Grand Californian Resort Hotel

[michellelovesthemous]

We haven't stayed there since 2001 when the park opened and I was wondering what the hotel is like now and what it has to offer and any opinions/reviews of people who have stayed there more recently? Also, my DD wants to know if there is still storytime at the fire and what time it's at and if the resort hotel offers anything else for disneykids?? Thanks for the opinioons in advance!

 

[MATTERHORN]

We really like it! I have stayed twice, with a third trip coming in April. It's pretty much the same as when it opened. A few changes such as the spa, minor looby changes, etc. but nothing major (except the price hike from back then in 2001, lol!!). They offer a Crafstman tour but I wouldn't say it's really kid oriented. There was a scavenger hunt last time, not sure if it still happens. I see you are going in October and the pool is always a big hit with my kids.

It's my favorite hotel there, and we try to splurge on one trip a year and stay there. Can't do it more or I wouldn't be able to take as many trips as I do, but if I could, I would stay there every time. There's just a feeling about walking in to check in to that magnificent lobby that almost makes me get tears in my eyes!

Plus we like having WWS and Storytellers right there, only because we still like to eat there when staying offsite, but it's quite a hike that way!! We have never done the storytime because we are never back at the hotel at that time. Last time we went it was around 6pm, and my kids are nowhere near ready for bed by then.

 

[TwingleMum]

Can't wait to find out myself when we go in April

 

[MATTERHORN]

Can't wait to find out myself when we go in April

When are you there? We are there from the 26th - 30th! Can't wait either, I hope you will love it too!


Andrea

 

[honeymom]

We were just there. Every night they left a list of upcoming activities in our room. We didn't have time to take advantage of them, but there were several. I think they might have still had storytime but I don't recall.

We really enjoyed our stay. We had excellent service and mousekeeping and the location is great. The rooms are small for the amount of money paid, but that was less of a factor to us. More important was the overall feel - this hotel felt much more like a resort and more themed to us than the DLH which we stayed at years ago.

 

[michellelovesthemous]

I'd love to hear more!!

 

[Disney Magic]

We had stayed there within the last year and found the rooms EXTREMELY small for a Disney Deluxe Hotel (we are WDW vets). But it was the most convenient. Don't think I would stay there again for the price.

 

[BCV23]

We had stayed there within the last year and found the rooms EXTREMELY small for a Disney Deluxe Hotel (we are WDW vets). But it was the most convenient. Don't think I would stay there again for the price.

Are the rooms comparable to the size of AKL? Our first GCH stay is rapidly approaching and I know to expect smaller than most WDW deluxe rooms but how much smaller?

We're excited. We saw the common areas for the first time last year and thought the attention to detail was phenomenal.

 

[Lives4Disney]

We had stayed there within the last year and found the rooms EXTREMELY small for a Disney Deluxe Hotel (we are WDW vets). But it was the most convenient. Don't think I would stay there again for the price.

That was kind of the deal breaker for us. I called DL reservations and asked them about the room sizes and they told me the GCH rooms are only 275 sq ft. She looked it up in her info and that is what she quoted me. Told me DLH rooms are 350. Both seem on the small side compared to the WDW monorail hotels, but for the price of the GCH I knew I'd be disappointed with a 275 sq ft room so we booked DLH instead.

Lives4Disney

 

[MATTERHORN]

I've never had a problem with the size of the room and there are 5 of us. It's a hotel room, I take it as that. If I wanted more room, I'd get a suite or something offsite that is a suite. It's got two beds, a fridge, a bathroom with double sinks and seperate area for toilet and shower/bath, a large closet, a table and 2 chairs and most have a balcony.

I don't know what more people could want. There is definitely room to get around, it's not like the beds are smashed up against the walls or anything! I even had room to fit the pack and play next to the bed between the bed and the wall!

 

[MATTERHORN]

And yes the price is high, but you are paying for location! Which is why we don't do it every trip, only when we get a great deal like the one coming in October!


Andrea

 

[Lives4Disney]

Andrea, I KNOW the WDW monorail resorts are at least 400 sq ft and at that size, they are fairly comfortable for us for about the same or more than the GCH charges/nt.

We have stayed at the Swan/Dolphin which are about 350 sq ft and felt tight. I don't want to feel uncomfortable for what the GCH was charging for the room. I know if I walked into a room I was paying $800/nt for and it was 275 sq ft I'd be REALLY REALLY BUMMED despite it's location.

It's a matter of mental comfort, lol. Honestly, I was really shocked when the DL CM told me the rooms are that small.

Lives4Disney

 

[MATTERHORN]

Andrea, I KNOW the WDW monorail resorts are at least 400 sq ft and at that size, they are fairly comfortable for us for about the same or more than the GCH charges/nt.

We have stayed at the Swan/Dolphin which are about 350 sq ft and felt tight. I don't want to feel uncomfortable for what the GCH was charging for the room. I know if I walked into a room I was paying $800/nt for and it was 275 sq ft I'd be REALLY REALLY BUMMED despite it's location.

It's a matter of mental comfort, lol. Honestly, I was really shocked when the DL CM told me the rooms are that small.

Lives4Disney

That's true! Although that $800 a night was a false quote since it was cheaper through other venues, but I would never pay $800 a night for any hotel anywhere. Even if I had NO budget at all, it doesn't mean I have to waste money when I can sleep perfectly fine in a hotel for half that cost. You can even get the Grand for half of that most of the year!!

But I digress, I just meant that it's not like you can't even move in it. People act like they walk in and walk right into the bed and that is far from the truth. YOu don't have to climb over a bed to get to the bathroom either. It's never really felt that small to me and we had 4 adults and 3 kids in Lynn's the other day while they washed up and we were definitely not on top of each other.

But I agree, everyone should do what's right for them. Just didn't want people to be turned off thinking it's a mouse hole or something. It's fine for a standard hotel room. And I have stayed at the DLH 3 times before, but it doesn't bother me if there is 5 feet between beds instead of 7 because I don't stand there all day, I'm at DL!!


Andrea

 

[MATTERHORN]

Also, I don't think I could ever get a main building room at the WDW monorail resorts for $189 standard or $209 a night theme park view (lagoon would be the equivalent I guess, or MK at Cont.) at WDW. And the Grand truly has one advantage over those, none of those are in a Theme Park.


Andrea

 

[TwingleMum]

When are you there? We are there from the 26th - 30th! Can't wait either, I hope you will love it too!


Andrea

Oh darn it we will be there 4/2 -4/6. We are spending the first 5 days at the DLH and then moving to GC.

 

[MATTERHORN]

Oh darn it we will be there 4/2 -4/6. We are spending the first 5 days at the DLH and then moving to GC.

How fun! You are gonna have an amazing trip, I can feel it! Can't wait to hear all about it!

Andrea

 

[TwingleMum]

How fun! You are gonna have an amazing trip, I can feel it! Can't wait to hear all about it!

Andrea

Thanks to all the great help here I've gotten some great tips. I'm really getting excited. We haven't told the kids its a surprise

 

[Keggy]

Do you happen to know how much parking and valet is? We are going in May! So excited!

Thanks,
Kelly

 

[Tinkerbell0508]

We are going in November and trying to decide on GCH. I have heard that they serve a continental breakfast. Is it complimentary? What are the noise levels like?We like as much quiet as you can get in a hotel!

 

[MATTERHORN]

There is no continental breakfast at the Disney hotels unless you pay the $150 per night for concierge service.

The resort fee I think is $12 per day, and I wanna say valet is around $18 but we never use it since we never leave the hotel by car!