Neverland pool remodel

[ktlm]

Thought you guys might think it was fun to see a picture of "jackhammer day" at the neverland pool. This was June 8 in the afternoon. It was LOUD. I think Disney had the attitude of even 1 jackhammer is going to be really loud, so lets just put as many as we can out there to get the job done ASAP. I'm not sure I even got all of the guys in the photo:

 

[closetmickey]

What changes are going to be made? And when are they estimating it will be completed? Thanks to anyone who knows!

 

[ktlm]

The rumor is that it will re-open in November 2011. I can tell you that they were completely tearing out the old pool with the jackhammers that day, so I don't know what the plans are as to how it will look when it is re-done. I know that once they are finished, it will open up the area so that the Neverland Pool is basically adjacent to the area with the new small pool that is currently open which is adjacent to the monorail slide area. I was talking to the CM at the new pool area about the fact that once the Neverland pool area reopens, there should be places where you can sit around/near the new pool area. Currently, because of the construction at the Neverland pool and the make-up of the area where the new pool is (think about the way the waterfalls were situated), the chair area faces the slides. If your kids are in the wading area and slides, you can sit and watch them; however, if they are in the new small pool (separate from and behind the slide area), there is not really any place where you can sit and keep an eye on them in the pool. It should be really nice when they get everything finished. I have some pictures of the new pool/monorail pool area taken in the morning when hardly anyone was out there yet if anyone wants to see them. I didn't post them, because I figured there have already been several of the new pools posted on the boards.

 

[closetmickey]

Thanks! We are planning to stay in late August. Our last couple trips we have stayed at PPH. Do you think it is worth moving to the DH even with the construction? Or should we wait until our next trip...probably in about a year or so.

 

[ktlm]

We stayed at DLH last summer (about a week before they closed and ripped out the waterfall area for the monorail pool- but they were already doing the building remodels) and this summer. We loved it both times. Although the construction is more noticeable this summer- because the interior paths are blocked- it still did not detract from our stay at all. We were in the parks pretty much all day, so aside from seeing a few workers in the morning, the construction did not in any way disrupt our day. Now, if you were unlucky enough to decide to spend the afternoon at the pool on jackhammer day, it was probably pretty annoying....but I really think that Disney does what they can to minimize the noise and limit it to the hours of the day when more people are in the parks (i.e. nothing too early in the morning or in the evening). The only rooms not completed are the ones in the Magic tower where the lobby is, and they were not putting anyone in that tower when we were there. Our only inconvenience was that from the Wonder Tower (where our room was), because the interior paths were blocked, right now the only way to get to the lobby and the restaurants/shops in that building is to walk out to the hat that borders downtown Disney and then take the path back to the Magic Tower/lobby (or whatever they are now calling that Tower- the CMS were still using the old Tower names when we were there although supposedly they have now formally changed). It was a little extra walking, but it sure wouldn't be enough to prevent me from staying there again tomorrow if I could. The trade off is that Wonder Tower is right by the entrance to the new monorail pool and the new restaurant and bar. I haven't stayed at PPH so I can't compare, but we really like DLH and it was still great even with the construction.

If you booked an old style room (like we did), there are no more old style rooms as they are working on the last tower so you will get an automatic upgrade to a renovated room.

Now, I will warn you that we had NO cell phone reception at all in our room in the Wonder Tower (4th floor facing the geyser pond and pool). I started a thread on here to see if anyone else had that issue as we were worried it might be something to do with the new building fronts/windows, but others who have stayed in renovated areas did not seem to have that problem- although I don't think anyone who had stayed in the Wonder Tower posted.

I found this article with some pictures that were taken of the monorail and new pool the same weekend we arrived. They have pretty much everything my pictures would . You can see from the pictures of the 4 foot pool how narrow the walkways are around it and that there is just no way to have chairs by it right now. You can also get an idea how far they have gotten on the tower in the pictures where you can see it in the background.

http://disneytravelbabble.com/disneyland-hotel-monorail-pool-–-ultimate-photo-tour/

 

[ktlm]

Here is another entry on that blog that gives you her review and some good pictures of the rooms and towers . I see that she is a Diser although I don't see her "Dis name", so let me just say to her if she catches this thread- Love the blog- Just found it today! I have to say that I don't agree with her in regard to the old rooms though. Last year was our first stay and we loved the old rooms- they were so classic Disney and campy- we think the new ones seem a bit generic upscale hotel even with the Disney touches- we really miss the Sneezy tissue holder! I was thinking it, but I didn't want to say anything- and DH looks at me and says- you know these new rooms are nice but I really miss the old room- it felt so Disney where this just feels like any other hotel (with the excpetion of the fireworks over the bed).

http://disneytravelbabble.com/review-the-disneyland-hotel/

Here are her pictures and review of the new restaurant. We at there once for breakfast and once for lunch. Breakfast was not good. The pastry I had was so lackluster/bland that I deemed it not worth the calories and threw it away. DH had the breakfast burrito thing and he said he would never order it again. We do not agree with her on lunch-but we ordered something different so maybe we just hit the right thing on the menu. We both had the barbeque chicken sandwich and sweet potato fries and thought that for fast food it was great! We thought it was heads and shoulders above the CS we have had at DL and WDW (Epcot excluded).

http://disneytravelbabble.com/dining-review-tangaroa-terrace-at-the-disneyland-hotel/

Hope all this helps you make your decision!

 

[closetmickey]

Thanks so much for the very helpful advice and links! Decisions....decisions.....