DLH vs. GCH in March for young kids with midday break

[Mardigras2025]

Hi all! I know this topic comes up all the time, but I really appreciate everyone’s help so far! We are needing to start our trip two days earlier than originally planned, so our DVC rental of a 2br at villas at DLH fell through.

We have a group of 6 - a nearly 4 year old boy, a 6 year old girl, ~60 year old grandparents, and parents. We are coming from eastern time zone, so will have some amount of jet lag (especially the kids).

Now that we don’t have a 2 BR would you go with a 1 bedroom family suite at Disneyland hotel (not a new villa, sleeps 6 adults according to site), or two separate standard rooms at GCH? It’s possible we could rent two separate new studios at VDH, but we do not know yet (so that’s a potential third option).

GCH option is slightly more expensive, but I would say the options are fairly close to even.
With time change and wanting to try to make Fantasmic and world of color, we are going to try a midday break all three days. I recognize that DLH has more kid-friendly pools and a more tropical vibe. I know pools are heated, but is it too cold in mid-March for pools to push DLH over the edge for our kids? Is mid-March still winter vibes, with the fireplaces and coziness of GCH being appealing? With midday breaks planned, is GCH a whole lot better despite the monorail option at DLH? 2-3 adults might go back to Disneyland at night after the kids go to bed (they will not make it to midnight). We are also going to try for Napa rose princess brunch late one morning, which could be nice to have a room nearby.

Is it better and more fun for everyone to be together in a suite, or is that a little too cramped? Is DLH just more fun for kids, despite the longer walk at night?

Finally, we have a Hawaii trip planned after the stop at Disneyland, so will GCH be a better contrast vs. the nostalgic vacation vibes of DLH? This is our first Disney trip, and could be our only trip to DLR since Orlando is a little easier to get to, so we are willing to splurge to be in the bubble but also be reasonable. Not really considering Pixar since we’ve heard it feels a little outside of the bubble and the elevators can be unpleasant.

Thanks again! Sorry for all of the questions…

 

[kikismom]

I would stay at the Grand over DLH personally. As much as I like DLH I felt the walk was equivalent to staying at a hotel at the crosswalk. GC just felt so much closer. The monorail doesn't go to the DLH and I think we may be in the minority but we always just walked through DTD instead of going over to Tomorrowland to catch the monorail. We spend very little time in Tomorrowland though. My daughter prefers the GC as well, she's stayed three times at age 3, 7 and 9 (turning 10) if that helps. We'll be staying there again on one of our 2025 trips, she's 12 now and chose it over DLH.

My reasons as an adult for staying there are proximity, decor and the pools.

 

[Jojo Cat Lady]

Hi all! I know this topic comes up all the time, but I really appreciate everyone’s help so far! We are needing to start our trip two days earlier than originally planned, so our DVC rental of a 2br at villas at DLH fell through.

We have a group of 6 - a nearly 4 year old boy, a 6 year old girl, ~60 year old grandparents, and parents. We are coming from eastern time zone, so will have some amount of jet lag (especially the kids).

Now that we don’t have a 2 BR would you go with a 1 bedroom family suite at Disneyland hotel (not a new villa, sleeps 6 adults according to site), or two separate standard rooms at GCH? It’s possible we could rent two separate new studios at VDH, but we do not know yet (so that’s a potential third option).

GCH option is slightly more expensive, but I would say the options are fairly close to even.
With time change and wanting to try to make Fantasmic and world of color, we are going to try a midday break all three days. I recognize that DLH has more kid-friendly pools and a more tropical vibe. I know pools are heated, but is it too cold in mid-March for pools to push DLH over the edge for our kids? Is mid-March still winter vibes, with the fireplaces and coziness of GCH being appealing? With midday breaks planned, is GCH a whole lot better despite the monorail option at DLH? 2-3 adults might go back to Disneyland at night after the kids go to bed (they will not make it to midnight). We are also going to try for Napa rose princess brunch late one morning, which could be nice to have a room nearby.

