Paradise Pier

[Christine]

I'm going to be in DLR for 1/2 marathon weekend in August. I am looking at staying on points at PP. Do you feel it's as safe as staying at GC or DLH?

Last month at Tink 1/2 wknd I stayed at the holiday inn (that's where the med tent volunteer team stayed) and felt like I was in murderville. Literally- 2 ppl were stabbed the morning of the race outside the hotel. Amid taking the Anaheim resort transportation was scary in itself.

It's not that I don't appreciate them paying for my room. I just felt too scared there & will eat the points to go on property.

Thoughts on PP? Or should I strictly look at DLH & GC?

[Melanie]

I love PPH. It was my first DLR on property experience. Safe? Yes. No issues there. The rooms are huge, with a cute beach decor, and if you luck out, you could have a very nice view of DCA. The walk over to the GCH for park access is quick and easy.

I was a bit worried when I saw your hotel location. Bummer. I will say though, you could save tons by staying on Harbour, and I always feel safe there. I once stayed there with just myself and the boys, and I felt perfectly safe. Our choice is the Fairfield Inn.

[Christine]

I love PPH. It was my first DLR on property experience. Safe? Yes. No issues there. The rooms are huge, with a cute beach decor, and if you luck out, you could have a very nice view of DCA. The walk over to the GCH for park access is quick and easy.

I was a bit worried when I saw your hotel location. Bummer. I will say though, you could save tons by staying on Harbour, and I always feel safe there. I once stayed there with just myself and the boys, and I felt perfectly safe. Our choice is the Fairfield Inn.

Good to know!!! And Harbour is walkable? I don't wanna do that bus again!! Maybe they'd pay for me to go there. I'll have to ask

[Melanie]

The Harbor area hotels are VERY walkable. It's actually closer to the park front gates than DLH. And tons of runners stay over there. You'll be walking through the Esplanade and DTD to the start area with hundreds of your closest friends.

[tinkwest]

Melanie is right. Harbor is a super close walk and you will never be walking alone. I've stayed at Park Place Inn & Mini Suites the most often. I've also stayed at Desert Inn & Suites when I've roomed with six other adults because they have spacious suites available. Others I've tried are Candy Cane Inn, Tropicana Inn, Carousel Inn. They are all fine, not fancy, but acceptable and close. I've stayed at the Hilton by the Convention Center when my main purpose for being in the area was a convention (with a little Disney on the side). It is nice but farther away. I used ART for transportation those times.

I am ready to try Paradise Pier again if the price is right. It has been a lot of years since I've stayed there. The rooms are a nice size. We've never been disappointed but sometimes that price difference between PPH and the DLH are close enough that we talk ourselves in to doing DLH.

[dtootsie42]

We stayed at the PPH in September of 2012 and loved it!!! The rooms are huge, the theming is wonderful, the cast members were some of the friendliest we have encountered at Disneyland. We loved the close walk to the GCH and into the park. You can't go wrong with PPH.

[Christine]

Thank you all for the replies!

On the 1/2 marathon days, I have to be in the medical check in tent to work at 2am, before runners start coming out. It's very creepy!
But I like the idea of being on the "front side" of the parks. The holiday inn was behind the parking structure so I had to walk all the way around to the DLH, then I'd go through there to dtd since it was well lit.

I'm a chicken! Lol!

[Melanie]

Being at PPH in your circumstance would certainly be ideal, as I assume the med tent is near the start/finish area?

[Christine]

Being at PPH in your circumstance would certainly be ideal, as I assume the med tent is near the start/finish area?

Yes. But I start first across the street from downtown working in tent for the medical volunteers checking in. then when they all get checked in, I head to the main medical tent at the finish line.

PPH sounds like what I need to do.

[BrerGnat]

PPH is fine. Totally safe. It is just a little longer walk but not bad and all on Disney property.

[Carol]

No issues at all, Christine. I've always enjoyed staying there. The restaurant downstairs is wonderful for lunch and dinner and they have a nice grab and go bar area.

It's literally right across the street from the Grand Californian.

[badkitty]

I usually stay at the Fairfield (or Anaheim Plaza if I don't have Marriott points). I was at the Fairfield for the half. Easy walk but I was with a lot of runners. It sounds though like the PPH is better because of the location to the expo and race start/finish and the time you need to be there.

[Lacy]

We stayed at PPH for the Tinker Bell Half and I was very pleasantly surprised. Definitely don't have to worry about safety and we usually walked through the Grand Californian to get to the parks so I thought it seemed even a little closer than the Disneyland Hotel depending on which tower of DLH.

You can tell that Disney did not build it but it still felt like a Disney hotel and a step up from the hotels on Harbour. I never used to be able to justify the cost of staying on property at Disneyland with all the decent options nearby but now that I have I've gotten spoiled and think it is worth it especially for the races!