Paradise Pier Fans Please help me feel better

[PrincessYessenia]

haha I actually have those in my master bathroom as decoration. I have a Mickey-themed bathroom

But about PPH. My mom and I stayed there last June during our first trip to DLR. We loved it. The walk to the parks wasn't bad and I loved the way it smelled in the lobby! Our room was huge, too. It feels very bright and open, not stuffy. The service was great, as well. We were going to return to PPH but we own DVC now, which we bought into at DLR last year, so now we will always stay at VGC. I'm not a very "beachy" person but I just love the decor and theming of PPH. It "does it" for me.

Call us crazy but we booked a night at PPH for our return trip come April. Goes to show how much we like it. Just the memory of it being where we stayed during our first trip is wonderful. It will probably turn into a tradition for us whenever we visit DLR.

 

[Sherry E]

haha I actually have those in my master bathroom as decoration. I have a Mickey-themed bathroom

But about PPH. My mom and I stayed there last June during our first trip to DLR. We loved it. The walk to the parks wasn't bad and I loved the way it smelled in the lobby! Our room was huge, too. It feels very bright and open, not stuffy. The service was great, as well. We were going to return to PPH but we own DVC now, which we bought into at DLR last year, so now we will always stay at VGC. I'm not a very "beachy" person but I just love the decor and theming of PPH. It "does it" for me.

Call us crazy but we booked a night at PPH for our return trip come April. Goes to show how much we like it. Just the memory of it being where we stayed during our first trip is wonderful. It will probably turn into a tradition for us whenever we visit DLR.

That's a great way to use any extra bottles of the Mickey bath products - just put them out in your own bathroom at home for decoration or save them for guests who use that bathroom when they come over. Of course, when I stay at PPH, I like to hoard the Mickey bath products (I will stash the first day's supply in a drawer so the cleaning people leave more each day!), and I used to feel guilty about doing it until: A) I heard Samantha Brown suggest doing that exact same thing of stashing and hoarding the toiletries so you will get more each day, and B) I discovered people on the DIS here who wanted those Mickey bath products, so I was able to give some away! And then I found out I wasn't the only one hoarding! I love me some Mickey head bath products!!

 

[PrincessYessenia]

That's a great way to use any extra bottles of the Mickey bath products - just put them out in your own bathroom at home for decoration or save them for guests who use that bathroom when they come over. Of course, when I stay at PPH, I like to hoard the Mickey bath products (I will stash the first day's supply in a drawer so the cleaning people leave more each day!), and I used to feel guilty about doing it until: A) I heard Samantha Brown suggest doing that exact same thing of stashing and hoarding the toiletries so you will get more each day, and B) I discovered people on the DIS here who wanted those Mickey bath products, so I was able to give some away! And then I found out I wasn't the only one hoarding! I love me some Mickey head bath products!!

Omg, you sound like my mom! She has always done the same thing. I thought she was the only one, but I guess not! I'm actually on the phone with her right now and read what you wrote and she's laughing It's rather smart when you think of it. And the DVC resorts give even better products, mind you they are not in such cute bottles, but they sell them in the store for TOO MUCH money.

 

[Boo Bear]

I have some photos of my stay at DLH and PPH... the PPH images are labeled as such on this page... http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=4075583013/a=132853518_132853518/

I'm certain you'll have a great time no matter what you choose!

 

[Quest4Kingdom]

We will have our first time onsite, and are also considering PPH! After seeing these posts, we are anxious for booking this hotel!!

I think the mickey bath toiletries was my deciding factor, petty as it seems! it makes a touch of difference!

Question though, is it much farther of a walk than DLH?? I been trying to find some map of hotels I seen posted before but searched and couldn't find it!

 

[Amommy21]

#1 Your days on property really should coincide with your Disney days. You will regret it if you don't. Trust me.

