Disneyland Fist Timer, Help

[baketank]

I am planning a trip to Disneyland for the first time for next May, 2009. And I have a few questions I hoped you could help me out with. First, is the beginning of May a good time to visit in terms of crowd levels etc? And second, I am trying to decide between which Disneyland hotel to stay at, Paradise Pier, Disneyland Hotel or Grand Californian. What are the pros and cons of each of these resorts? Is it worth it to stay at the Grand Californian over the other two? And lastly, if I was looking to eat one expensive, nice dinner (similar to the Californian Grille at the Contemporary) where would I want to eat? Thanks for all your help. I am planning on booking my hotel this week if possible.

 

[CableKC]

I would think that May would be a good time since it's still school time for kids.

For a First Timer.....if you are looking for an nice dinner where price isn't too much of a concern for you, then you can try out Blue Bayou. It's the only Table Service Restaurant at DisneyLand itself and will probably cost between $30-$40 a person. Disney California has far more Table Service restuarants as well as the Disney California Hotel itself like the Napa Rose.

 

[TahoeMom]

I have never stayed at Paradise Pier so I cannot comment on that one. Both the Disneyland Hotel and the Grand Californian are GREAT!!!

DLH:
pros - great pool area for kids; the lobby, etc. has a more "classic Disney" feel to it in my opinion; since the remodeling several years ago, the rooms are really nice IMHO; Goofy's Kitchen is a better character-dining experience -more characters and more of a Disney feel (but of course you can eat there regardless of where you stay)
cons - a bit further to walk to the parks

GCH:
pros - rooms, etc. are just a touch classier - it feels a bit more upscale; you are right at the side gate to DCA and it is a shorter walk to DL, as well as to everything in Downtown Disney
cons - the pool area is not quite as "fun" as the one at DLH, but it does have a waterslide

I am sure others can add to this. Either way, staying at the DLR hotels is a great choice - you get the Disney treatment for every step of your vacation!

 

[avalon451]

Do you have kids, and how old are they?

How many people in your family will be there? Just wondering if you're looking for a more kid-centered experience, and how much room you'll need.

Is money an issue?

If you're only looking at DL owned hotels, and money's no object, I'd say GCH every time. It's closest, and the most beautiful. Very luxurious. However, it's prohibitively expensive. So are the other two, come to that, but GCH can run anywhere from 250-400+ a night for a standard room.

If you've been to WDW before, and are thinking that you MUST stay on DL property, it's different from DL. There are very nice offsite hotels within walking distance that are a fraction of the cost of a DL hotel.

For a first timer, I always recommend that you read Hydroguy's Tips Compilation, an excellent sticky thread at the top of this forum: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1520483

Hope that helps!