Of the 3 DL onsite hotels, which one?

[Jedi5]

Looking to make our first trip to DL in the very near future.
After reading some of the suggestions (onsite vs offsite) offered by many, we decided to stay on site.

All three get good reviews, it seems like you can't go wrong with any you choose. But... From almost everything I've read, it seems like the DGC is the most popular of the three... also the most expensive. The pictures of the maps I've seen, it seems like DGC is in the best location to the parks. Is this why many here choose this hotel?

For a first timer, is it possible to go wrong with the other two?

Walking distance, how far away are the other two hotels from the parks?

 

[DSNY4ever]

My would be the Disneyland Hotel. Love the resort, the rooms, the pool... but I also never stay on property because it is so expensive

Paradise Pier and the Disneyland hotel are maybe a 7-10 minute walk depending on how fast you walk. The Grand Californian is almost no walk (especially if you are going to California Adventure).

 

[tlovesdis]

I've stayed at all three and my favorite is the Disneyland Hotel! It has more of the Disney magic, in my opinion! The rooms are also larger than those at the Grand and PPH.

The walk from DLH to the front gate is maybe 10 minutes, less depending on how fast you walk! It's about the same from PPH if you cross and enter the Grand to get to the parks. The walk from the Grand can be shorter, depending on where your room is, but there is also an entrance to DCA at the Grand.

The Grand is beautiful, don't get me wrong, but it just doesn't have the same magic to me as the DLH!

You can't go wrong with any of them though! Have fun!!!

 

[Jenn1116]

I had the choice between DLH and GC for our trip next year and picked the DLH because it's a better fit for DD, who will love the pools. Plus, its my parents, myself and DD packed into one room and felt that there would be more space for us in a DLH room. While wonderful, I've heard how small the rooms are at GC. So that's how I decided. The walk isn't so far to be a factor.

 

[elaw]

I've stayed at all three many times and my favorite by far is the Grand California Hotel. The Location cant be beat and the lobby is breath taking.
Second would be the DLH for it's "Disney magic" and last, but not least, the PPH with it's wonderfull DCA themepark view. Like others have said, you really can't go wrong with any of them.

 

[DisneytheKid]

I've stayed at both the DLH and PPH. They both are great hotels that really aren't far at all from the parks. I would say if you really want the proximity to DCA then choose the GCH, otherwise i'd save the money and go with one of the other two...

 

[hootey]

We have been to all the disneyland hotels, as well as stayed at three of the good-neighbor motels. Our choice is the Disneyland Hotel. We like the large rooms, waterslides, pool, the cafes, coffee shop, characters, and the DLH staff is always upbeat and helpful. Couple years ago when we arrived in front of the DLH, Goofey helped us out of the car and helped load all our luggage on the cart. Our sons knew we were undoubtedly at Disneyland.
We visit the parks for five to eight days at a time. We prefer DLH for our stays. We love it....

 

[Nonsuch]

For a first timer, is it possible to go wrong with the other two?

It is not possible to go wrong with any of the 3 onsite hotels

I have stayed at all 3, but the Grand is by far my favorite
The Arts and Crafts architectural design is very appealing. All rooms have balconies.

The Grand is the closest to the parks, but some rooms are much closer than others.

The Grand has amazing park views, but you must pay a premium to get better views (and assignment is still somewhat of a "crap shoot").

The rooms at the Grand are smaller than either of the other 2 onsite hotels, and the dark wood trim can make the rooms seem even smaller. Parties of 5 should consider the other hotels.

 

[Mel522]

Each has a very different style, and it's all personal preference as to which style you like best. Outside of that, each has it's pros and cons, here are some:

Grand Californian
Pro- Best location of the three. All rooms have balconies, and I love sitting out on the balcony in the morning while the others in my group are getting ready to go.

Cons- Most expensive of the three. Overall, it has the smallest rooms of the three.

Paradise Pier
Pro- It is the cheapest of the three. The rooms are the largest. In my opinion, the premium view rooms offer the best park views of all the hotels.

Cons- It's about a 10 minute walk.

Disneyland Hotel (my personal favorite)
Pro- It is the most "Disney" off all the hotels. It is the only hotel where you can meet characters. The pool is the best pool particularly for young children.

Cons- The 10 minute walk.

 

[sierranevada]

I also love all three hotels for different reasons. Since I go 3-5 times a year, I usually rotate between them depending on when or with whom I am going.

GCH - probably my favorite! Love the design and proximity to the parks. Love the balcony - drink my coffee in the morning watching either DTD or DCA wake up. The most beautiful Christmas tree I have ever seen!! Usually stay here with DH or other friends who like upscale. I own DVC so love the villas. Has my favorite restaurant - Napa Rose! The concierge lounge here is the best of all three - the nicest food (tea sandwiches are enough to fill you up for lunch) and biggest lounge.

DLH - the newly refurbished rooms and pools are awesome! Love the LED fireworks in the headboard. The pool is so retro with the monorail theme - Trader Sam's is awesome for drinks and appetizers and they have a nice outdoor fireplace with comfy seating. Best proximity to the monorail. The most "Disney" of the three. Like walking through DTD in the evenings with all the lights and entertainment. Great with families or when I need a dose of pixie dust! Longest walk to the parks. Concierge lounge is a great place to watch the fireworks or just enjoy the scenery.

PPH - Rooms are also newly refurbished and now as comfy as the other two. All pillow top mattress, triple sheeted beds and really cute beach decor. The Paradise Pier view rooms are great - you can watch World of Color. Slightly shorter walk than DLH - you cross the street and cut through the GCH. I can usually get a concierge room here for the same price as a standard room at the GCH. Concierge lounge is nice but not opened as late as the other two since it does to have any fireworks viewing. You can, however, view the fireworks from the third floor opposite of the pool area.

As others have said, you really can't go wrong with any of the three. Just depends on what you are looking for.

 

[madigraham]

If you're going with just adults I say gch, with children dh.

 

[Jedi5]

As others have said, you really can't go wrong with any of the three. Just depends on what you are looking for.

What I'm looking for is for my family to be instead of at me since I'm in charge of finding a good hotel... LOL.

Thanks for the info on the room sizes. Something to consider with 4 of us in a room. While I"m looking for the distance in walk to the park and room size, all my kids care about is the pool and water slide. I just want to pick a good onsite hotel that my kids will have a magical time at!

I've noticed that booking on Expedia gives you more room selections than booking directly on the Disney site. Has anyone else noticed that or am I missing something there??

Booking at either the DGC or DLH, is there a wing, floor, or area we should request?

Thanks again!!

 

[junmatno]

What I'm looking for is for my family to be instead of at me since I'm in charge of finding a good hotel... LOL.

Thanks for the info on the room sizes. Something to consider with 4 of us in a room. While I"m looking for the distance in walk to the park and room size, all my kids care about is the pool and water slide. I just want to pick a good onsite hotel that my kids will have a magical time at!

I've noticed that booking on Expedia gives you more room selections than booking directly on the Disney site. Has anyone else noticed that or am I missing something there??

Booking at either the DGC or DLH, is there a wing, floor, or area we should request?

Thanks again!!

Don't forget that you can also catch the monorail in DTD if you don't want to walk there or back...might be a little wait bit who doesn't LOVE the monorail!?

 

[bumbershoot]

While I"m looking for the distance in walk to the park and room size, all my kids care about is the pool and water slide.

Then you're looking at the DLH.



We had the second most obnoxious room at the Grand. It was literally as long to get to the center of the esplanade from our room as it would have been from the sidewalk outside HoJo. The one day DH and DS thought "oh let's zip down to Grizzly, get drenched, then zip back to change", by the time they got back to the room they were turning blue, because it was such a long walk through air conditioned hallways.

The Grand's rooms are the smallest (unless you're at a villa of course) and they are dark and gloomy.


Thanks to a recent long stay at DLH, where I actually liked it, I'm now tied between PPH (which had been my fave since December 2007) and DLH.

PPH has, in general, the biggest rooms, and they are BRIGHT and cheerful and fun. You ignore their signage to the parks (their signs take you out the back, through parking lots, around and through ALL of DTD) and just go out the front, then cross the street and go through the Grand. The lobby of the Grand is open to all and is the best part of the Grand, in my family's opinion. So walking through the lobby is pleasant, when you've come from the big bright cheerful rooms of PPH.

The slide at PPH's pool area doesn't go into the pool, but ends in a shallow thing of water. I've never actually been on it, so i can't say if it's fun or not. But it eliminates any issues of weaker swimmers, or kids not understanding that they need to swim out of the way. They just get up and walk out of the way.


DLH's room makeover is very nice. I became quite fond of the fireworks in the headboard and the "dream is a wish your heart makes" music when you turn the "fireworks" on. I want to do it at home, now. The rooms were nice, the housekeeper were sweet, and the pool was quite pleasant. DH and DS like their slide. Guess I haven't been on any slide at Disneyland...I reserve my pool slide for WDW's Boardwalk "clown" pool, it seems!

We were in Frontier tower, which is the furthest away, and I've realized (with the help of mapmyrun) that there are two good ways to go, both of which are the same distance to the center of the esplanade (that's just the measurement I use). You can walk through the grounds to the start of DTD and walk on through, or you can go out the BACK of Frontier tower, go towards PPH, and cross over to the Grand and follow their path out...same distance. Ooh now I need to map the walk as if I'm using the Grand's entrance to DCA; we only did that once, though, because going through the main entrance for EMH is a better idea than the entrance to DCA from the Grand.


