I'm sure if I had
asked for that PPH room view of DCA, I would never have gotten it. I would have gotten something that had a teeny sliver of the Matterhorn in the view. I've had a pool view room, too, which was at least better than the parking lot view I had on another PPH stay.
I stayed at the DLH all the time before the PPH came on the scene (with lower rates, while the DLH rates went up). I loved the DLH rooms with the views of the marina and the pedal boats. I also had rooms with views of the waterfall. I didn't even ask for views at the DLH and usually ended up with something great.
Sadly, the whole landscape of DLH has changed, and the views are not the same anymore. That's why I'm not as gung ho to stay at the DLH again - because the views I specifically loved are gone. No more waterfalls. No more marina. I mean, I'm sure I'll end up at the DLH again in the future if I get a good rate, but the views that I loved are totally gone.
I would say that if your friend wants to hit DLR when it's not decked out in holiday stuff, that it is a good way to see
Disneyland in its semi-original state. For someone's first-time trip, that makes
total sense. That's what many people prefer - to see DL as it originally was. Of course, so many things have changed since Walt built DL and so many things have been added that it's not even quite like he had it in many places now anyway. It's like a different place...but still the same, if that makes sense!!
I know what you mean, though - I totally see the point. Covering things in decorations can detract from just the natural state of things in DL.
What I will say, though, is that if someone doesn't have a choice of when to go and has to go to DLR during the holiday season (maybe because of vacation time), and that happens to be their first trip ever to DLR, I don't think they will be missing anything or overlooking any special Disney details. If anything, there is just more to see.
Another thing is that I am honing in on a lot of details in my photos that other people might ordinarily overlook. Some of our seasonsed DIS'ers wouldn't even stop and take the time to look at what I am getting on camera, let alone the average, non-DIS, non-hardcore Disney fan visitor.
So it probably
seems like it would be more overwhelming than it is for a first-timer because I am focusing on all that stuff in my photos. That was my personal goal - to try to catch a lot of details and a lot of holiday decor. But, in reality, I would bet that the majority of visitors to the park are going to skip right past 50% of the stuff you've been seeing in my photos. Much of it is not 'in-your-face.' You see the lights and decorations on Main Street, but then you go to Tomorrowland, and...nothing. You go to Adventureland and...nothing (other than maybe some calypso-flavored holiday classics being played). Even Fantasyland is largely untouched until you get back to where IASWH is. I think they do a great job of playing up the decorations in areas where it's really visually complementary - like Main Street - and leaving other areas essentially untouched.
Of course, for me, I can't get enough of the Christmasy stuff! I would rather be at DLR during the holidays than any other time. It's the same DL magic I grew up with - but magnified by 1000 percent!