#2 if you are going to do one or two days at San Diego area you really should book a night or two down there. It's a 2 hours drive.. each way and with traffic it can be even worse. DH and I go down to Southern California every year. And often we piggy back onto a work trip when he has conferences in San Diego area. Seriously, the drive can be maddening and such a waste to do more than one day.

 

[Sherry E]

We will have our first time onsite, and are also considering PPH! After seeing these posts, we are anxious for booking this hotel!!

I think the mickey bath toiletries was my deciding factor, petty as it seems! it makes a touch of difference!

Question though, is it much farther of a walk than DLH?? I been trying to find some map of hotels I seen posted before but searched and couldn't find it!

That's why I posted the photo of the Mickey toiletries! I knew someone else out there would be thinking like I think!! When you are going to be paying a lot of money to stay onsite - whether it is Paradise Pier kind of money or Grand Californian money or anything in between - you want all the extra perks you can get. That's one thing Bumbershoot and I have discussed - the lack of the Mickey bath products in the GCH (although the DLH has the Mickey bath stuff too). I understand that GCH is supposed to be a deluxe resort with only very subtle Mickey touches here and there, and they've got the H20 bath stuff, but...I like my Mickey head bath products!!! There is something so happy and cheery and comforting about going into your bathroom and seeing those little ears greeting you!! Plus, I feel like those bath products are a very original 'Disney' touch (in my opinion, anyway) that really complements the hotel stay. So that's why I like to "stock up" (ahem, hoard) the bath stuff when I stay at PPH. Just remember the tip - stash the first day's supply away so that Mousekeeping will leave more bottles the next day and the next day, etc. Sometimes, if they see bottles that appear to be untouched or full sitting on the bathroom counter, they won't leave more, or they will toss those out and replace them. I want a new supply every day, so I can leave the PPH with several sets of them!!

Oh, and as for the distance of the PPH - no, technically, it is not farther than the DLH at all (if you take the famous "short cut" that we all advocate here on the DIS) to get to and from the parks. If you follow the signs laid out for you on the PPH property, it will seem like you are walking for an eternity. Because the PPH is right across the street from the GCH and the main hub of activity, it seems like it is far. It's not bad at all. Literally, the short cut entails (if you want to get to the parks), going out the front of the PPH, veering to the left, walking up the sidewalk (along Disneyland Drive) to the light at crosswalk, crossing the street to the GCH, cutting through the gorgeous lobby of the GCH, and then following the GCH signs to DTD, and then on to the parks' entrances. And just follow the reverse path on the way back to the PPH. I made the mistake of not taking the short cut back in 2007, and the walk was daunting. My friend was about to kill me. Once we discovered the short cut (thanks to the helpful people on the DIS!), we never looked back!!

 

[bumbershoot]

I made the mistake of not taking the short cut back in 2007, and the walk was daunting. My friend was about to kill me.

I made the same mistake in the same year (as Sherry knows)...and while hubby and son didn't know any different, I knew that *something* was wrong, and when I realized (after we got home) that I'd taken the WRONG way, I was about to kill me!

Oh the GCH toiletries are so frustrating. Sure, it's spendy stuff, sure it smells good (better than the stuff in the adorable fabulous Mickey bottles IMO), but the plastic is SO tough, and the tubes are so narrow that you can't squeeze it out. And seriously, who has time to let gravity pull thick shampoo down while taking a shower?


Just make sure your family knows that the drive might be a bit maddening. We did the opposite drive, doing two quick DL/DCA days inside a week while staying in San Diego, so you aren't alone in doing such a thing. But full awareness that it's a relatively long drive is a good thing, especially if you have any antsy passengers.

 

[nana50]

My grandkids love the PPH. They especially love the waterslide. There is also a regular pool, a jacuzzi, and a small wading pool. I usually park myself in a lounge chair by the water slide and wading pool so I can watcgh them. There is always a lifeguard on site. The only thing I hate is the walk to Disneyland. I usually use the monorail though.

