Parking close to GCH to pull off a surprise stay

[clb79]

My wife and I are celebrating our 7th Anniversary @ the DLR. We arrive at SNA around 10:00am and will be picking up a rental car and heading to the resort.
What she doesn't know is that will be staying at the GCH and I want to keep that surprise until check in.

What I would like to do is take her to lunch as soon as we get there (11:00am) either at Storyteller's or Ralph Brennan's.

I am hoping that we could park close enough to the GCH and I could slip out during our meal (to grab our APs to get the discount or some other excuse) and run our luggage (one carry-on size suitcase and a couple backpacks) in and have the front desk hold it until we check in later in the afternoon without her knowing about it.

Is this something that I could pull off and what are the best parking options to do so? Any other factors or things I need to take into consideration?

 

[gatorfreud]

Hmmmm... I would assume if you were eating at Storyteller's you could park at GCH - so I would plan the lunch reservation for there and then you can just park there?

What a fun surprise!

Kim

 

[lark]

You could valet park for the lunch. Just let her walk into the resort, and then say you have to go back to the car for a second -- tell the valet your plans. They could probably just hold the car there near the entrance if they know you are coming back in 10 minutes to have your luggage collected and stored with the bellman.

The only problem is you have to pay the valet fees. The other option would be simply to pull into the self park lot. By the time you return, you'll have your keys, so you'll be able to get out. But I would say that walking to the self park lot to get your luggage and then returning and checking in would be pretty time consuming -- 15 minutes or so at least depending on the lines at the registration desk.

 

[UmmGooD]

If you decide to use the Valet option above just tell the valet quietly when you get out of the car that you are staying at the hotel and it is a surprise to your wife and ask him to have bell services get your bags and hold them for you. Then of course give a nice tip.

 

[clb79]

If you decide to use the Valet option above just tell the valet quietly when you get out of the car that you are staying at the hotel and it is a surprise to your wife and ask him to have bell services get your bags and hold them for you. Then of course give a nice tip.

How much does Valet parking at the GCH? Forgive my ignorance with the next question, but how much is customary for a tip for the Valet and Bell Hop and how much extra would you tip for a favor like that?

While I am on the subject of tipping what is common practice for tipping House Service?

I haven't had much experience tipping other than at restaurants. We never stay anywhere fancy enough for valet or bell service so this is all beyond my past experience or knowledge

 

[bumbershoot]

FYI, you don't have to wait for checkin time in order to check in. You can do early checkin, and they'll call/text you (assuming you have a cellphone) when your room is ready, and they'll hold your bags.

So you could simply do the surprise as you pull up; I'm sure she'll be just as impressed when you pull up to those gates and tell them you're a guest as whenever else you were going to do the surprise.

That way you wouldn't have to worry about it.

 

[LavenderPeach]

Another option would be to park in the DTD lot. You get 5 hours free with validation (ticket can be validated at either of the restaurants you mentioned). What a fun surprise!

 

[clb79]

FYI, you don't have to wait for checkin time in order to check in. You can do early checkin, and they'll call/text you (assuming you have a cellphone) when your room is ready, and they'll hold your bags.

So you could simply do the surprise as you pull up; I'm sure she'll be just as impressed when you pull up to those gates and tell them you're a guest as whenever else you were going to do the surprise.

That way you wouldn't have to worry about it.

I have thought about saving the hassle and doing that, I was just trying to be extra sneaky since I accidentally blew the entire trip as a surprise and was trying to make up for her finding out about the airline tickets, LOL

 

[lark]

How much does Valet parking at the GCH? Forgive my ignorance with the next question, but how much is customary for a tip for the Valet and Bell Hop and how much extra would you tip for a favor like that?

I think it's about $17 per day. I think when you check in, you can tell them you're just using valet for the first night and self-park thereafter.

Tipping is subjective. I usually tip $1 at valet drop off if I have a single dollar bill handy and $2 at pick up. I think many don't tip at all during drop off but only at pick up. I usually tip bell services $4 or $5 when they bring the bags to the room for up to 3 bags, plus an additional $1 for each additional bag. I think $1 per bag is standard, with a $2 minimum if you only have one bag. (Same amount in reverse for room pick up, I pay when the luggage is delivered to the car.) I tip housekeeping anywhere from $1 to $4 per day, depending on the service -- $2 per day is pretty average. I think I might be a bit low on housekeeping.

If you whisper your situation to the valet and give him $5, he'll take care of it gratefully.

 

[UmmGooD]

How much does Valet parking at the GCH? Forgive my ignorance with the next question, but how much is customary for a tip for the Valet and Bell Hop and how much extra would you tip for a favor like that?

While I am on the subject of tipping what is common practice for tipping House Service?

I haven't had much experience tipping other than at restaurants. We never stay anywhere fancy enough for valet or bell service so this is all beyond my past experience or knowledge

I don't know the amount of the Valet service at GCH as I have never stayed there just the Polynesian in WDW and other non disney hotels. I tend to be pretty generous and if it is something they have to go out of their way for I tend to tip a lot. Lark suggested 5. I would have probably given the Valet 2 10 dollar bills and explain one is for him and one is for the bell guy.