Do you have to stay at the DLResort Hotels to swim in their pools?

[PrincessMack]

Our travel agent said the DL resort pools were not open to the public but I read in a post on mouseinfo.com that the DLHotel pool is most busy because everyone goes there. Am I missing something? Also can you do the character breakfast at Goofys kitchen if you dont stay at the DLR hotels?
My husband is now thinking about staying at a resort hotel. Can anyone tell me, Is it REALLY worth the price? I read you get a 4 day hopper pass and early entry to DL if you stay on the resort. Can you get early admission w/o staying at a DLR hotel?
Im thinking Candy Cane Inn or Portofino. I dont like that the Portofino shuttle stops at 3 other hotels for pick up like someone else had mentioned. You see, these are good things to know, I wouldve never known that about the shuttles if I hadn't come here. This site is the best.
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[DonnaS]

Yes you do have to stay at a Disney hotel to use the DLH pool. I'm not sure but probably people who stay at the Paradise Pier and Grand Californian Hotels can use the DLH pool and perhaps that is what your TA meant.

You can do character meals without staying there though. As for early entry... I believe if you get a flex pass you can do early entry one day during your stay.

 

[TrlyScrumptious]

You'll need a room key from one of the onsite resort hotels in order to get access to the pool at the Disneyland Hotel.

Yes....it's worth it....at least I think so!

 

[nltroxell]

We just returned from the Portofina Inn. Our package was booked through Disney and included early entry on all available days. It was hard for us to make it there by 6:30 but being able to beat the crowd by 15 minutes before the 8:00 opening time was a big help. We had friends staying at the GC and visited them there and it was wonderful. If you can afford it I would recommend it. We are a family with four kids and we would have to have two rooms to stay there so settled for Portofino Inn. I can't really conplain about Portofino. It worked well for our family of six. Now we can still afford to go to WDW for Xmas!

 

[PrincessMack]

Thanks for the info everyone!

 

[Bob O]

Why would people think they can swim at a disney pool when not staying at a disney hotel? If your not a guest at the resort why do people think they can swim there, its not part of the park admission. That would be like going to a Holiday inn in your city and just gon swimming when staying at the hotel. Ive seen these on other threads and cant understand why people think they could swim in the hotel pools when not staying there.

 

[PrincessMack]

Well, BOB it is not hard to make you angry. This is a forum where I can ask questions about Disneyland, no matter how "silly" they may seem to YOU. So far, I have had nice, informative people respond to my questions. Everyone has been very helpful. I am not sorry for asking a question that was so obvious to YOU. Why are you so offended by my question? I am sorry that you are so miserable. The Disneyland Hotel is not the Holiday Inn. The pool at the DLHotel is not the pool at every Holiday Inn across North America. The DL Hotel is one of a kind found only in DL. You can eat at the restaurants in the DLR hotels without staying at those hotels. My question seemed reasonable to me. If my questions bother you Bob, then please dont read them and I welcome the great tips I get here from others.

 

[TrlyScrumptious]

Ouch, Bob! Princess Mack lives in Canada and I don't think she's been to Disneyland before...so she may not know that the park and the resort hotels are two different things. I think she got some conflicting information about who could have access to the Neverland Pool. Although
I haven't been posting here long, I would think that asking for a clarification of this is a very reasonable use of the forum.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

<font face="Comic Sans MS"><font color=navy>Just a reminder to play nice here.

I remember when I first saw the DL Hotel pool years ago. I had never seen a pool with a "beach" before, and had every intention of using it, even though I live in the city (just never got around to doing it). It never occurred to me that you should stay at a hotel before being allowed to use their pool. Of course, I've learned since then; but, I understand the question, and would much rather a person ask one of us before finding out first-hand what the limitations are. That's just one of the benefits of these boards.

 

[Bob O]

What HOTEL can you go and visit and maybe have a meal and then swim in the hotels pool? Ive been to numerous hotels at wdw and all over the country and never thought of swimming at a hotel where im not a registered guest. The Disneyland Hotel is not part of disneyland so i would never think of being able to swim in there pool. Visiting a restuarant or a public area is one thing but a pool is another and not part of a public area. People pay good money to stay there and use the pool, that is a perk for hotel guests and not passerbys.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

<font color=navy>That's right, Bob.... but take it from the perspective of a person who truly doesn't know better. Just because some of us do understand, does not mean that everyone automatically realizes that you pay for the hotel amenities, including the pool. I remember in my younger days not knowing that, so when someone asks, I remember how once I was naive, and take that into consideration when I answer them. This is not the forum for a debate, so I'll leave it at that.

 

[TrlyScrumptious]

There *are* some hotels that you can pay for swimming privleges. The DLH isn't one of them, but for people who live in areas where pools are relatively uncommon, it may be what they are accustomed to doing.

 

[PrincessMack]

You do not have to stay at the DL hotel to swim in the pool! If you stay at the other DL Resort hotels, you are allowed to swim in the DL hotel pool. Not such a weird question after all....

 

[Peter Pan Fan]

Princess Mack - I don't know if you are still considering the Portofino, but we stayed at the Portofino Suites in April and enjoyed it very much. Just an FYI about the shuttle: Instead of waiting on the corner, wait about 10 minutes later and walk to the Jolly Roger hotel which is right next door. (it is actually easy to cut through the Chevron parking lot to the bus stop). Then pick up the shuttle as if you were staying at the Jolly Roger. It is the same shuttle that you would have picked up, but the Jolly Roger is the last stop. It essentially just goes around the block after it leaves the Portofino, stopping at two hotels before stopping at the Jolly Roger and continuing to the park.

We did this several times and never encountered a full shuttle or a wait. The nice thing is that the Portofino is the first stop when the shuttle comes back to the hotel from the parks.

Susan