Hotels question...

[Chuck S]

Since the DVC resort is hard to book, I've been considering using DVC points for Paradise Pier. It has been literally 52 years since I've stayed at the Disneyland Hotel. Way back then, there was both the monorail and a Hotel Tram to the park. Does Paradise Pier or Disneyland Hotel still offer any transportation to/from the parks, since Western Way is long gone, renamed Disneyland Drive, and the bridge/Downtown Disney has been built? If not, how does one get to the parks from Paradise Pier? Or would it be best to bite the bullet and spend the points for a room at Grand Californian. I have enough points, I'm just trying to be frugal so I can do Disney World the same year.

Thanks...

 

[Geemo]

Since the DVC resort is hard to book, I've been considering using DVC points for Paradise Pier. It has been literally 52 years since I've stayed at the Disneyland Hotel. Way back then, there was both the monorail and a Hotel Tram to the park. Does Paradise Pier or Disneyland Hotel still offer any transportation to/from the parks, since Western Way is long gone, renamed Disneyland Drive, and the bridge/Downtown Disney has been built? If not, how does one get to the parks from Paradise Pier? Or would it be best to bite the bullet and spend the points for a room at Grand Californian. I have enough points, I'm just trying to be frugal so I can do Disney World the same year.

Thanks...

All three DLR hotels are walking distance to the park entrances.

 

[Where's Wall-E]

The monorail station is quite close past the security entrance you take leaving the DLH and entering Downtown Disney. From the PPH, you walk up towards the DLH and enter the same way. If you opt out of taking the monorail, you walk through Downtown Disney to the main park entrances. It adds just a few more minutes as you're already in the zone past security.

 

[rentayenta]

Since the DVC resort is hard to book, I've been considering using DVC points for Paradise Pier. It has been literally 52 years since I've stayed at the Disneyland Hotel. Way back then, there was both the monorail and a Hotel Tram to the park. Does Paradise Pier or Disneyland Hotel still offer any transportation to/from the parks, since Western Way is long gone, renamed Disneyland Drive, and the bridge/Downtown Disney has been built? If not, how does one get to the parks from Paradise Pier? Or would it be best to bite the bullet and spend the points for a room at Grand Californian. I have enough points, I'm just trying to be frugal so I can do Disney World the same year.

Thanks...

There is no transportation to/from the hotels. The Grand though lets out right into DCA however the PPH and DLH are still close just not as close.

If you have the points, I'd bite the bullet.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Since the DVC resort is hard to book, I've been considering using DVC points for Paradise Pier. It has been literally 52 years since I've stayed at the Disneyland Hotel. Way back then, there was both the monorail and a Hotel Tram to the park. Does Paradise Pier or Disneyland Hotel still offer any transportation to/from the parks, since Western Way is long gone, renamed Disneyland Drive, and the bridge/Downtown Disney has been built? If not, how does one get to the parks from Paradise Pier? Or would it be best to bite the bullet and spend the points for a room at Grand Californian. I have enough points, I'm just trying to be frugal so I can do Disney World the same year.

Thanks...

As a WDW vet you’ll be fine with the walk from PP to the front gates. It takes about 10 mins to walk the length of DTD. I haven’t walked from PP to DTD myself but eyeballing it I’d say it can’t be more than 5 mins, hopefully someone will chime in with a more extact time for you. You’ll look at GCH longingly as you pass it for sure- but remind yourself you’re getting to go to WDW too and it’ll turn your frown upside down

ETA: and do take advantage of EMH! It’s SO much more useful out here in CA!!

 

[Chuck S]

Great. Thanks for the info...

 

[Malcon10t]

The monorail runs to the exact same place it always has. So if you stayed in one of the towers, it will be the same walk it was before. If you stayed in the bungalows, it will be an extra 200 feet.

 

[Chuck S]

The monorail runs to the exact same place it always has. So if you stayed in one of the towers, it will be the same walk it was before. If you stayed in the bungalows, it will be an extra 200 feet.

