Hotel perk questions

[gelatoni fan]

I'm helping my mom compare hotel options and I was wondering a few things.

1. Are the Grand Californian and monorail entrances open for Extra Magic Hour?
2. Is the in-park scavenger hunt/trivia challenge (not the Grand Quest @ Grand Californian) only available to hotel guests or available to everyone?
3. Can you go to the pool parties and Paradise Pier fireworks viewing if you are a guest at the other 2 DLR hotels?
4. Do you have access to the fun activities such as the drawing class and the pools on the day of check-in before the check-in time?
5. Are there any freebies such as buttons that are available to hotel guests?
6. Are there any character greetings or in-park exclusive things available only to hotel guests?
7. Any benefits of staying on club floor other than nicer room, lounge access + fireworks?

 

[Tinkerbell19672]

I can help with a few.

1. GC entrance is, not sure about monorail
4. Don’t know about activities but can use the pool on check in and check out days
5. Yes, can get buttons at front hotel desk
6. We stayed at GC recently and during pool games for kids, Pluto showed up and played with them. Also, DLH often has characters hanging out in the lobby or outside.

 

[tasha99]

Do not use the GC entrance early in the day. It's a lovely convenience in the afternoon, but you will lose precious time in the morning.

 

[gottalovepluto]

1. Yes. DO NOT USE EITHER. GCH will take forever to get through (it’s perfect to use a few hours after park opening though). Monorail will be running if they can get it working. Total crapshoot, I’ve lost part of my EMH a couple times waiting for the monorail due to delays getting it open.

2. Never heard of this.

3. You cannot pool hop at DLR. GCH & DLH don’t have pool parties as far as I know. Officially only PPH guests can view the fireworks like that but we had a report of someone who wasn’t a DLR guest at all asking the front desk and being allowed up a couple weeks ago for fireworks viewing.

4. What drawing class? Tbh I’m getting concerned, where are you getting your info? You can start using hotel facilities as soon as you check in, even if you don’t have a room. I believe you can check in as early as 6am.

5. Exclusively to hotel guests? Nothing besides EMH. Extra Magic Hour is one hour for hotel guests to enjoy the parks prior to park opening, offered every day and switches between the parks.

6. No. Sometimes characters are running around the DLH lobby/entry but on my last trip I saw very few.

7. Ummm. Bad info again. Rooms are EXACTLY the same. Maybe an extra toiletry (foot lotion). Fireworks viewing depends where you are. You can see fireworks from GCH but only the top half of the show. Remember if it’s not prime summer or Christmas season fireworks only run Fri-Sun. CL also includes conceirge team to assist with questions, check-in, reservations, problems during your stay. I found them basically useless my last trip at GCH & they had a snobby attitude on top of that. Some say DLH team is better and doesn’t have the attitude so I’m trying DLH CL next trip.

An actual perk available to hotel guests that you are missing is preferred access to dining reservations. If you can’t find what you want available online and you are more than 48 hours prior to dining you can call Disney dining and ask for availability under the hotel guest preferred access program. Have your reservation number handy. I’ve had success about 50% of the time with that program.

 

[StormyCA]

1 yes to DCA, sometimes to monorail. It’s supposed to be but often runs late or not at all

3 as a rule you can only use the pool at your own hotel. I believe you can rent a cabana at another hotel in order to use their pool but am not sure. If your hotel’s pool is under refurbishment you can use another pool. Pools are gated and you have to have a card key to enter the area. Not sure about PP fireworks viewing as I don’t know where that is. I know that only GCH guests can access the viewing area at the Grand. I’d assume it’s the same at PP. If you mean the kiddie pool party, they did have one at the Grand when we were there in summer a few years ago but it’s not much, just a few pool deck activities and some music. And again you have to be a guest to access the pool so it’s guests only.

5 Another perk of onsite is package delivery. It’s about my favourite perk after EMH. Buy something and they ship it to bell services to be picked up at your convenience.

 

[Malcon10t]

1. Yes, but they are not a good use of time. I always use the front gate.
2. Never heard of this.
3. No, no pool hopping.
4. You can check in and get keys as early as 6am. Use of the keys will get you into the pools. Drawing class?? Only one is in DCA in the Animation Academy. It is not limited to hotel guests.
5. Buttons (Happy Birthday, anniversary, celebrating) are available to everyone. You can get them in the park are the hotel front desk. You can also charge your purchases/dining to the room and you can have the purchases sent back to the room. You get EMH to one of the 2 parks each day of your stay, including check in and check out.
6. No, but the DLH does have characters roaming during the day.
7. "Nicer room"? Room will be the same. The difference is the perks, the lounge access which has a fireworks view. You have the lounge, DVDs, newspapers, food, drinks, concierge can help you make reservations for meals. I love the staff at the DLH Club level. I haven't had an issue with Club level at the Grand, but I haven't felt as welcomed as I do at the DLH.

 

[Malcon10t]

The difference is the perks, the lounge access which has a fireworks view. You have the lounge, DVDs, newspapers, food, drinks, concierge can help you make reservations for meals. I love the staff at the DLH Club level. I haven't had an issue with Club level at the Grand, but I haven't felt as welcomed as I do at the DLH.

To clarify, DLH and GCH Clubs both have views of the fireworks. They are both open 630am-10p. The PPH club doesn't have a view, and is open 630a-8p. They do have a fireworks view on the pool deck. While I have been told it is supposed to be limited to hotel guests, they have been letting everyone in, and there are reported to be 100+ people there watching.

 

[l4dyj8]

4: not sure about drawing classes but GCH used to have the Pinocchio center for an extra few. I could be wrong but this may have gone away during the renovations

6: characters aren’t exclusive to hotel guests. But characters do roam the lobby. unsure of timing. But many of the characters are leaving Surfs Up at PPH and they stay in the lobby to meet and greet guests. It was a nice surprise and more time and interaction than the park.

When you check in, they will give you a printout and pamphlet of current activities. This changes monthly. Sometimes they forget to give it or it’s not in your room. The concierge is the best place to inquire. Some activities are only at certain resort hotels but open to all on site guests

 

[BriannaRuth]

Pinocchio's Workshop at the GCH closed a few years ago.

If you are a guest at the GCH, you can rent a cabana at the DLH for sure. I've personally done this. Guests at the PPH cannot (that's the official line ... I've read of people who have been able to do it, but I think that may have been while the PPH pool was under renovation).

In addition to what everyone else has said about the monorail, keep in mind that since it is an attraction, it doesn't start running until park opening so the line doesn't even move until then. And there's always a fat line at opening. Guests who arrive early at the gates will definitely be in the parks before guests who arrive via monorail. If you're not on the first train, or if it doesn't start on time, you will miss a big part of that first hour. Don't do it!

Package delivery is one of my favorite perks about staying onsite! So nice to just have your in-park purchases sent to your room instead of having to collect them later or lug them around all day. Just keep in mind that you can't use this the last day of your stay since your packages might not be delivered in time.