Grand Californian Super Thread

[blackjackdelta]

Do the VGC rooms have the in-wall type of air conditioners or is it central air? We like to run a fan for white noise while we sleep and I'm wondering if we need to bring a small fan with us.

It is central and i would bring a small fan.

Jack

 

[boiseflyfisher]

Do the VGC rooms have the in-wall type of air conditioners or is it central air? We like to run a fan for white noise while we sleep and I'm wondering if we need to bring a small fan with us.

It is central air.

 

[ParkHopper1]

Central air and by far the quietest rooms I have EVER stayed in at the GCH, and there are weeks that I am on the road more than in my own bed.

I just had a monorail view room, and with the sliding door closed, hardly a rumble. This trip I requested a room close to the main elevators...and that is exactly what I got! my room shared the wall with the elevator shaft..."Great"..I though as I got to my door..."This is gonna suck"....and already had my game plan to move cuz I hate noise at night. Well, not even a peep from the elevators! I was quite blown away.

...now back to your question...yes, bring a fan if you want some background noise!

 

[PinkTink63]

Central air and by far the quietest rooms I have EVER stayed in at the GCH, and there are weeks that I am on the road more than in my own bed.

I absolutely agree! We just stayed here for our first time and couldn't believe how quiet it was in our room! We were on the 4th floor overlooking CA. My husband kept opening the sliding glass door and then shutting it, because he couldn't get over the difference it made!

 

[ParkHopper1]

My husband kept opening the sliding glass door and then shutting it, because he couldn't get over the difference it made!

HA! I admit, I did this too first time there!

 

[lmb80129]

Do families of 5 always end up in a room with enough beds for everyone? I feel a little foolish asking the question but I thought I read that people ended up on the floor with sleeping bags. I couldn't tell if it was a joke or if people just choose the sleeping bags because they didn't like the bedding arrangement that they had. Thanks!

 

[blackjackdelta]

Do families of 5 always end up in a room with enough beds for everyone? I feel a little foolish asking the question but I thought I read that people ended up on the floor with sleeping bags. I couldn't tell if it was a joke or if people just choose the sleeping bags because they didn't like the bedding arrangement that they had. Thanks!

Not a joke, some rooms have kings, d queens, some with dqueens and a day bed and some get d queens with a sleeping bag. I would check with reservations to see what arrangments you made.

Jack

 

[JosieGirl71]

Thank you to all for answering my question! We fly down tommorrow!

 

[Nonsuch]

Do families of 5 always end up in a room with enough beds for everyone? I feel a little foolish asking the question but I thought I read that people ended up on the floor with sleeping bags.

The most common room configuration is 2 queen beds, so someone will be on the floor
The rarest room configuration is 2 queen beds and a daybed. Request a daybed room in advance, and try to check in early
Search this thread for "daybed" for more details

 

[closetmickey]

Or you could have a room with a queen and bunk beds with a trundle. That would give 5 beds- as long as your children are not too old (big) for the bunks and/or trundle. That's what we had- worked out great!

 

[WendyWhy]

Did not see an answer to this previous question...I too am curious about this. Would like to surprise the little ones in my group with ears but want to know what if any additional cost to have them in the room on arrival? Traveling with another family and using their active military discount - would like to gift their kids with ears and have them in the rooms as a surprise/thank-you!

Just found the answer to my own question - it is $25 shopping fee in addition to the cost of any merchandise (a few bucks more than what's listed on the Disney store website)...and the items are left in the room btwn 4-6pm, so if you want to have it in the room on arrival, this would only work if arriving in the evening! Hope that helps someone!

 

[WendyWhy]

Anyone with a baby been to GCH recently? I just emailed vacation planning and they said no cribs, only Pack n' Plays - but I distinctly remember seeing a picture of a crib somewhere on this thread...Perhaps they have switched them all to Pack n' Plays?

 

[ttfn2u2pooh]

Can the beds in the hotel rooms be moved around? I ask because DD (3) will be there, is to big for a Pack-n-Play and I'm worried about her falling out of the bed. On a recent trip to the coast we were able to take one of the Queen beds, push it up against the wall and we eliminated the worry of her falling out. Wondering if I will be able to do the same at GCH. From the photos it appears that there are headboards but are they just on the walls?

