Review: Grand Californian Hotel at Disneyland Resort
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is Disneyland’s flagship resort with a AAA four-diamond rating. It has the best location of any on-site accommodations, with a direct entrance into California Adventure and Downtown Disney. This review features room photos, pros & cons, and other thoughts on this Anaheim luxury hotel. (Updated May 6, 2023.)
With styling from the 20th Century American Arts & Crafts movement, Grand Californian’s interior design resembles many of the residential styles of Pasadena architects Greene & Greene. Its lobby atrium and other design elements also draw inspiration from iconic U.S. National Park Lodges, including Yosemite National Park’s Ahwahnee Hotel.
In the last several years, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa has had its guest rooms redesigned, along with updates to the lobby, pool areas, and the Veranda Club Level lounge. The GCH Craftsman Bar was opened near the hotel’s central courtyard, and nearby White Water Snacks became the GCH Craftsman Grill. The 6,000 square-foot Tenaya Stone Spa also opened, drawing inspiration from the spirit of nature, indigenous cultures of California and the iconic Craftsman design of the hotel. Finally, the Disney Vacation Club Villas at the Grand Californian will also be updated in 2024 or 2025.
In terms of basic background info, the Grand Californian was built alongside the addition of Disney’s California Adventure, and Disney Vacation Club was later added. As its name implies, the architecture is inspired by the Golden State. The hotel is an artistic exploration of California’s coastlines, graced with Monterey pines and redwood forests, and layered with the memories of the Arroyo craftsmen, the mission pioneers, and the plein air school of painters.
Walt Disney World regulars will also notice a lot of similarities between Wilderness Lodge and Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel. That’s to be expected, as they are both inspired to varying degrees by U.S. National Park Lodges, and the two Disney hotels were designed by the same architect, Peter Dominick.
At first blush, Grand Californian’s soaring lobby and use of rich, dark woods makes appears very similar to Wilderness Lodge. Upon closer inspection, there are plenty of subtle differences that set them apart.
Once you really start exploring the hotel and looking at everything–the stained glass, the lamps, the fixtures, the clock, and the furniture, it’s clear that the Grand Californian is drawing from different inspirations. I highly recommend spending a late night strolling around the lobby and relaxing next to the fireplace when no one else is around.
This is where California’s Arts & Crafts movement comes into play. Here, the most obvious source of inspiration for the Grand Californian is Pasadena’s Gamble House, which is perhaps most famous for being the Back to the Future house.
We’ve toured Gamble House (see photos of it here–the similarities are uncanny, right down to the front doors) along with other homes in Pasadena’s historic district, and have come to appreciate Craftsman architecture. It’s an elegant yet simple style, with a warm and inviting sensibility.
Recognizable elements of the Craftsman style on display in the Grand Californian include handmade detailing and extensive use of exposed posts and beams to serve purposes both structural and decorative, often in creative ways.
This is evident via rich woods, natural materials, Mission-style lamps, exposed rafters, deeply overhanging eaves, tapering columns, and decorative stone. Much about the Craftsman style reflects the natural landscape, including the brown, green, and beige color choices.
Theming-wise, the result with Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel is something that can feel a bit rustic if you don’t key in on these simple yet ornate details. It’s similar to Wilderness Lodge at Walt Disney World in terms of the overarching space, but the details make all of the difference at Grand Californian, and the heavy inspiration of famed California architects Greene & Greene makes this a hotel worthy of the flagship distinction.
Grand Californian is arguably one of the coolest hotels in the world. It accomplishes this feat not with an overwhelming degree of opulence or lavishness, but by drawing from some of Southern California’s most interesting residential architecture and paying respectful homage to this in hotel form. (If you appreciate Grand Californian’s style and have some spare time in the area, consider doing our 1-Day Pasadena, California Itinerary.)
One of the best features of Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel is its dining options. Disneyland Resort’s best restaurant is Napa Rose, which we absolutely love. There’s also another solid table service restaurant in Storyteller’s Cafe, which has a great character breakfast in addition to a dinner buffet.
If you’re looking for faster or less-expensive options, Hearthstone Lounge is great, and GCH Craftsman Grill is the most underrated counter service restaurant in all of Disneyland Resort. In fact, both of these rank highly on our List of the 23 Best Restaurants at Disneyland Resort,
For being in the middle of Disneyland Resort, Grand Californian has a surprisingly large footprint. The hotel has 3 pools—Fountain, Redwood, and Mariposa–in its central courtyard, one of which features a water slide extending from a redwood tree trunk. The entire Redwood feature pool area is styled to mirror the Redwood Creek Challenge, which it is adjacent to in Disney California Adventure.
