DLH room key and Monorail

[Disneyanajc]

DLH guests had special monorail access MANY years ago, back when the monorail actually stopped inside DLH (now I'm dating myself)...that was before I could ever swing staying at DLH (and when it was the only Disney hotel, and oh how I remember feeling so jealous of the people getting to be whisked away to their rooms!!

The Disneyland monorail never stopped INSIDE of the DLH (the monorail does stop inside the WDW Contemporary). The Disneyland Hotel stop is in the same place it has been since I started going to Disneyland. It was remodeled when they built DCA and DTD. My first of 60+ stays at the DLH started in August of 1970 and it is the only hotel I have stayed at in 43 years of Disneyland visits*. I have visited WDW Contemporary over 8 times. (And now I have dated myself)

*two spur of the moments trip resulted in stays at the GCH and PPH (liked them but LOVE DLH

Back OT: at one time you could use your room key at the TomorrowLand station, and not wait in line but, sadly Disney stopped it. (Was a great perk)

 

[Mary09]

So interesting! It sounds like we aren't the only ones who thought the stop moved.
This is from this site:
http://www.yesterland.com/dlhotel-tram.html

Until June 1961, the only ways to go between the Disneyland Hotel and Disneyland Park were to take the tram, or to walk across the parking lot, or to drive your own car, or—if you were a VIP—to be driven in one of the hotel’s VIP station wagons. Then the Disneyland Alweg Monorail arrived. The monorail station was adjacent to the lobby. Tram service was still available, but the cool way to go to Disneyland was to take the monorail. Although all other guests entered Disneyland at Main Street Station, Disneyland Hotel guests who arrived by monorail train entered the park in the back corner of Tomorrowland. And that’s still how it is today.

Only today the monorail station is no longer in the Disneyland Hotel. It’s in the Downtown Disney shopping, dining, and entertainment complex. And it doesn’t look at all like the original Disneyland Hotel Monorail Station. Guests have wondered why the station was moved to a less convenient location. In reality, the station didn’t move. The hotel “shrunk” when the original sections were demolished, leaving the station a surprising distance from the nearest Disneyland Hotel building. The old lobby and Monorail Lounge are gone; a Rainforest Cafe is now in that location.

 

[rgnok]

The Disneyland monorail never stopped INSIDE of the DLH (the monorail does stop inside the WDW Contemporary). The Disneyland Hotel stop is in the same place it has been since I started going to Disneyland.

Lol...yes, I should have been more clear -- I knew the station was never physically moved, just the footprint of the DLH that changed. As for being "inside" the hotel, again, never like it is at the Contemporary, but none the less, with the hotel right there and that monorail stop "at" the hotel, I just always considered that stop "in" the hotel, sort of like I would consider the pool to be "in" the hotel...no, not actually INSIDE the building, but withIN the hotel property!

Honestly though, I like the way it is now more -- but give me Disney over most other things any day, so its hard for me not to like it either way!!

 

[Malcon10t]

Lol...yes, I should have been more clear -- I knew the station was never physically moved, just the footprint of the DLH that changed.

I like my way of referring to it. It used to stop at the Disneyland Hotel, until they moved the hotel....

I loved the Monorail Cafe... <whine> OK, over it.

 

[kylie71]

I LOVED the Monorail Cafe too! Also the gift shop across the way...
That was the DLH of my childhood!
Bring back the Monorail Cafe!!!

 

[starshine514]

Good question - can someone confirm that the monorail can be used for early entry?? I thought I recall seeing somewhere (a long time ago) that it wasn't a park entry option during EME.

ETA What a completely UN-spectacular post for 1,000.

Last Wednesday I was at that end of DTD at about 9:50 (10 minutes before regular park opening). They were letting only the hotel guests on then, but let the rest of us form a line and then let us in a few minutes before 10, so we could catch the next train. We were in Tomorrowland by 10:05.

So, I know it was running for EMH.

 

[DizMe]

Well actually, I loved the old DLH!!! There was so much more of it at one time. I like the new DLH, but the old one was fabulous.

Anyway, up until not THAT long ago, hotel resort guests could access a special line from Tomorrowland station to the DTD station. Sadly, as others have said, that is no longer the case, but it wasn't in ancient times that that was true.

 

[Jenn1116]

Thanks!!