Paradise Peir Hotel

[Ferry Joy]

Has anyone stayed at the Paradise peir. I have just satred my planning and I would like to hear some info about the PP Resort?

 

[Mom of three]

We stayed there our first trip 2 years ago. It was decent, clean, friendly staff. I wouldnt go so far as to say it was spectacular, but it worked for us and was a great place to stay for "first timers" in my eyes. How much time do you really spend in the room anyway?

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

If you can, I'd recommend getting a themepark view room. We have stayed there a couple of times, and looking out at California Adventure early in the morning, or at night is really nice.

They have pics of the Paradier Pier on the rooms, and I'll never forget my little 4-year old nephew looking at me with big eyes, and pointing at the pictures and exclaiming, "Hey, Auntie Jo! Those pictures are just like what I can see out my window! AWESOME!!"

We got out the DCA map and tried to find the things on the map down in the park. It was fun doing this with my nephews.

As for the room, I really liked it.

 

[Sherry E]

This upcoming stay at Paradise Pier in less than two weeks (yay!) will be my third time there. Prior to discovering PPH, we had always stayed at DLH because that was the only Disney hotel option. The cheapest of the three DLR hotels, PPH provides a way of staying at a Disney hotel and getting a little bit of that extra magic - but at a more economical price, if one can use the word 'economical' in any Disney-related sentence!! As stated by a previous poster, it is clean and nice but nothing really "spectacular." That about sums it up. I actually wish they would do a little more with the PPH in terms of expanding on the kind of 'beach/surf/water' theme, and include some more water elements on the property, maybe some aquariums or ponds. But there just isn't really enough room to develop, I suppose, and if they did, the room rates would likely soar to less-than-economical levels! So you get little touches here and there - a Surfer Goofy statue in the lobby (a perfect photo opportunity if you have little ones with you - or just big, silly adults such as myself!), a Lifeguard Mickey lamp in the rooms, a little surfboard soap holder in the bathrooms, a painting of the Paradise Pier section of DCA hanging on the wall, that sort of thing. It is pretty basic. The GCH is all about upscale, rustic elegance and the DLH is slightly tropical in nature, with its koi pond and waterfalls. PPH also has a good little snack/coffee bar in the lounge area off of the lobby, where they serve sandwiches, pastries and yummy blended mochas! One of the perks of staying at any of the three DLR hotels as opposed to staying offsite is to have your park purchases sent back to the hotel (for free) so you don't have to lug them around or shove them in an expensive locker, or remember to pick them up somewhere at such and such a time at night. We always take advantage of that feature!

I have never had the view that Mary Jo spoke of - I doubt I will be so lucky as to get a free upgrade when I am there on October 2nd because we are arriving late in the day. Last time, I think we got a view of the parking lot and some of the pool! This time, we are supposed to get a 'city view,' whatever that entails!

One other thought - if we could afford it, we would probably stay at the GCH every trip because of the convenience and location of it. I found that my traveling companions were MUCH less resistant to emerging from a 2-hour long rest break and heading back into the parks because the walk seemed much shorter from the GCH to the entrance of DL or DCA than the walk from the PPH. When we go back to PPH to rest and then I want to head back out for a second wave of activity, I get hesitation and grumbling. I don't mind the walk from PPH or DLH so much, but it is hard to convince the others with me that it is not so bad when they are tired at 6 p.m. So, all in all, we got so much more accomplished when we stayed at GCH and made better use of our time!

 

[Ferry Joy]

I have to say that the fact it was a Disney hotel and a less expensive one is what made me decide to stay there. When we went to DIsneyland in 1992 we stayed at a good neighbour hotel, which was great. They had just started pay-per-view and it was realy exciting. Then we went to Disneyworld in 2006 and I loved staying onsite! The perks - like having your purchases sent to your room! This will probably be it for a while (can't get DH to fly very easily) so I wanted something unforgettable! Are there good restuarants nearby, because from what I have read the PPH is a little expensive.

 

[pixiewings71]

We stayed there in Jan. We had a theme park view and loved it!!! I would stay there again for sure. Unless I could afford the GCH, then we would stay there! LOL PPH is a nice hotel, get a theme park view and enjoy!

Sorry, you asked about restaurants. There are a lot of places around, PPH is right next to DTD so you've got all those places to chose from. We like Rainforest Cafe, DBF and I can share a meal and an appetizer and we are stuffed. We also like to drive down Harbor a bit and go to Joe's Crab Shack. Soooo yummy!! And there is a Red Robin right there too. Right across the street from DL (across Harbor which is the opposite way as your hotel) there is a Millie's (YUM and very good prices), Mimi's, Denny's, McDonald's. I don't recommend the IHOP's as they are very $$.

