Questions about Grand Californian

[jason417]

I'm planning our first-ever stay in a Disney resort and have some questions about the Grand Californian:

1) If we check in early and leave our luggage with the hotel, how long does it normally take them to bring it to the room when we ask for it? (or can we grab it from them in the lobby?)

2) Are we able to have Door Dash deliver food from outside Disney property to the hotel?

3) Can we bring food into the pool area that isn't from the bar? Like if I wanted to go grab corn dogs from Corn Dog Castle, would the hotel let me bring those into the pool section?

4) Can we eat food in the lounge chairs around the pool or do we have to eat at tables by the bar? (like if I order a pizza from the bar)

 

[Becca1007]

I'm planning our first-ever stay in a Disney resort and have some questions about the Grand Californian:

1) If we check in early and leave our luggage with the hotel, how long does it normally take them to bring it to the room when we ask for it? (or can we grab it from them in the lobby?)

2) Are we able to have Door Dash deliver food from outside Disney property to the hotel?

3) Can we bring food into the pool area that isn't from the bar? Like if I wanted to go grab corn dogs from Corn Dog Castle, would the hotel let me bring those into the pool section?

4) Can we eat food in the lounge chairs around the pool or do we have to eat at tables by the bar? (like if I order a pizza from the bar)

Luggage/ bell services is sometimes quick and sometimes extraordinarily slow. It really depends on the day.

I don't know about DoorDash

You can bring food/snacks into the pool area, just no glass containers.

You can eat food in the lounge chairs. There will often be a server roaming the pool area that can take your order for food/drinks.

 

[DLgal]

I think you can have DoorDash delivered you, but I believe you have to meet the driver outside. They cannot park and come in.

 

[damn_straight]

I'm planning our first-ever stay in a Disney resort and have some questions about the Grand Californian:

1) If we check in early and leave our luggage with the hotel, how long does it normally take them to bring it to the room when we ask for it? (or can we grab it from them in the lobby?)

2) Are we able to have Door Dash deliver food from outside Disney property to the hotel?

3) Can we bring food into the pool area that isn't from the bar? Like if I wanted to go grab corn dogs from Corn Dog Castle, would the hotel let me bring those into the pool section?

4) Can we eat food in the lounge chairs around the pool or do we have to eat at tables by the bar? (like if I order a pizza from the bar)

When we stayed there in November, we had our bags within 10 minutes of notifying bellhop services. Yes, you can have food doordashed, you usually just need to meet the driver outside or in the lobby. Yes, you can eat food in the pool area not from the bar...just no glass as mentioned by someone else. We ate Tortilla Jo's while sitting in the lounge chairs.

 

[jason417]

Thanks everyone!

 

[RunnerMom71]

FYI the food from Craftsman's Bar is pretty much the same as the pool menu. We love ordering from the pool waiters - a nice treat during vacation. The Poke was my new fav addition to the pool menu!

We've brought down beers, wine etc to the pool in plastic cups many many times.

I've had bell hop take more than an hour: or super fast. Our last trip the luggage was in our room waiting for us.

 

[ktlm]

If you are in a hurry to get your bags, you can always just pick them up at bell services and cart them to your room yourselves instead of calling for them to deliver them. That is what we usually do.

 

[roxy72]

If you are in a hurry to get your bags, you can always just pick them up at bell services and cart them to your room yourselves instead of calling for them to deliver them. That is what we usually do.

This is a strange questions, but are guests allowed to use luggage carts themselves? If so, is it only at check-in and not upon check-out?

When we checked out about 3 weeks ago, I asked a CM if we could borrow a cart and take our luggage to my car in self-parking. But she said no- only the bell services were 'authorized' to use carts, and our options were to use bell services for help (we'd need to move our car to the front of the hotel) or to lug everything ourselves by hand. No borrowing carts allowed!

 

[ktlm]

This is a strange questions, but are guests allowed to use luggage carts themselves? If so, is it only at check-in and not upon check-out?

I don't think I have ever seen a guest with a luggage cart themselves. Usually when we pick it up, we just each grab our suitcase and carry on and lug it ourselves. This last trip when we went to pick it up, the guy that brought it out on the luggage cart offered to go with us and bring it to our room right then so we wouldn't have to drag it ourselves - we let him. When we check out, we usually just drag it down to bell services ourselves in the morning and leave it with them and head for the parks until we have to go to the airport or our next destination.

 

[ParkHopper1]

I have had horrible luck using bell services to deliver luggage the the GHC. Was an 45 min to hour + on numerous occasions. We either haul to room ourselves or swing by bell desk to pick up.

 

[shosh1530]

Bell services was backed up an hour when we arrived at GCH in June (try to avoid late afternoon/early evening). We asked if we could use the luggage cart and they said no. Due to safety reasons, only employees could use them.

We rolled/carried are luggage for both check in and check out.

Beware that if you leave a bag unattended for even a short time in the lobby, someone will likely get involved. My kid and I stepped away about 10 ft to look at the fire place and security quickly got involved.