This courtyard complex of pools doesn’t have the same wow-factor for kids as the E-Ticket pool at Disneyland, but the atmosphere is arguably more enjoyable and serene. Helping with this is the adjacent GCH Craftsman Bar, which is incredibly convenient to the pool for grabbing drinks or a midday bite to eat. It also offers up live music on certain days and evenings, which amps up the atmosphere.
The whole design of the area is excellent, with tree-laden grounds, stone walls, rocky boulders, stained glass lamps, critter fountains and more all adding to a sense of serenity. So long as it’s not peak season or incredibly hot, we’ve always managed to find a sense of seclusion and calm away from the Redwood Pool at the Grand Californian.
The greatest amenity of Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel is undoubtedly its proximity to Disneyland and entrance directly into Grizzly Peak at Disney California Adventure. This entrance makes it the closest hotel to any Disney theme park in the United States.
It’s also an incredibly short walk to Disneyland (either through Disney California Adventure or Downtown Disney). This is a huge benefit, especially when coupled with morning Extra Magic Hours, which are great for fast access to Radiator Springs Racers in Cars Land!
Now let’s take a look at the guest rooms…
Unlike Wilderness Lodge, which carries the rustic theming into the guest rooms, the Grand Californian rooms feel more luxurious, with rooms befitting a flagship resort at this price point.
This vibe comes through in everything from the drapes and headboard to the bathrobes in every guest room closet. The finishing touches of the rooms are very nice.
Most importantly, the beds are incredibly comfortable with great bedding and excellent pillows.
Most of these rooms also feature excellent views to either Disney Californian Adventure (with a World of Color view!), Downtown Disney/Disneyland, or a courtyard or pool.
As noted above, we have more photos (and video!) that showcase the details of the guest rooms in our Photos & Videos: New Rooms at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa post.
The other amenities are Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel put it over the top. It has a fitness center, convention space, multiple pools, a great location, free tours and children’s activities, and–most importantly–excellent restaurants. These all greatly enhance the guest experience on a laid back “resort style” vacation. The most important amenity on that list is the excellent restaurants, and you don’t have to be a hotel guest to enjoy these restaurants.
Beyond that, the location of the Grand Californian is its biggest selling point, and far superior to any other hotels at Disneyland Resort. It’s nice to be able to take a quick nap and be back inside Disney California Adventure 10 minutes after waking up. We also love doing Grizzly River Run and then running up to the room for a change of clothes after inevitably getting soaked.
Once you do the private entrance of GCH, it’s difficult to go back to other hotels in the area. It may seem like a slight difference, but it opens up a world of possibilities. You can use your room as a locker, grabbing snacks, drinks, or coats when the sun goes down. You can stay Veranda Club Level and breeze up to the lounge whenever you’re hungry, never needing to bother with Mobile Order or table service meals in the parks. Once you’ve experienced it, Grand Californian’s location is a game-changer that almost feels like a “cheat code” for doing Disneyland more efficiently.
With that said, the Grand Californian’s location is by no means essential. It’s one of those things that you don’t know what you’re missing until you experience it, and will likely be perfectly satisfied with the alternatives. Many of the Harbor Boulevard hotels are only 10-20 minutes away from the Esplanade between Disneyland and DCA.
As you may know, we are big proponents of staying off-site at Disneyland Resort. (See Where to Stay: Offsite vs. Onsite Hotels at Disneyland.) However, that’s mostly due to the cost differential between the on-site and off-site hotels, and the fact that so many off-site options are within walking distance of the parks.
Beyond what’s covered here, another big perk is Early Entry at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, which gives you access to Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Avengers Campus, Pixar Pier, and other areas of the parks before public park opening time. This can be huge for knocking out popular rides with minimal waits.
The other big consideration is price. Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel is typically the most expensive hotel at Disneyland Resort. Its rates start at $586 per night, and escalate from there. During busier times of the year, basic rooms can exceed $800. With discounts for Disneyland Resort hotels now being rare, it’s tough to book the Grand Californian for less than $500/night, even during the off-season.
