I apologize if I am breaking the rules by posting this, but I wanted to add a few details to my answer to a question on another (closed) thread. . .

Basically, if someone is primarily looking for a clean, comfortable room very close to the parks, and plan to spend all or most of their time enjoying the parks and downtown Disney, then the GCH may not be worth their money.

If, on the other hand, you are looking for a destination resort experience, and when prioritizing your money, feel okay about spending 4 or 5 hundred dollars more for that experience, then it probably is worth your money. Only you know what you are looking for.

Cool things that we really enjoy, that we probably wouldn't exert the energy to experience if we were not staying there, include:

---Having a drink in the Hearthstone Lounge or lobby in the evening before bed. Yes, we could get a drink in DCA or DD, and sometimes we do, but it is really magical to have that nightcap in that beautiful location, knowing we are just an elevator ride from bed. . .

---Having a designated person run downstairs for coffee/cocoa in the morning while other people are getting ready. Yes, we can grab something on the way to the parks, but we don't like to stop for anything on the way to the parks!!!!. . .

---Enjoying the relaxed, comfortable, beautiful environment around the (gasp) pool area in the afternoon. I usually get a couple hours nap there!!!

---Emailing Vacation Planning with a list of where we want to eat and the approximate times, and having all of our PS's scheduled for us. . .

---Having our packages sent to the gift shop, so we can grab them on our way back from the parks in the evening. . .

---Watching the lights on the Sun Wheel from our beds at night. . .

---Eating dinner on the balcony, after enjoying an afternoon relaxing in the shade, all showered, rested, and clean, before we head back to the parks for the evening. . .

---Walking straight from the lobby into DCA. . .

---Being so close (without having to cross the street or worry about being "in town" after dark) that family members can go back and forth from the park to the hotel on their own. . .

- - -Early entry every morning it is offered, which means DH can have a whole hour of back to back Buzz and we can STILL do Peter Pan without a wait. . .

- - -Room service. Sometimes, it is just nice to be totally lazy.

- - -Food/drink service by the pool. Ditto.

So, really, it depends on what you are looking for. Me, I like luxury hotels. It's my thing. On the other hand, I don't understand paying 3 bucks for a cup of coffee on a workday, paying extra for decorative touches on automobiles, or why people buy soda (talk about (word deleted) your money away. . .) so different strokes.

Have a magical vacation!

Enjoying the relaxed, comfortable, beautiful environment around the (gasp) pool area in the afternoon. I usually get a couple hours nap there!!!



Have you been around the pool area lately, IMHO it is not relaxful, as construction is happening in the background from around 8 AM to 5 PM daily. Loud trucks, cranes and other construction noises are very visible and audible. I stop by the pool area about twice a week, and it is very obvious, and hard to hide the construction of the GCH expansions, and the building of the DVC units.

It's good to know that. Will the construction be done by August, do you know?

If not, I'll bring earplugs. :)

No, they are still working on the "pit", aka underground parking and laundry/utilities area. The outside is expected to be finished by sometime in 2009.

You can find photos at the link below, there are some in the January 20th album.

I was wondering about the construction. Where is it? Should I ask for specific rooms/views? Or do something else, I'm open. (BTW, they didn't mention any construction when I made reservations :( )
Tinksmom: thanks. I don't feel quite so beat up now.

The construction is on the South end of the Hotel area...

Here is a marked map of the construction zone, as you can see, it is right next to the pool area (In fact, the pool area has refurb walls on its edge due to the construction.)

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1568995

I apologize if I am breaking the rules by posting this, but I wanted to add a few details to my answer to a question on another (closed) thread. . .

Basically, if someone is primarily looking for a clean, comfortable room very close to the parks, and plan to spend all or most of their time enjoying the parks and downtown Disney, then the GCH may not be worth their money.

If, on the other hand, you are looking for a destination resort experience, and when prioritizing your money, feel okay about spending 4 or 5 hundred dollars more for that experience, then it probably is worth your money. Only you know what you are looking for.

Cool things that we really enjoy, that we probably wouldn't exert the energy to experience if we were not staying there, include:

---Having a drink in the Hearthstone Lounge or lobby in the evening before bed. Yes, we could get a drink in DCA or DD, and sometimes we do, but it is really magical to have that nightcap in that beautiful location, knowing we are just an elevator ride from bed. . .

