Grand Californian Super Thread

[Pluto468]

Clarify the process for me of adding club level access at check in...
We have woods view rooms booked, and at check in, I'd like to see if we could add access to the club level lounge (but still keep our woods view rooms). Is that a possibility? Do I just ask them at the desk what the price is to add the lounge access and if they have availability?

You can also call ahead of time and request it. I did that at DLH once and when I checked in I found out I did have club level. It was great. I really want to try club at the Grand! Have a great stay

 

[brentm77]

Does anyone know where the standard ADA rooms with wheelchair showers are located? Did they put them in locations that are more accessible for disabilities (not super long distances from lobby), or did they scatter them throughout the property? I plan to call and request a closer room, but haven't had any luck with Disney honoring requests related to rooms in the past.

We just booked out first trip back after our daughter's fight with bone cancer and the loss of her leg and the limited mobility part is still new to us. She will be using a mobility scooter mostly, but even then, shorter distances means less time in the scooter. We are so excited to be returning to Disneyland in a few months! It was one of her goals this past year.

 

[Fixall]

Well…. Day two at the Grand Californian (and day one at the park) has been a pretty mixed bag.

I’ve gotta be honest about the room…. I’ve stayed in $250 - $300 a night rooms that were much nicer than this (we have a theme park view room). There is paint flaking pretty badly in the bathroom on both the door, and frame. The carpet has several areas that are thread bare with a lot of loose thread. The humidity is strangely high. So much so that when we turn on the heat, the sliding glass door, mirrors, and TV literally fog up. And best of all, there was a giant (we’re talking the circumference of a dime) waterlogged, half smoked joint on our balcony. Not exactly what I wanted my two year old to pick up.

We had dinner at the Craftsman Grill. My wife and I both agreed that the burger and fries were the best we’d ever had. Delicious! Granted, it was $75 for two cheeseburgers and a kids chicken fingers so I would have been pretty disappointed if it wasn’t, lol. What wasn’t acceptable for a place charging $25 for a cheeseburger was the fact that both of their ice machines are broken (both days we’ve been here so far) and their fountain soda machine is out of more than half of the flavors.

Let’s be honest though…. The reason most of us pay to stay at the Grand is the convenient location, and early entrance to Disneyland. Well, that’s been a pretty mixed bag too. I can’t deny the location is great. But the Early Entrance is a TOTAL JOKE!!!

We were literally the very first people in line to enter the park (wife took pictures). Since we have a two year old, we went straight to Fantasyland to ride Peter Pan. No go, it was closed. No worries. We went to Alice in Wonderland. Closed. Ok…. We went to Casey Jr. Circus Train. Closed. Ok, this is getting ridiculous. We asked if anything was actually open because the app wasn’t updating. We were told Mr. Toad was open, so we went there. CLOSED. At this point we relegated ourselves to riding Dumbo since it was one of the only rides open. Since nothing was open, all of the early entrance people in fantasyland were funneled there, so there was a ten minute wait. We then were able to just squeak out Pinocchio with just a few minutes left of early entrance, for a grand total of TWO rides. With only a few minutes left of early entrance, we stopped by Peter Pan again and were told by the cast member that there was no estimated time for when it would open, so we got into the 30 minute line for Snow White. Within 5 minutes of getting into the Snow White line they opened up Peter Pan, just in time for the regular opening.

All in all, I can’t say I’ll ever make the mistake of paying for the Grand Californian again. The location is the only perk I see, and that’s just not worth the cost of the hotel. I’d rather just stay at a nice, good neighbor hotel and use the four figure savings to extend our trip next time.

Hopefully I’ll have some better things to write about over our next few days here. Bleh.

 

[nalababybear]

Well…. Day two at the Grand Californian (and day one at the park) has been a pretty mixed bag.

All in all, I can’t say I’ll ever make the mistake of paying for the Grand Californian again. The location is the only perk I see, and that’s just not worth the cost of the hotel. I’d rather just stay at a nice, good neighbor hotel and use the four figure savings to extend our trip next time.

