Grand Californian Super Thread

[StormyCA]

The city I grew up in in So Cal had their own wells and our water was delicious!

We spent our summers in Newport Beach and always referred to the water there as 'beach water' because it tasted different. I actually liked the the taste as a child because it meant it was summer and we were at the beach!

Disneyland has 'beach water'. I'm not so fond of it these days. But if you want to taste really, REALLY gross water go to WDW and try the tap water there. It's disgusting and actually kind of tastes, IDK, 'thick'? We threw out a whole pot of coffee it was so bad.

These days we actually brew with distilled water. Absolutely no taste and we never have to descale our coffeemaker.

 

[GoofyGoofyGoofy]

I ordered in the app once we were there. I changed the address to 1600 South Disneyland drive and put in the “notes” that we were at the grand hotel. I chose a delivery hour that I knew we would be at the hotel and hubby waited downstairs in the lobby for the delivery guy. Bell Services said they would have been happy to receive the order-however, we were fine this way. The delivery guy was young and had a little cart and asked DH if he could “deliver” up to the room because he had never been inside the hotel. He was thrilled to bring the groceries up and look around.

Thank you very much.

 

[DizMe]

Disneyland has 'beach water'. I'm not so fond of it these days. But if you want to taste really, REALLY gross water go to WDW and try the tap water there. It's disgusting and actually kind of tastes, IDK, 'thick'? We threw out a whole pot of coffee it was so bad.

That sounds pretty nasty!!

My grandma lived in an old cottage in Huntington Beach. Her water was gross--smelled like hard-boiled eggs and when you took a bath, the water was yellow. This was the 1960s.

 

[GoofyGoofyGoofy]

No. It doesn't open until later in the day.

In April, the opening time was 4pm. I do not know if the hours are seasonal.

 

[DLgal]

In April, the opening time was 4pm. I do not know if the hours are seasonal.

It sometimes opens at 12:00, but last time we saw that was last summer in July.

 

[StormyCA]

That sounds pretty nasty!!

My grandma lived in an old cottage in Huntington Beach. Her water was gross--smelled like hard-boiled eggs and when you took a bath, the water was yellow. This was the 1960s.

Sounds about right! Ages ago my Uncle & Aunt had a trailer right on the beach at Huntington (now a parking lot) and I remember the egg-smell too. It's sulphur and I assume it is/was in the groundwater. You got that same smell near that bridge over Hwy1 on the way to Newport. I'm sure it has something to do with the fact that there are oil deposits in the area and there was active drilling going on, both at Huntington and Newport.

 

[DizMe]

Sounds about right! Ages ago my Uncle & Aunt had a trailer right on the beach at Huntington (now a parking lot) and I remember the egg-smell too. It's sulphur and I assume it is/was in the groundwater. You got that same smell near that bridge over Hwy1 on the way to Newport. I'm sure it has something to do with the fact that there are oil deposits in the area and there was active drilling going on, both at Huntington and Newport.

Yes, there was actually an oil well on the lot next door to grandma's house. We went to HB 5ish years ago for a family vacation (stayed in an airbnb) and I walked over to where grandma's house was. Those cottages are long gone and have been replaced by 3-story Tuscan villas (she was only a block and a half from the beach, right in downtown). I wonder if the water is different now? Funny that the oil well is still there.

 

[GoofyGoofyGoofy]

It sometimes opens at 12:00, but last time we saw that was last summer in July.

 

[GoofyGoofyGoofy]

That would be nice if they opened at noon every day. Perfect for people going back to their room for a nap to pick something up and relax in the room.

 

[roctavia]

Is there a locker room by the pools or something nearby better than just a random bathroom for changing clothes? We arrive pretty early and aren't anticipating our room will be ready, so will get lunch and swim until it is, but I was hoping for a little better place to change clothes than just bathroom stalls.

 

[Nonsuch]

Is there a locker room by the pools or something nearby better than just a random bathroom for changing clothes? We arrive pretty early and aren't anticipating our room will be ready, so will get lunch and swim until it is, but I was hoping for a little better place to change clothes than just bathroom stalls.

