We'll see if this picture (not mine--it was posted on a forum) loads. It helps with room requests. There are others that show the rooms that face the Redwood Trail and the pool as well. Note that this was taken a number of years ago and the trees are taller, blocking more views.
As in the very front - nose / driver car? OMG yes! We aren't allowed to do that here anymore. A couple of yrs ago there was a crash & a fatality, it is so sad. They retired the colors of the 2 involved and made a new color.
You can email, chat via the DVC website, or call DVC Member Services to add room requests. I checked with the Grand Californian today regarding my upcoming trip, and you can call the hotel directly 10 days before your arrival date to add room requests. Since I've had trouble in the past with DVC-entered room requests making it to the hotel, I decided to do both - called DVC Member services today to add my requests, and I'll call the hotel 10 days before arrival to confirm.
I've used Amazon Prime Now on past trips and am planning to use them again for this trip. Available if you're a current member of Amazon Prime.
I did the tour a couple years ago, very enjoyable. The following thread has a great post from @Nonsuch with more details about the tour: DVC Soarin tour
The DVC section is actually pretty close to the lobby. You do have to kind of walk around to the other side to get to the DCA entrance, but it is all fairly compact. I've never done DW, but from what I've heard, you are going to find that all of Disneyland Resort is super accessible, especially staying at the Grand Californian. To get to Disneyland from the Grand, you go out to Downtown Disney and turn right. When both parks are open (and it's not first thing in the morning), we like to enter California Adventure from the Grand Californian, walk through DCA and then hop to the Disneyland gate. I'm not sure it's shorter, but it feels like it to me and I like the ambiance of the park better than Downtown Disney. We do the same thing in reverse returning to the hotel (assuming there aren't lines getting into DCA). People say not to use the Grand hotel entrance into DCA first thing in the morning, but honestly when we have, the line feels long, but we have always been in the park before opening time. In fact, we are usually about to Toy Story Midnight Mania by opening time, because a CM will start leading a group down there, and a separate group to Carsland.
Hopefully this will work. I drew on this map a red line from the VGC wing to the DCA entrance, and in a blue line from the VGC wing to Downtown Disney, where you can access either Disneyland or DCA. Either way, you go through security before entering DCA directly or before entering Downtown Disney. The lobby entrance is where my 2 lines split apart.
I've never used Amazon Fresh, but I changed my location to VGC and it *looks like* Amazon Fresh delivers there.
We're normally Worlders, too, given that we live in southwest Virginia. However, we've taken a couple of trips out to the Land in the past couple of years and have immensely enjoyed the experience. Our last trip saw my daughter turning 18, graduating from high school, and our wedding anniversary all rolled into one trip. One of the highlights was that ride in the front or driver's car. She/He sits right there just behind you. It was a hoot. I still have memories of DL back when I was stationed in SoCal--I used to park where CA now sits! My view as a DVC owner and long-time World visitor (couple of dozen trips over the past decade plus) is that the two parks in California are better than any two parks in the World. Now, the World has four parks, obviously, so overall there is more to see and do at the World. However, at WDW you spend so much time in transit, and it requires so much more planning thanks to FPs and dining necessities. At DL, planning is minimal (comparatively), and the experience a lot more intimate in many ways. Want lunch out of the parks? Walk five minutes from the gate of either park and you have numerous places from which to choose at DS. Want to go back to your room for a rest midday? Again, a very short walk. Don't feel like making a reservation for Tortilla Jo's for lunch? No sweat--there'll be a table without much (or any) of a wait. (And they serve very good guacamole table side, by the way!). It's such a different vibe there than in Florida. You'll have a blast!
From the DVC site:
Yes. King bed in bedroom. Queen sleeper + pull down 'twin' in living room. We always take the 'twin' (shorter than a real twin) out of the pull down and put it on the floor.
Yes
Ha Ha Yes we own a bowling center here in Florida and go to the Splitsville here. I am surprised at the HUGE differences.
