Hello Lori!
Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel! It’s so exciting to be planning a trip to the Happiest Place on Earth!
My favorite hotel on property is Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. You're going to love the craftsman style elegance found throughout the resort. The hotel’s staff provides impeccable service and you’ll find some of the best food on property. My favorites are
GCH Craftsman Bar and
Napa Rose. I highly recommend a reservation for Napa Rose as it is quite popular for both hotel guests and locals.
To enter the hotel, you’ll enter at 1600 S. Disneyland Drive. You can temporarily park and unload your luggage at the hotels entrance. You can choose to valet (for an additional fee) or self park for the standard fee. If you are a
Disney Vacation Club Member staying on points, then self parking is complimentary. If you are going to valet, one of the Cast Members will take your car from there. To self park, you would exit the hotel and drive directly across the street and self park there. A cast member will greet you at the gate before you enter the hotel, explain your options, and tell you exactly what to do. Everything is within eyesight so it will make more sense when you arrive.
PRO TIP: When my family visits Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, we self park. We drive in and unload the luggage and a Cast Member from Bell Services loads it onto a cart, gives me a ticket and stores it for us until our room is ready. At that point, I walk inside the hotel while my wife parks the car. I check into the hotel while my wife and kids walk back from the parking lot (Maybe a 5 minute walk) and by the time they come back I am usually done checking in and we are off to the parks for some fun! We get a text message when our room is ready and then come back to get our bags from Bell Services and get situated in our room. Then we’re off to the parks again! If you have two adults it's a great strategy to save some time and start your vacation as soon as possible.
Well Lori, I hope that you have the most wonderful stay at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa.
Remember, always believe in the magic!
Andres