tiggeroo42
Adult Dumbo Rider
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2000
- Messages
- 387
I thought I'd share a few observations that may be helpful...
The Grand Californian
The hotel is beautiful, and the convenience can't be beat. For those trying to decide if it is worth the cost....it is! Especially with a little one in a stroller, being at the GCH was WONDERFUL. We had a first-floor room in the pool courtyard area, and it took us about 2 minutes to get to the CA entrance, about 3 minutes to get to the DD gate, and about 7 minutes to the DL entrance. If you don't mind a view compromised with foliage (which we didn't), first floor is the way to go with a stroller and for the convenience of not having to deal with elevators. It saved us A LOT of time.
The pool is nice, though not really that themed, and fairly calm compared to the WDW resort pools. I like how it was centrally located in the resort. You do have to have your room key to get in, and they were very diligent in checking.
The room was clean and comfortable but nothing extraordinary. The deluxe cost of this hotel is for the convenience of location. The turn-down service and chocolate coins were a nice touch. I also loved their toiletries even better than the stuff I brought for myself!
We had no problem checking in early (12:45 PM) and quickly on Saturday, but we noticed a HUGE line to check in the next day. Every time I walked through the lobby after that, it seemed the check in line was fairly short. They gave my son a 1st visit button and a balloon.
We were also granted a late check out yesterday of 12 PM. They said they are almost always able to do this for guests--just call that morning to find out the availability.
We got the free fastpasses for my husband and myself, as well as two for our son who actually didn't have a ticket (he's 18 months). I didn't ask for them, but rather the CM just offered them saying they may ask for one for him at rides. I knew they would not, so I was happy to take the extras! They were tremendously helpful!
We ate at Whitewater Snacks and Storyteller's. Whitewater was really good, and a great place to pick up little snacks and drinks for your room also. Storyteller's was just okay to me. We did the dinner buffet, which I didn't think had very many food choices at all, and all the entrees were pretty blah. The only good things were the salad and the bread pudding. I probably wouldn't go back here for the dinner buffet--maybe a la carte.
The Parks
The parks were not bad on Saturday and Sunday, but really jammed on Monday and Tuesday when AP passes weren't blocked (like the worst I've ever seen in the summer). Yesterday was a bit better, but seemed to be slammed with school groups. Be prepared for crowds!
Little Mermaid and Star Tours lines are as bad as everyone on here has said. I saw 80-180 minutes for both each day, all day. The Star Tours FP line is INSANE!!! If we did not have the FP from staying onsite, I honestly don't think we would have done it. FP's were gone early in the day, but not impossible to get if you were there early. The FP line starts toward the Pixie Hollow side of Tomorrowland and winds in front of the Buzz Lightyear ride and around to the old Buzz FP machines. We actually just walked over after doing all the Fantasyland rides during MM Sunday right when the park opened and we got right on because the FP line had just opened. It was a pleasant and unexpected surprise to get on so easily! The ride itself was just okay to me, although my husband loved it. I thought the old version had a better story, and I miss it!
Little Mermaid was really, really cute--one of my new favorites! We got there around 9:15 after being let in from the GCH entrance (they were checking room keys diligently), and walked on twice in a row. If you get into the park at 9:30, which everyone should be able to do, ANYONE should be able to get on! They were NOT checking room keys at the ride before 9:30, and it didn't get really that crowded until after 10. We walked back by around noon, and it was over an hour long.
Toy Story is still crazy. You still have to line up at the rope and be ready to walk briskly. We got in line around 9:35 after doing the Little Mermaid ride and were toward the very front near the rope, but we didn't walk very briskly with our stroller.
When we got to the ride, it was very chaotic as they hadn't opened up the entire queue line and people were just jumping into the crowd ahead of other people. We ended up having to wait about 25 minutes to get on after having waited all that time at the rope drop, and decided in wasn't worth doing again. I wish it had a FP like WDW. 
We planned on getting our WOC FPs at the machine at 9:30, but like a couple other people on here had posted, a CM at the CA entrance at the GCH was passing them out in line at 9 AM. We got passes for the first show, blue section. We studied the WOC super thread on here and stood in the upper section near the reserved seating. We got there at 8:10 and had no problem getting a spot in front of the rail with a GREAT view. It was beautiful and I was surprised to see a scene from the new Pirates movie!
Of course, Fantasmic! is a mess with people saving spots with towels, blankets and strollers as early as 5 PM, but it is doable. If you can wait for the 10:30 show, do it! You should be able to get an excellent spot with a minimal wait, but I didn't think my son could stay up that late. I usually don't even bother anymore, but with our son's first visit I wanted him to see it. Read the Fantasmic superthread on this board--it helped us get a great spot with a minimal wait.
The new fireworks show is just okay to me. I have liked others better in the past, but there is a flying Dumbo which is pretty cool.
Lines were pretty long in general, and didn't die down at night, except on Saturday and Sunday. The most popular attractions i.e. Space, Indiana Jones, Splash Mountain, etc. were at or over 1 hour most of our stay, and I was really surprised that FPs were all gone by the middle of the afternoon for many of these on more than one occasion!
People say it over and over and over, but the best way to handle the crowds is to arrive early. We got more down in the first two hours after the parks opened every day than the whole rest of the day!
