Paradise Pier or Ramada Maingate During NAMM Show

[FlyMeToTheMoon]

Hi Everyone! I was hoping to get some opinions as to whether or not it's worth the extra $54/night to stay at the Paradise Pier vs. the Ramada Maingate during the upcoming NAMM show. I am attending the convention but also plan on taking my 8 and 4 year old to Disneyland every day. We've got severe nut allergies in the family so I plan to eat in the room as much as possible and the Ramada breakfast might not be totally safe. We'll likely order groceries from Von's to stock the fridge regardless of hotel. There's no microwave at PP which is a bit of an inconvenience but we can work around that. The waterslide at PP looks like lots of fun and I don't think my kids will notice the 'cold' unless its less than 64 degrees (or rainy which is of course a possibility). I also like the idea of just walking across the street to Grand Californian to the California Adventures entrance. Are there enough 'extras' at PP to justify the extra $54/night?

 

[bumbershoot]

Are those your only two choices?

Ramada Maingate's breakfast, when we had it, was awful.

What are the kids doing while you're at the show?

While the shortcut to DCA is nice, it's "walk across the street, get to the actual doors to the Grand, cross the highly distracting lobby, go outside, walk walk walk, get to DCA's entrance". If you're going to the esplanade (I rarely use the Grand's DCA entrance even if going to DCA because we rarely want to start at Grizzly) it's "walk across the street, enter the Grand, go down the hallway that's pretty long, go outside, still walk, get to DTD, turn right, get to bag check, esplanade, then choose your park entrance". It's convenient, but it's not a hop skip and jump.

From Maingate, it's up the street, cross the street, bag check, esplanade. I haven't compared it, but it would be interesting to do so, mileage-wise.



All that said, $54/night is nice, and PPH is nice. Oh and I'm biased against Ramada Maingate, if you couldn't tell. I'm in the minority here, though, so take my whining about them with that grain of salt. If going with a Ramada, I like Ramada Plaza.

 

[FlyMeToTheMoon]

Thanks for the reply. Those are my only two choices as everything else is booked or considerably more expensive (I actually have reservations at both right now and will be cancelling one). The kids will be with a sitter or my husband in the room while I am at the show. I am not planning to be at the show more than a couple of hours each day (and will probably skip Saturday altogether).

 

[planningjollyholiday]

I have stayed at both hotels and enjoyed and would recommend both.
The great things about the ramada are that it is actually the closer of the two to disneyland. We had great service, the rooms were very clean, and breakfast was included. I will admit that the breakfast was not the greatest, but a free breakfast is better than no breakfast. The best part was that the price was low making this hotel a great value for your money especially compared to the expensive onsight prices.
The PP has larger rooms with a distinct disney touch. The rooms and grounds are way nicer and It is a hotel and not a motel. The service, pool, and extra perks are great. And although the walk to the parks is slightly longer, it doesn't feel that way because you are in the disney "bubble" as you walk through the GC or DTD.
Now what concerns me is the fact that these hotels only have a $54 a night difference for your stay. This either means that you got an incredible and rare deal at the PP or that the ramada is ridiculously overpriced for your dates. In either case with such a small price gap i would no doubt choose PP. Just for reference i paid $123 a night for ramada in November whereas PP was about $285. Now if i had paid any more than $150 for the ramada than i wouldn't have considered it a good value anymore.

 

[FlyMeToTheMoon]

Thanks for your opinion on this - it sounds like PP is probably worth it. The small difference in price is due to a very good convention rate for PP. The Ramada is priced similar to "regular" dates.

 

[sherilaine]

Are you going to be able to use the early entry with being at the convention or are you only doing that later in the day - is it also just $54 a day extra - as things like extra fees, parking etc. can add up depending on the hotel. If it was just $54 a day then I'd pick the hotel I want especially if room configuration is the same. No microwave is a bummer though - I wish the onsite hotels had that.

 

[bumbershoot]

The kids will be with a sitter or my husband in the room while I am at the show.

If they have the opportunity to go to the parks while you're at the convention, then think about what would be the most convenient for them. More convenient to walk up Harbor and get to the parks, or more convenient to explore the Grand, go to the parks from there, etc.

Uh oh, I was going to say to stay at PPH if they could go to the parks, but then I thought about how much nicer it would be at PPH if they were just at the hotel.

So I think I'm solidly in the PPH camp.

If you'd had more options I was going to mention Hilton Anaheim, as it's really close to the convention and a really decent hotel and it's not TOO far from the parks.

