The Disneyland Hotel Superthread

[Pluto468]

How is the DL hotel? I've never stayed, but reviews are pointing to boring, out-dated and noisy rooms. The most annoying is the customer service folks are saying. Is any of that true? TIA.

I wouldn't say that at all. The light-up head boards are magical and the rooms had an update just a couple of years ago. I am extremely sensitive to noise, and I'd swear nobody else was staying on my floor at DLH—I never heard a peep from the rooms around us. I've always had great customer service at DLH, including one time I had an awful experience during the construction and they gave me a full refund for a suite ($1,400).

 

[catloaves]

How is the DL hotel? I've never stayed, but reviews are pointing to boring, out-dated and noisy rooms. The most annoying is the customer service folks are saying. Is any of that true? TIA.

"Boring" is tough to judge because it's so subjective. One person might find an ultra-modern Hyatt Andaz room "boring," while another might be turned off by classic and traditional nature of rooms at a place like the Plaza Hotel in NYC. It's a meaningless adjective.

I personally prefer newer hotels, but there's something about the DLH that is utterly charming to me. It's old, but not out-dated, if that makes sense. I go to Disneyland for the nostalgia and I actually want my hotel stay to reinforce that sense of timelessness for me.

Objectively speaking, I will say that the bathrooms at the DLH are the most noticeably old. Old pipes that can take a while to get hot water up to the highest floors, poor water pressure when showering at peak times during mornings and nights, and the hardware/finishes (including on the famous Mickey hands) are definitely looking a little worn. During my most recent stay, the tub was slightly stained, which was disappointing.

The sleeping/living areas of their rooms look and feel pretty darn good for an old hotel, though. The wallpaper and carpets are basically new, replaced just a few years ago.

 

[AustinTink]

It never hurts to call and ask. I find the DLH CMs very helpful and I bet if you wanted a certain room they're try to get it for you. Which one do you like? I want Sleeping Beauty but feel like I should let my dd have her Tiana dream room lol.

Well, I’m an old gal who has dreamt of sleeping in a Sleeping Beauty hotel room forever. So, hopefully I will get my wish.

 

[AustinTink]

I’m still debating between the hotel or dvc room. My guys aren’t too keen on a princess room of any sort but I would love to check out the new villas.

For DLR onsite hotels, we have only stayed at the Grand Cali, so this stay will be new to us all the way around. I know some people upthread have mentioned the dated feeling to the rooms. One thing I can’t stand is a musty smell. As long as the room feels/smells fresh I’m ok with a more nostalgic decor. Any “old hotel room” smell to the rooms?

 

[RockyMtnMouse]

How is the DL hotel? I've never stayed, but reviews are pointing to boring, out-dated and noisy rooms. The most annoying is the customer service folks are saying. Is any of that true? TIA.

I didn't find it to be outdated at all. During our trip in March we stayed at 4 hotels (between LA and Anaheim) and it was definitely the nicest. We had a room in Frontier tower and found it to be fairly updated. For example, I liked that they had built in USB-C chargers rather than just a/c or USB. The bathroom fixtures looked recently updated. Everything was well lit and nothing felt dirty or dingy. It was also one of the biggest rooms I've stayed in considering it was the "standard room."

 

[Pluto468]

I’m still debating between the hotel or dvc room. My guys aren’t too keen on a princess room of any sort but I would love to check out the new villas.

For DLR onsite hotels, we have only stayed at the Grand Cali, so this stay will be new to us all the way around. I know some people upthread have mentioned the dated feeling to the rooms. One thing I can’t stand is a musty smell. As long as the room feels/smells fresh I’m ok with a more nostalgic decor. Any “old hotel room” smell to the rooms?

I haven't noticed a musty smell at all.

It's a tough choice because the villas look so nice and new, but with the regular rooms you get the light-up headboards and the overall feel is very nostalgic. But you could still visit the other tower lobbies if you did the villas. You could see the giant teacup chairs etc.

If beds are important I might go with the villas just because in the regular rooms you can't be sure what beds you're going to get unless you have a suite.

If you stay in the villas I hope you get Sleeping Beauty!

 

[bfrosty]

***Scored a Deluxe Studio Preferred view for October from a DISBoard DVC member!!!! So Excited, along with OBB tickets. 1st Time!!!***

 

[BriannaRuth]

You have to actually book the villas to get a room in that tower, right? I know you aren't guaranteed which tower your room will be in, but I booked a regular room and specifically do NOT want to be in the villas.

 

[bfrosty]

So, the Disneyland Hotel DVC tower, was the just built from scratch? It wasn't a rehab of old section of the original hotel?

 

[StarlitNight05]

You have to actually book the villas to get a room in that tower, right? I know you aren't guaranteed which tower your room will be in, but I booked a regular room and specifically do NOT want to be in the villas.

