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neffyh
08-12-2005, 05:09 PM
Does ne one have any reviews that they can post for me. I checked the one at the Trip Planning and they are all old. Please!!!!!

3894
08-12-2005, 05:10 PM
Do you have specific questions?

neffyh
08-12-2005, 05:12 PM
Do you have specific questions?

Well, Is it nice and worth the money? Can u suggest any recreational activities for a 15 year old? Is the Service good? Are the rooms nice? U know, those sorts of questions. ;)

3894
08-12-2005, 05:21 PM
Well, Is It nice and worth the money?

You're paying for the location. It's the closest hotel to Disneyland, California Adventure, and Downtown Disney. If it's important to be very close to the action, then DCA is the clear choice.

You're also paying for the Disney touch. The décor is Disney lite: the woodland Bambi motifs are subtle. The hotel is meant to evoke the great national parks hotels: Awanee, Jackson Lake Lodge, El Tovar, etc. The rooms are nice but they are small. They do have a balcony.

Is it a nice hotel? Yes. Is it a great hotel? No. The service is accommodating but does not anticipate, as in a world-class hotel. I have not stayed concierge at GCH so others can tell you about that.

Is it worth the money? It depends on what the location, the Disney touch, and money in general is worth to you.

I stayed there last October with my two teen daughters. We loved it and will stay there again.


Do U have any recreational activities for 15 year old?

Downtown Disney has lots of entertainment. It's right at your feet, as are Disneyland and DCA.

Disney Vault
08-12-2005, 05:54 PM
I love that hotel and it is the only place we stay now. The location is amazing, the feel is comfortable inside, and the look is incredible.

DangerMouse
08-12-2005, 06:15 PM
3894 is right, you are paying for location. The GCH Lobby is breathtaking. The standard guestrooms? Not so much. . . . on the smaller side overall, and they provide a teeney tiney soda sized space in their overpriced mini-bar/fridge. No microwaves in rooms either.

I have stayed at several locations off property but within walking distance, as well as the GCH. I paid a very low rate for the GCH ($179 per night) in June, but still came away feeling it wasn't worth it. It was awesome to be so close. But to be honest, the HoJo is just a few steps further, will save you over $100 per night, and has larger rooms.

If I had my choice between the HoJo and GCH at the same rate, I would choose the GCH, just for the convenience of being close and having direct access to DCA. But if it's gonna save me over 100 bucks per night, then I'll be eating a couple really nice meals in the park instead!

HTH!

:)

disneyjunkie
08-12-2005, 07:32 PM
I agree the rooms are small , the hotel is beautiful and location location location. I was reading your ticker till the trip so I am thinking you are going the end of november , early december? If that is the case I give more kudos to the GCH for your stay. The lobby is beautiful for the holiday season . The fireplace with the floor to ceiling tree cannot be beat. Its my property hotel of choice during the holiday season . Carolers, Santa , piano , roaring fire ...

kisroo
08-12-2005, 07:40 PM
I Heart the GCH!!!

As 3894 and others have mentioned~you can't beat it for location to both DD, DCA and DL.

The room decor is very lovely and relaxing. I've never slept on a nicer bed in a hotel. The sheets were to die for! Not your average and scratchy hotel fare.

We found that the concierge staff was very attentive, but didn't really offer their services until asked. Once we asked, however, they were efficient and gracious and we didn't had to repeat requests . Housekeeping did several special things to our room at turndown service when they found out we were honeymooning~~every turndown was a new surprise.

It is spendy.

Hope that helps! Have fun planning!!


~kisroo:)

minniemom
08-12-2005, 07:41 PM
If you can afford it, stay there! We go to DL every fall and used to always stay off property or at the paradise pier. Then my husband and I went alone for an anniversary and decided to splurge. Let me tell you that once we stayed there we couldn't go back to anything else. I love everything about it. There is nothing like eating, breathing, and sleeping disney!!!

Wendi
08-12-2005, 09:12 PM
It's fabulous... the only downside is that you will ALWAYS want to stay there... and if you're like me, just can't afford it every time!