The restrooms in the pool area (located on the ground floor of VGC) have a shower, while not a locker room it is a better changing area than a bathroom stall

some photos from 5 years ago

 

[ClaraOswald]

There's a bathroom inside the pool area?? Where exactly?

 

[crvetter]

There's a bathroom inside the pool area?? Where exactly?

It's not inside the pool area, really. It is basically right next to the fitness center and the "arch" that walks out to the front entrance of the hotel. If that makes sense.

 

[SeaDis]

There's a bathroom inside the pool area?? Where exactly?

It's just behind the kiddie slide.

 

[crvetter]

It's just behind the kiddie slide.

I had no idea one was hidden back there!! Thanks!

 

[Teddydogno1]

We have returned from our trip and your answers to my questions about the in-room coffee were much appreciated.

I did bring my own pods and preferred creamer so I was well supplied there. Even though I used cups and the boxed sugar/stir sticks each day, they did NOT replenish them each day. Seems housekeeping is pretty hit and miss about replenishment. To be fair, the bellman who brought up our bags on check-in day DID tell me that and suggested calling guest services to request whatever quantity I would want for the whole stay so I would not be short, but I did not do that. He also said I could request as much hot cocoa as I wanted as well.

I did not find the water to be a problem at all and the brew machine seemed clean. I did not see any build up in the visible portions of the machine. Since I was using my own pods, I found the coffee to taste exactly as I expected, so no issue with the water or scale that I could tell.

I DID have some issues with the room and the hotel, which are probably minor really, but not what I want in such an expensive hotel!

GOOD
--I checked in using the app two days before our stay and indicated we would be on site at 9 am that day (Sunday 5/14).
--The ScooterBug scooter we rented was ready when we got there just before 9 and the Bell Desk helped us get started and going with it for our first day in DCA
--Our room was ready and we were texted at 11 am just as we started the Mother's Day character buffet at Storyteller's.

BAD
--Room keys. I used the app and linked reservation for room access and though sometimes slow to launch and connect. We got regular room cards for the wife and kid and tested them the first time. Then when we next returned to the room, they did not work any more. We got a new set and tested them, then again later they did not work. Seemed like every time I used the phone to unlock the door, it broke the regular keys and they no longer worked. We went through 3 sets this way, complaining each time and asking if that was "normal" and never got a good answer. Just "that's unusual" each time. It sucks that only 1 person's phone can be used and my wife did get stuck outside the room once because of this.
--"Early access" to the parks and security. This SUCKS. The lines to the parks for early morning access are terrible. We would have had to be in line around 6:30 AM to get to the front of the line to pass security early enough to be in Downtown Disney in time for an actual 7:30 entrance to the parks. We were told they only start letting folks in at 7:15 and by then the line was snaking around the patio and back into the lobby. The one day we tried to get into DL at 7:30 had us in line at 7:15 (we didn't know that was too late) and finally scanning into DL at 8:05. Yes, it was still fairly light crowds but we lost our best half hour. The DCA line was almost as bad when we went for early access on Wednesday. Hitting the line at 7:05, we were told they didn't even start checking security until 7:15 and we were IN THE LOBBY. We did manage to get in at about 7:40 so hit GotG with a walk-on, then Radiator Springs Racers single-rider just as the wave of humanity hit at 8 am.
--I got take-out from the Craftsman Bar and Grill one afternoon and ordered the "baked nachos". These looked fantastic on other people's tables and were served in a huge oval metal platter hot out of the oven. After a 25 minute wait for my order, I was disappointed with a to go box that had about HALF an order of them. They tasted good, but for $24 we were given a much smaller portion than those eating in. I called guest services and asked to talk to a manager of the restaurant, but was told I could not be connected. They took my complaint and promised to have a manager call me, but it never happened.

All in all, we enjoyed the trip and the location was good. But it is still a long way from everything and this is not really an $800 per night hotel. With my wife's mobility issues, though, I'm not sure another location would have worked either. I guess I'm glad we'll probably never do another big DL trip like this again.

Rob

 

[DizMe]

We have returned from our trip and your answers to my questions about the in-room coffee were much appreciated.

