Any 'secret perks' to staying at DLH?

[sgrap]

I'm wondering if anyone knows any 'secret perks' for DLH guests.

Here's the background: in 2009, we stayed at GCH. Thanks to this board, we found out about a secret priviledge given to guests, and we got to go into DCA before anyone else and ride Soarin' before the park opened! For free! Twice! Once it was just us and once there was one other family with us. It was unbelievable!!

When we checked into GCH, we asked the CM at the front desk, and she happened to be one of the few who knew about this perk. Sadly, the man who took us into the park (he would just stand by the GCH entrance, but he wouldn't tell anyone what he was doing--he would only give this special perk if you knew to ask him about it) said that they were discontinuing this program very soon, I think June 2009.

Anyway, all that to ask if there is anything similar going on currently. We'll be staying at DLH for the first time this March.

Thanks so much!

 

[bumbershoot]

They have some cute scavenger hunts to do; ask during checkin about it. When you finish them be sure to bring the papers back.

They have all sorts of special things for onsite guests, and they are listed in the paperwork you're given.

 

[Caseystigger]

They have some cute scavenger hunts to do; ask during checkin about it. When you finish them be sure to bring the papers back.

They have all sorts of special things for onsite guests, and they are listed in the paperwork you're given.

Those are fun! Glad to hear they still do them. We got a couple of neat buttons doing it.

 

[DizMe]

If you need to take a taxi, ask for a flat-rate voucher at guest services. It gives you a very good rate, at least to SNA.

 

[sgrap]

If you need to take a taxi, ask for a flat-rate voucher at guest services. It gives you a very good rate, at least to SNA.

Do they provide those to Long Beach Airport?
Thanks!

 

[hootey]

One of the PERKS we have always enjoyed is the meet and greets with DL characters in the DLH lobby. Ask for a list of character and times when you check in. We have great pics with some of the characters in the hotel lobby. Several years ago when we arrived at the DLH, Goofy came out to help us out of the tahoe and to help load the luggage cart. My two sons knew bejond any doubt, we were at disneyland.......

 

[rentayenta]

Do they provide those to Long Beach Airport?
Thanks!

Yes they do.

 

[Mousequake]

Yes they do.

How much is the flat rate to LGB?

 

[Walleandeva2011]

It sounds corny, but I'll say it anyway:

SERVICE!

Our trip was going awful, even on the first day. Flight was delayed 7 hrs and dealing with horrible customer service all day. Got to DLH, and they apologized for the inconvenience we had to go through and upgraded our room, since it was our 1st wedding anniversary, and all. It wasn't even just the upgrade. They genuinely were happy to do it for us and loved to see our reactions.

We stayed at the Sheraton near CityWalk for universal on the back end of our trip, and, in comparison to DLH, it felt cold, uninviting, and full of itself. They acknowledged it was our anniversary but never congratulated us or did anything for us other than giving us our bill.

Disney may be a company that takes all the money out of my bank account, and I may be in denial, and I'm honestly fine with it if I am, but I wouldn't rather give my money to any other company. Their customer service, for the most part as there is some exceptions where the human factor comes into play, is SECOND TO NONE.

I will never stay offsite when I go to Disney. You save a few bucks, but really what you're not getting is that fabulous customer service and the MAGIC that's in those walls, that seems to be very much lacking in other nearby, cheaper hotels.

Can someone help me down from this soapbox?

 

[sgrap]

It sounds corny, but I'll say it anyway:

SERVICE!
Can someone help me down from this soapbox?

Nope, can't help you . . . I agree!

 

[ValpoCory]

Whatever you do, don't use the "secret" entrance to California Adventure for EMH. Today, it was a 9am EMH at DCA, and we ate breakfast at White Water Snacks at the Grand Californian Hotel at 8am. We noticed a couple people already in line for that entrance at 8am. At 8:40am, we were done with breakfast, and came out to a line at least a hundred deep to get in that entrance. I noticed a man with his family in all white shirts near the front of the line, maybe 10th. He likely got in line at least 45 minutes before park opening. I told my DW that none of these people read the DISboards very much, as we walked the 10 minutes to the Esplanade, to one of the 8 or lines 20-30 people deep.

Anyway, I got into the park and went to RSR, and while in line I noticed about 50 people behind us was the man and his family with the white shirts.

Some people read the DISboards, and some people don't.

