Grand Cal, seriously $800 .....

[cruisehopeful]

Well, I like nicer hotels with full service, but I don't like paying the $300-$400/night. However, with the Grand charging $700-$1000/night, it makes staying at the other hotels for $300-$400/night feel like a bargain.

People do pay the full rate at the Grand often. It's often been sold out at those prices.

 

[DizMe]

I don't pay that much at the Grand and I split it with my sister.

 

[DLgal]

That's wonderful, and I think it's great some people are able to do so.

Well, all those stimulus checks definitely made it an easier decision! Plus we live 15 minutes away so there was no "travel" expense added.

We are a military family and usually get 40% off on Disney resorts, so having to pay rack rate ONE time wasn't a huge deal. Would I pay it repeatedly? No. But that's only because Disney is almost ALWAYS offering discounts of some sort. They happened to begin offering the military discount again on...July 5. Doh!

 

[avalon451]

I paid $44/night in 2012, ha! But it was at the Super 8 behind Castle Inn and Suites, so it was a bit of a walk. But for $44 a night, that was a walk I was willing to take! 2014 it was $69/night at Desert Inn and Suites across the street. Now, it's nearly double that. .... However I'm cheap enough that I will probably never stay on-site at Disneyland.

Yeah, I regularly long for the HoJo retro rate- for several years circa 2006-2010, you could buy an Entertainment coupon card online and use it to stay in building 1 with a great park view for $79 a night. Or one of the smaller buildings near the back pool for $59 a night.
I've stayed at all of the above. GCH, DLH, BWPPI, HoJo, Desert Inn, Hyatt Orange Co. We’ll be there Mon-Wed next week, and we’re back at the Desert Inn (3rd time). Ironically, we’re much more able to afford the GCH at this point in our lives (nearing retirement, mortgage paid off), but this is a quick trip and not the entire family, so we’re opting for close and plain. I think next time we do a trip where all 3 daughters and their SOs can come, then I’ll try the DVC point rental thing for a villa.

 

[StormyCA]

The price is dependent on when you're staying. It's around $700 (taxes included) when I may be headed that way.

But still, it's overpriced for no package delivery, no EMH, no daily Mousekeeping, no (full) bell service. I've always stayed at the Grand and considered it 'worth it' for the distance to the Parks, the safety of being always on Disney property, and all the perks. Now all there is is the distance and the safety. And like others I usually split the costs but now it would be all on me.

If I still had my Disney-Sistah I wouldn't give it a second thought. But looking at $2800 vs $1400 for 4 nights? I'm having second AND third thoughts! I've never stayed at PPH, this may be a time to think seriously about it and just suck up the walk.

 

[HersheyKiss]

I am not exactly a frugal person, but I would never pay that kind of money on a hotel room. That's insanity. MAYBE if it was a very special, once in a lifetime occasion.

 

[wildekatza]

Ok. I thought it was just my memory. I just booked a 2 queens (cheaper) for next week Mon-Friday stay at the GCH and our total for just the 2 of us with 3 day park hopper passes was $3108.90!! I was floored. We have had longer stays with more park days and not had it be that much so I guess Disneyland /Disney is making up for lost revenue now.

 

[DLgal]

The price is dependent on when you're staying. It's around $700 (taxes included) when I may be headed that way.

But still, it's overpriced for no package delivery, no EMH, no daily Mousekeeping, no (full) bell service. I've always stayed at the Grand and considered it 'worth it' for the distance to the Parks, the safety of being always on Disney property, and all the perks. Now all there is is the distance and the safety. And like others I usually split the costs but now it would be all on me.

If I still had my Disney-Sistah I wouldn't give it a second thought. But looking at $2800 vs $1400 for 4 nights? I'm having second AND third thoughts! I've never stayed at PPH, this may be a time to think seriously about it and just suck up the walk.

A minor point, but there is full bell service. We used it in July.

 

[DizMe]

Ok. I thought it was just my memory. I just booked a 2 queens (cheaper) for next week Mon-Friday stay at the GCH and our total for just the 2 of us with 3 day park hopper passes was $3108.90!! I was floored. We have had longer stays with more park days and not had it be that much so I guess Disneyland /Disney is making up for lost revenue now.

Just as an FYI I priced 3 nights hotel only for Dec 13-16. That came to $2348.19 including tax for a standard room. I then priced the same 3 nights with 1 4-day hopper and the price was $2770.64. That appears to make the hopper $422.45. If that's so, they they must be charging tax on the whole package, including the hopper. It would be cheaper to book room only and buy your own hoppers. In this case, I looked at buying 1 4-day hopper by itself from Disney and it's $395, so I don't really know how that math works in the above scenario. Where did the extra cost come from for a hopper included with the room?

 

[GatorChris]

Yeah, I regularly long for the HoJo retro rate- for several years circa 2006-2010, you could buy an Entertainment coupon card online and use it to stay in building 1 with a great park view for $79 a night. Or one of the smaller buildings near the back pool for $59 a night.

