Disneyland Hotel or Grand Californian

[DixieDelights]

We will be making the trip from the east coast with two boys ages 10 and 7. This is probably a once in a lifetime trip for us and I am having a hard time deciding between the Grand Californian and Disneyland hotel. Any recommendations or reviews? Thanks for helping me out!!

 

[HydroGuy]

We will be making the trip from the east coast with two boys ages 10 and 7. This is probably a once in a lifetime trip for us and I am having a hard time deciding between the Grand Californian and Disneyland hotel. Any recommendations or reviews? Thanks for helping me out!!

GCH is a lot more expensive. It is a lot more, well, grand. It is a lot closer to the parks. The hallways are very long and while you may be close to the parks as the crow flies, you can still be pretty far away in terms of walking distance. We always try for the east wing of the GCH as it cuts down on walking.

DLH has bigger rooms than the GCH. It has been renovated more recently and thus has a bit of a newer feel to it. It is a bit further of walk to the parks, but the walk is thru DTD. And it is close to the monorail station - which generally does not save you much (if any) time, but does save your feet if used judiciously.

HTH

 

[5forMickey]

I would vote for DLH......we have stayed at both and my family all prefer DLH. Either way you will have a wonderful time!!!

 

[BoomerThePirate]

We will be making the trip from the east coast with two boys ages 10 and 7. This is probably a once in a lifetime trip for us and I am having a hard time deciding between the Grand Californian and Disneyland hotel. Any recommendations or reviews? Thanks for helping me out!!

my vote is on DLH. ive stayed there a few times and am actually staying there this monday. its more of a disney feel. where as GCH is just nice. in my opinion the DLH hotel keeps the feel of disney happening all throughout the vacation. gch is defiently fancier but if its disney you want then DLH it is.

The walk from DLH is dulled by the fact that it is through downtown disney. you'll stop and look at the shops rather then a stright shot to the park so it makes the walk feel like nothing. also you can cut through GCH to california adventure for a shortcut.

i recommend the concierge room if you can afford it. free snacks and drinks and wine and beer. its a nice place to relax in the middle of the day.

 

[gottalovepluto]

What is most important to you & your family? Location, pools, decor, etc. GCH has the better location, especially for access to DCA. Yes, there is the chance you end up down one of the very long halls somewhat negating the location benefit. Are you pool people? The pools are quite different with a tree themed slide at GCH and monorail slides at DLH. How about theming in the rooms? If you want stronger Disney theming (Mickey hands holding lamps) then DLH. If you want much more subdued Disney theming with a woodsy/arts and crafts feel then GCH may be the better pick.

There have been refurbishments on the outside of GCH and inside Napa Rose kitchen this year. FYI rumor (emphasis on rumor there has been no official confirmation) says GCH is headed for more complete refurbs next year.

 

[whoever]

Depends what you want out of your hotel. What's important to you?

My family... we always stay at the Grand.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

I always stay at the GC only because we are DVC members and stay in a villa. I've stayed at the DLH many years ago, before the refurb, and thought it was nice. The GC is similar to the Wilderness Lodge at WDW, which is our home resort. You mentioned you're from the East Coast and if you go to WDW more often than DL, the Wilderness Lodge can give you a similar experience. I like the access to California Adventure from the GC. DLH is not that far away. Look on a map, you'd get a better idea. Friends of ours go to DL at least twice a year and always stay at the DLH and are always very pleased.

 

[allsaintsatx]

Trust me on this one: Disneyland Hotel.

We have stayed at the DLH many times in the past and cannot use words to describe how awesome it is. Fresh and new and yet vintage and classic all at the same time.

We have a DS10 and he cannot get enough of the amazing pool at the DLH - honestly there might not be a better pool around for miles. And the food options are pretty amazing - Goofy's Kitchen for one of the best character meals on property (the PB&J pizza is our kids fave!), Tangaroa Terrace for quick service, Steakhouse 55 for a wonderful sit-down meal and Trader Sam's is a tiki bar with live Hawaiian theme music.

As for the Grand Californian, we stayed there in August for 5 nights with our son's grammy, who - full disclosure - paid for the rooms so we thought, hey we're not paying for it let's stay at the Grand! Even for free it wasn't worth it. That place needs a refurb in the worst way. Our wifi didn't work the whole time we were there even after sending up 2 techs, there was 2 power outlets in the whole room, and the bathroom set up was like a fancified Motel 6. I mean, a sliding door for a bathroom door? It's one step up from a dorm room. And the room was TINY. Super small. The balcony was nice, but we were only out there with our morning coffee.

