Help with DLC Hotel

[melissac]

Couple of questions to help me decide what hotel. Do any hotels have views of evening fireworks? (I guess I don't even know if they have evening fireworks because I'm new to DLC). Any of the three hotels have balconies? Which has the best pool for kids 7 & 12 they love slides and stuff. Are there any benifits staying onsite like at WDW? I know that a lot of good neighbor hotels are in walking distance too? Thanks for the help.

 

[CrazyDuck]

you can only see the fireworks from the grand Californian hotel with a downtown Disney view. You can't see em from any of the other hotels because of the big wall around the park.

 

[Queenbillabong]

There are benefits to staying on-site - magic mornings, etc. You can also see the fireworks from the hotels across from DL -

CrazyDuck - being silly

The Disneyland Hotel has the most Disney theming and a cool pool for kids. The Paradise Pier has a cool slide (smaller pool though).

 

[blue donkey]

I saw some fireworks from my hotel room at the disneyland hotel (dlh) last christmas season. I had a room on the 3rd/4th floor in the dreams tower facing dtd. I'm sure that I only saw the fireworks that were up high but it was still nice to watch comfy cozy in my pj's with the fireworks music playing on tv.

I believe that the view from the upper floors of that tower are supposed to be a whole lot better. My view was partially blocked with a palm tree trunk. But hey, I was only paying for a standard room, so I was glad to see any fireworks from my room.

My room did not have a real balcony you could sit out on but you could open your sliding glass door & sort of lean out.

The best pool area for slides, IMO, seems to be the dlh peter pan pool. It is a themed pool area versus gch, which has great lounge chairs, & PP that are just pools with slides. I'm sure other posters will be able to tell you in more detail about the slides or may have photos.

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

Only Grand Californian has true balconies. At the DLH, you open your sliding door and have a balcony rail that gives you an opportunity to have the fresh air.

You can also see the fireworks from a DLH Sierra Tower park view and the park view end suites of the Wonder Tower. The best way to see them from a GCH DTD hotel view is to request a room on the 4th floor some folks also add to that near/above World of Disney.

Other ways to see them at any of the 3 hotels is to have a concierge room and then go to the concierge lounge. All 3 hotels have the fireworks music piped into their lounges. You can actually hear the lounge music from the PP area in the park view end rooms of the Wonder Tower at DLH. If you are up high enough, you can open your drapes, open your sliding door and watch the fireworks with music. It's really nice. (Pete and the guys on the podcast recommend the DLH concierge over the GCH. Says the food is way better.)

DLH has the best pool slide, but also the most crowded. Both DLH and GCH have a separate quiet pool. GCH has a separate kiddie wading pool.

The Grand Californian is the most expensive and has it's own entrance into DCA (good for riding the Rapids and coming back for a change of clothes right away) - just depends what you want.

 

[dalepool]

I have seen the fireworks from concierge room DLH. They pipe music in and serve cookies and milk-- so fun for the kids. We could also see from our room but the lounge was more fun. I have also stayed at the PP . You can see the fireworks from the pool deck. We happened to have a room that had a private patio on the same floor as pool so we would just walk out the slider and be at pool to swim or to watch fireworks. This was not a concierge room. Hope that helps.

Patty

 

[lulubelle]

You can see the fireworks really well from the pool deck at PP as well - it's on the third floor, I believe. It is all the way to the end of the area, past the bar area. They pipe the music in, lots of people watch from there. I liked watching from there better than at DLH.

 

[dairyou]

This is the first time we've been to DL California. We have two teenage boys who want to take off on their own. At WDW they can take the WDW busses. Can you tell me which hotel has this option? We are using our DVC points and only staying for 2 days. Any advice on anything DL would be great!

Deb

 

[CrazyDuck]

They can walk to the parks from any of the 3 disney properties... No buses required!

 

[8gr8mouseketeers]

This is the first time we've been to DL California. We have two teenage boys who want to take off on their own. At WDW they can take the WDW busses. Can you tell me which hotel has this option? We are using our DVC points and only staying for 2 days. Any advice on anything DL would be great!

Deb

I also have teen boys. However they won't need buses to go off on their own. They can do that on their own 2 feet.

Have a great trip!

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

This is the first time we've been to DL California. We have two teenage boys who want to take off on their own. At WDW they can take the WDW busses. Can you tell me which hotel has this option? We are using our DVC points and only staying for 2 days. Any advice on anything DL would be great!

Deb

As a fellow DVCer, I can say - do the DLH (DLH and PP are pretty much the same point value - I think it's off by 2 points). The GCH is about 10 points more per night.

None of the hotels have buses, but with the GCH, and DLH - those hotels are right on the DTD path. PP - you have to go down the street a little. Not at all bad, but for convenience, do the DLH for 2 points more.

 

[dairyou]

I guess you can tell how illiterate I am as far as DL standards. I think it's been 13 years since we went there previously. I remember the monorail used to go to the Disneyland Hotel so I thought it was pretty far. My memory is fading...lol

Thanks All!

