Why Guests Stay at the Grand Californian

Every Disney Vacation Club resort will take your breath away with its beauty. Even by those standards, a few of them tower above the rest, though. You’ll find one at Disneyland Resort, and you’ve likely wondered why this place receives so much hype. So, why do DVC members stay at The Villas at Disney’s Californian Hotel & Spa? Here are just a few of the reasons.

The Lobby 

By the time the Grand Californian opened in 2001, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge had been open for nearly seven years. Disney’s architect on that project, Peter Dominick, signed on to build two other DVC properties, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas and the Grand Floridian.

The lobbies at both hotels honor the majestic, wide-open concepts at Wilderness Lodge. These are massive, tall spaces that make DVC members feel small…but in a good way! 

When you enter the Grand Californian, you cannot help but stare to the ceiling and admire the grandeur of the place. Since the hotel celebrates the great state of California, it offers a national park vibe, with stone and wood elements visible everywhere. 

Somehow, the lobby grows even better during holiday seasons, as Cast Members have mastered the art of decorating here. Whether you visit for Easter or Christmas, you’ll happily explore the hotel lobby in search of unique decorations. 

To a larger point, Disney has created a hotel lobby that feels like you’re standing outside in nature, even though you’re not. This is quietly one of Disney’s best immersion tricks ever. 

The Location

The Grand Californian’s DVC rooms have operated at or near maximum occupancy since the beginning, and there’s one primary reason why. As much as I love the other reasons listed here, we all know that we stay at this hotel due to the location.

When you book a vacation here, you’ll enjoy the run of Disneyland Resort the whole time. That’s especially true of Disney California Adventure and Downtown Disney, two of the three places to be at Disneyland Resort. 

When you exit the hotel lobby, you only make one small turn, and you’re standing in line for security at Disney California Adventure. You can legitimately exit your hotel room and be standing inside the park in five minutes, depending on the line at security. It’s the shortest walk from a hotel to a theme park at any American Disney resort. 

Remarkably, Downtown Disney is even closer! When you depart the hotel lobby at certain spots, you’re actually standing next to stores in the entertainment district! You can walk in one and be shopping in less than a minute!

You’re probably thinking that the convenient access to these two locations means that you’re staying far away from Disneyland Park. That’s not true, either! Here’s a video of the sub-seven-minute walk from the hotel to The Happiest Place on Earth:

We’re talking about roughly the same walking time as from Disney’s Beach Club Villas to EPCOT’s International Gateway. Somehow, that’s the longest walk at the Grand Californian. So, that’s reason enough to want to stay at the hotel.

The Spa

Look, for Disney to add the word “spa” to the name of the hotel, you know this place must be good…and it is! The Tenaya Stone Spa is so authentic that there was even a minor scandal about it. Disney is in possession of a giant stone centerpiece that maybe it shouldn’t own.

Photo courtesy of WDW News Today

This bit of spilled tea notwithstanding, you’ll treasure every second that you spend at Tenaya Stone Spa. It may very well be the most tranquil place in Southern California. 

DVC fans are acutely aware of how well Disney runs its spas. Even by those lofty standards, the one at the Grand Californian may be the best. When you stay at this hotel, make sure to plan for a spa day!

The View

Obviously, if you’re staying this close to Disney California Adventure, you’ve got a good chance of having a great view. You should know that some rooms don’t have one, though. They’re facing the wrong way to overlook the park. 

That’s okay, though! You’ll find an observation deck at the hotel, and it’s exclusive to guests! So, DVC members can always enjoy a private look at the beauty of Disney California Adventure. 

However, many rooms offer a view as well. When you’re one of the lucky hotel guests with a theme park view, which is random and not something you can book, you’ll have the time of your life. 

You can search social media for pictures guests have taken from their rooms. There are photos of the Guardians of the Galaxy building, the World of Color show, and the iconic Sun Wheel. Even the rooms that don’t include theme park view still offer glimpses of the hotel pools, Downtown Disney, and oh so many trees. 

The landscaping at the Grand Californian could have had its own section for why guests stay at the Grand Californian. It’s like the Flower & Garden Festival every day here!

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