Without question, that’s a lot of money. However, if you’re going to splurge on a hotel at Disneyland Resort, Grand Californian should be it. From a thematic perspective, it’s unquestionably the best. In terms of design and amenities, it easily exceeds numerous resorts in Southern California’s beach cities, many of which charge comparable (or higher) rates.
The biggest difference between Grand Californian and those hotels is, obviously, the location. Your room at the Ritz Carlton in Laguna Niguel or Montage in Laguna Beach might have a view overlooking the ocean. Your room at Grand Californian might have a room overlooking Disney California Adventure. Different people will value those views and locations differently.
The other main difference is service. Disney Cast Members are great, offering a level of warmth and personality not present at many other hotels–not even more expensive ones. That’s really where the Grand Californian differs and outperforms even its luxury counterparts around Southern California and beyond.
Where it falls short is in terms of attentiveness and attention to detail. For example, during one recent stay at the Grand Californian, there was a 30-minute long line to check into the hotel. On another occasion, the wait for valet was almost that long. Lines at bag check while awaiting Early Entry were similarly lengthy. It wasn’t just long lines. If you arrived at the $600+ night hotel without theme park reservations, there was nothing that the front desk could do. Same story if you didn’t have dining reservations.
It’s difficult to articulate, but much of the service at the Grand Californian–and offered by Disney in general–is superficial. This is absolutely fantastic if you’re visiting during a slower season and don’t need any assistance. Cast Members are great at small talk, are usually very personable, and can make kids in particular feel special. However, they often aren’t empowered to offer meaningful assistance, and the ratio of guests to Cast Members certainly seems much higher than at true luxury hotels.
Generally speaking, the caliber of service at the Grand Californian is not on par with the Montage, Ritz Carlton, or any number of other luxury hotels in Southern California.If you’re after attentive service, Grand Californian is probably not the best option for you–unless you’re willing to splurge even more on the Veranda Club Level.
Speaking of which, the Veranda Club is the hotel’s concierge lounge, and it is absolutely top-notch. If you’re looking for the ultimate intersection of pampered luxuriousness and Disney high-end themed hotels, this is it. Of course, staying Veranda Club Level comes at a very high cost. If you’re interested in a comprehensive look at several days’ worth of what we ate here, see our Review: Veranda Club Level at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel.
It’s totally a personal decision, but when all of this is considered, we love the Grand Californian as an occasional splurge. There’s a lot to be said for the luxury of the Grand Californian, having a private entrance into Disney California Adventure, a beautiful lobby with Disney songs playing on the piano, exceptional Disney restaurants, and a view of World of Color from your hotel. (Okay, now I wish I were there right now!)
If I were going to stay at another Disneyland Resort hotel instead of the Grand Californian, I’d probably choose Disneyland Hotel. The atmosphere is great, its pool is amazing, and proximity to Trader Sam’s is a big plus. It’s also usually cheaper than the Grand Californian.
We’ve stayed in both and I have a tough time saying which I prefer–it probably would come down to price and which has better discounts and specific circumstances of the trip. Both are excellent, excellent hotels. (See Disneyland Hotel vs. Grand Californian for a comprehensive comparison.) By contrast, I would not stay at Paradise Pier Hotel again, especially while it’s under construction to be converted into Pixar Place Hotel.
Ultimately, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is the perfect place to stay for those who want to be as close to the parks as possible and really enjoy the Arts & Crafts meets National Parks Lodge theming. It offers a surprising amount of luxury and meticulous attention to detail, and you could spend all day wandering its halls, seeing new and beautiful design elements.
If the cost doesn’t matter or you’re looking for a memorable splurge, the Grand Californian is tough to beat. However, if you’re traveling on a budget and will be spending all day in the parks, we feel that a stay at the Grand Californian is a poor use of your funds. Instead, stay elsewhere and put that money towards a few nice meals and Genie+ or Lightning Lane access and stay at a hotel on Harbor. It won’t be as close as the GCH, but it’ll be a lot cheaper!
Still not sure which hotel at Disneyland Resort is right for you? Get professional help for free from an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner (Disney’s term for a travel agent). They receive commission from Disney, so most authorized planners will not charge you for booking the vacation package and planning services. The fee-free Authorized Disney Vacation Planner that we recommend is Be Our Guest Vacations. Their services don’t cost extra, they’ll help choose the right resort for you, book your vacation, help you with dining reservations and itineraries, and apply the best discounts to your reservation.