Mark Mywords
08-12-2005, 09:44 PM
We stayed at GCH for the first time this last trip. My family didn't care for it that much. My wife didn't like the zig-zag, backtracking we had to do to get to back to our room from Downtown Disney. I found myself missing the Disney music in the lobby and decor that we were used to from DLH. For us, the price premium didn't seem worth it.

Darkbeer
08-12-2005, 09:45 PM
Here is a list of current reviews....

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g29092-d208755-Reviews-Disney_s_Grand_Californian_Hotel-Anaheim_California.html

As you can tell, many folks think it is overpriced, the rooms are nothing special (and small), and the service isn't that great...

It is in a great location, but I think you could do a LOT better for your money, both the #2 and #3 hotels (Candy Cane and HoJo's) are just over $100 a night versus the $348 posted price for the GCH.

If you want to stay on-property, I recommend the Disneyland Hotel over the GCH... Larger Rooms, and a better price. ($262 average price per TripAdvisor, about $100 a night savings).

pisces
08-13-2005, 08:40 AM
I stayed there on my last trip.

Is it nice? Yes

Is it worth it? NO !!!

However, there are worse ways to waste money, which is why I'll be staying there, again, this year.

I'm in poor health, and I can't take excess walking. I need a nice place to come back to and rest-take naps, midday. So, for me, it's kind of a necessity.

If I were 15, and in good health, and had no issues with walking, or needing more rest than usual.........No way would I stay there.

I think it works better as an attraction, rather than a hotel.

rentayenta
08-13-2005, 08:46 AM
However, there are worse ways to waste money, which is why I'll be staying there, again, this year.





Pisces, you are the coolest! :) I love your rational.

Maus
08-13-2005, 08:59 AM
Yes, GCH is a beautiful hotel. The lobby is spectacular. BUT it's not a short walk to anything. It may be the closest hotel to the parks but the rooms are very spread out and, as someone else mentioned, zig and zag this way and that. I've stayed in other beautiful hotels for a lot less money. (don't remind me that they weren't Disney properties, I know that :p ) The views are also less than spectacular, in my opinion. We had a premium DCA view on the 5th floor that was obstructed by tall trees. (And that was better than the first room they gave us.)

It's not really an issue as we live locally, but I probably won't stay here for another 50 years. The trip report in my signature line has a review of the hotel at the end.

Opus1guy
08-13-2005, 09:02 AM
As you can tell, many folks think it is overpriced, the rooms are nothing special (and small), and the service isn't that great...

My review would be along the lines of:

- I don't think it's necessarily overpriced because of it's location and the beauty of the public areas of the hotel. But much of those public areas you don't have to be a registered guest to enjoy.

- I do think it's way overpriced for the size of the rooms (very, very small) and the level of service (even on the Concierge floor) the hotel provides compared to other similarly priced hotels in the real world.

- Mainly because of the small room size, I never stay there unless I have to because it would be politically incorrect or rude for me not to, and I can expense it or someone else is picking up the bill.

- When you tally the time it takes you to walk from your room at the GCH to the main gate of Disneyland, and subtract that from the time it would take you to do the same from any number of better serviced and larger room hotels in the area...you'll find that it may only take you another 10 minutes walk time to get to Disneyland's gate from an off-site hotel.

- Like Darkbeer, for the money and room size (and perhaps even better views)...I prefer the Disneyland Hotel if I need or want to stay on-property.

pisces
08-13-2005, 11:21 AM
Renta: Aw, what a nice thing to say. :)

pisces
08-13-2005, 11:29 AM
OPUS: Ok, here's where I now have to defend the place.

There are shortcuts through those zigzag corridors.

You basically cut through the 4th? floor....to the fire escape (that sounds worse than it really is).....and come out the La Brea Bakery exit. From there, you are steps, and I do mean steps...away from the baggage check.

At the La Brea Bakery exit, you can see the Baggage Check, right there up ahead.

