Grand Californian - What am I missing?

[ColoradoLime]

The hotel itself looks beauitful, lobby gorgeous. The pool looks nice. But the rooms? Meh. What makes it so much more expensive??

I don't want this to be all negative, I just expected more than what I see in the photos.

 

[NMPensFan]

We would have been happy if our room matched the photos. Our room was so small. Barely any space between one of the beds and the sofa. The proximity to the parks was great though.

 

[Carrie in AZ]

GCH is our favorite Disney Resort, we think the rooms are beautiful. We like the decor, the large desk, the open space under the beds to store luggage, the hook on the wall in the foyer, and the large shower. For us, there is a special feeling about this resort and worth the cost. The CMs are amazing! Being able to walk right out and be in the parks or in DTD is perfect for us. We were just there again two weeks ago - being able to sit on our balcony and hear the music from DCA is very special. Also for us, coming from the desert, being able to look out or sit outside and see all the greenery and trees in the courtyard is a huge plus for us. When the monorail is running you can see that whiz through there as well. Again, we just love all the wood, architecture and complete feel of the resort.

Our last stay started off with extra magic. We had to wait a little while for our room to be ready so we relaxed in the lobby on the couches. My daughter went up to the pianist and made a special request to play my favorite Disney song - Married Life from Up - and the pianist went right into it. It really made me gush!

What is so great about Disney vacations is there is something for everyone!

 

[DLgal]

The hotel itself looks beauitful, lobby gorgeous. The pool looks nice. But the rooms? Meh. What makes it so much more expensive??

I don't want this to be all negative, I just expected more than what I see in the photos.

People seem to have this idea that hotel rooms, alone, are supposed to justify the price. They aren't. You are paying for the ENTIRE experience. At the Grand, you are paying for proximity to the parks, first and foremost. Then, you are paying for the amenities: the pools, fitness center, activities, etc. Then, the rooms.

Photos of the rooms don't tell the whole story. Those beds are the most comfortable hotel beds I've ever slept in. They are way better than the ones at the other resorts on property. The linens are better too. The service at this hotel is also better; it has the best cast members on property. Everything about this hotel is a couple notches above the Disneyland hotel, in my opinion. Since the refurbishment a couple years ago, the rooms are fantastic.

 

[WonkaKid]

The hotel itself looks beauitful, lobby gorgeous. The pool looks nice. But the rooms? Meh. What makes it so much more expensive??

I agree 100%. I’ve only stayed there once. It’s a perfectly fine hotel. The common areas are the best part while the rooms are relatively unremarkable. Is it worth the inflated (i.e. Disney premium) price? Perhaps as a once-in-your-life thing. But I wouldn’t do it regularly. I have a friend who comes to DL about twice a year and they nearly always stay there. I think it’s important for them to be close to the park so, sure, by all means do it if it makes you happy. But for me, I’d rather spend considerably less at another hotel that’s not too far away.

 

[PirateBrigade]

You’re paying for the Peloton bikes in the fitness center, lol.

but it’s expensive because people value it, some people have a more generous budget and the price difference between $250/night at Tropicana Inn vs $750/night at GCH is irrelevant.

like I personally pay whatever up charge exists to get extra guacamole

 

[BriannaRuth]

We stayed there once and probably would again if we didn't have kids with us. For us, it wasn't about the rooms, either. All about the proximity to the parks and the view. We had a room that looked directly out at Grizzly River and it was awesome. The feel of being in the Disney bubble is all that at the GCH, even more so than the DLH. We also loved the pool; it was a bit calmer than the DLH. We also love the lobby.

 

[StarlitNight05]

like I personally pay whatever up charge exists to get extra guacamole

This comparison is so relatable! Just take my money and give me the guac!

 

[ColoradoLime]

Our last stay started off with extra magic. We had to wait a little while for our room to be ready so we relaxed in the lobby on the couches. My daughter went up to the pianist and made a special request to play my favorite Disney song - Married Life from Up - and the pianist went right into it. It really made me gush!

I agree with you on the lobby, it is very beautiful and so grand. (ha! pun not intended lol)

 

[ColoradoLime]

I agree 100%. I’ve only stayed there once. It’s a perfectly fine hotel. The common areas are the best part while the rooms are relatively unremarkable. Is it worth the inflated (i.e. Disney premium) price? Perhaps as a once-in-your-life thing. But I wouldn’t do it regularly. I have a friend who comes to DL about twice a year and they nearly always stay there. I think it’s important for them to be close to the park so, sure, by all means do it if it makes you happy. But for me, I’d rather spend considerably less at another hotel that’s not too far away.

Yeah, "perfectly fine" is exactly how I view it. It's certainly a beautiful place but I don't see how it justifies the price of a luxury hotel.

