Disneyland's Haunted Parking Garage Trip Report About This Page:

[Two4Disney]

Who: Rich and Kathy aka Two4Disney
When: June 20-June 23
Where: Anaheim Hilton
Why: Disneyland and other Playgrounds of Southern California
Last Seen: The Grand Poohbah Trip: Food & Wine at the Grand Californian

This report was originally going to be another "Beach, Baseball, and Disneyland" report because it's mostly Southern California than Disneyland. But after our trip, we decided (with the aid of LlaffinPlace) the name must be "Disneyland's Haunted Parking Garage" trip report (more on that later.)

Anyway, this trip didn't really know what it wanted to be and our plans changed throughout the trip. But here were the original plans:

After staying at the Grand Californian with a park view during the Food & Wine Festival last month, we decided two things when we returned home: (1) we hadn't had enough park time, and (2) we may not be able to enjoy the Disneyland Hotel after staying at the GC.

Because we had just been at the Grand Californian, we did book the Disneyland Hotel. True, the rate was less than what we would pay at the GC, so we would be saving money on this impromptu trip. But when we discovered lower AP rates online than what we had booked, we called about getting the lower rate. Apparently, we were about a day too late because none of those rates were available - we were stuck with paying twice the price.

We were already worried about our stay since the Disneyland Hotel seemed like slumming it after the Grand Californian. We had been happy enough before, but now we weren't as satisfied. So when we couldn't get the lower rate, we made a decision to stay at the Anaheim Hilton - across the street from DCA.

When we were relaxing on our park view balcony at the GC, we noticed how close the Hilton, facing the opposite side of DCA, looked and thought they must have a pretty nice park view themselves for a lot less money. So, we cancelled the Disneyland Hotel ressie and booked the Hilton and got a "Disney" view. Before we moved to Florida, we would go to Disneyland from the San Francisco area and often stayed at nearby hotels, including the Hilton. This would be the first time at the Hilton since DCA was built, though.

Another reason we're willing to cut the Disney onsite hotel umbilical cord is that we want to test out what it's like to live in Orange County again. I grew up there and since then have lived in San Francisco, Oregon, Florida, and Las Vegas. Plus, we're also going to see an Angels game and want to spend time at the beach, so we figured it was time to act like locals so we could more effectively compare being a Disneyland local versus a Disney World local - instead of comparing being a WDW local to a Disneyland onsite guest. Depending on economic and opportunity factors, this could be the deciding year: live near Disneyland again or live near Disney World again. If neither of those plans work, well, then, we'll just have to stay right here in Las Vegas and visit both.

And then the final reason we decided it would be a good idea to cancel the Disneyland Hotel is the news of its rehab - sorely needed - and we'll look forward to staying there again once it's finished. This is just what this hotel needs. Maybe then they'll bulldoze Paradise Pier and build a Boardwalk/Yacht & Beach Club-type hotel and area like at Walt Disney World. Now that would be awesome.

[chezp]

Great start!

[LLaffinPlace]

Woohoo! Looking forward to all the details.

I really, really want to stay at the Grand Californian (and eat at Napa Rose!). But I think it may be 2012 before I make it. Of course, that also allows for a lot of refurb and upgrades and I believe the opening of Cars Land, so it won't be time wasted.

[Two4Disney]

Originally Posted by LLaffinPlace

Woohoo! Looking forward to all the details.

I really, really want to stay at the Grand Californian (and eat at Napa Rose!). But I think it may be 2012 before I make it. Of course, that also allows for a lot of refurb and upgrades and I believe the opening of Cars Land, so it won't be time wasted.

That's probably the perfect time to come out for a visit. We saw the construction of Cars Land as we came in the gate - heading for the Haunted Parking Garage.

[Two4Disney]

We left our home in Las Vegas at our usual 9:30 a.m. time on Saturday morning on June 20th. This was the first time we'd done the trip in summer and we noticed the heavier traffic. We did our usual gas/lunch stop in Barstow, which is about the halfway point, and then arrived at the Anaheim Hilton around 1:30 p.m. It was cloudy still, which is unusual because the summer morning coastal fog usually burns off by noon - especially in Anaheim.

We've become accustomed to valet parking at Disney resorts so we pulled up to valet at the Hilton. The porte cochere was a bit confusing, but eventually we found our spot, the valet got our bags, and we headed for the registration desk. We hadn't stayed at the Hilton in years and had forgotten how humongous and impersonal this convention hotel is. There is a Disney desk, which we called a time or two to get information about park hours. But the front desk person was all business - our room wouldn't be ready until 4 p.m. and she didn't offer us any advice or give us a number or beeper or anything to check when our room might be available. Has Disney spoiled us or what?

We were in Disney withdrawal pain immediately. We headed for the nicely-appointed lobby bar and ordered 2 glasses of Echelon Pinot Noir. It was quite tasty, but I remember wanting to cry and thinking we had really screwed up our Disney vacation by staying off-site. But I also knew we needed to experience what it was like not staying onsite in case we decided to move back to Southern California. It was going to be a painful but necessary exercise. But I couldn't help remember the last time we waited for our GC room by enjoying a tropical drink out by the pool. And the last wine we had on a Disney trip was at the Golden Vine Winery at DCA. The contrast was brutal. I told myself to stop being a baby - you know - put on my big girl panties and deal with it.

