Grand Californian Super Thread

[blackjackdelta]

Looks like we will also. With having a fullsize fidge and stove we can fix a few things.

Jack

 

[DmaxHawk]

Looks like we will also. With having a fullsize fidge and stove we can fix a few things.

Jack

Is that the way all villas are?

 

[CrazyDuck]

Is that the way all villas are?

The Studio Villas only have a mini fridge and a microwave oven.

 

[DmaxHawk]

The Studio Villas only have a mini fridge and a microwave oven.

Ah I see...

 

[aussietravellers]

Vons (aka Safeway or Pavilions) is a full grocery store chain, and they started home & office delivery (which extends to the hotels in the DLR area) quite a few years ago. You can go to Vons.com or Safeway.com (same thing) to place the order. Many of our DIS-ers have groceries delivered to them while they are staying at DLR or one of the offsite hotels. There is a $50 minimum for online orders, and they usually give you free delivery on your first order only. They deliver meat, produce, alcohol, frozen food, medicine, baked goods, flowers - anything that you could pretty much imagine from a grocery store!

We used Vons and had the free delivery. We were happy with them. Everything we ordered arrived and was good, the fruit we ordered was lovely and fresh. We ordered things like fruit, snacks, laundry liquid, water etc.
They delivered to Bell Services (we were out for lunch) and it was delivered to our room when we got back

I had wondered if we had to be there for delivery so I scheduled delivery for when I thought we would be in the room, so I stopped at the Bell desk on our way out to lunch to let them know it was coming and that we would be back by the time it arrived. They said that was fine but we didn't have to be there, they would accept the delivery for us and store it until we wanted it and we could pick it up from them or have it delivered (which we chose because we had lots of heavy water). I ordered about two days before we left.

 

[Sherry E]

We used Vons and had the free delivery. We were happy with them. Everything we ordered arrived and was good, the fruit we ordered was lovely and fresh. We ordered things like fruit, snacks, laundry liquid, water etc.
They delivered to Bell Services (we were out for lunch) and it was delivered to our room when we got back

I had wondered if we had to be there for delivery so I scheduled delivery for when I thought we would be in the room, so I stopped at the Bell desk on our way out to lunch to let them know it was coming and that we would be back by the time it arrived. They said that was fine but we didn't have to be there, they would accept the delivery for us and store it until we wanted it and we could pick it up from them or have it delivered (which we chose because we had lots of heavy water). I ordered about two days before we left.

That's good information to know! I thought I heard that everyone's first delivery was free, but I wasn't 100% sure they were still giving the free delivery. Glad to know they are. And it is also really helpful that seemingly most DIS-ers have been lucky with having their hotels - either the 3 DLR hotels or the offsite hotels - accept the delivery in their absence. That is really handy, as I am sure many DIS-ers don't want to leave the park at certain hours to come back and sort through groceries!!

Also, I should point out that from everythign I read on here, it sounds like the Vons delivery service is much better in Anaheim than it is where I am in L.A. They have made endless mistakes with my orders, but they seem to do a good job with the customers in Orange County (different stores, different shoppers, different drivers!).

If you can justify spending the $50 to place an order, it is really worth it for the water alone! Vons will have weekly sales, and often times a 24-pack of Arrowhead water, for example, will be on sale for $3.00 or even as low as $2.50. Usually the sales are around $3.50 or $4.00. In any case, that is much more cost effective than paying $3 or $4 for one little bottle of water or orange juice in DLR!!! On my last two trips to DLR, I stopped to get some OJ and some of those delicious, juicy pineapple spears at the end of the day - because I was dehydrated and parched! I could justify it for the spears because they are just so yummy, but the bottles of OJ nearly killed me with those prices - literally, the price of one bottle is about the price of a case of 24 bottles of water on sale at Vons! Yikes!!

 

[nonzerosum]

Just looked at the Safeway website and the promotion code for first free delivery is EASY7. I'll be using them for sure.

 

[DmaxHawk]

We used Vons and had the free delivery. We were happy with them. Everything we ordered arrived and was good, the fruit we ordered was lovely and fresh. We ordered things like fruit, snacks, laundry liquid, water etc.
They delivered to Bell Services (we were out for lunch) and it was delivered to our room when we got back

I had wondered if we had to be there for delivery so I scheduled delivery for when I thought we would be in the room, so I stopped at the Bell desk on our way out to lunch to let them know it was coming and that we would be back by the time it arrived. They said that was fine but we didn't have to be there, they would accept the delivery for us and store it until we wanted it and we could pick it up from them or have it delivered (which we chose because we had lots of heavy water). I ordered about two days before we left.

I like how they were nice enough to hold on to your delivery for you. You said you ordered fruit and they "stored" it for you. Did they keep the fruit cold or just put it off to the side until you got there?

 

[DmaxHawk]

That's good information to know! I thought I heard that everyone's first delivery was free, but I wasn't 100% sure they were still giving the free delivery. Glad to know they are. And it is also really helpful that seemingly most DIS-ers have been lucky with having their hotels - either the 3 DLR hotels or the offsite hotels - accept the delivery in their absence. That is really handy, as I am sure many DIS-ers don't want to leave the park at certain hours to come back and sort through groceries!!

Also, I should point out that from everythign I read on here, it sounds like the Vons delivery service is much better in Anaheim than it is where I am in L.A. They have made endless mistakes with my orders, but they seem to do a good job with the customers in Orange County (different stores, different shoppers, different drivers!).

