DCA parade testing until 3 am super loud in Grand Cali room

[jcourtney]

We’re staying at the Grand Californian for the first time for 5 nights this week. We’re on night 2 and apparently the parade rehearsals for Oogie Boogie Bash have started, VERY loudly from 11pm to 3am every night this week. You can hear it plain as day in our room. Has anyone ever experienced this? I don’t even know what to do. We’re staying on DVC points so I don’t think we can ask for a refund or compensation. But at how much this hotel costs this is completely unacceptable! We complained at the front desk and got handed a few pairs of earplugs. Seriously?! How is this okay?

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Im sorry you dont apricate getting a free preview of the parade. Disneyland never really closes, the third shift work during the night to keep the magic alive for everyone. Usually this just involves maintenance, painting, gardening and cleaning, but at various times during the year, the new entertainment has tech and dress runs during third shift.

It was the same a few years ago when World of Color came back after the extended close. They did tech runs during third shift when the park was closed. And I remember threads of people complaining, as they paid a lot of money to stay at Grand California Hotel.

Just be grateful you get to experience something huge amounts of us wont ever get to see.

Also be grateful for being able to afford to stay at Grand California. Most of us who visit will never get to experience that either.

 

[DodgerGirl]

I thought Disneyland closed at 1AM and cast members are supposed to be at home at 3AM? That's very shocking that Disneyland would do this at 3AM when the guests are supposed to be asleep at that hour? What I think you should do when you get home is write emails to the manager of Grand Californian and Disneyland and complain about the experience you had because this is weird that Disneyland would do this because generally show rehearsals and auditions for actors singers and dancers begin in the mornings and why they decided to rehearse for parades and shows at 11PM to 3AM is simply not right because as I mentioned people especially families with kids need to sleep and waking guests up with noise like this is truly unacceptable. I hope Grand Californian and Disneyland offers something nice for you as an apology gift
Good Luck and enjoy the rest of your trip
Dodger

 

[sophy1996]

Im sorry you dont apricate getting a free preview of the parade. Disneyland never really closes, the third shift work during the night to keep the magic alive for everyone. Usually this just involves maintenance, painting, gardening and cleaning, but at various times during the year, the new entertainment has tech and dress runs during third shift.

It was the same a few years ago when World of Color came back after the extended close. They did tech runs during third shift when the park was closed. And I remember threads of people complaining, as they paid a lot of money to stay at Grand California Hotel.

Just be grateful you get to experience something huge amounts of us wont ever get to see.

Also be grateful for being able to afford to stay at Grand California. Most of us who visit will never get to experience that either.

It’s infuriating to not be able to sleep. And it’s especially aggravating at GCH prices. I too would be very unhappy.

It’s not kind to scold someone with a justifiable grievance simply because they can afford experiences others cannot. And for all you know, the OP scrimped and saved for years to afford this experience. People are allowed to report on negative experiences as well as positive ones. Thanks to the OP, I now know not to book GCH in the lead-up to OBB.

 

[Aladora]

Im sorry you dont apricate getting a free preview of the parade. Disneyland never really closes, the third shift work during the night to keep the magic alive for everyone. Usually this just involves maintenance, painting, gardening and cleaning, but at various times during the year, the new entertainment has tech and dress runs during third shift.

It was the same a few years ago when World of Color came back after the extended close. They did tech runs during third shift when the park was closed. And I remember threads of people complaining, as they paid a lot of money to stay at Grand California Hotel.

Just be grateful you get to experience something huge amounts of us wont ever get to see.

Also be grateful for being able to afford to stay at Grand California. Most of us who visit will never get to experience that either.

Yeah, not really on your side on this one.

Regardless of how much someone can or cannot afford to pay, people have the expectation that when they go to a hotel that they will be able to sleep without being disturbed until 3am.

If I were in this situation, I would sure as heck be going to the front desk the next morning and talking to the hotel manager about it. We expect to be able to sleep when on vacation and being kept up until 3am (regardless of the fact that this might be something cool to watch!) is not okay.

If this was someone who was staying at one of the less expensive motels, would you turn around and say "Oh well, this is what happens when you cheap out, you should have paid more and stayed onsite"? No and if you did say that, people would be understandably upset at you.

