Booked but worried we won't get the room

[ahill004]

DH agreed to book at DLH for our July trip so long as I was fairly confident we would get a renovated room (he prefers GCH). We are booked for a resort/pool view room through Costco travel and I requested the Dreams Tower. Of course they cannot guarantee anything but I am a little worried that we won't get it now. I wanted DLH because everyone says that hotel is better themed for small children (4 and 6). What do you guys think? Initially I figured if we didn't get the renovated room we could upgrade to GCH at that point but I am afraid there won't be any rooms left at the 5 for 3 special rate by this July!

Thoughts from you DLR experts?

 

[bumbershoot]

I wanted DLH because everyone says that hotel is better themed for small children (4 and 6).

Sure, the hotel might be, but you do know the downfalls of the pool, yes?

And since you booked through Costco, I can't imagine you'd just be able to upgrade to a different hotel at checkin....

 

[ahill004]

I don't know the downfalls about the pool! Please tell me! I thought they were better at DLH?

When you are booking through costco it actually routes you through the disney website but costco throws in an additional voucher for a rest. and a gift card for $20. THe cancellation fee is the same through them as through disney (or so I was told) and I was also told that I can upgrade to the GCH if I change my mind. But please do let me know about the pools!

 

[DisneyMomma81]

I haven't stayed in a reno'd room but I prefer the DLH over the GCH. I bet the "issue" Molly mentioned is the slide, it "dumps" kids into a little 4 ft *I could be off on the depth* pool and nobody can be there to catch them. DD didn't like that at all last Sept. We'll see what she thinks this July. **Last Sept. she was more than happy to hang out in the hot tub

 

[ahill004]

Both my kids are great swimmers and have waterslides like that at our club. And I thought GCH had a slide like that too? Either way, the slide won't be an issue for us - is there anything else wrong with DLH pools?

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Both my kids are great swimmers and have waterslides like that at our club. And I thought GCH had a slide like that too? Either way, the slide won't be an issue for us - is there anything else wrong with DLH pools?

Nope ~ it's a cute pool, great theme.

 

[blackjackdelta]

Sure, the hotel might be, but you do know the downfalls of the pool, yes?

And since you booked through Costco, I can't imagine you'd just be able to upgrade to a different hotel at checkin....

I have to go with Molly on this. I really doubt you can upgrade at checkin. I know you can upgrade, if there is anything available, prior to checking in.

Jack

 

[bumbershoot]

If your kids are great swimmers, and don't emotionally/mentally need someone at the end of the slide, and can swim *immediately* to the edge and get out, and don't need life jackets, then that's OK. Most 4 year olds, and many 6 year olds can't do that.

The biggest frustration for my then new 5 year old was that you can't PLAY with/on the theming. They have this great pirate ship, and you can't touch it at all. To him, what's the point? He admires beauty, sunsets, and the like, but if it's a big ol' pirate ship, he wants to be ON it. Put that together with the inability for him to go on the big slide, and it was just another big pool to him, no big deal at all. Everything else that's nice about DLH can be enjoyed as a guest of ANY hotel...the grounds, the RC jungle cruise boats, the koi, etc etc etc...none of those things require staying at DLH.


Hopefully someone can chime in to make SURE that there are no height requirements for the big slide...since DS couldn't meet those requirements already listed, we never got close enough to see if there was a height req.

 

[ahill004]

THanks for letting me know. I really think my girls would be fine on the slide. They are both excellent swimmers and love the slides and diving board at our pool. However, some of the other comments are making me rethink our decision. I know I can upgrade before the trip but wondered if we could at check-in. I think I will go ahead and switch to the GCH unless there pools aren't that nice for kids?

 

[Karenann*]

There is something to be said of the charm in the rooms that aren't "renovated"! We stayed for 8 nights in a room facing downtown disney in 2005. We loved the wooden amoire with the huge burnt engraving on it, we love Tinkerbell and her pixie dust flying around the room at night, the pics in the room, the wallpaper, the headboards, EVERYTHING was magic for us! I know the new rooms are fabulous and have light up headboards and are really cool, but I am glad that my family had an opportunity to stay at the Hotel before all these changes and before some of these furnishings will only be nostalgia. If I found some extra money laying around for our Oct trip, we would stay at the DL Hotel and request a last chance in one of these rooms.

 

[bumbershoot]

Both my kids are great swimmers and have waterslides like that at our club. And I thought GCH had a slide like that too?

I just noticed the start of the quote...

GCH does have a slide like that. But many people want to book DLH vs GCH because they feel that the pool is more child-friendly/fun than GCH. And after our experience last year, I do try to make sure people know what we felt.

GCH has very pretty pools, a slide, and no big cool looking things that you can't touch.

 

[ahill004]

Bumbershoot - I totally get the "big, cool things to look at but not touch." My kids would be disappointed they couldn't climb on the ship and anything else that might be there to see and not touch. I could explain ahead of time so they would be aware of this. Is there anything other than theming that really pushes one pool/resort over the other?

 

[pycees312]

in my opinion with kids that young a pool is a pool and water is water. It's not as if you get to have an "experience" at the DL pool. it's nice to see but after those first glances who pays attention..
If you preference is the rustic look and feel go with the Grand and right now the Grand is cheaper to book than the DLH from what i've seen as of late.

 

[closetmickey]

My 3 dd's, ages 5, 8,9, love the DH! There is just more magic there! And we love taking the Monorail into DL. Yes, the GC is so close to CA and a closer walking distance to DL, but the monorail is just so much fun for them. Keep your reservation!