Which DLR hotel should I stay at?

[judino28]

I just got back from a trip last Friday... awesome as always. Anyway, I am going back on April 2nd-5th for my spring break and I plan to stay on-site for the first time. I go all the time as a Premium Annual Pass holder (even though I am from the SF Bay Area) but have shockingly never stayed on-site in hopes of saving money. This time, however, I am going to splurge.

I am hoping to stay at the Grand Californian but if that becomes financially impossible, which should I choose, the Disneyland Hotel or Paradise Pier? I would think DLH, but I have read many reviews on various travel sites and it seems that Paradise Pier always has better reviews and some people say that the Disneyland hotel is old dirty, blah, blah blah.

So I figured I would ask my fellow MiceChat experts what I should do. Any help would be awesome! Thanks in advance!

[ragrobyn]

Re: Which DLR hotel should I stay at?

Choice # 1 - The Grand Californian Hotel and Spa

Choice #2 - Disneyland Hotel

Both feel like getaway destinations. Pier feels like a working holiday because of the conventionlike atmosophere I feel when I am there.

[PrincessY]

Re: Which DLR hotel should I stay at?

MHO, I prefer the DL Hotel. I have never found it dirty. It is the original and therefore older, but I have never felt that it is dated and old.

[dsnylndmom]

Re: Which DLR hotel should I stay at?

We really enjoy our stays at DLH. We like the grounds and the rooms, well some of them, are really nice sized. I'd go for DLH.

[bigjoe756]

Re: Which DLR hotel should I stay at?

I would also recomend the dl hotel. I just got back from a two night stay at grand californian and this was the seventh time i stayed there and the last two have been horrible. The prices have gone up and it seems like the customer service has gone down quiet a bit.

[Darkbeer]

Re: Which DLR hotel should I stay at?

The first week of April will be a PEAK time period, and the rooms very expensive. I would look to staying offsite in April and then staying at a Disney owned hotel during an off-peak time period.

Currently, TripAdvisor is saying the average price of an GCH room is about $450 a night, and the other two hotels are over $200 a night.

[josephfive]

Re: Which DLR hotel should I stay at?

My family and I prefer the DLH. We recently stayed at the GCH and, although beautiful, I felt that I could have been anywhere -- not at the DLR.

We like the pool at the DLH too and walking around the grounds. Have fun!!

[barfownz]

Re: Which DLR hotel should I stay at?

Choice # 1 - The Grand Californian Hotel and Spa

Choice #2 - Disneyland Hotel

Both feel like getaway destinations. Pier feels like a working holiday because of the conventionlike atmosophere I feel when I am there.

I agree with that.

[PirateMickey]

Re: Which DLR hotel should I stay at?

DLH, Sierra Tower, 9th floor, overlooking DTD/DCA/DL.

And as an added bonus, a view of the infamous baseball diamond on the roof of the ESPN Zone.

Enjoy!

[judino28]

Re: Which DLR hotel should I stay at?

Thanks for all the replies so far!

Darkbeer, I know it will be PEAK season, and that will be a downside because of the crowds and prices. But lately, school and life have been soo stressful, so I just want a few days to be completely immersed and away from reality. This will probably be the last time I make it back to DLR before I go back in June for the Subs. So since it will be a few months, I wan't to get my complete DLR fill! I guess I will have to pay that extra amount which is a shame...but I have a feeling that after this stay, wherever I end up, I will be at the DLR hotels more often as I won't want to go back to harbor or katella ever again, haha. If you had to choose between DLH or PPH which would you pick? I assume DLH like all the rest?

[Hakuna Makarla]

Re: Which DLR hotel should I stay at?

i LIKED THE PARADISE PIER.

[judino28]

Re: Which DLR hotel should I stay at?

**UPDATE**

So now I have my choice of either the GC or the DLH. So which one do I go with? I am, of course, leaning towards the GC but I just need all of your final opinions. This may be the only chance I get to stay at the GC in a long time while I'm sure I can probably stay at the DLH in the summer, so should I take advantage of this opportunity or is the GC really not worth it?

[tyler2cfhs]

Re: Which DLR hotel should I stay at?

Im staying at the Grand Californian in August. The reason I pick that one over the others ones(i've never been to DL) is that it is so close to everything. It is literally on top of DTD and it has its own entrance to DCA and is right across the way from DL. Just my 2 cents but like I said ive never been there.

[Disney Lover]

Re: Which DLR hotel should I stay at?

