Paradise Pier Questions

[BrerGnat]

The post putting it under a Holiday Inn are way off base IMHO.

Okay, just for the sake of argument, I am going to tell you why I said that. We just moved cross country. We stayed in four different hotels for a total of 12 nights. In addition, we just took a 2 night trip down to North Carolina to visit my MIL. The hotels were: Springhill Suites, Holiday Inn, and Holiday Inn Express (two separate ones). All four hotels exceeded the PPH in terms of room appointments and hotel offerings. The Holiday Inn even had a full service restaurant. The others did not have a restaurant on site, for comparison's sake. The most we paid for our room was $123/night at the Springhill Suites in Irivne, CA, before we left the state. The Holiday Inns were all either $89 or $95/night.

In all the hotels, we had triple sheeted queen pillowtop beds, DUVETS, four pillows per bed (2 firm, 2 soft), marble baths with massage showerheads, granite topped bathrooms, name brand toiletries (Bath and Body Works), an easy chair with ottoman, refrigerator AND microwave, 32' LCD HD tv's with a plethora of cable channels, desk with several outlets and FREE internet (and free wifi in the case of Holiday Inn) and our smallest room was 400 sq feet. All these hotels had interior corridors, bell services, INDOOR pools that were all larger than the PPH pool, fitness centers, business centers, and FREE hot breakfast (a good breakfast, not just continental). In fact, the breakfast exceeded what I've gotten at all Disney owned resort concierge level stays I've done.

Of course, none of these hotels was on Disney property, and we all know that Disney resorts are mostly about location, but I stand by my assesment that the PPH resort and rooms are not as good as those we JUST stayed in over the past month at the Holiday Inns. It's a fact. I'd even venture to say that my room on the Club Level of the Boardwalk Inn just a couple months ago was not as nicely appointed as the Holiday Inn ones. And, for FULL disclosure, I'm a hotel snob. I thought I'd be cringing at the condition of the Holiday Inns, and I was more than pleasantly surprised by all my experiences in them. Our worst hotel experience during this process was one night at a Four Points Sheraton at LAX that was just godawful. I don't even want to think about that hotel ever again. But, I am going to be fully honest and say that that room reminded me the most of the rooms at the PPH, in terms of room condition and appointments. The Holiday Inns were on par with the rooms at the Contemporary Resort, in terms of room appointments and decor. Maybe surprising, but true.

[Carol]

I think it stinks that we cannot use our DVC points on regular rooms at the Grand Californian when villas are full. I wrote to Member Services about this in December - you might want to too.


Anyway .........


I like Paradise Pier as well, Jeff -- and I'm an admitted resort snob. The rooms are very nice and I love PCH Grill. We don't utilize the pool so that falls into the 'no big deal' category for me.

You will not have to pay a resort fee for papers and such if you are utilizing DVC points. It's all included.

(Personally I find using points for rooms at the DL resorts are WAY overpriced. I've done it many, many times - but it zaps A LOT.)

[JPL]

You will not have to pay a resort fee for papers and such if you are utilizing DVC points. It's all included.

Does this include parking?

[Carol]

Does this include parking?

Let me check with Michael. I get a parking pass but he is the one driving and parking.

Do you have to pay Michael?

[NotaGeek]

Let me check with Michael. I get a parking pass but he is the one driving and parking.

Do you have to pay Michael?

Confirmed with the GCH Guest Services -- if you are staying at any DL Hotel on DVC points you can have 2 cars self-parked on property at no charge -- if you use valet then you must pay the regular daily valet price.

[Carol]

Thanks, Michael. I didn't think we had to pay. I recall just showing the pass.

[JPL]

Thanks Michael! Good to know!