Is it better and more fun for everyone to be together in a suite, or is that a little too cramped? Is DLH just more fun for kids, despite the longer walk at night?

Finally, we have a Hawaii trip planned after the stop at Disneyland, so will GCH be a better contrast vs. the nostalgic vacation vibes of DLH? This is our first Disney trip, and could be our only trip to DLR since Orlando is a little easier to get to, so we are willing to splurge to be in the bubble but also be reasonable. Not really considering Pixar since we’ve heard it feels a little outside of the bubble and the elevators can be unpleasant.

Thanks again! Sorry for all of the questions…

We always stayed at GCH until one year there was no availability so the travel agent convinced us Disneyland Hotel would be just as good, was original and sooo much fun. We were terribly disappointed. No comparison. And the most frustrating thing was the distance. When coming from the parks we passed GCH and it seemed like many more miles until we finally got to Disneyland Hotel. Never again.

 

[KimberMama]

Another vote for the Grand if sheer proximity to the parks is your main concern, especially if you get connecting rooms or even better, a suite. But we did find on our last trip that the rooms aren’t that great to hang out in midday, as they are small and the loveseats are uncomfortable (we were in a 2 queen pool view room). We disliked it so much we’re staying in a suite next time, for just the two of us. Whoever is hanging out with the kids while they nap might be uncomfortable.

As to your questions about March, here in SoCal March is definitely spring, not winter. It could be hot, it could be warm (probably), it might be cool-ish (definitely cool at night), but it isn’t winter. So if the pool is a big deal to you and you want it to be kid centered, the DLH edges out the GCH. Thinking about it, my kids would have preferred the DLH, but they never stayed on property until they were 18, and that was in December — at that age, club level at the GCH was a big hit. The GCH pool is pretty much like any resort pool, whereas the DLH has the best pool for kids, period.

Another thing that strikes me is that the new park area right outside the DLH is great for kids! Since it opened I’ve seen kids playing there every time I go by.

GCH always has a cozy vibe to me, no matter the time of year, and the fireplace seats have plenty of takers. But I don’t think of it as catering to young children.

 

[Geemo]

Hi all! I know this topic comes up all the time, but I really appreciate everyone’s help so far! We are needing to start our trip two days earlier than originally planned, so our DVC rental of a 2br at villas at DLH fell through.

We have a group of 6 - a nearly 4 year old boy, a 6 year old girl, ~60 year old grandparents, and parents. We are coming from eastern time zone, so will have some amount of jet lag (especially the kids).

Now that we don’t have a 2 BR would you go with a 1 bedroom family suite at Disneyland hotel (not a new villa, sleeps 6 adults according to site), or two separate standard rooms at GCH? It’s possible we could rent two separate new studios at VDH, but we do not know yet (so that’s a potential third option).

GCH option is slightly more expensive, but I would say the options are fairly close to even.
With time change and wanting to try to make Fantasmic and world of color, we are going to try a midday break all three days. I recognize that DLH has more kid-friendly pools and a more tropical vibe. I know pools are heated, but is it too cold in mid-March for pools to push DLH over the edge for our kids? Is mid-March still winter vibes, with the fireplaces and coziness of GCH being appealing? With midday breaks planned, is GCH a whole lot better despite the monorail option at DLH? 2-3 adults might go back to Disneyland at night after the kids go to bed (they will not make it to midnight). We are also going to try for Napa rose princess brunch late one morning, which could be nice to have a room nearby.

Is it better and more fun for everyone to be together in a suite, or is that a little too cramped? Is DLH just more fun for kids, despite the longer walk at night?

Finally, we have a Hawaii trip planned after the stop at Disneyland, so will GCH be a better contrast vs. the nostalgic vacation vibes of DLH? This is our first Disney trip, and could be our only trip to DLR since Orlando is a little easier to get to, so we are willing to splurge to be in the bubble but also be reasonable. Not really considering Pixar since we’ve heard it feels a little outside of the bubble and the elevators can be unpleasant.