Now what concerns me is the fact that these hotels only have a $54 a night difference for your stay. This either means that you got an incredible and rare deal at the PP or that the ramada is ridiculously overpriced for your dates. In either case with such a small price gap i would no doubt choose PP.

Good point.

 

[Ckkk]

The Grand has actually stopped letting non hotel guests use their entrance into DCA in the morning from what I saw in December. They have cast members checking hotel keys and I've seen several people get turned away and that were furious about it. I dont believe the cast members stay there all day, however.

I believe they did this because the line for that entrance would get backed up in the morning from time to time and they didnt want grand guests to be waiting to get into the park.

 

[Cats2]

The Grand has actually stopped letting non hotel guests use their entrance into DCA in the morning from what I saw in December. They have cast members checking hotel keys and I've seen several people get turned away and that were furious about it. I dont believe the cast members stay there all day, however.

I believe they did this because the line for that entrance would get backed up in the morning from time to time and they didnt want grand guests to be waiting to get into the park.

Are you sure they were turning away non-GCH guests, or was that non-DLR hotel guests? The entrance is for guests of DLH/PPH/GCH, and in the past they would check for room keys til about 11am. But during the extra busy holiday season, I could see them turning away non-DLR guests even later in the day.

 

[bumbershoot]

The Grand has actually stopped letting non hotel guests use their entrance into DCA in the morning from what I saw in December.

Non onsite guests, yes.

OP is talking about staying at PPH, which is onsite, and PPH and DLH guests, along with the Grand's guests, are totally entitled to use that entrance all day.


So when my family is at the Anabella and walks up Disneyland Drive to go through the Grand, we cannot use that entrance especially in the morning (though we can exit there). But the last 2.5 days of our trip, when we've moved to PPH, we can.

 

[FlyMeToTheMoon]

Are you going to be able to use the early entry with being at the convention or are you only doing that later in the day - is it also just $54 a day extra - as things like extra fees, parking etc. can add up depending on the hotel. If it was just $54 a day then I'd pick the hotel I want especially if room configuration is the same. No microwave is a bummer though - I wish the onsite hotels had that.

I would probably use the early entry most days (but might not be able to get the kids out the door in time for the 7-8 a.m. on Saturday). One of my kids has high functioning autism and this might be a great way to get in some of the favorite rides before the crowds get to be overwhelming. So, the early entry would likely be a huge plus. We aren't renting a car so there is no extra money spent there. As far as I know, internet is free at PP so that too is no extra expense.

 

[FlyMeToTheMoon]

If you'd had more options I was going to mention Hilton Anaheim, as it's really close to the convention and a really decent hotel and it's not TOO far from the parks.

The rate for the Hilton is insane during the NAMM show ($250+) and it's completely booked. Plus, the lobby is packed day and night with bands playing, people partying, etc. If it was cheaper and I was traveling without kids, it would be fantastic!

 

[Cats2]

I would probably use the early entry most days (but might not be able to get the kids out the door in time for the 7-8 a.m. on Saturday). One of my kids has high functioning autism and this might be a great way to get in some of the favorite rides before the crowds get to be overwhelming. So, the early entry would likely be a huge plus. We aren't renting a car so there is no extra money spent there. As far as I know, internet is free at PP so that too is no extra expense.

It looks like the parks open anywhere from 8 AM on Sat to 10 AM on Thurs during your stay. Keep in mind that there are a lot more people who can get out of bed and make it to a 8 or 9 AM EMH than a 7 AM EMH. I always love a 7AM EMH! Though, Sat EMH is also MM for DLR, so it's not as quiet as a 7 AM EMH into DCA. We've gone during off season with similar hours to what you have, and the Fri & weekend EMH's allow you to get more things done before lunch. We typically stay in the parks til early afternoon & then go back to the hotel for nap/pool time.

 

[tarheelalum]

Whatever you choose I'd book it quick. Hotels jack their rates up high for NAMM and the longer you wait the more you'll pay.

 

[cpster]

There used to be a microwave in the lobby of PP. Call and check.

 

[FlyMeToTheMoon]

Whatever you choose I'd book it quick. Hotels jack their rates up high for NAMM and the longer you wait the more you'll pay.

Fortunately I had made a reservation at both PP and Ramada a while back. The rates during NAMM are can be insane (i.e. I recently saw $300/night for the Carousel Inn during NAMM!).