The Villas at Disney's Grand Californian Owners Group

[darby888]

Room 1516 is NOT a smoking room.

Smoking is NOT allowed in the rooms or on the balconies!

The only ideal location for smoking is in the designated smoking areas.

My sister didn't smoke in the room....I never said she did?????

Neither my mom nor I smoke. However, my sister does.

So when I checked in I asked if there were any designated smoking areas & where they are located. I was informed there aren't any.The cm suggested & I had her confirmed with her supervisor that it would be alright if my sister smoked on our 1st floor patio (not balcony). They explained it was important that she keep the slider closed so that no smoke would enter the room or I could incur a $250 fine.

I just tried to follow the parameters that were provided as a solution by the staff at the Grand Cal.

I guess until they create a smoking area.....

 

[SoCalKDG]

My sister didn't smoke in the room....I never said she did?????

Neither my mom nor I smoke. However, my sister does.

So when I checked in I asked if there were any designated smoking areas & where they are located. I was informed there aren't any.The cm suggested & I had her confirmed with her supervisor that it would be alright if my sister smoked on our 1st floor patio (not balcony). They explained it was important that she keep the slider closed so that no smoke would enter the room or I could incur a $250 fine.

I just tried to follow the parameters that were provided as a solution by the staff at the Grand Cal.

I guess until they create a smoking area.....

The Grand Californian is a non-smoking hotel. Smoking is not permitted anywhere inside the hotel or its rooms, balconies, shops, restaurants or pool areas.

The CM was in error with regards to your smoking. Every person next to your room or above would be inconvenienced by smoking while they were on their balconies.

Inside DCA there is a close smoking area near Soaring, plus you could walk to the front sidewalk at the entrance to the Grand.

 

[toocherie]

Room 1516 is NOT a smoking room.

Smoking is NOT allowed in the rooms or on the balconies!

My sister didn't smoke in the room....I never said she did?????

Robo-Daddy thank you for clarifying for everyone. Even if someone smoked outside it would still permeate into the rooms after a while.

 

[kerickson]

I LOVE the Villas at the Grand Californian.​

At the Wine and Cheese reception, the guy who's in charge of The Grand Californian noticed our old Grand Cal tee shirts and commented on them. We didn't know who he was and we told him that we really miss the fine quality and variety of Grand Cal theme items in the gift shop. Here's hoping they'll bring some of the upscale Grand Cal stuff back.

I love the upscale items in the Grand Gift shop as well. The weather has started to turn here, so as I'm writing this in my comfy brown velor princess sweatsuit I bought at the Grand...love it!

Glad to hear all these wonderful reports of our new home!!

 

[SanDeeKath]

Room 1516 is NOT a smoking room.

Smoking is NOT allowed in the rooms or on the balconies!

The only ideal location for smoking is in the designated smoking areas.

I was just about the say the same thing. They actually had us sign a sheet of paper when we checked in that we agree not to smoke ANYWHERE on the Hotel/Villa premises (including the pools, etc) and are subject to a substantial fine if we did. As someone with severe asthma, I sure hope that no one on this thread is going to think that it's ok to smoke on the balcony at GCV with the doors closed!

Katherine

 

[darby888]

The Grand Californian is a non-smoking hotel. Smoking is not permitted anywhere inside the hotel or its rooms, balconies, shops, restaurants or pool areas.
The CM was in error with regards to your smoking. Every person next to your room or above would be inconvenienced by smoking while they were on their balconies.
Inside DCA there is a close smoking area near Soaring, plus you could walk to the front sidewalk at the entrance to the Grand.

Once again....I'm not a smoker.... so I really never have to deal with this issue, that is why I turned to the hotel for advice. I even made sure to have the cm check with her supervisor to make sure that her suggestion would be alright.
Had they told that the "front sidewalk at the entrance of the hotel" was the only option, then I would have made sure that my sister abided by that rule. The main intention of my post was to share some photos I thought might be helpful, sorry .... .....

 

[rmonty02]

Maybe if I space it out several days apart...our two memberships are under different primary names so maybe they won't catch it.

I'm definitely rooting for you Thanks for thinking of us

 

[SoCalKDG]

Once again....I'm not a smoker.... so I really never have to deal with this issue, that is why I turned to the hotel for advice. I even made sure to have the cm check with her supervisor to make sure that her suggestion would be alright.
Had they told that the "front sidewalk at the entrance of the hotel" was the only option, then I would have made sure that my sister abided by that rule. The main intention of my post was to share some photos I thought might be helpful, sorry .... .....

Sounds like the CM was in error, not you.

 

[disneydawn6]

Silly me, Just got back from a three day stay and forgot to get a pin... The villa were beautiful!!! Funny thing was the new pool was colder then the two older pools. Spent every night night on my balcony watching the Mickey Wheel. The light were on it til sunrise. We also saw the maliboomer going at 3 AM. We left the curtains open all night. One night they had construction going on at 4 AM and a huge lights seemed to be shining right in our window. We closed the curtains the rest of that night...

