That's where we always stayed also. And then we would ride the pedal boats and watch the Fantasy Waters show at night. Not to mention going to the Monorail Cafe at least once a trip... *sigh* :(Quote:
Originally Posted by DznyVan
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That's where we always stayed also. And then we would ride the pedal boats and watch the Fantasy Waters show at night. Not to mention going to the Monorail Cafe at least once a trip... *sigh* :(Quote:
Originally Posted by DznyVan
I liked seeing the Fantasy Waters show because it gave you an sort of disney to your stay. Since my family always arrived the night before we were to actually go into the park we would just walk the grounds of the hotel, go see the Fantasy Waters show, see the waterfalls, go on the pedal botes and just begin our Disney experience. I guess since I was young I would have liked just about anything about being in Disneyland.
-Brian
The monorail station is the exact same distance from any of the currently existing hotel rooms that it has always been .... it is in the same place. The Oriental Gardens may have been a tad closer, though.Quote:
Originally Posted by SurfedUpDane
I liked Sgt. Preston's. I still have a kid's sippy-cup from the Monorail Cafe .....good times ........
I miss the floating ice rink that they would put up in the marina at Christmas time.
That may be true. The monorail station is exactly where it's always been. But they moved the Hotel further away. :rolleyes:Quote:
Originally Posted by Giant Panda
It may be the same amount of footsteps from your room to the station, but you've long since left your hotel by the time you get there. The removal of the Sierra pool, and the building which housed Sgt. Preston's and the huge souvenir store has eliminated monorail service as a unique amenity of the Disneyland Hotel. Now, guests are very close to the Downtown Disney monorail station that is in the midst of the busy shopping, dining and entertainment district which serves hoardes of visitors who are not hotel guests.
Once you make that same-distance walk to the monorail, you've got a lot longer wait for it then when the station was part of the hotel (um, and yeah, longer then when more than one or two monorails were all that's operational).
My friend and I used to always go to Via Verde for lunch...it was exciting because we got to take the Monorail there and they had amazing garlic bread. We'd gleefully fill up on bread as her parents protested. Her mom worked for Disney so we went all the time on her free tickets.
Man, those were the days. Old DLH was great...I haven't even been in the building in years, though.
It was hard to figure out which was cheesier.......the nachos or the karaoke at the Neon Cactus!
No *? These are still there?Quote:
Originally Posted by Eddie from the 80s
I couldn't remember if it was underwater or just on an island out there. Thanks for clearing that up.Quote:
* Atari Adventure - underwater arcade in the marina
I especially miss this. Affordable food on property (or nearly on property.)Quote:
* Monorail Cafe - great breakfasts / milkshakes themed post-war era 50's
Anyway, definitely the old setup wins. It gave a feeling of spaciousness and the waterfront view was pretty.
Here's an old hotel story, since I don't know if they do this anymore:
I had a pool view room once. While watching the Monorail come over the parking lot I looked down and saw that Mickey in beach clothes and glasses sat down in a sunbathing chair and laid around for a bit. I think there was only one other guy out there and his nose was stuck in a book so I didn't even notice the character joining him. Since nobody was out there, Mickey waved at the windows of the hotel tower facing the pool for gawkers like me watching from their rooms.
Even though he didn't draw a crowd like he always does inside the berm, I thought it was a nice touch to do that, and obviously it stuck with me as that was about 15 years ago and I still remember it happening. Must have been hot as all get-out for the CM inside, though. :D
Three great memories from the old hotel...
1) Just cruising around, under the waterfalls, past the marina, in and out of the arcade, wherever.
2) ANY meal at the Monorail cafe... simple and pleasant, watching the trains come and go out the window.
3) I once took out a paddleboat and wanted to see how close I could maneuver to the wooden edge of the lake without actually touching it... got in real close, closer, closer... CRASH!!!... took out a whole string of those white accent lights. Paddled back to the dock in record time, must've left quite a wake, walked pretty fast back to the parking lot. :eek:
I much prefer the old layout and the old ammentities. I even miss the big red Disneyland Hotel sign...
The new "family friendly" (or whatever the pucky they call it) DLH is just not average family friendly anymore, at least not my average family. Too upscale looking, feeling, and just a very cold place. Not nearly as friendly as it used to be. They may be getting more well-to-do folks staying there now - but I'm not coming back. It's just not the same friendly, welcoming place.
Sometimes "changing with the times" is just a cliché - nothing more, and certainly not an improvement.
Whatever happened to that Neon Cactus? I remember that......
The remote controlled boats have moved to the Lost Bar / Hook's Pointe area. The place is much smaller than when it was in the marina.Quote:
Originally Posted by MickeyMania
Thanks for sharing that memory of the old Sierra pool. I visualized the whole thing and brought a smile to my face.
Neon Cactus got demolished along with the entire monorail station: Monorail Cafe, Goofy's Kitchen, and Neon Cactus. :(Quote:
Originally Posted by mp3piratesavvy
Although the monorail station is the same "distance" from the hotel, it moved a huge distance from the hotel from a theme and atmosphere perspective. In the old hotel layout, you got the feeling of "arrival" since the whole hotel extended out to the monorail. You were immediately greeted by colorful signs showing information about shopping and dinning at the DLH. The whole monorail station served as a welcome center for guests. Today, everything seems to clash with the harsh transitions.
btw - reading all these memories makes me want to see some old pics! Anyone have a link to visit?
*emailing Werner W. Weiss of www.yesterland.com to add a "yesterdisneyland hotel" section!*
The only thing I have from a Disneyana standpoint is an old 90's travel brochure...
What I miss:
The garden wing
The Oriental Gardens
Monorail Cafe
and my favorite,
Grandma Maizie's Picnic Basket
I miss the "beach" swim area in the back with real sand. My kids loved it. I always get a strange feeling walking where the olympic size swimming pool in the front of the tower was , I just know its under there and to think I swam were I am now walking is weird. I also loved the ice rink at Christmas it was so beautiful and was another reason to stay there during the holidays. The old hotel was like another "land" in Disneyland , now uhmm ....its a place to stay and eat, the shopping is lacking , but I guess thats to make you wander to DT Disney to spend more $. I will say we had an excellent experiene at the dinner package for the Candlelight this year. We chose Hookes Point, which we hadnt dined in for years. The server was great , even going so far at to get two of us in the party lobster for dinner from Granvilles Steakhouse, was very on top of the service made sure we had plenty of time to wander back to DL for the Candlelight ceremony.Still I miss the old hotel, better entertainment , great poolside service, very entertaining and relaxing atmosphere , those were the days......