Switching to a Disneyland Hotel for the Magic Mornings?

[merrrydeath]

My mom and I will be in Disneyland at the end of September. Currently we are booked at The Del Sol for 4 nights. However, with the Resort Guests DAILY Magic Morning perk being extended through the end of September, I'm now wavering on whether I should switch us to a Disneyland Hotel.

We have APs and my mom also qualifies us for the senior discount. Currently that 30% senior discount is better than our AP rate, however PPH would be about $370 more total and DLH would be $630 more. Del Sol is a really quick walk and that is definitely a perk for us. However, has anyone recently been an offsite guest and felt that they really missed out by not having a Magic Morning for DCA or DL? During past trips, we've usually only had to contend with missing out on one or two magic mornings, but this trip it will be all days. Does the early admission for DCA really give you a leg up?

So please weigh in, under these circumstances would you switch over to a Disney Hotel, and why? If you have real park experiences to back that up, I would appreciate it.

 

[skiingfast]

The main advantage is getting to Carsland first and getting rides in with short waits and be assured to be able to get a RSR FP. In the Fall this rush will lighten up so it may not be as much of an advantage.

Are you going when hotels are more full or less full? If they have lots of vacancies there won't be as many people in the park before you come from an offsite location. Then the CL lines are not going to be big when you get in. If it's busy the advantage is greater.

 

[merrrydeath]

I guess at this point the hardest part is not knowing what it will be like in September when the summer crowds die down and people are back in school/back to work. I'm not sure if I'm trying to convince myself that we'll be fine where we are, or if I'm trying to convince myself to pay the price for a Disneyland Hotel

Looking at the AP calendar, there are no Standard rooms available for the week before our trip, so that week looks to be a bit busy...

 

[skiingfast]

I don't think it's going to be busy, unlike some people have speculated. The official calendar shows the park hours decreasing at the end of August and into September. This means DLR is expecting the normally lower crowds of Fall.

Why the DLH shows no standard AP rate rooms, I don't know. Does this include the first Halloween Party on the 28th?

 

[merrrydeath]

This is all before the Halloween Parties. Our last day is the 26th. Both PPH and DLH are showing no availability(at least for AP rate I guess) from around the 16th to the 21st.

 

[indygirl99]

We just switched to PPH for Sept 4-11th from FFI.

We are celebrating a 50th birthday so decided to go for it for the early entry each day and for concerige. And to celebrate the major milestone. Nothing sceintefic to back it up, just wanting to be spoiled.

 

[mrswh]

I don't think it's going to be busy, unlike some people have speculated. The official calendar shows the park hours decreasing at the end of August and into September. This means DLR is expecting the normally lower crowds of Fall.

Why the DLH shows no standard AP rate rooms, I don't know. Does this include the first Halloween Party on the 28th?

Theoretically, when the crowds are smaller, but the hours are shorter, the overall crowdedness (I like to make up words) shouldn't change that drastically. If DCA opens later, and hotel guests still get EMH, and you are staying at an offsite hotel, you are still at just as big a disadvantage as you are in the summer (IMO), because the later opening time will allow more locals to get to the parks at rope drop. And, those locals with APs aren't blocked out.

If you are going to actually use EMH a few of the days, then it might be worth an extra couple/six hundred to stay onsite. There are other perks to staying onsite too, of course! OTOH, if you are staying offsite but can be at the parks by rope drop, it sounds like you will really be fine that way, too.

I like to hedge my bets. If I were you, I'd book both (assuming you can cancel without penalty) and see what the reports are about crowds as you are getting closer to your trip. Then you'll be able to make a more informed decision about whether the EMH is important enough to spend the $$.

 

[BayGirl22]

We just switched to PPH for Sept 4-11th from FFI.

We are celebrating a 50th birthday so decided to go for it for the early entry each day and for concerige. And to celebrate the major milestone. Nothing sceintefic to back it up, just wanting to be spoiled.

Same here, but DLH. Decided a few hundred dollars was worth it for the EE and ambiance I am still holding a few other reservations but almost sure we'll just do DLH. With the parks not opening until 10 we'll make it to EE for sure and Carsland and Fantasyland are the biggest attractions for us.

We could afford either but I like to get a deal. I think I just reached a point in my bargain hunting where I want the magic and relaxation for my vacation. EE every day was one factor that pushed me over the edge.

 

[merrrydeath]

I think we've decided to go for it and book the DLH. We haven't stayed there before so that will be exciting enough as is. I know I will probably feel far better having that head start in the mornings too. We are always there before rope drop so missing an hour would be a huge bummer. Now it just comes down to calling and getting the senior discount hopefully! I tried calling today but a recording said that they were so busy/backed up that unless I was booking for a stay in the next 3 days(do people book that late?!) that I should try back tomorrow. I will be calling in the am.

We just switched to PPH for Sept 4-11th from FFI.

We are celebrating a 50th birthday so decided to go for it for the early entry each day and for concerige. And to celebrate the major milestone. Nothing sceintefic to back it up, just wanting to be spoiled.

Sounds like a great way to be spoiled! Have a great trip.

Theoretically, when the crowds are smaller, but the hours are shorter, the overall crowdedness (I like to make up words) shouldn't change that drastically. If DCA opens later, and hotel guests still get EMH, and you are staying at an offsite hotel, you are still at just as big a disadvantage as you are in the summer (IMO), because the later opening time will allow more locals to get to the parks at rope drop. And, those locals with APs aren't blocked out.

If you are going to actually use EMH a few of the days, then it might be worth an extra couple/six hundred to stay onsite. There are other perks to staying onsite too, of course! OTOH, if you are staying offsite but can be at the parks by rope drop, it sounds like you will really be fine that way, too.

I like to hedge my bets. If I were you, I'd book both (assuming you can cancel without penalty) and see what the reports are about crowds as you are getting closer to your trip. Then you'll be able to make a more informed decision about whether the EMH is important enough to spend the $$.

You make a really good point in your first paragraph. We'll definitely use EMH/MM all of our days there and the security of knowing that we can be there as early as possible will relieve some planning anxiety I believe. I've been many many times but I still get anxious when planning things out. Go figure.

Same here, but DLH. Decided a few hundred dollars was worth it for the EE and ambiance I am still holding a few other reservations but almost sure we'll just do DLH. With the parks not opening until 10 we'll make it to EE for sure and Carsland and Fantasyland are the biggest attractions for us.

We could afford either but I like to get a deal. I think I just reached a point in my bargain hunting where I want the magic and relaxation for my vacation. EE every day was one factor that pushed me over the edge.

We've decided the same route. I hope you have a great trip!