On my last visit to Disneyland, I stayed at Disney’s Grand Californian Resort and Spa. Now I can say that I have stayed in and experienced each of the on property resort locations at Disneyland Resort. It’s always my goal to have new experiences to present to you guys as folks have so many different preferences and interests. And, I must admit, the Grand Californian was definitely that…..an experience.
In the heart of the Disneyland Resort property, Disney’s Grand Californian has entrances that open both into the Downtown Disney area and directly into Disney California Adventure Park. That being said, this is literally one of the top reasons to choose this resort. You have access like none other when entering and exiting the park and downtown area. As they say in the real estate business….location, location, location. This proves especially true when entering and leaving the World of Color. You can be back in your room within minutes! And that is definitely something to be thankful for at the end of a long park day!
Grand Californian has no short list of amenities. The spa alone is a huge plus to have access to as well as many quick and sit down dining locations, shopping stops, viewing terraces, sports activities, pools, and more. I find with the size of the Disneyland Resort, you can stay here, enjoy the parks and still have time for other amenities like these during your stay. Unlike Walt Disney World Resort, the size makes it easy to tackle lots of things during your stay with less transit, and so freeing up some time to relax and enjoy the perks of this amazing resort.
Having visited during the holiday season this time, I must say that the comfort level of Grand was super amped up for me. The weather was chilly so there was nothing more comforting than grabbing a hot chocolate and sitting by the roaring fire in the lobby after returning from exploring. It literally made you feel like you were deep in the forest in this stunning lodge escaping the entire world. There are so many nooks and crannies to sit and relax in all over the resort that it truly is like being in a remote lodge in the stunning mountains of California.
We did stay in a club level room on this particular visit. Many times, it is hard to justify the extra cost of club level accommodations, but at the Grand Californian, I think it is the best value. As I mentioned before, this resort is smack dab in the middle of the property. It is so very easy to grab breakfast in the lounge and still get to the park for opening and even easier to pop over for snacks, drinks, etc, and back to the park within minutes. So I feel you are really getting the most bang for your club level buck. Not to mention, The Verandah (the club level lounge) has a stunning balcony with amazing views of the nightly fireworks at Disneyland park and Paradise Terrace on that same floor with unbelievable views of the World of Color show. Access to these locations and their perks seriously puts this resort over the top when looking for the ultimate place to stay at Disneyland.
I so enjoyed our time at Disney’s Grand Californian Resort and Spa. Would I recommend this to others? Absolutely yes, if it fits your budget, it is an amazing choice. Would I stay here again? Yes, but my favorite is still the Disneyland Hotel. Is this resort in some of the top Disney resorts that I have experienced……without a doubt!
