Grand Californian Super Thread

[DisneyJewel]

but won't be at GCH for a few days because we are road-tripping. So psyched to stay at GCH, this thread (and others) have been enormously helpful. We can't wait! And we have our LGMH!

 

[mvf-m11c]

You're welcome but I just saw a bunch of posts saying you are not to take advantage of the gay days rate unless you are participating so sorry I gave you misinformation. I guess that is a "new" rule because I know people that have used the rate in the past with no worries.

Remember too that you need to keep checking the rate for the hotel and call right away if it goes lower. Historically the rate often goes lower about 10 days ahead if they are not sold out. Good luck!

Thanks fidoprincess for the information.

It's np, Sherry E mention that the resort will ask if I am participating Gay Days week in October. It will just be trouble if I got the discount and lie to the resort. They previous threads in the past saying they took advantage of it, but DL took it more serious after that.

I am still keeping track of all the days heading towards my trip and hope that DL will drop the price of the room. Right now when I checked the rates on the AP website, the park view went up so now the standard is the cheapest. (talk about a big change in just a few hours while the park view was $282 and now it is at $432. Just like that the prices can go up or down anytime.

 

[franandaj]

You're welcome but I just saw a bunch of posts saying you are not to take advantage of the gay days rate unless you are participating so sorry I gave you misinformation. I guess that is a "new" rule because I know people that have used the rate in the past with no worries.

Just out of curiosity, how is "participating" defined? I mean we're going (we have APs and are staying on DVC points so it doesn't matter), but we aren't buying tickets to any of the events because as two women, we aren't interested in a lot of boys drinking, we're just going for the atmosphere in the parks. We plan on having a nice dinner Saturday night after hanging out in DL Sat and then checking out DCA Sun and then going home. We'll probably stop by the "exhibits" but other than that, we're not really "participating" other than wearing red shirts.

 

[HydroGuy]

We did not have a day bed, but other than that your room looked just like ours. Stuff all over the floor and beds awry!

Hope my wife and son forgive me as I show a dirty room and the daybed with him sleeping on it.

Wider second shot

We had a standard room (#3105) and it had a view of the DL Hotel, Front area of cars pulling into the hotel, and Paradise Pier.

A side note there is also a nice viewing area of the pool up on the top floor sort of a terrace that I wasn't aware of. There is also an outside fireplace that was a nice surprise. I have pictures of both as I will have to download them to photobucket. That will be my next installment.

 

[PrincessIM]

KCMike, I am getting so excited for our trip now that I am seeing all of your beautiful photos!

I hope we get one of those rooms that overlooks the lobby with the wide hallway. Even though it has no view, it is a good spot to be close to everything including the elevators and no long winding halls to hike though.

Did you ever find your pics of the room with the daybed? I am going to call again tomorrow to "remind" them of our request and we decided to drive down the night before and stay somewhere else so we can check into GCH early to increase our odds of getting the daybed! (Plus miss some of the LA traffic...)

I should start getting some stuff together because all of the sudden it is closer than I thought. Thanks for all of the pics. They are really great!

You can also call two hours prior to your arrival to pre register.

 

[kiwichicken]

Hi all

This is my fist post on DisBoards after reading for weeks. I am planning a family trip for July 2011. The GCH won't accept any bookings after January 4 2011. Does anyone know why, or when they will open new dates? I have tried searching for info on the GCH site and here without success.

Thanks in advance.

kiwi

 

[CrazyDuck]

Hi all

This is my fist post on DisBoards after reading for weeks. I am planning a family trip for July 2011. The GCH won't accept any bookings after January 4 2011. Does anyone know why, or when they will open new dates? I have tried searching for info on the GCH site and here without success.

Thanks in advance.

kiwi

probably because they didn't publish the 2011 rates yet... I forget when they publish them... I wanna say September, but don't quote me!

BTW welcome to the DIS!

 

[Sherry E]

You're welcome but I just saw a bunch of posts saying you are not to take advantage of the gay days rate unless you are participating so sorry I gave you misinformation. I guess that is a "new" rule because I know people that have used the rate in the past with no worries.

Remember too that you need to keep checking the rate for the hotel and call right away if it goes lower. Historically the rate often goes lower about 10 days ahead if they are not sold out. Good luck!

Thanks fidoprincess for the information.

It's np, Sherry E mention that the resort will ask if I am participating Gay Days week in October. It will just be trouble if I got the discount and lie to the resort. They previous threads in the past saying they took advantage of it, but DL took it more serious after that.

I am still keeping track of all the days heading towards my trip and hope that DL will drop the price of the room. Right now when I checked the rates on the AP website, the park view went up so now the standard is the cheapest. (talk about a big change in just a few hours while the park view was $282 and now it is at $432. Just like that the prices can go up or down anytime.

Just out of curiosity, how is "participating" defined? I mean we're going (we have APs and are staying on DVC points so it doesn't matter), but we aren't buying tickets to any of the events because as two women, we aren't interested in a lot of boys drinking, we're just going for the atmosphere in the parks. We plan on having a nice dinner Saturday night after hanging out in DL Sat and then checking out DCA Sun and then going home. We'll probably stop by the "exhibits" but other than that, we're not really "participating" other than wearing red shirts.

We established sometime last year that we could no longer allow threads or posts on the DIS that encouraged or otherwise promoted DIS-ers to purchase discounted hotel rooms or tickets through conventions/conferences - unless they were actually legitimately registered and attending the events surrounding those conferences/conventions, that is.

