How far is the walk from DLH really? (WDW vet)

[Mysteryincorp]

the last time we stayed there our room was in the hallway "above" Napa Rose. It was easy access to DTD entrance for the Mornings (when you don't want to go thru the hotel entrance to DCA) and to the hotel entrance to the parks for the afternoon return trips.
The first time we stayed waaaaaay on the other side of the hotel and it seemed like it took forever to get toDTD and the park entrance!

 

[Jerryp49]

Avoid taking a GCH room overlooking DTD. The noise goes on until 10pm. If you get a room you don`t care for, request a change. We once got a room near DTD and the drum beating was annoying. We told the front desk it was unacceptible and they moved us to a quiet Courtyard view

 

[Malcon10t]

The walk from DLH is 7-8 mins. I time it for just this reason. It is 4 mins to the point where the GCH opens into DTD. The DCA gate first thing in the morning can take 10-20 mins because there were only 2 bag check people and everyone goes thru 1 metal detector. The main gate is much faster. Later in the day, the GCH gate is faster. When we stay at the DLH, we will enter or exit the DCA gate, it is simple enough to get there. I personally prefer the DLH. GCH rooms are smaller and we won't do them if there are more than 2 of us. The rooms facing DTD can get loud, as can the rooms over the courtyard where they hold private parties. There are long hallways so you could end up quite a distance from an elevator.

That said, coming off Grizzly, if you have a room close to the elevator by Napa Rose, you can get back quickly.

For us, we prefer DLH (why I keep trying to make myself like the Grand, I dunno!) Kids love the pool and characters, I love the room size, and the head boards and the Mickey touches thru the room.

Everyone has their preferences. I would love the Paradise Pier hotel if it wasn't for the elevators.

 

[psac]

Thanks again to everyone for the replies!!!

From what everyone is saying, and from hounding the reviews, we're thinking DLH is the way to go. Now we're considering club level. (It's funny how things work out that way! ) any thoughts on club level at DLH? We know club being in the Adventure Tower will get us a wee bit closer, too. Any comparison of the DTD view vs pool view there? Thanks!

 

[ktlm]

We are WDW vets. We love DLH. It is different than the WDW resorts. To us, GCH is basically a scaled down version of WL- beautiful, but we like something different at DLR. If you do GCH and can swing a theme park view do it. When they say theme park view, basically you are watching the people below walking down the path inside the park.

DLH is a very nice walk through DTD. The only time it has ever taken us more than 10 minutes is when the stores were open and we got distracted by shopping. By WDW standards the walk is nothing.

The monorail is more of a ride than real transportation. If you are in the park, unless you are in Tomorrowland, many times in the time it takes you to walk to the monorail and wait for it you could already have walked back to DLH. To go to DL, you go through security and they scan your ticket at the station before you get on because the stop is in Tomorrowland. This summer because the metal detector lines could be really long at the parks, if there was no line at the monorail station security as we passed by we would take the monorail in.

Get hoppers! Unlike WDW, hopping takes 5 minutes at DL/CA - it is like one big park. The parks are separated only by a small plaza and you have to go through security to get into the plaza so you do NOT have to go through security lines to hop. The walk between the parks is shorter than the distance the buses drop you off to the park gate at WDW. DL/CA put together are not as many acres as EPCOT. We hop back and forth all day. You can get from the back corner of one park to the back corner of the other park in 10 minutes, we have done it. You can hold FPs in both parks at the same time (good for RSR). If the lines are long in one park and the app shows they are shorter in the other, you can hop for awhile. DH has been known to disappear from DL for short periods of time because he has hopped to CA to get a beer from the Karl Strauss beer truck on the wharf. Hoppers are definitely much more useful at DLR. Also with the security lines for the metal detectors as bad as they were on our trip in July we found it could be useful to cut through GCH and go through that park gate then hop to DL (you don't want to do that to make rope drop though or to try to be in the front of the rope drop crowd- it is fine pretty much 10 minutes after role drop and the rest of the day)

 

[ktlm]

Thanks again to everyone for the replies!!!

