Having a hard time deciding! Can you guys help me?

[hulagirl]

Hi everyone!
My family and I are traveling to CA in late June of 2004 and are having a very hard time deciding between the Grand Californian and the Disneyland Hotel. We have 3 little boys, age 4,5, and 9 and are DVC members who love WDW and visit there a couple times a year. We are booking on points so cost isn't an issue. The GC looks gorgeous but the DLH maybe more appropriate with 3 little boys? Is the DLH very far from things in comparison to the GC? We don't mind walking...Would love any and all opinions on either hotel. Thanks!

 

[year2late]

I love Grand Californian. You can book a room with bunk beds and they will supply a sleeping bag for the remaining tike. The big plus is location.

That being said, rooms in the DLH seem a bit bigger and the themed pool is a great plus for the little ones.

You cannot go wrong either way.

 

[CalGal]

Hi hulagirl,
I agree with what year2late had to offer, you can't go wrong either way. I would pick the Grand California over DLH for it's location and feel, but then I only have one child to accomodate. Since you have 3 children, the DLH might suit you better if you don't mind walking a bit more.

GC Plusses: Lovely! So close to everything!! A bit more quiet, esp. the pool.

DLH Plusses: Bigger rooms. Themed pool (but it will be crowded). Goofy's Kitchen. A bit more Disney. Festive.

 

[tonyboy]

I just got back from the Grand Californian Hotel. (stayed 12/3 -12/5) I wasn't all that impressed with the room at the Grand Californian. The decor and view were very nice but I could hear the next door guests talking (though muffled) and never heard a peep when I stayed at the Paradise Pier Hotel. I actually woke up to hear the next door room guest snoring. I couldn't believe it. The sliders out to the balcony though do a great job of keeping the noise out from the park if you'd like to take a nap during the day. At night my wife and I went out on the patio and chatted. Very nice little balcony and the view at night with the lights are nice.

Again, the decor is very nice but there was alot of foot traffic throughout the lobby during the day so you couldn't really stand around for a long period of time before you were in someone's way of taking a picture.

On the plus side, the housekeeping was awesome. They did a great job.

Maybe this was just a bad experience I'm not sure. I might give them another try but I'm staying at the Paradise Pier Hotel next time.

 

[year2late]

I just realized your trip was late June. Summer. Get close. Get convinient. It makes it easy to change plans to accomodate crowds.

 

[hulagirl]

Thanks everyone! The Grand Californian it is!

 

[justmestace]

I know I'm stepping in a little late here, but I wanted to add that the bunk beds at the Grand Californian also have a pull-out trundle underneath them, so they (the rooms) very comfortably sleep 5. Wish it had been there all the years that there were five of us.....we put two in one queen, dad and I in the other, and one kid on the tiny couch bed at the Disneyland Hotel. And the two who had to sleep together always fought!
You can still go over and enjoy the DL hotel....there are some neat things to see and do....but not as many now that they've remodeled.
Also, we're heading for stay #3 at GC (love it more than any hotel ever, except maybe the Del Coronado in San Diego) and I will never stay anywhere else at DL! Great service, friendly people, and with a couple of light sleepers, we didn't notice any noise. My son left his fanny pack and pin lanyard hanging on the back of his chair at White Water Snacks, and the girls that worked there knew it was his, so they held it for him, until we came back for it!
GC has so much style and character, charm & class.....I love it there!