Practical Comfort vs. Convenience & Bucket List

[mentos]

Ugh, I'm cringing for you! We had three adults & a toddler in a studio at AUL and that was cramped. Even with the larger space, I can't see 5 adults comfortably working (hope you all like each other...and not to be vulgar, but I hope no one has any extended bathroom needs).

If it makes you feel any better, DVC was probably never an option as those are typically booked full by the 7 month window. I get lucky with 1-3 nights here and there on waitlist, I feel like 5 nights available this close in is like catching lightning.

I guess if I were to render an answer.... just grin and bear it, I think GCH is worth the location vs PPH. Have sign-ups for the bathroom/shower...worst case, there's plenty of clean bathrooms along the corridors downstairs if someone has needs.

If it's that terrible of an experience, well darn, I guess you'll just have to come back and redo your trip!

 

[DizMe]

We've done 5 in a room at GCH many times. It's works fine for us and I would ABSOLUTELY take GCH over PPH. I just don't care for PPH but I do adore the Grand. There are 2 things in your favor here: you haven't got young children along, and the 15-year-olds will be fine with the sleeping arrangements. You can even ask for a mattress pad with sleeping bag (my teens liked these better than sharing a bed!).

One thing I would mention is that if you can swing it, get Concierge access. This will give you an added space to hang out, food and drinks for everyone all day, and a comfortable place for your mom to go when she's done with the parks. We did this with my mom and it was fantastic. The extra cost in your case will most likely be made up for in food and drink with 5 people.

Edited to add: Since this is your first trip, my advice is not to switch to an off-site motel/hotel. It's not going to give you the same experience at all.

 

[Aurora0427]

Favorite is the DLH (pool and grounds) and prefer the room size and brightness at the PPH over the Grand. We like having the extra bed at the PPH. Plus, the Grand is just SO expensive! It's a lovely hotel and if I won a trip there I would most definitely be super excited....I just would choose PPH or DLH over the grand if paying myself.

My mom and I agree! We just stayed at the DLH for our first time and LOVED it. It has the coolest retro, tropical, classic Disney vibe. We think the GCH is too dark and reminds us of the Wilderness Lodge at WDW, which isn’t our fave. I don’t get all the hype of the GCH.... we loved the pool at the DCH and Trader Sam’s!

 

[Chickinvic]

I would seriously get a suite at a non-Disney hotel. Some of them have excellent family suites with good separation. It will cost you a lot less money, and you can still be just as close to the parks (if not closer than a couple of the Disney hotels). DL really does not require being on site. I think it will be miserable being crammed into that room with 5 adults (2 of which are teenaged girls...sigh).

 

[Geemo]

So, we're booked at the GCH (Premium Pool View for 3 adults & 15 yr old), but just gave the last minute okay for our daughter to invite a friend. Yes, we're suckers. We're WDW regulars, but this is our rookie trip to DL. This trip with a stay at GCH are bucket list items for me and the convenience of the GCH is a factor for my mother who will likely break from the parks frequently. However, the thought of the 5 of us in one room with one bathroom for 5 nights is a making me cringe a bit and there isn't anything larger available to upgrade to at the GCH (we arrive in two weeks). The DLH is not available either. I do see a One Bedroom Suite available at PPH, but the added space and extra bathroom sure seems to come with some pretty big trade offs overall with regard to the hotels themselves and definitely with location to the parks. My main concern is...is it really a 15 minute walk to the parks and how is the ease and safety of that walk for my mother if so? We can suck it up and make the GCH work, but it will take some team work for sure. I guess I'm just looking for input on what you folks would do having been there and knowing the lay of the land? Am I making a bigger deal of the trade offs between GCH and PPH including location than I should be?

Sounds like I will be there the same time as you. I have a solo three day trip Oct30 to Nov1

Keep your reservation at the Grand!
It is "A BUCKET LIST" item to stay at GCH for your up coming trip. The convenience is more than perfect and can not be beat. With an understanding that everyone is flexible, a room at GCH can and will WORK!
The new furniture/beds have storage under the bed for luggage to be stored out of the way. With your room type I believe you will have an outside balcony, which will add a little space to the area.

When I take my group to DLR if the budget doesn't allow GCH for the short distance to the parks they prefer to stay at one of the places on Harbor.

