Originally Posted By berol Vegas pools are fancier because of competition. The hotels/casinos are the destination, all the same building. The hotels are not the destination in Anaheim. For INO lines being mostly ex-Californians, Texans aren't crazy enough to sit in line for 4 hours for a burger they've never tasted or to drive 45 minutes across DFW. I'm sure lines get Texaned up eventually, but not at first. Texas has the most ex-Californians by far, btw.
Originally Posted By oc_dean >>The hotels are not the destination in Anaheim.<< (Just a rhetorical response): But who says it can't be a "destination" ... if not just a mini one? Is it suppose to be a one sided "Disney Theme Park" community ... Or how about one with a few DIVERSE attractions? We know who the main star is, but who said there can't be a few Supporting Actors.
Originally Posted By berol I just haven't seen much call for plussed pools. People here seem happy with pools as long as the layer of surface scum is under an inch thick. There is some sense in plussed-ness for Great Wolf since it wouldn't be across the street where high capacity is easy in tourist season. Putting a little extra into Disney hotel pools helps the extra dollars feel worthwhile. Disney could put a lot more into pools, but it isn't necessary and you may find parents not wanting pools with high appeal. "I didn't spend $2000 on this trip to spend it at a pool. Eat your vegetables, take a bath, and go to the park!"
Originally Posted By Yookeroo "For INO lines being mostly ex-Californians, Texans aren't crazy enough to sit in line for 4 hours for a burger they've never tasted or to drive 45 minutes across DFW. I'm sure lines get Texaned up eventually, but not at first. Texas has the most ex-Californians by far, btw." That's your argument? You're going to have to do better than that. Any argument that starts "Texans aren't crazy enough..." isn't going to be all that convincing.
Originally Posted By oc_dean >>I just haven't seen much call for plussed pools.<< Or more to the point - A hotel can just build a blasé pool, and call it day. It's that easy. And is done, ALL the time! Especially in So Cal. >>People here seem happy with pools as long as the layer of surface scum is under an inch thick.<< While meant to be funny, I think there's some truth to some complacency. >>but it isn't necessary<< Just as it wasn't necessary for the Amusement Park to evolve to a new point in 1955. PS- Not to take anything you said Berol out of context - I got the funny jest of it - Just sort of rolling out the ironic reality of it all. LOL >>and you may find parents not wanting pools with high appeal. "I didn't spend $2000 on this trip to spend it at a pool. Eat your vegetables, take a bath, and go to the park!"<< I could see this line coming out the movie Pleasantville ... where the black and white 50s world was just one little complacent town, that thought nothing needed to evolve into something better. What I appreciate in hotels in Vegas, and Great Wolf ... is they have fussed water park attractions into hotel courtyard pools into one. It's the next revolutionary step in making hotel pools into something more, than just a flat concrete "lip" around a square pool, with a set of lawn chairs.
Originally Posted By berol Yeah, that's pretty much the way I see it. Great Wolf would have to pull a lot of biz away from Harbor for other hotels to follow suit, if GW can even book enough rooms to make a noticeable dent in any specific hotel. I wonder how much HoJo's pool has helped their business or hurt others. I didn't say Texans weren't crazy, just not crazy enough. ;-)
Originally Posted By oc_dean ^^^ and I wouldn't pride myself on fast food joints anyway - America pumps itself so high .. on fast food joints - and look at our stats on obesity??? Counter that to my experiences in Australia now, where fast food/hamburger joints are not at every corner - and most Australians are thin.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt As usual some of you are being unnecessarily critical. Since DCA opened Disney's Anaheim hotels have maintained an average annual occupancy rate of about 85%, well above and beyond the national average. Considering the stellar performance of the hotels, along with TP's observations about the amenities at nearby properties, I seriously doubt if there's much concern about the quality of their pools from either resort management or guests staying at the DLH or the GCH. Disney is clearly setting the bar in Anaheim.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo And as per the modern usual, there is little incentive for them to set it high. It could have been sooooo much more, for not a huge cost more. Instead we get mediocre. Once again proof that for an extended stay we will opt for the Newport coast with good amenities and then a short break at DL, or a few day trips. Whereas if they went to give us a world class experience, we would opt to stay at a Disney resort for the whole of our vacation with the odd day trip out. When on a longer vacation, some chill time in the pool is very welcome.
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub If Disney wants to use flash images to highlight the best offerings they have:As in raising the bar my mind immediately sees the new Aluani pool. And then I see the newest Cruise lines and fireworks everywhere. So I guess the corporate response would be IF YOU want a pool go to Hawaii and I am thinking they desperately need to push that to families on vacation. Has anybody checked out the new Hilton/Waldorf Astoria Resort pool and golf complex at WDW? I know they have the lazy pool.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo It is an ok pull, but also dull to look at, but at least they have palm trees and a lazy river.
