Will I regret my decision--GCH vs off-site?

[disygirl]

We have usually stayed on site (typically GCH) for our every other year trip. This year I booked the Westin since GCH prices skyrocketed. I have been second guessing myself since then. Will I regret the walk to/from the hotel? We are a family with teens so Uber is possible. Anyone recently booked Westin and regretted not just staying on site?

 

[Pluto468]

I haven't stayed at the Westin, but I have regretted not just staying onsite sometimes. I think if you're used to the tradition of staying at GCH you might miss it if you aren't there. Even though you can Uber, it's not the same as stepping out of your hotel and strolling into the park.

That said..I know alot of people just LOVE the Westin, so if you're looking for a change maybe you'll enjoy it.

Have you considered a split stay? You could have the best of both worlds

 

[DizMe]

We have usually stayed on site (typically GCH) for our every other year trip. This year I booked the Westin since GCH prices skyrocketed. I have been second guessing myself since then. Will I regret the walk to/from the hotel? We are a family with teens so Uber is possible. Anyone recently booked Westin and regretted not just staying on site?

Well, I'm like you and have always stayed at GCH for my Dec trip. But the prices continue to go up and my finances don't, so I have to decide what to prioritize.

But here's something to consider--go during Dapper Days. They have them twice a year, spring and fall. This last weekend (Nov 11-12) was fall Dapper Day. They offer great discounts at the on site hotels and anyone can book. It might not be optimal timing for your family and it's still a chunk of money, but it brings the on site hotels more into my comfort zone. Here are the upcoming spring rates:

(edited to add that I always buy a ticket to the DD Expo. I think it's only fair to support them when they offer such a good discount, and I love the Expo! They have all kinds of fun booths, photo ops, vintage items, they have bands and dancing--it's good fun! I also love to dress up for DD.)

 

[vakamalua]

We are at the GCH now & finding the service has slipped far below what it used to be (especially the front desk). No longer worth the premium price.

 

[DizMe]

We are at the GCH now & finding the service has slipped far below what it used to be (especially the front desk). No longer worth the premium price.

Hopefully this is not the new normal. I've had wonderful service at the front desk the last several times I've gone to GCH, but it has been 6ish months since I was last there. I just got back from a DLH stay, though, and have to agree that the front desk experience was tedious. The CMs were nice, but were uninformed and this made the lines very long because they had to keep going and asking someone else. I also got misinformation from a very nice young man at Guest Services who looked like he was about 17.

 

[ParkHopper1]

I do LOOOOVE the Grand but if I am not on site proximity is the next thing I value so we typically go for the Fairfield or courtyard across the street. I get the desire to stay in a "nicer" property with the Westin but those do not at all appeal to me due to the further proximity.

 

[MillauFr]

Do you have to still check in at the front desk when you arrive?

 

[DizMe]

Do you have to still check in at the front desk when you arrive?

You can check in online/through the app up to 5 days before you arrive. They'll send the virtual key to your phone on arrival day. You can just drop your bags at the baggage station and head into the parks or to the pool or whatever. Your room may even be ready. This also allows you to take advantage of early entry.

However, I'm a bit anal about what room I get so I always check in in person. I am particular about my room, even if I've booked standard (which I frequently do). I make requests ahead of time but my guess is that the early check-in online doesn't take those into account. I don't want a room in the back of the Frontier Tower facing the parking lot. I always request Adventure or Fantasy, both of which have standard rooms. I don't care which view I get from either of those towers as they're all pretty nice.

ETA I just got back from a stay at DLH and did in-person check-in. The CM was happy to tell me that my room was ready (we arrived at around 8 am), but it was the dreaded farthest-away-from-everything room with a lower level parking lot view. I nicely requested to be in either of the other towers. She looked in the database and told me that nothing was ready, and I replied that was fine. She disappeared into the back and eventually returned to say we could have a 9th-floor room in Fantasy (on the side where you can see the park, not the pool), with a warning that it might not be ready until 4. We said that was fine and it was a wonderful room with what would have been a great view of the fireworks had we been in the room when that was happening

 

[MartyParty]

I've not stayed at the Westin but I've seen posts were folks love it. Perhaps they will jump in here and offer the VGC to Westin comparisons. I know Paul and Amy talk about the Westin on one of their shows. They loved it. I think its there got to if not staying at Grand Cal.

