Just got a quote back and am totally SHOCKED at the price!

[Dodie]

Asked for a quote on a late April package for 4 nights with 4 day hoppers for two adults at the Grand Californian. We stayed there during our only other trip to DL right after it opened in 2001 and LOVED it! Have been talking about it ever since.

Ummm... I think the price has gone up SIGNIFICANTLY since then! Holy cow!!!!!

I've gone back and asked for prices for the other two Disneyland hotels - to see what the difference might truly be - but think we'll be disappointed if we can't stay at the GCH.

Just whining/venting. Don't expect a lot of sympathy or even any good ideas.

Bummer.

 

[MATTERHORN]

Yeah, the prices can get high! But if you go before the $150 gift card promotion ends, you can get that for staying 4 nights. Plus adults play at kids prices till then.

I just recently looked up a quote for the Grand, 4 nights with gift card and 4 tickets was around $2400 total with taxes and everything. Not too terrible, but not the greatest. I wish AP rates would come back!!

Andrea

 

[Dodie]

I just recently looked up a quote for the Grand, 4 nights with gift card and 4 tickets was around $2400 total with taxes and everything. Andrea

Yeah. That was about what it was. I can't help but compare that in my mind to what I could get at WDW for that kind of money. I swear we paid around $1200-1400 in 2001 for a package in March.

We really want to return to DL though.

 

[dizzyami]

Our October trip was four nights concierge - (on the 4th night free promo), with 2 adults and 2 kids and was $2400?? We also booked through Costco to get a free character breakfast.

 

[lucky1]

Yeah. That was about what it was. I can't help but compare that in my mind to what I could get at WDW for that kind of money. I swear we paid around $1200-1400 in 2001 for a package in March.

We really want to return to DL though.

Yes prices have gone up signifcantly since 2001. We stayed in DGC when it first opened and got Theme park view rooms for $129/night. You can not find that price anywhere now. Expect to pay more than double that amount per night

 

[c&m]

Yeah, I agree. I did a quote for when we are going in 2007 and I got sticker shock for all 3 DL resorts. It also doesn't help that we then have to convert it to Canadian dollars . Sadly, the DL resorts are completely out of reach to us.

WDW, on the other hand, we can still manage to stay onsite. My 2005 POR AP rate was $105/night. Why, oh why, the discrepancy?????

 

[Lives4Disney]

Our October trip was four nights concierge - (on the 4th night free promo), with 2 adults and 2 kids and was $2400?? We also booked through Costco to get a free character breakfast.

THAT's a great deal! I just booked our first DL trip to stay 4 nts concierge at the GCH. I checked with Costco and they told me they didn't even do concierge rooms. I definitely would have booked thru them if they did. My March trip is costing almost twice that with AAA.

I am a WDW regular (8X in the past two yrs and more visits than I can count over the past 15) and I am a concierge regular, but I was very surprised at these GCH rates.

Lives4Disney

 

[MATTERHORN]

THAT's a great deal! I just booked our first DL trip to stay 4 nts concierge at the GCH. I checked with Costco and they told me they didn't even do concierge rooms. I definitely would have booked thru them if they did. My March trip is costing almost twice that with AAA.

I am a WDW regular (8X in the past two yrs and more visits than I can count over the past 15) and I am a concierge regular, but I was very surprised at these GCH rates.

Lives4Disney

Her's was a great rate, but you have to remember you are going during peak season!! You are paying the highest rates for your trip!!

But still, it shouldn't be almost dsouble that unless you are getting some kind of rental car or transportation!! You can get concierge 4 nights on expedia for $2971, then all your tickets would only be $800, making your whole package about $3700 - $150 gift card for a total of $3550! If you are paying more than that for the AAA package, then it's not a good deal at all!


Andrea

 

[Vanvmom]

AP rates were great (2004 3 days in April for 3 people GCH less than $500), but the best rates we've ever gotten for DL were in Nov. of 2001 (so many people were afraid to travel so soon after 9.11). We got 5 days for the price of 3- ticket and room, plus a free child ticket with every adult admission purchased. Plus the park was almost empty - during early entry we let our 16 month old walk down mainstreet without even holding anyone's hand - HE WAS THRILLED! Those days are gone....I consider a good day one with maximum 30 minute standby wait for Space Mountain.

 

[Lives4Disney]

Her's was a great rate, but you have to remember you are going during peak season!! You are paying the highest rates for your trip!!

But still, it shouldn't be almost dsouble that unless you are getting some kind of rental car or transportation!! You can get concierge 4 nights on expedia for $2971, then all your tickets would only be $800, making your whole package about $3700 - $150 gift card for a total of $3550! If you are paying more than that for the AAA package, then it's not a good deal at all!


Andrea

Ya. I have been a bit stumped by my rate. It is $4000 and change. It would have been higher with their AAA trip insurance which I passed on.

When I called DL for a price quote for room only AAA rate, their rate for 4 nts courtyard view concierge at the GCH was about $3000 and change.....I was told by the DL reservationist NO $150 giftcard because it wasn't a "package". I said, "Add tickets then"....she told me I had to book it thru the travel co to get the gift card.

When I got rates online for the package at DL website, it was $4100 city view and about $4400 Theme Park view!! Those included the gift card, lol. Unreal....so maybe I did get a "deal" (haha to me). I am not even sure if I will be receiving the gift card with this AAA package. I have not received any info from AAA regarding my reservation/confirmation etc.

I think the rates are outrageous. I am not a "package" booking person ever. I always book my WDW stays room only. It just seemed that there were things we'd miss out on if we didn't do the package -(Morning Madness, early entry into Fantasy Land and whatever else) I didn't want to miss anything!! I don't feel like I got any kind of deal, honestly, but rooms at the GF concierge during this same time period are $925/nt. CRAZY.



