We're here!

[emacat]

We got to DL last night. First, I have to say we will always fly to sna from now on. It was so much nicer and faster than lax, and extremely easy to get a taxi.

We arrived at Paradise Pier, and I have to admit, I was ready for it to look a little bit worn down and possibly iffy front desk service, based on some reviews. WRONG!!! It's a beautiful hotel, the carpets look new, Paint well maintained, bedding and curtains fresh and bright, etc. Sherry is right, the tree is gorgeous, and my daughter loves that she can see down into the tree and lobby from above through the glass roof.
Front staff was great, very cheerful, and he made a big deal of my dd's b-day. I will say that, yep, they need more elevators.
We got to the parks about 730 pm, and I will say it's a bit of a walk. But,we ate at pizza rocket (eh-it's ok), then rode s few rides, ooh and ah'd over the Xmas decorations, hit build a bear (Any animal and any outfit for 24.99!) came back to the hotel, and crashed. Now, we'll be off to Minnie's for breakfast in a bit!

 

[Kauinohea]

Did you get a park view or concierge?

 

[AZBeth]

How is the crowd level?

 

[emacat]

CrowdS were actually not bad at all. It was very windy until about 7pm, but then the wind really improved.

We are in a standard room. We can see out to the pool from floor 4.

Great day at DL! One terrible woman threw a fit at cafe orleans when they wouldn't give her someone else's table because she was near the door inside. (the door we were right next to, btw) after she stormed out, we gave our names to the mgr, since she was trying to get the poor guy she talked to in trouble, when he behaved perfectly, and very nicely explained that they had offered her two other tables that were open, but the people with that table had reserved too, and he couldn't take their table. Then they came back later trying to act like thru left a bag and the staff stole it, and again we talked to the mgr, letting her know we watched the woman shove her bottled water in there and take the bag with her. what an awful person!

Oh- loved ariel's!

 

[emacat]

Sorry btw, for any typing or punctuation issues. I'm on my iPod.

 

[sonnyjane]

Great day at DL! One terrible woman threw a fit at cafe orleans when they wouldn't give her someone else's table because she was near the door inside. (the door we were right next to, btw) after she stormed out, we gave our names to the mgr, since she was trying to get the poor guy she talked to in trouble, when he behaved perfectly, and very nicely explained that they had offered her two other tables that were open, but the people with that table had reserved too, and he couldn't take their table. Then they came back later trying to act like thru left a bag and the staff stole it, and again we talked to the mgr, letting her know we watched the woman shove her bottled water in there and take the bag with her. what an awful person!

Oh- loved ariel's!

Totally unrelated to Disney planning, lol, but I never thought to do this before! I have been in restaurants too many times to count when there has been some type of "scene" that I've had the pleasure of watching. I never thought to leave my name just in case they needed a third-party witness.

 

[Echie]

Yay! Awesome to hear about the Paradise Pier Hotel! We're headed there in January!

I thought I saw a photo of construction happening in the pool area a while ago, do you see signs of any renovations in that area still? TIA

 

[emacat]

No, there's no construction on the pool.

 

[nhoch123]

How much was the taxi ride to the hotel?

 

[Echie]

No, there's no construction on the pool.

Yay!! Thank you so much for the answer

 

[PrincessSitka]

How much was the taxi ride to the hotel?

I would like to know that as well?

 

[Sherry E]

Yay! I'm so glad you agreed with me about the gorgeous PPH tree! I wouldn't steer you wrong about a gorgeous tree. It just does not photograph well enough to showcase its beauty, sadly, so it's hard to show good examples of it on the DIS. It really needs to be seen in person to be fully appreciated.

I am a fanatic for all the DLR decorations and trees, but that PPH tree really stands out to me. (Its so much prettier than the trees in each of the DLH towers, for example.) First of all, when I checked into the PPH on 12/4, I was soooo happy to see that tree glowing in the lobby again, after being so impressed with it in 2010. It was about 6 a.m. when I rolled my bags into the lobby, and there were all kinds of people awake, pointing and staring at that PPH tree! Everyone seemed to be hypnotized by it! I guess that quite a few people had commented on this tree being their favorite, judging by what the Bell Desk guy told me.

I hope you are taking the 'short cut' through the GCH lobby to get to and from the parks? It's still a bit of a walk, but cutting through the gorgeous GCH lobby and seeing its magnificent tree and wonderful holiday atmosphere is a treat!!

Another 'tree tip' - check out the Goofy's Kitchen tree in person, if you haven't already. It's not a tall tree, but the colors and wacky design are very striking!