 

[Malcon10t]

Door Dash can be met on the Valet Drive. Some restaurants in DTD will deliver to the lobby. Others that self deliver (like Marri's) will meet you at Bell Services.

You won't be allowed to use the luggage carts.

Picking up your luggage can often take as long as just having it brought up.

 

[twodogs]

And as I recall, they will not deliver luggage to your room from Bell Services if you are not in the room. Thus the hassle if they are backed up.

 

[PirateBrigade]

And as I recall, they will not deliver luggage to your room from Bell Services if you are not in the room. Thus the hassle if they are backed up.

This is correct as of my visit in early December. Waiting for luggage like a pleb is not a 4* luxury hotel experience.

 

[SeaDis]

And as I recall, they will not deliver luggage to your room from Bell Services if you are not in the room. Thus the hassle if they are backed up.

Agreed, and they won't put in your request unless you call from the room (or go to the desk in person). I got our room ready text and called bell services just to get on the list as we were leaving DCA and headed straight back to the room. Just hoped to shave 7 or 8 minutes off the wait. Nope. Not a huge deal, we were just surprised.

 

[senoragilbert]

@jason417 I am hijacking your post, please forgive me. You asked so many great questions that I needed answers to, I didn't want to post separately!

Here are my questions:
1. If we rent a car and park in the VGC lot (we are renting points) and then leave the car an extra night, will they just charge our credit card for the extra night of parking, or will there be some crazy fee or towed car? (We couldn't get the last night on points so we'll probably stay somewhere off property).

2. Has anyone successfully received a grocery order from Walmart? Assuming no alcohol, will bell services take delivery and store? We've had great experiences with delivery orders at BWV in FL but every place is different!

3. Since we are staying on rented points (we're owners but I'm overextended on points right now, haha) I would like to ask to not move rooms--two ressies by two different owners--and for a quiet view. Does anyone know how I might do that? I always let TouringPlans make my requests in FL but there is no such option at VGC! An email address would be great!

 

[Malcon10t]

The answer to #2 is yes.

 

[aussiecookfamily]

@jason417 I am hijacking your post, please forgive me. You asked so many great questions that I needed answers to, I didn't want to post separately!

Here are my questions:
1. If we rent a car and park in the VGC lot (we are renting points) and then leave the car an extra night, will they just charge our credit card for the extra night of parking, or will there be some crazy fee or towed car? (We couldn't get the last night on points so we'll probably stay somewhere off property).

2. Has anyone successfully received a grocery order from Walmart? Assuming no alcohol, will bell services take delivery and store? We've had great experiences with delivery orders at BWV in FL but every place is different!

3. Since we are staying on rented points (we're owners but I'm overextended on points right now, haha) I would like to ask to not move rooms--two ressies by two different owners--and for a quiet view. Does anyone know how I might do that? I always let TouringPlans make my requests in FL but there is no such option at VGC! An email address would be great!

For room requests just use the online chat function on the DVC website, I wrote my request out in full first (with reservation #, dates etc) and then just cut and pasted it into the chat. Got a great response from the CM on the chat, but yet to check in and see if it worked.

 

[DLgal]

@jason417 I am hijacking your post, please forgive me. You asked so many great questions that I needed answers to, I didn't want to post separately!

Here are my questions:
1. If we rent a car and park in the VGC lot (we are renting points) and then leave the car an extra night, will they just charge our credit card for the extra night of parking, or will there be some crazy fee or towed car? (We couldn't get the last night on points so we'll probably stay somewhere off property).

2. Has anyone successfully received a grocery order from Walmart? Assuming no alcohol, will bell services take delivery and store? We've had great experiences with delivery orders at BWV in FL but every place is different!

3. Since we are staying on rented points (we're owners but I'm overextended on points right now, haha) I would like to ask to not move rooms--two ressies by two different owners--and for a quiet view. Does anyone know how I might do that? I always let TouringPlans make my requests in FL but there is no such option at VGC! An email address would be great!

1. You cannot do that. Your key card will stop working to get you out of the self parking lot at midnight on your checkout day. If you try and take the car out the next day, you will be charged an exorbitant "maximum daily parking fee" of something like $135. Why wouldn't you just take the car to wherever you stay the last night?

 

[senoragilbert]

For room requests just use the online chat function on the DVC website, I wrote my request out in full first (with reservation #, dates etc) and then just cut and pasted it into the chat. Got a great response from the CM on the chat, but yet to check in and see if it worked.

That's a great idea! Will you let us know when you know more about how it worked?

1. You cannot do that. Your key card will stop working to get you out of the self parking lot at midnight on your checkout day. If you try and take the car out the next day, you will be charged an exorbitant "maximum daily parking fee" of something like $135. Why wouldn't you just take the car to wherever you stay the last night?

Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. Not a big fan of how they stack cars in those lots off of Harbor so was trying to avoid that craziness but it is what it is. Thanks for the response!