Disneyland Hotel Pool Construction Progress Update

[DisSarahK]

We just returned from a week long trip to Disneyland and our first stay at the Disneyland Hotel. We stayed on the 8th floor of the Adventure Tower and I took these photographs of the pool construction from our room on Saturday, September 17th, just before we checked out.

This first photograph gives you the overall perspective--the completed monorail pools are off to the left. In the immediate lower left corner you can see one of the outdoor showers (I found two outdoor showers with warm water) as well as the restrooms that are accessible from the pool area. The lower floor of the domed building houses Goofy's Kitchen--the windows still are covered in plastic although the interior of Goofy's Kitchen is functioning and we had a great character meal there.

Here you can see the outdoor shower area in the lower left a bit more clearly (again, this is outside the restrooms) and there is another shower area kind of near the base of the baby slides. The restrooms are off the back of the building that houses Tangaroa Terrace (but these restrooms are only accessible from the pool). If you look closely, you also can see the outdoor fireplace (not part of the pool area)--it is on the left side of the picture and is a yellowish rectangle that is partially blocked by a tree. It was a nice area that we never stopped to enjoy but that was always lit when we were near it.

The main pool area under construction. They did a lot of work during the week that we were there--including putting down the pavers all around the edge of the pool as well as some of landscape trenching.

They also did a lot of rebar and cement work on the pathways around the pool while we were there.

The half circle that you see at the bottom of the picture is, I believe, a patio at the exit of the doors to the Adventure Tower that will lead out to the pool. They had plastic over the doors so we couldn't see out--but they line up with where this patio is located.

That's mostly it for my pool construction pictures...now to edit my 630+ pictures of my children enjoying their vacation! I'm happy to answer any question I can about the hotel or the construction though.

 

[DizMe]

Thanks a million!!!! This is just what I've been hoping to see!!!

We will be there Oct 13, and I was wondering about the progress of the pool area. I'm guessing it will still be under construction by then. I was hoping it would be finished but it sure looks like there is a long way to go.

 

[disneydreamer74]

Thanks for sharing the photos!! I have been hearing that the construction is loud for people staying at DLH. We are staying in Nov. and hoping it is all done. Did you notice the construction being very loud?

 

[DisSarahK]

The construction wasn't loud at all when we were there--and there were already workers out there at 6:30 when we opened the curtains each day. I think only once did I hear any work being done and that wasn't even very loud. We definitely could hear them when we were outside, but not at all from inside our room. No jackhammering or anything like that--I think that portion of the work is all done now.

 

[jessicaerv]

Aaaaaaaah!! For some reason I can't see the pictures.

We'll be there for 2 nights in mid-October with my 2 yo DD. She LOVES playing in the water, so we'll definitely be playing in the pool(s). I read on the Disneyland Hotel webpage that there is a "water play" area, but the cast member I made my reservation with could not tell me more about it. Is it an area with randomly spouting fountains or water cannons, or something like that? Something that would be appropriate for an adventurous 2 yo?

How about the Monorail slides - would I be able to go down the slide WITH her? I think she'd be too young to go herself, and I wouldn't allow that anyway.

Lastly, my reservation is for a Deluxe View. Can anyone recommend (if I can make requests) what tower to stay in, or any particular rooms? Are there fold out sofas in the rooms?

Thanks so much. Sorry to hijack this thread!!

 

[skiingfast]

We'll be there for 2 nights in mid-October with my 2 yo DD. She LOVES playing in the water, so we'll definitely be playing in the pool(s). I read on the Disneyland Hotel webpage that there is a "water play" area, but the cast member I made my reservation with could not tell me more about it. Is it an area with randomly spouting fountains or water cannons, or something like that? Something that would be appropriate for an adventurous 2 yo?

The area under the monorail waterslides is shallow to allow younger kids to play in it. There is also a gentle slide there that she may enjoy.

 

[DisSarahK]

I'm sorry you can't see the pictures. They're through Photobucket, so they should work. At any rate, there is a toddler set of slides that a two year old definitely can do--they're maybe chest high on an adult. There also is lots of ankle deep water for little ones to splash around in. The actual monorail slides are independent slides (so you cannot go down with a child). The hotel does provide lifejackets (nice ones) for children to wear on the slides or in the pool if they want them.

My little boy was fascinated by the big colored lights under the water in the evening--he loved those!

 

[jessicaerv]

The area under the monorail waterslides is shallow to allow younger kids to play in it. There is also a gentle slide there that she may enjoy.

Thanks, skiingfast.

At any rate, there is a toddler set of slides that a two year old definitely can do--they're maybe chest high on an adult. There also is lots of ankle deep water for little ones to splash around in. The actual monorail slides are independent slides (so you cannot go down with a child). The hotel does provide lifejackets (nice ones) for children to wear on the slides or in the pool if they want them.

My little boy was fascinated by the big colored lights under the water in the evening--he loved those!

Great news about the lifejackets. She'll definitely be wearing one of them while in any depth of water. I think she's probably too little to do the slides on her own. She may be brave (and tall for her age), but she'll just be turning 2 the day we check in. My heart wouldn't be able to take her journey down the slide, even if hers could!!