 

[Quest4Kingdom]

thanks for the tips on the bath stuff! it just may be my next collection!!


and I will definitely keep in mind that shortcut!
someone mentioned the monorail? so the monorail is accessible through PPH?
and about that mentioned long walk, is at least closer than doing Tropicana or Desert Inn on Harbor right (so I assume)? Think if I look at it that way, it will def seem shorter, I'm thinking!

 

[Sherry E]

thanks for the tips on the bath stuff! it just may be my next collection!!


and I will definitely keep in mind that shortcut!
someone mentioned the monorail? so the monorail is accessible through PPH?
and about that mentioned long walk, is at least closer than doing Tropicana or Desert Inn on Harbor right (so I assume)? Think if I look at it that way, it will def seem shorter, I'm thinking!

The Monorail does not have a station at the PPH. The Monorail station is close to Rainforest Cafe in DTD. So you'd still have to take the short cut from PPH to get to DTD, and at that point, you are more than halfway to the gates of the parks. Again, make sure to not follow any signs or directions on the PPH property that show you how to get to DTD. Ignore those completely or it will seem like a very daunting walk. Once you see what the short cut is (going through the GCH lobby to get to and from the PPH) and get the layout of everything, you will see it is not a bad walk at all. And that short cut route is no farther than the DLH in steps. The only thing is, DLH anchors one end of DTD, so the walk is basically one line from one end of DTD to the gates. The PPH short cut walk takes you in a different direction, across the street, so it may seem farther than it is, but if you use the short cut, it isn't.

I don't know about the Desert Inn, but I think it was Molly who figured out the number of feet to the Tropicana from the esplanade, and the Trop is a shorter distance than the PPH or the DLH.

 

[bumbershoot]

I used mapmyrun.com to figure out the basic walking routes we take from various hotels.

I used the center "star" in the Esplanade as my end point. I tried to use the front of the hotels as the starting point...sidewalk at the Tropicana and PPH, at the big hat at DLH, from the start of the trek to DTD at the Grand (that place has crazy long corridors which can add to your time, but that's the place where you would start).

From the front of the Tropicana it's .29 mile.

From DLH at the big hat through DTD to the center of the Esplanade, it's .47 mile. Nope, just updated using more perfect markers, and it's .43 mile.

From the front of PPH using the GCH path/shortcut, it's .45 mile.

PPH through DTD to the center start of the Esplanade, following PPH's signs, using markers to the best of my ability (considering the satellites don't show *inside* the buildings and I'm not totally sure where the exits are), starting at approximately the area of the elevators (since you wouldn't be going to the *front* of the hotel for this).... .63 mile.

PPH to the monorail following PPH's signs: .29 mile.

PPH to the monorail going through the Grand and back "up" DTD: .41 mile

DLH to the monorail: 0.09 mile

GCH to the monorail (starting at the point where you start the walk to get to the DTD exit, where you'd start the inner Grand portion of the PPH's shortcut): .22 mile

Re: the monorail, we did that a couple times on our first PPH stay, but every time the monorail was CLOSED, so it was absolutely useless. We followed the PPH signs, so that takes you back behind DTD and walking past DLH, then turning into DTD past ESPN zone and Rainforest Cafe to get to the station...

Using the monorail gets you into Tomorrowland, so if you really want to visit Main Street, or certain other areas of the park, it might not make sense to use the monorail to save steps. Now if you're heading to TL, or further in (ToonTown, IASW), it can make sense.

 

[rangermom]

We will be there on Sunday. Thsi is our 3rd trip as a family and have only stayed at the DLH. This thread has really gotten me excited about PPH.

 

[disney-super-mom]

If you want to get to the DTD monorail station from the PPH, do NOT go through the Grand Californian (the shortcut you would take to get to the front gates of Disneyland).

Instead, go out the BACK doors of the PPH and walk to the right, following the sidewalk to DTD. It's a short, five minute walk.

I also want to mention that I was just down in Disneyland a week and a half ago, and they had two monorails continuously running, so the waits between monorails was very short. It was AWESOME. So much better than it has been in the past.

