridge. Saves us having to lug bottled water.