Hi Elisabeth,
Welcome to planDisney! I’m happy to hear that your family will be staying at the
Grand Californian. While you and your family won’t be staying in the same hotel, you can absolutely hang out in the room with your kids and mom until bedtime. In the hotel rooms, there are channels that read bedtime stories to you, and you can even watch a previous recording of a fireworks show if you need to head in early. I spoke with a Cast Member at the Grand Californian, and they recommended that your mom request an extra room key so you can have access to the room. That way, you won’t disturb anyone if you come back to the room for early morning park prep.
Be sure to take advantage of some of the perks of staying so close to the parks. The Grand Californian has its own entrance into California Adventure, which is really convenient for getting your mouseketeers to bed after a long day at the park. There’s also an entrance into the heart of Downtown Disney if you’d like to explore the area with the family. Late-night ice cream at
Salt & Straw before you head back to your hotel? Why not!
I hope this information was helpful, Elisabeth. Your vacation overlaps with the
Food and Wine Festival (Feb. 28–April 21) at Disney California Adventure. Be sure to try all the tasty food and delicious beverages! I hope the BBQ Beef Brisket Slider is back from
last year. If you have any other questions or need help planning, feel free to write back to me or my fellow panelists. We’d be happy to share our thoughts.
Sweet Dreams!
–Melinda