Grand Californian Super Thread

[phyllis1966]

Bumping this back up with a pretty photo I found online:

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

One more question for all of the GCH experts, since you've been so helpful with all my other newbie questions!

I saw that the coffee makers in the rooms are unfortunately of the single cup pod variety, so my usual strategy of grinding my favorite beans at home and bringing my own coffee won't work this time. But is this a standard size pod like the Senseo pods, or something different? I've seen ways to make my own pods (can you tell I'm picky about my coffee? ), but I'm wondering if a) they'll work in this coffee maker, and b) if it's worth it.

Sigh...maybe I should suck it up and just budget the time and money on buying coffee every morning. I love getting up and making my coffee right away in the morning, and savoring that first cup while we get ready. DS knows not to ask me any questions needing serious thought until after that first cup!

 

[::danielle::]

One more question for all of the GCH experts, since you've been so helpful with all my other newbie questions!

I saw that the coffee makers in the rooms are unfortunately of the single cup pod variety, so my usual strategy of grinding my favorite beans at home and bringing my own coffee won't work this time. But is this a standard size pod like the Senseo pods, or something different? I've seen ways to make my own pods (can you tell I'm picky about my coffee? ), but I'm wondering if a) they'll work in this coffee maker, and b) if it's worth it.

Sigh...maybe I should suck it up and just budget the time and money on buying coffee every morning. I love getting up and making my coffee right away in the morning, and savoring that first cup while we get ready. DS knows not to ask me any questions needing serious thought until after that first cup!

I'm also picky about coffee. My problem is that by the time I make myself presentable enough to go buy coffee, I'm already awake but extremely grouchy!

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

I'm also picky about coffee. My problem is that by the time I make myself presentable enough to go buy coffee, I'm already awake but extremely grouchy!

This is me, exactly!! I'm a much nicer mommy after my coffee. Not to mention that I just can't think clearly first thing in the morning...I've been known to start the coffee maker without water in it, or with no grounds. I've packed DS's breakfast in his lunch box, packed the lunch box but forgot to put it in his backpack, and once transferred a load of laundry from the dryer right back into the washing machine!

I finally upgraded to a programmable coffee maker and get it ready the night before, and we start the day with my coffee now.

 

[Circusgirl]

One more question for all of the GCH experts, since you've been so helpful with all my other newbie questions!

I saw that the coffee makers in the rooms are unfortunately of the single cup pod variety, so my usual strategy of grinding my favorite beans at home and bringing my own coffee won't work this time. But is this a standard size pod like the Senseo pods, or something different? I've seen ways to make my own pods (can you tell I'm picky about my coffee? ), but I'm wondering if a) they'll work in this coffee maker, and b) if it's worth it.

Sigh...maybe I should suck it up and just budget the time and money on buying coffee every morning. I love getting up and making my coffee right away in the morning, and savoring that first cup while we get ready. DS knows not to ask me any questions needing serious thought until after that first cup!

I'm also picky about coffee. My problem is that by the time I make myself presentable enough to go buy coffee, I'm already awake but extremely grouchy!

I am particular about my coffee, so I finally bought an electric tea kettle and bring it with me along with my favorite coffee, filters and a filter cone. I buy some milk or 1/2 and 1/2 when I arrive and I'm good to go. I love being able to have a fantastic cup of coffee before I leave the room in the morning.

 

[MommyJKM]

One more question for all of the GCH experts, since you've been so helpful with all my other newbie questions!

I saw that the coffee makers in the rooms are unfortunately of the single cup pod variety, so my usual strategy of grinding my favorite beans at home and bringing my own coffee won't work this time. But is this a standard size pod like the Senseo pods, or something different? I've seen ways to make my own pods (can you tell I'm picky about my coffee? ), but I'm wondering if a) they'll work in this coffee maker, and b) if it's worth it.

Sigh...maybe I should suck it up and just budget the time and money on buying coffee every morning. I love getting up and making my coffee right away in the morning, and savoring that first cup while we get ready. DS knows not to ask me any questions needing serious thought until after that first cup!