I have stayed at the GCH several times with 5 people in the room while it is a little tight, it has been just fine.
I explain to the messy ones of the group that they will be expected to keep their belonging tidy during the stay.

One stay a few years back two kids requested sleeping bags and mats so they could sleep on the balcony and watch the Monorail race by.

Good luck with an upgrade at the Grand. But I wouldn't change to PPH or DLH. I know it's only a few minutes farther... But my aching feet feel every step on the way back to one of those hotels.

Have a fun time!!

Geemo

 

[Sun_soakin]

We like all the Disney hotels for different reasons. We don’t mind any of them with 5 in a room (our kids) but a guest and another adult would make that so awkward for us.
I’m not sure the PPH is much better with the bed situation, although a second bathroom is an enormous advantage.

 

[Tbone17701]

We've done 5 in a room at GCH many times. It's works fine for us and I would ABSOLUTELY take GCH over PPH. I just don't care for PPH but I do adore the Grand. There are 2 things in your favor here: you haven't got young children along, and the 15-year-olds will be fine with the sleeping arrangements. You can even ask for a mattress pad with sleeping bag (my teens liked these better than sharing a bed!).

One thing I would mention is that if you can swing it, get Concierge access. This will give you an added space to hang out, food and drinks for everyone all day, and a comfortable place for your mom to go when she's done with the parks. We did this with my mom and it was fantastic. The extra cost in your case will most likely be made up for in food and drink with 5 people.

Edited to add: Since this is your first trip, my advice is not to switch to an off-site motel/hotel. It's not going to give you the same experience at all.

Sounds like I will be there the same time as you. I have a solo three day trip Oct30 to Nov1

Keep your reservation at the Grand!
It is "A BUCKET LIST" item to stay at GCH for your up coming trip. The convenience is more than perfect and can not be beat. With an understanding that everyone is flexible, a room at GCH can and will WORK!
The new furniture/beds have storage under the bed for luggage to be stored out of the way. With your room type I believe you will have an outside balcony, which will add a little space to the area.

When I take my group to DLR if the budget doesn't allow GCH for the short distance to the parks they prefer to stay at one of the places on Harbor.

I have stayed at the GCH several times with 5 people in the room while it is a little tight, it has been just fine.
I explain to the messy ones of the group that they will be expected to keep their belonging tidy during the stay.

One stay a few years back two kids requested sleeping bags and mats so they could sleep on the balcony and watch the Monorail race by.

Good luck with an upgrade at the Grand. But I wouldn't change to PPH or DLH. I know it's only a few minutes farther... But my aching feet feel every step on the way back to one of those hotels.

Have a fun time!!

Geemo

The mention of mats and sleeping bags caught my attention. Is this something I request in advance or upon arrival? Is there room in the room itself on the floor for these? Do they roll up or fold away when not in use? Last question (I promise)...does the mat itself provide much more comfort than just a sleeping bag on the floor would?

I guess we're sticking with GCH at this point. It's really coming down to my mom's needs trumping all other concerns. I'm just trying to make lite of it by saying it'll be like dorm room days. We're not too stiff as a group overall, so we'll just have to roll with it, hopefully laugh off any awkward or inconvenient moments and chalk it all up to part of the memory. My mom deserves major kudos for this one though! God bless her, she just wants to travel with her family and share the experience of her daughter checking off a bucket list item.

Again, I SO appreciate the ongoing input and ideas as I keep finding new points of view to chew on!

While I have you all...does anyone know if you can request box fans for the rooms once there like you can at WDW?

 

[Chickinvic]

a guest and another adult would make that so awkward for us.

I would find that awkward too. Actually, this would have been very weird for me as a teenager (if I were the guest). Hopefully they manage it.

 

[DizMe]

The mention of mats and sleeping bags caught my attention. Is this something I request in advance or upon arrival? Is there room in the room itself on the floor for these? Do they roll up or fold away when not in use? Last question (I promise)...does the mat itself provide much more comfort than just a sleeping bag on the floor would?

I guess we're sticking with GCH at this point. It's really coming down to my mom's needs trumping all other concerns. I'm just trying to make lite of it by saying it'll be like dorm room days. We're not too stiff as a group overall, so we'll just have to roll with it, hopefully laugh off any awkward or inconvenient moments and chalk it all up to part of the memory. My mom deserves major kudos for this one though! God bless her, she just wants to travel with her family and share the experience of her daughter checking off a bucket list item.