Hopefully I’ll have some better things to write about over our next few days here. Bleh.

So the ball bounces unfortunately for EE. Yes, GC is generally a mixed bag these days from the accommodations standpoint. The level of housekeeping across the board in travel has declined since covid and never recovered -- including Disney.

Still as you said, location cannot be beat. Having a midday stopover resting is the best thing about GC to allow for both opening and closing out the parks. Craftsman food beats almost anything in DTD right now to boot.

 

[Nonsuch]

...And best of all, there was a giant (we’re talking the circumference of a dime) waterlogged, half smoked joint on our balcony...

Better than an actual Roach (the insect type)

 

[Brittney Cornwell]

Does anyone know if the cribs at GCH have actual mattresses rather than a pad? Anyone have a pic? What are the chances they can accommodate providing a crib versus just a pack and play? Pretty sure my big guy would be too cramped in a pack and play.

 

[Nonsuch]

Does anyone know if the cribs at GCH have actual mattresses rather than a pad? Anyone have a pic? What are the chances they can accommodate providing a crib versus just a pack and play? Pretty sure my big guy would be too cramped in a pack and play.

Photo from 2017, but the ones I've seen more recently seem the same.

 

[Brittney Cornwell]

Photo from 2017, but the ones I've seen more recently seem the same.

View attachment 828599

Thanks super helpful!!

 

[Communicore1991]

Is the Art of the Craft Tour still being offered? The link from several pages back references a blog post from 2010 so wasn't sure if anyone has done it recently.

 

[CastAStone]

New EE 1 park policy data point: I went to Disneyland for EE this morning. Got in line for security at 7 exactly. It wrapped around the courtyard and much of the way back, and took about 18 minutes. We were at the park gates just as they started letting people in. We got to the EE area at the Tommorowland entrance at 7:29.

At 7:15 as we were making the turn into DtD security, the line was even longer, probably 25 minutes.

FYI!

 

[CastAStone]

Haven’t seen this noted anywhere really, Redwood pool and slide are currently closed and will be through Feb 18.

 

[ClaraOswald]

I wonder if that pool closes every year at this time? We were there last February it was closed for our entire trip.

 

[CastAStone]

I wonder if that pool closes every year at this time? We were there last February it was closed for our entire trip.

I mean it makes sense, the pools are only usable like 7 hours a day in the winter even for northern folk like me. It was like 50 this morning. I just wish I’d had a heads up.

 

[ClaraOswald]

Yeah, we didn't know before our trip last year either. We only went to the pool one day and it was honestly a little too chilly out for us too.

 

[evilmommie]

The Lunar New Year Dragon in the GCH lobby is pretty cool!

 

[lilsonicfan]

Is the Art of the Craft Tour still being offered? The link from several pages back references a blog post from 2010 so wasn't sure if anyone has done it recently.

I saw it on this week's activity list but I believe it was Tues/Wed/Thurs only.

 

[Mom of a *Princess*]

Has anyone recently sent packages to the GCH through the mail? I’m arriving in a few weeks and I’d like to order a few things online to have shipped to GCH. Has anyone had success in getting their packages?

 

[roxy72]

I saw it on this week's activity list but I believe it was Tues/Wed/Thurs only.

Where do you view the activity list? My husband and I wanted to do it during our December 2021 honeymoon but we couldn't find info about it then. Thanks!

 

[Rex1993]

Has anyone recently sent packages to the GCH through the mail? I’m arriving in a few weeks and I’d like to order a few things online to have shipped to GCH. Has anyone had success in getting their packages?

Yes, but I've only done Amazon while there. One of the issues is that you had to get your stuff from the bell desk and they seemed to either be slammed or no one was there.

 

[Mom of a *Princess*]

Yes, but I've only done Amazon while there. One of the issues is that you had to get your stuff from the bell desk and they seemed to either be slammed or no one was there.

Thanks for the info!