Disneyland Hotel OR Paradise Pier

[IngridRalph]

I have never stayed at either hotel and am trying to decide which one to stay at Dec 19 & 20. I wanted the Grand California but it is booked. Anyone stayed at either during Christmas time? Anyone have a preference? We are a family of 4, I read that the Paradise Pier has a foldout chair in some rooms..that would be handy. Also thinking of just staying off-site at the Best Western Park Place, however it isn't much cheaper then the Paradise Pier. We have stayed at the park place before in 2000 and it was okay...Thanks for the advice,

~Ingrid

 

[SamIAm21]

I haven't stayed at either Paradise Pier or Disneyland Hotel, but there has been some talk around these boards about bed bug infestations at Best Western Park Place Inn. So, you may want to check into that before staying there.

 

[hlbtimes2]

We stayed at the PP last Oct. Its a nice property, with great service. The rooms are fairly large and the beds are comfortable. The walk is a bit further then we like. Its not bad in the morning, but by bed time it seems to be way further away then it was when we left in the morning!

 

[IngridRalph]

I know there is a monrail for the Disneyland Resort. Is there any transportation to/from Paradise Pier? We are staying two nights but only going to the park one day due to family holiday plans. The plan is to make the 20th one long disney day and take a break midafternoon at the hotel. We don't want to tire ourselves out just getting to the hotel!

~Ingrid

 

[honeymom]

The monorail isn't all the close to the DL Hotel. It is still a hike. I've read that the walk to DL is about the same from PP as DLH if you shortcut through the GCL.

 

[wendypooh22]

we have stayed at the Disneyland hotel and loved it! If you are lucky enough, you can get a resort view and you will be able to watch the fireworks from your room. we have already booked our next trip and will be there again for the holiday decorations.
there are games and such to play at the hotel and although the monorail is a short walk, hotel guests get a special entrance to the monorail (under the tracks near the autopia shop) show your ticket and you get in front of the line. we didn't find this out until after we waited.... the ride operator told us to show your room key next time...

the room at the hotel also had a futon style couch bed and it easily slept an adult or child...

 

[Albort]

This might help...

Disneyland Hotel:

Disneyland Hotel Accommodations Profile
Check-in & Check-out
After 3pm & before 11am

Minimum age to Check-in
18yrs

Luggage:
Bell Services will hold luggage for per-registered Guests before 3pm check-in and will hold until midnight of check-out.

Maximum Guests per Standard Room
5 (4 adults max)

Maximum Guests per One bedroom suite. Regal or Royal Suite
6 + 1 infant

Maximum Guests per Two bedroom suite
8 + 1 infant (6 adults max)

Bedding - Standard Room
1K or 2D or 2Q

Bedding - One bedroom suite

1K + 1Q sofa bed or
2Q + 1Q sofa bed

Bedding - Two bedroom suite

1K + 2Q + 1Q sofa bed or
2Q + 2Q + 1Q sofa bed

Rollaway / Crib
Yes - Free (Daybed) / Yes - Free

Connecting Rooms / Ground Floor Rooms
Yes / No

Number of Floors
10 - 11 - 14

Complimentary Breakfast
No (However, breakfast is available by upgrading to Concierge level)

In-room Movies / Cable / Nintendo
No / Yes / No

Refrigerator / Microwave / Coffee-Tea Maker
Yes - Free / No / On Request

Iron & Board / Hairdryers
Yes / Yes

Balconies / Patio / Furniture
Yes / No / Limited number

Room Service / Gift Shop
Yes 5am-1am / Yes

Room Size - Standard
approx 350 - 400sq ft (Do not volunteer this information)

Room Size - One bedroom Suite
approx 740sq ft (Do not volunteer this information)

Room Size - Two bedroom Suite
approx 1100sq ft (Do not volunteer this information)