This came up after an issue in which a DIS-er (who was legitimately attending a homeschool conference) was selling GCH rooms from her group's pre-purchased block of rooms to people here on the DIS who were not attending the conference or were not registered. That thread slipped through the cracks and it took a long time before we discovered she was selling. First of all, there is no selling of any kind here on the DIS. Second, there were folks who agreed to show up at the conference momentarily, but inevitably you know people would try to bypass the conference just to get the discounted rooms and tickets.

So, because I guess there was a sudden surge of people making reservations for GCH rooms belonging to certain blocks (which belonged to groups who were attendees of the conference), Disney got suspicious and began calling everyone who had reservations to make sure they were "registered" members or attendees and that they were, indeed, attending. Some of the DIS-ers were taken aback by having to answer the questions, and felt that the details were misrepresented to them in the beginning (by the DIS-er who initially posted).

It was just turning in to a mess, and we got rid of the thread.

So from that point on, we decided that it's for the best to not advertise or promote obtaining discount tickets or hotel rooms attached to any conferences or conventions to DIS-ers on this board. It's basically something that Disney frowns upon, so we can't allow it. People who are already planning to attend and are registered members will know about the tickets and hotel rooms. (Some of our DIS-ers were legitimately already planning on attending the homeschool conference last year. Others simply wanted the discounted GCH rooms.) It's just easier for everyone that way. I'm sure people will still do it - they will still get the discounted rooms and tickets from convention or conference websites even if they are not registered attendees, but we can't allow it to be promoted on here, i.e., "Hey, everyone - come get discount tickets and hotel rooms from X convention site!"

I, of all people, understand the urge and need for discounts and the desire to stay onsite or get cheaper tickets. But I just wait for the random PIN codes that come in the mail, or the occasional deals DLR puts up on their website, or the AP hotel rates (when I can get another AP). Plus, the more points I build up on my Disney Visa rewards, I can apply those to tickets or hotels. So there are other ways to get discounts on things.

 

[franandaj]

Thanks for clarifying Sherry!

 

[DmaxHawk]

Hi all

This is my fist post on DisBoards after reading for weeks. I am planning a family trip for July 2011. The GCH won't accept any bookings after January 4 2011. Does anyone know why, or when they will open new dates? I have tried searching for info on the GCH site and here without success.

Thanks in advance.

kiwi

probably because they didn't publish the 2011 rates yet... I forget when they publish them... I wanna say September, but don't quote me!

BTW welcome to the DIS!

Duck, I think you're right. Last year I started planning a trip in September (09) for March (10) and they had their rates up.


X2 on the welcome!

 

[23bw]

If anyone can remember and has a moment on their next Grand Californian Hotel stay, please check the bed and find out the name and the style of the bed. I really want one of those beds!
I called the Grand Californian directly but they were not too much help. They said they thought it might be Sealy, but no other name, etc. Thanks!

Did anyone find out about the beds at the GCH? I want to know too.
I had planned to look but it slipped my mind before we checked out during our last stay.

 

[KCmike]

 

[CrazyDuck]

That would be a great photo... if it was in focus!

 

[tdashgirl]

Awww KCMike - that is reminding me of the lovely piano music we could hear in our room in June

 

[mvf-m11c]

I just got off the phone and I just added a 2nd night on my stay at the GCH and got the same price as the first night at $228. Earlier, I called at least two times and earlier this week and I was hoping that the GCH CMs would give me the same price as the first night, but they wouldn't allow it and if I wanted to stay a 2nd night it would be at $342 a night. Than on my third try this week, I was about to get the park view room until I talked to this great CM that helped me today and she actually got me the price that I was hoping for than the other few tries. It was a long wait and it was worth it. We got the right price for the standard room and I am looking forward to our stay in October.

 

[blackjackdelta]

I just got off the phone and I just added a 2nd night on my stay at the GCH and got the same price as the first night at $228. Earlier, I called at least two times and earlier this week and I was hoping that the GCH CMs would give me the same price as the first night, but they wouldn't allow it and if I wanted to stay a 2nd night it would be at $342 a night. Than on my third try this week, I was about to get the park view room until I talked to this great CM that helped me today and she actually got me the price that I was hoping for than the other few tries. It was a long wait and it was worth it. We got the right price for the standard room and I am looking forward to our stay in October.

That is great. Sometimes you just have to keep at it.

Jack

 

[monami7]

I just got off the phone and I just added a 2nd night on my stay at the GCH and got the same price as the first night at $228. Earlier, I called at least two times and earlier this week and I was hoping that the GCH CMs would give me the same price as the first night, but they wouldn't allow it and if I wanted to stay a 2nd night it would be at $342 a night. Than on my third try this week, I was about to get the park view room until I talked to this great CM that helped me today and she actually got me the price that I was hoping for than the other few tries. It was a long wait and it was worth it. We got the right price for the standard room and I am looking forward to our stay in October.

was it a code?

 

[blackjackdelta]

Does anyone know what Vons I need to order from and what delivery address should I put in. It says the Villas are 92803. Is it considered business or residential.

Thanks

Jack

 

[mvf-m11c]

was it a code?

It was the AP discount. I booked a room back in early July when the standard room was at $228 and after that the price was set at $342 a night. But I called the GCH and I called at least three times if I could get the same price if I stay another night at the GCH. The third time was the charm. That was really nice from that CM to go talk to her supervisors and override the decision of getting the discount for the standard for me during my stay in October. They said that all the standard rooms are all booked up, but when I checked out the AP website, they have the room still available. I didn't know why they would say something like that, but in the end I am happy of getting the room at the discount price.

 

[DmaxHawk]

Does anyone know what Vons I need to order from and what delivery address should I put in. It says the Villas are 92803. Is it considered business or residential.

Thanks

Jack

I was told just to put in the address of the hotel. I would say Business. As for which Vons, I would just go to the Vons website and type in 92802 in the Zip.