I strangely know this because I'm slightly coffee picky - as in I HATE Starbucks and generic coffee -

The coffee maker is a Cuisinart pod.

Hearthstone Lounge serves Joffrey Brand coffee, Medium Blend. Which I really like! https://www.joffreys.com/
I like to walk downstairs in my pajamas and grab a cup of coffee at Hearthstone and go back upstairs to get ready. There's never been a line when I've gone. Then when we leave for the park, I get another cup there.

They also use Joffrey's for their room service coffee so more times than not we pre-order breakfast the night before and I ask for extra coffee and it arrives at the designated time and I have fresh coffee and the kids have breakfast while we get ready!

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

I am particular about my coffee, so I finally bought an electric tea kettle and bring it with me along with my favorite coffee, filters and a filter cone. I buy some milk or 1/2 and 1/2 when I arrive and I'm good to go. I love being able to have a fantastic cup of coffee before I leave the room in the morning.

We're flying down this trip, so I won't have space for the electric kettle, but the filter cone is a great idea...I must ponder this!

I strangely know this because I'm slightly coffee picky - as in I HATE Starbucks and generic coffee -

The coffee maker is a Cuisinart pod.

Hearthstone Lounge serves Joffrey Brand coffee, Medium Blend. Which I really like! https://www.joffreys.com/
I like to walk downstairs in my pajamas and grab a cup of coffee at Hearthstone and go back upstairs to get ready. There's never been a line when I've gone. Then when we leave for the park, I get another cup there.

They also use Joffrey's for their room service coffee so more times than not we pre-order breakfast the night before and I ask for extra coffee and it arrives at the designated time and I have fresh coffee and the kids have breakfast while we get ready!

Room service sounds like a good option! DH isn't with us on this trip, so I'm not sure about dragging DS downstairs with me in the morning to get my coffee, although it might work.


Thanks everyone! I'm glad I'm not the only one who is picky about coffee and needs it in the morning! I think I'll skip worrying about making and bringing my own pods. Sounds like I'll be buying my coffee, although the filter cone idea is very appealing. I suppose I could just run water through the coffee maker to get it hot, then pour it through the filter cone. Not ideal, but it would be my coffee from home and it would be right there in the room. I used to have a travel french press, but I somehow managed to crack it on one trip and haven't ever gotten around to replacing it.

 

[nu2dvc]

Just wondering if anyone knows the location of the bunk bed rooms. Also wondering - are the bunk bed rooms just a Queen bed and the bunk beds or is there some type of sleeper sofa as well? I booked GCH for my family of 5 yesterday and the agent asked if I'd like to put in a request for bunkbeds and I said sure, since I know the kids would love them, but reading through this thread has got me thinking - is one of my kids going to be in a sleeping bag?! That is so weird, just sayin'. I've never heard of such a thing at a hotel!!

 

[Aladora]

Just wondering if anyone knows the location of the bunk bed rooms. Also wondering - are the bunk bed rooms just a Queen bed and the bunk beds or is there some type of sleeper sofa as well? I booked GCH for my family of 5 yesterday and the agent asked if I'd like to put in a request for bunkbeds and I said sure, since I know the kids would love them, but reading through this thread has got me thinking - is one of my kids going to be in a sleeping bag?! That is so weird, just sayin'. I've never heard of such a thing at a hotel!!

We were in room 4150 and it was a queen plus bunk beds and a trundle bed under the bottom bunk.

 

[sgrap]

We were in room 4150 and it was a queen plus bunk beds and a trundle bed under the bottom bunk.

That is exactly what all our bunk bed room set ups have been. I think that is the only set up for bunk beds. So 3 kid size beds plus a queen. Bedding for all provided.

 

[cml1010]

Just wondering if anyone knows the location of the bunk bed rooms. Also wondering - are the bunk bed rooms just a Queen bed and the bunk beds or is there some type of sleeper sofa as well? I booked GCH for my family of 5 yesterday and the agent asked if I'd like to put in a request for bunkbeds and I said sure, since I know the kids would love them, but reading through this thread has got me thinking - is one of my kids going to be in a sleeping bag?! That is so weird, just sayin'. I've never heard of such a thing at a hotel!!

