What is SO special about the DLH?

[colbybug]

Is it worth it? If we take the splurge, we'd still be in a "standard view" since we are trying to stay there as inexpensively as possible. Which tower is best? Does the monorail always run? Do hotel guests get early entry each day? How does that work? Is it still worth staying there if you are not "concierge"? Sorry about all of the questions...I just can't decide whether to stick with the Candy Cane Inn or spend a little more money. I'd be really bummed if I spent the extra money and it wasn't all that magical. It will be my son's sixth birthday and I think he'd get a kick out of the DLH although I am sure that he'd sleep in a car or anywhere just to be able to go to DL!

Many thanks!

Kathy

 

[Echie]

We loved the DHL and in our opinion is definitely worth it! We love the convenience of being on disney property and so close to everything, plus we really love the magical feel of being IN disney all the time!
If it's your son's 6th birthday I'd definitely spend the extra money (if you can) and stay here - or maybe even for a part of your trip - do a few nights at the DLH and then the rest of the trip at the Candy Cane Inn (depending of course on how long you'll be there for).

We were in a standard room - we booked through another website and got a great price, but they typically put you in the "worst" rooms. But it worked out awesome! We loved it and would definitely stay again!!
We had a super view of the pool! We actually got put in the Sierra Tower. I think any of the towers are great - and they are all so close together (actually all of the DLH hotel is), so it doesn't really matter which tower you are in.

We actually found riding the monorail as, if not more, time consuming as walking. We usually just walked to the parks - it was quicker. Although the monorail is fun to ride for the experience. They only had 1 monorail running when we were there (last April). I guess if 2 run it would be faster.

 

[VegasMike21]

If you can afford spending double or in some cases more then double for a hotel room to stay on disney property then go for it! I've stayed at the DL Hotel twice in 1991 and in 1997. I really liked it and was definetly a nice hotel with beautiful grounds. Now when I go to DL I always stay off site becuase the prices have gotten insane! I can't see spending $300 for the DL Hotel per night for a regular view and $400 for a night at the Grand Californian. I rather just spend $120 a night at a nice offsite hotel.

 

[tink too]

We've booked the DLH for our first visit to California this May for the location, the convenience of being on DL property all the time, the overall experience of staying on-site and because this will probably be our only visit to DL.

If in the future we do manage to take a return trip to California, we will probably stay in one of the Good Neighbor hotels off-site.

 

[mjgruber]

Check some reviews on TripAdvisor.com

I have heard some bad reviwes...

By the way, this is not Disneyworld, there are offsite Hotels that are actually closer than onsite.

 

[tmli]

Personally I don't think it is worth it. I am a huge onsite fan at WDW but in DL I try hard but can't convince myself it is worth it! The room was nothing spectacular, the walk to the gates long (not like impossible long, but was longer by the end of the day!). 2 out of the 3 mornings we tried to take the monorail it was down. The 3rd time the line was so long we decided we could walk quicker. Another afternoon I tried to take the monorail....again it was down. We were there Nov 29-Dec 2.

 

[mt mommy]

Personally I don't think it is worth it. I am a huge onsite fan at WDW but in DL I try hard but can't convince myself it is worth it! The room was nothing spectacular, the walk to the gates long (not like impossible long, but was longer by the end of the day!). 2 out of the 3 mornings we tried to take the monorail it was down. The 3rd time the line was so long we decided we could walk quicker. Another afternoon I tried to take the monorail....again it was down. We were there Nov 29-Dec 2.

I would have to agree. I am a HUGE fan of staying onsite at WDW. But, when we stayed at the DLH I was not impressed. I was disappointed. It really is faster to walk. My kids wanted to wait in the monorail line a few times, but walking is faster.

I'm not sure if this helps, but the prices really are outrageous.

