Help understanding Grand Californian please?

[OneTrackMind]

Hi. We are very fortunate to be staying at GCH at the end of August - thanks to the 40% off PIN! I am very familiar with DLH but the only time I've seen GCH is going through the lobby to the hotel entrance to DCA. We are booked for a deluxe partial view room - me, DH, DS 18 and DS 14. I've gone on the GCH thread which has helped. But I don't really understand from the GCH map on that thread where the different rooms are and if I should request a certain room (close to the Napa Rose elevator maybe?), but I don't know if deluxe partial view rooms are close to that elevator. Also, I know security has changed since we have been there. Is the security line to DTD from GCH bad in the morning? We are definitely doing EMH but aren't planning on the GCH entrance for that. Our first full morning will be the CHOC Walk day which I know will be very very busy (for such a great cause though)! So I think we will need to get to security extra early that day.

Any advice? Thanks a lot!

 

[farmfresh]

Can't help with the layout question, but I believe most people avoid the GCH entrance first thing in the morning... we certainly did. The main entrance seems to be faster.

 

[l4dyj8]

We have stayed there 3 times. We don't really bother with their entrance in the morning because the single line is just too long.

I've stayed at the Napa Rose wing twice. Before the renovation. Although extremely convenient, the rooms were smaller.

Another time we stayed in the wing facing Goofy Fly School. The access was going past the concierge, past the pools. Rooms were bigger. The walk wasn't a problem at all. There's elevator everywhere.

 

[SteveMP]

I haven't stayed there since they blocked the front door to only guests. I'm curious how that will affect the security line as well. We are staying there in October.

 

[DisMomMT]

I'm here now. We are near the Napa Rose elevators, room not renovated but they are working in the area. Our room was supposed to be premium park view but it definitely is not. I can only see trees off my balcony so I called down and they changed my rate to woods view. Absolutely recommend being in this area for walking ease after a long day. We used the GC entrance for EMH on Wed. And plan to today also. The line moves fast and we weren't there to line up early anyway so we just went down as it started to move and it took about 10 minutes to get through (would have taken us that long to even get over to the other gates).

Overall I'm disappointed in my view and room not being remodeled but love the location and would expect within a couple of weeks many of the rooms in this area will be remodeled.

 

[cruisehopeful]

Is the security line to DTD from GCH bad in the morning?

No. It is nearly walk through. You are right to go that route and bypass the direct park entrance first thing in the morning. It's quick to go through DTD and then there are so many turnstiles open at the front entrance, it's not a bad wait there, either. Although, everything will be a lot more backed up because of the CHOC walk.

Last time I stayed there, I was in the lobby on the second floor. It is very loud. You can hear the lobby music blaring in your room until 10:00pm. We didn't ask to move because we were out all day anyway and only came back to the room to change clothes, drop stuff off. If you won't be in the room requiring a mid day sleep, this area is okay. The front desk referred to it as a woods view room.

I've stayed several times in the further wing (where DVC is). It's a further walk, but it's no big deal at all. Twice I've had a view of Goofy's Sky School and that can be a bit loud when people scream, but again, we don't spend much time in the room when we go to DL. I don't remember what the room category was called.

 

[blackjackdelta]

The GC entrance must have had over 200 people in it this am at meh. We did the front. Much faster

Jack

 

[blackjackdelta]

The remodel is gorgeous we had a small problem at check in. They had no standards avail able where we wanted to be The CM spent some time and found us a room higher up same side. The comode has a bidet, the shower is huge, much brighter overall. What has been done , has been done well, much better all around

Any questions please ask

Jack

 

[kylie71]

The remodel is gorgeous we had a small problem at check in. They had no standards avail able where we wanted to be The CM spent some time and found us a room higher up same side. The comode has a bidet, the shower is huge, much brighter overall. What has been done , has been done well, much better all around

Any questions please ask

Jack

Thank You, for all the info about the remodel. We will be there in Nov for Dapper week. Enjoy your Birthday at Disneyland.