Hi - room 6300 has bunk beds with a great view of the pool/park - it is a great room!

 

[MommyJKM]

Just wondering if anyone knows the location of the bunk bed rooms. Also wondering - are the bunk bed rooms just a Queen bed and the bunk beds or is there some type of sleeper sofa as well? I booked GCH for my family of 5 yesterday and the agent asked if I'd like to put in a request for bunkbeds and I said sure, since I know the kids would love them, but reading through this thread has got me thinking - is one of my kids going to be in a sleeping bag?! That is so weird, just sayin'. I've never heard of such a thing at a hotel!!

1. Nonsuch should have a map that shows you bunk bed rooms. We have the room number of ours somewhere on my TR but it's not a VGC.

2. The bunk beds rooms have a Queen and bunk bed but it has a TRUNDLE bed under them which is like a drawer and awfully uncomfortable. I would ask when you arrive to see both a double queen with pullout bed or a bunk bed room. Our kids couldn't sleep on the trundle as it was so flat and low.

 

[RipClutchgoneski]

How do I go about reserving a specific room or area?we're staying the week after Easter in dvc and I'd love a park view rom TIA!

 

[Gardengirl605]

I always make my room requests directly to the GCH. They won't ever guarantee you a specific room, but will try to accommodate requests if possible. I give them my preferences in priority order. I often end up being in the general area I prefer.

 

[SMorgan711]

How do I go about reserving a specific room or area?we're staying the week after Easter in dvc and I'd love a park view rom TIA!

I did mine through the regular reservation office. They added it to my reservation and I confirmed when I checked in. We requested a room near the Napa Rose elevators thanks to some other DISers advise and it was a really convenient location!!

 

[Nonsuch]

1. Nonsuch should have a map that shows you bunk bed rooms...

Bunk bed rooms are spread throughout the hotel and are available in all view types. A map of bunk bed rooms (or any specific bed type) does not exist, except Day Beds which are all at the front of the hotel.

My next map project is to create a floor by floor map of the entire hotel, similar to the VGC maps.

 

[Nonsuch]

How do I go about reserving a specific room or area?we're staying the week after Easter in dvc and I'd love a park view rom TIA!

Requests for VGC are different than GCH.
I have had good results sending an email to DVC Member Services with a list of specific villa numbers.
Examples of various requests can be found in the VGC SuperThread.

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

We just got back from our first stay at GCH, and we fell in love with it! I don't think I can ever stay anywhere else again. It was absolutely worth saving up for it to stay there! We had a woods/courtyard view and had requested connecting rooms with the friends who traveled with us. We ended up in 5021, and our friends were in 5020, and got our connecting rooms (both had 2 queen beds). We were right under the concierge lounge, and while it was usually not too noisy, the times there WAS noise was when they were cleaning/setting up at 10pm and 5am. So we'll definitely put that on the future "please don't put us there" list. But we loved our view of the monorail - DS would run out on the balcony every time he heard it! One time he even ran right into the balcony door when he heard it coming because he forgot it was closed! Oh man, that was funny. Fortunately, only his dignity was hurt. I think I could have just spent hours sitting on that balcony and relaxing, but DS and our friends were more of the "go-go-go!" types. It was our friends' first Disney trip, and we got them hooked! They loved it, and kept raving about the GCH and how great it was, and they are already plotting their next visit. Another Disney fan created!

 

[gardengirl2790]

This happened to us too. We have stayed at the GCH every trip since. . . for us, it makes the trip that much more magical and fully immersive.

 

[phyllis1966]

We're headed to the GCH this summer for our DD's Sweet 16 trip, to which her BFF is invited. We booked a one-bedroom suite for the extra room and so we can all have some privacy.

Any recommendations for room requests? I figured I'd request theme park view - good enough, you think? Not knowing exactly where these suites are located, I'm not sure if that's the best/only request to make.

Thanks!