Have you ever seen the "signature suites" at the DL Hotel?! Amazing...

[prberk]

I just saw the pictures of the "Signature Suites" of the Disneyland Hotel (the original), and oh, my goodness. The imagineers have outdone themselves. I had no idea.

When I saw the names ("Adventureland," "Big Thunder," "Pirates of the Caribbean," "Mickey Mouse Penthouse," "Fairytale," "Blue Sky"), I thought of our overdone "pirate" rooms at the Caribbean Beach or the tacky ones at the Animation resort.

But these are real suites, and obviously rediculously priced. But check out the detail and the amazing pics:

https://disneyland.disney.go.com/hotels/disneyland-hotel/rates-rooms/

Scroll down to the "Signature Suites," and click on "view photos" to see them. There are a lot.

I know that this probably belongs on the Disneyland forum, but I really just wanted to share it here, where I thought more of us would see it. It blew me away.

The other rooms are well-done, also, and it looks like their pool renovation (monorail-themed) is awesome too. I have stayed at the Disneyland Hotel once, in 2008, before this further renovation, and I enjoyed it. I have to say that they have done an exquisite job. Can we say the same for WDW's signature hotels?

 

[Californian Elitist]

I'm a little surprised you're just now seeing the Signatures.

A few years ago, I asked if WDW had similar suites, but no one knew what I was referring to.

The good news about the Signatures is they're open to the public, unlike the Dream Suite. Bad news is they're insanely expensive.

 

[BigTxEars]

WOW, I think I might just strip and run around naked for the first day in that room! Sweet.....

But if they ain't posting the price I ain't affording the price

 

[prberk]

I'm a little surprised you're just now seeing the Signatures.

A few years ago, I asked if WDW had similar suites, but no one knew what I was referring to.

The good news about the Signatures is they're open to the public, unlike the Dream Suite. Bad news is they're insanely expensive.

I think the Contemporary has some very large suites, but I don't think they have any elaborately themed suites like these. They do seem nice, though. Have you ever stayed at one of the signature suites? Do you have any pics?

I can say that one time I actually got to stay in the Malibu suite in the Disneyland Pacific hotel. It was not nearly as themed, though. Just very nice. I did not notice at the time that they called it a "Signature" suite. Just a big suite. It was on the 15th floor and overlooked Disney's California Adventure. It was my brother and me. He was on business, and I volunteered to "suffer" and come with him, just so that he would not travel by himself... what a good brother I am! What happened was that we arrived very late, and the hotel was otherwise full. They had given away our room (a normal room, with an AP discount -- $99 a night!), so they "bumped" us to the Malibu Suite for the same price! For four straight nights! it was cool.

Now I know that the room would have been crazy amazing if it had been next door, at the regular Disneyland Hotel.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I think the Contemporary has some very large suites, but I don't think they have any elaborately themed suites like these. They do seem nice, though. Have you ever stayed at one of the signature suites? Do you have any pics?

Ha! I wish. I can only imagine staying in one of those rooms.

I have toured the Disneyland Dream Suite, though. I haven't actually stayed there.

 

[TP2000]

I don't think there's a market for these types of very expensive suites at WDW. If there was a market, TDO would have gone after it.

The WDW hotels just don't pull from the same demographic as the Anaheim property does, thus the differences.

 

[flynnibus]

I don't think there's a market for these types of very expensive suites at WDW. If there was a market, TDO would have gone after it.

The WDW hotels just don't pull from the same demographic as the Anaheim property does, thus the differences.

Surely you jest... this is the property that can charge $500+/night for standard hotel rooms. They don't exist in FL probably because they'd have to do too many of them for what they'd want to invest. They probably haven't done it simply because the existing rooms print money as it is.

 

[TP2000]

Surely you jest... this is the property that can charge $500+/night for standard hotel rooms. They don't exist in FL probably because they'd have to do too many of them for what they'd want to invest. They probably haven't done it simply because the existing rooms print money as it is.

But the Signature Suites at Disneyland's hotels go for $2,000 or more per night. In addition to the other "normal" fancy suites at the Grand Californian like the Mt. Whitney Suite, Arcadia Suite, El Capitan Suite, etc.

Some of the normal $1,500 suites at the Grand Californian, which have more square footage, are going for less than the megabucks Signature Suites across the street at the Disneyland Hotel.

If there was a market and a way for TDO to charge $2,000+ per night for dressed up one bedroom suites that they currently charge $800 for, I'm sure TDO would go after it. The Signature Suites were born in the Great Recession under George Kalogridis as DLR President. He's been in charge of WDW for two years now, and still no Signature Suites there.

My hunch is that the reason Signature Suites don't exist at WDW is the most simple and elegant answer; the free market.

 

[flynnibus]

My hunch is that the reason Signature Suites don't exist at WDW is the most simple and elegant answer; the free market.

Weren't the majority of these suites added during the complete overhaul of the towers that the DLH went through?

 

[TP2000]

Weren't the majority of these suites added during the complete overhaul of the towers that the DLH went through?

Pretty much. They began to open in the fall of 2010 and four were available by the winter of 2011. The Disneyland Hotel overhaul was done by early 2012.

