Enable Me Disney friends... Should I stay at the Grand Californian?

[fantasmicfantastic]

I always felt it depends on the person/family. DW and I love to take afternoon breaks, so we prefer a luxury hotel to relax in and use the amenities. Other families who just need beds would find the prices at the GCH outrageous. I love the GCH and I will always stay there.

side note: I am biased because I am a GCV DVC owner.

 

[goofy4tink]

I own DVC. My travel friend owns DVC at the GC, I don't. I've stayed there, for one night, in a one bedroom, using her points. Traded points...one night at the GC for me, two nights in a studio at BLT for her! I liked it..it was beautiful. Staying there again right after Thanksgiving...with my friend, using her points. However....I am returning to DL in mid-May, after college graduation, with dd and her boyfriend and my dh..so four of us. I took one look at the cost of rooms on-site and said, nope, not doing it!!! I'm staying across the street, at the Desert Inn and Suites, getting a two bedroom set-up, so everyone has their own bed...boys in one room, girls in the other, with our own bathroom for each pair!!! It's coming to around $950 for four nights. No way could I have found the same accommodations at DL resorts. Not even close. I love them, but refuse to pay the money for them!!!

 

[taniahappy]

I own DVC. My travel friend owns DVC at the GC, I don't. I've stayed there, for one night, in a one bedroom, using her points. Traded points...one night at the GC for me, two nights in a studio at BLT for her! I liked it..it was beautiful. Staying there again right after Thanksgiving...with my friend, using her points. However....I am returning to DL in mid-May, after college graduation, with dd and her boyfriend and my dh..so four of us. I took one look at the cost of rooms on-site and said, nope, not doing it!!! I'm staying across the street, at the Desert Inn and Suites, getting a two bedroom set-up, so everyone has their own bed...boys in one room, girls in the other, with our own bathroom for each pair!!! It's coming to around $950 for four nights. No way could I have found the same accommodations at DL resorts. Not even close. I love them, but refuse to pay the money for them!!!

This is just getting me more and more in the mood to reaally consider DVC

 

[8lovesmickey]

I like the split stay idea, too - do 2 nights at each. Then you can go to early entry on two mornings, too -- that's worth a lot to me. We generally get more done in the first hour than we do the rest of the day (depending on what's open). It also puts us in the heart of the parks even after the gates open to everyone, and lines stay short for quite a while.

Stay at the Park Vue for the first two nights, then move! The Grand can hold your bags starting any time, so you could head over early and hit the parks, then they'll send you a text when your room is ready.

We have stayed at all 3 'on site' hotels and they all have their own pros and cons. The Grand is luxurious AND very close. It's not super kid-oriented, although the pool is amazing. The short walk to the parks is also a great thing. I vote for semi-enabling you

 

[Symon]

My husband and I just got back from our 25th anniversary trip with a stay at the Grand Californian, which was our first stay (left our teen age kids at home) - a once in a lifetime splurge! BUT - we loved it and will stay here again. We regret that we didn't stay here when our kids were little, the closeness factor alone is worth the price. Yes - the rooms could be nicer, but over all, if you can afford it, the convenience makes it worth it!

 

[sgrap]

Yes, we love love love the Grand! So much that we just bought 2 DVC contracts there!

 

[Nonsuch]

This is just getting me more and more in the mood to reaally consider DVC

Frequent onsite guests should certainly consider owning at VGC.
DVC marketing promises amazing savings, but the rising onsite hotel prices have made those promises come true.
Disclaimer: Prior performance is not a guarantee of future returns.

 

[Corpsebride]

I say do it. It's the holidays. Get those memories. There will be plenty of other times where you can cut corners. Enjoy the immersive experience of being in the bubble.

 

[MommyJKM]

Frequent onsite guests should certainly consider owning at VGC.
DVC marketing promises amazing savings, but the rising onsite hotel prices have made those promises come true.
Disclaimer: Prior performance is not a guarantee of future returns.

Not to hijack the thread but we stay at GCH every trip at least 3 trips a year and VGC is NOT financially rewarding to us. We also don't do DisneyWorld more than once every few years so that may be an indicator.