That just isn't the case with any of the Harbor Blvd. motels. You can't come out of a Harbor Blvd. Motel....even the closest one, and literally view the Baggage check, within steps, the minute you step outside.

I'm convinced there is nothing closer to the Main Gate. IMHO IMHO

THE MAGIC: The rooms are very special. Yes, it is terribly overpriced, but still Disney festive nevertheless.

The cute Chip-n-Dale chocolates, the charming motif bedspread and shower curtain, the wonderful (best I've ever used) toiletries, the framed Snow White painting etc...

It's just that their prices are way too high for all of that.

Beautiful, yes. A beautiful waste of money---true, but still beautiful and special nonetheless.

Osky
08-13-2005, 11:46 AM
Keep in mind that everything you can spend money on, some people will say it is worth it and some people will say it is not. What it truly comes down to is, is it worth it to you? I would suggest you ignore all of the comments regarding worth and look only at the comments saying what the hotel has to offer. Once you have done that and can paint a mental picture of the place, you can decide for yourself if it is worth it or not.

neffyh
08-13-2005, 11:48 AM
Ive heard alot of complaints about the badness and unworthiness of the hotel. Iam not sure if Iam goin 2 stay at this hotel. I also heard about blood stains on some of the sheets? What. Did someone die thier, O and this is for the people that didnt stay at concierge

heidiwhr
08-13-2005, 11:58 AM
I LOVE the GC. I've stayed there twice, and it is so worth the extra $! My first stay was for my son's first trip when he was only 6 months old. It was great being able to go back to the room so easy with a baby. The other time was over his 3rd. b-day. That trip was absolutely amazing! Be sure to read my review: http://www.mouseplanet.com/cgi/reviews/do/display.cgi?product-sku=dlrgc&display-page=2

We stayed at the DLH in June, and I just did not get the same feel or level of service as the GC. I'm hoping we can swing the extra $ for our next trip (hopefully next Spring) because there's nothing like staying at the GC!

pisces
08-13-2005, 12:03 PM
Try to look for balance in a review. If someone says something outrageous.....it's probably an exaggeration--- IMHO.

Nobody likes throwing away that kind of money. And some people get bitter and resentful after parting with their money, knowing that they overpaid. Some people feel robbed.

Not me, though.

Once I make the decision to overpay (also know as splurging).....I live with it.

I have no regrets. I knew what I was getting into. I'm not bitter. If they can charge those outrageous rates, and still sell out....more power to 'em.

As I always say, ad nauseum....don't fault enterprise.

disneyperson
08-13-2005, 12:04 PM
Ive heard alot of complaints about the badness and unworthiness of the hotel. Iam not sure if Iam goin 2 stay at this hotel. I also heard about blood stains on some of the sheets? What. Did someone die thier, O and this is for the people that didnt stay at concierge

Gotta ask. Are you, at the age of 15, planning and booking this trip for your family? Where do the adults in your group want to stay? I'm thinking the question of whether the espense is worth it would be their's to decide.

My querie aside, I think you can erase your fears about finding blood in your bed. Unles you cut yourself and bleed in it yourself that is.

pisces
08-13-2005, 12:30 PM
Well, I, for one, don't believe it. I wouldn't believe a word of that.

GC has stacks of fresh sheets waiting by your door every morning. (I still don't know how I feel about that---them stacking the fresh linens, in a pile, that way...oh well.)

Anyway, you are practically drowning in clean linens everywhere you look, in the morning.

And, supposedly--I learned from this site.....they are designer (Frette) linens. So, maybe you do get what you pay for, after all !

Susan L
08-13-2005, 01:12 PM
Ok, so we have had good, bad, and ugly comments on the GC. Here's a query. If the money you forked over to pay for a room at the GC was not coming out of your pocket, would you stay there?

I ask this because our next trip is coming out of money that was a gift to me and I can afford to stay at the GC with this money. Not only that but, because I formally complained to the DLR about our terrible stay at the DLH on our last visit they have offered us a free upgrade to a suite at any of the resort hotels for our next visit. Subject to availability of course.