 

[crystal1313]

I would absolutely talk to the manager about this as it is unacceptable to be kept awake that late. I’m so sorry you are having this experience. I hope you are able to get a good nights rest the rest of your trip.

 

[jcourtney]

Im sorry you dont apricate getting a free preview of the parade. Disneyland never really closes, the third shift work during the night to keep the magic alive for everyone. Usually this just involves maintenance, painting, gardening and cleaning, but at various times during the year, the new entertainment has tech and dress runs during third shift.

It was the same a few years ago when World of Color came back after the extended close. They did tech runs during third shift when the park was closed. And I remember threads of people complaining, as they paid a lot of money to stay at Grand California Hotel.

Just be grateful you get to experience something huge amounts of us wont ever get to see.

Also be grateful for being able to afford to stay at Grand California. Most of us who visit will never get to experience that either.

I’m sorry that you don’t seem to have any human compassion or decency. Im not getting a free preview of anything except the same song on a loop for hours. I can’t see whatever they are doing from my room, I just hear the noise. I’m not “getting to experience something huge amounts of us won’t ever get to see” except lack of sleep after travelling all the way from Canada and walking 16km in the parks yesterday.

I appreciate my privilege in being able to stay at the Grand Californian which was a special splurge for my family for my 40th birthday. Overall the staff have been very nice and the location is amazing. I’m just very surprised that Disney is okay with keeping everyone in the hotel up half the night when paying for a deluxe experience. It’s not very magical.

Thank you to everyone else who validated my experience. I was very tired and frustrated when I posted last night. The music actually ended earlier than they expected so perhaps it won’t be this bad all week. The hotel has offered to move us rooms but we decided to stay put as I’m not convinced that moving down the hall will be any quieter and I just want to enjoy the day.

 

[Nonsuch]

…I don’t even know what to do. We’re staying on DVC points so I don’t think we can ask for a refund or compensation...

Go to the front desk now (early morning) and request a room change. VGC is generally fully booked, but it should still be possible exchange your room. There are 23 villas (of each type) and only about 1/3 face the park. You might need to be “forceful” with your request, and it will likely involve speaking with a manager.

There has been overnight World of Color testing (often with full soundtrack) during several of my visits, and I enjoyed watching into the early morning (completely understand your issue). The next guest in your villa might be happy with the exchange (although they will not be aware it happened).

If you are unsuccessful changing rooms, perhaps you could receive Club Level lounge (Veranda) access for the remainder of your stay. Access cannot be purchased for VGC, so would be a special compensation.

 

[Dug720]

I'm surprised there is not signage up and they didn't leave a message on your phone about it. When they do fireworks testing or on race weekends at WDW they always have signage up in the lobby and leave messages on room phones in affected hotels every single day that it will be happening.

Sadly that can't do rehearsals for parades and shows like World of Color (or fireworks shows) during the day when the parks are open. For those CMs involved, those overnight hours WOULD be their scheduled shifts for the week.

 

[Nonsuch]

…The hotel has offered to move us rooms but we decided to stay put as I’m not convinced that moving down the hall will be any quieter and I just want to enjoy the day.

Villas facing Redwood Creek or the Pools will not have a noise issue, World of Color cannot be heard from those rooms (which is louder than the parade)

 

[Skubygurl72]

This ranks right up there with the people who paid $$$$ to stay at DLH this week and were not told the slides would be closed! It's sad Disney does whatever they please knowing people will keep coming.
Lack of sleep can make even a sensible calm person into a crabby complainer. I think you have every right to be upset!

 

[kristensideaoffun]

This ranks right up there with the people who paid $$$$ to stay at DLH this week and were not told the slides would be closed! It's sad Disney does whatever they please knowing people will keep coming.
Lack of sleep can make even a sensible calm person into a crabby complainer. I think you have every right to be upset!

I’m this person and I was PISSED. I even called ahead of time because I had heard some construction was happening at the pool and wanted to be sure the slides were open. We were assured they would be open, only to show up and they were closed during our entire stay. They offered to take us over to the DLH pool, but it wasn’t worth it for the couple of hours we planned to be at the pool.

