Grand California in March 2009 - various questions.

[laurenbcl]

The hotel has been fully booked when I have tried before. We want to go in early March 2009 but I wasn't able to book today since they don't have the rates yet. Any idea how to know the first day you can book for 2009 dates?

Also, we are 2 adults and 3 kids - any thoughts on if we can squeeze into a standard room, if we need 2 rooms or should try for a suite? Any idea on price differences?

Finally, any idea how crowded March 6-8th might be? Are there a lot of spring breaks then?

Many thanks!

 

[lisadoll93]

how old are your kids? Mine are 3,4,5 and we get a bunkbed room and have plenty of room. Have fun!!!

 

[avalon451]

Hi, we stayed there this year, March 24th-28th. It was very very busy, but I think that's because it was the week after Easter, and everybody and his dog was on spring break. I think you ought to be ok in early March. There might be some spring break people, but I would think that would be mostly a week or two later-- and Easter is in April. However, your dates are a weekend. Can you possibly go mid-week instead? Because weekends are pretty much always packed. You'd probably be much happier with crowd levels on a Mon-Wed or Thurs.

You'll love GCH. I would call the in-house reservations there and ask them when their reservation dates are released.

We have 3 DDs, 6, 10 and 13. We had a bunkbed room, which has a trundle bed under the bunkbed, and we were quite comfortable, although the room is a little small. They are very beautiful and comfortable. The bunkbeds are a little shorter than standard twin bunks, so it might be a problem if you have big, husky teens... our kids, while tall, are skinny and sleep curled up anyway, so they did fine.

HTH!

 

[laurenbcl]

how old are your kids? Mine are 3,4,5 and we get a bunkbed room and have plenty of room. Have fun!!!

thanks - our kids are 10, 7 and 2 so it sounds like a bunk bed plus trundle will be fine.

wish we could go midweek but our trip is happening because my DH has a trade show at the Anaheim convention center that weekend. hopefully we can enjoy an emptier park on friday before it really fills up on sat and sun.

i called reservations and they only said that the 2009 rates were not available yet - they wouldn't give me a date to call back so i was trying to find out if others had an idea when they tpically release them.

 

[syko]

I am waiting to book april 09 and I was told to call 6 months out.

 

[amyamya]

You might have more crowds due to the convention your DH is attending. Most people try to avoid conventions when planning dates, but I have actually gone to a convention and DL in early March and it is crowded, but not as bad as summer or around Christmas.

 

[farmfresh]

Try a travel agent for your bookings. They will have wholesale allocations of rooms, and these may be open sooner.

You won't pay more doing it this way - in fact a recent Travel and Leisure magazine test showed travel agents are still extremely competitive, even with the internet.

We use a mix of all three types of bookings, but for hard to get reservations, you can't beat a good agent.

You willl love the hotel, and I agree with oothers , the dates are probably ok given that easter is latert. We were there early april this year, after the easter crowds and it was very quiet indeed. But when in doubt - go early, and you'll have early entry both saturdayand sunday.