Are the Pixar Place elevators still terrible?

[Pluto468]

I found a great rate for Pixar Place and might stay there in February. My only hesitation is the elevators. From some online reviews, they sound like a nightmare. Is that still the case? Is the hassle worth avoiding the hotel altogether?

Thanks!

 

[SFMommy]

I stayed at Pixar Place last summer and had no issues with the elevators. I also stayed there a few times when it was the Paradise Pier and didn’t have any issues. I never really understood all the complaints about the elevators.

 

[mom2rtk]

I stayed at Pixar Place last summer and had no issues with the elevators. I also stayed there a few times when it was the Paradise Pier and didn’t have any issues. I never really understood all the complaints about the elevators.

I didn't understand either after several stays with no problem. Then I came back one night to a line that snaked through the lobby.

Haven't stayed there recently though for a current report.

@Pluto468 You might want to consider requesting a lower floor room so the stairs are a good alternative if there's a long wait.

 

[Pluto468]

I didn't understand either after several stays with no problem. Then I came back one night to a line that snaked through the lobby.

Haven't stayed there recently though for a current report.

@Pluto468 You might want to consider requesting a lower floor room so the stairs are a good alternative if there's a long wait.

Good idea! If I end up staying there I'll call and request a low floor. We'd only be there for 2 nights so even if the elevators are bad we wouldn't be dealing with them for long. They do sound frustrating, though!

 

[MouseBrief]

For what it’s worth, we were told this summer that taking the stairs to guest rooms floors was not an option. A hardworking cast member was directing guests to the elevators after fireworks viewing one night, and she kept saying that the stairs were for emergency only. I’m sure if she could have sent people up the stairs she would have: there were a lot of people waiting, and she was working hard.
The only stairs accessible were the ones between the various public areas ie from the lobby or Joe Gardner’s piano to the gallery space on the second floor.
In our experience, the toughest time for the elevators was each day during the afternoon when folks were checking-in. The longest wait we had was attempting to leave the pool area one day around 4pm. We waited ten minutes.
We had no problem at park opening and closing. Even leaving the roof deck after fireworks viewing on the night I just mentioned was not bad. Yes, there was a large crowd waiting, but I thought it was handled as efficiently as could be expected for such a large group.

 

[MillauFr]

If there is a huge line in the lobby wouldn't people just walk up to the 2nd floor and push the down button? When it gets to floor 1 you just stay on and push your floor? Or do the elevators not have any floor buttons in them?

 

[LKing]

For what it’s worth, we were told this summer that taking the stairs to guest rooms floors was not an option. A hardworking cast member was directing guests to the elevators after fireworks viewing one night, and she kept saying that the stairs were for emergency only.

That's really odd. Do you remember if there was a sign on the door to the stairs stating that?

 

[LAS2AMS]

A lot of people don’t understand… it’s not that the elevators are slow, it’s that there’s so few of them. PP has half the rooms as DLH but maybe 1/5 the total elevators, for comparison. That said, the number of elevators is really no different than what you’ll find at many buildings around the world… but if your travel experience is largely Disney; it’ll be different. To compensate, Disney installed smart elevator (you push the button if your floor and it assigns an elevator) but a lot of people aren’t comfortable with it.

To be clear… the only times you’ll typically wait for an elevator is rush periods. Check in/ out times, breakfast/ park departure, park return, etc. at its worst you may wait an extra few minutes… it’s really a non issue.

 

[mom2rtk]

A lot of people don’t understand… it’s not that the elevators are slow, it’s that there’s so few of them. PP has half the rooms as DLH but maybe 1/5 the total elevators, for comparison. That said, the number of elevators is really no different than what you’ll find at many buildings around the world… but if your travel experience is largely Disney; it’ll be different. To compensate, Disney installed smart elevator (you push the button if your floor and it assigns an elevator) but a lot of people aren’t comfortable with it.

To be clear… the only times you’ll typically wait for an elevator is rush periods. Check in/ out times, breakfast/ park departure, park return, etc. at its worst you may wait an extra few minutes… it’s really a non issue.

In non-Disney settings, people have more varied schedules. There is no rope drop or fireworks crowd to contend with.

 

[mom2rtk]

For what it’s worth, we were told this summer that taking the stairs to guest rooms floors was not an option. A hardworking cast member was directing guests to the elevators after fireworks viewing one night, and she kept saying that the stairs were for emergency only.

That is so odd. I'd love to hear more on why they would do that. I can't even come up with a theory.

 

[LAS2AMS]

In non-Disney settings, people have more varied schedules. There is no rope drop or fireworks crowd to contend with.

Any setting will have its “rush” periods - people tend to leave, have dinner, etc. at specific time periods.

But it’s a non-issue. Anyone complaining about the elevators needs to take a cruise… on the first and last days, they’re practically unusable.