 

[rumblytumbly]

I think it is worth it if you can afford it. When I was working my husband and I stayed there many times. Now that I am staying at home and our income is more limited we will stay offsite. Our last trip we splurged to stay at DLH for my daughter's first trip. We got the Bonita Tower (had always had the Sierra Tower before). Our room which was a Park/Pool view room did not have a sink outside the bathroom. I just didn't think it was worth the $ we paid this last time. We'll stay elsewhere next time until we can easily afford the DLH again.

 

[nunzia]

Although we don't stay at the DLH, we stay at the GC, I have to say it's worth it, and other than this, I am incredibly frugal (ie cheap). For some reason, staying at the GC, being right in the middle of everything and with the side entrance to DCA, the total immersion in the Disney experience, never seeing anything that isn't Disneyesque makes those insane nightly rates worth it. I can't imagine staying anywhere else now (and we've stayed at many off site places before). In fact, that's why I'll buy the GC DVC villas when they come available...so we can 'pre pay staying there' and not have to worry about rates as we get older and poorer. Although, for a 6 year old the DLH is probably more blatantly Disney, it is further away from the parks. On a Disney trip anything that cuts down walking is a bonus.

 

[tmli]

I CAN afford it, I just can't justify it!

 

[Sunobo]

Is it worth it? If we take the splurge, we'd still be in a "standard view" since we are trying to stay there as inexpensively as possible. Which tower is best?

We've only been to DL once so I'm not the best person to answer this but this is my take. We splurged and spent 2 nights in the DLH in the Magic Tower. Our view was of the hotel parking lot and entrance cover. It wasn't the best but we really didn't spend much time in the room. We loved the Disney theme of the hotel and found that the outside world disappeared for us. It was total Disney for 3 days.

Does the monorail always run? Do hotel guests get early entry each day? How does that work?

We only rode the monorail once and that was just to see what it was like. We walked to and from the hotel and while it seemed long at night, it wasn't bad. We did enjoy all the sights in DTD everytime we walked through. I have read that DLR guests recieve MM for each morning it is offered. Would the access to extra MM's be worth the price to you?

Is it still worth staying there if you are not "concierge"?

We were in a standard room and didn't feel that it was worth it to go to the concierge level. We wouldn't have used the lounge so it was just extra money we didn't want to spend.

Sorry about all of the questions...I just can't decide whether to stick with the Candy Cane Inn or spend a little more money. I'd be really bummed if I spent the extra money and it wasn't all that magical. It will be my son's sixth birthday and I think he'd get a kick out of the DLH although I am sure that he'd sleep in a car or anywhere just to be able to go to DL!

If you want the whole Disney experience including a great pool and grounds, than splurge and spend some nights in the DLH. You could also split the time up with a good neighbor hotel if want. If you would rather have the extra money for meals and extras, than stay at a good neighbor hotel for the trip.

If and when we return to DL, we will probably stay onsite again if it's only for a couple of days. If it's for a week and especially during the peak season, we will stay offsite.

 

[Tink208]

I booked our first stay at the DLH when my older son and I went down for a weekend several years ago. We had recently had a good friend killed by a drunk driver while he was crossing Harbor on his way to the parks from his hotel, and my husband and I were anxious about the idea of us staying off-property. It was so nice being on property, being able to just charge food/purchases in the parks to the room, having purchases sent to the room, and the Monorail was so great at the end of the evening when we were so tired. Plus, I am a sucker for all the Disney touches in the rooms. We haven't stayed off-property since. For our family trip this past November, I tried to do the fiscally responsible thing and was going to book at the Candy Cane Inn (I just cannot stay anywhere across Harbor), but due to the DLH running a fourth night free deal, the total difference in cost was maybe a couple hundred dollars, so we went with the DLH. Even with some issues with our room (pool view on the second floor of the Sierra/Dreams Tower was very noisy and our room was smaller than rooms we had been put in previously), I still enjoyed being on-property. The pool is wonderful, too!

