Is it worth it to stay at a Disney resort in the winter? UPDATED 8/6/07

[abookworm]

When I said $150 GC I meant GC= gift card not Grand Californian....

But thanks for the info...we're going in early Dec so thought I might get the same deal but since it's for Jan it's a mute point.
Hope you have fun in October!

 

[disney-super-mom]

When I said $150 GC I meant GC= gift card not Grand Californian....

But thanks for the info...we're going in early Dec so thought I might get the same deal but since it's for Jan it's a mute point.
Hope you have fun in October!

Ohhhhhh .....I must be on this site too much because when I see the letters GC, I automatically think "Grand Californian".

Thanks, and I hope you have a wonderful time in December! It's a beautiful time to be at the parks!

 

[ACDSNY]

I booked our trip, staying at the Paradise Pier October 30th - November 3, in a park view room!

I hope you'll snoop out some great news about GC DVC while you're there! Have a great trip!

Actually DL in the rain isn't that bad, I have a picture looking up Main St with only 10 people in it since it was raining. We completed the whole park in one day since there were no lines. Besides most of the rides are inside.

 

[DangerMouse]

I'm a little late coming to the party, but just wanted to let you know that Jan isn't always cold and rainy. We were there the second week of January this year and the temp was 85-89 degrees! We were HOT!

Anyway, have a lovely trip in October and enjoy the Halloween decorations.

 

[disney-super-mom]

Thanks ACDSNY and Danger Mouse!

I'm sure we'll have a great time! I'm actually excited to see the parks go from Halloween to Christmas overnight. (I don't know if it happens that quickly, but I'm guessing it does happen fairly quickly.)

 

[lulubelle]

We rarely swim either. I think the on sites are better for other reasons. But, I would never pay full rack rates. We do both on and off. It depends on our financial situation at the time.

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

Where is the $150 GC deal? I don't see it anywhere on the Cosco site and it didn't show up when I went thru the process to book the same deal as you seemed to. Just curious-thanks.

I just looked at Costco and the $150 GC didn't show up for me either. The $20 GC showed up, but that's it. I was also looking to book in January... Oh well...Maybe too many people tried to book it so they did away with it?

 

[disney-super-mom]

I just looked at Costco and the $150 GC didn't show up for me either. The $20 GC showed up, but that's it. I was also looking to book in January... Oh well...Maybe too many people tried to book it so they did away with it?

I just checked, and they are still offering the $150 Disney gift card (plus the $20 Disney gift card).

The offer is good for reservations between Jan 7th - April 21, and you must stay a minimum of 4 nights at one of the Disneyland Resort Hotels (which is kind of funny because you can't reserve more than 4 nights on the Costco/Disney travel site anyway ).

Also, you won't "see" the $150 Disney gift card offer until you actually put in all your info and get an actual quote. Then it will list what comes with your quoted package:

Mickey's Toontown Morning Madness
Disney Gift Card
Character Breakfast
$20 Disney Gift Card

Well, you see where it says "Disney Gift Card" with no $ amount in front of it? (second down on the list) Just click on it - that's the $150 Disney Gift Card.

 

[SnackyStacky]

I'm quite sure I would swim, even in January. I grew up in the Bay Area, and we swam even in the winter...So CA is warmer in general, so I'd definitely swim there.

It's going to be warmer than Spokane, that's for sure!

Now, while Im not 100% I would want to swim up on the roof of PP, as a PP guest you can use the DLH pool, and I'd probably use THAT instead.

$150 for PP? I wanna know where you're booking!!!

WHOAH....is that only in the off season? Or under particular circumstances? I'd LOVE to try the Neverland Pool - but I thought pool hopping at the Disneyland resorts was just as taboo as at Walt Disney World.

 

[disney-super-mom]

WHOAH....is that only in the off season? Or under particular circumstances? I'd LOVE to try the Neverland Pool - but I thought pool hopping at the Disneyland resorts was just as taboo as at Walt Disney World.

I believe pool hopping is only allowed at the Disneyland Hotel pool and the Paradise Pier pool for Disney Resort guests.

No hopping allowed at the Grand Californian. Those pools are for the exclusive use of guests staying at the Grand Californian.

 

[drag n' fly]

Well, I just couldn't do it.

I just couldn't plan a trip to DL/DCA in January (instructed to do so by my work obsessed DH)...especially not having park schedules, and because it could be cold and/or rainy. Who wants to go somewhere cold and rainy in the winter??? GIVE ME SUNSHINE!

So, I almost booked a trip to WDW for January...but...geeeeeez, we just really love many of the rides better at DL, and there's some new things for us to experience there (Nemo and Pirate's Lair), and our youngest (Luke, 4) is already 42 inches tall and will be able to ride many more rides at DL/DCA vs. WDW. Plus, DH wanted to wait another year before taking the kids alllllllll the way to WDW. (Oh, for crying out loud!)