I'm not a smoker, but I'm pretty sure you are allowed to smoke by the OUTSIDE fireplace since there are ashtrays there and I always see at least a few smokers there sitting in chairs by the fire. It is under a porch by where they use to have weddings.....

 

[Longhairbear]

The Grand Californian is a non-smoking hotel. Smoking is not permitted anywhere inside the hotel or its rooms, balconies, shops, restaurants or pool areas.

The CM was in error with regards to your smoking. Every person next to your room or above would be inconvenienced by smoking while they were on their balconies.

Inside DCA there is a close smoking area near Soaring, plus you could walk to the front sidewalk at the entrance to the Grand.

There are designated smoking areas at the GC. One is the outdoor fireplace, the other is the court yard under the monorail. For me, the fireplace was the closest, and there was always someone to chat with. I met a nice couple on their first trip to the villas there.

 

[nunzia]

There is a designated smoking area right across from the entrance to DCA. there's a bunch of benches and ash trays. My son and his wife smoke, so we spent some time there

 

[bumbershoot]

So when I checked in I asked if there were any designated smoking areas & where they are located. I was informed there aren't any.

CM was wrong. I can think of one notable smoking area on the way to Storytellers; notable b/c I just can't deal with cig smoke and have to hold my breath as I go by. And DS just doesn't understand that the sand is not for playing (since he has no one in his life who smokes, our explanations don't make sense to him, I think he thinks we're joking?).

Maybe possibly if the CM's name is on your checkin paperwork, you could contact them and help her get trained in smoking areas? I called my bank the other day to have them help the banker who told us something completely opposite than reality...

 

[SoCalKDG]

There are designated smoking areas at the GC. One is the outdoor fireplace, the other is the court yard under the monorail. For me, the fireplace was the closest, and there was always someone to chat with. I met a nice couple on their first trip to the villas there.

Thanks, just reviewed the lobby level map and the smoking areas show exactly as you stated.

 

[Snow Brite]

CM was wrong. I can think of one notable smoking area on the way to Storytellers; notable b/c I just can't deal with cig smoke and have to hold my breath as I go by. And DS just doesn't understand that the sand is not for playing (since he has no one in his life who smokes, our explanations don't make sense to him, I think he thinks we're joking?).

Maybe possibly if the CM's name is on your checkin paperwork, you could contact them and help her get trained in smoking areas? I called my bank the other day to have them help the banker who told us something completely opposite than reality...

The CM was actually correct. There are no "designated" smoking areas. There are areas where there are trashcans with an ashtray on top, but they are open to everyone. The outdoor fireplace is enjoyed by many folks, some of whom smoke but is also where they do the yoga/stretching class in the mornings. There are no signs that say "SMOKING AREA" like there are in the parks.

 

[Niele]

Would anyone be able to scan a clean copy of the new floor map showing the GVC? I saw a couple of photos prior but they were not very clear. Many thanks!

 

[The Rivers' Rats]

Maybe if I space it out several days apart...our two memberships are under different primary names so maybe they won't catch it.

I was just down there for the past week and found multiple locations for buying the pin. It is at the pin shop at the exit of Buzz Lightyear, in the shop in the lobby of the hotel, World of Disney, etc. I bought my pin at the lobby and was told the limit was two, but they never marked my membership card in any way that would prohibit me from buying two more elsewhere...

 

[ACDSNY]

Thanks for the info The Rivers' Rats. Next week it's my turn!

 

[The Rivers' Rats]

Here are a few pictures from our trip to VGC last week (9/30 - 10/3). We had a two-bedroom (room # 4500) which had a great view of the park. The balcony overlooked the walkway (where the barbeques are) between the Grand and DCA and was just a few floors below the observation deck. This is an excellent room for viewing the parades and water shows later next year, but on this trip we mainly had a view of the ever changing colors of the Ferris Wheel and had a birds eye view of the construction activity and nightly preparation for the Mickey's Trick-or-Treat party.

Prior to staying in this room, we had spent three nights in a congierge level room (#6218) which was in the new wing. It was a wonderful room, but nothing compared to how enjoyable our stay was in this one!

 

[rmonty02]

It was a wonderful room, but nothing compared to how enjoyable our stay was in this one!

The family looks great The pictures are awsome, thank you

 

[The Rivers' Rats]

Here are a few more photos from our stay last week. These ones were taken on my I-phone and I just got them uploaded....

These first photos are from the balcony of our Concierge room (#6218) which was in the new portion of the building. It had a great view, looking over the pools and into DCA...

The remainder of the photos are of the two-bedroom (# 4500) over in the villas...

The view at night was breathtaking...

This last photo was taken from the Jumping Jelly Fish (I think that is what it is called...) ride over in DCA. The top of the red portion of the building is the covered observation deck. Our room is to the right of that red portion and on the fourth floor. The first window/balcony is the room with the two Queen size beds, the next window is the main room (windows don't open), and the last window/balcony is the Master bedroom (sharing the balcony with the mainroom).

From this angle, you can see just how close the room actually is to DCA...