how far is DLH really?

[maryrm]

hi all,

we are staying at the DLH. We have been told that the walk ranges from 5 - 15 minutes. how far is it really? we were thinking of switching to GCH b/c it is closer but think we will enjoy DLH more (esp new monorail pool slides). The rep at disney said she didn't think it was worth the switch just to be "closer."

mary

 

[dlander]

I would say closer to 10 minutes. 15 if you walk really slow. The renovated rooms at DLH are so nice! I wouldn't switch. While GCH is a beautiful hotel, I always feel the Disney Magic at DLH

 

[DisneyMomma81]

I've stayed at both and prefer the DLH - a room at the GCH can be quite a hike to get out of the hotel itself. The DLH is an easy walk the DTD.

 

[skiingfast]

The DLH is between 50% and 200% further than the GCH. It depends where in each hotel your room would be, but DLH is always further.

I wouldn't make that the deciding factor alone but just 1 point to consider. Things like the new DLH rooms and Monorail slides can be a bigger priority for some people. Some like the lodge feel and relaxed ambiance of the GCH.

 

[HydroGuy]

hi all,

we are staying at the DLH. We have been told that the walk ranges from 5 - 15 minutes. how far is it really? we were thinking of switching to GCH b/c it is closer but think we will enjoy DLH more (esp new monorail pool slides). The rep at disney said she didn't think it was worth the switch just to be "closer."

mary

See "How Far Is It?" (shows actual distances in feet from hotels to DLR entrance plaza) www.mouseplanet.com/articles.php?art=mm060329as

With three different towers, the Disneyland Hotel is a different beast on the room placement issues. A room in the back of the Bonita Tower will add about 800 feet over the closest room in the Marina Tower. The actual distances using the path through Downtown Disney range from 2,413 feet (link) to 3,158 feet (link).

 

[SpaceMania]

It really doesnt seem like a long walk, because you are walking thru downtown disney. maybe 10 minutes? I don't see how it would take 15 minutes unless you are walking at a snail pace..

 

[maryrm]

thanks guys...we will have our 9 & 4 yo with us so maybe that snails pace would apply i really didn't want to move - we are excited to be at DLH but i was curious about the distance...thanks so much for the info.

mary

 

[ktlm]

I don't know if you have ever been to WDW, but if you have then the answer is "not far". You can walk farther from your resort room to the bus stop at some of the WDW hotels, than you do from DLH to DL (or at least it sure feels that way). The walk through Downtown Disney to get from DLH to DL is nice too. If DLH appeals to you more, I wouldn't switch. You can also catch the monorail which goes back and forth from Tomorrowland to close to DLH. Although as we were standing in line for the monorail in Tommorowland the one time took it back to the hotel, I got really tired of hearing DH complain "If we had walked we would have been there by now" You wouldn't want to do that your first time to enter the park on your trip either, since it doesn't take you to main entrance so you wouldn't get the "entering on Main Street" experience. It is great if the first thing you want to do on a morning is ride Nemo though, since it lets you off right by the ride entrance!

 

[PHXscuba]

We stayed in one of the rooms in the farthest tower of the DLH a couple years ago when our youngest was 4.5. I don't think the walk was that bad unless you'll get sidetracked walking through Downtown Disney every time.

It will be farther from your room in the DLH to the front gate than from GCH, but the walk is pretty interesting. You can watch them make candy at Marceline's, hear a band in the evenings, look at the decorated windows of World of Disney.

PHXscuba

 

[*NikkiBell*]

You are right in the middle of the action. I'd say the walk is five minutes, if that. You can't go wrong with PP, DLH, or GC because of how close they are.

 

[Dobie]

The Dobies stayed at DLH last summer after several trips to GCH.

We didn't think it was that much further. Another advantage was that we experienced the "other side" of DTD, which we had basically ignored before.

 

[maryrm]

ktml,

yes, i have been to WDW so i know EXACTLY what you mean

thank you all so much.

mary

 

[LisainCalifornia]

It is like 3 extra minutes of walking. I think people like to say how "far" it is to justify staying on Harbor across the street as being "better". Staying on Harbor is cheaper, but walking thru downtown disney (which is a carless, lovely walkway) is much more pleasant.

We have stayed at the Disneyland Hotel 1-2 times a year for the last 10 years, and typically pick it over the Grand Californian due to the larger rooms. We have 3 kids, and the DL Hotel accomodates that much more comfortably than the GC.

The only reason I would avoid the DL Hotel right now is construction of the pool area, but that is a different concern all together.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

You do plan to bring a stroller for your 4 year old right?

 

[maryrm]

i wouldn't even dream of this trip w/o the stroller!!!!!! i even had fantasies of putting my 9 yo in a stroller so we wouldn't have to hear her complain about the walking!

 

[DeluxePrincess]

We visited the resort while staying at GCH. I'd say it's probably about a 15 minute SLOW walk to the entrance of the parks. Probably slower coming back from the parks, than to the parks . My kids are walkers (both hated strollers), but they walk at a snail's pace.

 

[DahliaRW]

I did not feel it was too far at all. I think it took us about 10 minutes, and that was with 3 kids and my MIL who has a bad hip. We also took the monorail sometimes (especially back from the park).

 

[HappyHaunt]

It's not that bad of a walk at all, and I always enjoy walking through DTD. MUCH better then walking down Harbor (especially if your walking down to like HoJo and have a longer walk just looking at the street). And you can always take the Monorail when drops you really close to it. I'd say it's about a 10 minute walk, only longer when we end up shopping, listening to music or getting something good to eat!

 

[mad hatter fan]

i wouldn't even dream of this trip w/o the stroller!!!!!! i even had fantasies of putting my 9 yo in a stroller so we wouldn't have to hear her complain about the walking!

LOL, this reminds me of our trip when DS was 6 and DD was 9. DD complained about the walking and of sore legs so much that she rode in the stroller way more than DS did! Fortunately the tray snaps off the front because her legs wouldn't fit under it! We since have realized that problem was very tight leg muscles. Trips since then she's been fine as long as we work on stretching before the trip. But that big girl swished into a little stroller looked pretty funny!

 

[DizMe]

My family usually prefers DLH over GCH. The walk does not seem farther to us most of the time as we have gotten the closest tower to DTD at DLH but GCH rooms in the back 40 . Those require long walks through a rat maze before you hit DTD . With DLH, as others have said, you also have the option of the monorail.

All of our kids got to start going to DL at age 4, and we have never had a stroller for them so to me, the walk is no big deal. Our kids have always been very active, though, and I know not all families are walkers like we are. I also have to admit that there were a few times when dh and I wound up carrying a nearly comatose kid part way through DTD on our way back to the hotel at night

My kids all prefer DLH *except* that once they got to stay GCH concierge and that would be their #1 choice.