No Grand Californian Visit Is Complete Without

Fans of Disneyland Resort don’t have many hotel options. That’s doubly true for Disney Vacation Club members. We only have two. Thankfully, both of them are excellent. 

Today, we’re here to talk about the one that’s been there for us for more than 15 years now. We love Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. Before you stay there, you should know what to do, though. The truth is that no Grand Californian visit is complete without doing these five things…well, maybe four, depending on when you visit.

A Stroll to the Parks 

Let’s start with the obvious option, although I’d be doing you a disservice not to mention it. Disney built the Grand Californian as part of a generational expansion of Disneyland Resort. From 1955 until the start of the 2000s, The Happiest Place on Earth consisted of just one theme park and one hotel, the latter of which Disney didn’t even own for most of that time.

Everything changed in 2001, when Disney California Adventure opened. As part of this expansion, Disney introduced the Grand Californian as well, although DVC members wouldn’t get a crack at it until 2009. 

Since then, Disney has operated a single hub for all its “Happiest” offerings. Guests can visit two theme parks, four hotels, and the Downtown Disney entertainment complex. Remarkably, the Grand Californian functions as a central hub for all these activities. DVC members can reach any of them in ten minutes.

Even better, you can exit the hotel lobby at various spots, and you’re literally standing in Downtown Disney. Make one turn, and you’re at the security entrance for the private entrance to Disney California Adventure. So, when you stay at the Grand Californian, you’re going to visit the parks a lot. You can’t help but do it since they’re right there…and you’ll spend time at Downtown Disney almost by accident. It’s basically the hotel’s front yard. 

A Spa Day

In 2019, Disney made the bold decision to close the hotel spa. Since the hotel’s name continued to include “…and Spa” in it, guests weren’t happy for a couple of years. Management had a plan, though. 

In 2021, Tenaya Stone Spa opened as a full-service spa, which hadn’t always been the case. The previous spa was lacking in key services. When Disney revealed the details for the new iteration, opinions quickly changed. 

From day one, Tenaya Stone Spa offered relaxing options such as the Tenaya River Stone Massage, Head, Hands & Feet With Heart Massage, the Wild Honey and Mud Body Renewal, the Step in Time Foot Massage, and the Avocado Lime & Honey Foot Treatment. Some of these sound weirdly delicious, but they’ll all make you feel like a million dollars. 

While you’re there, make sure to check out the Tenaya Stone. Disney *ahem* may have broken a law or two to acquire it. 

Sampling the Holiday Décor

Okay, here’s one that admittedly won’t always be an option. Still, I’m mentioning it because it’s so important to the hotel’s spirit. The people running the Grand Californian take the holidays seriously. We’re talking Osborne Family Christmas lights levels of serious. This isn’t just for Christmas, though.

In fact, Disneyland Resort hosts an annual Easter Eggstravaganza, and the Grand Californian often participates. Here’s the Nightmare Before Christmas display the hotel hosted last Halloween:

When November arrives, this hotel goes all-in on Christmas decorations. The gingerbread house displays here are legendary. When you’re visiting at this time of year, always take the time to explore the hotel for decorations. They sometimes align in subtle ways with the year’s Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay and accompanying décor.

Savoring the California Sunshine 

Look, you’re going to swim at the resort. That’s inevitable. Disney built three magnificent pools at this resort, and you should sample all three. Opinions are divided between the Fountain, the Mariposa, and the Redwood. 

The Fountain Pool resides right by Storytellers Café. At a minimum, you’ll want to walk by here to appreciate the impressive turtle fountain. Meanwhile, the Mariposa Pool is a favorite of DVC members because it’s the less-trafficked leisure pool. 

Even better, this place encourages you to indulge a bit. You can rent a poolside cabana here and feel like you’re Disney royalty. Every cabana features an HDTV, lounge chairs, and a loveseat, allowing you to lounge by the pool as long as you like. 

Finally, we have the main pool at the resort, the Redwood. You can tell how it got its name by looking at the giant Redwood stump in the middle of the area. There’s also a 90-foot waterslide here. So, you’ll have plenty to do here and at all the other pools. 

Please don’t miss the forest for the trees, though. What you must do during your stay is savor the California sunshine. You’re staying two minutes from a Disneyland Resort theme park and should embrace the moment. Grab a bathing suit, some suntan lotion, and a good book and just enjoy life for a while. 

A Visit to the Observation Tower 

Finally, we have one of the hidden gems of this resort. For whatever reason, the observation tower tends to slip through the cracks a bit when discussing the hotel’s amenities.

That’s a shame because the Grand Californian’s Paradise View Terrace is aptly named. You can head up to the sixth floor of the resort and gaze down on the majesty of Disney California Adventure. 

This is an ideal place to watch whichever World of Color show is currently playing, as you’re staying straight across at the water. Just look at how beautiful this spot is:

No visit to the Grand Californian could possibly be complete until you spend some time at Paradise View Terrace.

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