OP - I’d take them up on their offer to switch rooms. Being in the parks all day is exhausting and I greatly value a quiet night of rest. I also travel with ear plugs and a white noise machine but I’m sure even those wouldn’t drown out a parade playing the same song over and over again at full volume.

 

[KPeterso]

That would bug me too. We have been there several times when they have been running/testing World of Color in the middle of the night. Sometimes with music and sometimes without. I tend to be a light sleeper, so it does wake me and I watched WoC several times before. It is the 6 AM testing of the Silly Symphony Swings that usually gets me. That music is always so loud.

I would head to the desk and ask more about when the testing and how long it will go on. We were at Boardwalk a couple years ago and they tested the Epcot fireworks every night between 12-1 AM and it kept waking me up. Yes, nice to see. No, not nice to wake up. I chatted with the manager about it and she did more checking and assured me that it would not be every single night, but that there would probably be several more nights with it. It was not every night, but it was more nights than not.

 

[pineapplepalms]

Villas facing Redwood Creek or the Pools will not have a noise issue, World of Color cannot be heard from those rooms (which is louder than the parade)

I agree, when we’ve stayed in rooms with those views they have been quiet. They definitely do World of Color testing late into the night throughout the year. We love the view and we’re often up late so we enjoy watching it from the balcony, and luckily our kids will sleep through it. I totally get that not everyone wants that though, so if they’ve offered to move you, it doesn’t hurt to ask which room/view it would be.

 

[irlandaise]

I've only stayed at the GCH once and my room was on the front (west side), above the monorail track, looking towards the Disneyland Hotel. Am I correct that the noise problems described in this thread are only an issue in the DVC wing? I wouldn't want to deal with this if I stay at the regular hotel part of the GCH again sometime in the future.

 

[BrianL]

I think if I could actually see it from my window that it would be great...for the first night. After that, it'd get old real fast and I'd want to get some sleep!

 

[Iceman93]

I agree that a good night's sleep is a basic expectation at any hotel, and particularly one that charges the prices the GCH does. But I also know that Disney needs to do things like in-park technical rehearsals overnight and there's just not much that can be done about that. A heartfelt apology, the earplugs, and the offer to switch rooms sounded like the perfect response to me, and if the guest refuses those items then I guess I don't know what else Disney could do.

 

[Pluto468]

We’re staying at the Grand Californian for the first time for 5 nights this week. We’re on night 2 and apparently the parade rehearsals for Oogie Boogie Bash have started, VERY loudly from 11pm to 3am every night this week. You can hear it plain as day in our room. Has anyone ever experienced this? I don’t even know what to do. We’re staying on DVC points so I don’t think we can ask for a refund or compensation. But at how much this hotel costs this is completely unacceptable! We complained at the front desk and got handed a few pairs of earplugs. Seriously?! How is this okay?

I'm sorry it's been so loud. Not being able to sleep has such an affect on everyone's mood, trip, etc. Hopefully if you speak to the front desk they can help. I'd be surprised if there's nothing at all they can do. Moving rooms is such a pain, but if you could sleep better for the rest of your trip it might be worth it. I hope it all works out.

 

[kikismom]

I would be super irritated about this. Staying at the GC is such a splurge and as a very light sleeper this would ruin my vacation. I'm a mess if I don't get enough sleep and already need earplugs every night. I'm so sorry this has happened to you and definitely go and talk to someone higher up.

On a side note it's getting old to hear about privilege to stay at the GC, I stayed there last year and worked my tail off to be able to do that. I personally would be less irritated if it was noisy at a $150 a night hotel, paying a premium and then having it being a bad experience is ridiculous. Although I'd still be a wreck from lack of sleep, I seriously am a light sleeper. I thought about not posting this second half of my post but needed to vent a bit.

 

[LKing]

We complained at the front desk and got handed a few pairs of earplugs. Seriously?! How is this okay?

It is not okay. They might not be able to control the rehearsal or noise level, but they should be empathetic to the impact it has on guests. This isn't their first rodeo and I'm sure you aren't the only guest that it is losing sleep. There should be a list of accommodations they can provide to alleviate the situation. Handing a guest earplugs is, in my opinion, dismissive and rude.

On your Disneyland app, when you open the menu with Tickets/Passes, Magic Band, etc. The last square is a "Chat with Us" option. You might try that.