We stayed at the Paradise Pier hotel for 5 nights in Feb 2012. We had read previous reviews and knew what to expect. We were traveling with our 9month old baby. The check-in was smooth, as soon as the staff saw a small lineup growing, they asked us to come to Guest services in order to be helped faster. Check-in was knowledgeable and accommodating. We got room 342, with a slight view of California Adventure Park. The room was great, clean and comfortable. We had ordered some groceries to be delivered from a local grocer, and that went very smooth as well. The rooms were quiet, and we heard nothing of the people around us. The walk to the park is about 10mins, and only is a stretch if Downtown Disney is busy (ie:Saturdays). Great Hotel, feels like you are staying somewhere special, which adds to the every Disney vacation.

PROS: Clean, quiet rooms. Disney property means you get all the perks and great customer service. Closeness to the theme parks

CONS: The walk thru Downtown Disney can take long if it is a busy time. The elevators are an issue at times, but you just have to be patient and smart. The PCH restaurant is average, I'd advise going out into Downtown Disney in order to get your moneys worth.

TIPS: -there is a microwave you can use in the hotel cafe (for baby food etc.) was really convenient
-the Grayline Disneyland Express bus from the airports works really smooth, and I'd recommend it
-you can charge park items (food, gifts) to your hotel room. Or, we bought a couple of gift cards to use in the parks...it is handy because you aren't fumbling with change or loose bills

We have stayed her at least once a year since December of 2008 and have never been disappointed. The rooms are large. The beds are comfortable. The couch that folds into a bed is perfect for my 4 year old! There's even enough room to store all our clothes and keep the strollers unfolded so the kids can hop in them and go! The closet is large and I love that I don't have to haul my own pack n play with us because the rooms have a pack n play in them already. One less thing to carry with us. I have a 4 and 2 year old, but have been coming here since my oldest was 10 months.

As far a cleanliness, no other hotel can beat the Disney properties. The rooms are always spotless and I never have to worry about the kids touching things that are dirty. I'm super picky when it comes to cleanliness because the kids touch everything. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this hotel to anyone with children. The bathroom is fairly large and I've never encountered the water pressure issue before. The newly renovated rooms are super cute and well done. Just the right amount of the Disney theme.

We have had a view room twice (once we got upgraded). It is really very neat! Our last room we could even see the fireworks at Disneyland. It's nice that they pipe the music for World of Color and the fireworks onto the TV. It's especially nice at night to see all the lights and go to sleep with that view. Beautiful!

I've never used the pool, but it looks nice enough. The slide looks fun. I like that they have a bar and snack shack there. We have eaten in the restaurant for dinner a couple of times. Always had great service. The food selection is ok. The bar and little cafe is also nice in the morning for a quick breakfast and at night for dinner. We have ordered room service before and were satisfied. I would say it's not the best meal of my life, but nice to have the option and establishments right in the lobby.

We have never experienced the crazy waits for the elevators either. We have had to wait, yes, but never for very long. We usually don't leave at peak times, which is probably why. I would say the thing that is the most difficult for us is that the parking structure doesn't have an elevator. We always park at the front and unload the car for the bell hop to take MOST of our stuff. Traveling with 2 toddlers, we have a ton of stuff with us, and can't put it all on the cart. We always go back out to the car to get the rest, but with no elevators it can sometimes be a task. And our last trip, our room wasn't ready, so we had to drop our bags off, then park with the kids. We parked almost at the top of the structure and had to carry them down the stairs with their strollers. It was inconvenient, but we dealt with it.

The walk is not bad at all. I think the walk from the Disneyland hotel is a bit longer. It's Disneyland, you walk a lot. For us, it's not bad at all. I've stayed at all 3 Disney hotels and Paradise Pier is our favorite. It has the most quiet rooms (hardly ever hearing anyone in the hallway and never hearing neighbors) and it is usually the cheapest of the 3 as well.

Service has always been what I expected form a Disney property. Top notch. From the front desk, to the bell hops, to the housekeeping staff. One trip, my youngest got sick and had a high fever and terrible cough. It was 2AM and the front desk was more then accommodating. They gave me printed out directions for the drug stores in the area that were open 24 hours, got me a humidifier from the Grand Californian, and told me they have a 24 hour nurse line. I called the nurse, explained the symptoms and the nurse really put me at ease and helped determine what would be the best course of action. I was so thankful.

We just stayed for a week in December 2011 and have already booked another trip for March. When we can afford it, this is our place!

Far exceeds expectations; strongly recommend!

So, let's get one thing out of the way: If you've already committed to stay inside the Disneyland Resort, at one of the 3 on-site hotels, then you know you're going to be paying more than the weekend special rate over at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Ridiculously more. You have to go into it with the full expectation that the Disney organization is going to extract money from you, with authority.

OK, embrace that idea yet? With that aside, I thought this was a great hotel pick.

We usually stay at the Grand Californian but decided to try out Paradise Pier. 1-bedroom suite on 13th floor (they have 13th floors at hotels?), facing the California Adventure Park. It cost less than a similar room at the Grand Cal, but I really do think it's just because the hotel building is a bit farther away. And when they say farther away, they mean a whopping 75 yards.

(As an aside -- The GC is a huge sprawl of a hotel, with limited gateways into the park. So, depending on where the GC room is located, you might actually have a *shorter* walk from your Paradise Pier room into the park.)

(+)
The room furnishings are of the comparable quality as at the GC.
Mid-size refrigerator & microwave available in the room.
Fantastic view of the World of Color show, right from the room.
90% view of the Disneyland fireworks, from the balcony at end of floor hallway.
Friendly staff.
Costs significantly less than the Grand Californian.

(-)
The public space is ho-hum. Straight out of a mid-tier hotel in Fresno. In 1982.
The rest of Anaheim is visible from the room. The low floors of the GC really lends well to Disney's ability to make you forget you're really in Southern California.
WiFi/ethernet bandwidth is abysmal.
The walk to Downtown Disney is a brief, but bleak hike through service pathways, with greasy air blowing out of building exhausts.
The pool is not as good as the setup at Disneyland Hotel or Grand Cal.

Pro-tips:
(1) Do spring for the park view room. You might as well stay off-site otherwise and save $$.
(2) To access the park, go out the front door, cross the street, and go through the Grand Cal hotel.
(3) Going back to John Wayne Airport? The doorman may be able to call you a towncar, for the same $39 that a taxi meter would cost.
(4) The well-reviewed White Water Snacks at Grand Cal carries half-gallon containers of milk and OJ, at semi-reasonable prices, along with beer. Buy there instead of at the Paradise Pier lobby shop.
(5) If you want to rent a car, there's an Alamo office right nearby. The last I checked, one-way rentals into John Wayne Airport were available without surcharges.

Before I start I think I need to let people know that I won this trip, so the hotel cost me nothing. OK, with that out of the way....I really enjoyed my stay at this hotel. I have never slept in a more comfortable bed while staying at a hotel before. The rooms have been renovated and are very nice and clean. Short walk to the parks through the Grand Californian. My only gripes are the water pressure and the wait for the elevators. Our first morning we finally called quits after waiting for 10 minutes and took the stairs. Others had the same idea because the stairs were packed with people, including those that were holding babies and carrying down strollers. Thankful our kids are old enough to walk! If the price was right I would definitely stay here again.