I just booked a standard room for the 4 of us. The bunk bed rooms look cute but my kids are a bit too small for them. I didn't request any view and just assume we won't really get a view with a standard. But if you have any suggestions or tips please share. We've never stayed at GCH.
Would you able to look up what the standrad AP room rate would be for the GCH for January 16-22? ( Our current booking is for 4 days but if I can get a great rate with the AP then we'll stay for 5 days)
And by the way I should introduce myself. I'm Barbara.
Very nice to meet you Barbara, I am Ganessa.
I just got the AP rates for you for the dates 1/16/2009 through 01/22/09 and they are $213.00 per night. And by the way you do not need to have your AP to book the AP rate so you could book right now and then get your AP when you get there or print it up online before you go and have it with you at check in.
As far as suggestions go first let me start by asking you are you celebrating anything special while you are at DL? If so then make sure you call the reservation line and tell them to put it in the notes because they will do something to make your celebration very special, wether it be a birthday, Anniversary etc. We have found that many times during the month of January that we often get upgrade free to what they would consider more costly rooms like theme park view or down town disney district view (our personal favorite view is the down town disney district view).
Now as far as a standard room I would also suggest that you contact the reservation line that you made your ressies with and request the courtyard view. There are 2 types of standard views at the GCH one is anaheim city view which is basically a boring view of the parking lots or streets around the hotel which in my opinion are not nice to look at, and theother standard rooms have views of the courtyard which is very beautiful and green and peaceful. If you are going to do a standard view the courtyard view is by far superior as far as view goes.
As far as other tips and suggestions a few that I can think of off hand since you are going with little ones (sorry I can't remeber their ages and can't see your siggy right now while I am responding, but seem to think you have younger kids) the things I can think of if they still do it is they had a wonderful scavenger hunt that they do at the hotel and for the life of me I can't remember what it is called but when my girls were younger they loved it and when they completed the hunt they all got a free mickey cookie. If they still do the scavenger hunt it will be listed on the nightly notices that you will get on your bed informing you of what is going on the next day at the parks and around your resort hotel. Other things I can think of is for sure eat at Whitewater Cafe there at the GCH it is great! Also eat a meal at Storyteller's, They do a buffet for Breakfast and dinner and menu at lunch, however if you would like they will let you order from the menu for breakfast and dinner as well.
You will also enjoy your private hotel entrance into California Adventure park there at the GCH.
I can tell you that there is a possibility that you may have to do some walking to your room if you get put in a certain section of the hotel. There are several really long hallways and I mean long so be prepaired for that so you are not surprised and if you get a room like that and you do not like the long walk don't hesitate to let guest services know and kindly request that they give you something a bit closer if at all possible.
You will really love the hotel, it is beautiful.
Oh yes and they have a story time for the kids at the fireplace in the lobby and you will often hear a pianist playing disneysongs in the lobby as well which is very nice to just sit and listen too when you just want to take a few minutes to relax and unwind.
Another thing I can think of is that the GCH doe have Pinochio's workshop which is like a day/fun center for kids should the parents want to leave the kids for a bit and say have a dinner alone of whatever.
That is all I can think of right off the top of my head but as I think of more I will post it here for you.
Once again I will tell you that you are going to love your stay at the GCH.....it is aour very favorite and we stay there almost every stay with a few stays at the DLH inbetween stays just for a change of pace and some different things to look at.
We will be staying at the DLH this trip as we have stayed at the GCH for our last 6 stays so it was time for a chnge up, however wel will walk over and eat at Whitewater Cafe and Storyteller's during our stay.