Thanks again! Sorry for all of the questions…

GCH is a perfect fit for your group. The kids will be thrilled with the parks and most likely not care about a Disney Bubble each hotels offers.

GCH is a breeze for popping in and out of the parks for breaks!

We have stayed at GCH many times for our Jan/Feb trips over the years and the grandkids always spend time in the pools. They prefer pool time to nap time.

Sounds like a fun vacation you have planned

 

[OKW Lover]

We've stayed at both. For convince to the parks it's hard to beat GC. But is the price difference worth the extra 15 minute walk through DTD?

 

[PiratesOfTheSea]

I love the theming and pools at DLH but there's a reason we bought into VGC instead of VDH. Location, location, location. Especially since you are planning on mid-day breaks, GCH's location would make a much bigger difference than the "downgrade" going from the DLH theming and pool to GCH's. If you are staying at GCH you could also try to catch WoC at the viewing deck over by the VGC wing.

To me the DLH is not really worth it without a full kitchen that you'd normally get in a villa, plus at least 2 people will have to sleep in a sofa bed. The monorail might not run at night either during fireworks. Whenever we have stayed at DLH we don't find ourselves using it more than our GCH/VGC stays. If you decide to get just two standard rooms at DLH to save some money though, that would be a different question. If you are spending the same, I'd recommend GCH.

One more thing to note: PPH is closer to DCA than DLH, and the park view rooms there have better views than a lot of the DLH and VDH rooms if you care about the bubble feel. The major downside there is the pool. It's relatively small especially compared to the other two hotels on property.

 

[Pluto468]

I would definitely go with 2 rooms at the Grand. You'll have 2 bathrooms, which always comes in handy, plus 4 beds and 2 day beds (probably.) For our last trip I called ahead and asked for adjoining rooms and they gave them to us. It was so awesome.

You really cannot beat the proximity of the Grand, especially if you're going to DCA. It's literally right outside the hotel.

The balconies at the Grand are really nice and it's a great little extra bit of space. We ate breakfast on ours.

You can hang out in the 3rd floor lobby or in the main lobby if someone needs extra space to make a call or just relax.

The WOC viewing deck was amazing. They pipe the music in and you can see all the colors even though maybe not every projection. Some people were up there with kids in their jammies and they brought snacks and cocoa.

It will be much easier taking breaks at the Grand vs. DLH.

 

[ParkHopper1]

When we stay at the GCH we pop in and out of the room all day for breaks, change of clothes in evenings, and to freshen up as needed. When we stay at the DLH or PPH we tend to depart room in AM then don't return till end if evening getting a locker for jackets and such.

If mid day breaks are a priority GCH no question.

Pro tip for hassle free adjacent room booking...book one room with all the adults and other room with all the minors and request close Napa Rose or Main Lobby elevator for your "elderly" parents.

 

[LAS2AMS]

It sounds as if you’re renting points. Have you checked to see if the dates you’d like at GCH are available? There’s only a small number of DVC rooms and it’s extremely challenging for non-GCH owners to find availability. Hence why confirmed reservations sell for a premium.

Unless you’ve found a confirmed reservation, almost no chance you’ll get into the property - especially less than three months out during a peak travel period. If you did find a confirmed reservation, don’t wait!

 

[Mardigras2025]

Thank you everyone! It sounds like 2 rooms at the grand fit our case the best!

I really wasn’t sure if the pools at DLH outweighed the distance, but I know four walks to and from could get long there.

I am super excited, about to book through Costco!

 

[Mardigras2025]

It sounds as if you’re renting points. Have you checked to see if the dates you’d like at GCH are available? There’s only a small number of DVC rooms and it’s extremely challenging for non-GCH owners to find availability. Hence why confirmed reservations sell for a premium.

Unless you’ve found a confirmed reservation, almost no chance you’ll get into the property - especially less than three months out during a peak travel period. If you did find a confirmed reservation, don’t wait!