We happily pay the GCH prices because it's worth it to us and feels familiar, we love the amenities and it feels like our "home" hotel. But I don't want to have to be disappointed that our dates are never available. I'm used to being able to have "leeway" with my dates and book a stay whenever I want because we or our our friends have decided on a trip. Just my experience

 

[MommyJKM]

My family (hubby and 2 little girls) are going to Disneyland for 4 nights in mid-November, right before Thanksgiving. We are currently booked at the Park Vue Inn, which is on Harbor Blvd and walking distance from the gates.
I started exploring today and came up with a "Woods / Garden / or Courtyard" view room at the Grand Californian for $336 per night before taxes and fees.
Do I splurge?! We've never stayed in a DLR hotel before. Paradise Pier is around $243 per night I believe, and DH is WAY over the top.... $400 to $500 per night.
Our room at the Park Vue is $683 for all 4 nights... so you see my conundrum here. I mean, I know we won't hardly even be in the room BUT it is the Diamond Celebration and I'm wondering if this is the year we splurge or not? I've heard the Grand is pretty amazing.

Enable away!

We only stay at GCH and after your stay you will see why...just a great experience!
Here are my favs:
- The morning exercise walk in DCA before park opening (make sure you leave your phone in your room)
- The free morning outdoor yoga class on the lawn
- Free projected Disney movies on the lawn in the evening
- Call the day before and ask to have some "Magic" waiting for the kids when you check in. They will ask the kids favorite characters (and have a signed photo and pin waiting at check-in for them)
- At check-in there are old Disney movies playing on a tv with little kid sized rocking chairs for them to wait while you sort out the room
- My Dad loves to do the washcloth design class where they teach you how to make an animal out of a washcloth. Anytime my parents have guests over there is a washcloth swan waiting for them on the bathroom sink
- The storytime at the fireplace (evenings around 5 and 7pm - that weekly schedule at check in will tell you)
- Stopping into Hearthstone in the morning on the way into the park for a Joffrey's coffee (not Starbucks burnt flavored coffee) and no crazy line
- We love to use the pre-order breakfast room service. You leave the menu on your door handle the night before with a time you want breakfast and they bring it the next day at your chosen time. It makes getting ready so much faster for us. And they will give you free water and extra coffee (again Joffrey's) and if you ask a to-go coffee cup.
- Von's delivery. We get waters, milk, healthy snacks to take in the park, energy bars, fruit, etc. They will hold it all for you at the Bell Desk until you arrive.
- My niece loves the hour early into Build-A-Bear store. It's a pretty fun experience even if you aren't purchasing anything.
- The hour early into the Anna & Elsa boutique at DD. Again, even if you are purchasing one item, it's fun to skip the hassle of the crowd
- Leaving DCA in the evening to change into warmer clothes, grab the stroller, get the glow ears or glow sticks for nighttime...and it only takes minutes not an hour!
-Not bringing anything in the parks with you because you can run back to the room.
- Package Delivery service. Everything you buy in the parks you can have sent to GCH instead of carrying all day. Be aware it doesn't arrive until the next morning so if you are leaving one day at 7 or 8am don't do it the night before. We've never had an issue though.
- We like to order the Mickey Rice Krispies, Mickey cookies and chocolate covered strawberries from room service for a specific delivery time with a note to our room and it's only about $3 to $5 per cookie/krispie/strawberry and the kids LOVE to arrive back to the room to a treat! They think Mickey sent it to them!
- Mandara Spa!! I've been known to sneak out of the park and get a foot massage and pedicure and meet the family after at Fantasmic!
-Eat at the Chef's Tasting Counter at Napa Rose and take advantage of Pinocchios Workshop as someone said above. (don't have to be staying at the hotel to do this but it's great to just walk downstairs and have an amazing unique meal and be able to walk the kids back upstairs after in a matter of minutes)
- They do still do the Art of the Craft tour - you have to book a specific time though. It's a nice experience. You can also ask nicely if you can see any of the signature suites. We got to see the Arcadia on our first tour and we booked it the next trip because we loved it.
- We like to get a drink at Hearthstone and walk up to the 6th floor WOC viewing patio. It's great if your kids aren't going to make the show but can wear their jammies and watch up there.
- The concierge can make you reservations at any DL or DCA restaurant but also at DD restaurants. We always forget to and they usually can get us into Catal/Uva Bar easily.
- Ask for a Park View when you arrive, if you don't want to pay the upgrade it doesn't hurt to ask. The smells and sounds will just make you smile

- Enjoy! Your family will be happy there just because of the location and immersion into Disney. Have fun

 

[whoever]

I would splurge. That's my mindset on vacations.... I work hard all year and when I'm on vacation, it's pretty much no expense spared. Have a good time, that's what vacations are for!!!