We started enjoying ourselves more with every sip of wine. Rich went back to the desk a couple of times to check on our room, but it still wasn't ready. By the time we finished the wine, we decided to head over to the Starbuck's just off the lobby near the registration desk. This was nicely-appointed, too, and we had some coffee and split a couple of sweet treats. Life was looking up. We were remembering the fun we used to have at business hotels - we had immersed ourselves so much in Disney for the past 5 years we had forgotten what the real world was like.

At about 10 minutes before 4 p.m. after we were finished with our wine and our coffee and our sweets, Rich checked on our room again. It was ready. Hooray! We took the slowest elevators ever up to the 7th floor, walked down a long hallway, turned the corner for another long hallway and got to our room - a King Corner room. The door was open and the maids were sitting around, thinking they had another 5 minutes before they "had" to be finished, I suppose. When they saw us, they quickly finished and were out of there.

Finally, we got to tour the room, a lovely newly-renovated large room with floor to ceiling windows on two sides, and a heavenly Hilton Serenity bed, which we could barely leave the entire trip. We love our bed at home and usually can't wait to sleep in our own bed again, but this bed was even better! They're available for purchase and we may have to get one.

There was also a nice desk with laptop connection, comfortable office chair, and safe big enough to store a laptop. It was a wonderful, wonderful room with a "Disney" view of Tower of Terror and other DCA attractions, the Matterhorn at Disneyland Park, and nightly fireworks.

From the artist renderings, it appears that the new rooms at the Disneyland Hotel will be similar to this room, but even nicer and we're looking forward to staying there again after the renovation.

[chezp]

Glad the room exceeded your expectations, especially as you were feeling so down before seeing it.

[LLaffinPlace]

Feelin' bad?

Take 2 glasses of wine and chill a while, and things should start to look better!

Works for me!

[Two4Disney]

We didn't get our iPhone in time for this trip (it's back ordered), so I took a few pics from the phone I do have. I noticed the views were actually better than shown in these pics - here everything looks farther away. Even though I was disappointed when we first got there, I'm feeling nostalgic already looking at these pics.


The Serenity Bed at the Hilton


View of Tower of Terror, Matterhorn, and
Convention Center from room
(hard to see in pic - much closer in reality)


View of DCA and Paradise Pier Hotel
beyond the Convention Center - nicely lit up at night

[Two4Disney]

Originally Posted by LLaffinPlace

Feelin' bad?

Take 2 glasses of wine and chill a while, and things should start to look better!

Works for me!

Thanks, Dr. Larry. BTW, just noticed your countdown - you must be ecstatic!!! Hope you tweet us some pictures.

[mcc0313]

Great start...glad that you were happy with your room even after quite a wait, sounds like a glass of wine and some sweet treats helped some.

[Two4Disney]

Originally Posted by mcc0313

Great start...glad that you were happy with your room even after quite a wait, sounds like a glass of wine and some sweet treats helped some.

Originally Posted by chezp

Glad the room exceeded your expectations, especially as you were feeling so down before seeing it.

Thank you, both!

[Two4Disney]

Thought we may as well finish up the day. There really isn't much to report. We were so comfortable in our Hilton room and so tired from the trip, from non-stop working etc. that we stayed in and ordered room service. Besides, we figured we had only one try at the Parking Garage in us and we'd be so done for the whole trip. Little did we know then how true that was.

We called the Disney desk and asked about the hours for Sunday morning. We were told it was early entry or magic morning or whatever they call it at Disneyland. We told ourselves we'd start off as early as we could and go to Disneyland first thing the next morning.

We ordered Kobe beef sliders and a BLTA (A for avocado) sandwich to share and 2 glasses of wine. Room service was there lickity split - in 10 minutes. Just like Vegas, they wheeled in a room service cart complete with warming oven, white table cloth, a single rose in a vase, 2 plates covered with food, 2 glasses of Merlot wine (don't remember the vineyard but it was a bit too fruity for our taste), 2 glasses of ice water with lemon, and 4 chocolates.

We loved,loved,loved this room and enjoyed the food and wine and fireworks - felt like we were at the park without being in the park. We watched game 1 of the Angels vs. Dodgers freeway series where the Weaver brothers faced off - Jared Weaver pitching for the Angels and Jeff Weaver pitching for the Dodgers.

Too bad Jared lost to his brother Jeff. Oh, what a night! We were looking forward to game 2 the next night when we would be in attendance.

[chezp]

Sounds like a great end to the day - the room looks lovely.

[LLaffinPlace]

Originally Posted by Two4Disney

Thanks, Dr. Larry. BTW, just noticed your countdown - you must be ecstatic!!! Hope you tweet us some pictures.

I am not sure that ecstatic describes it right now but I am getting excited. I am in pretty good shape but must make final decisions about what to pack while fighting my propensity to overpack. I am having second thoughts about taking the phone but may get a chance to Tweet anyway.

But back to the topic at hand great views and the room service sounds delightful AND relaxing.

[Colexis Mom]

Great start and pictures!! More please!!