Coffee and Guest Parking at Paradise Pier?

[jenhelgren]

We have a standard room booked at PPH. Are there coffee pots and refrigerators in all the rooms? If there are no coffee pots-how long is the walk to Starbucks? We are huge coffee drinkers and I may even bring a Keurig if Starbucks is a long walk.lol
I am also wondering if there is short term parking. We are arriving at noon in a rental car. As soon as we are able to check-in I plan on emptying the car and returning it so we do not have to pay parking fees for the week. Will we need to pay parking fees for the first and last day so we can load and unload the rental car or is there a lot that will allow us to unload and wait for check-in?

 

[bumbershoot]

There's no lot, but if you're actively unloading the car (we generally did this while one adult was checking us in) they'll generally just have you pull forward a bit to do this.

If you book Alamo/National (and maybe Enterprise) there's a closeby rental place at the Alpine Inn. They have a shuttle that will take you back to the hotel and even pick you up for the next rental.

I think there's a coffeemaker, but there's also an espresso place in the lobby. The DTD Starbucks is on the way to the main entrances to the parks.

 

[Sherry E]

There should be a pod coffee maker (which can make two cups at once, if need be) in the PPH rooms. The coffee is Joffrey's, if I'm not mistaken. There is a mini-refrigerator in all of the rooms.

As bumbershoot said, there is a Downtown Disney Starbucks (that's the one where you can claim Starbucks Rewards or use their discounts, if you're part of that program). There is also one in California Adventure (Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Café) and in Disneyland (Market House), but those locations won't honor Starbucks Rewards and discounts, as far as I know (unless something has changed). In other words, you wouldn't be able to claim a free birthday drink at the Starbucks in either of the parks, but you would be able to claim it at the one in Downtown Disney.

 

[jenhelgren]

How are lines at the DTD Starbucks on the way into the parks? If they are not bad it might be easier to run and grab coffee when we wake up but we have waited 20-30 minutes in line at Starbucks in WDW so if that's the case-I'll pack our coffee!! Does anyone know if the pods that fit the coffee maker can be purchased anywhere? We are not Joffrey's fans at all

 

[jenhelgren]

I had planned on using Alamo and returning to the DTD location-is the Alpine Inn closer or easier than the DTD location? Any idea what time we might be able to check-in to PPH on a Sunday afternoon? I know official check-in time is 3. I would rather check-in before we drop off the car so we can unload straight into the room. If anyone has returned to the DTD location-I am also interested in how far the walk is from PPH so I can get idea on time for our afternoon. Thanks again!

 

[goooof1]

You can check-in as soon as you get there. If your room is not ready, you can leave your luggage with the Bell Desk and when the room is ready, they will text your room number to you and you can go back later. In any case, I would drop luggage and check-in right away, then drop off the car.

 

[gary1955]

there is a lot and garage behind the hotel. we parked and checked in so I don't know if there are parking spots outside the paid gate for check in parking. I think there are some, not 100% sure.

the two rooms we had did have a small counters in the hallway by the bathroom that had I believe were two cup coffee makers. there is also a café and a restaurant in the lobby and a bar near the pool that you can get coffee.

 

[tlovesdis]

We hit up the DTD Starbucks twice on our last trip, both times about 645ish and it was super fast! They have like 6 registers and lots of barista's making the drinks! So even if there is a line it will go fast!

 

[Nonsuch]

...We are huge coffee drinkers and I may even bring a Keurig...

If you are "huge coffee drinkers", it might be a good idea to bring your own coffee maker.
The coffee makers in the rooms at DLR are not very good, rather typical for most hotels.

I bring a water kettle, and pour boiling water though a cone filter dripping directly into a cup.

 

[jenhelgren]

We will be driving out but flying home-does anyone have suggestions for a good "travel" coffee maker that we can fit in checked luggage or pods that will work with Disney's system?

 

[tlovesdis]

I'm a Starbucks freak (or so my family would tell you) and I always travel with Via packets! I just do the hot water in the coffee pot and enjoy a cup while we get ready, then we hit Starbucks in either DTD or a park and I get my iced coffee (now hopefully the cold brew!!)!

 

[bumbershoot]

I had planned on using Alamo and returning to the DTD location-is the Alpine Inn closer or easier than the DTD location? Any idea what time we might be able to check-in to PPH on a Sunday afternoon? I know official check-in time is 3. I would rather check-in before we drop off the car so we can unload straight into the room. If anyone has returned to the DTD location-I am also interested in how far the walk is from PPH so I can get idea on time for our afternoon. Thanks again!

I've found a *price* difference between the two locations, with DTD being higher. Check it out for your trip! DTD is closer.

You can do the checkin process starting at about 6am, when the computers switch over to the new hotel-day. But rooms are only supposed to be ready after official checkin time. That's why we send one adult in to check in, to see IF there's a room yet. I don't like handing things over to Bell and then finding out I have a room ready.

 

[jenhelgren]

Thanks for all the info! We always stay in DVC units in WDW and our room has always been ready by noon at the latest so I wasn't sure what to expect at PPH. How does the parking rate per day work? We will be leaving on Saturday and I was thinking about picking up the car Friday evening and paying for parking just that last night so we could load the car early before we check out and spend most of the day in the park. Will our Friday night parking pass only be good until 11 am checkout or the entire day on Saturday?