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub It is a good thing imagineers can not grade and judge our home environments...since we are perfectionists (talking to myself). Technically I know there is a big difference but a guest is a guest.
Originally Posted By CuriousConstance I've seen lots of pictures on Disneygeek.com of the new hotel/pool area. From what I've seen, I thought the new hotel/pool looked great. Above and beyond anything you get in 95% of any other hotel you'll stay at in the area. The main pool area really isn't much different than before aside from updating somethings and removing the Peter Pan ship. The changes I thought really updated and refreshed an already nice grounds/pool. I've stayed in the pre-remodeled hotel a couple years ago, and the changes to me all look positive and really nice. Until the remodel, I've always aspired to stay at the GCH, but now I'm looking forward to going back to the DLH someday. I never would have thought by looking at the pictures it would receive so many negative reviews. But heck, this is LP.
Originally Posted By oc_dean Constance .. it's this simple: There are: A: Run of the mill pools, no frills attached. Mundane. Soul purpose, just to get wet B: Slightly plussed pools that have one, maybe two minor "blings" to make it a bit more decorative. C: Pools that take the next revolutionary step in something creative and imaginative. Much like some of the resorts mentioned in this thread. Particularly Vegas pools, just for one example. Pools that go above and beyond what's "expected" and give the "Unexpected". Little piece of philosophy that came out of Walt himself. So .... you walk into a Disney resort hotel ... They expect you to fork over BIG bucks ... So, which one of the above should apply? A,B, or C?
Originally Posted By CuriousConstance I think the DL pool easily falls into C though, Dean. I think the Monorail slides look awesome, and beautiful at night. There are VERY few places I could vacation and get anything like that. The rest of the pool looks very beautiful with extra little touches that make it extra special. Like the E ticket tiles lining the pool top. It's not screaming I'M A DISNEY POOL, but that's okay too.
Originally Posted By berol Disney tends to overprice everything but admission. We're lucky they didn't go with A. I wouldn't call it a resort hotel, either. GCH is in the neighborhood, but still falls short here and there.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Cc - you should check out the pools at WDw, the Atlantis resorts in Bahamas and Dubai, heck, even the Marriott Vacation Club pools in Marbella and Majorca for cool pools. Or the pools at the Hotel Colloseo at Europa Park, the pool at the Ling Bao Phantasialand and at Efteling Bosrijk to see what a cool hotel pool looks like. The suckieness of the DLH refurbing of pools does not entice me at all. Travel some more, or Google some more, and see yourself. The Dlh should not be competing with the Candy Cane or Sheraton, they should be competing with Vegas, WDW, the Med etc.
Originally Posted By crapshoot <<The suckieness of the DLH refurbing of pools does not entice me at all.>> Dave, the pool complex at the Disneyland Hotel is anything but sucky. It captures a nice tropical mood. Also, the retro monorail slides certainly look appealing and fun. I have stayed at every major resort on the Strip. For pools, I prefer the Mirage, Mandalay Bay and the Flamingo. Those are all tropical, unformal and the most relaxing for me. Mandalay Bay has their iconic wave pool and a rather wimpy lazy river. Flamingo has a great complex of slides and an uber-tropical feel. Mirage removed its wimpy slide years ago, but the tropical ambience and Dolphin Bar make it my favorite. But to dis Disney after doubling the size of their pool complex, adding slides, a splash zone, a kiddie pool, huge hot tub and a massive main pool plus give it a wonderful tropical ambience is a bit bizzare to me. My contention is that, even though they have given the towers a new facade, updated the rooms, etc. that even with all that, the complex will be leveled one day to make way for a modern, efficient resort. That is when such a project can be justified.
Originally Posted By FerretAfros With all the work and money they've put into refreshing the existing infrastructure, and all the talk about how they will be completely rebuilding the hotel 'soon', I really do have to wonder if it would have been easier/close-to-the-same-price to just rebuild. But there's logic, rearing its ugly head again.
Originally Posted By Princessjenn5795 "I have stayed at every major resort on the Strip. For pools, I prefer the Mirage, Mandalay Bay and the Flamingo. Those are all tropical, unformal and the most relaxing for me." At least the hotels at DLR don't charge you for shade like the Vegas hotels do. Those Vegas hotels charge out the nose for it. Take Mandalay. I was there for a week last July and (because I am a red head who burns through her tinted car windows) I had the choice of a) renting a gazebo at $100+ a day, b) renting an umbrella at $60 a day plus $20 for an additional chair under the umbrella for my husband or c) not go to the pool. The DLR pools are comfortable for everyone.
