Staying “on site”

[DLgal]

Guests on site can access the virtual ques and Genie Plus at 7am and off site guests have to wait for park opening, is my understanding for WDW so I would think that DLR would be the same probably.

No, it won't be the same. They specifically stated that at DLR, ALL guests can ONLY access Genie+ after entering the parks. It will be programmed to only activate after you have scanned into the entry gates, similar to how the system works now for the 12 o'clock Boarding Group drops. If you haven't scanned in yet, you can't try for a boarding group at noon.

 

[DLgal]

The benefit is proximity to the parks and the safety/security of the Disney bubble.

 

[bookgirl]

No, it won't be the same. They specifically stated that at DLR, ALL guests can ONLY access Genie+ after entering the parks. It will be programmed to only activate after you have scanned into the entry gates, similar to how the system works now for the 12 o'clock Boarding Group drops. If you haven't scanned in yet, you can't try for a boarding group at noon.

Well bummer

 

[StarlitNight05]

The benefit is proximity to the parks and the safety/security of the Disney bubble.

And this means a lot to people. My DH is one of those who favors onsite vs offsite. We live in a region of CA where it is not uncommon to see the unhoused. He justifies (and I always selfishly agree) that it's worth it to pay more, and visit less often, to not encounter that during a vacation.

 

[DLgal]

And this means a lot to people. My DH is one of those who favors onsite vs offsite. We live in a region of CA where it is not uncommon to see the unhoused. He justifies (and I always selfishly agree) that it's worth it to pay more, and visit less often, to not encounter that during a vacation.

Totally agree. My husband feels the same way.

 

[Iceman93]

The PP is the equivalent of a Motel 6 with theming and with the right room, a view. It is NOT a Disney Hotel, nor every will be no matter how much they dress it up

I know internet message boards are often all about hyperbole, but this is really over the top. It's hardly equivalent to a Motel 6. And it's every bit as much a Disney hotel as the DLH is, which, you may remember, was also not owned by Disney for it's first few decades of operation. In fact, to my family, the PPH is superior in pretty much every way to the DLH--quality of furnishings, theming ("Disneyland" is not a theme), cast member friendliness, pool and pool bar (granted, the pool bar is currently closed as are all the other F&B options at the hotel, which is inexcusable).

 

[DizMe]

I know internet message boards are often all about hyperbole, but this is really over the top. It's hardly equivalent to a Motel 6. And it's every bit as much a Disney hotel as the DLH is, which, you may remember, was also not owned by Disney for it's first few decades of operation. In fact, to my family, the PPH is superior in pretty much every way to the DLH--quality of furnishings, theming ("Disneyland" is not a theme), cast member friendliness, pool and pool bar (granted, the pool bar is currently closed as are all the other F&B options at the hotel, which is inexcusable).

You're right; it's not a Motel 6 in any way. It was a higher-end Japanese hotel which was originally named The Emerald. I stayed in it in the 90's and the name had been changed to the Pan Pacific. You felt you were in a fairly upscale establishment and one of the main perks then was that you could walk over to the monorail and enjoy the shopping/dining at DLH. DLH was very different and there was no DTD so it's hard to picture for someone who didn't see it then. Anyway, I much preferred it as the Pan Pacific as far as theming and amenities, but Paradise Pier is still a nice hotel. However, I don't feel it compares in any way with DLH or GCH, but it used to be priced in a way that made it a good deal for on site. Now there are other competitive options nearby with similar or better amenities.

 

[DLgal]

You're right; it's not a Motel 6 in any way. It was a higher-end Japanese hotel which was originally named The Emerald. I stayed in it in the 90's and the name had been changed to the Pan Pacific. You felt you were in a fairly upscale establishment and one of the main perks then was that you could walk over to the monorail and enjoy the shopping/dining at DLH. DLH was very different and there was no DTD so it's hard to picture for someone who didn't see it then. Anyway, I much preferred it as the Pan Pacific as far as theming and amenities, but Paradise Pier is still a nice hotel. However, I don't feel it compares in any way with DLH or GCH, but it used to be priced in a way that made it a good deal for on site. Now there are other competitive options nearby with similar or better amenities.

