It’s no secret that we have had our fair share of Disneyland trips. We’ve been in every season, can point you to the closest bathroom from any place in either park, and have stayed at a wide range of hotels around the park. This last time we went we stayed at the Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel. We loved it, and here is why I think you’ll love it too.
1. Easy park access. It doesn’t get much better than walking straight from the hotel into the park. And at the Grand Californian, you can do just that. In the pic below Jaron and I are fresh from the hotel, having just walked across the bridge we’re standing next to into the park. The pretty green archway you see in the second pic is what you walk under as you enter the park right in front of the Grizzly Mountain Water Run and just around the corner from Sorin’ Over the World (Use to be ‘over California’). This easy access is great for post water ride outfit changes, nap breaks in the afternoon, and getting back to your bed at the end of a long long day. We used this entrance LOTS and it’s convenience cannot be over stated.
2. The lobby. This hotel is modeled after the famous Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park (located in Northern California and appropriate for a park all about adventuring through California). The lobby is magnificent and as soon as you walk in you feel like you’ve somehow been transported to Northern California. It was beautiful in there and the pictures below don’t do it justice (mostly cause I was too busy gawking to think to get a pic of the giant fire places, windows, and the cathedral ceilings). Being in this hotel makes you feel the same kind of magic that being in Disneyland does, and who wouldn’t want to be constantly surrounded by that attention to detail and beauty the entire Disneyland trip.
3. The view. I mean, look at it!! These were taken from our hotel balcony, and as you can see, it was SO COOL waking up to the Tower of Terror (I know it has a new name now) and the Grizzly Mountain Bear! We loved just sitting on our balcony while we waited for the park to open/everyone to get dressed/breakfast to get eaten. The chairs out there were perfect for sitting in and we could not get enough of looking out our balcony.
4. The service. There is no question about it, the Disneyland employees go above and beyond to make your stay special and the Grand Californian is no exception. From the moment when you pull up and the valet takes your car, to when the bell hop brings your luggage up to your room when it’s ready (we dropped the luggage off early in the morning and had it brought up when our room was ready for us), to the turn down service at night complete with pillow mints the entire experience is smooth and comfortable. Plus the pillow mints were delicious and I ate all 4 for our room.
5. The attention to detail. Throughout the entire hotel you don’t have to look very far to see cute nods to Californian culture, the history of the parks, or even Disney’s own history. Note below in the picture from the room the pretty oranges which are so prevalent in California due to the climate AND a sweet Chip and his brother Dale causing mischief stealing oranges. It’s the details like that which make a visit to Disneyland memorable and it was those same the details in this hotel that contributed to a lovely stay.
This hotel was WONDERFUL to stay in and if it is possible to stay there again I would do so in a heat-beat. We really enjoyed our time and think you would too.
Charming Chatwins 