Interior or Exterior Hallways
Interior

Shower-Tub Combo
Yes

Vanity inside or outside the bathroom
Both

Bathroom Amenities
Resort Themed

Disabled Rooms
Yes

Pets Allowed
No

Babysitting Referral
Yes



Fast Facts

990 guest rooms and 61 suites filled with Disney-themed amenities

Over 136,000 square feet of versatile, indoor function space
52 meeting rooms
2 ballrooms, including the 18,000 square foot Grand Ballroom
47,000 square feet of continuous function space
Combined total of 78,968 square feet of exhibition space
A 1,200-square-foot hydraulic stage with state-of-the-art sound and lighting
High-tech presentation amenities
On-site business center
Certified meeting professionals to handle your needs, including customized meeting and event programs
Unparalleled meeting/banquet theming and décor
International shipping service
Currency exchange and ATM
Within walking distance of the newly expanded Anaheim Convention Center
Exclusive Meeting and Convention Passports to Disneyland Resort Theme Parks
Room service
Concierge Level with upgraded amenities and services
Three restaurants and two lounges
Coffee House
Two pools including the Never Land Pool and Spa with a themed water slide and the Cove Pool featuring its own white sand beach
Mickey's Workout Center
Game arcade
A variety of shopping and recreational opportunities
A convenient location near Southern California's major airports and attractions
Footsteps away from the Downtown Disney® District and Disneyland Resort Theme Parks and Hotels

Paradise Pier:

Fast Facts

502 guest rooms and 14 suites

30,000 square feet of meeting space
7.250-square-foot Pacific Ballroom
15 breakout rooms
High-tech presentation amenities
On-site business center
Certified meeting professionals to handle your needs, including customized meeting and event programs
Unparalleled meeting/banquet themes and décor
International shipping service
Currency exchange and ATM
Within walking distance of the newly expanded Anaheim Convention Center
Exclusive Meeting and Convention Passports to Disneyland Resort Theme Parks
Room service
Concierge Level with upgraded amenities and services
Two on-site restaurants
Coffee house and lobby bar
Paradise Pool and spa
Mickey's Beach Fitness Center
Flounder's Fun 'n Games Arcade
A variety of shopping and recreational opportunities
A convenient location near Southern California's major airports and attractions
Footsteps away from the Downtown Disney® District and Disneyland Resort Theme Parks and Hotels

Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel Accommodations Profile
Check-in & Check-out
After 3pm & before 11am

Minimum age to Check-in
18yrs

Luggage:
Bell Services will hold luggage for per-registered Guests before 3pm check-in and will hold until midnight of check-out.

Maximum Guests per Standard Room
5 (4 adults max)

Maximum Guests per One bedroom suite. Regal or Royal Suite
6 + 1 infant

Maximum Guests per Two bedroom suite
8 + 1 infant (6 adults max)

Bedding - Standard Room
1K or 2Q or 2Q + D or 1Q + Bunk

Bedding - One bedroom suite
1K + 1Q sofa bed or
2Q + 1Q sofa bed

Bedding - Two bedroom suite

1K + 2Q + 1Q sofa bed or
2Q + 2Q + 1Q sofa bed or limited number of 1K or 1Q+Bunk

Rollaway / Crib
Yes - Free / Yes - Free

Connecting Rooms / Ground Floor Rooms
Yes / No

Number of Floors
14 - 15

Complimentary Breakfast
No (However, breakfast is available by upgrading to Concierge Services)

In-room Movies / Cable / Nintendo
No / Yes / No

Iron & Board / Hairdryers
Yes / Yes

Refrigerator / Microwave / Coffee-Tea Maker
Yes - Free / No / On Request

Balconies / Patio / Furniture
Yes / No / Limited number

Room Service / Gift Shop
Yes-5am-1am / Yes

Room Size - Standard
approx 350 - 400sq ft

Room Size - One bedroom Suite
approx 740sq ft

Room Size - Two bedroom Suite
approx 1100sq ft (Do not volunteer this information)

Interior or Exterior Hallways
Interior

Shower-Tub Combo
Yes

Vanity inside or outside the bathroom
Both

Bathroom Amenities
Resort Themed

Disabled Rooms
Yes

Pets Allowed
No

Babysitting Referral
Yes

Hopefully that will help.

 

[stampinshauna]

I'd pick the Disneyland hotel. I love the atmosphere, it just seems more Disney to me.

 

[WDWINJUNE!]

I would also pick the Disneyland Hotel (which is where we are staying in December) I've stayed at both of them and I like the Disneyland Hotel better. It has more special Disney touches than PPH.
Laura

 

[zacharybsmom]

My vote would be for the Disneyland Hotel!!! I have never stayed at Paradise Pier or the Grand Californian, but we have had breakfast and toured them. The Disneyland Hotel just seems like it holds a little more majic!