Again, I SO appreciate the ongoing input and ideas as I keep finding new points of view to chew on!

While I have you all...does anyone know if you can request box fans for the rooms once there like you can at WDW?

You can request the mats and sleeping bags over the phone or when you're there. I would go ahead and put in the request now. My girls thought the mats were very comfortable; they're like padded mattresses you use for camping. The sleeping bags were cute in the woodsy theme of the hotel (like the '50s style bags that are green on the outside and red flannel print inside). You could easily slide them under the bed or agains a wall; I don't remember if the roll or fold. And yes, the mats give a lot more cushion than just a sleeping bag on the floor. As I said, my teens loved them!

I don't know about the fans, but you can always ask when you request sleeping bags and mats.

Our family is pretty laid back and wouldn't find that arrangement awkward, but I don't know about the friend. That could be weird for her so you might check and see what she thinks about it.

 

[robododo]

Please temper your expectations for being "on property". It's difficult to grasp how different it is from WDW.

Quick-n-dirty categorization:

1. GCH feels "mostly in the bubble."
2. DLH feels "bubble adjacent but with 100% more Trader Sams."
3. PPH is like "Hey, look, there's a bubble over there that sure looks nice."

Having stayed both at PPH and at a "good neighbor" hotel with some Disney wallpaper, I'd take the good neighbor every time. But that's just, like, my opinion

 

[Aurora0427]

Please temper your expectations for being "on property". It's difficult to grasp how different it is from WDW.

Quick-n-dirty categorization:

1. GCH feels "mostly in the bubble."
2. DLH feels "bubble adjacent but with 100% more Trader Sams."
3. PPH is like "Hey, look, there's a bubble over there that sure looks nice."

Having stayed both at PPH and at a "good neighbor" hotel with some Disney wallpaper, I'd take the good neighbor every time. But that's just, like, my opinion

I agree about PPH, but politely disagree about GCH and DLH. We are WDW veterans and have stayed at the Park Vue Inn multiple times and just recently had our first stay at the Disneyland Hotel. We felt like the DLH was very much in the Disney bubble..... it felt like a totally different trip than then PVI, and much more like our WDW stays, although NOTHING compares to the Grand Floridian!

 

[Tbone17701]

You can request the mats and sleeping bags over the phone or when you're there. I would go ahead and put in the request now. My girls thought the mats were very comfortable; they're like padded mattresses you use for camping. The sleeping bags were cute in the woodsy theme of the hotel (like the '50s style bags that are green on the outside and red flannel print inside). You could easily slide them under the bed or agains a wall; I don't remember if the roll or fold. And yes, the mats give a lot more cushion than just a sleeping bag on the floor. As I said, my teens loved them!

I don't know about the fans, but you can always ask when you request sleeping bags and mats.

Our family is pretty laid back and wouldn't find that arrangement awkward, but I don't know about the friend. That could be weird for her so you might check and see what she thinks about it.

Are you able to have the mats & bags in a room with the daybed too? I just hate to request the mat & bag and the room assigner not give me the 2 queens & daybed thinking we're good with the mat & bag instead. I think I've officially crept into "overthinking" territory.

As for the other teen's comfort, they've jokingly said they'd sleep in the bathtub just for the opportunity to go along, so I think they'll gladly go with the flow. I know I'd have had that same attitude at their age. I was much more resilient and flexible at 15 than pushing 45!

I'm afraid we aren't budging on staying at a Disney owned hotel for this trip. IF we get back again, that may be a different story, but this trip was supposed to be the one we dove into head first to check off our wish list and we've already had to compromise on the length of stay due to unforeseen school commitments and now are potentially making additional compromises due to our added guest (who we are genuinely thrilled to be taking), so rational or not...we're sticking to our guns with regard to staying "on-site". I do see the sense in all of the recommendations for the off-site options though and appreciate the input to give me other food for thought.

 

[twodogs]

We love the GCH and stay there every trip now (we have made 4 trips in 2019). We did try the DLH a few years ago (1 bedroom suite) but it just felt too far, and I did not love the theming (but did love Trader Sam’s!!). As someone else said, walking past the GCH at night was torture for us, as we went to the DLH after 25,000 steps per day!! If your Mom is the priority and it sounds like she is, you are making a great decision! The proximity can not be beat, and the hotel is gorgeous! I think the service at the hotel is generally very good, from Bell services to housekeeping to the piano player in the lobby.