 

[Sherry E]

Thanks, Molly, for those numbers! That's great info to have. In fact, my eye zeroed right in on the .63 distance from PPH to the esplanade, using the non-short cut/PPH sign route! And it is interesting to see that, even using the short cut to and from PPH, the PPH is still ever-so-slightly farther than the DLH (well, sort of and sort of not, because you were using the Sorcerer Hat as the marker for DLH, but there is walking to be done at DLH beyond that point, of course).

We will have to remember this thread so that the next time the subject comes up, we can pull these figures and show exactly how far they all are and how much difference there is between distances.

 

[disney-super-mom]

I used mapmyrun.com to figure out the basic walking routes we take from various hotels.

From the front of the Tropicana across Harbor it's .22 mile, but that isn't completely accurate as I just noticed I didn't go exactly to the center of the Esplanade (so add maybe .1 onto it). Just updated it, and moving my marker from where it was to the center start thing in the Esplanade makes it .29 mile.

From DLH (at the hat, not even counting if you're in the far tower) through DTD to the center of the Esplanade, it's .47 mile. Nope, just updated using more perfect markers, and it's .43 mile.

From the front of PPH using the GCH path, it's .45 mile.

PPH through DTD to the center start of the Esplanade, following PPH's signs, using markers to the best of my ability (considering the satellites don't show *inside* the buildings and I'm not totally sure where the exits are), starting at approximately the area of the elevators.... .63 mile.

PPH to the monorail following PPH's signs: .29 mile.

PPH to the monorail going through the Grand and back "up" DTD: .41 mile

DLH to the monorail: 0.9 mile
GCH to the monorail (starting at the point where you start the walk to get to the DTD exit, where you'd start the inner Grand portion of the PPH's shortcut): .22 mile

Re: the monorail, we did that a couple times on our first PPH stay, but every time the monorail was CLOSED, so it was absolutely useless. We followed the PPH signs, so that takes you back behind DTD and walking past DLH, then turning into DTD past ESPN zone and Rainforest Cafe to get to the station...

Using the monorail gets you into Tomorrowland, so if you really want to visit Main Street, or certain other areas of the park, it might not make sense to use the monorail to save steps. Now if you're heading to TL, or further in (ToonTown, IASW), it can make sense.

I'm sure this is just a simple typo and Molly meant that the DLH to the monorail is .09 mile.

(Since 0.9 miles would be almost a mile.)

 

[blackjackdelta]

It would be nice to add Molly's numbers to the planning sticky above for future reference.

Jack

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

I have to say these numbers sure make me happy!! We've stayed at GCH and DLH in the past, and are trying PPH this time, even though I thought it was "much further" than DLH... now I know it is no problem at all!

 

[Golfing Goofy]

Bumbershoot - Thank you for the advice. I'm SURE you are right but we decided to stay put in Anaheim. If we go to Legoland we might rent a car but if we go to Seaworld or the zoo we will get the ticket that includes transportation. I'm sure it doesn't make sense but it just seems easier to do this way. Thanks again.

We have done something similar and it was nice to have transportation and then return "home." It was during the busy season and DTD was open and busy until really late. The kids got naps on the ride back up to DLR and then they were ready to hang out in DTD. It worked out well.

Although staying in San Diego would be ideal, this alternative plan worked well for us and it was hassle-free. Plus, I hate moving mid vacation from hotel to hotel....It just doesn't feel like a vacation. LOL.

Just my 2 cents....

Have fun planning.

 

[bumbershoot]

I'm sure this is just a simple typo and Molly meant that the DLH to the monorail is .09 mile.

(Since 0.9 miles would be almost a mile.)

Good gravy yes. Thank you for catching that! I was so busy redoing my maps (I had the totally wrong turnoff for the area where the Grand dumps into DTD, for instance) and editing repeatedly that I messed that up! Off to edit!