From what everyone is saying, and from hounding the reviews, we're thinking DLH is the way to go. Now we're considering club level. (It's funny how things work out that way! ) any thoughts on club level at DLH? We know club being in the Adventure Tower will get us a wee bit closer, too. Any comparison of the DTD view vs pool view there? Thanks!

We love the pool view at DTD! We haven't done club level. Our favorite tower is the fantasy tower because we like being in the building with the gift shops and lobby

 

[cinder-ellah]

Thanks again to everyone for the replies!!!

From what everyone is saying, and from hounding the reviews, we're thinking DLH is the way to go. Now we're considering club level. (It's funny how things work out that way! ) any thoughts on club level at DLH? We know club being in the Adventure Tower will get us a wee bit closer, too. Any comparison of the DTD view vs pool view there? Thanks!

Incase you don't know .... Just because you do club level, doesn't guarantee you that you'll be in the Adventure Tower. You could be in any of the 3 Towers. You can request the Adventure Tower, but it's just a request not a guarantee.

 

[alvernon90]

You can get from the back corner of one park to the back corner of the other park in 10 minutes, we have done it. You can hold FPs in both parks at the same time (good for RSR). If the lines are long in one park and the app shows they are shorter in the other, you can hop for awhile. DH has been known to disappear from DL for short periods of time because he has hopped to CA to get a beer from the Karl Strauss beer truck on the wharf.

Hopping is quite easy, but this seems a little aggressive. I would not say it is so easy you can just pop over for a beer. I find that several minutes get lost to the lines at the turnstiles, especially getting back into DL. And if you are trying to leave one park for the other during a parade or something, that can mess with things. And during some seasons, there is always a parade or other event slowing things down along Main Street.

We tend to go back and forth a couple of times per day, but each time we stay at whatever park we visit for at least a few hours. Hopping seems too difficult to do more than a few times per day.

 

[allsaintsatx]

Other things to consider:

Grand Californian is in a serious need for a refurbishment. We just stayed in August and we had 2 broken toilets, a loud gurgling sink and no wifi for 6 days. Not to mention stained and discolored hallway rugs and an odd mildew smell outside our room. Everything seems like it needs to be refreshed, ya know? Just kinda old, but not in a fun vintage way but in a early 2000s way. Also, like 2 electrical outlets for the whole room.

Room size. GCH is almost the same room size and layout as Wilderness Lodge or Animal Kingdom Lodge. DLH is more akin to I would say the Polynesian. Maybe a hair smaller, but that same size where you feel like you could do a Sound of Music spin in the room.

Price. The GCH is too expensive for what is being offered, I think. You know how the AKL and WL are always cheaper than the Poly or the Contemporary? By at the least $100 usually more? The GCH should be that price. It's the same room size, same architect. You are paying a lot extra for that good location.

Location for the GCH is, I feel, it's only major selling point. But, from our experience, those hallways at the GCH are soooooo long! We stayed above DTD and had to walk down 2 long halls to the center of the hotel to get the elevator and then turn around and walk back, the same exact distance, to the hotel's only entry to DTD which was practically under our room. The room was pleasant but lacked that certain Disney Touch. I can't quite put my finger on it, but something is definitely missing in those GCH rooms. But, at the end of the day it was nice to practically fall into the hotel from DCA! We saw World of Color one night and were back in our hotel in about 10 minutes!!

And the walk from DLH can feel long sometimes, but you are walking through DTD - there's live bands, street performers, the monorail station, all the great shops and restaurants to look at. It's visually and aurally interesting, the area is alive. You feel that Disney magic when you walk through DTD.

If it's your first trip to DLR and you want to get that "only at Disneyland" experience then perhaps you should consider the Disneyland Hotel for it's theming, lush tropical grounds, larger rooms and history. But, if convenience is a big factor, then you can't get better than the GCH. It is against DCA, you would only be closer if you were a Disney Cat living in the park!

