Coming back after 3 years....need advice about hotel and other things....

[misscampbells]

Hi everyone,

I used to frequent this board a lot a few years ago but haven't been around the last few years because we had trips planned for WDW. Well this year, we are headed back to Disneyland and am so excited!

I actually just booked yesterday, which is so not like me, I usually am booked about 9 months in advance so I can plan all year long. We were planning on going to San Francisco and the Redwood forest for vacation this year but with the great deal that Disneyland was offering I cancelled everything and booked this instead.

Anyways....I have previously stayed at PPH on two other occasions and we were perfectly happy with it, although I always wanted to try the DLH but it was out of our price range at the time. This time it was only $170 more for the week so we went for it. Now I am having second thoughts. I have read so many reviews that the hotel is rundown looking, the water is whacky, it's still just as far of a walk, etc. I'm wondering if I should just have saved my money and gone with PPH.

We have ds11 and dd5 that will be going with us, so I thought that the pool would be more fun at DLH. Now I keep reading that dd5 won't be able to go down the bigger slide because she can't swim.....Can't she just wear a life jacket and I will catch her at the bottom?? That's what we did at the Animal Kingdom lodge last summer and it worked fine. We would have her wait in line with my son and then I would catch her at the bottom, will we be able to do that at the DLH pool?

Also, from everything I hear, the Wonder tower seems to be the dreaded tower everyone complains about. I put in a request to stay at Dreams because I thought that it was the old Sierra tower and is the closest to DD, does that sound right? I am so out of the loop with Disneyland since we haven't gone for 3 years, I used to be such a pro.....now I can tell you anything about WDW but feel like a bit of a novice again travelling to DLR.

Any guidance on the choice of our hotel would be great....not sure if I should just stay at the PPH or stick with the DLH. Also, any guidance on some of the new additions over the past 3 years would be great (TSMM and the subs were under construction when we went last time).

Thanks for reading my ramblings!
Kathy

Feb 1996--4 nights at PPH with my DH
Dec 1996--4 nights at PPH with the whole family and Dh's family
June 2008--7 nights at Animal Kingdom Villas
June 2009--7 nights at Animal Kingdom Lodge
June 6-11 2010-- Family trip back to the DLR staying at DLH

 

[HydroGuy]

New things at DLR in the last 3 years, off the top of my head...

DL

o Captain EO returns
o Abe Lincoln returns
o Improved Fantasmic show
o Nemo Subs opened in June 2007


DCA

o World of Color show at DCA to open June 11 - see my signature line for info
o TSMM

 

[nana50]

There is no way your 5 year old will be able to go down the slide at DLH. You land in the deep end and parents are not allowed to wait there. the child must be able to swim away quickly. I know it's a bummer, but they are pretty strict. At the PPH no problem because the slide ends in a shallow "catch". My kids love the PPH! The walk is not much farther. However..........noting beats the DLH for little kids.

 

[misscampbells]

Thanks for the info Nana. That is such a bummer to hear about the water slide. Does anyone know anything about the waterslide rules for the one at the Grand Californian???

Kathy

 

[bumbershoot]

Can't she just wear a life jacket and I will catch her at the bottom?? That's what we did at the Animal Kingdom lodge last summer and it worked fine. We would have her wait in line with my son and then I would catch her at the bottom, will we be able to do that at the DLH pool?

Nope. CA laws are different from FL laws (just look at the carseat regs!). No one can be in the end-of-slide area, and as soon as a person splashes down they must be able to swim immediately out of the area. No life jackets. It's the rule at the Grand, too. PPH gets an "out" b/c their slide doesn't end in the pool.


I'm the main one who talks about that here...DS (spending his 5th b'day there) was rather disappointed. The little slide ended up being fun for him, I don't deny that, but it certainly wasn't the excitement of the big slide!


But we didn't think the water or rooms at the DLH were especially bad (water all over the resort can be gross, but for me it's the shampoo they provide at PPH and DLH that smells disgusting...I've GOT to remember to bring my own!).

 

[nana50]

Water from the tap almost anywhere in Southern California is usually awful. We have so much chlorine in our water you have to sneak up on it. Some parts of socal have water from Arrowhead and it is good, but not in Disneyland.

 

[heatherleigh]

This really bothers me, and makes me consider changing hotels for our upcoming trip. This is the main thing that is holding us back from being so excited for the DLH. My boys absolutely loved that waterslide and I know DLH is very strict about knowing how to swim and using the slide. My friend went to stay at the DLH last yr, and advised me to put both boys in swimming classes asap so they can use it. That's a lot of pressure.

 

[chrissiecutie]

This really bothers me, and makes me consider changing hotels for our upcoming trip. This is the main thing that is holding us back from being so excited for the DLH. My boys absolutely loved that waterslide and I know DLH is very strict about knowing how to swim and using the slide. My friend went to stay at the DLH last yr, and advised me to put both boys in swimming classes asap so they can use it. That's a lot of pressure.

I know it's no Disneyland Hotel....but have you checked out the water features offered at the HoJo?? Pretty awesome! I think the walking distance is about the same, if not just a tiny bit further then the DisneyHotel but the rate is much better, especially if you get the Entertainment Card rate. You could get a kid's suite for $99/night!!


http://www.hojoanaheim.com/take-a-tour/photo-gallery/more/