Grand Californian Questions

[Terk-1]

Am staying at the GC for the first time (and probably last for quite some time) in October and have a "park view" room. Can you see Disneyland from there or just CA? Also, do all these rooms have balcony's? Can you see the Electrical Parade or fireworks from these rooms? Do all rooms with this view have a day bed? What does the extra $10/night include? My brother will be joining me on my second day there. If parking is included with the $10 fee, he'll be able to park there under that fee, correct? I know there is a separate entrance for CA & DTD, but what about DL? Where does the private entrance to CA go to at CA (which part of the park)? Do they have the free refill mugs here, like they do @ WDW? If so, how much are they and where do you get them? I asked for a room on a high level and not far from the elevators. How often do people get their requests here? Is there any room specifically I should ask for?

Thanks for your help!!

 

[Anewman]

Never stayed but am a DLR regular, so i will answer what I can.

Am staying at the GC for the first time (and probably last for quite some time) in October and have a "park view" room. Can you see Disneyland from there or just CA? Also, do all these rooms have balcony's? Can you see the Electrical Parade or fireworks from these rooms?

I do not think you can see Disneyland from the GC, I know I have never been able to see the GC from anywhere inside DL. Not ALL rooms have a balcony, but I dont know which do. Electrical parade is not really viewable from the GC, at most you may be able to see some of the Taller floats here and there from a higher corner room.
Fireworks are at DL not DCA again if you are in one of the higher corner rooms you may be able to see SOME of the fireworks.

Do all rooms with this view have a day bed? What does the extra $10/night include? My brother will be joining me on my second day there. If parking is included with the $10 fee, he'll be able to park there under that fee, correct?

I can not help with any of those questions.

I know there is a separate entrance for CA & DTD, but what about DL? Where does the private entrance to CA go to at CA (which part of the park)?

There is no entrance from the GC into disneyland. The entrance to DCA leads you into the Grizzly rapids/Soarin area.

Do they have the free refill mugs here, like they do @ WDW? If so, how much are they and where do you get them? I asked for a room on a high level and not far from the elevators. How often do people get their requests here? Is there any room specifically I should ask for?

Thanks for your help!!

Dont know

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Am staying at the GC for the first time (and probably last for quite some time) in October and have a "park view" room. Can you see Disneyland from there or just CA?
** Just California Adventure


Also, do all these rooms have balcony's?
** Yes w/2 chairs & a small table

Can you see the Electrical Parade or fireworks from these rooms?
** You can see the Electrical Parade, but I don't know if all rooms have a view of the Electrical Parade. Fireworks are at Disneyland, so you won't see them from here.

Do all rooms with this view have a day bed?
** Nope. In fact, there are a lot that don't. I had clients stay here, and there were 5 in their group. They were not very happy when they were given a sleeping bag for the 5th person. Some kids like the sleeping bag, but it's good to know this up front.


What does the extra $10/night include?
** Plus tax it's $11.50 a night. Includes parking, use of the fitness center, and daily newspaper.


My brother will be joining me on my second day there. If parking is included with the $10 fee, he'll be able to park there under that fee, correct?
** I do not know if you can park two cars for that fee. He may have to pay additional, or Grand Californian may go ahead & accommodate him. You'd have to ask at the desk.

I know there is a separate entrance for CA & DTD, but what about DL?
** To get to DL, you go through the DtD entrance to get there, and enter through the front gates. It's about a 5 minute walk or less, depending how fast you go.

Where does the private entrance to CA go to at CA (which part of the park)?
** It comes out between Soaring Over California & Grizzly River Run & has a woodsy look to it.

Do they have the free refill mugs here, like they do @ WDW? If so, how much are they and where do you get them?
** Yes, or at least they used to. You get them at Whitewater Snacks, which is located at the end of the breezeway, next to the pool area. Don't know how much they are.

I asked for a room on a high level and not far from the elevators. How often do people get their requests here?
** People get requests as long as the rooms are available. They try to accommodate, however, keep in mind that Disneyland is more busy than usual this year, and with that, the CMs are trying to keep up.

Is there any room specifically I should ask for?
** If you go to the hotel link at the top of the board, you can click on the Grand Californian thread. I have a hotel layout & aerial, and you can see which rooms are next to the elevators, etc.

One elevator is right near the grand lobby & very accessible. The other one is a little walk through the breezeway, but then your room is nearer to the DCA entrance & Storyteller Cafe & pool.

 

[Dobie]

What Mary Jo said. . .

. . . except that I think most of the park view rooms are fairly close to the grand lobby elevator. And, you used to be able to get the refillabe mug right in your room; they are in the minifridge.

Don't touch anything in the minifridge unless you want to buy it. . . they are hooked up to sensors!!!!

You can refill the mugs at Whitewater Rapids. You can also get free coffe in the mugs at Hearthstone Lounge.

The view is fantastic, you can see California Screaming and the Sun Wheel all lit up at night. Very magical indeed.

I'm jealous!

 

[Terk-1]

I'm heading up by train, so I won't have a car. Do I need to give him a copy of my reservation, so he can park?

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Get a sign for your car from registration. Have him park temporarily by the lobby. He can tell the gatekeeper he's going to check in. Give him the parking slip, or leave it in your room for him, and he'll be able to go self-park.

 

[got2gp]

Just a clarification of what other have said about the view. Some of the park view room do have a partial view of DL. Our first stay we had a great view of the Paradise Pier area of DCA, very nice, expecially at night. On our last stay we were on the other side and had a room, looking directly over GRR. We could see the train station, space mountain and the matterhorn from our balcony. Don;t know about the fireworks, we were in DD at the time.