DLH new pools and tower names.

[disneyfan67]

It's looks like I picked a good time to go to DL and stay at the DLH for my first time.

I'm glad to see this make over take place and Disney invest some major coin into the hotel. I'm just hoping that the Neverland pool is open and not affected during my stay this August (11th through the 14th), but what can you do? Hopefully I'll be able to see the waterfall area and everything else before they tear it out and redo the area.

The retro look of the sign above the pool is a great idea, but I wonder how much all of this will add to the room rates in the future?

 

[skiingfast]

The retro look of the sign above the pool is a great idea, but I wonder how much all of this will add to the room rates in the future?

I love the picture with the old sign and the old styled monorail tube slides. But at the same rate if it looks old it could look a little tacky, or make the new hotel look unmodernized. Unfortunatly it looks to me like one of the ideas that is cut as the project goes on.

I was surprised in the annual report that DLR hotels were running at 69or 68% occupancy for fiscal 09. I think they need to get that up to 80% before they start raising rates. Or change there pricing model so it is high only on the particular bust times and low on the slow times.

 

[princess lovers mom]

well this just helped me make decision on which hotel to stay at over Christmas - I do not want to deal with construction///Grand Californian it is !
thanks

 

[nunzia]

I read that blog also. I think it all sounds FABULOUS!! I may have to stay there..

 

[brergnat]

It seems like they may not shut down the Neverland pool until the new slide/pool area is open. If you look at the timetable, the "water play area" to include the slide and new 4ft deep pool will open Summer 2011. The remodeled Neverland Pool will not open until a YEAR later. It would seem that they will keep the existing Neverland pool operational while they build the new parts, and then close it after the "new pools" are open, thus never having a time with NO pool available.

 

[Heymy]

I suppose I should be happy for change and the details look pretty cool...but I will SO miss the Lost Bar. It's been a part of family vacations for the past 20 years.

 

[darph nader]

Will wait to see photos of the finished project. "Everything" looks good on paper. Also wondering if giving the towers new names will justify a rate increase?

 

[Sherry E]

Did I read correctly (I think DizMe posted it somewhere above) that the koi ponds are gone from the DLH now, along with the Fantasia shop? (Or was it another shop that disappeared?) Oh dear! As much as I like the idea of the retro Tahitian Terrace-ish restaurant, part of the magic of the DLH is the koi fish! I hope they only removed the koi temporarily but plan to put them back in! They fit in with the tropical theme/feel.

And the Fantasia shop was the best one out of all the gift shops in the 3 hotels. I am surprised if that's leaving.

Now....if only they could find a way to sneak the wonderful Monorail Cafe (true gem) back into the DLH - or stick it in PPH where Yamabuki used to be....

In fact, when in the heck are they going to put something in the old Yamabuki space? That is just begging for a new restaurant, and DLR needs more dining choices!

 

[cutedisneygirly]

This was posted on the blog by the author earlier this afternoon:

"As we reconfigured the pool area, we had to make a few changes and needed to remove the koi pond and waterfalls. We lost some grass area as a result of our fun additions, and we realized that guests still needed this grass area for events. This decision is also more environmentally-friendly because the koi pond and waterfall area required a lot of water and electricity."

As well as this:

"There will be a pool available to guests at all times during the renovation."

 

[Sherry E]

Well...hmmm...I am not sure how I feel about the removal of the waterfalls and koi ponds, since it sounds like they are gone for good, from the way Heather on the blog explained it. I can't imagine a DLH without waterfalls and koi! Those were two of the main things I loved about it - they were what made the DLH lush and tropical-ish.

I understand DLR has to keep changing periodically to progress and evolve with the times, but the last time DLH did a major overhaul (in the late '90s), they hacked off a whole bunch of things that I loved about the DLH, and now they are hacking off even more things. I am sure I will enjoy the Tahitian place, though.

I just wish they could do more with the tiny space they have for the PPH, and develop it just a wee bit more - stick a fountain in there somewhere, or an aquarium or something - to keep the beach/sun/ocean theme going. They don't have much room to expand, but they could do a little more, I think.

 

[DizMe]

Did I read correctly (I think DizMe posted it somewhere above) that the koi ponds are gone from the DLH now, along with the Fantasia shop? (Or was it another shop that disappeared?) Oh dear! As much as I like the idea of the retro Tahitian Terrace-ish restaurant, part of the magic of the DLH is the koi fish! I hope they only removed the koi temporarily but plan to put them back in! They fit in with the tropical theme/feel.