It sort of depends on how "Disney" you want your vacation to be...the GC is absolutely beautiful but it never gave me the feel of staying at a "Disney" resort, more like a nice getaway with a Yosemite kind of feel (which can be nice too).

Personally I'd pick the DH. It's older but it has such charm and history.

Good luck!

[blondiethesounds]

Re: Which DLR hotel should I stay at?

if you have the means to stay @ the GC, then do it, you never know if you will have the chance again.

its a beautiful place, thats more than convienent, and will be well worth the $.

just my .02

[laurabeth909]

Re: Which DLR hotel should I stay at?

i adore the disneyland hotel! its like you never leave the disney atmosphere. we have three trips booked there for this year. i have only stayed at gc once and although it was beautiful i agree that you loose the disney feel. and it is more pricey which is a downfall for me. heck im pained paying the dh prices these days. but after all is done it is worth it. i just dont look at the credit card bills for a month!

[Angelica Gracey]

Which DLR hotel should I stay at?

I If you are going with young children, then by all means consider the DLH (consider the GCH too!). DLH has loads of themeing, rooms are decent, staff is good, the nachos at the Lost Bar and the Monorail is close.

Alas, for me, the DLH is a bit too hectic, for instance, the Cove pool is supposed to be a "quite", pool - well it wasn't when I went. There were a group of teenagers spitting loogies at each other in the pool, while Mom & Dad just said "Now, stop that.", which of course it didn't stop... but of course, this could happen at the GCH too, although I've yet to see it happen...

To me, Hotels are a very personal choice, even though I'm not going to be in the room all day, I still want a room that I look forward to going back too! Most folks love the DLH, you owe it to yourself to try it at least once. That way you'll know for sure whether you really like it or not.

My husband and I prefer to stay at the GCH as it has a more adult feel, with subtle theming, that seems to add to the overall calmness of the hotel. We have stayed at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel (GCH), 8 times now. We either get a Downtown Disney view, or a Theme Park view, these views come with balconies! We love the Downtown view because you can watch the fireworks from your own balcony (with 2 chairs & table) great for relaxing Anyway, guests of the GCH, have a private entrance into Disney's California Adventure Park. We liked going through security there, and walking across the esplanade into Disneyland. That way we bypassed the long security lines in Downtown Disney.

The hotel is absolutely beautiful, it's styled after the Arts and Craft movement, the hotel looks somewhat like the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite. I have never had a bad room, every night there is turn down service, and they leave Disney chocolates on your pillow! Beds are comfy, free in room High speed Internet, if you don't have a laptop/computer with you, you can logon to one in the business center if you need too!

They have two beautiful pools: The Fountain pool, a large lap pool that has a really cute turtle fountain, and the Redwood pool, that has a you use your room key to enter, and the towels are provided for guests at a self serve towel cabana. They also have wait staff that will take your order for drinks - also nearby is White Water Snacks (cheap good food)!

Have a great trip wherever you decide to stay! :yea:

[sjdimon]

Re: Which DLR hotel should I stay at?

We've always stayed at the DLH - but we're trying the GC later this month. We like the PCH Grill at the PPH - but to us it has the feel of one of the old DL Area High Rise Hotels - nothing special (certainly nothing Disney) - although we know some folks who always stay there and say that it's excellent. My "problem" with the DLH right now - is that it's NOT that close with no tram service anymore (and the Monorail is either not running or is very limited). So - in terms of pure LOCATION - the GC cannot be beat. I have always said that if $$$ is no object - I would always stay at a DL Resort Hotel. When it comes down to it - it's just a room with a bed - but there *is* something extra that the surrounding places just don't have.

Just my $0.02. If you still can't decide - why not split the trip? 2 nights at the GC and 2 at the DLH. Then you will know for yourself what you prefer once and for all! I haven't done this at the DLR - but at WDW they will actually transport your luggage between resorts if you do this. Might want to check if this service exists at DL.

[Tink1969]

Re: Which DLR hotel should I stay at?

We prefer the DLH. We've stayed there 4 times and have always had clean, spacious rooms. One of the things we love is to sleep with the sliding glass doors to the balcony open a bit and in the early morning hours hearing everyone walking around getting an early start to their day at DL. Excitement in the air I suppose. Plus when we stay there we feel like we never leave DL.

[Toadwild]

Re: Which DLR hotel should I stay at?

I would stay at the Disneyland Hotel for the value. I splurged on the Grand California last year. It is a truly beautiful hotel, but I spend so little time in the room that the cost wasn't worth it. I still stay occassionally on property, but op more often for the cheaper hotels as long as they are close to the parks.