 

[LocalDisneyYokel]

We have stayed at all three and of course, GCL is the best! BUT...I'd definitely choose the Disneyland Hotel over the PP. For the price, PP is a NICE hotel. Very clean, comfortable, roomy rooms with plenty of amenities...but the walk is the dealbreaker.

We were almost crying walking back from the park at night, esp. with our miserable, tired children. It's really an outrageous thing, IMO, for them to not provide some kind of tram or something, esp. at the end of the day. As a PP mentioned, in the morning, it's okay...you're psyched! But at the end, OMG...it's like it's neverending. Plus, heaven forbid you want to go back to your room to change or take a break for a bit. It's just not convenient. DL hotel is still a small hike from the monorail- but it's NOTHING compared to PP.

Plus, it's a huge, beautiful hotel with LOTS of stuff to do on-property (shops, restaurants, pools, etc.). Have fun on your trip!

 

[IngridRalph]

Thanks for all the wonderful advice. We convinced the kiddos to miss the last two days of school and booked....the DL Hotel for the 17-21!!! We are super excited. I am still checking daily for cancelations at the Grand Californian....

~Ingrid

 

[Alex2kMommy]

Ingrid, you don't mention the ages of your children, but the DLH had a couple really cool activities to sign up for during our stay. I think one was the Build-A-Bear trip, which is where you get to go to BAB before it opens to the public and build your own bear or character. We didn't do that, but we did do a Pirate Treasure Hunt, which is I think geared toward kids ages 4-10.

It was really fun, totally free, DS6 loved it! It took place on DLH property, and involved the kids searching for clues to Capt. Hook's treasure throughout the hotel grounds. It was a nice opportunity for me to explore the grounds, which I hadn't had time to do just yet. The whole thing lasted maybe 45 minutes, but all the kids get little trinkets for participating, and it was a nice way to kill some time while DS2 and DH napped.

PPH may have special activities as well, and I've heard GCH does, too. In my mind, the DLH is a great hotel for younger children. The hotel pool is fairly shallow, I think the deepest is under 5 feet. When the boys are older I'm hoping we'll splurge a bit and try the GCH, which is so beautiful!

 

[brandonbr]

We just got back from PP and honestly it was much closer than we had thought. You can take a short cut through GC and it's a 2-3 minute walk from the park gates. (GC is just across the street from PP). If you want to save just a little but stay at a disney hotel PP is a good choice.

 

[camouseketeer]

We just got back from the PP and it was great.

The walk was not bad at all. It took about 10 minutes to get to the gates. It seemed like the walk to the PP (if you cut through the GC) is about the same as the walk to DLH (not taking the monorail). Even if you do take the monorail to the DLH, the entire travel time, including wait time for the monorail, is probably the same as walking to the PP.

Our room had two queen beds plus a day bed, which was very handy. It was not a huge room, but it was quiet and I know the hotel was full. We had a standard (parking lot) view on the 13th floor.

I got a good deal at $165 a night. You can't beat that price for staying onsite.

 

[IngridRalph]

It has been SO hard to choose which hotel to stay at. I have the DL on hold for the next 10 days. I saw that expedia still has the paradise pier open for our nites- with the stay three nites get 1 free. It would save us about $250 to stay at the PP.

My biggest thing honestly is I want there to be a lot of christmas decorations. Has anyone stayed at either resort during the christmas season? What was it like? Our house is currently being remodeled (by us!) and I don't think I am going to have room to put up much in the way of Christmas Decorations this year. I really really really want to get that Christmas feeling when I am in the resort. I know I will get it when I am in the parks

My kids are 8 & 11 one boy/one girl. We are thiking of doing the holiday tour. Does it involve 2.5 hours of walking or is it less? I am not sure if my kiddos would be into it or not...

~Ingrid

~Ingrid

 

[Judy from Boise]

We recently stayed at the DLH, and only entered the main lobby to check in and out......where as with PP you would enter the main lobby to access your room. I am assuming that the high majority of decorations end up in the lobby......where ever you stay, you must at least walk through the GCR to see their decorations!