---Having a designated person run downstairs for coffee/cocoa in the morning while other people are getting ready. Yes, we can grab something on the way to the parks, but we don't like to stop for anything on the way to the parks!!!!. . .

---Enjoying the relaxed, comfortable, beautiful environment around the (gasp) pool area in the afternoon. I usually get a couple hours nap there!!!

---Emailing Vacation Planning with a list of where we want to eat and the approximate times, and having all of our PS's scheduled for us. . .

---Having our packages sent to the gift shop, so we can grab them on our way back from the parks in the evening. . .

---Watching the lights on the Sun Wheel from our beds at night. . .

---Eating dinner on the balcony, after enjoying an afternoon relaxing in the shade, all showered, rested, and clean, before we head back to the parks for the evening. . .

---Walking straight from the lobby into DCA. . .

---Being so close (without having to cross the street or worry about being "in town" after dark) that family members can go back and forth from the park to the hotel on their own. . .

- - -Early entry every morning it is offered, which means DH can have a whole hour of back to back Buzz and we can STILL do Peter Pan without a wait. . .

- - -Room service. Sometimes, it is just nice to be totally lazy.

- - -Food/drink service by the pool. Ditto.

So, really, it depends on what you are looking for. Me, I like luxury hotels. It's my thing. On the other hand, I don't understand paying 3 bucks for a cup of coffee on a workday, paying extra for decorative touches on automobiles, or why people buy soda (talk about (word deleted) your money away. . .) so different strokes.

Have a magical vacation!


*So people that don't stay at the GC can't have a drink in the lounge at night?

*Offsite hotels don't offer the opportunity to go get cocoa or tea in the am? (that's odd, because my husband normally goes to get it for me)
*offsite hotels don't offer relaxing afternoon napping atmospheres?

*I always get any PS I call for, even if it's the same day. No bonus to be onsite fo that.

*Not having to carry packages all day is great, but planning and buying what you want before you leave for the evening accomplishes the same thing. Not sure how that is worth the cost.

*if you are watching the lights from DCA being opened at night and the sunwheel operating, then you are lying about another of your "points" of the reasons for being "on property". DCA closes much earlier than DL.

*Takeout on an offsite balcony is just as warm and romantic

* if you walk from the lobby to DCA then you are lying about utilizing EE at DL while on property. DCA opens much later

* If someone is afraid to cross a street and be in such a "big town" like anaheim, well, just, wow. For that person, the extra money is worth it

*early entry comment: please refer to the lobby to DCA argument above. You can't have both and say it's a wash.

* room service? I call that "marriage".

* food and drink by the pool? That is available at every hotel in the area.

Thanks for your opinions though!!

Moderator Note

Since private warnings have not worked, we're going to try another tack:

You do not need to counter and refute every point made by another member.
You can disagree without getting sarcastic, personal or resorting to name calling.
You can also just agree to disagree, and move on.Thank you.

Wow......enough said

Tinksmom I am with you. I cant stay at the GCH everytime but when we can its an experience. I am so into the fireplace with a drink in hand on after a long evening at the park! We have stayed everywhere from the A ticket hotels to the E GCH. All have met our need at the time, there are only 1 or 2 I would never stay in again. But on all trips as walking down DTD we always look at the GCH and say thats where we want to be when times are good we are. To us the advantages are hey we didnt even have to walk as far as the Monorail to get to our hotel,the fireplace ( when they have the campfire storyteller in the evenings that is a real treat) , I love the mission style furniture and the different art pcs in the curios. Just going up to the 5th floor parkview terrace ( my dd had her wedding rehersal dinner there) and looking out to the pool and DCA are great , not to mention looking thru the glass window down to lobby. I will say that its most favorite to me in the Holiday season it eludes the warm and fuzzies.

Apparently, there's been discussion about whether or not the Grand Californian is worth the price you pay. To me, that's a ridiculous argument. What someone finds worth a particular price versus what someone else thinks is probably going to be different. If you think it's a good deal, stay and have a great time and ignore the people who are telling you otherwise. If you don't think it's a good deal, don't stay there. Pretty simple to me.

I've had similar arguments about meals at particular restaurants. People tell me I've overpaid to eat at such-and-such a place. If I enjoyed the food and had a good time and aren't mortgaging the house to eat there, then it's worth it to me. If someone doesn't think it's worth it, then they shouldn't eat there, but I think it's pretty stupid of them to tell me that *I* shouldn't eat there because *they* don't think it's worth it.

