Grand Californian Super Thread

[Shinrai]

I know these have been discussed somewhat in this thread, but skimming through I can't find the info now. So, I hope you'll bear with me for asking old questions!

We'll be staying at GCH for the first time in June. What is the best way to check in? On the app ahead of time or at the desk when we get there?

We had initially planned to check in first thing that morning but then realize we could check in up to five days in advance on the app.

We're hoping to get a preferred area, if that makes a difference. I had seen that the best way to request a particular area was to ask at check in. Does this work at all if checking in on the app in advance? Also, everyone hopes for a Pixie Dust upgrade, and we're no different. LOL Does that ever happen when checking in on the app, or is it more likely if I check in at the desk?

 

[Astylla]

I've been absolutely slammed with home life stuff and work but returned from my first Club Level GCH 3 night stay last Saturday.

Let's just say I have calculated how much overtime I need to work for my future Disney trips to continue staying Club Level. It was THAT fabulous.
I'll try to upload a ton of food pics and review later and some tips but had the best room and made ZERO requests.
Room 6114 had the monorail and courtyard outside my window and less than a 3 minute walk to the lounge. I couldn't have asked for a better stay.

 

[DonnerB]

We're hoping to get a preferred area, if that makes a difference. I had seen that the best way to request a particular area was to ask at check in. Does this work at all if checking in on the app in advance? Also, everyone hopes for a Pixie Dust upgrade, and we're no different. LOL Does that ever happen when checking in on the app, or is it more likely if I check in at the desk?

Checked in via the app a few days early for a stay 2/1. We had booked a Woods/Courtyard view. We got room 2230, which was a pool view. Plus it was ready before noon

 

[Malcon10t]

Does anyone know how to book the 3 bedroom signature suite? Can you do it online? I’ve tried all kinds of random different dates but every single time it keeps telling me to change search or call for availability. Is that just another way of saying there’s no availability?

It used to be you had to call, but now they are available online. If it says it is unavailable, it is unavailable. I just made a signature suite reservation online yesterday. THAT SAID, look at it as a 2bedroom. If the 2 bedroom isn't available, the 3 bedroom isn't available. But if the 2 bedroom IS available, call to see if you can add the 3rd bedroom. (I would grab the 2 bedroom first.).

Question about Craftsman BAR. Does anyone know if it's possible for non GCH guests to walk over to the bar and order drinks to go? There is a drink I love there and I'd like to know if I can run over just to get one as a break from DCA. I am not interested in eating food or sitting at the bar.

Yes, but you won't be able to take it back into DCA.

 

[Triphi]

We’re staying at GC (for the first time!) next week, from Sat-Fri. Just found out that our return flight on Friday was changed from afternoon departure to evening departure (a total pain with three kids under 7, but the airline says there's nothing they can do, ugh).

Does anyone know if we can still use the pool after checkout time on our last day? That would be a nice way to kill some time with the little kids.

 

[SeaDis]

We’re staying at GC (for the first time!) next week, from Sat-Fri. Just found out that our return flight on Friday was changed from afternoon departure to evening departure (a total pain with three kids under 7, but the airline says there's nothing they can do, ugh).

Does anyone know if we can still use the pool after checkout time on our last day? That would be a nice way to kill some time with the little kids.

Been there a few times!
-Yes, you can use the pool on checkout day. Your key should still work. If it doesn't, don't be shy & ask that it be reactivated for the pool.
-There are changing rooms and showers near the waterslides.
-Pack some sturdy plastic bags for wet swimsuits, to get them home. Or, use gift shop bags, etc.

-Pre-closure, you could call the night before and request late checkout. I don't remember the exact time, but I think 10 or 11 PM (call that day to confirm the time). The most they could ever offer was Noon. And sometimes they turned us down.
-Either way, I would usually approach our housekeeping person in the hall and ask if there is anyway we could have a little extra time for the kids/naps/etc. I always got a friendly response. Sometimes the HK lead will be checking room status. You could ask that person as well.

-Aside from the pool, there are many areas around the hotel/lobby/upper floors to rest, play games, charge phones, and kill some time. During your trip, start on floor 3 of the lobby and explore a little. Keep your room key handy and just explain you are waiting for a flight.

So we usually approached late departure like this:
-Morning Park time, if desired.
-Return to room to finish packing. Check bags into bell services. Take a backpack with everything needed for pool.
-Head for a late lunch, and pool time. Can order lunch at the pool, but check the menu before you commit to that.
-If you do have Parks that day, kids may want to ride Grizzly a couple times while already wet.
-Get cleaned up and head for a quiet area as needed. Kids may want to curl up on a couch or chair. Parents can order to-go refreshments from Hearthstone Lounge, as needed.
-It's not a bad idea to casually get your luggage from Bell Services ahead of time and keep it with you. During peak check-in time, they can get busy with incoming guests.

It's a long day for sure, but I can't imagine a better setup to make it easier to enjoy the wait. Have fun!

 

[Triphi]

Been there a few times!
-Yes, you can use the pool on checkout day. Your key should still work. If it doesn't, don't be shy & ask that it be reactivated for the pool.
-There are changing rooms and showers near the waterslides.
-Pack some sturdy plastic bags for wet swimsuits, to get them home. Or, use gift shop bags, etc.

-Pre-closure, you could call the night before and request late checkout. I don't remember the exact time, but I think 10 or 11 PM (call that day to confirm the time). The most they could ever offer was Noon. And sometimes they turned us down.
-Either way, I would usually approach our housekeeping person in the hall and ask if there is anyway we could have a little extra time for the kids/naps/etc. I always got a friendly response. Sometimes the HK lead will be checking room status. You could ask that person as well.

