Grand Californian vs Disneyland Hotel

[LisaPenz]

Hi guys! My partner and I are trying to book a DL trip for early September. We wanted to stay at the Grand for 3-4 nights because of convenience as my partner doesn't get much time off from his hectic work schedule. I called the grand to enquirer and there is no availability! I'm considering the DL Hotel although we've never been and I was shocked to learn its almost as expensive as GC! Is it worth it?

 

[whoever]

Worth is subjective, but yes, I think the prices are too close together personally...

 

[5forMickey]

Post renevation I actually prefer the DLH because the rooms are larger and a better fit for our family.

The Grand is beautiful, and the location can't be beat and if it were just for 2 of us I'm not sure which I would prefer. Since you don't seem to have a choice, I think you will be well pleased with the DLH. As the above poster said -- "worth it" is subjective but we love the it and think it is 100% worth it !!

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

Paradise Pier isn't bad either, if you choose to cross Disneyland Drive and walk through GCH to access the the parks instead of using the walkway out back.

 

[BriannaRuth]

We usually stay at the DLH. We really like it, although we're trying the Grand this time. The pools there are great and for two adults, you can't beat being so close to Trader Sam's.

If your main concern is distance, I really don't think the DLH is much closer than the hotels on Harbor, such as the HoJo, which is MUCH less expensive. Not the Disney experience and you wouldn't get the EMH hours at DCA, but it works for being pretty close and being less expensive. We stayed there on our first trip and could even see some of the fireworks from our room. Of course, the pools are nothing like the DLH.

I personally wouldn't choose to stay there as long as I could afford a Disney property, but it's good for an inexpensive stay that's still close by.

We're staying at Paradise Pier for one night on our next trip. It is very close to the Grand and is about $100 a night less than the DLH ($200 less than the Grand). However, the pool looks pretty boring and I've heard the hotel, especially the rooms, doesn't have much in the way of Disney theming.

 

[bumbershoot]

If it's early enough September, you're still running into Labor Day and, very importantly, the Disneyland Half Marathon crowds.

My faves go in this order. PPH, DLH, and then the Grand.

PPH is bright and sunny and has cute Mickey lifeguard lamps and is fun. The pool is a pool and a pool (IMO) is to swim in.

DLH is lovely and big and I like Tangaroa and Trader Sams, but I have yet to sit at the neat outside fireplace seating area b/c it's always being used by smokers when I go by, and I tend towards being asthmatic and the two do not go together. The pools are big and lovely but not amenable to laps but are fun to play in.

I never swam at the Grand. The rooms are smallest and dark and the walk from our room (possibly the second furthest away room) was literally as long to get from there to the esplanade as it would have been from the sidwalk outside HoJo. Not a bonus for us. DS and DH rode Grizzly several times our checkout morning, and by the time they got all the way to our room in their wet clothes, DS was turning blue and they were both shivering, it was that long a walk (inside in the air conditioning) They did that because the entrance to the Grand is so close to Grizzly; it's not something we would have thought to do from another hotel. But with our room it wasn't something that should have been done!

 

[LisaPenz]

Thanks so much everyone!

You've certainly given me a lot to think about.

It's interesting how many of you mentioned the pools as I never use the pools when I'm visiting DL. Too busy and tired out from the Parks! Haha.

 

[Geemo]

If your dates will be around DapperDays, you might look into booking a room through them. The GCH is only $225/night.

Look at their website to see what they are about and what they have to offer. The reduced hotel rate is fantastic and they also have reduced tickets through a link on their site.

When I checked they still had room available at the GCH.

Good Luck
Geemo

 

[BensWife]

We just got back from our first stay at the DLH and we have stayed at the GCH 2 times before. Even though I really liked the DLH, I prefer the GCH. Here are the reasons why...

#1. The open lobby at the Grand really is amazing. For me it is a WOW factor that the DLH doesn't have. And, with the lobby at the GCH, there are comfy chairs to sit in for a break, and the beautiful fireplace is my favorite.

#2. The location really can't be beat. I didn't think the DLH was going to be that far, but after a very long day and tired feet, it felt like 1,000 miles. And, if you stay at the DLH, don't count the monorail as transportation. Every time we wanted to ride it, it wasn't working. For our whole trip we were only able to use it once.

#3. The rooms at the GCH are said to be small and dark compared to the DLH. We didn't find that at all. Maybe we had a small room at the DLH? We've seen pictures with rooms with 2 beds and a sofa at DLH, but ours had a king and just a chair - so not huge by any means. I would say the size was the same.

#4. The pool is also said to be better the the DLH. We liked them equally. The DLH seems a lot busier than the GCH hotel - we couldn't find open lounge chairs at the DLH, but easily found them at the GCH. The kid area was better at the DLH, but was broken while we were there. That would have been a total bummer if we had our kids with us, but since it was just DH and me, it didn't make a difference. Well, it made the other pools totally full of little kids, so I guess it did have a little difference for us.

#5. I didn't like the 3 different towers at the DLH. At the Grand, everything is in one building. Yes, it can be a walk depending on where your room is, but at least if you want to go to the gift shop and buy something (like band aides) you don't have to go to an entirely different building.

All that being said, I did LOVE the headboards at the DLH. They are super neat and we turned them on every night we were there. But, when you look at the small price difference between the 2, I would always pick the GCH over the DLH. I didn't know that until I stayed at the DLH, so I am glad to now know which one I prefer. We have rented a DVC villa at the Grand for our upcoming September trip and I am sooo excited about it.

Good luck on your decision. You really can't go wrong with either hotel. They really are both amazing.