I got GCH this morning - deciding between that and the westin - help please

[flipflop]

Back again with another question. Miraculously, I was able to secure a pool view room at GCH this morning and I still have a reservation at the Westin for a park view room. We are staying 11/9-13. We are east coasters, second trip to DL - last time was 2016 and we stayed at VGC. It is just me and my (17) daughter on this trip - we are taking an alone girls' trip. The difference in cost is not that much ($150 a night more for GCH) but the room category at the westin is certainly better. I received many positive comments about the Westin when I asked about staying there. Would you stay at the Westin or GCH?

 

[Iceman93]

My stay at the Grand last month was so lackluster that I can't in good conscience recommend anyone stay there until Disney gets their guest service mindset back. I haven't stayed at the Westin but have heard nothing but good things, so I'd say to save your money and do a little extra walking.

 

[lalasmama]

We're rope drop to close people and I'm typically motivated by money, so I'd do Westin and save that $600. ... or rather, use that $600 elsewhere in the parks, haha.

For the 2 of you, that $600 is:
6 Spirit Jerseys
4 Guided Tours (like the Main Street or Holiday tours)
5 Blue Bayou dinners for 2
20 bubble wands (maybe not your go-to souvenir, haha)
75 Dole Whips/Churros
20 Counter service meals

 

[evilmommie]

I LOVE GCH and was just there a few weeks ago. (You can see my posts in the GCH super thread) With that said, Westin is a better value for your money right now. The rooms and property are still new and beautiful, less people milling about. GCH is overrun with non hotel guests, it’s annoying. Gave feedback to GM and GS about that issue.

Either choice is a good one! Have a great time.

 

[crystal1313]

We also had a not so great stay at the GCH like @Iceman93. We were there in August. We feel they are overbooking the hotel for the amount of staff they currently have. It was a disappointing stay for the price we paid.

Now that doesn’t mean that you will have a disappointing stay, that was just our experience.

I am one who would prefer to save the money per night I think. Like @lalasmama stated, you could do a lot with the saved money. We have not stayed at the Westin yet, but have heard nothing but good things. And the rooms look amazing.

I think no matter what you choose, you will have a wonderful trip! Have fun!!

 

[Aurora0427]

We also had a not so great stay at the GCH like @Iceman93. We were there in August. We feel they are overbooking the hotel for the amount of staff they currently have. It was a disappointing stay for the price we paid.

Now that doesn’t mean that you will have a disappointing stay, that was just our experience.

I am one who would prefer to save the money per night I think. Like @lalasmama stated, you could do a lot with the saved money. We have not stayed at the Westin yet, but have heard nothing but good things. And the rooms look amazing.

I think no matter what you choose, you will have a wonderful trip! Have fun!!

We’re staying one night at the end of November…. Splitting the cost with my parents. We want to enjoy the holiday decorations, we’ve made a restaurant reservation by the pool, hoping it’s sunny so we can swim, and my parents are older and it’s close by. Since we’re splitting the cost, and it’s only one night, do you think the GCH is worth it? I looked at the Westin, but we’d have to get two rooms and with tax etc, it’s about $100 cheaper and that walk…..

If we were going for 4-7 days, I think the Westin is a no brainer!

 

[DizMe]

I'd nearly always pick GCH. There's just nothing that beats the location, and I love the hotel, especially at holiday time.

 

[DLgal]

For only a $150/night difference, I'd pick GCH, no contest.

I believe the Westin is a very nice hotel, but for me there would need to be a SIGNIFICANT savings in order to stay offsite.

We had 2 wonderful stays at GCH over the summer. I had no complaints.

 

[Minnie1222]

I haven't stayed at the new Westin, but I know exactly where it's located. At this time, I would gladly pay the extra $150 per day so I can skip the extra 20+ min walk.

 

[DLgal]

I haven't stayed at the new Westin, but I know exactly where it's located. At this time, I would gladly pay the extra $150 per day so I can skip the extra 20+ min walk.

Exactly. Even though it's "close" it becomes very inconvenient once you realize how often you need to do it. Forget going back to the room for a quick break.

 

[KPeterso]

I would go with GCH. For the shorter walk. And I think it is such a beautiful hotel during the holidays. We will be at VGC 11/15-11/18 and are very much looking forward to staying there again. Oh and our stay in July was as wonderful as always!