Fully agree. For the PRICE it's an abysmal option. I've stayed there twice and both times it was just over $100 and that's still about what it's worth.

The pool is an absolute joke.

 

[Malcon10t]

You're right; it's not a Motel 6 in any way. It was a higher-end Japanese hotel which was originally named The Emerald. I stayed in it in the 90's and the name had been changed to the Pan Pacific. You felt you were in a fairly upscale establishment and one of the main perks then was that you could walk over to the monorail and enjoy the shopping/dining at DLH. DLH was very different and there was no DTD so it's hard to picture for someone who didn't see it then. Anyway, I much preferred it as the Pan Pacific as far as theming and amenities, but Paradise Pier is still a nice hotel. However, I don't feel it compares in any way with DLH or GCH, but it used to be priced in a way that made it a good deal for on site. Now there are other competitive options nearby with similar or better amenities.

Totally agree. The rooms are the largest of the 3 hotels, and their suites are really nice. What prevents me from staying there more often is the elevators. As a person using a scooter, trying to get an elevator going up (primarily in the AM) is almost impossible unless I ask for help. Why? With so few elevators, they are usually full (especially in the AM) and even if I have put in the info to get the elevator, by the time it empties, the doors close. I have missed so many elevators because of this. I have to ask someone to help me by holding the door open so I can get in.

 

[dieumeye]

Totally agree. The rooms are the largest of the 3 hotels, and their suites are really nice. What prevents me from staying there more often is the elevators. As a person using a scooter, trying to get an elevator going up (primarily in the AM) is almost impossible unless I ask for help. Why? With so few elevators, they are usually full (especially in the AM) and even if I have put in the info to get the elevator, by the time it empties, the doors close. I have missed so many elevators because of this. I have to ask someone to help me by holding the door open so I can get in.

I have no problem with Paradise Pier and stay there on occasion.

But that elevator system. Ridiculous. I feel you. I could rant all day about it. It makes no sense. So you push the button for, say, floor three and someone else pushes the button for floor three and it tells you all to line up at elevator A. And elevator A arrives but there’s only enough room for half the people waiting for floor three to get on the elevator. The system has no way of knowing that. So you need to go back again and enter that you want to go to floor three on the computer. I swear I’ve had to stand down in the lobby and punch in the floor I wanted three or more times because there were already too many other people waiting for that floor. The computer has no way of knowing whether you are a party of one or a party of eight people with tons of luggage. It’s absolute madness and does not work when there’s even a few groups just trying to get up and down. It’s total chaos and I cannot understand why they haven’t changed it to a normal elevator system.

Ok, Paradise Pier elevator rant is out of my system for now!

 

[Wesley815]

Ok, Paradise Pier elevator rant is out of my system for now!

I agree. I'll never understand why they added this system to a perfectly fine original setup, you can tell it's a corporate idea that sounds good on paper for 'energy saving' elevators that makes no sense. I try to avoid hotels with the smart elevator system systems.

They should just assign certain elevator shafts to upper floors, and others to lower- works great at mega properties in Vegas with thousands of rooms.

 

[gelatoni fan]

I have no problem with Paradise Pier and stay there on occasion.

But that elevator system. Ridiculous. I feel you. I could rant all day about it. It makes no sense. So you push the button for, say, floor three and someone else pushes the button for floor three and it tells you all to line up at elevator A. And elevator A arrives but there’s only enough room for half the people waiting for floor three to get on the elevator. The system has no way of knowing that. So you need to go back again and enter that you want to go to floor three on the computer. I swear I’ve had to stand down in the lobby and punch in the floor I wanted three or more times because there were already too many other people waiting for that floor. The computer has no way of knowing whether you are a party of one or a party of eight people with tons of luggage. It’s absolute madness and does not work when there’s even a few groups just trying to get up and down. It’s total chaos and I cannot understand why they haven’t changed it to a normal elevator system.

Ok, Paradise Pier elevator rant is out of my system for now!