I did bring my own pods and preferred creamer so I was well supplied there. Even though I used cups and the boxed sugar/stir sticks each day, they did NOT replenish them each day. Seems housekeeping is pretty hit and miss about replenishment. To be fair, the bellman who brought up our bags on check-in day DID tell me that and suggested calling guest services to request whatever quantity I would want for the whole stay so I would not be short, but I did not do that. He also said I could request as much hot cocoa as I wanted as well.

I did not find the water to be a problem at all and the brew machine seemed clean. I did not see any build up in the visible portions of the machine. Since I was using my own pods, I found the coffee to taste exactly as I expected, so no issue with the water or scale that I could tell.

I DID have some issues with the room and the hotel, which are probably minor really, but not what I want in such an expensive hotel!

GOOD
--I checked in using the app two days before our stay and indicated we would be on site at 9 am that day (Sunday 5/14).
--The ScooterBug scooter we rented was ready when we got there just before 9 and the Bell Desk helped us get started and going with it for our first day in DCA
--Our room was ready and we were texted at 11 am just as we started the Mother's Day character buffet at Storyteller's.

BAD
--Room keys. I used the app and linked reservation for room access and though sometimes slow to launch and connect. We got regular room cards for the wife and kid and tested them the first time. Then when we next returned to the room, they did not work any more. We got a new set and tested them, then again later they did not work. Seemed like every time I used the phone to unlock the door, it broke the regular keys and they no longer worked. We went through 3 sets this way, complaining each time and asking if that was "normal" and never got a good answer. Just "that's unusual" each time. It sucks that only 1 person's phone can be used and my wife did get stuck outside the room once because of this.
--"Early access" to the parks and security. This SUCKS. The lines to the parks for early morning access are terrible. We would have had to be in line around 6:30 AM to get to the front of the line to pass security early enough to be in Downtown Disney in time for an actual 7:30 entrance to the parks. We were told they only start letting folks in at 7:15 and by then the line was snaking around the patio and back into the lobby. The one day we tried to get into DL at 7:30 had us in line at 7:15 (we didn't know that was too late) and finally scanning into DL at 8:05. Yes, it was still fairly light crowds but we lost our best half hour. The DCA line was almost as bad when we went for early access on Wednesday. Hitting the line at 7:05, we were told they didn't even start checking security until 7:15 and we were IN THE LOBBY. We did manage to get in at about 7:40 so hit GotG with a walk-on, then Radiator Springs Racers single-rider just as the wave of humanity hit at 8 am.
--I got take-out from the Craftsman Bar and Grill one afternoon and ordered the "baked nachos". These looked fantastic on other people's tables and were served in a huge oval metal platter hot out of the oven. After a 25 minute wait for my order, I was disappointed with a to go box that had about HALF an order of them. They tasted good, but for $24 we were given a much smaller portion than those eating in. I called guest services and asked to talk to a manager of the restaurant, but was told I could not be connected. They took my complaint and promised to have a manager call me, but it never happened.

All in all, we enjoyed the trip and the location was good. But it is still a long way from everything and this in not really an $800 per night hotel. With my wife's mobility issues, though, I'm not sure another location would have worked either. I guess I'm glad we'll probably never do another big DL trip like this again.

Rob

Rob, I am so sorry for your bad experiences. Inexcusable--and I say that meaning that things happen, but you should be able to connect with someone and promptly receive some sort of compensation, even if it's only an apology. I've always gotten very good responses when something went wrong and I'm shocked to hear that you had no response at all, which is basically saying, "Too bad, so sad". That's not the Disney experience you should have when you spend a lot of time and money on your family vacation. Sure, things happen, but it's only fair for them to at least give you the feeling that they care and want you to be happy.

 

[DizMe]

Rob, I am so sorry for your bad experiences. Inexcusable--and I say that meaning that things happen, but you should be able to connect with someone and promptly receive some sort of compensation, even if it's only an apology. I've always gotten very good responses when something went wrong and I'm shocked to hear that you had no response at all, which is basically saying, "Too bad, so sad". That's not the Disney experience you should have when you spend a lot of time and money on your family vacation. Sure, things happen, but it's only fair for them to at least give you the feeling that they care and want you to be happy.

I'm going to follow that up with a suggestion to contact Disney Guest Services and explain all of those glitches and the lack of response.