 

[crystal1313]

We’re staying one night at the end of November…. Splitting the cost with my parents. We want to enjoy the holiday decorations, we’ve made a restaurant reservation by the pool, hoping it’s sunny so we can swim, and my parents are older and it’s close by. Since we’re splitting the cost, and it’s only one night, do you think the GCH is worth it? I looked at the Westin, but we’d have to get two rooms and with tax etc, it’s about $100 cheaper and that walk…..

If we were going for 4-7 days, I think the Westin is a no brainer!

Hi! Ok, so it’s so hard to give advice on this. Just because we didn’t have a good stay, doesn’t mean it will be the same for you!

Let me first start off as saying, we only spent one night as well. It was a split stay. PPH first night and GCH second night. The morning we checked out of the GCH we had to go straight to the airport to go home. So we couldn’t do anything the morning of checkout. All we wanted to do was swim.

We were at the parks waiting for our text out from was ready. It was ready later than we anticipated. Yes, could we have gone swimming before that? We could have. But we wanted to be able to change in our own room. (Looking back we should have just changed in a restroom) We finally get up to our room and we notice it’s not all that clean (and I’m not blaming housekeeping here. I’m blaming management for over selling the hotel and not having enough staff. I know the housekeeping staff works their tails off) we think, we can live with it…until we find someone’s fingernail clippings on the carpet in plain sight. (Not under bed or anything). Then we were completely grossed out and went downstairs to ask for another room.

Well, the line for the front desk was super long and it took quite awhile to get to talk to someone. We get a new room, head to room and this room still has another persons clothes in it! The pocket door to the restroom was closed. We opened it and someone’s clothes and bathing suit was it in! Also, there were room service napkins in the dresser and the sink area had used bar soap. So clearly the room had not been cleaned and it was a miscommunication that it was ready for guests. Ok. Stuff like this happens.

We had to go wait in line again at the front desk for help. the front desk staff were great and gave us a discount on the room. But for $950 a night, we expected better. And because of all the time we wasted going back and forth, we never got to go swim. We had to head back to the parks for our ELP special viewing area that we paid for at plaza inn. So it was super disappointing for us. We hadn’t stayed at the GCH since 2004.

We are hoping this was just a really weird thing that happened and not the norm. We read about people having great stays all the time. But for us, it would be awhile before we stay at the GCH again.

 

[limace]

If you’re rope drop folks I’d pick GCH so you don’t lose that half hour advantage.

 

[tink89]

We had a split stay in Aug and did Westin then GCH. Westin is a very nice hotel and it was a very easy walk to the parks, but I would need to be saving more than $150 a night to stay there instead of GCH. Especially with it being just the two of you it makes it so much easier to be at GCH and go back and forth to the parks or go catch something to eat in DTD. I always prefer on-site than offsite but if I'm looking to save some $$ i just do a split stay.

 

[ParkHopper1]

You can't beat the experience of staying right there on site IMO so for me it comes down to budget...if staying at the GCH is within budget and won't mean sacrificing in other areas of your trip then it is a no brainier.

Once I am stying off site then all I need is a bed and a shower...and I am admittedly a bit of hotel snob...so it is either on site or one of the Harbor hotels like Fairfield or Holiday Inn Express...if I am spending more than that I am staying onsite!

 

[GoldeneyezCA]

We just stayed at the Westin last weekend for Oogie Boogie Bash, and it is a lovely hotel with many dining options. Due to our Bonvoy status, we were upgraded to a one bedroom park view suite with concierge lounge access. The room was much nicer than most of the DLH or GCH one bedroom suites - modern, well designed (bright, airy, HUGE bathroom, 2 large closets in the bedroom) and the extra half bath was clutch with our tween and teen. We tried out the JW a few months ago, and I much preferred the Westin.

BUT…that 15-20 min walk twice a day wasn’t great. We had a large, mixed-age group and actually ended up Ubering a few times to save people’s feet. So, I’ll agree with the above poster: if the $150/nt is something you can deal with, the proximity of the GCH can’t be beat. If you would prefer to save some money and don’t mind the walk, the Westin really is wonderful.

 

[bardays]

We just stayed at the Westin last weekend for Oogie Boogie Bash, and it is a lovely hotel with many dining options. Due to our Bonvoy status, we were upgraded to a one bedroom park view suite with concierge lounge access. The room was much nicer than most of the DLH or GCH one bedroom suites - modern, well designed (bright, airy, HUGE bathroom, 2 large closets in the bedroom) and the extra half bath was clutch with our tween and teen. We tried out the JW a few months ago, and I much preferred the Westin.

