The Grand Californian is a lovely looking hotel. You can’t beat the location, everything is very clean, joyful atmosphere. But it is so not worth the money. If you do want to stay at the park and are ok with the ridiculous cost to do so, do yourself a favor and don’t book with Expedia. Disney hotels treat outside bookings differently from direct reservations. If they’re busy, any non-direct bookings will get the leftovers. They gave us the absolute worst room 2 hours late after our 3pm check in. Our room was practically in the lobby, we could hear every word of other guests and the lobby piano player might as well have been inside our door. Sleeping before 11pm was impossible. The “woods/courtyard view” we paid for was a view of a sloped roof. If the room rate was at least half of what it was I might not complain. $695 a night for the room we got was laughable. I’m actually embarrassed I paid that much. Bottom line: great location, but not worth it.