Either way, you're staying at a Disney property so you kinda can't go wrong!! Enjoy Disneyland!!

 

[MikeRx]

I really agree with morning walk to the parks from the DLH being a great rush of anticipation and not so bad, but the return being a slow trudge back home. With that said we've really do prefer the DLH for the "Disney" experience, pools and Trader Sam's. We're going back to the Grand in October because my mother in law is with us and its an easier scooter ride in and out to the parks from the DGC (same reason we chose the Beach Club in WDW last October) and our 8 year old said "we just did the DLH two times in a row, can we go back to the Grand?". I bet he wants to go back to the DLH on the next trip...Yes, we created a monster, a lovable monster, but a monster none the less.

Lots of good thoughts and opinions and you can't go wrong either way. If you get a room in poor shape at the DGC ask for another...
Mike

 

[ktlm]

Hopping is quite easy, but this seems a little aggressive. I would not say it is so easy you can just pop over for a beer. I find that several minutes get lost to the lines at the turnstiles, especially getting back into DL. And if you are trying to leave one park for the other during a parade or something, that can mess with things. And during some seasons, there is always a parade or other event slowing things down along Main Street.

We tend to go back and forth a couple of times per day, but each time we stay at whatever park we visit for at least a few hours. Hopping seems too difficult to do more than a few times per day.

My DH, who is a total beer snob who can't get Karl Strauss at home, would beg to differ. I'm pretty sure that truck qualifies as an actual DLR attraction for him. We are usually in the parks 5 days on our trips. He does this at least once or twice during our trip. Most commonly, it is when he has ridden Small World once and DD decides when we aren't back by it that she wants to ride it again. We head back to SW while he heads to CA. I can't remember a time that he wasn't in the area by the castle or at least where we could see him walking towards us when we got off the ride and walked over there. I will admit he is generally a fast walker. He wouldn't do it during the parade though.

We have found that if you keep your eyes open, you can usually find a gate at DL with a short line- just look for a spot away from where the biggest crowd is located. The exception to that is hopping right when WOC ends and CA is closing and DL is open 3 more hours- there is always a big crowd hopping then- but I stil don't think we have waited in line at DL more than 5 minutes or so to hop.

I would bet- not counting DH's solo beer runs- that we hop at least 2 or 3 times a day- sometimes more. I can't remember a day where we never hopped at all. When the opening or closing times are staggered- which DL is usually open 2 or 3 hours later on our trips- we almost always take advantage and hop. This is vastly different than the WDW mindset where it can take an hour or more to travel between parks and for a trip with 9 days in the park, we might hop once or twice the whole week (unless we are staying at BC/YC during EPCOT's food and wine festival).

It's all relative, to a DL person hopping might seem difficult and the walk from the DLH might seem far. To a WDW person, hopping is a breeze and the walk from DLH is short!

 

[Nonsuch]

...Grand Californian is in a serious need for a refurbishment. We just stayed in August and we had 2 broken toilets, a loud gurgling sink and no wifi for 6 days. Not to mention stained and discolored hallway rugs and an odd mildew smell outside our room. Everything seems like it needs to be refreshed, ya know? Just kinda old, but not in a fun vintage way but in a early 2000s way. Also, like 2 electrical outlets for the whole room...

I have not experienced any significant issues, and GCH remains my choice for DLR visits

GCH is currently under refurbishment, but so far most work has been to the exterior. Many building permits have been issued for various aspects of the work. One permit for guest room bathrooms and "hardgoods" (furniture) has an estimated cost of $68 million. There have been no reports of renovated guest rooms, but work is likely to begin very soon.

Issues with WiFi are unfortunately quite common. While I have not had "no wifi for 6 days", I have had many speed and service disruptions. WiFi was retrofit after GCH was built, and the hardware seems out of date. I have not had any issues in the VGC, or hotels rooms in that wing -- added in 2009.

