For what reasons WOULD you pick DLH over GCH?

[Shell4624]

Cast - DH 36, me 33, DD 11, DD 6

 

[pookie10]

I love the mickey mouse/ disney character setting at DLH, and they are a bit cheaper...I dont like the lodge idea of the GCH. So we chose DLH

 

[GeneralTso]

I always think kids will enjoy Disneyland Hotel more than GC. It's got a lighter, brighter, more festive vibe.

I will never forget seeing Goofy running up to a car that just pulled into the loop to check in. Goofy ran up to the car and started knocking on the windows and running around the car. The kids inside lost their minds

It was so great to see that. Their vacation really started off with a bang. The kids got out of the car and they took pictures with Goofy and were so happy.

It's much more refined and quiet at GC. I love both places, but with kids, I'll always vote for DLH.

 

[hootey]

To make the wife happy of course!.. The GCH reminds my wife of a hunting/fishing resort in central Canada I used to go to years ago. While we were there she shared her fear of meating one of my former fishing cohorts in the lobby or hallway having a beer in one hand and a musky in the other. I had not picked up on the similarities of the GCH and the fishing resort til the wife dug out an old photo album and pointed out the similarities of the two places. Needless to say, we now stay at the DLH. The wife is much happier, the boys love the pool area, and nice eating facilities are very close. The wife has no fears of meeting any of my former fishing cohorts at the DLH facility. (My old musky fishing buddies were a "lively" lot to be sure)

 

[elaw]

The DLH is the original .... so for purely nostalgic purposes it beats the GCH hands down. I personally prefer the GCH though.

 

[the donut]

The rooms at the DLH are larger. I think they're incredibly charming as well after the renovation. I do like the GCH better because of the restaurants and lobby area, but if those things aren't important to you, the DLH is a great choice. They both have comfortable beds and great service in our experience.

 

[Virgoinab]

For us the DLH is just more Disney.

The GCH is a nice place, however I have stayed in numerous hotels throughout the Canadian Rockes (we are only 3 hrs away) and B.C. that look, and feel and are styled just like the GCH. So for us, there is a feeling of, been there, done that, but in the mountians.

Like anything it is a preferance, but, DLH blows the GCH away in terms of staying and playing at DL.

 

[LisainCalifornia]

Okay, this is an easy one for me to answer. I have stayed at the Grand Californian 4 times now, but stayed at Disneyland Hotel many times. I always *think* I should like the Grand better, because that seems to be what everyone else likes here. The Grand is the top tier of the hotels, so why wouldn't it be better?

But I swear, every single time I go there, I realize more and more that I don't actually like it that much! It is okay, but I don't love it the way I love the Disneyland Hotel. Here are my thoughts on the two hotels:

Grand Californian: It feels more like a "lodge" type place, with lots of wood paneling. Yes, the lobby is pretty neat--but it is always SO cold (they keep the air conditioner cranked to unbarable level 24/7) that I can't stand to hang out too long. I am also not much of a lobby hanger outer. I am more of a room and view enjoyer. The rooms at the Grand Californian are very small compared to the Disneyland Hotel--and even the ceiling line is oppressive. The last time we stayed there (in Dec.) I also realized how thin the walls must be. We had the noisy family next to us. You know the kind--the kind that won't tell their kids that they are in a hotel so keep their voices down at 6 am--instead they let them scream bloody murder for 2 straight hours 3 mornings straight. If the walls were a bit thicker, maybe we wouldn't have noticed, but it was pretty much torture every morning from 5ish till 7:30.
So much for our relaxing vacation. The pool area is very nice at the Grand compared to the Disneyland Hotel, but it can be very hard to find a place to sit. I had to search for a half hour, looking for a chair that didn't have a towel on it--and even then I ended up moving someone's towel and feeling guilty when they showed up a few hours later. The views are just "meh" at the hotel--mostly due to the nature of the building--it is only 5 stories high. You can't see much from any view--even when you pay a premium price for it.

Disneyland Hotel: The Disneyland Hotel is a high tower hotel (so lots of high floor views of either Downtown Disney or Pool area) with 14 floors. When you are placed high up, the view is incredible. The rooms are newly remodeled, and have more of a "disney" like feel. The lobby is modern yet small--so you aren't meant to hang out there. There is an area in lobby for kids to sit at and watch Disney cartoons as you check in. When you get a good room with a great view at the Disneyland Hotel--it really is something special. I know people will write "I don't come to Disneyland to look out the window"--but for me, I do! This is all part of the "vacation" experience for us. We don't spend every second in the parks--we often spend at least 3 hours mid day in the room resting, hanging out (not in the lobby!)--and yes, looking out the window. It is really fun to people watch and look out a great view that you don't see every day at home. The new furnishings at the Disneyland Hotel are pretty special, too. You can't argue with a light up headboard that gives you a goodnight kiss:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YGBbO5in_-k

I find the beds to be more comfortable at the Disneyland Hotel, and the sound insulation better. The pool experience is what you would expect at the Disneyland Hotel--pretty much screaming munchkins and probably way too much pee water. Enjoy!