I agree with OP that if you can swing Club Level, that will give you all more space. If you can’t (or if you’d rather spend that money on a suite if one becomes available, which BTW does happen often as time passes), then there are a lot of common areas to unwind in besides the obvious ones at the parks. There is a public balcony off of the 3rd floor I think that is almost always empty and quiet. There is the WOC viewing balcony that is again quiet almost all day. The lobby has many quiet areas, as do little tuck in areas near the other elevators and near the convention center area. There is a courtyard with benches that is also lovely, and the pool area will be a lot of fun for the teens.

As for the bathroom situation, there are plenty of public bathrooms in the GCH if people need more privacy, and there are even showers in the pool area in a pinch.

Lastly, do recheck for openings of a suite as you get closer to the trip. There is so much movement in the room availability over time there, with the easy cancellation policy. I usually check daily for the several months leading up to a trip if I can’t initially find the room I want to book (with my back up room already reserved), and I have never had trouble eventually getting what I want to book. Suites are obviously more limited than rooms, but keep checking because it can definitely happen. That can provide a lot more space and privacy.

Have a fantastic trip and enjoy the GCH!!!

 

[Malcon10t]

Regarding GCH...adjust your reservation to 5 adults and you will likely get the two Queen bed with twin sofa bed configuration. One advantage of the GCH room layout is that the toilet and shower are in a separate room then the sink is in a semi private area with two sinks so it is possible for everyone to be getting ready at the same time and everyone is not waiting for the bathroom.

PPH rooms are an all in one bathroom.

One bedroom suites have 2 full baths at the PPH.

Personally, my choice would be the PPH. The walk is only about 5 mins further.

 

[Malcon10t]

I agree with OP that if you can swing Club Level, that will give you all more space.

Having stayed Club level multiple times, I can say room sizes do not change. Club level simply gets you access to concierge services and access to the lounge.

The mention of mats and sleeping bags caught my attention. Is this something I request in advance or upon arrival? Is there room in the room itself on the floor for these? Do they roll up or fold away when not in use? Last question (I promise)...does the mat itself provide much more comfort than just a sleeping bag on the floor would?

I guess we're sticking with GCH at this point. It's really coming down to my mom's needs trumping all other concerns. I'm just trying to make lite of it by saying it'll be like dorm room days. We're not too stiff as a group overall, so we'll just have to roll with it, hopefully laugh off any awkward or inconvenient moments and chalk it all up to part of the memory. My mom deserves major kudos for this one though! God bless her, she just wants to travel with her family and share the experience of her daughter checking off a bucket list item.

Again, I SO appreciate the ongoing input and ideas as I keep finding new points of view to chew on!

While I have you all...does anyone know if you can request box fans for the rooms once there like you can at WDW?

Would your mom be open to using a scooter? I started using a scooter and it made a HUGE difference in my ability to enjoy the park.

As far as room in the room for mats, it will be a little tight. My daughter has brought a sleeping bag before and it was REALLY tight.

We just did 2 in the room this weekend, and that is fine. But when we brought 3 friends in just to visit, it feels cramped. But we are a family who likes space.

And to be honest, I think they stopped doing sleeping bags with the remodel.

 

[DizMe]

Having stayed Club level multiple times, I can say room sizes do not change. Club level simply gets you access to concierge services and access to the lounge.

Yes, quite true. But for us, it was nice having the lounge for my mom. She loved it; lots of room, comfortable seating, food and drink, outdoor balcony, and they even waited on her! There is also a TV and games etc, or there was last time I was there.

 

[Malcon10t]

Yes, quite true. But for us, it was nice having the lounge for my mom. She loved it; lots of room, comfortable seating, food and drink, outdoor balcony, and they even waited on her! There is also a TV and games etc, or there was last time I was there.

Totally agree. I was just commenting on someone who implied rooms on Club level are larger.

My DIL was studying for the bar one summer, so during our trips to DL, she would spend the day in the lounge studying, loved having access to food and drink (and wine) and then in the evening would join us for some park time.