Planning a Southern California vacation? For park admission deals, read Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets. Learn about on-site and off-site hotels in our Anaheim Hotel Reviews & Rankings. For where to eat, check out our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews. For unique ideas of things that’ll improve your trip, check out What to Pack for Disney. For comprehensive advice, consult our Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide. Finally, for guides beyond Disney, check out our Southern California Itineraries for day trips to Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, and many other SoCal cities!
Your Thoughts
What do you think of Disneyland Resort’s flagship resort? Are you a fan of the Grand Californian, or do you prefer Disneyland Hotel? Do you think GCH is a brilliant work of art in the spirit of Gamble House or the Ahwahnee, or do you view it as an overpriced take on Wilderness Lodge? Share your thoughts in the comments!
i just purchased some DVC points here making it my “2nd” home resort, after AKL at WDW and I have a stay booked for October 2017. Can anyone tell me if the fitness center has a shower in it?
I love this hotel and how much it reminds me of the Ahwahnee Hotel (my favorite California early opulence hotel… though there are nicer and fancier ones from earlier I still love it’s feel).
Anyway, that wasn’t my point. My point is that the Grand Californian is about to go through a HUGE renovation lasting through the summer of 2017. I don’t know much about this yet but as we plan our next trip the idea of it being under construction while staying there is a negative that others might want to consider as well.
From the pictures shown by you, I think your hotel is great place to live and enjoye.
When my daughter was growing up we came to Disneyland every year for our birthdays. 26th and 28th of November. We always stayed at the Grand Californian. I would never stay anywhere else. The additional price was worth it for me. We only took one vacation a year and went all out. For my single mother budget that is. Our disney MO is to go on Splash Mountain at the end of the night. Over and over and over. Most of the time we don’t have to get off because there is no line. We get off soaking wet as in dripping and leaving a trail behind us. We head to our room change into our pj’s and hit downtown Disney. The last year we went I sprang for the concierge level. That was fantastic! We pretty much ate our meals there for “free”. Unlimited bottled water and soda. I never feel like in Disneyland when I stay off site. I much prefer to stay onsite and be completely IN Disney from start to finish of my vacation.
A pretty much spot-on review. The hotel is a great one, albeit not one that necessarily justifies its “runaway” price point. During marathon weekend, they wanted $475 for a standard room. Compare this to Pelican Hill in Newport Beach (about 20 minutes away) which is one of the finest jet-set resorts in the country… offering an ocean view villa for $395. With butler service. And Forbes/AAA/Conde Nast 5-star ratings. For those same days. And in nearly all usual categories including bed quality, room size, bathroom quality (walk in showers in every room), food, fitness center, spa, room service, maid service… Pelican Hill kicks the Grand Californian around the block. And they even offer a partnership with Disneyland to organize your trip there seamlessly, including selling tickets, organizing tours, and the like. Which makes it clear to me what’s going on at the Grand Californian: you are literally paying ABOVE five-star price points for proximity and the Disney name and not much else. The service isn’t nearly attentive enough to justify the price point, nor are the room sizes or layouts. You’re paying for Disney. That’s it.
That doesn’t mean it’s not worth it, necessarily. Just another example of how in terms of “value,” this hotel doesn’t size up very well. The same can be said in Florida – the Grand Floridian is often priced at the same or higher as the vastly superior Four Seasons.
As to the theming (and to show that I’m not hating on the hotel at all), I am inclined to agree with your acknowledgement that your preconceptions are coming into play when evaluating the “rusticity.” You are definitely correct – at first blush the hotel comes across as something outdoorsy and Northern Californian in inspiration. But it is, in fact, very Southern Californian and hardly Northern Californian at all – just not in the “stereotypical” manner. The Arts and Crafts movement actually began in Pasadena, Beverly Hills, and Mission Hills in Los Angeles, and spread across the country from there. The shake shingle siding, deep greens and reds, Japanese inspired sconces and chandeliers, repeating rose flower motifs, stained glass, and delicate furniture all point to a uniquely Southern Californian tradition that reveled in the one-of-a-kind to create a uniquely Californian style integrating elements that blends Japanese and American architecture with natural materials. Indeed, mansions built in the style of the Arts and Crafts school were highly sought after, and pretty much every element of the Grand Californian Hotel can be found somewhere in the Gamble House Museum in Pasadena, only on a smaller scale, not to mention thousands of bungalows across Southern California. Seen through this conception, the resemblances between Wilderness Lodge and the Grand Californian are entirely superficial, and the opulence of the hotel’s design becomes clear. Yes, it has no crystal chandeliers, but it is no less luxurious for their absence. I highly recommend the “Art of the Craft” tour the hotel offers every day, regardless of whether you are staying at the hotel. It will open your eyes to both the history of the Arts and Crafts movement and the genius of this hotel’s design, as well as put it in its proper perspective. This hotel, as well as the Carthay Circle Restaurant, are modern imagineering’s two finest architectural triumphs that elevate Disney themed design beyond mere fantasy and into some form of art.
