PPH fans- convince me I chose the right hotel!!!

[Jenna319]

I just booked 6 nights in September at the Paradise Pier hotel and my main reason is the cost. It is definitely the best deal of the 3 on-site properties.

I've been to DLR before and PP just never appealed to me. It just doesn't seem to have the "magic" that the other 2 resorts possess.

I've always dreamed of staying at the DLH but it is $400 more to stay there and that's a big price difference to me! PPH fans- give me some reasons that you love this hotel!

I'm thinking that as the months go by, I may end up switching to DLH, if I am able to save enough Disney Reward dollars with mine and my husbands Disney Visa..... Is it worth $400 to switch to DLH???? I do plan on using the pool and I know DLH has a nicer pool BUT my husband loves waterslides and PP seems to have a better slide. I like the location better of DLH.....

Does PP still have the Disney magic??? Or is it basically just a Radisson with the Disney name?

 

[bumbershoot]

Ok first let me address the slide. The slide at PPH does NOT empty into the pool. It empties into its own little thing of water. So while it's high, you're not going to be splashing down into the pool.


I like PPH. From Goofy in the lobby (replaced by an xmas tree depending on when you're going) to the suntan lotion smell off the lobby...to the bigger rooms with bright sunshiney light... I just like it.


When you walk from PPH, take the path through the Grand (do NOT follow the signs that the hotel posts!), it's a much nicer and shorter walk than if you follow their signs. And it's only a tiny blip longer than if you walk through DTD to DL (and that measurement is from the big hat at DLH, not from any particular tower doors, so add that walk into the length of the walk).

We've now stayed at all three of the onsite hotels, and PPH is my fave.

 

[mickeymark34]

I have stayed at all of the Disneyland Resort. I have only been to the Paradise Pier once with my wife and two friends, and it was a magical stay.

We checked in and the Front Desk person gave each of us these neat posters promoting "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl". She told us the room that was on our reservation was not ready, but had us look at another room to see if we would want it. We went to the room, to find the door wide open (I think someone was leaving, or they were cleaning it) and see a wonderful view of Disney's California Adventure park. Of course we took it! Later in the afternoon, when we went back to check in and bring in our luggage, there were Mickey Mouse Rice Krispy Treats on our pillows. When we went, Paradise Pier guests had thier own exclusive entrance (that is no longer the case). One night when the park closed early and we returned to our room, they were doing a practice run of the "Electrical Parade", which we were able to see from our room. We also enjoyed a fun character breakfast featuring Lilo and Stitch, which is still available at the hotels "PCH Grill". Since we have been there, which was at least five years ago, they have rethemed the hotel. I would love to visit again and see it rethemed.

 

[Jenna319]

Wow what a wonderful upgrade! Are there balconies in all the rooms at PPH?

 

[mickeymark34]

I do not recall the Paradise Pier having balconies at all. I know our room didn't have one.

 

[debdreamsofdis]

First let me say, I haven't stayed at DLH or GCH, so I can't really compare PPH to those. Thanks to a great rate through Expedia, we stayed in PPH back in October and it was my first time staying on DL property. While we enjoyed our stay and thought everything was very nice, we did find ourselves saying "This is really just another hotel." Now, we did NOT have a theme park view, we did not get treats on our pillows, we didn't eat at the character meal- all those factors may have changed our opinion. But, to be honest, we were busy in the parks and mostly used the hotel just to sleep. We used the pool one day and the slide was pretty fun, but the pool area doesn't really have much theming like the Neverland pool.

Probably the best part of our PPH stay was watching the fireworks from the roof. They piped the music in and we could view the display from the pool deck- that was pretty neat. And, o.k., I liked the mickey shampoo bottles too!

You just have to decide what's important to you. I really think you'll be fine at PPH and, you know, $400 goes a long way towards something in the parks- a really nice meal, a tour, or some great souveniers.

 

[bumbershoot]

The character breakfast at PCH Grill is now a Mickey themed (and hosted) meal. No more Lilo and Stitch.

I tend to try to not mention things like restaurants or the grounds, when talking about staying someplace, because of course anyone can go to PCH Grill, or can run the remote control jungle cruise boats at DLH. However, it is awfully nice to go back to your hotel and know that you can have dinner at PCH Grill, then go on up to sleep.

We've only gotten treats once, and that's when we checked in at around 6am (had stayed at the Hilton on a priceline type of rate the night before, and wanted to take part in the morning's Magic Morning...so we got up very early and changed hotels, then went on over to DL!) and managed to get the Big Kahuna "family of the day". That got us upgraded to a suite, and we had one plate of Mickey cookies (would have been marshmallow treats but as vegetarians who also avoid corn syrup, marshmallows are absolutely NOT on our menu, so we told them that and they substituted cookies). Other than that, we haven't gotten treats at all.

I want to make sure you know that treats are extra (unless you're staying concierge) so you don't get your expectations set too high!

 

[mickeymark34]

Perhaps we got lucky with the treats, because we didn't stay concierge. I also liked the little room with a T.V. that had Fab Five Cartoons playing. The room was beached themed and had pool chairs to sit on. That was pretty cool. At night they projected Goofy on a surfboard on the side of the hotel and was visible when walking from the Downtown Disney/Disneyland Hotel area.

 

[rentayenta]

LOVE the PPH. We really like the Disney/beach theme, all the best of So Cal in one. Now, if you were going during the holidays then I would say stay at the DLH, it's magical during the holidays. If the PPH was a DVC property, we would be staying there.