 

[larina]

I'd pick it for the space. The rooms are bigger at DLH than at the Grand.

 

[Susie63]

Light up headboard....Mickey shower tiles....Mickey taps in the shower and sink.....Mickey shampoo,conditioner and hand lotion bottles...everyday....chocolate Disney coins every night with turn service.....and some of the most amazing pictures of Walt Disney.I really need to go back.
I am currently looking at renting DVC for 2013....but I might have to stay at the DLH again after reading this thread.

 

[drag n' fly]

I prefer the DLH. It feels more Disney to me. We are only a one hour drive from Banff and every hotel in that area is designed similarly so it is nothing new for us. I love the themeing of DLH. Not too subtle like GCH and not screaming in your face like Pop at WDW.

 

[CrazyDuck]

I would never pick DLH over GCH because the only thing it has over GCH is the price. And if price were a consideration I would just stay somewhere on the other side of Harbor Blvd. because those hotels are even cheaper than DLH and even closer to the park entrances!

 

[nunzia]

I really love both. That said..with kids DLH might have an edge with the new wonderful pool area, and I truly love the new rooms! (put my son up there in October while the rest of us stayed at VGC..used points since VGC was full and could not use points for GC room). I also stayed there with a friend for Destination D and will again in August and really enjoyed it..I'm a huge fan of the Grand..loved it before they built VGC and am an even bigger fan of the new wing.
On the other hand..I choose the Grand for its entrance to DCA, being closer to DL (even my son and his family who are young and spry thought the walk from DLH a negative compared to the Grand), and I really like the design and decor of the Grand (being in the land of adobe the woodsy look is refreshing) I don't like tower hotels, so that's a negative for me for the DLH.
So..I love them both, but for a regular DLR trip I'll pick the Grand, but for something held AT the DLH I'll stay there happily.

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

You guys are making this hard! We've stayed at all 3 hotels, but haven't stayed at the DLH since the remodel. We love PP theme park view, and it seemed soooo much quicker to get to the parks. And I loved the GCH for how close it is to the parks, and for Storytellers, which we love to eat at. I have PP booked for December, but am waiting for a deal and thought I was going to bump up to the GCH, and now I am not so sure!

 

[blackjackdelta]

I like both but we like to stay at the GCH and in the villas if we can rent points(not going well this year). We are more comfortable and less small children.

Jack

 

[hjgaus]

Like ALL their properties but we LOVE the Grand even more!!! Hands down the entrance to the park is the best but also cuz we are locals - the Grand makes us feel that our weekend stays are somewhere far and not just Anaheim! I don't get that feeling even when we stay @ a local beach side place!! So glad we made the Grand one of our home resorts!!

 

[hootey]

The Grand is nice but, the "Lodge" decorating craze of the 80's and early 90's gets a little old after a while for us. It is a little noisy in the lobby and on the north side with a room facing DTD. The swimming facilities are more crowded. The resturants are nice.
The DH makes the wife happy of course, it has advantages for us. It is more quiet. We always come back to the room in the afternoon for swimming and a little down time so we may enjoy the parks til closing each night. The DH rooms are alot quieter. The staff is more relaxed and don't always seem to be in a hurry. The rooms are larger, pool facilities are larger, and not as crowded. We have had rooms next to celebrities a couple times, even the celebrities were relaxed. In short, we have found a diffrent atmosphere, so to speak at the DH. We prefer it hands down..

 

[thelionqueen]

DLH is the original and best IMHO. I own at GCV, and I LOVE it there..but the theming, colors, and ambience are PURE Disney for me...just nothing better!

I remember going there as a child and eating breakfast at the Monorail Cafe, then jumping on the monorail into the park...WHY did they move that? Whoever decided to take out the monorail cafe and stop at the DLH was nuts!

 

[daneenm]

We like both DLH and GCH, although we prefer GCH (DTD View with a bunk bed is our new favorite room request). A couple of things I saw in previous posts, I want to caution you on...

• DLH has larger rooms - I think on average this is true, but not always. Our last trip to DLH they put us in a room that was next to the elevator shaft or something. It had a big corner cut out of the room. There was barely room for the two beds wall to wall. It was so small, we asked to be moved.

• The pool at GCH is more crowded - This is not our experience AT ALL. At DLH pool we could never find places to sit. Many chairs were obviously marked by someone in the morning to save for their afternoon dip. It was like finding parking at the mall at Christmas. Also, we found the hot tub to be a miserable experience. Parents letting their children use it like a mini pool (including much jumping in from the sides) and the temperature had been turned down to luke warm because a parent had complained that it was too hot for their 5 year old. Duh! What business do these people have putting their 5 year old in a hot tub?!?! At any rate, it is the pool experience that solidifies for me, personally, that we will not stay at DLH again.

My children love both hotels, so I don't think you can go wrong, just pick what seems to fit your family best.

 

[ols386]

We are headed to DL a week from today, staying at the DL Hotel. We cannot wait to get there. The newly refurbished rooms look so nice.

In photos that I've seen of the GCH, it reminds me a lot of Wilderness Lodge at WDW.