Need help w/Disney Resort Choice (ease of getting around)

[vjc715]

Hi All ~

I haven't been to Disneyland since 1999 (also w/Mr. Pete Werner himself). Anyway....CA was just being built and my (ex)boyfriend and I always stayed at the Disney Pacific Hotel aka Paradise Pier now.

Do they still have the tram behind PP to take you to the Disneyland park? I'm trying to determine if I should stay at PP or DL Resort. I know Pete enjoyed the DL hotel better, but I don't want to get stuck in a bad tower. I also don't want to drop a small fortune either. So...CA is out of the question. Trying to save for another WDW trip.

I was always very pleased with PP; I just wonder how you get to where you need to go from there now!

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks so much!!!!!!
Vicki

 

[Firefly777]

No regular tram that I know of and it's a little bit of a walk. I have heard that they have a golf cart that can take you there if you ask, but that's the extent of the transportation to the parks.

 

[vjc715]

Then how do people get from the parking lot behind Paradise Pier to the Park?

Sorry...I just know things have changed, and I'm trying to figure out how people get from PP to the Park, CA and DT Disney.

Thanks so much again!
Vicki

 

[got2gp]

There is a gate from PP directly into CA, I don't know about a tram for DL. The Grand Californian also has direct access into CA, and is a short walk through DD across the plaza into DL. The drawback of course, is price.

 

[vjc715]

Any idea the length/time of walk from PP to Disneyland Park? I just remember in 1999 they would tram you through a parking lot during the construction. It sure seems like a hike.

Could we get into CA, then walk through...exit from CA and enter the main gates to DL? I really enjoy the walk through mainstreet.

Thanks so much! It just sounds like staying now at PP is now more a pain and not convenient.

Thanks so much!!!

 

[Firefly777]

Originally posted by vjc715
Then how do people get from the parking lot behind Paradise Pier to the Park?

Sorry...I just know things have changed, and I'm trying to figure out how people get from PP to the Park, CA and DT Disney.

Thanks so much again!
Vicki

It's definitely walkable to get to DL. Plus, if you cut through the Grand Californian, you save some time.

 

[CrazyBoutDisney]

We are staying at Paradise Pier July 25-29. I should be able to give you an answer sometime that weekend we are back. The area map on the Disneyland it shows a tram by the Paradise Pier Hotel. I have read here about a golf cart through the CM's.

 

[DaveH]

I just posted above under my DW's ID.

 

[got2gp]

Yes, you can walk from PP through CA to DL. The gate is in the back of the park though, and it is quite a haul from there to DL. Overall, DLH is best if your focus is DL (monorail), PP for CA and GC is convienient for both.

 

[vjc715]

Thank you for everyone's help! I really feel lost with all the new changes!

Sure wish MONORAIL CAFE was still there! boohooohooo

 

[Firefly777]

They have maps on the Disneyland website, if you haven't looked before. Just so you can get an idea of the layout.

 

[overwhelmed]

There are no trams at all that run near the PP anymore. You walk to the monorail, or thru DtD to the main gate.

I enjoyed the view from the PP but I found the location prohibitive. Of course the "private" entrance to DCA is nice. Honestly, the hotels across the street on Harbor seem closer to DL.

Their pool was the "most boring" on the 3 hotels. I heard they recently rehabbed it, please let us know how you liked it. And yes, you can hop between any of the the DL Resort pools.

 

[lkohawaii]

I would say if you don't want to pay the money to stay at GC then I'd stay at the Disneyland Hotel. The last time we went we got placed in the main tower where check in is. Maybe we just got lucky. In my opinion the hotels right on Harbor are a closer walk to the entrance of Disneyland than the walk from DH to the monorail. You now walk from DH to the monorail. The only reason we used to stay at Disney was for early entrance which they did away with.
I like Desert Inn and Suites for the location and the price. My friend is looking into Best Western Park Place inn - a little more but she thinks it's a lot nicer..just as close. Either way both of these places will cost you half the price of a Disney hotel.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

<font color=navy>I was on a tour of the DL Resort in April, and we asked about the pools. GC guests can use DL & PP pools, DL guests can use DL & PP pools, and PP guests can use the PP pool. While it was being refurbished, the PP guests could use the DL pool.

 

[only1mouse]

The PP has recently gone through a renovation. I'm not sure if it's complete though. I have stayed at both the PP and the GC. PP has it's own entrance to DCA through a gate at the front of the road entrance to GC. You can also cut through GC to get to DD and then walk to the front gates at DL. I felt that the PP was lacking in quite a few areas. The pool, which wasn't re-done at the time we stayed (4/04) but has since been completed. The noise - we stayed 8th floor Theme Park View and you could hear the traffic below like we were on the first floor. You can't open the windows to get some fresh air. On the flip side, the views are great (if you have a Theme Park View) DCA at night is great, and you can see the electrical street parade if you have a room high enough. The newly renovated rooms have a great new decor. I really wanted the lamp.... but I resisted!

GC is great, close to the parks, you have your own entrance to DCA. Whitewater rest. is a great snack shop, good for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The hotel, lobby, and front doors are absolutely amazing. The rooms are very nice, the balconies with a table and chairs is a nice feature that isn't offered at the other hotels.

Yes, GC is more expensive than DLH, or PP, but to me it's worth the extra money. Staying at the GC also allows you to use any of the pools at the other hotels, whereas staying at DL you can only us DL and PP and PP I think you can only use that one.

I've not stayed at DLH, but the walk just seemed like we weren't really staying on site and if you don't get the Sierra Tower, it's really a disadvantage.

Enjoy your stay whichever hotel you choose.