Anybody stayed at Paradise Pier?

[cquick]

We live in Orlando, and we are DVC members. Since we are going to a wedding near San Diego on July 8, we used our points to stay at Paradise Pier for a week. We've only been to DL once, and that was 25 years ago! It will be myself, DH, our 27y/DS and our 28 Y/O DH who is in a wheelchair. Any hints, advise, tips, good places not to miss, or special events we should attend? Any help is appreciated!

Connie

 

[Disneyland1084]

I stayed at the Paradise Pier last summer and LOVED it! The rooms are very spacious. The pool is nice, except for the hot tub.The water was only lukewarm. You should do the character breakfast in the morning at the hotel restaurant. I also suggest that you dine at the Rainforest Cafe in Downtown Disney. It's not that far of a walk from the hotel. Enjoy your stay!

 

[tmt martins]

PP was great last year for us as well.

If going back and forth to the parks Use the GC /CA entrance to save time .We would even go from DL/CA to GC / PP it right across the street.DTD and DLH is all an easy and nice walk as well.

1 night stay at PP for the fireworks go to the POOLDECK and you get a sight line that you can't get from the parks.They even most nights pipe in park music.

 

[CamColt]

Another fan of PP here. I have stayed there last October and again this February. Both stays were very enjoyable with no complaints.

I agree with the above recommendations for the Aloha Breakfast with Lilo & Stitch. The food was delicious and the entertainment was fun for the kids. Also, the above suggestion of the pool deck at night reminded me, you may want to look at the pool when it is still at night. Someone may be in it.

 

[mundaremom]

Another fan of PP. We stayed last Nov and will be staying again this Nov. It wasn't an overly done Disney Themed Hotel, but it was comfortable and quiet. Stay was great.

 

[JKanownik]

We just returned from our trip to DL where we stayed at the Paradise Pier Hotel. We really enjoyed it. We were in room 932 and had a beautiful view of California Adventure from our room. We could even view the DL fireworks from our window! It was amazing. We will definitely stay there again next time we go.

 

[MrShiny]

We stayed there Thanksgiving 2004. It is very nice. Not as nicely themed as GC or even DLH, but still very nice. The Aloha breakfast was a lot of fun for the kids, and good food too. Meant to try the restaurant for dinner, but never got around to it.

When we were thre, it was a bit cold to swim (even for Chicagoans), but we could see the pool from our room, and there were a couple of folks using it.

There is a gate for PP guests to get into DCA. It's unlocked with your room key. I believe you can exit into the GC too, but that they only let GC guests enter from there.

When DCA is open, it can be shorter to cut through DCA to get to DL.

 

[dreaminboutdisney]

How long is the walk from PP to DL and DCA? If DCA is not open yet in the morning, what is the best way to get to DL?

 

[Disney Fans]

We also are staying at the PPH this Thanksgiving for the first time and I have heard mostly great things about the hotel also. I have asked about the walk and I have read that it is really good if you walk and take the short cut across to the CGH like (TMT Martins said above).
I also have a freind who stayed at PPH last March (for the 1st time) and she like me usually goes to WDW. She said the walk is nothing compared to the walking that you do at WDW. So, with that said I think you are making a good choice but staying at any of the Disney hotels would be great I think, anyway!

 

[newfamilyman]

I guess you didn't do a search before posting this thread. Here's a link to my recent review:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1152979

 

[Shelebeen]

How long is the walk from PP to DL and DCA? If DCA is not open yet in the morning, what is the best way to get to DL?

I think it was about 5-10 minutes. You can either go out the front and cross over and cut through the GCH - there is an entrance right into DCA there, or go through the walkway out into DTD...and over to DL in about 3 or so minutes from the entrance to DTD from the GCH - that was our preference.

You can also walk out the back, over to the DLH and then through DTD, a bit longer, but a nice walk nonetheless.

 

[disneyochem]

There is a gate for PP guests to get into DCA. It's unlocked with your room key. I believe you can exit into the GC too, but that they only let GC guests enter from there.

When DCA is open, it can be shorter to cut through DCA to get to DL.

Unfortunately, that gate is no longer available! We used to love to use it--it was available for any resort guest and we always cut through it on our way to the DLH. It doesn't look like they will be opening up it again anytime soon. Appears to be permanently shut!

Going through GCH to DCA is a great short-cut for PPH and DLH guests.

 

[MATTERHORN]

I also love PP for the price, it is the best deal on property. We had a great room and great service there and I would stay again in a heartbeat!


Andrea

 

[4girlsmom]

We enjoyed it last summer and are returning in Dec.

 

[TwingleMum]

Very informative thread.

 

[Amy&Dan]

I guess you didn't do a search before posting this thread. Here's a link to my recent review:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1152979

Perhaps the OP did a search but wanted more opinions than the ones in your thread. I did not see that thread for instance so I will offer my experience to this one.

PP is great, very large rooms as others have said. It can be a great deal, I have gotten rates as low as $109 a night during the "stay 4 nights get one free" deal that is offered frequently in the off months. I agree that their pool is not the best but it does have an awesome slide and plenty of seating. We have stayed there twice in the past year and a half and enjoyed both stays very much. Also, the daybeds are very comfortable which is a big plus over the not so comfy daybeds at the DLH, rollaways at the DLH which can take up space you need, or the sleeping bag option that you might end up with at GCH.

If you enjoy character meals, I think the Lilo and Stitch breakfast is the best! Really good food, its lots of fun but not as rowdy as Goofy's. Its also cheaper than Goofy's. Definitely walk through the GCH if you are returning from DCA and taking the monorail from Tomorrowland inside DL is a great time and foot saver. Have a great stay at PP!

 

[ploeb]

We just returned from our trip to DL where we stayed at the Paradise Pier Hotel. We really enjoyed it. We were in room 932 and had a beautiful view of California Adventure from our room. We could even view the DL fireworks from our window! It was amazing. We will definitely stay there again next time we go.

Room 932??? Did you by chance take a picture of the room. Iusually ry to get one of those angled rooms. For the space.. Pictures of your view??