Deb

 

[dairyou]

As a fellow DVCer, I can say - do the DLH (DLH and PP are pretty much the same point value - I think it's off by 2 points). The GCH is about 10 points more per night.

None of the hotels have buses, but with the GCH, and DLH - those hotels are right on the DTD path. PP - you have to go down the street a little. Not at all bad, but for convenience, do the DLH for 2 points more.

So as far as room size they are the same? I think it'll be hard on DH to be in a unit smaller than an OKW 2 bedroom unit. Any suggestions?

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

So as far as room size they are the same? I think it'll be hard on DH to be in a unit smaller than an OKW 2 bedroom unit. Any suggestions?

The bedrooms in each hotel are about the same - compare them to a studio at any DVC with a rectangular room configuration. We just stayed at the GCH again on points two weekends ago, so I can definitely say that. We have done DLH for the last 2 or 3 stays, so I can compare.

Now one of the things you can do at the DLH is burn a few more points and get a King Suite with a sofa bed for the boys. Gives you more of the space of a SSR or BWV 1 BR, but fewer points than the GCH. Way fewer points. Alternately, you can get a bit more room than a studio by asking for a configuration with 2 queens and a day bed.

The monorail was useful back in the day when the DLH property line went that far and you used it or the tram to keep from walking across the street and through the parking lot. Those days are gone.... Now you can shop or eat all the way home!

 

[dairyou]

The bedrooms in each hotel are about the same - compare them to a studio at any DVC with a rectangular room configuration. We just stayed at the GCH again on points two weekends ago, so I can definitely say that. We have done DLH for the last 2 or 3 stays, so I can compare.

Now one of the things you can do at the DLH is burn a few more points and get a King Suite with a sofa bed for the boys. Gives you more of the space of a SSR or BWV 1 BR, but fewer points than the GCH. Way fewer points. Alternately, you can get a bit more room than a studio by asking for a configuration with 2 queens and a day bed.

The monorail was useful back in the day when the DLH property line went that far and you used it or the tram to keep from walking across the street and through the parking lot. Those days are gone.... Now you can shop or eat all the way home!

Thanks! You gave me all the info I need to book our extra 2 nights tomorrow! We're so used to cruising and WDW on the east coast side. It will be very exciting for us to only reach our destination in 1 1/2 hours verses 8

Deb

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

Not a problem! Glad I could help a fellow DVCer!
Ironically, I'm actually flying north to your town this weekend! 1.5 hours! How funny!

 

[toocherie]

Only Grand Californian has true balconies. At the DLH, you open your sliding door and have a balcony rail that gives you an opportunity to have the fresh air.

You can also see the fireworks from a DLH Sierra Tower park view and the park view end suites of the Wonder Tower. The best way to see them from a GCH DTD hotel view is to request a room on the 4th floor some folks also add to that near/above World of Disney.

Other ways to see them at any of the 3 hotels is to have a concierge room and then go to the concierge lounge. All 3 hotels have the fireworks music piped into their lounges. You can actually hear the lounge music from the PP area in the park view end rooms of the Wonder Tower at DLH. If you are up high enough, you can open your drapes, open your sliding door and watch the fireworks with music. It's really nice. (Pete and the guys on the podcast recommend the DLH concierge over the GCH. Says the food is way better.)

DLH has the best pool slide, but also the most crowded. Both DLH and GCH have a separate quiet pool. GCH has a separate kiddie wading pool.

The Grand Californian is the most expensive and has it's own entrance into DCA (good for riding the Rapids and coming back for a change of clothes right away) - just depends what you want.

and even if you don't do concierge at PP there is a place by the pool where they pipe in the music and any guest can go and see most of the higher fireworks.

 

[dairyou]

Not a problem! Glad I could help a fellow DVCer!
Ironically, I'm actually flying north to your town this weekend! 1.5 hours! How funny!

Actually I'd rather go down to your area than our area...lol It's pretty boring here. At least in Sacramento. Where are you traveling to? I hope it is fun for you and not business

Deb

 

[YellowMickeyPonchos]

Actually I'd rather go down to your area than our area...lol It's pretty boring here. At least in Sacramento. Where are you traveling to? I hope it is fun for you and not business

Deb

Going to a friend's house, there in Sacramento, to sew detailing on my bridesmaid's dress for her Victorian themed wedding. I've only got 1.5 days, so we have to make it count. Fun, but work!

I like Sacramento - you have some good food there!

 

[dairyou]

Going to a friend's house, there in Sacramento, to sew detailing on my bridesmaid's dress for her Victorian themed wedding. I've only got 1.5 days, so we have to make it count. Fun, but work!

I like Sacramento - you have some good food there!

Yeah... but you have beaches and good weather year round there

The weather here has been perfect. You could wear shorts and sweatshirt during the day. Last week it was 100.

Hope you have a good time here!

Deb