Yes, that's correct. You have to specifically make a villas reservation. When you make a room reservation it'll have a separate category for the villa room types.

 

[bfrosty]

Thanks @StarlitNight05 , I see the DVC tower rooms have different themes? One is Princess and the Frog, Cinderella, any others? Coco would be cool.

 

[StarlitNight05]

Thanks @StarlitNight05 , I see the DVC tower rooms have different themes? One is Princess and the Frog, Cinderella, any others? Coco would be cool.

There are a few options depending on the room type, for duo studios they will be Jungle Book themed, studios are either Princess and the Frog or Sleeping Beauty, one bedrooms are Princess and the Frog, and dedicated two bedrooms are Fantasia themed. I am not sure on the grand villa theming.

Over on the DVC side of the board, one DISer made an awesome floor by floor map that shows the theming breakdowns (eta: its fairly incomplete, but if you see a marker for a particular theme for the studios, it seems the whole floor will be that theme for studios, I think it's odd floors for Sleeping Beauty and even floors for Princess and the Frog)
https://www.disboards.com/threads/t...rs-and-fans-info-thread.3923658/post-65152758

 

[StarlitNight05]

So, the Disneyland Hotel DVC tower, was the just built from scratch? It wasn't a rehab of old section of the original hotel?

Yes, it was completely built from scratch! I was worried about how the Discovery tower may clash with the others, but I think it works. It makes it distinct and it looks fabulous (I know some may disagree with that )

 

[Philsfan77]

I’m sitting watching people go down right now. The orange and yellow slides are both open

Here now and they are running!

 

[Philsfan77]

In DCA once you are at the central hub there is a EE line just to the right of Carthay Circle towards Avengers Campus/Cars Land. There is also a EE line down Hollywood Boulevard near Award Weiners for access to Avengers Campus. I can’t recall for Soarin’. The area line may be right there at the hub.

We rope dropped soarin yesterday and they check your hotel card at the line. A few people in front of us were not early entry and were shuffled to the standby line to wait until official park opening

 

[Philsfan77]

How is the DL hotel? I've never stayed, but reviews are pointing to boring, out-dated and noisy rooms. The most annoying is the customer service folks are saying. Is any of that true? TIA.

We are here now, first timers at DLH and i genuinely liked the old school charm and feel to it. My oldest who is 5, said he liked it here better than Grand Californian (where we stayed last year at this time of year). It’s not as convenient as the Grand, but we are talking maybe 5 extra minute walk. Entry into DTD honestly was quicker than what we experienced at the Grand last year, with our own entrances and that was one of my biggest fears after seeing early reports of the new setup to enter DTD. Didn’t experience any cast members that weren’t helpful or pleasant. When we checked in they asked about birthdays and my oldest birthday is 2 weeks away and i said not while we are here, but in a few weeks. I don’t know what they noted in the system but when we came back to the room yesterday and cast member who cleans our room, had a Mickey balloon in the room, a cars picture and had staged their characters on the bed and made a cake out of towels (having just got off the Wish, it reminded me of stuff the cast members in the cruise ship would do). Overall it’s been a great 3 days with today being our last day.

 

[Philsfan77]

I’m still debating between the hotel or dvc room. My guys aren’t too keen on a princess room of any sort but I would love to check out the new villas.

For DLR onsite hotels, we have only stayed at the Grand Cali, so this stay will be new to us all the way around. I know some people upthread have mentioned the dated feeling to the rooms. One thing I can’t stand is a musty smell. As long as the room feels/smells fresh I’m ok with a more nostalgic decor. Any “old hotel room” smell to the rooms?

This is something my wife would have been upset about, we had no issues in the Frontier tower. I also don’t know where this tower usually falls in terms of people’s favorites, but with the new entry point right outside the gate of the rose garden area, this location was ideal for us. We were in the security line within two minutes of coming off the elevator. Right out the side gate next to the frontier tower and into DTD.

 

[DizMe]

This is something my wife would have been upset about, we had no issues in the Frontier tower. I also don’t know where this tower usually falls in terms of people’s favorites, but with the new entry point right outside the gate of the rose garden area, this location was ideal for us. We were in the security line within two minutes of coming off the elevator. Right out the side gate next to the frontier tower and into DTD.

This changes my feeling about Frontier. One of the things I disliked about it previously was the longer distance to everything, especially the entry/exit gates.

 

[Pluto468]

This changes my feeling about Frontier. One of the things I disliked about it previously was the longer distance to everything, especially the entry/exit gates.

Where exactly is the new entrance? I think I'm out of this loop lol

 

[erinch]

Im just checking out. For a delayed flight. I was in Adventure Tower. If you go out the side of the tower, and go through the tropical area to the gate, the entrance is right there. I never did rope drop or early entry. At other times of day, never waited more than 7 people to go through.