 

[godalejunior]

We have stayed at DLH twice in the last year, GC once and Tropicana once. I am usually a bargain hunter and like to get a good deal. I am of the opinion that staying on site is worth it, every penny. DS even noticed the differences in staying off site compared to the DLH and he is only 6. Now, I have paid rack rate for our first trip to DLH and after learning from different boards about getting an AP, we have done this to cut down on the hotel costs. I have no problem paying $159 a night for DLH. If you go during off season you might even get an upgrade on your standard room. That has happened to us both times we booked a standard. We use the monorail a lot to cut down on the walking and to go back to the room and take a break.

DS loved being by Goofy's Kitchen, having Goofy in the lobby of the Hotel, checking out the Koi ponds and the pool........even swimming in it when it was 58 degrees out. PP is close to eat there and DTD is footsteps away.

 

[honeymom]

I know that there are people that love it, but when we stayed there once, we did not feel the love. I think it was because we had been to WDW the year before and were just expecting a WDW resort type of experience. The only place at DL that I have felt that experience is GCH, but at $400/night I won't be having it too often (I had $1100 Disney rewards dollars last trip).

We were all so disappointed that we made the decision to stay offsite rather than at DLH again. What disappointed us?

1) Room barely themed
2) Walls paper thin, it was a noisy hotel
3) Pool area (it was August) was jam packed
4) The walk was not short with 2 sleeping kids on our shoulders at night
5) A lot of money for something that did not seem deluxe in any way except for room size.

 

[PaperDoll]

I have to say when we stayed there for one night and will never be returning. The bed was awful. The property seemed like it needed "freshening up", especially for the rates they are charging. We thought it would be a treat as we live in L.A. and could have driven home, but it wasn't worth it. The next day we were all dragging from lack of sleep.

 

[jernysgirl]

You really have to consider how much time you are actually going to be spending in your room... Do you stay at the parks all day? or are you going to use things such as the pool and other amenities? Personally, I would prefer to stay off property and use the extra money that I saved for some good food and extra souvenirs!!!

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

I CAN afford it, I just can't justify it!

Ditto!

 

[tofubeast]

As we live in Florida, we are able to get some nice rates to stay on property at WDW. When I was comparing what we get for our money staying at WDW (even if we didn't have a nice code) vs. the rates at DLR, I just could not justify it. The hotels at WDW (esp the moderates on up...) are just incredible. I would rather save our money and do another WDW trip later. Also something to consider, DLR is replacing the monorails with new designs (actually re-builds of the current monorails.) I know that they had the new design placed on the track and it isn't working properly. I only say this because there might only be 1 or 2 monorails at most for some time, which will reduce the allure of taking the monorail back to your room.

Anyway, we booked the Candy Cane. For all the time we plan to stay at the parks and the nice reviews it had on Trip Advisor, it seemed to be a no brainer to us.

 

[ballarinamom]

I disagree with Honeymom. We felt the opposite about WDW and kept comparing it to DLH! Funny how differently people can think!! Which is why I think you need to do for your family.
We thought the themeing at DLH was so much more than what we had at WDW. We LOVED walking through DTD each morning and each night. We only used the monorail once to "do it". But DH had to rush back to the hotel when our battery went dead and he forgot to pack the extra. We were at IASW and he jumped on the monorail and was back and waiting for us at the exit of the ride. We hoped back in line and rode again! DH didn't miss too much since he got to ride up front with the driver!!!
Good luck on your decision

 

[Lynzer Torte]

We have stayed at the Disneyland Hotel 6 times in the last 11 years. We will never stay anywhere else.

I love being able to hop on the monorail and rest my legs instead of walking. We're the type of family who likes to head back to our room at least once/day for naps and swimming. With the hotel having 3 pools (Neverland, the "quiet" pool, and a kiddie pool) you can easily find one that is not so crowded. And don't forget the large hot tub! That thing works miracles on achey bodies!

I also love the fact that there are shops right down in the lobby that have pretty much anything you need. There is also a coffee shop, bar (which has excellent bar food & virgin pina coladas) and Crocs Bits n Bites for fast food while back at the hotel.