I never got the "retro" rate. But I remember our 2nd trip to DL staying at HoJo with park view for $170/night. After spending $270/night at Paradise Pier the previous year (with parking lot view and $20 parking), I felt like it was a steal. It stayed around that rate for the next 3-4 years. But now even HoJo is way too expensive for that (1) long walk, (2) no Disney touch, and now (3) pay-for-parking. It's a nice place and the views are great. But the value is now gone. And I'm a value-seeker.

I agree with the OP. Any hotel at $800 is ridiculous. Why people pay that is beyond me. Aulani is the same way. You can get 25% off rooms at times. But we need a one-bedroom to fit all 5 of us. At $1100/night for a bedroom suite (yes, you read that right), it brings it to about $800...but then parking and taxes and fess brings it right back to that price. I stayed there once on points for about 1/3 the price and that's the only way we could do it. But at Grand Cali, nearly all of their room are just rooms for 4. Ugh. You only fit 4 and you want how much??? So....we'll be staying across the street at Park Place. Room for 5 and a shorter walk than Paradise Pier. Sure, there's no bubble feeling that I'd love to one day experience at Grand Cali. But I can't just throw money away like that. For the savings of just one night, I can buy Magic Mountain season passes for the whole family and still have money for a hotel stay near the parks. And that's just ONE NIGHT savings.

 

[Disneyland1084]

The price is dependent on when you're staying. It's around $700 (taxes included) when I may be headed that way.

That's correct. I did type in my dates for next summer and that's what came up. I imagine there will be some sort of summer discount, but I doubt it will be low enough to what I'm willing to pay.

 

[Rich M]

This discussion is always interesting for me because I see that price for Disneyland and say no way but I will pay $500 a night at DW easily for staying close to the parks. I think the problem with Disneyland is they are offering zero incentive for staying on property right now and when you have hotels just as close to stay that it becomes more of a debate.

 

[PirateBrigade]

K-shaped recovery and changes to the socioeconomic demographic of park visitors.

Put another way: $1000 to one person is operationally like $100 to someone else.

:: that’s about it

 

[beachdreamr1229]

There's a reason I've never stayed at GCH. You can get a suite at PPH for a little more than that, or DLH, which I think is nice enough. Or just stay offsite and enjoy more days at the park for the same cost. I would love to stay at GCH one day, maybe for an anniversary or something, but it would have to be a pretty special occasion to justify the cost.

 

[Chickinvic]

I wouldn't pay it - period. I've never felt the need to stay onsite at DL. $800/night - I'd rather do a lot of other things with that kind of cash. Mind you, I wouldn't do the $500/night either. I just need a clean room to crash in at the end of the night within walking distance (which IMO can be easily within 20 minutes or so).

 

[eMoneyBug]

Grand California is the best, so top dollar

 

[HIRyeDVC]

I'm guessing that those that have no qualms about paying rackrate to stay at GCH are probably not a part of disboard. There are probably enough people out there willing to pay those rates or else Disney would not be charging those rates. The other alternative would be to buy a DVC contract at VGC. Not a "cheap" solution but in the long run, if you know you want to stay there for the next 40 years, then it will be more than worth it.

 

[l4dyj8]

I have only stayed at GCH when there was a deal. Which is very rare. A few years ago, 2012, there was a deal for $275-300! I never saw it again. It was Fall and a Sunday to Tuesday stay which helped. I don't think I have ever seen a deal during the Summer... perhaps early June or late August.

We usually stay on site. I won't get into to the debate why it is worth it to us. But I do only look out for deals or times we can budget it in. I have found the price comparable, maybe cheaper than a San Diego resort or a SF city stay that charges several other fees.

But I will agree that, speaking of just the room alone, I've had a variety of disappointing and amazing stays at GCH. Had I paid the rack rate on some stays, I would have been frustrated — some were small dark rooms. Our first stay had in room amenities that were different from the other 2 on site hotels. Very minor... that helped with all day in the sun or tired feet, chocolates/turn down... the toiletries were different enough to stand out from the others. But now it's all the same on at all 3.

EDITED: I found an old email of the deal I got in 2012. Edited up the price. This deal didn't have the dining credit, but I've had those too. One time it was a "free dish" for 1 adult, later they changed it to a dollar amount.

 

[Reepicheep]

I have only stayed at GCH when there was a deal. Which is very rare. A few years ago, 2013 maybe, there was a deal for $250-275! Plus a dining credit. I never saw it again.

I used to keep detailed notes on Paradise Pier Hotel deals, and I can confirm there were incredible deals available at the PP in late August, 2013. According to my notes, I could have booked a Paradise Pier concierge room (i.e., free food and beer, WHOO HOO!!!), with a view of California Adventure, for $276 plus tax. My notes indicate that a free "World of Colour meal" (whatever that may be) was also included, if the hotel stay was at least 2 days in length.

"Those were the days, my friend..."

EDIT IN RESPONSE TO @l4dyj8's EDIT: I can also confirm there were incredible PP deals available in 2012 as well; we booked a PP concierge park view room in late August for $242 plus tax.

 

[l4dyj8]

EDIT IN RESPONSE TO @l4dyj8's EDIT: I can also confirm there were incredible PP deals available in 2012 as well; we booked a PP concierge park view room in late August for $242 plus tax.

oh, I remember that one too! I think when it first opened. I think we did Carthay Circle.