We'll be staying at DGC this next week and we're flying. However, my sister and niece will be coming to visit one day. Does anyone know what the parking is like for the hotel? Is it actually at the hotel? From what I read in our AAA package, our "parking" is included in the daily hotel fees. Is there any way I can get my sister into the parking for the hotel using our already paid for parking?

Talk to the Front Desk, they might give you a parking pass, but I doubt it.

The Self Parking of the Grand Californian is actually across the street, and requires a room key to enter the lot, then you need to cross the main street (2 crosswalks) and walk back to the hotel. Seems like the GCH wants you to use the Valet instead, which would get very expensive if it was for the entire day).

If they are coming for just a few hours (less than 5), just have a meal at Storyteller's Cafe, and they will validate the Valet Parking, so there would be no charge. If they plan to spend the day at the parks, the best bet is to have the park in the Parking Structure ($11 all day) and then meet you after they park.

The AAA free parking is on your park tickets and its good for the Mickey & Friends parking structure. Hotel self-parking is free but like Darkbeer said its across the street. Will you have a rental car? If not you could have your sis pick you up at the valet station exit the hotel flip a u-turn and park across the street with your room key. OR sis could pick you up, take you & your park ticket with free parking to the structure and meet everyone else at the main gate.

You could tell the front desk that your sister is loaning you her car for a day during your trip if they need to give you a parking slip for the dash. These services are included in your package and you are paying for them even if they are not used or itemized and called free so I wouldn't feel bad about how you get your sister's car parked.

Your self parking at the hotel includes 2 cars. Let the front desk know that you will have a second car and get a parking pass. The self parking is across the street. If you would like to valet park, it would just be an additionla $14 for their car (and yours of course).

We have had people meet us and have never had a problem getting another parking pass from the front desk.

Thanks for the suggestions! As it turns out, we just told the CM at the registration desk that we would have family joining us during our stay and asked about parking. They simply gave us two parking vouchers for them to use at the hotel lot across the street from the DGC. They just turned them in when they left the parking lot in the evening and didn't have to pay anything!