Disneyland Hotel or Paradise Pier for 1st trip (w/ 4 yr old)

[Leannepr]

This will be our first trip to Disneyland in July. We are staying 4 nights, and have a daughter who will be 4 in August. We are having a hard time deciding between Paradise Pier and the Disneyland Hotel. Can those of you who are familiar with them explain some of the pros and cons to each, and what would you recommend? Things we are looking for include convenience (due to daughters age) the full Disney experience, and we are hoping to find the most for our money. So a decent room, not too run down. I can't tell what the Pier rooms are actually like but am guessing the remodeled DLH rooms are pretty nice. What is included in a Disney Resort stay, compared to what you would pay for at a good neighbor hotel? Airport transportation, etc? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! This is my first post, so I do want to say hello! as well

 

[larina]

There are threads here with pics of rooms from both hotels. There is a thread with pics of the view from PPH on the first page here (I just posted some pics to it) and others with pics of rooms.

 

[nicolispicoli]

I think for the full disney experience, I would choose DLH. It's much more Disney than the other two resorts, especially for your daughter's age.

PPH is definitely cheaper, but it depends on what you like in a room. The DLH remodeled rooms are amazing and I don't mind the location. Some complain it's too far, but we use the monorail more than walking since we have a 1 and 4 year old. It's much more convenient.

The only real perk to staying on site besides the overall feel is magic morning. There are no real other perks, besides occassionally getting fastpasses with a stay, which I have never been during one of those promotions. A good neighbor hotel is obviously much cheaper, but you won't have that feel to your stay, no matter how close your walk is.

For airport transportation, it depends where you're flying in/out of. Let us know and we can help more

 

[nicolispicoli]

And welcome to the boards, I see that was your first post

 

[leazel]

I would go with the DLH it has a more classic Disney feel. PPH isn't bad, they put enough just to remind you, your staying at a Disney resort but, not enough to translate that to a 4yr old. Go with DLH

 

[nana50]

DLH DLH all the way! The reno is fabulous and my grand daughters loved the pool.

 

[cgh]

I've only stayed at the Disneyland Hotel-but had been debating between paradise pier or DLH and what pushed me over was the pool. They have a really nice small slide that's great for kids who aren't swimmers. (my son was 2.5 at the time). We are heading back this year at 3.5 to DLH. One other thing I liked about it is that it's more 'secluded.' We went to Surf's up with Mickey at Paradise Pier and I really didn't like that it was on a big road. At the DLR, you just walk through trees and are in Downtown Disney. There's a tiny road you cross that looks like it is more for golf cars.

If cost isn't a concern at all -I'd definitely do DLH.

 

[Babybears]

I really like PPH! There are Mickey touches here and there and we have always came back to our room to our beds turned down and Mickey chocolate coins on our pillows, sometimes they even rearrange the kids stuffed animals in fun new ways. My daughters also loved watching the "Princess Bedtime Stories" that play on one of the house Disney channels. I know these things are probably available at both DLH and PPH hotels, but when I factor in the cost difference and the convenience of going through the GCH to the parks, I really enjoy the PPH.

 

[Leannepr]

Thanks everyone! We just keep going back and forth between the 2. We could get the PPH w/ concierge for about the same as the room at the DLH, without concierge. I'd rather stay at the updated hotel, but the PPH may be a better choice for what we will get. I wish I've been to Disneyland once so I could at least had an idea of what I was booking. The new pool looks like so much fun at the DLH. But I read that the walk through the GCH from the PPH is easy, with a 4 year old. So is the concierge really worth the money? Is the turndown service only concierge? I remember that in WDW and loved it. So much to think about!