I'll try to answer any questions if I can! I know others have always been tremendously helpful to me on these boards!
The Grand Californian
The hotel is beautiful, and the convenience can't be beat. For those trying to decide if it is worth the cost....it is! Especially with a little one in a stroller, being at the GCH was WONDERFUL. We had a first-floor room in the pool courtyard area, and it took us about 2 minutes to get to the CA entrance, about 3 minutes to get to the DD gate, and about 7 minutes to the DL entrance. If you don't mind a view compromised with foliage (which we didn't), first floor is the way to go with a stroller and for the convenience of not having to deal with elevators. It saved us A LOT of time.
The pool is nice, though not really that themed, and fairly calm compared to the WDW resort pools. I like how it was centrally located in the resort. You do have to have your room key to get in, and they were very diligent in checking.
The room was clean and comfortable but nothing extraordinary. The deluxe cost of this hotel is for the convenience of location. The turn-down service and chocolate coins were a nice touch. I also loved their toiletries even better than the stuff I brought for myself!
We had no problem checking in early (12:45 PM) and quickly on Saturday, but we noticed a HUGE line to check in the next day. Every time I walked through the lobby after that, it seemed the check in line was fairly short. They gave my son a 1st visit button and a balloon.
We were also granted a late check out yesterday of 12 PM. They said they are almost always able to do this for guests--just call that morning to find out the availability.We got the free fastpasses for my husband and myself, as well as two for our son who actually didn't have a ticket (he's 18 months). I didn't ask for them, but rather the CM just offered them saying they may ask for one for him at rides. I knew they would not, so I was happy to take the extras! They were tremendously helpful!
We ate at Whitewater Snacks and Storyteller's. Whitewater was really good, and a great place to pick up little snacks and drinks for your room also. Storyteller's was just okay to me. We did the dinner buffet, which I didn't think had very many food choices at all, and all the entrees were pretty blah. The only good things were the salad and the bread pudding. I probably wouldn't go back here for the dinner buffet--maybe a la carte.
The Parks
The parks were not bad on Saturday and Sunday, but really jammed on Monday and Tuesday when AP passes weren't blocked (like the worst I've ever seen in the summer). Yesterday was a bit better, but seemed to be slammed with school groups. Be prepared for crowds!
Little Mermaid and Star Tours lines are as bad as everyone on here has said. I saw 80-180 minutes for both each day, all day. The Star Tours FP line is INSANE!!! If we did not have the FP from staying onsite, I honestly don't think we would have done it. FP's were gone early in the day, but not impossible to get if you were there early. The FP line starts toward the Pixie Hollow side of Tomorrowland and winds in front of the Buzz Lightyear ride and around to the old Buzz FP machines. We actually just walked over after doing all the Fantasyland rides during MM Sunday right when the park opened and we got right on because the FP line had just opened. It was a pleasant and unexpected surprise to get on so easily! The ride itself was just okay to me, although my husband loved it. I thought the old version had a better story, and I miss it!
Little Mermaid was really, really cute--one of my new favorites! We got there around 9:15 after being let in from the GCH entrance (they were checking room keys diligently), and walked on twice in a row. If you get into the park at 9:30, which everyone should be able to do, ANYONE should be able to get on! They were NOT checking room keys at the ride before 9:30, and it didn't get really that crowded until after 10. We walked back by around noon, and it was over an hour long.
Toy Story is still crazy. You still have to line up at the rope and be ready to walk briskly. We got in line around 9:35 after doing the Little Mermaid ride and were toward the very front near the rope, but we didn't walk very briskly with our stroller.
When we got to the ride, it was very chaotic as they hadn't opened up the entire queue line and people were just jumping into the crowd ahead of other people. We ended up having to wait about 25 minutes to get on after having waited all that time at the rope drop, and decided in wasn't worth doing again. I wish it had a FP like WDW. We planned on getting our WOC FPs at the machine at 9:30, but like a couple other people on here had posted, a CM at the CA entrance at the GCH was passing them out in line at 9 AM. We got passes for the first show, blue section. We studied the WOC super thread on here and stood in the upper section near the reserved seating. We got there at 8:10 and had no problem getting a spot in front of the rail with a GREAT view. It was beautiful and I was surprised to see a scene from the new Pirates movie!
Of course, Fantasmic! is a mess with people saving spots with towels, blankets and strollers as early as 5 PM, but it is doable. If you can wait for the 10:30 show, do it! You should be able to get an excellent spot with a minimal wait, but I didn't think my son could stay up that late. I usually don't even bother anymore, but with our son's first visit I wanted him to see it. Read the Fantasmic superthread on this board--it helped us get a great spot with a minimal wait.
The new fireworks show is just okay to me. I have liked others better in the past, but there is a flying Dumbo which is pretty cool.
Lines were pretty long in general, and didn't die down at night, except on Saturday and Sunday. The most popular attractions i.e. Space, Indiana Jones, Splash Mountain, etc. were at or over 1 hour most of our stay, and I was really surprised that FPs were all gone by the middle of the afternoon for many of these on more than one occasion!
People say it over and over and over, but the best way to handle the crowds is to arrive early. We got more down in the first two hours after the parks opened every day than the whole rest of the day!
I'll try to answer any questions if I can! I know others have always been tremendously helpful to me on these boards!