 

[Sherry E]

I have to say that the fact it was a Disney hotel and a less expensive one is what made me decide to stay there. When we went to DIsneyland in 1992 we stayed at a good neighbour hotel, which was great. They had just started pay-per-view and it was realy exciting. Then we went to Disneyworld in 2006 and I loved staying onsite! The perks - like having your purchases sent to your room! This will probably be it for a while (can't get DH to fly very easily) so I wanted something unforgettable! Are there good restuarants nearby, because from what I have read the PPH is a little expensive.

Yes, having the purchases sent back to the hotel is a great convenience - and you can do it for even a tiny little bag. I bought one small but breakable item last year and I could have put it into my purse, but I am a klutz and I knew I would probably smoosh it. So even though the CM at the register looked at me a little funny for wanting one teeny thing sent to the hotel, I knew I had to because I didn't want to risk carrying it around to be broken.

As for eating, well, it isnt that the PPH is necessarily so costly, it is that DLR is a costly endeavor in and of itself. If you are inclined to want a meal with characters, those will be expensive (especially the one at Goofy's Kitchen in the DLH, which is my favorite). If you don't want characters but want table service in the hotels, the parks or Downtown Disney, that is automatically more expensive than counter/walk-up service.

I would suggest you check out http://allears.net/dlr/tp/dl/dl_rest.htm which lists all the menus for all the restaurants throughout the entire Disney resort, as well as prices, and you can get a sense of what your meals will cost ahead of time so there are no shocks when you arrive!

 

[Ferry Joy]

I would suggest you check out http://allears.net/dlr/tp/dl/dl_rest.htm which lists all the menus for all the restaurants throughout the entire Disney resort, as well as prices, and you can get a sense of what your meals will cost ahead of time so there are no shocks when you arrive!

Thanks! I will look at it right away. I am terrible at planning and I don't have much time - I still haven't booked my flight - Nutty I know. My Dh loves IHOP s that will be great.

 

[Jennifer03]

I absolutely love Paradise Pier Hotel. I have stayed at the Disneyland Hotel twice and actually like Paradise Pier better. I really love the whole beach theme going on in the room and the California music they play in the lobby. Also, having a theme park view is great! (I got lucky last year was upgraded for free. ) I know a lot of people say that Paradise Pier is far away, but I really didn't think the walk was that must longer than the one from the Disneyland Hotel.

 

[Sherry E]

I absolutely love Paradise Pier Hotel. I have stayed at the Disneyland Hotel twice and actually like Paradise Pier better. I really love the whole beach theme going on in the room and the California music they play in the lobby. Also, having a theme park view is great! (I got lucky last year was upgraded for free. ) I know a lot of people say that Paradise Pier is far away, but I really didn't think the walk was that must longer than the one from the Disneyland Hotel.

Depending on which route you take from the hotels and in which tower of the DLH you stay, the walk from the DLH can actually seem to be a little longer than PPH! That is why I didn't try to book a room at DLH this year (with the PIN# discount) - I knew that since I get resistance from my buddies when we stay at PPH and they don't feel like going out again after 6 p.m., they would certainly gripe about the DLH!

 

[pixiewings71]

The IHOP is very expensive so we prefer going to Millie's, Mimi's or Denny's instead. I was shocked at how much it was to eat at the IHOP, honestly, we could have eaten at BB for almost as much as we spent at IHOP.

When walking from the PPH do not follow their signs, simply walk out the front and bear left, walk down the sidewalk and cross towards the GCH. Walk in the front entrance (after looking at the absolutely gorgeous doors) and follow the signs to DTD from there. It's a much shorter walk.

 

[Sherry E]

Pixiewings is right - if you follow the Paradise Pier signs to get to the DL entrance, it will seem like you are walking forever. Better to use the shortcut that she described, where you cut through the GCH hotel - and also it is a great way to see the gorgeous and HUGE lobby/lounge/hearth area of the GCH on your way through it. You will probably think to yourself, "Oooooh...this is a nice hotel...we will have to stay here NEXT trip." (IF you can get your DH on a plane again, that is!)

 

[Ferry Joy]

Actually the last time I was in Disneyland (1991) I saw the DLH and I wished we had stayed there - but it wasn't my money! Now it is and I am still not there.....but I am close!

 

[Sherry E]

Actually the last time I was in Disneyland (1991) I saw the DLH and I wished we had stayed there - but it wasn't my money! Now it is and I am still not there.....but I am close!

It is within reach! DLH is not too much more expensive than PPH, but every dollar matters if you are on a budget - believe me, I understand that all too well! GCH is the one that is really out of the ballpark pricewise, but is is just so darned convenient - and lovely! Wait till you stroll through the lobby en route to the DL and DCA entrances!

 

[disney_love<3]

I was there in August for just one night and I loved it! It's very clean and you can feel the Disney magic. The pool is a little small but its not that big of a deal. I would stay there again anytime.