Just returned from Disneyland. Spent three days and two nights there. Stayed at the Paradise Pier. Here are my impressions.
Paradise Pier
This hotel is good if all you want is a place to lay your head. The rooms are clean and pleasant. Nothing spectacular. We had a theme park view which was nice but on the 14th floor your view is obstructed by some architecture. My suggestions would be the 11th through the 12th but not the 14th. Housekeeping was respectable. Cleaned the room but didn't do anything extra. We were in concierge and it was just okay. We had stayed in concierge at DL last trip. It is much better. They indicate that it is exactly the same. Not so. The lounge itself is nice but does not have a view. It is open for fewer hours and thus not as accessible to us during the evening hours which is when we tend to use it. The water, pop often was not cold and was warm. I had to ask for ice both days, in the morning, and it took them quite some time to find it. Cookies were a little hard and seemed as if they had been there quite some time. The bags of chip were nice and just fine. The people were okay but again, nothing spectacular. They were just there. At the DL hotel they printed out my boarding passes right there. At PP they sent me to the Business Center -- so I did it myself -- but they did not charge since I was a concierge guest. I definitely would not pay extra to stay concierge here. Not worth even a little bit more. In general the hotel was okay but nothing to write home about.
Goofy's for dinner -- The food was really good. Prime Rib was great. Selection was nice. I heard many good comments about the Salmon, although I didn't try it. But, the mashed potatoes were great ... and my son thought the mac and cheese wonderful. The salad was ordinary - nothing spectacular but tasted good as it seemed healthy options at DL are few and far between. One side was mexican and the other more traditional fare. It really did all look good. I just never have enough room to try everything. Character interaction was rushed but fine. They would sweep by and didn't stay for long. Worked out okay for us as we do characters quite a bit at WDW. The service was so - so. We never did get a refill on our diet cokes but they did keep the plates cleared from the table. This is someplace we go every trip and will continue to do so. This is one of the better buffets and meal at DL but in no way compares to the quality at WDW.
Plaza Inn - Character buffet breakfast. Again, this was good but nothing spectacular. Not crowded at all. Character interaction was excellent. They did a nice job. Selection was ordinary and nothing to write home about. Traditional breakfast fare. The pastries were a little dry and they could use some imagination in their display as well as their preparation. But overall it is okay. At least I knew that here they have been somewhat consistent in quality of the food. They were this time, also.
Pizza - Tomorrowland - This place was okay. The pasta looked fairly good and they had some selection. Pizza was okay. Works for a quick bite but it is spendy.
Lines were very manageable and fast pass is quickly disappearing ...both at DL and CA. Parks are in midst of rennovation and many things are closed and/or soon will be. Lots of things are blocked off and won't be open until next spring.
IF I had to do all over again, I would probably stay at the DL instead of PP or GA. Service was better --rooms a bit nicer -- amenities don't compare. The slide at PP is an afterthought and it looks that way. General pool area is blah and uninspired. Just a pool. Not sure how excited I would be to pay extra for concierge at any of the three hotels, though. Would depend on our itinerary. If I could get a regular room for a good price at GC would probably stay there over DL but there is still a little magic about DL ... in general ... but the GC is a nice hotel. To us, though, it isn't worth the extra you have to pay after staying at all three.
Tip - If you use the monorail to get into the parks in the AM the line tends to be much shorter than the one at the front of the parks. We never waited for more than one person while lines at the park, as we went by on the monorail were 10-20 deep. And, if you stay at any of the three hotels be sure to use the special monorail entrance to get on first.
Questions -- let me know.
Paradise Pier
This hotel is good if all you want is a place to lay your head. The rooms are clean and pleasant. Nothing spectacular. We had a theme park view which was nice but on the 14th floor your view is obstructed by some architecture. My suggestions would be the 11th through the 12th but not the 14th. Housekeeping was respectable. Cleaned the room but didn't do anything extra. We were in concierge and it was just okay. We had stayed in concierge at DL last trip. It is much better. They indicate that it is exactly the same. Not so. The lounge itself is nice but does not have a view. It is open for fewer hours and thus not as accessible to us during the evening hours which is when we tend to use it. The water, pop often was not cold and was warm. I had to ask for ice both days, in the morning, and it took them quite some time to find it. Cookies were a little hard and seemed as if they had been there quite some time. The bags of chip were nice and just fine. The people were okay but again, nothing spectacular. They were just there. At the DL hotel they printed out my boarding passes right there. At PP they sent me to the Business Center -- so I did it myself -- but they did not charge since I was a concierge guest. I definitely would not pay extra to stay concierge here. Not worth even a little bit more. In general the hotel was okay but nothing to write home about.
Goofy's for dinner -- The food was really good. Prime Rib was great. Selection was nice. I heard many good comments about the Salmon, although I didn't try it. But, the mashed potatoes were great ... and my son thought the mac and cheese wonderful. The salad was ordinary - nothing spectacular but tasted good as it seemed healthy options at DL are few and far between. One side was mexican and the other more traditional fare. It really did all look good. I just never have enough room to try everything. Character interaction was rushed but fine. They would sweep by and didn't stay for long. Worked out okay for us as we do characters quite a bit at WDW. The service was so - so. We never did get a refill on our diet cokes but they did keep the plates cleared from the table. This is someplace we go every trip and will continue to do so. This is one of the better buffets and meal at DL but in no way compares to the quality at WDW.
Plaza Inn - Character buffet breakfast. Again, this was good but nothing spectacular. Not crowded at all. Character interaction was excellent. They did a nice job. Selection was ordinary and nothing to write home about. Traditional breakfast fare. The pastries were a little dry and they could use some imagination in their display as well as their preparation. But overall it is okay. At least I knew that here they have been somewhat consistent in quality of the food. They were this time, also.
Pizza - Tomorrowland - This place was okay. The pasta looked fairly good and they had some selection. Pizza was okay. Works for a quick bite but it is spendy.
Lines were very manageable and fast pass is quickly disappearing ...both at DL and CA. Parks are in midst of rennovation and many things are closed and/or soon will be. Lots of things are blocked off and won't be open until next spring.
IF I had to do all over again, I would probably stay at the DL instead of PP or GA. Service was better --rooms a bit nicer -- amenities don't compare. The slide at PP is an afterthought and it looks that way. General pool area is blah and uninspired. Just a pool. Not sure how excited I would be to pay extra for concierge at any of the three hotels, though. Would depend on our itinerary. If I could get a regular room for a good price at GC would probably stay there over DL but there is still a little magic about DL ... in general ... but the GC is a nice hotel. To us, though, it isn't worth the extra you have to pay after staying at all three.
Tip - If you use the monorail to get into the parks in the AM the line tends to be much shorter than the one at the front of the parks. We never waited for more than one person while lines at the park, as we went by on the monorail were 10-20 deep. And, if you stay at any of the three hotels be sure to use the special monorail entrance to get on first.
Questions -- let me know.