And the Fantasia shop was the best one out of all the gift shops in the 3 hotels. I am surprised if that's leaving.

Now....if only they could find a way to sneak the wonderful Monorail Cafe (true gem) back into the DLH - or stick it in PPH where Yamabuki used to be....

In fact, when in the heck are they going to put something in the old Yamabuki space? That is just begging for a new restaurant, and DLR needs more dining choices!

Well...hmmm...I am not sure how I feel about the removal of the waterfalls and koi ponds, since it sounds like they are gone for good, from the way Heather on the blog explained it. I can't imagine a DLH without waterfalls and koi! Those were two of the main things I loved about it - they were what made the DLH lush and tropical-ish.

I understand DLR has to keep changing periodically to progress and evolve with the times, but the last time DLH did a major overhaul (in the late '90s), they hacked off a whole bunch of things that I loved about the DLH, and now they are hacking off even more things. I am sure I will enjoy the Tahitian place, though.

I just wish they could do more with the tiny space they have for the PPH, and develop it just a wee bit more - stick a fountain in there somewhere, or an aquarium or something - to keep the beach/sun/ocean theme going. They don't have much room to expand, but they could do a little more, I think.

Agree with your posts!! I bolded the part about Monorail Cafe--since they're retheming the pool to resemble the old monorail station, why not include the monorail cafe since Crocs (I think?) and the Lost Bar will be, well, lost? I LOVED the old 2-level shopping zone, the little stores, and the two-story cabana rooms with the Japanese gardens. I miss the old bakery/coffee shop and I loved Monorail Cafe!! I even liked the Neon Cactus , but that was back when I could shake my groove thing . Anyway, I think they hacked too much off of DLH to turn into DTD and I wish they would get some of it back. Maybe they could add some of the adjacent property to PPH to bring it up to par with a resort hotel in terms of grounds.

I hope they fix the old "harbor" area. It just looks dumb to me since I remember when the big round building that used to be an Italian restaurant (is it a conference center now?) sat at the edge of the water, overlooking the paddle boats. Hook's Pointe was built to look as if it were on piers above the water as well. It just doesn't look right sitting above grass and concrete, even with the cool Neverland pool within sight. A new Tahitian Terrace-styled place would be awesome, and I hope they include a little show like they used to have in DL!

 

[PHXscuba]

I too am sad about the koi fish going away. I remember strolling the ground as a teen with a date (who took me to a long-forgotten restaurant at the hotel) and seeing the koi.

When we stayed at the DLH last October, my kids and I got to feed the koi fish the last morning there. Putting your hand in the water with the food gave us hundreds of fishy kisses! It was a unique way to end our stay and made the magic last just a little longer.

I agree that if they are going more "tropical vibe" the koi would fit right in. One of the only good things about staying way back in the Wonder Tower was the waterfalls and the koi pond right outside. They should make that the Adventure Tower and keep the waterfalls and koi.

PHXscuba

 

[spacemermaid]

I didn't catch that they were getting rid of the koi pond and those fabulous waterfalls the first time I read this. That is/was the best (remaining...I remember the Disneyland Hotel from the early 80s on) part of DLH to me. The more I read about the whole refurb (except for the refurb of the rooms...those look really good so far, and the Tahitian restaurant ), the more I feel like they're pulling another "Tomorrowland '98" on everyone.

 

[Sherry E]

Agree with your posts!! I bolded the part about Monorail Cafe--since they're retheming the pool to resemble the old monorail station, why not include the monorail cafe since Crocs (I think?) and the Lost Bar will be, well, lost? I LOVED the old 2-level shopping zone, the little stores, and the two-story cabana rooms with the Japanese gardens. I miss the old bakery/coffee shop and I loved Monorail Cafe!! I even liked the Neon Cactus , but that was back when I could shake my groove thing . Anyway, I think they hacked too much off of DLH to turn into DTD and I wish they would get some of it back. Maybe they could add some of the adjacent property to PPH to bring it up to par with a resort hotel in terms of grounds.

I hope they fix the old "harbor" area. It just looks dumb to me since I remember when the big round building that used to be an Italian restaurant (is it a conference center now?) sat at the edge of the water, overlooking the paddle boats. Hook's Pointe was built to look as if it were on piers above the water as well. It just doesn't look right sitting above grass and concrete, even with the cool Neverland pool within sight. A new Tahitian Terrace-styled place would be awesome, and I hope they include a little show like they used to have in DL!

I too am sad about the koi fish going away. I remember strolling the ground as a teen with a date (who took me to a long-forgotten restaurant at the hotel) and seeing the koi.