 

[Eeee-va]

I'm glad you had a good experience with the front desk! Was it busy when you checked in? That could've been my problem. (Though having a presumably cute child with you, or even on the reservation, might have helped too; we were a party of adults.)

 

[Sherry E]

Eeee-va -

You didn't ask me, but I wanted to chime in. When I have checked in at the PPH during busy times (when 100 people are checking in), I have received some less than chipper service. Since my last 'busy check-in' experience (probably in 2008), I've opted to get there at the crack of dawn (literally) and do a pre-check in when no one else is checking in. That seems to work better for me in getting friendlier CM's...and better rooms!

I didn't have a cute child with me and my recent check-in experience on 12/4 was fine. I was by myself. The female CM processed my paperwork, gave me some buttons and then went to the back room to get a manager or supervisor or someone like that. He then personally came out from the back room and around the desk and greeted me, shook my hand and handed me my Welcome Home folder with my name on it in the lower right corner. (I thought the Welcome Home greeting was reserved for the DVC people? I am not a DVC member. But it was nice to see the greeting nonetheless!)

They gave me a free upgrade to a park view room, and it was a total surprise. They didn't tell me I was getting an upgrade when I checked in (in fact, they said they couldn't tell me which room I was getting when I checked in because it was not ready yet), so as soon as I got into the room I ran to the window and looked outside! I was sooooo pleased with my view!

Oh, and my room was technically ready for me about 2-1/2 hours after I pre-checked in - so at about 8:30 a.m. or so, it was ready for me. But I was so busy during the day that I did not get back to the PPH until much later in the afternoon.

On my second night, I went down to the front desk to ask the CM's if they could hold the room keys I was keeping for Laurie/DizNee Luver and Molly/bumbershoot. That particular CM who agreed to hold the keys for them was a bit...tepid, I would say...not the friendliest I have met, and he also kind of acted a bit like what I was asking was difficult or out of bounds. But he took the keys and held them.

On my check-out day, there was a mistake on my final bill and the female CM I got on the phone when I called the front desk was a bit...cold. BUT she explained the situation to her supervisor - who may have been the aforementioned manager who had previously shaken my hand and personally greeted me - and he called me back, apologizing for the mistake. They stopped the charges before they posted to my card and were able to reverse the mistake.

 

[Eeee-va]

Sherry, it is hard enough for me to get to the parks at open....a dawn check-in would've been too much for me! (OK, maybe if we hadn't done a split stay I MIGHT have given it a try. Checking in at dawn after midnight in the parks would not have worked...I'd say I'd try it "next time" but unless I have some drastic changes in my life, I don't know that it will ever be in the budget again....)

Weren't you there because of an issue at your last stay? Maybe they thought giving you that folder would make you feel special?

I would've guessed it was the busy-ness more than the lack of kids that contributed to our not-great service (and again, it wasn't terrible, but it was less personable than off-site, which disappointed me). So much of my reactions (and I suspect others' too) get colored by expectations, I think. When I had read stories of great service, I expected great, and so I thought mediocre seemed very bad. When I hear stories of bad service, I'll expect bad, which makes mediocre seems good.

 

[Hound 109]

I hope you are taking the 'short cut' through the GCH lobby to get to and from the parks? It's still a bit of a walk, but cutting through the gorgeous GCH lobby and seeing its magnificent tree and wonderful holiday atmosphere is a treat!!

Quoting this post because it's VERY important to know the shortcuts thru the GCH into both DTD (& on to DL) & also the side entrance into DCA.

A PPH visitor will save thousands of steps on a 3 day trip by knowing these shortcuts thru the GCH.

 

[emacat]

I would like to know that as well?

It was $41, and I gave a 20% tip also. Sorry to take so long to respond!

 

[emacat]

Quoting this post because it's VERY important to know the shortcuts thru the GCH into both DTD (& on to DL) & also the side entrance into DCA.

A PPH visitor will save thousands of steps on a 3 day trip by knowing these shortcuts thru the GCH.

Hound, you are SO right! It's really a huge time-saver, so everyone definately take notice of the shortcuts!

Sherry- We did eat in the Restaurant, and loved the tree! Your tips have truly been priceless, and thanks to your pictures, I was so excited to see all the cool "extras" of Christmas time!

Eee-va- In fairness, we checked in at 6:45 pm, and it was pretty quite at the desk. I would certainly agree that it's so much easier to get "magical" service if there's not a huge line of people also waiting. I wish I could remember our person's name, he was a gentleman in his 50's or early 60's, and I had the impression that he was a long-term Disney cast member.