Disneyland Hotel question

[LLS]

At the DLH, is there a difference between the towers? Is there a certain tower we should try to request? Thanks!

 

[Judy from Boise]

To start with, the exploring the "DL Resorts" link at the top of the page, it has nice photos and info.....also Mary Jo's sticky FAQ thread, may answer a lot of questions.

 

[sasha]

We have always requested the Sierra Tower because you can't get a bad view. You either get the swimming pool or Downtown Disney without having to pay for an upgraded "view" rate.

 

[dbanzai]

I was wondering about this... Does that mean there's no prefered view at Bonita, or would that view be the swimming pool?

 

[wendypooh22]

I was wondering about this... Does that mean there's no prefered view at Bonita, or would that view be the swimming pool?

We have always asked for the Bonita tower resort/pool view in the upper floors. You get a great view of the waterfalls and can see the fireworks at night from your room. On a clear day, you can even see knotts berry farm. I have heard some other posts that they don't like the walk from the bonita tower, but to me, it isn't that bad....

 

[Alex2kMommy]

Here is my summary of the towers:

Sierra: Most requested tower. Most (not all) rooms are considered View rooms, with a view of either the pool area or the park. It is also the tower closest to DTD and the parks. I believe all concierge DLH rooms are in this tower.

Bonita: Least requested tower. Furthest from DTD/the parks. Pool View rooms overlook the waterfall and are popular. Some find the noise of the pool area drowned a bit by the sound of the waterfall.

The third tower (whose name escapes me at the moment) houses the lobby and gift shops as well, so you might have a better chance of seeing Goofy here! There's a TV viewing area for kids, though I never saw it during our stay. I think I read it's down past Goofy's Kitchen. This tower is also closest to the laundry facility, which is in the secondary pool area (smaller pool and sand area.)

On our trip last September, I had requested the Bonita Tower for the waterfall view. I thought it sounded pretty and peaceful. But when DH checked in he was told I'd requested Sierra (and he didn't know the difference), so that is what we wound up with. I was annoyed at first, but when we were walking back to the hotel after a long day in the park, I must say I was grateful for the mistake. (It isn't THAT much further, but it sure looks it when you're tired!)

 

[shyboy72]

When i booked my trip i requested pool/park view.. I would love to get DTD view?? any room recommendations..

 

[Alex2kMommy]

When i booked my trip i requested pool/park view.. I would love to get DTD view?? any room recommendations..

shyboy, you can call the hotel directly and request a specific view. (You can get either pool view or park view; you'd be requesting park view and probably the Sierra Tower.)

They will tell you that they cannot guarantee that you will get a particular tower (or perhaps a particular view?), but they will do everything they can to fulfill your request. Obviously you will have a view room since that is what you paid for.

 

[shyboy72]

cool.. thank you..

 

[Amy&Dan]

We have always requested the Sierra Tower because you can't get a bad view. You either get the swimming pool or Downtown Disney without having to pay for an upgraded "view" rate.

That is true, but bear in mind that many of the rooms in the Sierra Tower are upgraded view rooms. So that makes getting a room there on a standard rate not always easy to come by. Its also the most requested view.

Really and truly the only crummy views at the DLH are in the Bonita. Half that tower faces a parking lot. The other half has great views of the fountains, Disneyland, the wedding pavillion (we once stood at our window and watched a very lovely wedding down below which was sort of neat) and the other towers depending on where you are located on that side. That happens to be my favorite tower to be in, IF I get that one side.

Oh, and that third Tower is called the Marina Tower. Its where the lobby/check in area and gift shop are. You can see the pool and park from one side with some nice views of the fireworks. You can also have a view of the parking lot but that also includes the Mickey statue. That parking lot view at the Marina is far better than the parking lot view in the Bonita.

Call the hotel, preferably the day of your check in, after 11:00 a.m. when everyone has checked out. That is when they will have a better idea of whats available for that day. Also, when you check in, the castmembers are usually happy to go over what they have available for you.

The only way to guarantee a good view in the end is to pay for it. But in six stays I have only gotten the Bonita parking lot view once. My first trip, when I didn't know enough to ask for something better that might have been available (pre disboards days obviously)!

 

[LLS]

Thanks for all the great info! As a soon-to-be first-timer, I cannot imagine where I'd be without all the great info I've received from this board.

We've decided on DLH and I think I'll request Sierra Tower and see what we get!

 

[DisneyfeverTN]

We just got back from DL and stayed 3 nights at the DLH. I didn't request a specific tower ahead of time. When I checked in, I asked if we could possibly get a room in the Sierra tower with a daybed. The CM looked in the computer and told me that we had a room in the Sierra tower, with a daybed, and an upgraded DTD view! It was very nice. The room was large and fit 5 people perfectly.

 

[Mom2my2daughters]

We've stayed there 3 times and we always stay in the Marina tower. I like being where the action is. I like to come down from our room and have the little store there to buy some treats before hitting the park. It's also nice to be able to walk through the main floor to Goofy's kitchen and look at all the old pictures on the walls.

Our last trip there I was VERY disappointed as we were staying for 8 days and they put us in the Bonita Tower on the parking lot side, butt up to the elevator. It was so depressing! We couldn't see a thing out the left side of our window as the elevator wall stuck out. I spent our first half of our day there trying to either get a new room, or go to a different hotel. We were shocked, as were the CM's that helped us that they would put someone staying for so long in that room. We had to sleep in the room one night, which meant unpacking our things, and then had to repack to move the next day.

In the Marina Tower, we've always gotten the parking lot side and we get an awesome view of DL and the fireworks!

I always stayed away from the Sierra tower because I had heard it was the noisiest tower of them all with DTD on one side and the pool on the other.

Enjoy your stay there! It really is a fun hotel and the pools are great!

 

[tink too]

Great info - thanks!

 

[slp87]

We got the crummy parking lot view in the Bonita Tower. We were on the same side of the elevator as Mom2my2daughters. If you're on the other side of the elevators, at least you get a partial view of DCA. We were there 9 days so we would have really like a better view. To amuse ourselves, we started looking for hidden Mickeys that the neighborhood trees made.

 

[ariel53098]

What would you say is the quietest tower/room to choose? WE like our sleep. We go to bed early and get up early.
Rachel

 

[Alex2kMommy]

Bonita Tower is the furthest from the park and generally has the fewest guests; therefore (supposedly) the quietest. That is why I chose it as well. DH and I are also early risers, and with two young children, I didn't want a lot of noise keeping them up late or waking them too early in the morning.

However, we were inadvertently checked into a room at the Sierra Tower, and I reluctantly did not correct the error. I thought, being the most popular tower as well as being closest to DTD and the parks, it would be pretty noisy.

However, I was very pleasantly surprised that it was not at all. The rooms must be pretty well sound-proofed, because it was very quiet. (We had a pool view room.)