He wants me to plan a Disney vacation for January, but he doesn't want to go ALL the way to WDW, where it's, you know....WARM?!!!

I couldn't TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!

I marched into my DH's office possessed by the evil Mickey Mouse spirit, my head spinning around, my eyes rolled back into my head, and I said in my best RedRum-ous voice, "If yooooooooooou want to go to DL instead of alllllllllllll the way to WDW, then weeeeeeeee are NOT going in January! Figure yourrrrrrrrrrrr schedule out for a trip sometime this fallllllllllll!

And guess what? He figured it out, and we are going to DL THIS FALL! (Damn, I'm good!)

I booked our trip, staying at the Paradise Pier October 30th - November 3, in a park view room!

I don't know what came over me, but if the Mickey Mouse spirit is the devil, then I guess I'm going to hell.

Well technically it is supposed to be sunny. The odds are better weather for sure in WDW but when we went this February we had to wear fleece coats and gloves for the first few days it was so cold...and were from Canada! Our theory is the weather cannot be any worse than where we are coming from even if we have to sprint from the pool to the hot tub to warm up!

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

I just checked, and they are still offering the $150 Disney gift card (plus the $20 Disney gift card).

The offer is good for reservations between Jan 7th - April 21, and you must stay a minimum of 4 nights at one of the Disneyland Resort Hotels (which is kind of funny because you can't reserve more than 4 nights on the Costco/Disney travel site anyway ).

Also, you won't "see" the $150 Disney gift card offer until you actually put in all your info and get an actual quote. Then it will list what comes with your quoted package:

Mickey's Toontown Morning Madness
Disney Gift Card
Character Breakfast
$20 Disney Gift Card

Well, you see where it says "Disney Gift Card" with no $ amount in front of it? (second down on the list) Just click on it - that's the $150 Disney Gift Card.

Ahhh, I see. Thanks for posting. I guess it didn't show for me because I was punching in dates from January 3.
Thanks again...

 

[GailT]

we stayed last December and had good weather and between the pool and being so close to both parks DGC was the perfect hotel.

 

[minniecarousel]

Actually, we use our DVC at the Grand Californian. We bought Saratoga Springs last year and haven't yet gone to Florida. We have used it numerous times at the Grand Calif and even booked our DS and DDIL for the first few nights of the honeymoon there.

 

[SuzanneSLO]

Ah, the costco package. We're upgrading to APs on this trip, so the package wouldn't work for us.

Not sure about the Costco package but the Disney travel packages booked directly thru Disney or thru AAA are available for AP members. We booked at the DLH in 06 with 2 AP holders plus tickets for others in our party. We had to give them our AP numbers so that the tickets did not need to be included for 2 members of the party.

Also, the Ap rate special for this Fall at PP is $129 for standard view. When you add tax and resort fee it works out to about $150 per night.

--Suzanne

 

[disney-super-mom]

Yes, the trailer must go...you better start getting it ready.

I'd gladly sleep in a tent for our camping trips in order to have DVC. I'll be on if they announce GC DVC!

Just wanted to say.....WE SOLD THE TRAILER!

Now we just need a GC DVC.

 

[spokanemom]

Well technically it is supposed to be sunny. The odds are better weather for sure in WDW but when we went this February we had to wear fleece coats and gloves for the first few days it was so cold...and were from Canada! Our theory is the weather cannot be any worse than where we are coming from even if we have to sprint from the pool to the hot tub to warm up!

I too, am coming late to the party, but I wanted to second this. We were at WDW from Feb 1-12 this year and the first 6 days were not very warm at all. It was cold and drizzly. HOWEVER... a cold day at Disney is better than a cold day in Spokane!

Congrats on selling the trailer. It must be in the cards that DVC at DL is coming then!

 

[ACDSNY]

Just wanted to say.....WE SOLD THE TRAILER!

Now we just need a GC DVC.

That was a quick sell! Let's hope for an Oct announcement for GC DVC! The 3 building permits are making it look very promising.

 

[disney-super-mom]

Thanks spokanemom and ACDSNY!

Yep, it was a fast sale. Not sure why it sold so fast. I guess because it looks brand new and it sleeps 8 adults. The people buying it are actually from California.....maybe they'll camp in it while on a Disneyland vacation someday.

3 building permits huh? Hmmmmm, very interesting. I will have to investigate while I'm there in October.

 

[momshadow]

Hi,
Im coming in late on this thread. Just wanted to say what ever you do dont stay off sight if you dont have to. We went in April and got a great deal on Priceline for the Hyatt ( $50 ) we where thrilled. Long story short the hyatt looked worse than a Motel 6 sorry Motel 6. It was dirty, dirty, dirty. We spent most of our time waiting for the bus and then off to two more hotels then to DL. Anyway wont be doing that again. We where to buy into DVC in April but desided to wait, Im so glad we did! The news on the street is that there will be two hotels, but who know. Im hoping theres a chance we can buy into the resort when we are there in Nov.