If you don't get the responses here, perhaps post this on the DVC Grand Cal thread.

 

[crystal1313]

We absolutely loved our stay at the Westin. We also have teens and the walk wasn’t bad.

We had a not so great stay at the grand last year. It was mainly cleanliness issues and we moved rooms 3 times. (First room had fingernail clippings on the carpet, next room looked like people were still using it? Clothing in bathroom, room service napkins on the dresser, etc) by the time we finally got settled, we didn’t have time to swim because we had to get to our ADR. It was a disappointing stay.

Hope you have a great time at the Westin!!

 

[ClaraOswald]

I think if you go with the expectation that the walk (or drive) to the parks will be longer, you'll be fine. Especially with teens. If you want affordable and close but don't care as much about a nice hotel...the motels on Harbor are a good fit. But again, you'd need to keep your expectations in check.

We had our first Grand Cal stay earlier this year after decades of staying on Harbor. We only stayed because we had a 40% discount. We definitely loved it enough to become DVC members. But, that said, I think the regular prices for rooms there are outrageous and not really worth it.

 

[Toadismydriver]

After years of staying onsite (DLH & PP) as well as trying out many Harbour hotels we found the Anabella about 15 years ago. Fell in love with it and the location. At that time, we felt that if not staying onsite then the walk (especially at the end of the day) felt like you were still in the bubble - DTD, exit through GCH, lower traffic on DL drive, the pathway and lights on the trees. It’s a bit nicer transition for the senses than the jump right to Harbour - for us annyway, YMMV. Also the Anabella was almost its own compound as well, keeping out traffic noise, they had pool movie nights, etc. When they tore down the Anabella and put in the Westin we were sad (sentimental) but also interested in the new. We’ve stayed at the Westin twice since then and bought into DVC at Grand Cal. As mentioned by a poster above, the overall room costs (onsite and to some degree offsite) helped in the decision of going into DVC.

For us, if we can’t get into our DVC, or have dates on either end, the Westin is definitely choice #1.

 

[ClaraOswald]

After years of staying onsite (DLH & PP) as well as trying out many Harbour hotels we found the Anabella about 15 years ago. Fell in love with it and the location. At that time, we felt that if not staying onsite then the walk (especially at the end of the day) felt like you were still in the bubble - DTD, exit through GCH, lower traffic on DL drive, the pathway and lights on the trees. It’s a bit nicer transition for the senses than the jump right to Harbour - for us annyway, YMMV. Also the Anabella was almost its own compound as well, keeping out traffic noise, they had pool movie nights, etc. When they tore down the Anabella and put in the Westin we were sad (sentimental) but also interested in the new. We’ve stayed at the Westin twice since then and bought into DVC at Grand Cal. As mentioned by a poster above, the overall room costs (onsite and to some degree offsite) helped in the decision of going into DVC.

For us, if we can’t get into our DVC, or have dates on either end, the Westin is definitely choice #1.

I LOVED the Anabella. I was living in Orange back in the day and my family all stayed there when they came in town for my wedding. So many great memories! Even got my hair done at their salon the morning of my wedding.

You're right about the walk. It was more pleasant than the Harbor walk even if a little longer. Though that was almost 20 years ago so not sure what it's like these days.

 

[KimberMama]

We just spent 3 nights at the Disneyland Hotel (Adventure Tower, 11th floor, corner premium view room with a king sized bed) and it was awful! The view was fantastic, but the bed was so bad we found ourselves each trying to sleep on the very edge of the bed without falling off, just to have some support. In addition, we found that we just don’t like the extra walking to the park, even using the PP gate to the Grand in order to enter DCA near Corn Dog Castle. We added a 4th night and moved to the Grand, which was decidedly better. Booked the only available room online (standard view), checked in around 11 and got put into a pool view room. Room was clean, beds were much much better. We found we much preferred the shorter walk to Disneyland, as well as the close access to DCA.

