GC or DL Hotel and other questions!

[gracelrm]

We are planning a trip out west summer 2006. We want to either stay at the GC or DL Hotel. We are a family of five, so we'll need an extra bed or a daybed. We'll probably devote 3 days to visiting DL. Now for the questions. Which hotel would better accomodate five people? Our kids will be 13, 10, and 6, which would be better suited for them? We will also be visiting San Diego for a few days - I hear there's a SoCal pass or something that combines park tickets to DL, SeaWorld, SD Zoo and maybe another place. Is this a good deal? Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated!

TIA

 

[daannzzz]

Generally the Disneyland Hotel has bigger rooms than the Grand californian with many, many of the rooms having a daybed. I have heard that a few rooms at the GC have a daybed but have never seen a photo of one. There are some rooms with bunkbeds and I think they have sleeping bags available for an extra child but hopefully someone else can confirm that. If you want more room (and a bit less cost) book a room at the DLH and ask for a room in the Seirra towerthat has two queen beds and a day bed.

 

[AspiringCindy]

GC has rooms that have a Queen, bunks and a trundle! We are in the same(DDs 5,12,13) dilemma for our July trip and opted for GC because it is more on the deluxe feel that WDW offers! Besides WL is our favorite hotel...so we know we will love GC!

PS. we are waiting on tix purchase because Universals and Seaworld have offers that give free tix for children when you purchase adult tix. We want to see if they extend the dates! Also www.Getawaytoday.com seems to offer great prices on a 3 day!!

 

[ter-moo]

I hear there's a SoCal pass or something that combines park tickets to DL, SeaWorld, SD Zoo and maybe another place. Is this a good deal? Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated! TIA

If you plan on going to all three of these places, the pass is a good deal. However, If I were you I'd spend 2-3 days at Disneyland and then get a hotel in San Diego for a couple of days to do the Zoo and Sea World. It's at least an hour and a half drive if there's no traffic (and that's a big IF ) and that would really get tiresome and waste a lot of your time.

As far as the hotels go, DH is themed better for younger kids and has a lot to do on the grounds. It's a long walk to the parks, but not too bad to the monorail, depending on which building you're in.

The GC is beautiful, and better suited (IMO) for older kids and adults. It has its own private entrance into CA Adventure, so the walk isn't as bad.

I think with the ages of your kids, you'd probably like the DH better. Just keep in mind that you'll do a LOT of walking!

 

[BrerMama]

The reason we're going with DL hotel over GC is that while the GC does have rooms with bunks and a trundle, there are not as many as there are daybed rooms at DL. If you are staying at GC with 5 people and they are out of the bunk bed rooms, they give you a sleeping bag for the 5th person. And I'm sorry, but no way am I paying that much for a hotel room and then asking my child to sleep on the floor. My children are 12, 10 and 6, so almost the same ages, and I know they'll prefer the theming of the DL hotel over GC, too. That and my husband wants to swim in the Neverland pool have decided it for us!

 

[gracelrm]

If you plan on going to all three of these places, the pass is a good deal. However, If I were you I'd spend 2-3 days at Disneyland and then get a hotel in San Diego for a couple of days to do the Zoo and Sea World. It's at least an hour and a half drive if there's no traffic (and that's a big IF ) and that would really get tiresome and waste a lot of your time.

ter-moo - We plan on 3 days at Disneyland and then two or three days in SanDiego also. I think we're staying at the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego.

 

[CHOPR]

We are also in the same boat. We have a 12,10 and 5 year old and plan on an Oct. 06 trip ,staying at the GC. Being a WDW veteran I love the idea of walking out the hotel door right into the park. There is always time consumed running to the monorail or driving,parking, bus transport etc... For one year anyway, we can take a break from the hectic transportation. I don't like the idea of 5 in a hotel room---we've done it before but we don't spend much time other than sleeping there anyway. I believe we can pool hop over to the DL hotel and plan on doing that once to check out the place. Good luck on your decision. Like me, you may not know if it was the better choice until you do it.

 

[La2kw]

We are planning a trip out west summer 2006. We want to either stay at the GC or DL Hotel. We are a family of five, so we'll need an extra bed or a daybed. We'll probably devote 3 days to visiting DL. Now for the questions. Which hotel would better accomodate five people? Our kids will be 13, 10, and 6, which would be better suited for them? We will also be visiting San Diego for a few days - I hear there's a SoCal pass or something that combines park tickets to DL, SeaWorld, SD Zoo and maybe another place. Is this a good deal? Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated!

TIA

I would go with the GC, in a bunkbed room. It's the only resort at Disneyland built by Disney and of the same caliber as the WDW resorts.