This type of elevator dispatch system is designed for large office buildings in Asia. So if you have 20+ floors and most people are in groups of 1 or 2, it's more efficient for elevators to not stop on every floor during the afternoon and lunch rush and combine groups. The system usually decreases total travel time and the amount of people in any elevator making it more comfortable. However, it does increase the average wait to get into an elevator so for people who aren't used to it, this gets perceived as making the entire trip slower even when it's actually faster. This is because most people feel like they are making progress when the elevator is stopping on multiple floors but they feel like they are not making progress when they are waiting for an elevator to arrive.

Paradise Pier could optimize the elevators further by allowing people to also enter the number of people in their party or send additional elevators when people request the same floor during non-peak times. I assume that the dispatch system was extremely useful when Paradise Pier was used as a conference hotel and attendees staying on different floors would all return at once. Unfortunately, there aren't many conferences right now so this type of dispatch system can be confusing to tourists who aren't used to them.

Only Disney will have the data to see if this dispatch system, a traditional system or splitting elevators by floors (even/odd, lower/upper, etc) is most efficient and best for guest experience.

 

[dieumeye]

This type of elevator dispatch system is designed for large office buildings in Asia. So if you have 20+ floors and most people are in groups of 1 or 2, it's more efficient for elevators to not stop on every floor during the afternoon and lunch rush and combine groups. The system usually decreases total travel time and the amount of people in any elevator making it more comfortable. However, it does increase the average wait to get into an elevator so for people who aren't used to it, this gets perceived as making the entire trip slower even when it's actually faster. This is because most people feel like they are making progress when the elevator is stopping on multiple floors but they feel like they are not making progress when they are waiting for an elevator to arrive.

Paradise Pier could optimize the elevators further by allowing people to also enter the number of people in their party or send additional elevators when people request the same floor during non-peak times. I assume that the dispatch system was extremely useful when Paradise Pier was used as a conference hotel and attendees staying on different floors would all return at once. Unfortunately, there aren't many conferences right now so this type of dispatch system can be confusing to tourists who aren't used to them.

Only Disney will have the data to see if this dispatch system, a traditional system or splitting elevators by floors (even/odd, lower/upper, etc) is most efficient and best for guest experience.

Lots of convention hotels use this kind of setup. But everywhere else I’ve ever stayed with this type of system has a dozen or more elevators in use. Often different banks of elevators for different floors. PPH has, what, three? It just doesn’t work when you have to keep entering your floor again and again and again because there is not enough room on the elevator that’s headed to your floor. And you get put in the back of the queue each time you re-enter your floor.

It works fine if there’s only a few people, but when lots of groups arrive at once, or a bus arrives, it’s a nightmare.

 

[Malcon10t]

I agree with the above posters. I have used similar type elevators in SF before. But they have a MUCH larger bank of elevators. (PPH has 4 elevators, 3 regular and 1 "glass".)

 

[mcrowder1978]

No, it won't be the same. They specifically stated that at DLR, ALL guests can ONLY access Genie+ after entering the parks. It will be programmed to only activate after you have scanned into the entry gates, similar to how the system works now for the 12 o'clock Boarding Group drops. If you haven't scanned in yet, you can't try for a boarding group at noon.

This is similar to how the MaxPass worked when we we in August 2019. We couldn't get any fastpasses until we were in the park. I didn't mind this because it meant that there would actually be fastpasses for us to use. When we went to WDW in Feb 2020 it was totally different. I didn't like having to book fastpasses months in advance and even then there weren't that many available.

 

[mcrowder1978]

Totally agree. My husband feels the same way.

I feel the same way. For us it is also about convenience and adding to the trip experience. Our first trip to DL we stayed at the DLH and loved it but had to move to a different hotel on the other side of the park for the last night because I extended the trip a day for cheaper flights but couldn't extend my reservation. It was a nice hotel and not far at all...but it was a let down after DLH. Plus I was nervous being on the ground floor with outside access and having my 15 year old daughter with me. I'll always spend the extra now, same at WDW too.