We’ve stayed at The Anaheim as well, which is also a lot of walking even though it’s pretty close to the Esplanade. It was still better than staying at the Disneyland Hotel in terms of walking (and bed quality).

 

[Rex1993]

I've heard good things about the Westin but haven't stayed there. One year we stayed at the Holiday Inn Express and Suites and had the large suite with the wraparound windows. The views of the fireworks were pretty great and it wasn't a bad walk. It was hundreds of dollars cheaper per night than a standard room at the GCH. The problem for us was we went in December 2017 and one day was the hardest rain I've ever experienced in my life. It was raining so hard that there was three inches of water flowing down main street and the roofs of the shops were leaking so bad that it was raining inside. Suffice it to say, that walk back was long and miserable.

While I loved the price of Holiday Inn, we have stayed at the GCH ever since. That experience along with the ever rising price of standard rooms at the GCH finally put me over the hump to buy a VGC contract back in 2021. That being said, I think you'll be great at the Westin. You can get limo service for the amount of money you'll save.

 

[RunnerMom71]

We have always stayed at the GCH or a split stay at DLH in a suite or concierge. This August the prices were outrageous at the GCH & DLH and I just couldn't justify it especially since we were going with friends & didn't feel justified in asking her to spend $800+ a night for a hotel. So we stayed at the Westin. The walk isn't that bad and it never made sense for us to take an Uber. 15 minutes max from the hotel to security. The hotel is just fine! We had the same distance walk when we were at DL Paris last year staying *on* property. Big advantage was being able to mobile order SBUX and sending the teenage girls ahead of time to pick up on our way to the parks.

We never used the pool though because walking back in the middle of the day is a giant PITA compared to staying on site. I longingly looked at the GCH and honestly wished we were staying there. If Early Entry was a full hour vs a measly 30 minutes then I would think about it again.

But instead of staying on site we prioritized G+ & ILL, WOC Dessert Party, eating at our favorite restaurants like Carthay, Lamplight, taking our friends to Blue Bayou who had never been, etc. We didn't skimp on anything else except the hotel.

The service at the Westin was *fantastic*. The rooms are very comfortable and the roof top bar is pretty great (kids are allowed - make a reservation as it's very popular). Is it a 5* hotel? No. Is it in the bubble? No. But IMO it's a great alternative.

 

[disfan20001]

Well, I'm like you and have always stayed at GCH for my Dec trip. But the prices continue to go up and my finances don't, so I have to decide what to prioritize.

But here's something to consider--go during Dapper Days. They have them twice a year, spring and fall. This last weekend (Nov 11-12) was fall Dapper Day. They offer great discounts at the on site hotels and anyone can book. It might not be optimal timing for your family and it's still a chunk of money, but it brings the on site hotels more into my comfort zone. Here are the upcoming spring rates:

(edited to add that I always buy a ticket to the DD Expo. I think it's only fair to support them when they offer such a good discount, and I love the Expo! They have all kinds of fun booths, photo ops, vintage items, they have bands and dancing--it's good fun! I also love to dress up for DD.)

I'd love to go to Dapper Days sometime, but this trip is already planned. Those are good rates for hotels.

 

[bardays]

I don't mind the walk to and from the Westin, but I have also used ART while there. There is a stop right outside and I have used it at the end of the night! I prefer the walk though Downtown Disney to the walk on Harbour.
It is a lovely hotel and the service is great. I have not stayed onsite as we are Marriott loyalists but I highly recommend the Westin!

 

[gelatoni fan]

It really depends on your preferences. I don't mind walking a little further if I can get a hotel I like I more so I would pick the Westin over the Grand Californian every time unless the Grand Californian was significantly cheaper.

If your primary concerns are proximity and the pool then you may prefer the Grand Californian. But if you value room and service quality, then the Westin is much better.

 

[AstroBlasters]

I love Grand Cal, but would not hesitate to stay at the Westin if the price difference was the deciding factor on wether the trip was financially viable.

Of course, you could always check out the newly remodeled Pixar hotel or DLand hotel and still save some $$$ vs Grand Cal.

We bought into Disney’s timeshare at Grand Cal earlier this year so we wouldn’t have to make these types of decisions again in the future.