Apparently, there's been discussion about whether or not the Grand Californian is worth the price you pay. To me, that's a ridiculous argument. What someone finds worth a particular price versus what someone else thinks is probably going to be different. If you think it's a good deal, stay and have a great time and ignore the people who are telling you otherwise. If you don't think it's a good deal, don't stay there. Pretty simple to me.

cstephens, I agree with what you said. These are my feelings exactly - if someone is happy staying there, why can't they just be happy staying there? No one is forcing anyone into choosing an onsite hotel. I wanted to post something like this in the original thread, but couldn't find a way to put it simply. Well said.

I guess that was also my point in stating that we have stayed in "A" to "E" ticket hotels. We go with what is right for us at the time depending on finances , length of stay, etc...Is about what fits at the moment and time of our lives. On a quick trip or improptu we have to sacrafice planning and saving, when its a well planned havent been there in a long time trip we can save for it or like my dd's wedding a few extra hundred what the heck??? My next trip will be over a year long wait after going 2x's in 9 weeks which was a real treat for me now I will save and splurge after waiting so long.I have never had a bad ( as in really bad stay) ever. The worst stay at the below A ticket old Westward Ho ( no gone thank God) was so comical it was one of the best and so comical I will always remember. Also I would never say to anyone your doing it wrong , you spent too much and wasted your $$$ or didnt spend enough and missed out on this or that, going to DL is what its all about and you should do it the way your are most comfortable with and fits your needs .

Let me say, there are different types of hotels , since folks have different priorties when they rent a Hotel room...

Do you want a 4 star place, such as a Hyatt?

Do you want to be close to park entrance, such as the Best Western Park Place Inn or the Park Vue Inn?

Do you want a free Breakfast?

Do you want a suite that comes with a Kitchen with dishes and Pots and Pans? (an Extended Stay type of hotel)

Do you want a free Shuttle (Candy Cane Inn and the Sheraton Anaheim are the only hotels/motels in the Anaheim Resort Area that have been grandfathered and are allowed to operate their own shuttle). Some Garden Grove Hotels, such as the Hyatt and Crowne Plaza also offer a free shuttle, but they are outside the official Resort Area.

Heck, any of the above choices are less per night that the average price for a Disney owned hotel.

Do some folks like to stay at a Disney Owned Hotel? Heck Yes, the three hotels have very high occupancy rates, but that might be part of the "service" problem. As some of the staff says, if you don't like it, someone else is willing to pay the high prices. And I have a problem with that... If you pay more per night, you should get better service per night. And based on what I have seen, read, and have been told, the Disney hotels are not delivering that "High" standard lately, especially at the high prices they are charging.

We stay at the Disneyland Hotel every trip we go. Because it is important to us to stay on property, we do it. The fact is, the service is great and you cannot beat the Disneyland Hotel for ambience and Disney theming. I like all the little extras you get too, by staying on property. All of our packages and it is usually a LOT (we buy presents for everyone and are Disneyana collectors) get sent to our home right from Bell Services. I like being immersed in Disney on a Disney trip. To me, it is the same as staying on property at WDW. (Though you would be hardpressed to find a completely Disney themed hotel at WDW! We love the WDW resorts for other things as well)

The convenience and the Resorts are nicer than off propery. That is MY opinion. But I fault no one for staying wherever they want for their own reasons. Everyone likes something different for different reasons! If everyone wanted to stay on property, it would be difficult to get a room at the DLH. I am glad there are so many options, the DLH just happens to be our option everytime! To each their own!

My list of perks would have to be:
The absolutely fun Neverland Pool, not JUST for swimming, but for the theming as well!

Concierge Lounge: This is a great place to watch the fireworks and grab a snack and beverages for the Park. We never buy water in the Park anymore, we take all we need for the 2 of us with us from the lounge frig. And you can grab that last cup of cocoa before retiring for the evening! THAT is a great perk.