BUT…that 15-20 min walk twice a day wasn’t great. We had a large, mixed-age group and actually ended up Ubering a few times to save people’s feet. So, I’ll agree with the above poster: if the $150/nt is something you can deal with, the proximity of the GCH can’t be beat. If you would prefer to save some money and don’t mind the walk, the Westin really is wonderful.

I was upgraded to a park view and I only have Gold Status. i am afraid I have been spoiled by the view and am worried I will get a car park view next time I use points! The walk wore on me too and we ended up taking ART at the end of the night.

 

[Aurora0427]

Hi! Ok, so it’s so hard to give advice on this. Just because we didn’t have a good stay, doesn’t mean it will be the same for you!

Let me first start off as saying, we only spent one night as well. It was a split stay. PPH first night and GCH second night. The morning we checked out of the GCH we had to go straight to the airport to go home. So we couldn’t do anything the morning of checkout. All we wanted to do was swim.

We were at the parks waiting for our text out from was ready. It was ready later than we anticipated. Yes, could we have gone swimming before that? We could have. But we wanted to be able to change in our own room. (Looking back we should have just changed in a restroom) We finally get up to our room and we notice it’s not all that clean (and I’m not blaming housekeeping here. I’m blaming management for over selling the hotel and not having enough staff. I know the housekeeping staff works their tails off) we think, we can live with it…until we find someone’s fingernail clippings on the carpet in plain sight. (Not under bed or anything). Then we were completely grossed out and went downstairs to ask for another room.

Well, the line for the front desk was super long and it took quite awhile to get to talk to someone. We get a new room, head to room and this room still has another persons clothes in it! The pocket door to the restroom was closed. We opened it and someone’s clothes and bathing suit was it in! Also, there were room service napkins in the dresser and the sink area had used bar soap. So clearly the room had not been cleaned and it was a miscommunication that it was ready for guests. Ok. Stuff like this happens.

We had to go wait in line again at the front desk for help. the front desk staff were great and gave us a discount on the room. But for $950 a night, we expected better. And because of all the time we wasted going back and forth, we never got to go swim. We had to head back to the parks for our ELP special viewing area that we paid for at plaza inn. So it was super disappointing for us. We hadn’t stayed at the GCH since 2004.

We are hoping this was just a really weird thing that happened and not the norm. We read about people having great stays all the time. But for us, it would be awhile before we stay at the GCH again.

Oh boy….. that’s a bad stay. I stayed at a Ritz Carlton once and when we went to the room someone was inside taking a shower with clothes and suitcases everywhere. So disconcerting.

We’re going to give it a shot and manifest the perfect stay.

 

[RoseColored97]

GCH is overrun with non hotel guests, it’s annoying. Gave feedback to GM and GS about that issue.

Either choice is a good one! Have a great time.

Agreed - that was one of the things we talked about while we were staying there. We really enjoyed the GCH, but it's frustrating that the lobby is always packed. We tried going over to the fireplace multiple times on different days but it was always full with no chairs available. Most times, people would be camped out with their feet up near the fireplace lol. The chairs around the lobby were always full, too.

I guess I don't know for sure if most were nonguests, but it seems weird that so many would be hanging out in the lobby if they had rooms there. I don't know what Disney can do to solve the problem, unless they made people show room keys to enter the lobby. I also wish the elevators needed a room key to get to the higher floors for security. They're equipped with the technology, but for some reason they don't use it.

 

[starlite_]

Agreed - that was one of the things we talked about while we were staying there. We really enjoyed the GCH, but it's frustrating that the lobby is always packed. We tried going over to the fireplace multiple times on different days but it was always full with no chairs available. Most times, people would be camped out with their feet up near the fireplace lol. The chairs around the lobby were always full, too.

I guess I don't know for sure if most were nonguests, but it seems weird that so many would be hanging out in the lobby if they had rooms there. I don't know what Disney can do to solve the problem, unless they made people show room keys to enter the lobby. I also wish the elevators needed a room key to get to the higher floors for security. They're equipped with the technology, but for some reason they don't use it.

I think you answered your own question there hahaha.

You were staying there and wanted to go, stands to reason you wouldn't be the only one who wanted the same thing. After all, lots of folks here rave about the ambience of the hotel.