 

[tarheelalum]

I would not do it. If you really want to spend that extra money, do it in the parks on great meals and merchandise for the kids. They will enjoy that a lot more.

 

[Nonsuch]

...we stay at GCH every trip at least 3 trips a year and VGC is NOT financially rewarding to us...
...I don't want to have to be disappointed that our dates are never available. I'm used to being able to have "leeway" with my dates and book a stay whenever I want because we or our our friends have decided on a trip...

The need to book 7 months or more in advance is a significant disadvantage to DVC ownership.

 

[aulanidreamer]

Other than the bunk beds and pool at GCH, my kiddos much preferred PPH. We always think we will use the pool more than we actually do, so next time I would splurge on getting the park view rooms at PPH. They love seeing WOC and the wheel every night. Early entry is worth the extra expense if your kids are up anyway and you will use that time. I always try to justify staying at least part of the stay onsite if we can swing it.

 

[5forMickey]

Yes, yes, yes I would always vote yes to staying onsite. But be warned, once you stay onsite you will always want to!

 

[Astylla]

It really depends on many factors including obviously budget. If you can swing it I love staying on site though DLH is our "home". If it's going to interfere with being able to do things like meals or experiences, off site can work just as well.

We're actually doing our first split stay in December. We arrive Sat. December 5th and will stay at Best Western Meridian Inn for 2 nights before moving to DLH on Monday for 5 nights. Reason partly being that the Sun thru Thursday rates are much cheaper and though it goes up Friday, one expensive night was much easier to swallow than two. We also used the AP offer which helped for sure.

Orbitz is offering 15% off with packyourbags code and typically offers free cancellation too. If you have a Disney Visa, there's a discount with a package so that can help too

 

[sophy1996]

For the money we paid (which was less than you are looking at) we were disappointed in our GCH stay. We were excited about the special entrance to California Adventure, but the lines were ridiculous. On the Monday morning it took 45 minutes to get into the park, leaving only 15 minutes of EMH left because they were SO SLOW processing people who were just starting their vacations. If I ever were to stay there again I would probably just go around to the front of the park.

Our next trip we're staying across the street. We just can't justify Disney prices when there are perfectly fine hotels that close. (And we are people who like the Disney "bubble" and always stay on-property at WDW.)

 

[StormyCA]

Do it ONLY if you are willing to risk that you will be so spoiled by it that you will never stay offsite again! The convenience and the ambiance are irresistible. My first stay was in (IIRC) 2005 and I've been in love ever since. BFF was an 'offsite' girl until we did our first 'girls only' trip in 2013 and she stayed at the Grand for the first time. Well, we did 'cheat' in 2014 and stay at the DLH for the first time but we were back at the Grand this year.

For budget reasons it looks as if my next stay will be at Paradise Pier, and it's KILLING me!

 

[Astylla]

I think I've used the GCH entrance a whole two times in all my EMH visits. The reason being that there is not a separate bag check or first time tickets line so it can slow things because there are much fewer turnstiles than the main gate.

Unless you are there very early and one of the first 10 to 15 it's just not worth it imo. However the entrance still is limited to entry until 11am for hotel guests only so it's nice in that regard.

We use that entrance often to cut through to the tram if staying off site or at the end of the night, so much faster than going all the way around. When I'm doubt use the main entrance in the AM, you will be much happier. In the afternoon or after EMH use it to exit or re enter as it suits you.

 

[Malcon10t]

Yes, with taxes and such, it's $346-ish. We won't have a car, so that's not a worry. We were used to paying for breakfast, so not a huge deal there. Hmmm... still torn though!

Actually, a $336 rate with 17% tax is closer to $396.

That said, it really depends. If you have the money and it won't detract from the rest of your trip, do it. The ones I say don't do it are the ones who sacrifice other portions of their trip to afford the hotel.

We actually prefer the DLH.