Theming, Theming, Theming!!!!! NOTHING beats the Disneyland Hotel for absolute immersion in Disney theming. It is important to us to be surrounded by Disney on our Disney vacations! We love the magic... okay, we are Disney Geeks!;) It is great to see all the wonderful photos in the lobby. The rooms are chock full of Disney theme, the wallpaper from Alice with Disney character topiaries, the bedspread is designed with pictures of attractions, the light fixtures in the bathroom and even the strip of wallpaper around the top of the room has Tinker Bell leaving Pixie Dust glow-in-the-dark trails.

Character Meals right at the Hotel! Goofy's kitchen has brunch and dinner with characters and the other two Disney Hotels have character meals as well. I love to just go downstairs and see my faves right there!
Goofy makes his rounds every afternoon in the lobby and around the Bell Desk area. He is fun to interact with and he is there everyday!

Seeing the Parks at night from the 10th or 11th floor of the DLH! There are some lights left on in DCA as well as DtD and it is sure purty to look at out the sliding glass door from the Dreams tower.

Having packages sent to the Hotel is a great Perk! As I said, we buy lots of gifts and Disneyana collectibles, so it is VERY handy to have that service. I love it at WDW as well. It really is the most convenient way!

No one beats Disney at doing Disney right! The hotels are great, though I have heard less than stellar things about Paradise Pier. We would not choose that hotel, based on theming alone. So I don't know about the things said about it.

We have, however considered the GCH. When we can tear our hearts away from the DLH, we will book a stay at the GCH! I am sure we would love it. We have sat by the firepace and walked through the lobby (stunning this past Christmas!!!:D ) It is a gorgeous hotel and we may have to try ot out, if they can rip us away from the DLH!;)

Everyone has different needs in a hotel room. Some only sleep there. Other's wantto cook all their meals there and have a *home away from home*.

For us, the DLH IS our home away from home. We have gone so often, that most of the staff knows us and we have some very good friends working there! We feel as if we have *come home* when we walk through those front Lobby doors. It is a feeling I will never take for granted. I just anticipate the magic to come. And THAT is what a Disney vacation is about, no matter where you stay!:D
ssm

Tinksmom, thank you for a lovely post about a lovely hotel. I enjoy staying there and at the the other 2 DL resort hotels.

I appreciate Darkbeer's response as well. You are a well known expert on DL and I respect your opinions. I also would like to see Disney step it up again at their hotels (I have seen the failings) but I still very much enjoy the experience they offer. Accommodations were a part of Walt's vision; I thought that one of motivators to create WDW was that he didn't appreciate the motels cropping up directly around the DLR park. I'd like to understand how the DLR resort hotels don't fit that vision anymore in the eyes of some/many DL experts. Perhaps on another thread. Again, this is not to start an argument but to understand better.

I would love to stay at the Grand Californian. Our finances just don't allow it. Maybe someday on a trip with just DH and I. And guess what, I will enjoy every minute of it. I would alsolove to stay at the Grand Floridian at WDW. Could there be a more beautiful hotel? At least we got to eat there.

I am torn. I've done four trips in the past year (yahoooo!) and enjoyed every one. The first was an off-property hotel. Low budget (very) but okay. The other three were the DLH with an AP rate.

I love the DLH and probably take it for granted now. The first two stays there I did concierge but didn't for the third. I didn't even miss it!

I am a person who pretty much stays in the park from opening to closing so I probably don't get the benefit of staying at the hotel -- except on the walk home in the evening. I have had purchases forwarded to the hotel for me, but found it inconvenient to pick them up (at the bell desk after 7:00 am the following morning) because I was generally interested in eating breakfast and getting to the park.

I think for our next trip we will stay at an off-property place again. Perhaps not so low budget! Then I can see if I miss the DLH.

If I win the lottery, or if money is less of an issue, all bets are off!

I'm curious about the changes others have seen in the quality of all hotels over the years. My first DL experience as a child was many, many years ago. There didn't really seem to be that many off-site hotels, and only the DLH on-site. My memory of that off site Motel wasn't great, but I really could have cared less, I was at DL. On our last trip I took the kids via coach bus to Legoland. The way they do pick up and drop off allows you to see all of the other off-site hotels. There were some amazing ones, and at the time I said "I'm going to remember these". I don't :mad: I guess what surprises me is that as the off-site hotels have gotten nicer, why does the quality seem to down in the on-site. The last time we stayed at PP it was horrible. I know others have had great experiences there, just not us that time. I'd really like to go to WDW sometime to see the differences in on-site there vs DL. Maybe someday.....