 

[PalmettoPath]

The hotel itself looks beauitful, lobby gorgeous. The pool looks nice. But the rooms? Meh. What makes it so much more expensive??

I don't want this to be all negative, I just expected more than what I see in the photos.

This is the go-to hotel in Disneyland for sure. As others have noted, the proximity, amenities, dining etc. are all a part of the overall value of the resort. It is where we stay when we visit (I have stayed at Disneyland Hotel a few times as well when visiting alone, so I know those rooms versus GCH). The rooms themselves at the Grand Californian are okay if you like that style, but they are not in the league of a true luxury resort hotel. So it depends what you're comparing them to? Is it just a matter of the decor/style? Or are you comparing it to an upscale (non Disney) luxury resort? This goes for the rooms at any Disney Deluxe Resort at WDW as well. Disney Deluxe is their top category, but they are not on par with the most upscale of luxury resorts. This is one thing that Bob Chapek has apparently taken an interest in -- having Walt Disney World at some point build a true luxury resort hotel property (apparently he noted the differences most acutely after the Four Seasons Orlando opened at WDW). I personally would love to see this happen We always stay in Deluxe Disney Resort hotels and Villas, and the rooms are typically the best that Disney has to offer. But even within that category, there are many different styles and decor that will suit different tastes (and even room quality, especially when some are recently updated while others are in need of a refurb).

 

[azdisneylover]

The hotel itself looks beauitful, lobby gorgeous. The pool looks nice. But the rooms? Meh. What makes it so much more expensive??

I don't want this to be all negative, I just expected more than what I see in the photos.

For our family, the values are: by the afternoon/end of the day, my hip is sore I can barely walk, the room is very close and every step counts. For my dh and kids, the number 1 item is they can ride Grizzly Rapids over and over until they are soaking wet, and be back in the room and into dry clothes within minutes. (Most of the walking is in the hotel too!).
We are early risers, so the DCA entrance is awesome, especially when MM/EE is happening. Craftsmen Grill has decent food (loved it when it was Whitewater Snacks). Housekeeping has always been a blessing, especially when one year my son was sick.
We are a family of 5 (triplet b/g/g) who are 19. So, there is enough room for us. Each family is different.
I wish you a very great trip.

 

[Carrie in AZ]

Yeah, "perfectly fine" is exactly how I view it. It's certainly a beautiful place but I don't see how it justifies the price of a luxury hotel.

Maybe after you stay there once you will feel differently.

 

[StageTek]

Three things;

Location, location, location.

 

[DLgal]

You know, I have stayed in several "true luxury" hotels and they aren't significantly better, room wise, than the Grand Californian. I certainly liked the Grand better than many of them, though.

 

[jandegumas]

In the last 15 years, we’ve stayed at Paradise Pier twice, off property once, and GCH every other time (8 times). We love it and won’t stay anywhere else again. We will be there for a week in October and can’t wait! We don’t use the pool or fitness center or anything like that, but we love the location, atmosphere, service, etc. We like being able to walk right into DTD or DCA and we also like being able to end our nights with Grizzly and only have a short walk in our soaking wet clothes. Lol We park hop each day but usually find ourselves in DCA in the early afternoons and it’s nice to be able to run up to our room and replenish our backpacks with new snacks for the afternoon/evening or drop off purchases or whatever.

 

[ParkHopper1]

I get to stay in some of the nicest resorts in the country on my client's dime and while the rooms are indeed small, it is still one of my favorite hotels. There is something so comforting about the whole property that I do not get elsewhere.

Proximity is the biggest value to me.

Now if you all you need is a bed and a shower, yeah...it is way over priced...but often people have unrealistic expectations just because of the price point.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

Three things;

Location, location, location.

You beat me to it! This was going to be my response, LOL.

 

[Buson808]

Location! Nuff said!
Like in all my other post! Grand cali or no trip!

 

[Babybears]

People seem to have this idea that hotel rooms, alone, are supposed to justify the price. They aren't. You are paying for the ENTIRE experience. At the Grand, you are paying for proximity to the parks, first and foremost. Then, you are paying for the amenities: the pools, fitness center, activities, etc. Then, the rooms.

Photos of the rooms don't tell the whole story. Those beds are the most comfortable hotel beds I've ever slept in. They are way better than the ones at the other resorts on property. The linens are better too. The service at this hotel is also better; it has the best cast members on property. Everything about this hotel is a couple notches above the Disneyland hotel, in my opinion. Since the refurbishment a couple years ago, the rooms are fantastic.

Agree wholeheartedly about the beds! By far, the most comfortable hotel bed I have ever slept in. We loved our stay here, the pool area, the piano music, friendly staff and proximity to the parks cannot be beat. And as for room size, we had two queens and a sleeper chair with a group of 5 (adults/teens) and did not feel crowded at all.