While "2 electrical outlets for the whole room" is a bit of an exaggeration, there is certainly a shortage of outlets. There are no outlets on the nightstands or dresser

 

[tlovesdis]

The wifi at the DLH stinks too!!! They really need to upgrade or something.

 

[Aladora]

The wifi at the DLH stinks too!!! They really need to upgrade or something.

Sadly, the wifi at PPH is no better. In fact, we have had terrible wifi at all the DLR hotels...the wifi at DI&S is MUCH better!

 

[allsaintsatx]

I have not experienced any significant issues, and GCH remains my choice for DLR visits

I had no idea...

Spoke to the manager at Guest Relations Services and she said GCH was built prior to wifi being a thing, and the hotel isn't architecturally designed for it to work properly with what they had for wifi at the time it was installed in the hotel, so the wifi they have now is spotty at best and very out of date. Said to redo wifi would shut down the entire hotel, which they obviously can't do, so they are doing it in pieces. Wifi is not a deal breaker, but kinda annoying at those price points. Also, we've stayed at GCH 3 times in 2 years and had no wifi access each separate trip staying on different floors of different wings.

As for the outlets, in the room itself, there were 2 that I could find behind the small table? Unless I missed some. Seemed like to get one more we would have had to unplug the phone. There were more in the bathroom, but we've got 3 phones, 1 iPad, camera battery chargers (2 of those) and camcorder battery charger, and that doesn't include using the bathroom outlet for a hair dryer. And charging electronics above the sink was kinda....weird? Again, not a deal breaker but not what you would expect for $571 a night (which is what we paid in August).

But....it's still a Disney resort! I would stay at the GCH again. Just wish they would match the room amenities to the super high price.

 

[allsaintsatx]

The wifi at the DLH stinks too!!! They really need to upgrade or something.

Sadly, the wifi at PPH is no better. In fact, we have had terrible wifi at all the DLR hotels...the wifi at DI&S is MUCH better!

and it's made all the worse when you go to WDW and there's wifi in your room, the pool, the parks, the PARKS! And we can't even get it in our hotel rooms! So they know how to do it, I think it's just super expensive and time consuming. And it's technology, so as soon as you install it it's out of date!

 

[Aladora]

and it's made all the worse when you go to WDW and there's wifi in your room, the pool, the parks, the PARKS! And we can't even get it in our hotel rooms! So they know how to do it, I think it's just super expensive and time consuming. And it's technology, so as soon as you install it it's out of date!

We actually had pretty sad wifi at AKL in December...DH and I are convinced that Disney does not want us checking our email or posting on Facebook while at the hotels!

 

[mommymermaid]

This is just my opinion, but, DLH is the most immersive in Disney magic, definitely our favorite. I was not impressed with GCH. The lobby is beautiful, but, that's about the only positive I have in regards to that property...

 

[Astylla]

We love the DLH and are SO excited to go back "home" in a few weeks! There's something magical about the Disneyland Hotel , the walk around the property , the monorail slides , seeing families at Goofy's kitchen , the tiki torches outside Trader Sam's abs the live music and we really enjoy the walk through DTD.

We used to be in horrific shape and it still only took us 15 minutes but much closer to 8-10 now. We have stayed in Adventure and Frontier tower , in standard , deluxe and premium DTD views and all are wonderful. I enjoy relaxing in the GCH lobby , love Storytellers and Napa Rose , using the entrance midday/night and have visited the rooms before when a friend stayed but I can't bring myself to try it either.

You really can't go wrong but DLH feels like home.

 

[planningjollyholiday]

We have timed the walk from DLH to the parks and we clock in at 7-8 minutes. I actually love the walk through downtown disney and never feel like it takes too long because I am too busy enjoying all the sights, smells and sounds. We usually take the monorail in the afternoon for a little break at the hotel and have never experienced long lines at this time. We never take it at opening because I like to experience that on main street. Overall we like the DLH over the grand because of the bigger brighter rooms, the pools, the roaming characters (you never know when goofy will be hanging around) and most importantly the theming.