Lives4Disney

 

[spazzyjazzy]

Asked for a quote on a late April package for 4 nights with 4 day hoppers for two adults at the Grand Californian. We stayed there during our only other trip to DL right after it opened in 2001 and LOVED it! Have been talking about it ever since.

Ummm... I think the price has gone up SIGNIFICANTLY since then! Holy cow!!!!!

I've gone back and asked for prices for the other two Disneyland hotels - to see what the difference might truly be - but think we'll be disappointed if we can't stay at the GCH.

Just whining/venting. Don't expect a lot of sympathy or even any good ideas.

Bummer.

Try Getawaytoday.com for prices. I am almost positive that it will be cheaper for you.

 

[MATTERHORN]

Ya. I have been a bit stumped by my rate. It is $4000 and change. It would have been higher with their AAA trip insurance which I passed on.

When I called DL for a price quote for room only AAA rate, their rate for 4 nts courtyard view concierge at the GCH was about $3000 and change.....I was told by the DL reservationist NO $150 giftcard because it wasn't a "package". I said, "Add tickets then"....she told me I had to book it thru the travel co to get the gift card.

When I got rates online for the package at DL website, it was $4100 city view and about $4400 Theme Park view!! Those included the gift card, lol. Unreal....so maybe I did get a "deal" (haha to me). I am not even sure if I will be receiving the gift card with this AAA package. I have not received any info from AAA regarding my reservation/confirmation etc.

I think the rates are outrageous. I am not a "package" booking person ever. I always book my WDW stays room only. It just seemed that there were things we'd miss out on if we didn't do the package -(Morning Madness, early entry into Fantasy Land and whatever else) I didn't want to miss anything!! I don't feel like I got any kind of deal, honestly, but rooms at the GF concierge during this same time period are $925/nt. CRAZY.



Lives4Disney

Lives 4 Disney - Why don't you cancel your package and book the room on expedia and buy your tickets seperate and save $600 for the exact same thing? Are you getting something else that's worth $500-600 dollars that I am missing? You can book it on expedia right now, concierge and you automatically get the $150 gift card. Then just order your tickets!! Hope you can change it and save the money, that's a lot of souvies!

Andrea

 

[dizzyami]

You mentioned that you did not want to miss out on anything, and one example was the early entry. You will actually get this every day that it is offered simply for staying at the GCH. The only thing you will miss is Mickey's ToonTown madness, and your older boy might thank you for that one!!!

 

[cats mom]

I agree

Since enhanced fastpass is not offered anymore, unless there is some other fabulous benefit I don't know about... I'd save the $$ and book the components seperately.

Toontown Madness sure wouldn't be worth much extra to me.

I would caution that while EE has been allowed for onsite guests for quite awhile, it's not really an advertised benefit, so it could conceivably be gone at any time. But for the kind of money you'd be saving, I think I'd be willing to risk it.

I think prices at GC are completely nuts - but then I didn't think it was worth what we payed when we stayed there at AP rates.

 

[Lives4Disney]

I would love to cancel it and rebook it myself from what I am reading here! Oh, ya, my 16 yr old son would NOT get out of bed early for any toontown thing!! My girls might, though. Not sure, because I am not even clear what it actually is.

OK, since I have never booked a package with AAA before..... Does anybody know if I CAN cancel without losing my deposit or what the fee would be?? I paid a deposit of $309.....I have til Feb 15 to pay the balance. I am not sure exactly why the DL website's package rates seem so overblown vs room/ticket prices, either??!! I thought AAA was supposed to be a "deal" of some kind.

Anybody know what the AAA cancellation policy is?? There were so many different dates and charges for changes/cancelling and everything and she flew thru them.

THANKS so much. I am getting so much help and advice here.

Lives4Disney

 

[CowboyCO]

We , too were blown away by the sky high rates at all the DL hotels. We always stay on-site at WDW, but for our trip to DL in March, we booked the Crowne Plaza Anaheim (1 mile from DL) for only $59 a night on Hotwire. That was a $90 per night savings over expedia, travelocity, etc. With Adults at Kids rates, we will be spending only $850 for 5 nights hotel and park hoppers. That will leave a lot more money for souvies, dining, etc!

 

[Albort]

like what everyone says, "Its Disneyland!"

 

[shellyof4]

It's ridiculously expensive, but I thought that about the Poly too and I still thought it was worth it. So, on that note, is there anywhere they could put a value resort on/near DL that would work? Would that require buying and demolishing a current hotel? Which I'm guessing would be astronomically expensive and may not be dollar conscious for just a "value" resort....any ideas?

I guess they can charge that much because people are willing to pay it!

 

[honeymom]

We are just back from 4 nites GCH standard room booked through Costco - $2066 included 4 days park hoppers, $150 resort card, $20 additional resort card from Costco, character breakfast for the 4 of us, lanyard w/pins for the 4 of us, downtown disney discount card. The same package was approximately $600 more for the same thing when I looked at doing it for the spring.

Lucky for us, I had lots of Disney Visa Rewards dollars. They made this trip possible.

 

[LOVEDISNEYLAND]

This is what we got in our package for December 8th-16th 2007


- Airfare for two adults flying from Seattle, Wa into John Wayne Airport

-9 days and 8 nights at the Best Western Park Place Inn

-Midsize rental car for 9 days

-7 day hopper pass for two adults

-1 day San Diego Zoo

-1 day SeaWorld

TOTAL= $2,200.86

We never stay on site, we always stay at the BWPPI (which is right across the street from DLR) so we can have a longer vacation. Besides, we never really are in the room all that much so it doesn't really matter all that much just as long as it's clean and the staff are good to us which they always are when we stay here.