The whole time we were at the GCH we couldn't help but think we could be at Fancy Hotel X in any city in the world. It was nice enough, but it didn't say "Disney" to us, and when you have kids you want it to have that extra magic, ya know?

Don't get me wrong, being right next to DCA was very nice, and watching the monorail go by our balcony was very nice and exploring the architecture of the hotel was very nice but the Grand was a "one and done" for us. It's about a hundred more per night than the DLH and IMO definitely not worth it.

 

[DixieDelights]

I so appreciate all of the insights. We tend to love a good theme and all adore Mickey and Disney so it sounds like DLH is probably the way for us to go!

 

[Jerryp49]

We have stayed at all 3 Resorts hotels and we prefer the GCH because of it`s location, especially with kids. When you`re tired or wet from the raft ride ,or someone needs a nap,or you forgot something from your room , it`s so nice being right there. It depends on which of the 3 buildings at the DLH you stay at ,but it could be a longer walk to the DL main entrance than some off property hotels on Harbor, even Howard Johnson. We tried the monorail station in Downtown Disney from the DLH and it saves you walking distance but not necessarily time if it gets crowded or is down. If you close DCA with World of Color , they only let GCH guests exit through their DCA gate ,while the majority of the crowd has to exit throgh the main gate ( they really don`t ask for proof that youre staying at GCH, they just announce this way for GCH guests only ). We stayed at the GCH almost every year since 2002 and never had any problem with the WiFi , most recently there last month for 6 nights for Dapper Days.

 

[DizMe]

I love both. My family prefers GCH. At DLH, I love the addition of Trader Sam's and the outdoor fireplace, but other than that, I much prefer DLH before the refurb, LOL! I liked the vintage story-book theme and the Pirate pool. Not a fan of the super modern lobby--why did they have to remove all the cool Disney touches? The entrance used to be much nicer. The new DLH has a sleek, modern appeal but that isn't my personal favorite. GCH has a spectacular lobby and you're right in the middle of everything. I don't have a problem with the rooms, though most are smaller than the ones at DLH.

 

[whoever]

, and the bathroom set up was like a fancified Motel 6. I mean, a sliding door for a bathroom door? It's one step up from a dorm room.

Having a pocket door does not a Motel 6 make. In fact, pocket doors are more expensive than a regular hinged door. The Grand is nicer, but yes, it is showing its age and the rooms are smaller (but the balcony more than makes up for it if you use it). We've slept 3 adults and 2 children in a GCH room without issue.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

We will be making the trip from the east coast with two boys ages 10 and 7. This is probably a once in a lifetime trip for us and I am having a hard time deciding between the Grand Californian and Disneyland hotel. Any recommendations or reviews? Thanks for helping me out!!

They each have their fans and detractors, but I'll give you my totally unapologetic opinion. My partner and I spent 4 nights at GCH in August and 3 nights at DLH in September, our first stays at each hotel. We expected to love GCH after hearing for years how it's DLR's "flagship" hotel. We hated it. Service was awful, the rooms (we were in two), hallways, and elevators were dingy, our AC and fridge were broken, and there's was a roach in our first room.

We hoped DLH would be a better experience, and it blew our minds how amazing it was. We thought it was magical, the cast members were amazing, the bar/counter-service and pool/slide areas were amazing, the rooms, hallways, etc. were in great shape and nicely themed, and the whole place just seemed to us to hug you. We swore we'd never, ever go back to GCH after DLH.

Your (and others') mileage may vary. I'd recommend checking the usual online review sites.

 

[princessmocha]

So we are East Coaster who have gone to WDW many times and we are making our first trek to DL in December. (I went several times as a kid, but the rest of the family has not been there) and we decided to go with the DLH. I have always wanted to stay there and see that headboard. While the GC looks beautiful, I just felt like I would be more immersed in Disney at DLH. Good luck on your decision.

 

[rentayenta]

This won't help but we love both. You can't go wrong. Because of the location, the GCH wins but both provide amazing Disney service. We love Whitewater Snacks at the GCH too. Both pools are very enjoyable. Trader Sams is a blast but we also enjoy The Heathstone Lounge for a night cap after a day at the parks. The GCH has more of a resort feel for sure. Again, both are wonderful. Good luck with your decision. If it were me, I'd do a split stay but I'm crazy like that. The move bothers some people but Disney makes it so easy. How long is your trip?

