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View Full Version : What's with the Grand Californian?



iAmJacksDLand
06-02-2005, 08:42 PM
I wonder if anyone will have an answer for this, or at least an idea.

At Disneyworld, they'll sell anyone their specialty suites that want to pay for them. These presendential and vice presendential suites are incredibly luxurious and beautiful and run anywhere for $1200 to $2000 per night. They are indeed listed on Disneyworld.com and you can ask about them and book them by calling 407-W-DISNEY.

On the other hand. The specialty suites at the Grand California, namely the Yosemite, El Capitan, and Arcadia suites are never mentioned online, they won't tell you about them over the phone, and the staff says they don't rent them out to "just anybody".

Call me crazy, but if I'm willing to pay the absolute insane price of $2000 for one night in a room, shouldn't I be able to? I know Disney is within their right, but I'm just trying to figure out what the deal is. :confused:

I've heard that when Eisner travels to Disneyworld, his preferred suite is the presedential at either the Boardwalk or the Yahct Club. I imagine his preferred suite at Disneyland is therefore the presedential at the GCH. I can pay to stay at the presedential at the Disneyworld Hotels, but Disneyland won't take my money for their specialty suites! What's wrong with my money?

p.s. I think the same situation exists at the DLH and the PPH... their specialty suites are never mentioned and appear to be unbookable.

Opus1guy
06-02-2005, 09:04 PM
The mega-suites (including the Wrather Suite at the Disneyland Hotel) are often controlled by Resort Convention Sales & Marketing and not the general public room sales department. Marketing uses them constantly to put up site-inspection folks that are looking to book a convention or conference. They also give these mega-suites away to top execs of companies that are currently hosting a large function. And still other times, Marketing and/or Convention Sales uses these mega-suites for cocktail receptions and such.

Consequently, they like to keep them open and available for their own use, and often do not make them available for general sale to the public. Many top-end hotels all over the world do this as well.

Of course super VVIPs and top State Department guests usually get into these too.

I know when we've rented the Wrather Suite, that we had to contact friends we know at the Resort who pushed the request to the proper folks. We then negotiated a price. But often they'll only allow this as "last minute" bookings for one night at a time when they know for sure they won't be needing it to wine and dine someone, as they want the mega-suites to be available quickly if they need them to help seal a mega convention/conference sale.

My suggestion would be to just ask to speak to a Manager when you call and place your special request in with them. They'll tell you the best they can offer and/or get you in touch with someone that might release the mega-suite to you.

FYI, Eisner's favorites at Walt Disney World used to be the Jefferson Suite at the Grand Floridian, and the Fowler Suite at the Yacht Club. Might still be.

Don't know why WDW would have a different policy and you easily get the top Suites sold to you. Perhaps it's because they have so many more?

pisces
06-02-2005, 09:18 PM
Yeah I wonder too. It's hard to believe that the rich-n-famous are spending their time at the GCH. Make no mistake, I think it's a heavenly hotel.....but still....it ain't the Ritz----Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel.

To me, the truly wealthy are staying at the Four Seasons Newport, or St. Regis Monarch bay......and just limo in when they want to go to Disney.

It's probably all just PR (hot air) on GCH's part. Just a way for them to create hype.

Drince88
06-03-2005, 03:29 AM
Don't know why WDW would have a different policy and you easily get the top Suites sold to you. Perhaps it's because they have so many more?
Except WDW is a Destination resort -- they probably don't have THAT much convention business outside of the resorts that have decent convention spaces.

bradk
06-03-2005, 04:37 AM
i was thinking about the same thing with the number of hotels. it's at a much greater premium at DCA. not only do they have only 3 hotels at DLR, the hotels themselves have less rooms than the larger hotels at WDW (i just did a quick comparison between the GCH and the Grand Floridian which is like 10 years older and the Floridian reportedly has about 150 more rooms).

pisces
06-03-2005, 08:46 AM
However, there are times when GCH goes begging.

During my stay last year, the week of Christmas and New Years was very strange. They were basically sold out on Dec 31 (NYE).......but the very next day after......Jan 1, and Jan 2..... they had lots of rooms available.

I even got a rate adjustment downward. When does that ever happen on Jan 1 ?????

That was such a bizarre week, primarily because of the heavy rains and the Tsunami. I think people weren't into partying that week. (Which made it all the better for me).

Seriously, I think on Jan 1, you could have walked right into GCH and gotten a room, maybe a standard view, but still.......and at a very good price.

That was a very rare time for them, I was told. Nobody expected the Tsunami, and all the cancellations that would result. That plus the rains....

rmarino74
04-16-2007, 07:09 PM
We stayed in the Arcadia Suite @ the Grand Californian and found it very easy to book. Although we did get married at the Disneyland Hotel in the Rose Garden and spent a bit on the event with about 100 guests. We booked the room with our wedding coordinator, so maybe there is some truth about saving the rooms for events.

Drince88
04-16-2007, 07:11 PM
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