Is It Worth the Splurge? Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa

In this post:

Sections:

Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is legendary-but is it worth the hefty pricetag? I think there are better options to get more bang for your buck. Here's why:

• The pros and cons
• Park entrances
• Rooms and theming
• The best of both worlds
• The verdict

The Grand Californian sign on Disneyland Drive.

Staying at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel has been a bucket list trip for me ever since I laid eyes on its private entrance right inside Disney California Adventure at 10 years old. When I got the opportunity this month to stay there, I couldn’t wait to see if it was worth the hype (and hefty price tag). 

During my trip, I stayed two nights at the Grand Californian in a standard room with two queen beds and a sofa bed, and one night at the newly remodeled Pixar Place. At Pixar Place, I also had a premium view of California Adventure and club level access. Staying at both hotels back to back was the perfect way to compare their differences and determine if the Grand Californian really is worth roughly $800 per night.

PROS AND CONS

 The pros of the Grand Californian include: 

• A 5 minute walk into Disney California Adventure, Downtown Disney, and Disneyland 
• Room service 
• Thicker walls (a lot less noise than Pixar Place!) 
• Non-connecting room
• A beautiful lobby
• Subtle Disney theming 
• A balcony in your room

And the cons: 

• Cost 
• Not many offerings that are better than the other Disneyland Resort hotels
• Standard rooms are further back into the hotel, making the walk to the parks a bit longer
• Split bathroom, making it difficult to get ready while others are sleeping
• Doesn’t have a super romantic feel for honeymooners

As you can see, there aren’t many cons, but the price tag counts for a few in one.

PARK ENTRANCES

The entrance to the Grand Californian located in the heart of Downtown Disney.

The Grand Californian has the perks of two entrances right on resort property. The first is an entrance in the middle of Downtown Disney, and the second is an entrance right into the Grizzly Creek section of Disney California Adventure. While the entrances are able to be used by anyone heading into the park or Downtown Disney, there’s nothing quite like knowing you’ve already arrived at your hotel when you step back through those doors at the end of the night.

With the perk of those entrances hotel, I stopped by twice in the middle of my Disneyland park day, and went back and forth to downtown Disney for shopping and food four times in the blink of an eye on my resort day. There was no denying how awesome it was to head to the hotel as often as I wanted to drop off merchandise purchases, snack by the pool, or just take a 10 minute break in one of the hotel’s many seating areas. It was also great to be able to change clothes if I felt like it and not have to stuff everything I could possibly need into one small backpack for the entire day.

The Grand Californian is a beautiful ode to the nature of California—but is it worth the splurge?

STICKER SHOCK

Now… that price. Is saving less than 10 minutes of walking time worth $400-500 more per night versus other Disneyland Resort hotels?

Honestly, at the end of the night, you might answer that question differently than right now. My feet certainly tell me to spend the money at the end of the night, but then again, my feet aren’t rolling in that kind of cash. 

The accommodations themselves were nearly identical to Pixar Place, though the Grand Californian room did have an added balcony with two small chairs. The split sink from the rest of the bathroom actually was a downside to me as well, as it was difficult to get ready quietly while others were still asleep in the room.

The sofa bed in a 2 queen standard room. Beautiful Disney nature theming (hi Bambi!) and surprisingly comfortable!

The theming throughout the hotel also felt a bit too subtle to me as well. There were a few fun hidden Mickeys and some sightings of Chip and Dale, but I wanted to see a bit more of that Disney magic throughout the hotel.

Chip and Dale artwork in the bathroom. Can you spot the hidden Mickeys in the wallpaper?

A hidden Mickey in the carpet at the Grand Californian.

A hidden Mickey in the Grand Californian sign.

If the Grand Californian is on your bucket list, I think it’s absolutely worth it to stay here at least once. And with less dramatic Disney theming, it could be a great option for a honeymoon stay with more of a resort and spa feel. After checking it off my list though, I can’t really see myself choosing to stay here again in the future. I just found it to be a bit less grand than the name suggests, and I'd rather save a bit more of my honeymoon budget for the parks!

THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

If you want an elevated hotel experience on Disney property, think about booking a club level room at Pixar Place or the Disneyland Hotel instead for the same price as a standard room at the Grand Californian. With a recent remodel, Pixar Place also has its own entrance into DCA and is a 7 minute walk from the entrance of the park to the front doors of the hotel, and a 10 minute walk through Downtown Disney or the Grand Californian to get to Disneyland. And the Disneyland Hotel is situated steps from the entrance to Downtown Disney. 

Another little-known perk of staying at one of the three Disneyland Resort hotels is the fitness classes offered through the Tenaya Stone Spa at the Grand Californian. These range from an early-morning adventure boot camp through DCA to yoga inside Disneyland before the park opens. With a nominal fee per class, these are definitely worth giving a try!

A split stay at the Grand Californian and another hotel in the area could also be the perfect combination if you want the best of both worlds. If you don’t want to fork over $900 a night for a 5 day vacation, consider just one or two days at the Grand Californian before or after a stay at different Disneyland or Good Neighbor hotel. 

THE VERDICT

So is the Grand Californian worth it over other hotels in the Disneyland area? I’d say no. But if it’s something you’ve been hoping to experience, it’s worth it to see how the Grand Californians live. I’ll still be jealous every time I walk by that Grizzly Peak entrance in DCA at the end of a long Disney day!

What do you think? Is the Grand Californian is worth it for your honeymoon?