I know there are special blow-up tubes you can get that can be placed under the sheets or I could even put a rolled up blanket under the sheets but I'm thinking that just shoving the bed, if possible, would be a lot easier.

Thank you.

 

[ttfn2u2pooh]

Anyone with a baby been to GCH recently? I just emailed vacation planning and they said no cribs, only Pack n' Plays - but I distinctly remember seeing a picture of a crib somewhere on this thread...Perhaps they have switched them all to Pack n' Plays?

i thought I had seen where you could request a crib be brought up to your room. The Pack-n-Play's (I believe) are already in the rooms. Maybe, because the PnP's are there they have done away with the cribs.

 

[ttfn2u2pooh]

One more question... are the smaller sized robes still available for kids? If so, can I request one at the time of check-in or does it have to be done from in the room?

 

[rentayenta]

Totally random but I can't wait to get a new GCH robe during our stay in just 75 days. I've had my old robe coming up on 6 years now. I don't dare part with it until I get a new one.

 

[Cadnack]

Hello all, firstly thank you for the wealth of info I'm reading through. This is the first ever trip to Disneyland for myself and our five year old (my husband had been when much younger). We booked the GC DTD view for five nights, specifically hoping for fireworks view. Sounds like I should ask for a room in the 5100s or 6100s range! I've read somewhere that there is a nightly resort fee that includes self-parking although we are not driving (straight from airport on shuttle). Is this correct ? Related to having no car, can anyone advise on nearby walkable locations (even off-site) for light grocery shopping like yogurt, fruit etc? Our child has a severe peanut allergy, so any particular recommendations for on-site dining options that take extra care for food allergies, please? I have been reading mixed reviews of the storyteller cafe. A hearty breakfast or lunch is key for us, but is expecting eg buffet for around $20 per adult completely unrealistic? How about quick dining or a cafe in the park/downtown Disney? And it sounds like concierge level is priced per room, not per guest? So $150 per night for three of us is not the best deal.... Thanks very much in advance your responses or additional tips you think we should know,

 

[Nonsuch]

We booked the GC DTD view for five nights, specifically hoping for fireworks view. Sounds like I should ask for a room in the 5100s or 6100s range!

If your main focus is fireworks, 6400s or 5400s might be slightly better.
x100 rooms have a better view of activities in DTD.

I've read somewhere that there is a nightly resort fee that includes self-parking although we are not driving (straight from airport on shuttle). Is this correct ?

The resort fee has been replace by a $15 daily parking fee (higher for valet), which you do not need to pay.
You do need to pay 17% tax on the room, but this should already be included in your quoted rate.

 

[aliceindisneyland]

Just returned from our first GCH stay 9/8-9/12! We booked through Expedia, typed in a request for bunkbeds and a note that we were celebrating my husband's 40th birthday. Called GCH directly 3 times to confirm that the requests appeared. Called GCH preregistration line around 11am the morning of our arrival. Got Judy, who told me that we had been assigned 2 queens, that room assignments were decided upon overnight, and that I could go on a wait list for bunk beds; we could change rooms if a bunk bed room became available during our stay. OK, put me on the list. She also said that preregistration was useless as you still have to go through the exact same check in process.
Decided to try one more time on our way down around 7pm. I wish I could remember the agent's name because he was fantastic! I asked where we were on the bunk bed wait list, and he said he wasn't aware that a bunk bed wait list existed. He asked me for details, I related my convo with Judy from the a.m., and told him that I had really been hoping we could get a bunk bed room to help the kids be happier about our stay at GCH (they were disappointed to miss the new DLH pool.)
He magically made a bunk bed room appear, and it was better than I could have hoped for as we were booked for a standard view room. We were in room 2343 :

• queen with bunk beds and trundle
• about 4 doors down from elevator closest to DCA entrance
• balcony
• view looks over Grizzly River Run - obscured by trees, but we could see the rafts go down and people walking past the ride; room is directly over ticket entrance to DCA -- you could get on the roof from the balcony if you wanted to
  

So if you get assigned to a 2 queen room and you really want bunk beds, call the night before the room assignments are made, or plead your case and hope for Disney Magic!

 

[kailuagirl]

Last year we were in room 3002. Loved the closeness to the elevator and the little "lobby" outside our room. View was of the entrance I guess.

We have another standard room booked and I'm going to request the same area. Is there a better area that is also near the elevators? or a better floor?

Thanks!