Can anyone speak to whether the pools are heated?

 

[DisSarahK]

Oh no, I wouldn't send a two year old down the big monorail slides--but the little toddler slide I think you'll feel okay with--it is a straight slide just like you would find at a park and it lands in about two inches of water. The top of it is about five or six feet off the ground. You could definitely walk her up to the top of it if you wanted--or you could stand at the bottom--reach up to the top and hold her hand and help her all the way down...that is how "toddler friendly" the slide is.

The pools are heated but they aren't super warm. My 7.5 year old is very slender (underweight) and she got chilled very easily. I think that is one of the reasons there are so many children in the spa--they were getting cold. (We were in the pool in the late afternoon/early evening and everything was in the shade.)

 

[jessicaerv]

Oh no, I wouldn't send a two year old down the big monorail slides--but the little toddler slide I think you'll feel okay with--it is a straight slide just like you would find at a park and it lands in about two inches of water. The top of it is about five or six feet off the ground. You could definitely walk her up to the top of it if you wanted--or you could stand at the bottom--reach up to the top and hold her hand and help her all the way down...that is how "toddler friendly" the slide is.

The pools are heated but they aren't super warm. My 7.5 year old is very slender (underweight) and she got chilled very easily. I think that is one of the reasons there are so many children in the spa--they were getting cold. (We were in the pool in the late afternoon/early evening and everything was in the shade.)

Ah yes. The toddler slide is exactly my........errrrr........HER speed.

I suspect we will only spend an hour or so at the pool if the water is on the lukewarm side. Still, at least its there to enjoy.

Thank you to everyone for all your help!

 

[DisSarahK]

I found a picture (a not very exciting picture) I took of the monorail slide structure and it shows the toddler slide on the left-hand side. Maybe this will help you.

As you can see, the toddler slides are very appropriate for a two year old--I think your daughter will really like them! There is some water that shoots out (at lap height) at the top of the slide to make them into little water slides for the little ones.

 

[scrappingpickle]

How late are the pools open each night?

Thanks for the pictures. It would be fun if the construction was done by the time we are there in Oct, but I am not holding my breath.

 

[DisSarahK]

How late are the pools open each night?

Thanks for the pictures. It would be fun if the construction was done by the time we are there in Oct, but I am not holding my breath.

The monorail slides closed at 7pm when we were there last week, but the pool and spa stayed open later--maybe until 10pm?? I'm not sure how late, but it was pretty late!

 

[NMMickeymom]

Thanks for the great pictures. We head out in early December. We were there last summer in an "unrenovated" room and were terribly disappointed. I'm excited to see things looking sparkling and new. Thanks for the update.

 

[jacs1234]

Thanks so much for the pictures. We'll be staying in the adventure tower in December in a premium view room. It's nice to be prepared in advance that our view may not be so "premium"

With the big monorail slides, do they end in a little puddle thingy? That blue thing to the right of the picture? For my kids, if it ends in one of those instead of in a big pool it may be less scary for them. I hate the thought of them landing in a deep pool, even with life jackets and me waiting to catch them.

Thanks for letting us know about the life jackets. My little two always wear them but I wasn't going to bring any with us so it's good to know they can still have them.

 

[skiingfast]

Thanks so much for the pictures. We'll be staying in the adventure tower in December in a premium view room. It's nice to be prepared in advance that our view may not be so "premium"

With the big monorail slides, do they end in a little puddle thingy? That blue thing to the right of the picture? For my kids, if it ends in one of those instead of in a big pool it may be less scary for them. I hate the thought of them landing in a deep pool, even with life jackets and me waiting to catch them.

Thanks for letting us know about the life jackets. My little two always wear them but I wasn't going to bring any with us so it's good to know they can still have them.

Big red slide into a splash down pool. The other including the blue monorial have a runout in the flume. If you look carefully at the pictures DisSarahK posted you can find all the runout areas.

 

[DizMe]

Does anyone know when the expected date is for when the main pool will be done? By done I mean full of water and ready for swimming?

 

[skiingfast]

Does anyone know when the expected date is for when the main pool will be done? By done I mean full of water and ready for swimming?

All I have seen is November.

 

[DisSarahK]

The blue monorail slide is the "tamer" slide (other than the toddler one) and it ends in a little flume.

The red monorail slide ends in its own pool that is only for the slide--no playing or anything else allowed in the splashdown pool. This slide starts higher up and is twistier. My seven year old went down it without a problem. My five year old (who can swim) went down it without a life jacket the first time but had problems in the splashdown pool because the slide really dumps you down hard into the pool and he wasn't expecting that--he had a tough time recovering and had a tough time swimming hard enough to get out of the undercurrent to get to the side of the pool.

Once we put a life jacket on him he was fine and went down the slide lots of times on his own--he paddled over to the side and got out. I don't think they would let you stand in the water at the bottom to "catch" a child. I did often stand on the cement and encourage him to swim (quickly) to the side, but that was about it.

Here is a picture of the end of the red (big) monorail slide and how it enters the splashdown pool: