Opinions on PPH.????

[chip64]

We last went to DL in summer of 2003 and stayed at the GC. We booked a PKG. and are staying in Paradise Pier Hotel this time. Can anyone give me their opinions on their stay there and their likes and dislikes. Thanks, I would really appreciate it!!!! Chip.

 

[Amor4Pooh]

and after the GCH, you are in for a big change. It is a nice hotel, and since they have been renovating it, it now has much more Disney character in the main lobby than it did before. I haven't been in the rooms in a few years, but I remember we got a corner room last time, and the bathroom was miniscule. We had stayed there previously, and not had any complaints, but that time was the last. I prefer the DL Hotel, for the character and decor, as well as the awesome pool, which if you don't use, is just great to look at! The PPH has a pool, which is about 2 floors up, and looks nice, but just a regular pool. The restaurant at PPH (PCH Grill) is under renovations and has relocated to another room, so it doesn't really have the same feel, but they do have the Lilo and Stitch character breakfast there now (I've heard it's cute). Hope this helps. Also PPH is where the Pin Trading Night is usually held (Various Fridays and Sundays, ODPT.com for dates).
Amor4Pooh

 

[AFMom]

Paradise Pier is a nice hotel, the rooms are standard sizes with Disney pictures on the wall and Disney toiletries. The theming is very light, although the pool area is supposed to be a neat beach theme now (we haven't been since it was redone). The restaurant is good, and it has great access to DTD and CA ADV. We always walked (about 5 minutes) to the monorail to ride to DL to save time there! We enjoyed our stay, but I have to say, there are better hotels right next to DL that don't cost as much. If I had to choose between Candy Cane and PPH, I would pick CCI this time(we loved their continental breakfast!). This coming from a Disney Nut who loves to stay on site! I wasn't disappointed with PPH becasue we knew it was the least themed and least nice of the 3 hotels when we made the reservation. We really wanted to stay on site one time and that was what our budget allowed. If you're going in with the GC in the back of your mind, you may be disappointed. If you keep that in mind, you'll proabably enjoy it as much as we did!

 

[Blackunicorn]

Agh! I just typed a very long reply, and the computer lost it!

My family adores the PPH, and we appear to be the only people on the planet who do. You can find some pictures of the rooms at MousePlanet . I would send you pictures of our stay last September, but I haven't got a clue how to do so.

We've always found the CM's to friendly and helpful, with the sole exception of a front desk CM who made it her business to inform us that using our DVC points to stay there wasn't the best value. (Everyone knows that.) Being from Colorado, the theme at GC doesn't do it for us, but the beach theme at PPH makes me very happy. Just looking at the sun mirror in the room makes me happy! I love the blue and gold carpet.

We had a room with two queen beds and a sofa bed. The sofa bed would be small for an adult, but thrilled our 6yo DD to no end! There was a TV, a refrigerator, and a safe in the room. Against the wall by the window was a desk where we could park our laptop. We had a standard view--which is the pool and the parking garage. It wasn't a big deal for us, since we weren't there for the view. However, I highly recommend the theme-park view. DCA at night is spectacular! According to some research I've done, the average room at PPH is about 50 square feet smaller than the average room at DLH.

There is a small beach-themed room where children can sit in child-sized deck chairs and watch Disney cartoons on a TV inside a sandcastle. (I think it's a cardboard facade.) There are two adult-sized chairs that will hold two adults each in the room, but the wall with the door is all glass, so you can stand outside the room and have an adult conversation while watching your kids if you want. Yay! My hubby dub adds that this is FREE.

I was disappointed that the pool didn't get more of a theme after the remodel. However, in my opinion, the GC pool isn't that exciting, either. I think my tag accurately reflects how I feel about the Neverland Pool at DLH. The pool at PPH is a plain rectangle. The special thing is the slide--because it doesn't actually connect to a pool, even fairly small children can go down it, a fact which made my 6yo very, very happy! Be warned that the hours for the slide are apparently not the same as the hours for the pool. In addition to the pool, there is a hot tub and a wading pool.

There is no laundry room at the PPH. We were told that we could traipse over to the DLH, which isn't a huge walk for us, but we felt that we could waste our time doing other things. We were also told that we could have our laundry done, but we didn't feel like paying to have our kids' t-shirts dry-cleaned.

The bottom line is that we love PPH. We've always had a great time there! We love the people, the shops, the restaurants! We don't think that it's a much longer walk to the parks than the other hotels, an opinion which, I must add, is NOT shared by anyone else. PPH guests can use the GC entrance to DCA, though I've been told that some people have been told otherwise. We've never had any trouble. You can also cut through the GC to get to DTD, but you end up bypassing the monorail station, so be warned.

So now you've heard the positive opinion of the only family on earth who likes the PPH! I hope you have a great time!

 

[lulubelle]

I have to say that for the $$, we like the PP the best. It is lively, fun, clean and close to the parks. And the DCA view rooms are awesome. The GC was way overpriced and the DLH is okay, but older and more for families with little ones (in my opinion). We love all the on-site hotels, but like I said, the PP is an awesome place for little $$. Have fun, whatever you decide

 

[Amy&Dan]

Another vote for the PPH. While I don't like it quite as well as the DLH, we certainly enjoyed our stay there. The rooms are quite spacious and our bathroom was very oversized. The pool isn't too exciting except for the slide. I was able to book PPH for $120 a night for 4 nights in September through Expedia (The DLH was $160 and GCH was $198, these are great deals). You cannot beat that! I agree with Blackunicorn, we don't find the walk to PPH or the DLH for that matter to be that big of a deal. What's not to like about walking up and down DTD?

 

[chip64]

Thanks everybody for their opinions. I honestly agree with you BlackUnicorn as far as the theming of the GC pool. It honestly really isn't that great even though we all really liked the GC.. We last stayed at PPH when it used to be the DL Pacific Hotel way back in 1997, so this new theming sounds really nice as opposed to what it used to be. Keep in mind though my daughters as well as myself and my wife are used to StormAlong Bay at the Yacht@Beach Club at WDW, so this isn't a fair comparison as far as the main pool of the GC., Now after having said all of that we are honestly looking forward to staying at PPH.. I just wished we had a theme park view, but that's OK.. Again thanks everybody. We really are looking forward to going. Chip.

 

[Blackunicorn]

There aren't a heck of a lot of pools that could compete with Stormalong Bay!

 

[sierranevada]

.. I just wished we had a theme park view, but that's OK.. Again thanks everybody. We really are looking forward to going. Chip.

It would not hurt to ask upon check in if any upgrades are available. You could get lucky and get a theme park view. We loved that view when we stay at the PPH! Enjoy the hotel!