A fifth Signature Suite opened in 2013, but it's not for overnights or use as a hotel room. It's a 3,000 square foot corporate hospitality suite for parties or corporate brainstorming/team building sessions. It doesn't have a bedroom, but has lots of space for cocktail parties, a smaller dinner party, or group work sessions and meetings. And plenty of retro Tomorrowland artwork on the walls. It occupies the largest original suite space in the Disneyland Hotel, in the southwest corner of the Fantasy Tower on the top floor.

In the 1970's it was the two bedroom suite originally built for the Wrather family, and it still features a nifty indoor/outdoor living room and lanai. When the Wrathers owned it and stayed there, the lanai had a revolving sectional sofa that could spin indoors to face the living room or spin outdoors to face the lanai, like a big Lazy Susan with a circular sofa on it. Groovy!

Now it's a 1960's Jetsons-esque modern penthouse for corporate events. And I'm sure they charge companies a huge amount to use it and cater executive events there.

 

[flynnibus]

Pretty much. They began to open in the fall of 2010 and four were available by the winter of 2011. The Disneyland Hotel overhaul was done by early 2012.

Ok, so now 1+1 equals what? WDW properties haven't been getting these top to bottom rebuilds.. only DVC additions and room modernizations

 

[TP2000]

Ok, so now 1+1 equals what? WDW properties haven't been getting these top to bottom rebuilds.. only DVC additions and room modernizations

If I follow you, you are thinking these Signature Suites only happened because they were revamping the aging hotel towers themselves? And WDW can't get Signature Suites because they don't really revamp their Deluxe Hotels, but only add DVC wings or change the bedspreads and armoires every 10 years?

Yet the Disneyland Hotel's Signature Suites were basically room modernizations, except using custom interior design and furnishings. They didn't move load bearing walls, or expand the footprint of the towers, or even move the plumbing. They just repurposed existing one and two bedroom suites in two of the towers into these high end environments through interior design and décor.

If they wanted to close a 2 bedroom suite at the Grand Floridian or the Contemporary next week, and then spend three months redoing it into a Signature Suite, they could start that next month. But for some reason, they haven't, and they don't appear to want to.

That's a decision of inaction George K. has made in TDO since he arrived in 18 months ago. My strong hunch is that marketplace and demographic realities don't allow the Signature Suite concept to pencil out with the Orlando crowd.

 

[flynnibus]

If I follow you, you are thinking these Signature Suites only happened because they were revamping the aging hotel towers themselves? And WDW can't get Signature Suites because they don't really revamp their Deluxe Hotels, but only add DVC wings or change the bedspreads and armoires every 10 years?

Yet the Disneyland Hotel's Signature Suites were basically room modernizations, except using custom interior design and furnishings. They didn't move load bearing walls, or expand the footprint of the towers, or even move the plumbing. They just repurposed existing one and two bedroom suites in two of the towers into these high end environments through interior design and décor.

The towers were gutted and rebuilt including all the exterior walls. The grounds, the food service, the amenities were all redone. The property was entirely overhauled.. and adding these extra services were part of those extensive plans. My point was, if those overhauls didn't happen, would you have gotten this level of change? Probably not.

In WDW they aren't undertaking those kinds of projects period.

It's about a 'rider' on a larger scale project vs doing the rider on its own.

There is plenty of money and people to chase those kinds of product. Just like there are tons of people would would flock to WDW if they built some crazy over the top new attraction. It's not the lack of potential demand that is keeping Disney from building that attraction... just like it's not a perception of lack of demand behind any inaction on building suites.

Look around - Disney is charging more and more and more everywhere it can... They are building 'exclusive' vacation houses, they just partnered to bring a Four Seasons. Disney knows the money is there at WDW. It's not demographics or some perception of lack of market to fill these suites... that's just California Snobbish. It's Disney's own decision making and their unwillingness to make bolder moves.

 

[deix15x8]

The Contemporary Resort refurbishment was a fairly extensive one that covered the entire resort. That would also be the resort that IMO is the most closely tied to WDW in the way the Disneyland Hotel is to DL. If they wanted these suites and could only do it during a major refurb they could have done them then.

 

[flynnibus]

The Contemporary Resort refurbishment was a fairly extensive one that covered the entire resort. That would also be the resort that IMO is the most closely tied to WDW in the way the Disneyland Hotel is to DL. If they wanted these suites and could only do it during a major refurb they could have done them then.

That would be the closest in my memory.. I would agree. But it was also quite an extended rolling one that was more a refresh. The DLH one was still far more extensive.

My point still being.. the focus hasn't been on elaborate in WDW.. it's been on 'give me your money' They are getting more high end dollars without having to offer any high end products.

 

[Magenta Panther]

While all of the suites are very ornate, natch, the only two I'm really impressed with are the Adventureland Suite and the Mickey Mouse Penthouse. They are spectacular. I do like the bathtub in the Thunder Mountain Suite - that's pretty awesome. But the Fairy Tale and Pirates Suites to me are big letdowns. Neither are particularly magical or piratical to my mind.