Overall Rating: 3 StarsArts & crafts plus a bit of Disney magic! This is the premier deluxe hotel of the Disneyland Resort that can make you forget you're in the middle of Anaheim instead of in a lodge in the California mountains. I last visited in August 2015 and love the hotel and experience, but there are a few things you'll want to know before you book your stay. |
Location: 4 Stars
You can't get much closer than this! Not only are you a five minute walk away from Disneyland but you're hotel has a private entrance to Disney California Adventure dropping you right in front of Grizzly Peak. This is probably the most convenient aspect of the hotel that I used constantly! Then, if you feel like a night on the town, it can take as little as 30 seconds to get to the heart of Downtown Disney. Fabulous location! Love it!
Accommodations: 3 Stars
The room was exquisite and beautifully maintained (and this coming from someone who isn't particularly keen on Arts & Crafts style architecture). Some rooms have their own private balcony, something we didn't use but still cool that it's there. Out the window you see nothing but conifers and "real" redwoods with Grizzly Peak and the Tower of Terror framed in the distance by the trees.
As amazing as all this is, and although even the shower curtain has Bambi on it, I felt the room lacked a certain touch of Disney magic which I've seen to some degree at the Paradise Pier Hotel and in abundance at the Disneyland Hotel. That's something you come to expect and desire at a Disneyland Resort Hotel.
As amazing as all this is, and although even the shower curtain has Bambi on it, I felt the room lacked a certain touch of Disney magic which I've seen to some degree at the Paradise Pier Hotel and in abundance at the Disneyland Hotel. That's something you come to expect and desire at a Disneyland Resort Hotel.
Amenities: 3 Stars
Every room has turndown service, something a bit superfluous but can make you feel fancy. Personally I always had to draw the curtains back open since I prefer light coming through the windows in the morning. The pools and gardens are astounding, but I'm not certain the pool area holds as many guests as it claims on the occupancy sign. The Disneyland Hotel pools seem to have enough pool chairs for every guest they claim as maximum capacity but there seemed to be far too few cabanas and chairs at the Grand Californian. It's not a big deal, but you'd expect perfection from a deluxe hotel when you're paying that price, wouldn't you? It's a bit disappointing.
As a side note, the AC never seemed to work in our room so we spent more time than we would have liked trying to cool down and get maintenance to fix the issue. Probably doesn't happen in every room, but since it happened at all I was surprised.
As a side note, the AC never seemed to work in our room so we spent more time than we would have liked trying to cool down and get maintenance to fix the issue. Probably doesn't happen in every room, but since it happened at all I was surprised.
Value: 3 Stars
You pay for nearly 5-star accommodations and the Disney name, but it doesn't seem like it's quite worth the price. It's not terribly off-the-mark starting around $450/night, but you can expect to pay up to $650 or $700/night. That's why I say that you would expect a perfect stay when you're paying such a hefty price. Things are wonderful, astounding, and sometimes awe inspiring but I'm not certain it's the absolute best value you'll find.