Disney's Grand Californian Hotel

An all time iconic hotel! The value for money isn’t quite up to par, but the rooms are clean, if not a bit outdated. You’re paying for the access, right on Downtown Disney and a private entrance to DCA makes this value feel a lot better. It’s a bit of an industrial sized operation, with a daunting reception but everything runs smoothly, and there were no hiccups. A trip to Disneyland with the Grand is the way to go.

First of all the staff are mostly all very friendly and I applaud them since they deal with a lot of people in a day. We paid about 1600usd per night in early January for a standard club level room. A few notes. You will never be recognized for staying many times, they always ask if it is your first time so they really do not care if you are a return guest or not nor do they check. You will never be upgraded, don't even bother hoping. The club level is nice but... it was severely crowded, they clearly needed more staff to help in the busy holiday season. Our room was not thoroughly cleaned. There was dust, finger prints and hair in a few areas that grossed me right out. I pulled out a tissue and it was wet, in fact the whole box was soaking wet, gross. I moved the couch a bit to fit my luggage and there was garbage under it. There used to be bottles of water for the coffee machine, nope no more. There used to be lots of amenities in the room including hand soaps and a loofah etc, no more. It is the most minimal now. The shower was not scrubbed properly, there was a lot of grime on the tile and hair all over. Club level appies need to change more often, for years it has been the same thing, this time around was the same two fried appies and the usual veggies, chips and dip, cold meats and cheese. It just needs more variety. My husband and I went out shopping during the day and came back, self parked and came up to the gate where there were about 15 people walking through, the guy at the gate was not checking keys but I pulled mine out anyway to be on it. The key reader wouldn't work and he gave me a hard time, made me stand there in the rain to try to get it to work while a bunch more people just walked on through. This guy was someone I almost made a formal complaint about. He was working Saturday, January 3rd, 2026 at about 3pm. This was ridiculous. The amount you pay at this hotel is really too much for what you get. The location is what sets it aside from others. I do enjoy Disney and coming to stay here for the ease of getting into the park but I am wondering if the price is worth it. To boot, our room was at the very end of the hall. Far away. This time around the magic was not there. Maybe everyone was exhausted from Christmas? I would say $1600 per night warrants top notch service. I would also say the club level needs more staff. They are building a new veranda but the front desk team could not tell me when it will be ready. All in all, this stay we were disappointed with the overall experience. I have stayed at the Westin down the road and for a quarter of the price you get a large room, new and clean with lots of amenities.

As if staying at the Grand California Hotel is not expensive already, the hotel now charges its overnight guests both a 15% Valet Parking Transient Tax equal to 15% of the valet parking charge of $75 or $11.25 and a Valet Tourism Improvement Tax equal to 2% or $1.50. So, to park your car overnight in valet at the hotel, you will pay a total of $88. The charge last year during November 2025 was simply a overnight valet charge of $75. No other taxes...

Have stayed here several times with my family and have found it increasingly difficult over the years to justify the expense of staying here. One of the few remaining factors that led us to stay here again was the soon to be discontinued early entry into the park. Disney’s decision is incredibly disappointing. The rides all three morning during early entry time into the park had lines and the crowds to enter were long so Disney’s assertion that few used the privilege seem somewhat suspect. Additionally early entry also gave guests of the hotel a leg up on packing rides in before the crowds took off. The new policy of providing one lighting lane for your entire stay is like a slap to the face. The standard hotel rooms are incredibly small and well worn, our housekeeping team was great though. Since our last stay they changed the fans in the bathroom to ones that run constantly, so if you can imagine a sound just below a refrigerator running, but running continuously during your stay it is rather annoying, especially at that price point. The hotel is also incredibly busy, from the many restaurants, people coming to view the lobby and guests from other hotels cutting through the lobby, it is loud and unappealing to linger long on the lobby area. It will get worse once the Pixar pier hotel entrance to California adventure is closed and everyone is rerouted through the hotel, and not to mention the long lines to get through security in the morning. Staff interactions were also mixed, several seem rather disinterested to be there, given the chaos in the lobby I don’t blame them, others were great, just wasn’t the immersive Disney bubble experience we felt when we first started staying there. Security guards into the park were also very much more short with guests, they have a lot on their plate, but short tempered employees seemed more prevalent this go around. There still are some good things, it’s the closest hotel so pretty easy to step out and take a break or change clothes if you get drenched on grizzly mountain and at least during our stay, they opened the security lines into downtown Disney well before the main gates so hotel guests were able to get to the front of the gates at Disneyland or California Adventure without much worry, but that privilege isn’t guaranteed. To get to the front of the line for security for when they opened at 6:45 during our stay we had to get there anywhere from 45 to 30 minutes in advance. But not sure these few perks really justify the cost. Overall an underwhelming experience, especially compared to the great stays we’ve had during equally busy periods of time. Without the early entry perk we may switch back to the Marriott with the water park across the street, bigger rooms and about half the price and it’s about the same distance away as the Disneyland Hotel.

Our stay at the Grand Californian was truly magical from the moment we walked in. The hotel is stunning — warm wood, beautiful details everywhere, and everything feels clean, cozy, and welcoming. It’s one of those places where you instantly relax. The rooms were spotless and felt like a peaceful escape after busy park days. One of the biggest perks for our family was having a private entrance straight into California Adventure. It made such a difference with kids. When they hit that “I’m done” moment in the afternoon, we could slip right back to the room for naps without trekking across the whole resort. That alone made the stay worth it. We also loved the pool area. There are options for every age — relaxing spaces for adults, fun areas for the kids, and plenty of room to unwind. It’s perfect for a mid-day break or a full “rest day” without ever leaving the hotel. The spa is beautiful too — calming, clean, and the perfect treat if you can sneak away for a little mom time. Overall, the Grand Californian feels luxurious but incredibly family-friendly. The atmosphere, convenience, and comfort made our trip smoother, happier, and so much easier with kids. We would absolutely stay here again.