If you can justify spending the $50 to place an order, it is really worth it for the water alone! Vons will have weekly sales, and often times a 24-pack of Arrowhead water, for example, will be on sale for $3.00 or even as low as $2.50. Usually the sales are around $3.50 or $4.00. In any case, that is much more cost effective than paying $3 or $4 for one little bottle of water or orange juice in DLR!!! On my last two trips to DLR, I stopped to get some OJ and some of those delicious, juicy pineapple spears at the end of the day - because I was dehydrated and parched! I could justify it for the spears because they are just so yummy, but the bottles of OJ nearly killed me with those prices - literally, the price of one bottle is about the price of a case of 24 bottles of water on sale at Vons! Yikes!!

This is something we will definitely be using considering the prices you are talking about!

Now when I register, do I put the address for the hotel? Or will they ask where to deliver later?

 

[aussietravellers]

Now when I register, do I put the address for the hotel? Or will they ask where to deliver later?

I put the hotel address as my address and delivery address (as I live outside the USA) when I registered.

 

[Sherry E]

This is something we will definitely be using considering the prices you are talking about!

Now when I register, do I put the address for the hotel? Or will they ask where to deliver later?

Hmm...for that I will have to defer to Aussietravellers. See, when I use Vons delivery, I just get the groceries brought to my home. I have not yet tried having them delivered to a hotel, but DIS-ers do it all the time. I assume - again, Aussietravellers or someone else can clarify this for us - that you put in the address of the hotel when you create an online account at Vons.com/Safeway.com, and I would guess that you just enter in your cell phone number with the hotel's address, but I could be wrong on that.

 

[aussietravellers]

I like how they were nice enough to hold on to your delivery for you. You said you ordered fruit and they "stored" it for you. Did they keep the fruit cold or just put it off to the side until you got there?

We were back at the hotel about an hour after the delivery and it was quite cold at that time (weather wise), so it probably didn't need to be kept in a coolroom (fridge). I don't know where they actually stored it as we called down from the room and bell services just bought it up to the room. I know at WDW they do keep grocery deliveries in the fridge, but I am not sure about the Grand Californian.

 

[Sherry E]

Oh good! Aussietravellers already answered!! So it is the hotel address then - good to have confirmation on that. I think some folks have probably had confusion when creating the account at first, because the inclination is to use your own mailing address, which won't do anyone any good when they are at DLR!

 

[aussietravellers]

Now when I register, do I put the address for the hotel? Or will they ask where to deliver later?

I put the hotel address as my address and delivery address (as I live outside the USA) when I registered.

 

[aussietravellers]

Hmm...for that I will have to defer to Aussietravellers. See, when I use Vons delivery, I just get the groceries brought to my home. I have not yet tried having them delivered to a hotel, but DIS-ers do it all the time. I assume - again, Aussietravellers or someone else can clarify this for us - that you put in the address of the hotel when you create an online account at Vons.com/Safeway.com, and I would guess that you just enter in your cell phone number with the hotel's address, but I could be wrong on that.

Yes you are right, they will need to put the hotel address as their address when they register. I also put the hotels phone number but the reason for that was that I didn't have a US phone number, but if I had had a US cell phone I would have put that number .

 

[DmaxHawk]

Oh good! Aussietravellers already answered!! So it is the hotel address then - good to have confirmation on that. I think some folks have probably had confusion when creating the account at first, because the inclination is to use your own mailing address, which won't do anyone any good when they are at DLR!

I'm assuming ( by the way other sites like vons operates) when you register for the account, you can put your address. But when they ask you the address for delivery, you would put the hotel's address.

But just to be safe, I think I'm gonna follow Aussietravellers and put the hotel for both since we are out of town also.

 

[Boo Bear]

I just felt the need to post this.... This has to be the most astoundingly informative thread I've ever seen in my entire life! So incredibly informative and well done. BRAVO!

 

[DmaxHawk]

I just felt the need to post this.... This has to be the most astoundingly informative thread I've ever seen in my entire life! So incredibly informative and well done. BRAVO!

Thanks very much!
Thats what we've been hoping to accomplish.
Hope it helps!

 

[disneywith3boys]

Great thread..hoping to get some help. Getting ready to book our stay in July and hoping to get an idea for a room request. We will just be in a standard view room. I've heard alot of people say to request the courtyard. Anyone have a specific room number they stayed in that worked well. I will have 3 small boys and a stroller, so hoping to request a room that won't be a long walk. Thanks!

 

[CrazyDuck]

Great thread..hoping to get some help. Getting ready to book our stay in July and hoping to get an idea for a room request. We will just be in a standard view room. I've heard alot of people say to request the courtyard. Anyone have a specific room number they stayed in that worked well. I will have 3 small boys and a stroller, so hoping to request a room that won't be a long walk. Thanks!

000, 001 are really close to the elevator. Also outside your front door you will overlook the great hall. It's really nice because you can hear the piano player at night even with your door closed. He stops around 9:30 so you can actually sleep though. Also I like the 3rd floor because it has a very large hallway outside your front door (if you overlook the great hall). We were in 3017 and 3018 on our last trip and the hallways outside the front door was huge. So huge infact they put in a couple of sitting chairs out side the room. We'd use these to wait for the others while they finished getting ready. Outlide of 3003 and 3004 the hallway is so big they have another piano up there (ofcourse these rooms have a view of the valet parkers). 014 and 020 are just around the corner and with those you get a good look at the monorail as it comes right at you!. Don't go too far around that corner else you end up with a long walk to the elevator.. ask bumbershoot!