-Aside from the pool, there are many areas around the hotel/lobby/upper floors to rest, play games, charge phones, and kill some time. During your trip, start on floor 3 of the lobby and explore a little. Keep your room key handy and just explain you are waiting for a flight.

So we usually approached late departure like this:
-Morning Park time, if desired.
-Return to room to finish packing. Check bags into bell services. Take a backpack with everything needed for pool.
-Head for a late lunch, and pool time. Can order lunch at the pool, but check the menu before you commit to that.
-If you do have Parks that day, kids may want to ride Grizzly a couple times while already wet.
-Get cleaned up and head for a quiet area as needed. Kids may want to curl up on a couch or chair. Parents can order to-go refreshments from Hearthstone Lounge, as needed.
-It's not a bad idea to casually get your luggage from Bell Services ahead of time and keep it with you. During peak check-in time, they can get busy with incoming guests.

It's a long day for sure, but I can't imagine a better setup to make it easier to enjoy the wait. Have fun!

Thank you for all the great suggestions! We aren't in the parks the last day, but we do have a character breakfast at Goofy's Kitchen at 9:30, so that will kill some time. We'll definitely try to get late checkout, but even if we can't, I think we'll be fine with pool time and hanging out. I bet our kiddos will be exhausted by that point!

 

[twodogs]

Thank you for all the great suggestions! We aren't in the parks the last day, but we do have a character breakfast at Goofy's Kitchen at 9:30, so that will kill some time. We'll definitely try to get late checkout, but even if we can't, I think we'll be fine with pool time and hanging out. I bet our kiddos will be exhausted by that point!

You could rent a cabana at the pool as well. One thing to note (this is based on pre-COVID info since we didn’t check post COVID when we were just there), there was no shampoo/conditioner/body wash in the bathroom in the pool area, even though there are showers there. This may have changed, but I recommend taking the last bottles from your hotel room when you check out, just in case! A pool day at the end of the stay can be a great way to end the trip!

 

[blabbermouth]

How are the toiletries in the room - shampoo and conditioner in particular? Should I bring my own or are they decent?

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

How are the toiletries in the room - shampoo and conditioner in particular? Should I bring my own or are they decent?

I am really picky about my shampoo and conditioner, and I like the H2O brand they give you at GCH. On our last trip, I only used the ones at the hotel and my hair did just fine. I have thick, wavy, frizzy hair, so I always have to use a little bit of styling products to keep it from going crazy (DH calls it my "first year Hermione Granger" hair), and my hair was no wilder than usual using the hotel stuff.

 

[mouschievous]

How are the toiletries in the room - shampoo and conditioner in particular? Should I bring my own or are they decent?

I am really picky about my shampoo and conditioner, and I like the H2O brand they give you at GCH. On our last trip, I only used the ones at the hotel and my hair did just fine. I have thick, wavy, frizzy hair, so I always have to use a little bit of styling products to keep it from going crazy (DH calls it my "first year Hermione Granger" hair), and my hair was no wilder than usual using the hotel stuff.

I am also picky and I hate the H2O brand I don't like the smell, and I didn't like the way my hair behaved after using their products. I will be packing my own for our July trip when we stay at GCH.

 

[chezcurrie]

How are the toiletries in the room - shampoo and conditioner in particular? Should I bring my own or are they decent?

I must be a real odd-ball: I pack my own toiletries, and take home the shampoo/conditioner to use later to remember the stay by (always use the body wash so have the scent.) That said, the H2O brand works well with my fine but have too much of it stick-straight hair. I really love the scent as well.

 

[DizMe]

I like the H2O products. I really like the smell, but it is distinctive and not to everyone's taste (has a hint of eucalyptus). I rarely use hotel products but I like these. My hair loves to frizz up when it's humid out or it gets wet, and nothing is going to stop that, but the H2O shampoo and conditioner work as well as anything else for me and better than most.

 

[StarlitNight05]

I love the H20 product smell, but maybe because it instantly takes me back to Disneyland! They (at least used to) sell it at Acorn Gifts too, if you wanted a larger size to take home.

 

[DizMe]

I love the H20 product smell, but maybe because it instantly takes me back to Disneyland! They (at least used to) sell it at Acorn Gifts too, if you wanted a larger size to take home.

You can buy it online from ShopDisney, and you can also buy from other retails for (I'm guessing) a lot less. I think Walmart online even has it, which is sort of too bad because it diminishes the product image in my mind. I have a link here but I've not checked out the products or prices for what they are offering at WM. https://www.walmart.com/browse/h2o-beauty/YnJhbmQ6SDJPKyBCZWF1dHkie

 

[StarlitNight05]

You can buy it online from ShopDisney, and you can also buy from other retails for (I'm guessing) a lot less. I think Walmart online even has it, which is sort of too bad because it diminishes the product image in my mind. I have a link here but I've not checked out the products or prices for what they are offering at WM. https://www.walmart.com/browse/h2o-beauty/YnJhbmQ6SDJPKyBCZWF1dHkie

Wow, I had no idea! Thanks for sharing that.

 

[StormyCA]

Wow, I had no idea! Thanks for sharing that.

Check out Amazon, too. A few months ago I bought the Sea Salt body wash in an H20+ 'squeeze bottle' for $18. The same size on ShopDisney in the 'Disney branded' H20+ bottle was around $25.

 

[blabbermouth]

Thanks! It sounds like a reasonable risk to take for three days

 

[chezcurrie]

Thanks! It sounds like a reasonable risk to take for three days

You can always Instacart from Sephora if disaster strikes. Or the good ole (mickey ear) baseball cap.

 

[twodogs]

Since Sephora is right outside the entrance to the GCH from DTD, it covers a lot of packing errors/misjudgments (at least for my teen aged DD’s!)