When we stayed at the DLH last October, my kids and I got to feed the koi fish the last morning there. Putting your hand in the water with the food gave us hundreds of fishy kisses! It was a unique way to end our stay and made the magic last just a little longer.

I agree that if they are going more "tropical vibe" the koi would fit right in. One of the only good things about staying way back in the Wonder Tower was the waterfalls and the koi pond right outside. They should make that the Adventure Tower and keep the waterfalls and koi.

PHXscuba

I didn't catch that they were getting rid of the koi pond and those fabulous waterfalls the first time I read this. That is/was the best (remaining...I remember the Disneyland Hotel from the early 80s on) part of DLH to me. The more I read about the whole refurb (except for the refurb of the rooms...those look really good so far, and the Tahitian restaurant ), the more I feel like they're pulling another "Tomorrowland '98" on everyone.

I agree with DizMe, Spacemermaid and PHXscuba on all their points! I was wondering where my other DLH-fan peeps were! Yay! Yesterday I wondered why I was the only one who seemed to be troubled by the removal of the waterfalls and koi ponds, which were a major part of the 'theme,' the layout and the history of the DLH for ages!! I knew you guys were out there somewhere!

The overhaul they did in the late '90s to the DLH was so major - so major, in fact, that, as much as I used to eat at Goofy's Kitchen in its old location, I cannot even tell that the AMC Theaters now sit where Goofy's used to be! It totally seems like a different spot to me, but Neil at Disneyland Dining shared that bit of trivia with me about AMC residing in what used to be the old Goofy's spot!! But with that major overhaul in the late '90s, they removed so many cool things.

I don't think a lot of people who are new to DLR or new to the DLH realize that the DLH used to be much bigger and much more resort-like than it is now. There were lots more shops/stores all over. There were more restaurants (both table service and counter service). There was a great little gem of a restaurant (kind of a coffee shop/diner-type vibe) called Monorail Cafe! There were pedal boats!! There were nightclubs (DizMe, the roundish building was called the Pavilion Lounge and part of it was, at one time, kind of a bar/dance club area!). Even though I love the DLH in all its Disney-ness, it is almost a shadow of its former self...but they at least managed to keep the koi ponds and the waterfalls through the last huge transformation, and those were an integral part of what made the DLH special. Getting rid of them (unless they find a way to maintain even a tiny waterfall or a tiny koi pond) is taking away another major part of the uniqueness and magic of the DLH.

 

[DizMe]

You know, as long as they're going to go to all that trouble and money for a retro theme, they ought to put in something like the old People Mover to carry hotel guests over to the monorail station . It could be raised up in the air so it could go over the little service road between DTD and DLH and connect directly with the upstairs area of the monorail station. In fact, they could make it for DLR hotel guests only and eventually connect PPH and GCH

Yeah, it won't happen. It'd be nice, though.

 

[skiingfast]

You know, as long as they're going to go to all that trouble and money for a retro theme, they ought to put in something like the old People Mover to carry hotel guests over to the monorail station . It could be raised up in the air so it could go over the little service road between DTD and DLH and connect directly with the upstairs area of the monorail station. In fact, they could make it for DLR hotel guests only and eventually connect PPH and GCH

Yeah, it won't happen. It'd be nice, though.

Maybe when they get the one(moving sidwalk) up at the next to be built parking garare they will think of one from PPH to DLH to the station.

 

[heatherleigh]

I hope their pool is closed while we are there this fall so we can use the one at PPH!! This is excellent news. My family loves the PPH water slide, so much that I almost changed hotels. This would take a lot of pressure off if we could just walk over and use the other slide instead. I sure hope the new slides they are building will take after the one at the PPH that ALL guests can enjoy.

 

[soaringirl]

I booked the DLH for September for my family's first trip, but know I'm wondering if we should upgrade to the GCH or definetely downgrade to the Candy Cane, since one of the reasons I wanted to stay in the DLH is the Neverland Pool.. and since we have a standard view, we might end in the older rooms and with construction all over... so confused!!
What would you Disney vets recommend me??? stick with the DLH? The GCH was our first bet but it will tighten our budget and I'm not sure if I want to do that.. and Candy Cane seems so.. non-magical after looking at DLH pics!!

 

[Judy from Boise]

some old DLH goodness

although I have to admit I am very excited about the changes

 

[Sherry E]

You read my mind, Judy! I was thinking about posting photos of the things we are about to say goodbye to at the DLH as well!!

I had forgotten all about that little helicopter doodad thingy! That was an odd contraption. But I loved the pedal boats!