 

[sgrap]

Whatever you do, don't use the "secret" entrance to California Adventure for EMH. Today, it was a 9am EMH at DCA, and we ate breakfast at White Water Snacks at the Grand Californian Hotel at 8am. We noticed a couple people already in line for that entrance at 8am. At 8:40am, we were done with breakfast, and came out to a line at least a hundred deep to get in that entrance. I noticed a man with his family in all white shirts near the front of the line, maybe 10th. He likely got in line at least 45 minutes before park opening. I told my DW that none of these people read the DISboards very much, as we walked the 10 minutes to the Esplanade, to one of the 8 or lines 20-30 people deep.

Anyway, I got into the park and went to RSR, and while in line I noticed about 50 people behind us was the man and his family with the white shirts.

Some people read the DISboards, and some people don't.

I can't imagine doing a Disney trip without consulting this board first. Last trip, we learned so many great tips, including the one about getting into DCA before anyone else to ride Soarin'! Greatest tip ever, I think!

I don't know if I would consider the GCH entrance 'secret' but I definitely appreciate you making sure I 'got the memo' not to use that entrance on EMH days! It is kind of a bummer, because we always used that entrance, but I definitely don't want to be stuck in that line. I think I could use that situation for a math lesson for my 4th grader . . . averaging # of people per turnstile open.

Thanks, and hope your trip is fabulous!

 

[Breyean]

I can't imagine doing a Disney trip without consulting this board first. Last trip, we learned so many great tips, including the one about getting into DCA before anyone else to ride Soarin'! Greatest tip ever, I think!

I don't know if I would consider the GCH entrance 'secret' but I definitely appreciate you making sure I 'got the memo' not to use that entrance on EMH days! It is kind of a bummer, because we always used that entrance, but I definitely don't want to be stuck in that line. I think I could use that situation for a math lesson for my 4th grader . . . averaging # of people per turnstile open.

Thanks, and hope your trip is fabulous!

Definitely avoid that entrance for EMH. Even the CM who checked us in back in July made a point of telling us to go to the main entrance.

It's easy to see why. The bag check at the main entrance goes much faster and is open well before the park gates, so if you're an early riser, you can get through bag check and onto one of the many lines leading to the parks before opening. Then you're set to go at the open.

At the GCH entrance, bag check is much smaller and is right before the turnstile entrance. So they can't really process as many people as quickly as at the main gates.

 

[hootey]

Originally Posted by Walleandeva2011  
It sounds corny, but I'll say it anyway:

SERVICE!
Can someone help me down from this soapbox?

Help you down?
I was going to ask if you had more room up on the SOAPBOX.
You said it !

 

[bumbershoot]

FWIW, I have been rather annoyingly delayed at the main gates for EMH to DCA, simply because of CM incompetence, problems with the machine, and/or ridiculous choices on the part of fellow guests. (if there are red lights above your line, it's closed and WILL be closed...please don't expect people in other lines to let you in...we all could see the lights and saw the CMs getting prepared in front of our gates but not your gates...it's not our fault the CMs walking by never told you that your gate won't be opening)

If you are willing to get to the gates from the Grand *extremely* early and be among the very first there, I'm sure it's a good choice. But that's a long time to wait in a dark tunnel that can be windy.

 

[texasteacher35]

Anything special at GCR? It's our first stay in DL...

 

[ktlm]

One of the PERKS we have always enjoyed is the meet and greets with DL characters in the DLH lobby. Ask for a list of character and times when you check in. :

Thanks for the tip! I never thought about asking for the characters and times. I will definitely do that next time! I was going to say the perk was Goofy often being in the lobby. We have seen him there at some point on every one of our trips. Last summer on our departure day we were picking up our bags that we had stored with bell services upon checking out so we could go to the parks awhile, and DD (6) was lying down on something watching TV. The lobby was pretty empty, and Goofy came in and saw her and went and laid down next to her to watch TV too. It took a little bit before she even knew he was there. It was so sweet! Have you seen characters there other than Goofy? We never have.

 

[hootey]

Mickey made the rounds at the check-in desk one morning. Minnie was in the lobby a couple times over the years. Goofy is all over the place from the front desk to the valet stand. Jasmin has made the rounds thru the lobby once while we were there. Be sure to ask for the schedule when checking in.

 

[blackjackdelta]

Anything special at GCR? It's our first stay in DL...

Are you asking about the GCH aka Grand Californian Hotel?

Thanks,

Jack

 

[texasteacher35]

Are you asking about the GCH aka Grand Californian Hotel?

Thanks,

Jack

Yeah, sorry, I was thinking Grand Californian Villas...DVC...sorry about that. We are staying @ the Villa portion of the hotel, but I don't even know if that even differs from the regular hotel...