 

[Nonsuch]

The remodel is gorgeous we had a small problem at check in. They had no standards avail able where we wanted to be The CM spent some time and found us a room higher up same side. The comode has a bidet, the shower is huge, much brighter overall. What has been done , has been done well, much better all around...

Please share some photos, in this thread or the GCH Superthread.
Include room number (after you check out).

 

[blackjackdelta]

Will try when I return, but working 65 hrs a week right now, could be a delay, but everything is so clean and working

Jack

 

[HydroGuy]

A slight hijack here, but how are they handling security at GCH since they moved security out to the edges of DTD?

It would seem they need to have security in the hotel as you enter the parks or DTD. There are two official places where that happens (one the DCA entrance and the other the DTD entrance) and at least one unofficial place (a stairwell that opens into DTD).

 

[OneTrackMind]

A slight hijack here, but how are they handling security at GCH since they moved security out to the edges of DTD?

It would seem they need to have security in the hotel as you enter the parks or DTD. There are two official places where that happens (one the DCA entrance and the other the DTD entrance) and at least one unofficial place (a stairwell that opens into DTD).

Hi. OP here. Thanks to everyone for all the really helpful information so far! And HydroGuy that's a great question and exactly the kind of thing I am wondering about too - not a "hijack" at all!

 

[HydroGuy]

Hi. OP here. Thanks to everyone for all the really helpful information so far! And HydroGuy that's a great question and exactly the kind of thing I am wondering about too - not a "hijack" at all!

Aside from the security issues, I like the rooms at the top right of this map: https://www.disboards.com/threads/g...pdated-11-7-13.2396588/page-202#post-55932912

At the very farthest top right, last time I was there, there was a stairwell that empties into DTD right by the La Brea Bakery. The door from the stairwell is locked as you exit so you cannot come back in that way. But you can go out. With the elevators at the E symbol (that load and dropoff on the ground floor right by the special DCA entrance), these rooms are ideal for park access. Back and forth to DCA is simplified by the special GCH/DCA entrance and you just use the elevators. Getting to DL (or DCA front entrance in the morning to avoid the crowd at the special entrance) you use the stairwell at the top right and just go down a few flights of stairs. The only long route is coming back from DL. The only option is to go into DTD to the GCH/DTD hotel entrance. You can do this by foot or take the monorail to DTD.

 

[HydroGuy]

Also OP, as I understand it there is still a bit of construction going on at GCH for room remodeling. Mostly from 9AM-5PM. Some guests have been really bothered by that. The main lobby of the GCH has some construction going on as well.

 

[wowsmom]

Also OP, as I understand it there is still a bit of construction going on at GCH for room remodeling. Mostly from 9AM-5PM. Some guests have been really bothered by that. The main lobby of the GCH has some construction going on as well.

We just stayed Tues & Wed night. The lobby seems to be done (or at least, they weren't working on it those days). The construction is in the rooms near the elevator by Napa Rose. And they were testing the fire alarm both of those days.

 

[HydroGuy]

A slight hijack here, but how are they handling security at GCH since they moved security out to the edges of DTD?

It would seem they need to have security in the hotel as you enter the parks or DTD. There are two official places where that happens (one the DCA entrance and the other the DTD entrance) and at least one unofficial place (a stairwell that opens into DTD).

Bump. Anyone?

 

[blackjackdelta]

The security has been very smooth and easy. No access from the front thru. The line next to Wws was over 200 people snaking back and forth. Must have room key to use it turning others away. Front

 

[blackjackdelta]

The security has been very smooth and easy. No access from the front thru. The line next to Wws was over 200 people snaking back and forth. Must have room key to use it turning others away. Front

Inet dropped always go to the front unless your first in for that
GCH has gone to paper cups for coffee from the single use keureg, but as stated before the renovated rooms are over the top and service way better than it was last nov

Jack

 

[HydroGuy]

The security has been very smooth and easy. No access from the front thru. The line next to Wws was over 200 people snaking back and forth. Must have room key to use it turning others away. Front

What happens if you use the door from GCH to DTD? Is their a security check there?

For bonus points, what about the special stairwell I mentioned here in a PP?

Those two plus the DCA entrance are the only three ways into the parks from the GCH that I am aware of.