I think they added some towers since I stayed there. I only remember one tower, the one that faces the park. I don;t think there were any bungalows back then. It was 1966. We could see the helipad from the room where the helicopter shuttles from LAX landed, before it crashed in the 1960s. I saw it go down from our backyard in Lynwood. There used to be a little cafe at the monorail station.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I think they added some towers since I stayed there. I only remember one tower, the one that faces the park. I don;t think there were any bungalows back then. It was 1966. We could see the helipad from the room where the helicopter shuttles from LAX landed, before it crashed in the 1960s. I saw it go down from our backyard in Lynwood. There used to be a little cafe at the monorail station.

The helicopter is a bit of Disney history I have never heard mentioned. Tragic ending for sure, and I am admittedly young but having grown up in CA and being a DLR vet I’m still amazed that I’ve never heard mention of it.

TBH everything will feel brand new to you outside of DL so be ready for that! DLH offers (or offered, idk if they still do) a free tour on the history of DLH that you might find very interesting given your memories. Ask the concierge at whatever Disney hotel you end up staying at about it if you’re interested or even start a thread asking for recent info on it here so you know what’s what. It was an hour & was offered a couple times a week at like noon when I did it a few years ago.

 

[Chuck S]

Actually, there were two helicopters operated by Los Angeles Airways, both Sikorsky S-61L models. Both crashed in route to Disneyland in 1968, one went down in Paramount on May 22, 1968, and the second went down in Compton on August 14, 1968. The August crash was I one I saw go down. Notice the Matterhorn in the background.

Thanks for the tip on the history tour. OKW does that, too, of course it is a newer resort and they talk about the theme of the resort and changes over the last 25 years.

 

[Malcon10t]

I think they added some towers since I stayed there. I only remember one tower, the one that faces the park. I don;t think there were any bungalows back then. It was 1966. We could see the helipad from the room where the helicopter shuttles from LAX landed, before it crashed in the 1960s. I saw it go down from our backyard in Lynwood. There used to be a little cafe at the monorail station.

The "bungalows" (as I referred to them) were a series of 2 story buildings. They were the first to open in 1955, and were demolished in 1999. They would have been in front of the tower. The monorail is in the same location and hasn't been moved. They removed the bungalows, shopping area and put in DTD. The monorail is still just to the west of Disneyland Drive (previously known as West St.) In this pic from 1973, just remove the tower that opened in 1968, but you can see the bungalows to the south and north of the tower and the pool on the east side of the tower.

This is before the tower was built (1962), when it was just the bungalows.

 

[HydroGuy]

Personally I would lean towards GCH and DLH and not PPH if you can manage it with points/finances.

 

[Chuck S]

Oh, I never knew those bungalows were there when we stayed in 1966. Interesting that they were the original buildings.

 

[Malcon10t]

Oh, I never knew those bungalows were there when we stayed in 1966. Interesting that they were the original buildings.

We loved the bungalows, and stayed there when given the choice.

 

[bumbershoot]

I can’t deal with the price of points to stay at DL. Im sure I don’t need to remind you, but be sure to check the cash price and what you could get renting out your points to someone else.

 

[Denise0362]

Cool pictures!

 

[Chuck S]

I can’t deal with the price of points to stay at DL. I'm sure I don’t need to remind you, but be sure to check the cash price and what you could get renting out your points to someone else.

Yeah, but for a trip once in a while, I don't mind. Paradise Pier seems relatively reasonable, point wise, especially when compared to some of the WDW cash resorts. But I may splurge for the DLH just to see how much it has changed.

 

[bumbershoot]

Yeah, but for a trip once in a while, I don't mind. Paradise Pier seems relatively reasonable, point wise, especially when compared to some of the WDW cash resorts. But I may splurge for the DLH just to see how much it has changed.

As long as you checked it out.

I personally love PPH.