We used to stay at the Grand Californian all the time. In recent years, however, the value has evaporated for us. And with better options not terribly far away that truly cater to a five star guest, there isn’t much reason to stay there. Except for the proximity of course. The theme, restaurants, architecture, art, and most of the amenities may be experience by any ordinary day guest – helping to sooth some of the pain that comes with not staying on site.
My absolute favorite hotel. It is hard to stay anywhere else in Anaheim after you stay at the DGC. It is the most expensive, but for me it is worth it.
Loved our stay at the Grand Californian. Only complaint was the terrible wifi service. Could not keep in touch with our loved ones back home through our iPad even when we went down to the lobby. Wifi kept cutting out all the time. Several others besides me commented on that. Even our iPhone did not work that well in our room. It worked fine in the lobby but iPhones work differently than other wireless items. Otherwise the hotel, staff and amenities were terrific. We would stay here again. The proximity to the park won us over in spite of the price. Hope to come back again soon.
We are going to be staying at the Grand Californian for the holiday season.
We have booked a premium view room
Which view do you recommend
Paradise pier
Grizzly river run
Pool view
Just a question. What other hotels are better than the Grand Californian Hotel, especially in different countries?
“Better” is subjective, but I’d say Tokyo Disneyland Hotel, Hotel MiraCosta, and Disneyland Hotel (Paris), all are definitely better. With several other hotels, it’s a closer call.
If you are the type of person who loves nature/the great outdoors, then you’ll appreciate all the beauty of the Grand Californian Hotel. To date, it is my FAVORITE Disney resort hotel. I have stayed at many Disney resort hotels on the East and West Coasts; lately, the Aulani, in Hawaii. The Grand Californian is HOME, to me…
Love this post! I had the privilege of staying at the GCH this past January after the Tinkerbell half marathon. One of my running friends works for ABC and got an amazing rate for the 3 of us staying so we stayed 1 night after 2 nights in an off property hotel. I don’t really remember the details of the hotel, but I ran back and forth through that GCA entrance so many times the cast members stopped checking my backpack! After being able to run between the parks and hotel with such ease, its safe to say it will be a rude awakening when I deal with the buses at Disney World this upcoming January when I run the marathon!
I absolutely loved the Grand! We stayed in a suite that faced Grizzly Peak that really reinforced the theme. I’m also a huge fan of California Craftsman architecture, so it was an easy sell. I somewhat disagree with you on the matter of opulence though. It’s opulent in the California Craftsman style, harking back to the days of the resorts built by railroad barons to cater to the east coast elite. I thought the finishes throughout the hotel were excellent, and I wouldn’t say that about the Floridian. DGF looks dated and cheap, and certainly isn’t on par with the Victorian hotel that inspired its design.
But I absolutely agree with you on the matter of hotel staff. For me, they really justified the price of staying there (I won’t tell you how much because I don’t want you to faint!) The General Manager contacted me about a week out from our arrival. The day we arrived, a guest services manager greeted us in the carport, escorted us to the beautiful lobby where we “checked in” on one of the sofas, and made our stay perhaps the most memorable of my life. I have absolutely no idea where the front desk is, as I never saw it! And everyone we came in contact with was warm and helpful. Just a truly top notch experience. I can’t wait to go back! Disneyland Half Marathon 2014!!
You might have noticed in the review that I updated the post after our second stay at the GCH. I probably should have updated it a bit more, as I now love the hotel, and find it to be great (I still find the guest rooms lacking, but on a hotel-wide level, it’s incredible).
No argument on the Grand Floridian from us. That hotel desperately needs a top to bottom overhaul.
Thanks for the great review. We enjoyed spending time at the Grand Californian during our trip in July. Although we didn’t stay at the GC, we dined at Napa Rose and at the Hearthstone Lounge and both places were fantastic. I found the lobby to be exceedingly difficult to photograph, so major props to you for getting some good shots!