 

[Iceman93]

We were there the same weekend and have basically the same complaints, except instead of being in an overpriced $800 a night room we were in a $2,400 a night 2-bedroom suite. We also had a couple of (what would have been) small issues where the front-line cast members assured us we'd be contacted by a manager yet we never were. One of them was a billing mistake that we were assured three times would be taken care of (including at check-out, which we did in person specifically because the issue still persisted) but it wasn't. So then I got a text from "VIP guest services" asking how everything was with our stay and when I texted back they fixed it immediately. That's nice, but the sour taste remains.

 

[RoseColored97]

We have returned from our trip and your answers to my questions about the in-room coffee were much appreciated.

I did bring my own pods and preferred creamer so I was well supplied there. Even though I used cups and the boxed sugar/stir sticks each day, they did NOT replenish them each day. Seems housekeeping is pretty hit and miss about replenishment. To be fair, the bellman who brought up our bags on check-in day DID tell me that and suggested calling guest services to request whatever quantity I would want for the whole stay so I would not be short, but I did not do that. He also said I could request as much hot cocoa as I wanted as well.

I did not find the water to be a problem at all and the brew machine seemed clean. I did not see any build up in the visible portions of the machine. Since I was using my own pods, I found the coffee to taste exactly as I expected, so no issue with the water or scale that I could tell.

I DID have some issues with the room and the hotel, which are probably minor really, but not what I want in such an expensive hotel!

GOOD
--I checked in using the app two days before our stay and indicated we would be on site at 9 am that day (Sunday 5/14).
--The ScooterBug scooter we rented was ready when we got there just before 9 and the Bell Desk helped us get started and going with it for our first day in DCA
--Our room was ready and we were texted at 11 am just as we started the Mother's Day character buffet at Storyteller's.

BAD
--Room keys. I used the app and linked reservation for room access and though sometimes slow to launch and connect. We got regular room cards for the wife and kid and tested them the first time. Then when we next returned to the room, they did not work any more. We got a new set and tested them, then again later they did not work. Seemed like every time I used the phone to unlock the door, it broke the regular keys and they no longer worked. We went through 3 sets this way, complaining each time and asking if that was "normal" and never got a good answer. Just "that's unusual" each time. It sucks that only 1 person's phone can be used and my wife did get stuck outside the room once because of this.
--"Early access" to the parks and security. This SUCKS. The lines to the parks for early morning access are terrible. We would have had to be in line around 6:30 AM to get to the front of the line to pass security early enough to be in Downtown Disney in time for an actual 7:30 entrance to the parks. We were told they only start letting folks in at 7:15 and by then the line was snaking around the patio and back into the lobby. The one day we tried to get into DL at 7:30 had us in line at 7:15 (we didn't know that was too late) and finally scanning into DL at 8:05. Yes, it was still fairly light crowds but we lost our best half hour. The DCA line was almost as bad when we went for early access on Wednesday. Hitting the line at 7:05, we were told they didn't even start checking security until 7:15 and we were IN THE LOBBY. We did manage to get in at about 7:40 so hit GotG with a walk-on, then Radiator Springs Racers single-rider just as the wave of humanity hit at 8 am.
--I got take-out from the Craftsman Bar and Grill one afternoon and ordered the "baked nachos". These looked fantastic on other people's tables and were served in a huge oval metal platter hot out of the oven. After a 25 minute wait for my order, I was disappointed with a to go box that had about HALF an order of them. They tasted good, but for $24 we were given a much smaller portion than those eating in. I called guest services and asked to talk to a manager of the restaurant, but was told I could not be connected. They took my complaint and promised to have a manager call me, but it never happened.

All in all, we enjoyed the trip and the location was good. But it is still a long way from everything and this is not really an $800 per night hotel. With my wife's mobility issues, though, I'm not sure another location would have worked either. I guess I'm glad we'll probably never do another big DL trip like this again.

Rob

We ordered the baked nachos too, poolside in our cabana. They came on a regular plate, not on the huge oval metal platter (I've seen those on Youtube videos which is why I ordered them) which was a little bit of a bummer because we ordered to share with 5 adults (more of a snack) before leaving for the airport. I assumed it was just because we were poolside, but I didn't think of takeaway also getting a smaller portion.