New Lobby at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa

Earlier this year, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel® & Spa embarked on an exciting hotel-wide renovation at the Disneyland Resort. The most extensive refurbishment since the hotel’s 2001 opening, Guest rooms have been completely redesigned with a fresh sense of luxury and the pool deck has been refreshed with beautiful, new hardscapes to reinforce the Arts and Crafts style.

The already stunning six-story Great Hall lobby was recently upgraded with new, stylish furnishings and design elements. Here’s a closer look at some of the details found in the lobby.

To complement the existing Arts and Crafts motif, new contemporary designs can be found throughout furniture pieces, upholstery graphics, woodwork and carpeting.

Custom tete-a-tete chairs provide interesting design and function, while boldly upholstered sofa and chair pairings offer a comfortable, welcoming setting. Coffee tables feature beautiful inlay woodwork and leather-topped stools showcase hidden Mickey details. The redesigned space is perfect for lounging with family, relaxing with a glass of wine from the Hearthstone Lounge, or simply admiring the lobby’s focal point—the cavernous fireplace and its roaring fire.

New hardwood flooring has been installed throughout the lobby, as well as new carpet. Imagineers wanted to keep the same California-poppy-patterned carpet design, but used different materials to make the colors and textures more vivid and dimensional. The carpet’s design was inspired by the textile work of designer William Morris, one of the earliest and most influential proponents of the Arts and Crafts movement. 

To book your stay at this newly reimagined hotel, email me, lauren@magicaltravel.com, today! As a Disney vacation specialist, I will put my expert knowledge to your benefit and help you plan a magical vacation for you and your family. Combine my free vacation planning services with a FREE DISNEY GIFT CARD and more - you're bound to have a magical vacation!

How to Keep Kids Entertained in Line at Walt Disney World!

Walt Disney World is a magical place. Full of wonder, delight, imagination and magic.

However, the lines at Walt Disney World tend not to be wonderful, delightful nor magical. Honestly, the aren’t fun for anyone. As adults we have come to learn how to keep ourselves occupied while in line. However, kiddos have a much harder time waiting – they want to run, play, and jump because that is what kids do.  Here are some of my suggestions on how to keep the kids, and your family, entertained while in line!


Play I Spy.  This is a game that requires your and your child's imagination and is generally good for all ages! You start with “I spy something that is (insert object you've spied)” and it goes from there.  Good things to spy are "Mickey Shaped", "the color of", etc.  Then your children have to ask yes or no questions trying to guess what it is that you’ve spied.  This works great with queues that have lots to look at and are have lots of open spaces. For example: “it’s a small world”; the Jungle Cruise; Finding Nemo; Expedition Everest; Kali River Rapids; Tower of Terror; Star Wars; Toy Story Mania; and Frozen Ever After to name just a few! This game is also great for kids whom are competitive because they will want their score of correct guesses higher than anyone else!'

Hidden Mickey’s. Walt Disney World is full of shapes that resemble a Mickey Mouse head outline (aka Hidden Mickeys).  Some are easy to find (i.e. a whole island at Disney's Animal Kingdom) to something itty bitty like a paint platter (all throughout the parks). But you can have a great time trying to see who can find the most Mickey's in one day! You can buy the Hidden Mickey book prior to your trip that you can take with you that will give you clues as to where they are in the park!

This Hidden Mickey was found on the Living with the Land attraction at Epcot.

Bubbles, silly putty, play doh, stickers, paper and crayons, and snack time! These are small toys/things that can be kept in a backpack and brought out as a surprise to keep kids entertained for the time while in line. When you get close, pack it up and get ready to ride! These are great for the younger kids who may not grasp the idea of playing the above games.

Head’s Up – Ellen Game App. This is a fun and hilarious game that Ellen started playing with her guests on her show, she has brought it to us with the app that we can play with our phones. One person holds the phone on their forehead (where they can't see the word that appears) showing the word to the other players and they have to give clues to the phone-holder as to what the word is. It is hilarious and is a great way to get everyone laughing! (Note the app does cost $0.99 but once you get to your Disney destination - there is a deck based on your Disney location - more Disney fun!

Make new friends! A great time distraction can be as simple as saying "Hi. How is your day going?" and asking people around you what they have done, where they have ate, etc. Most people are willing to interact with you because they are trying to distract themselves from the line too! I have met great people this way and have learned some cool Disney things this way too!

Maximize your FastPass+ selections! The minimal amount of time spent in line keeps everyone happy! Now that Walt Disney World Resort guests are no longer limited to 3 FastPass+ selections a day, families can really make the most out of their vacations by opting to get as many FastPasses as they can!

What are some of your tricks for keeping your family entertained while in line? Let me know in the comments!

Email me - lauren@magicaltravel.com - to book your Disney vacation! For a free quote, simply fill out the Disney Vacation Quote form found below or click here to open it in a new window!  As a Disney vacation specialist, I’ll use my expert knowledge to help you plan a magical vacation! Plus my services are FREE to all of my clients - you won't pay more for my services but you will get more!

Golf Getaway Packages at Walt Disney World Resort

Do you know any fathers that love to golf?  What about any fathers that like Disney?  Well, then I've got a Father's Day Gift Idea for you! With summer in full swing, it’s the perfect time to take advantage of Golf Getaway Packages at Walt Disney World® Resort.

Golfers can choose between a two-night ($284 per person, per night) or three-night ($250 per person, per night) golf package that includes hotel room, two or three rounds of golf and a two-dayMagic Your Way® Base Ticket, plus a $30 or $45 Pro Shop credit depending on their length of stay.

Here is some information about the 2-night package!

To book one of these Golf-Getaway packages, or another vacation package, at Walt Disney World - email me - lauren@magicaltravel.com - and I'd be more than happy to help you plan your vacation!  Plus, by booking your Disney vacation through me, you won't have to worry about any vacation planning fees because all of my services are FREE to my clients! Email me today!