For me, it's now between PPH and DLH. The Grand is a distant option for us. If we got a villa it might be different, but since we don't own DVC at the Grand it's probably not going to be possible.

 

[MinnieMom13]

We (DH, DS 10, DD 9) have stayed in all three onsite hotels, most recently the Paradise Pier last week. I really, really, really wanted to love Paradise Pier because of the lower cost, but I didn't. The rooms are fine and the cast members were wonderful, but it was simply too noisy for me. Not from the other rooms, but from the street, park, and pool area (a corporate reception had a live band one night near the pool).

That still makes the Grand my all time favorite. My kids love the bunkbeds and Redwood Pool slide. I appreciate having the sinks separate from the rest of the bathroom. Our room was light years away from the elevators, but right next to a back stairwell into a courtyard right next to Downtown Disney. The price, though, keeps us from a return visit.

Our next trip in August will be at the Disneyland Hotel. My kids love the lightup headboards. There are great food options. I love the quiet!

 

[bumbershoot]

right next to a back stairwell into a courtyard right next to Downtown Disney

Jealous. Having THAT room would have made a difference, at least in getting TO the parks (it used to be locked/inaccessible to get back up...is that still so?). We were in the wing just before that last wing. Ugh.

Eek, a corporate event at the pool, that's not fun (unless you're at the corporate event). FWIW, we've never experienced that sort of noise while at PPH, so it's just luck of the draw. During our DLH stay there was a big convention all week long who had hosted events on the lawn, etc etc. Luckily our room was a definite NON-view room (yay parking lot! ooh is that the Hilton Anaheim sign I see out our window?) so the events were happening on the *other* side of our building. If we had been luckier in our view, we might not have had such a quiet room.

 

[Geemo]

We have stayed at all three too.

PPH was okay. (one stay in 2006)
The room we had was at the end of the hallway towards the DLH.
We heard the delivery trucks EVERY morning. With their back up BeepBeep'ers our alarm clock wasn't necessary. Around 6am or so the trucks began to arrive. Too bad we hadn't planned on getting up so early.
Didn't use the pool, so have no input there.


DLH was nice. (one stay in 2008)
The room was on the fourth or fifth floor with a view of the hills.
We could see the fireworks from our room. It was really nice!
There were 5 of us. The roll-away they bring is a twin size bed.
All beds to include the twin were very nice.
The room was extremely quiet. No misc noise to disturb us. Thank you!
The pool area was enjoyable. And this was before the remodel for the Monorail slides.

GCH is VERY nice. (four stays in 2004, 2006, 2010, 2011)
The first two trips we had a room as far as possible from the elevators. The rooms were nice. But the location was a pain. I learned from these trips to ask for a room close to the elevator. It made a world of difference. The last two stays we have had a room only a few steps from the stairs or elevator. Much preferred at the end of a long day. Even being close to the elevator, the rooms were quiet. The beds are nice and comfortable. The day beds are even okay. The grandkids have really enjoyed the pool. The exclusive entrance is a bonus.

The three hotels have their own spin.

It mainly depends on your budget. There is a sizable dollar difference between them. I'd stay at DLH and the GCH again. As for PPH, I think I'd go to a good neighbor hotel instead.

Geemo

 

[KCmike]

Since your kids only want a great pool experience then pick dlh. Otherwise gch wins out on everything else. After a few days you will have wished you picked gch for its location.

 

[ashnjam]

We stayed at PPH two weeks ago. We booked a theme park view with concierge upon arrival we were upgraded to a suite which was amazing. We totally loved the hotel, staff was friendly and helpful. The beds were comfy and clean the pillows were a little harder than i like, shower water pressure was ok.

The walk is a little longer then the other hotels but we love walking anyways and didn't mind it one bit.

We are planning a trip for Nov 2013 and might look into the Disneyland Hotel just to try something different plus we wanna try that pool!

As for GCH we weren't that impressed (although we only saw the lobby) living in Michigan there are hotels that reminded us of GCH and it just isn't our style.

Bottomline: you can't go wrong with any of them.

 

[ashnjam]

We stayed at PPH two weeks ago. We booked a theme park view with concierge upon arrival we were upgraded to a suite which was amazing. We totally loved the hotel, staff was friendly and helpful. The beds were comfy and clean the pillows were a little harder than i like, shower water pressure was ok.

The walk is a little longer then the other hotels but we love walking anyways and didn't mind it one bit.

We are planning a trip for Nov 2013 and might look into the Disneyland Hotel just to try something different plus we wanna try that pool!

As for GCH we weren't that impressed (although we only saw the lobby) living in Michigan there are hotels that reminded us of GCH and it just isn't our style.

Bottomline: you can't go wrong with any of them.