Unfortunately, I will be booking with cash (there is availability). So I was comparing two standard hotel rooms at GC with the regular hotel family suite at DLH. We rented a 2br at VDH, but need to move our trip up slightly. I plan to keep my eye out for confirmed reservations though!

 

[irlandaise]

Pro tip for hassle free adjacent room booking...book one room with all the adults and other room with all the minors and request close Napa Rose or Main Lobby elevator for your "elderly" parents.

Are you suggesting that the family actually put the little kids in a room by themselves and four adults in the other room, or is this just a booking trick?

 

[bakofarmgirl]

at the grand you can get lucky and ask for 3rd floor by the open area, sometimes we get that and you can be next to the room but have space to do work or let the kids nap

 

[twodogs]

Are you suggesting that the family actually put the little kids in a room by themselves and four adults in the other room, or is this just a booking trick?

I don’t think the system will let you book a room without an adult on each room reservation, regardless of how you sleep in the rooms once you arrive. I can’t imagine anyone would let kids these ages stay in a hotel room alone, connected to another room or not. We have booked a king room with day bed and pull out chair bed for ourselves and our two DDs, with a connecting 2 queen room for my parents. We have always received connecting rooms at the GCH when we have reserved two rooms.

 

[juxtapose]

We've stayed in both locations once each with our kids, we are going back this summer and are staying at GCH. We would save 1k staying at DLH, but we just loved GCH so much more that it won out. The location can't be beat, and my kids didn't find the pools or atmosphere at DLH more exciting even though I thought they would. We also always prefer separate rooms vs a shared suite when traveling with family, but that is personal preference.

 

[Mardigras2025]

Thanks again everyone! Is Courtyard view worth the upgrade of only $100 for the length of stay? Or do folks have a preference for standard rooms?

 

[juxtapose]

We had standard last time and it was fine, we were close to the main elevators, it was quiet, with a view of the parking lot, our room was 4205. I went with courtyard view this time because of the minimal price difference, I'm hoping to get a view of the monorail and that its back open by when we go.

 

[irlandaise]

Thanks again everyone! Is Courtyard view worth the upgrade of only $100 for the length of stay? Or do folks have a preference for standard rooms?

Wow, that must be some deal if you'd only pay $100 more for your entire stay.

I had a courtyard view when I stayed at the GCH a few weeks ago and it was delightful. The trees have grown up so much that I had a little trouble seeing the monorail, but I did. (Probably some rooms have better views through the trees than others.) It's fun to sit on the balcony and wait for the slight swishing sound that announced the monorail's imminent passage. But even aside from being able to see the monorail, the courtyard is beautiful and quiet.

Note that that room class is called "Courtyard/Woods View." Other people have previously posted maps of the GCH showing which rooms are in each class, but as I recall, some of the rooms in that class look towards Grizzly River Run and the RCCT rather than the Brisa Courtyard. I don't know how those rooms differ from Park View, since they are, technically, looking at DCA.

 

[Mardigras2025]

Wow, that must be some deal if you'd only pay $100 more for your entire stay.

I had a courtyard view when I stayed at the GCH a few weeks ago and it was delightful. The trees have grown up so much that I had a little trouble seeing the monorail, but I did. (Probably some rooms have better views through the trees than others.) It's fun to sit on the balcony and wait for the slight swishing sound that announced the monorail's imminent passage. But even aside from being able to see the monorail, the courtyard is beautiful and quiet.

Note that that room class is called "Courtyard/Woods View." Other people have previously posted maps of the GCH showing which rooms are in each class, but as I recall, some of the rooms in that class look towards Grizzly River Run and the RCCT rather than the Brisa Courtyard. I don't know how those rooms differ from Park View, since they are, technically, looking at DCA.

Thanks! I was surprised with the small difference! I read some people prefer the quiet and location of the standard rooms, or that sometimes standards are overbooked and you might get a free upgrade. But that kids might like seeing the monorail, or sitting on the balcony at courtyard or woods view might be better than a parking lot view. I went ahead and booked the courtyard rooms, but might adjust if I read something otherwise.