Please help - another I can't decide between DLH and GCH thread!!!

[AnnaTink]

Hi,

I am in the process of planning a trip to Disneyland for next September (I went back last year for the first time in 8 years and absolutely fell totally in love with everything about the place). I have never stayed on property and generally do not know a great deal about the resort and am looking for any advice on which hotel people would recommend and for what reasons.

The trip is most likely to be me and my parents, they are DVC members and have said that basically we can stay in any of the hotels and I'm totally torn between DLH and GCH......it's just not an easy decision, especially as I do not know much about either hotel.

So basically (and finally) both myself and my parents LOVE everything Disney, they go to WDW at least once a year, I go whenever possible. We do want to try and make this a really memorable trip as I don't go away with them very often, especially not to my favourite place!

 

[dizzyami]

I have never stayed at DLH - just GCH and PP - and I must say that while we debated between DLH and GCH for our trip next month we went with GCH. There is really one major reason that we love this hotel - it is inside DCA. This is so convenient to be able to walk through the hotel and out the entrance to DCA, and to return back to the hotel, and it be right there!!! I can see many reasons not to choose GCH - it is very pricey - and while the decor was neat the rooms to me were nothing spectacular - nothing that screamed wow I am worth $400/night (holiday time) - but we did love the convenience and for that reason alone will be returning there again.

 

[Judy from Boise]

Make sure to visit Mary Jo's sticky thread to see some great photos and comparisons....also use the quicklinks at the top of the page to read the DIS guide to the DLR hotels.

 

[disneegrl4eva]

imo...not having kids with you, I would probably go with GC...however, if you are a crazy DL fanatic like I am and act like a total goofball when you're there then I would say do what I do...stay at the DLH...I think the GC is very lovely but when I go to DL I was to be immersed, submerged, drowned if you will in all things DL 24-7...

 

[AnnaTink]

imo...not having kids with you, I would probably go with GC...however, if you are a crazy DL fanatic like I am and act like a total goofball when you're there then I would say do what I do...stay at the DLH...I think the GC is very lovely but when I go to DL I was to be immersed, submerged, drowned if you will in all things DL 24-7...

See that is my dilemma summed up perfectly We are all adults.......but we do all adore all things Disney...........I reckon I'm going to have to pick a name out of a hat

Thanks for the help so far though - it's giving me more to think about

 

[cats mom]

I have to say that all things considered my favorite onsite hotel is DLH.

Part of that has to do with the price of GC. Even when we get a really great AP discount there, I still feel like I am way overpaying for the room.
GC has many, many devotees who would disagree with me on that and who feel it is worth the price though.

Of course we've found that having GC right inside DCA is not a huge selling point for us.
We tend to be at the entrance gates before opening and more often than not we close the parks down in the evening too, so since DCA opens later and closes earlier than DL, we end up walking through Downtown Disney to get to/from the parks anyway.
Of course it IS nice to be staying at GC when you want to take a mid-day break or when you get off GRR absolutely soaked and you want to change.


Good Luck with your decision.
I'm sure you'll have a great time either way.

 

[Amy&Dan]

imo...not having kids with you, I would probably go with GC...however, if you are a crazy DL fanatic like I am and act like a total goofball when you're there then I would say do what I do...stay at the DLH...I think the GC is very lovely but when I go to DL I was to be immersed, submerged, drowned if you will in all things DL 24-7...

Thats exactly how I feel!

GCH is wonderful. The location is amazing, you can ride GRR, get soaked and be up in your room changing into dry clothes less than five minutes later. The service is phenomenal, you really feel you are going first class. I also loved the balconies. We had a perfect stay this past June. But as you can see by my sig, I am returning to the DLH for our next visit. Because in spite of all the convenience, service and amenities that the GCH offered us, I just sort of missed the DLH. I am sure that as we pass GCH on our way to DLH we'll sometimes think we should have stayed there again. But really and truly, the walk up DTD to the DLH or PP is no biggie. Maybe 5-7 minutes past the GCH. And you can always take the monorail which can cut down on the walk and add some convenience. I missed the light, bright, cheerful Disney decor (GCH rooms are very dark) and the Neverland Pool. We also love the landscaping and Koi poinds and fountains at the DLH. Another thing that sways me to go with the DLH is that the rooms are larger and they either have a daybed or will provide a free rollaway. At GCH if you don't get a bunkbed room or a daybed room, you get a sleeping bag because they don't have rollaways.

I think you cannot go wrong with either hotel. But I just love that feeling of being immersed in Disney magic that I get when I stay at the DLH.

 

[AnnaTink]

Just want to say thank you for all the advice, it has helped a great deal....and we've decided we are going to stay at the Disneyland hotel (as long as we can get a room!!).

I just think that as we all love Disney the way we do it has to be the place for us. I've stayed in the Wilderness lodge and the Animal Kingdom lodge at WDW before, and wonder if the GCH would seem similar to those and we would prefer to experience something different!!!

So it's a full on week in DLH for us, I can't wait already and its a whole year away!!! Just got to sort out flights, tickets etc out - but thats all part of the fun!!!

Thanks again everyone!!!