I have stayed twice at concierge level at Grand Californian and thoroughly enjoyed it. I wanted to take a friend and her young daughter last year, but didn't want to be in the same room (I'm not good with kids) so needed two rooms. I couldn't afford more than one night at concierge level, so ended up at Paradise Pier in two regular rooms.
To me, a hotel room is a hotel room. Concierge rooms may be decorated more nicely and have a higher view (GC rooms are on the top floor) but are still just hotel rooms. So, from that perspective, the Paradise Pier rooms were just as comfortable and enjoyable.
However, I do appreciate the theming of the Grand Californian hotel very much. They have free tours and classes (in things like washcloth folding and drawing Mickey) that, if not free, are very reasonably priced. I still have my results from those classes.
But probably the best reason that I still prefer to stay concierge level at GC is access to the hospitality suite. They have DVDs you can watch back in your room (free, I think, unless you forget to return one) and free water, soda, cookies, chips, muffins, and other foods. I would go there for breakfast (just cold stuff; not cooked to order like Embassy Suites) and pick up a couple of small bottles of Coke to take back to my room. (I've always been able to get a small refrigerator delivered to the room.) Throughout the day I could stop by and pick up a snack or read the paper or pick out a movie. If you have kids, they have story time each night where they have cookies and milk and they get out about 30 pillows from the closet and everyone sits on those to listen to the story. There's usually a wine and cheese reception each night as well. I think that there may also be a microwave in the hospitality suite that you can use.
Oh, and of course, there's the complimentary turndown of your bed each night with a piece of chocolate left on the pillow. I think the first night you usually get a little gift -- something like a sequoia tree seed or seedling or something like that. I don't remember exactly.
So, when I go to
DisneyLand, I prefer concierge at Grand Californian. However, the morning breakfasts get crowded very quickly and the afternoon receptions can also be very crowded. If you don't plan on using the hospitality suite very much, seriously consider using your points to stay in a regular room and potentially be able to stay an extra night.