 

[Kristina4109]

I absolutely adore the architecture of the Grand Californian. The Arts and Crafts style is my favorite decor and it's just gorgeous. The lobby is breathtaking and the restaurants first rate. The grounds are lovely and the entrance to and from CA is great. But the rooms are nothing special. They're nice, but on the small side. You might luck out and get a great view - once we got a view of the Paradise Pier section of the park and we would sit on our balcony in the morning drinking coffee and watching the rides start up. Once we saw the monorail.

The rooms at the DLH are gorgeous. The light up headboards that play music are so great. I love the little Mickey touches all around the hotel. The new pool area themed to the monorail is super fun. We stayed in the Fantasy Tower and had a knock out view of the pool area. When you check in, Goofy might just wander up to you. On the ground floor of the Fantasy Tower is an area where you can sit in tea cups. In the Frontierland Tower, there's this fabulous 3-D mock up of Big Thunder. In the Adventure Tower, there are models of animals from the Jungle Cruise. The restaurants are more fanciful than fancy, excepting Steakhouse 55.

 

[twinky]

We will be making the trip from the east coast with two boys ages 10 and 7. This is probably a once in a lifetime trip for us and I am having a hard time deciding between the Grand Californian and Disneyland hotel. Any recommendations or reviews? Thanks for helping me out!!

With older kids, you'll be able to appreciate the benefits of both hotels. For my family, GCH has been ideal over the years because of our little ones (who are now 6 and 8, lol). The proximity and convenience is the true luxury, not to mention the serene wooded views of DCA (GRR side). We are city dwellers (used to more compact living) and tend to pack fairly efficiently, so space has never been an issue for us (2 adults and 2 kids). We're always relieved after a day at the parks to be so close to "home." (A few times, the kids fell asleep at dinner and we had to carry them, so proximity matters when you're lugging a sack of potatoes!)

We've enjoyed our visits to the DLH restaurants, but will keep up our GCH holiday tradition. It works for us!

Wishing you a great vacation, whatever your decision...

 

[aprincessatlast]

Oh what a fun dilemma to have!

We have done both and that is a tough one. You say it is a 'once in a lifetime" trip? So that makes it even tougher. Are you a WDW regular? If so I would say skip the grand because there is only one DLH. The GCH very much has a Wilderness Lodge feel with the upper hand being the Lodge at WDW as far as theme and amenities go. (minus the close park access of course) The hotel is awesome though and there is nothing like walking around Cali Adventures and looking up and saying yeah my room is right there I think I will run up and take a quick rest. Honestly that is what GCH really has going for it. The rooms are small and the pool is rather boring. Service here was less than stellar in some areas for us. We still loved it and the theme was very "California". If you moved GCH down the road a bit I doubt it would have as many fans.

The DLH well it is one of a kind. Disney has not replicated nor do I think they could. The rooms are the highlight here. Beautiful blue carpet with Mickey touches in it and in absolutely every corner of the room and bathroom. The headboard puts you to sleep every night. It is just awesome! We love Tangora terrace and the pools are a blast especially with kids your age. (we have boys the same ages and they loved both hotels but loved the pool more at DLH) You really feel the history there with all the pictures of Walt and original prints and vintage photos. All in all I would go with DLH for the bigger rooms and better pool.

 

[McNs]

We've stayed at all 3 - last year for 3 nights at DLH and 5 nights each this tear at PPH and GCH.

I liked the GCH best - there was a real sense of arriving when there, more so than DLH (PPH felt just like an ordinary hotel). We were lucky to be in one of the rooms facing GRR - 3353 - and were only around 140 steps from room to the DCA entrance. Getting to Disneyland was also noticeably shorter as it was only a small portion of Downtown Disney we needed to walk through. We found the room size to be fine, certainly didn't notice it being small, and had no issues with any amenities (wifi, fridge etc).

In saying all that, the theming at DLH is great. Loved the headboard.

As for pools, oddly enough our favourite was the one at PPH. The slide was good, the pool had a real deep end not one that stopped at 5'.

You won't be disappointed with either, but I distinctly remembering last year when walking from DLH that we HAD to stay at the GCH next time. I don't remember thinking the same of the DLH this visit.

 

[gunka]

For us we love both, so now this is how we decide:

Summer = Disneyland Hotel

Winter = Grand Californian