Also- I hope you get a chance to stay at the Disneyland Hotel sometimes soon! I find the architecture and ambiance there to be very unique and I’m wondering what your take on staying there would be.
Im curious to know from people that feel the Grand is lacking something, to know what they would do to change that feeling?
Great review and fantastic photos!! loved that view of the park you included!
I enjoyed my stay at the Grand Californian a few years ago… I was at Disneyland for 1 whirlwind night and loved the location and style of the hotel. Plus, they accommodated me on a very early check in, which really helped me make the most of my visit without having to worry about coming back to check in mid-day.
Also, I got to try Napa Rose, which was an incredible dining experience. I was seated at the chef’s table and got an up close view of the chefs at work.
Perhaps if I was there longer I may have noticed some of the critiques you mentioned. Also, I agree that the rooms are a bit pricey, but I guess in many ways we’re paying for the convenience of being in the parks. Next visit, I’ll check out the Disneyland Hotel like you suggest!
How did you enjoy the Chef’s Table at Napa Rose? That’s still something we need to try!
We are staying at grand Ca. We are going for 3 days! What we are doing is, stoping at a deli in town, and bringing back to the hotel, is meats, cheese, bread, and vegies. We are also bringing milk, juice, and snacks. We think this will save a-lot!
As someone who spends a fair amount of time staying in different hotels of varying tiers, I have to agree with you that while the Grand Californian hotel is nicely done, there is a certain je ne sais quoi that is missing for me to really call it a “flagship” hotel property. Now strictly speaking of definition, yes, it is the flagship Disney DLR Hotel. But I have always felt that it lacked something and has never stood out as a spectacular hotel. I expect better service, innovation, and more magic than what I have experienced at that property over the years.
This review is great timing for us too! We just booked our stay for July 2013 with DVC points. Even with the points, which did save money, it is a large amount of money to spend. When we use DVC for WDW, we can usually save 50-60% on a deluxe resort room, but the “discount” was not as good for DGV… Nevertheless, we are very excited! We love WLV & I believe that we will enjoy the “close perks” with DL/DCA. Thanks for the tip about Grizzly River Run & the review!
We finished our stay 2 months ago & it was GREAT! I do wish that we could have/would have stayed at the Disneyland Hotel because their pool looked incredible in comparison to Grand Californian’s. We still enjoyed it’s pool though.
Tom, I am sure that you are aware of the Paradise View Terrace? (I think I can tell that you have taken pictures from there?) Anyways, with all the research I did, this was not mentioned (maybe I should keep quiet!). I believe it’s for DVC owners only, right? Anyways, it was awesome to watch WOC from there since we were so busy that we never used our FP for our special viewing area as suggested.
One thing that I did not like while staying there is that there are not counter service places that open before you need to get in line for the Early Entry (Extra Magic Hours)so you must plan ahead for breakfast or coffee (this happened to us one morning). You can buy coffee & cinnamon rolls at Hearthstone Lounge but it took me forever to find this out one morning (I didn’t research that well enough!)
This is where I make my suggestion of eating breakfast in your room before heading to the park so you can save some money. My hubby poo-poo’d my idea of doing a bit of grocery shopping (surprising as frugal as he is). This way, you can have some basics like milk & cereal or store bought cinamon rolls. Just so you can avoid my problems with time & money! We spent an incredible amount of money on food, which took him by total surprise. So do some shopping & save money where you can! You can always buy cinamon rolls before you leave the park to enjoy the next morning too.
I’ve stayed at the other two Disneyland resorts, but have yet to stay in the Grand Californian. We visit it a lot for meals or just to soak up atmosphere and decided on our last Disneyland vacation that we weren’t coming back until staying at Grand Californian was in the cards.
I don’t mind the hotel’s theming, even as compared to the Grand Floridian. California’s history is much younger than Florida’s, and architecturally speaking, there’s less from which to draw. They could have done a Spanish mission-style building, but that wouldn’t have made sense with what California Adventure was back when it and the hotel were built. As for where the hotel feeds in to DCA, the hotel’s style is perfect. Personally, I would have liked a more Old Hollywood art deco feeling, which would be amazing with the new Buena Vista Street, but I still like what we have. As a native of Northern California, it feels like home to me.
What a timely article! We will be there in 3 1/2 weeks and this was a great read! Now I am really excited!