Alternatives to Paradise Pier Club level.

[Reepicheep]

Greetings from warm and sunny Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Here in Alberta, we had a 4 inch snowfall last week. Those of you who live in California should count your blessings.

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I've been doing a lot of thinking over the past month RE: whether it is worth the additional $$$ to stay at a Disney hotel, in particular the Paradise Pier. I'd be very interested in hearing what my fellow Disneyland fanatics think of my musings

During the financial meltdown of 2008/2009, the rates at the Paradise Pier were so low that we quickly became addicted to staying in a club room at the PP. After the economy improved and the PP raised their rates, we were still always able to snag a good rate during the first week in January and the last week of August, so I tried to plan our twice yearly trips around those two weeks.

Prices at all the Disney hotels have definitely been trending upwards since 2008. In fact, this year I couldn't find any good rates in either early January or late August, so in August 2014 as an experiment we tried out club rooms at the Marriott and Sheraton Park by the convention centre (or "center", as you Americans who refuse to use the Queen's English would write).

The Sheraton Club level was especially good: decent breakfast, snacks during the day, hot food plus free alcohol in the evenings, lounge open 24h per day, two bathrobes in the room, even little tubes of shaving cream supplied on a daily basis. One night one of the hot entrees was bacon wrapped scallops, possible nature's perfect food, so my family and I were very pleased. I think I've definitely joined the Sheraton cult.

By way of comparison: the current best available passholder rate for a PP standard club room for Nov 23,24 this year is $367/$343 for the two nights. At the Sheraton Park, I could book a club room south view (i.e., non-Disneyland view) for $171 per night.

Now, granted, the PP does provide more of a "Disney Experience" than the Sheraton. But I'm not willing to pay an additional $184 per night for that experience, especially since the Sheraton is in some ways superior to the PP. And, the Sheraton has an excellent point program which, over the long run, will provide even cheaper rates.

After giving this some thought, I've concluded that during my first few PP Club stays, everything was new to us so we were thrilled with each stay. We've now had (I think) eight stays at the PP, and the novelty is starting to wear off, so things that once thrilled us (for example, the "private" entrance to California Adventure) no longer do so.

Does anyone know of hotels in Anaheim other than the Marriott and Sheratons that provide some sort of "club lounge" level rooms? I'd definitely be interested in trying those hotels out. At Christmas, we're going to be staying again in club rooms at the Marriott and the Sheraton Park, and having our first stay at the farther south Sheraton Garden Grove club level, to see how the three hotels compare. Alas, no good deals at Christmas at the Sheraton Anaheim, which is the other hotel I'm anxious to try out.

 

[bumbershoot]

Anabella has a club level. Not as fancy as a hotel would be (it's a motel but with absolutely lovely grounds) but you should check it out anyway.

Those of you who live in California should count your blessings.

They've been having an awful heat wave, with some fairly extreme temperatures and a long continued drought, so I'm not sure every CA resident would agree that that's terrific...

 

[Sherry E]

Anabella has a club level. Not as fancy as a hotel would be (it's a motel but with absolutely lovely grounds) but you should check it out anyway.




They've been having an awful heat wave, with some fairly extreme temperatures and a long continued drought, so I'm not sure every CA resident would agree that that's terrific...

Molly --

I am one of them! I had a bad experience in July, when I got ill for several days after being in temperatures that were 70-something all day. That's right. Only 70-something, and I was ill for a few days after I got home. I didn't even expect it -- I thought I would be perfectly okay that day (it's not like it was 90-something). I was wrong. So, you can imagine my glee at the recent and current heat, with alternating humidity and dryness. I would love to see snowfall in the middle of Los Angeles!

 

[Reepicheep]

Bumbershoot wrote: Anabella has a club level. Not as fancy as a hotel would be (it's a motel but with absolutely lovely grounds) but you should check it out anyway.

Thanks for the recommendation. Based upon the rankings in the 2014 Unofficial Disneyland book, I've been meaning to check out both the Anabella and the Best Western across the street from it (can't remember the name, the one beside Coco's restaurant), but never have. At Christmas I'll try to head over that way and walk through the grounds of both hotels.

I just checked out the photos and floor plan for the concierge rooms on the Anabella website, and they really do look nice. Even has what appears to be a private deck. Slippers and housecoats also included. Annoyingly, it appears the concierge rate only includes breakfast for two, so we'd probably have to buy breakfast for our two daughters.


Bumbershoot wrote: They've been having an awful heat wave...

Well, perhaps the ideal compromise solution would be to live halfway between Edmonton and LA, which would be somewhere near your stomping grounds of Tacoma. Assuming, of course, a person doesn't mind putting up with the occasional earthquake and volcanic eruption.

Actually, in geological terms, I've often lived fairly close to Tacoma. I was raised in southern Alberta near Lethbridge, which was roughly the northern range of the ash fallout when Mt. St. Helens erupted. We had basically a heavy dusting of ash everywhere, so we got off fairly lucky.

More memorable is the ten years I spent in Victoria, BC. I experienced two Washington earthquakes while there. One was minor, the other was bad enough that ceiling tiles were falling around me at work and I had to take refuge under my desk. I think that quake was in either 2001 or 2002. Our local newspapers reported that the epicenter was "near Tacoma, Washington", so if you were living in Tacoma at the time, I'm sure you remember the quake clearly.

But, Bumbershoot and Sherry E., I concede your point is valid RE: summertime heat in California. During our yearly August trip we are often forced to retreat back to our hotel room by 1pm or so. Usually, the weather for our Christmas trip is much more pleasant. Not to mention that we are often the only hardy souls who are willing to go into the outdoor hotel pools at Christmas time, so we have the pool and hot tub to ourselves.