Where to stay? Help, please!

[mommy2adisneygirl]

We (DH, DD then 6, and I) are planning to travel to Disneyland the end of June/first of July. We are WDW folks and I am absolutely at a loss in planning a Disneyland trip. I've read HydroGuy's thread but I'm still struggling with hotel choices. We typically stay on property at a deluxe resort (YC/BC, BWI, WL, AKL), but I've always booked those resorts with significant discounts. I'm not seeing those kinds of discounts at the DL hotels. DH is not a Disney fan (he only agreed to do Disneyland as an add-on to a San Franscisco trip) so the hotel is important. Walking distance to the parks and safety of the walk are very important as DD and I will likely be making most trips to the parks alone. DH's requirements for the hotel are 1. Nice hotel 2. No exterior corridors 3. Comfy beds. 4. Food close by. We can stay on property but unless I find a good discount, we'd probably do PPH. I don't think I could make myself pay $500+ per night for DLH or GCH. Any suggestions or ideas would be great! Thanks!!

 

[pmaurer74]

I am right there with you and in the same boat. I am used to heavy discounts too and $500 per night for the GCH makes me cringe. It seems many DLR fans stay at a good neighbor hotel. I just priced out the Howard Johnson that has a cool water park for $150 per night vs. $500 per night at the GCH but the GCH is where I really want to stay so I am not sure what to do.

 

[calilou]

We are DL regulars, annual passport holders but live 3.5 hours away so stay at hotels. When we can (about half the time at least) we stay at resort hotels. My current favorite is the Disneyland Hotel because of the recent remodel and great pools. The pool will be awesome for you in June/July and well worth the money. Grand Californian is fabulous but is starting to get a little shabby and in need of a remodel. You can't beat its proximity to the parks but DL Hotel is not far behind. Paradise Pier is fun, the pool is small but has a good water slide but you may not care for the walk - you have to cross a busy street and then walk through GC. It's totally safe and tons of others are walking too but something to consider. If I were you I would splurge for DL Hotel. It will be well worth it considering how crowded the parks will be - you'll be able to retreat to the hotel and pool easily during the day and be close to take advantage of the parks in the morning and night.

 

[calilou]

Wanted to add - every time we've stayed at DL Hotel we've received an offer on the morning when we're checking out to stay one more night for a very discounted rate (around $120). So if your plans are flexible this could be an opportunity to stay another night for cheaper. It's not a guarantee so you may want to have a back up plan. We've always received it and taken advantage of it successfully - the most recent time was in August.

 

[gottalovepluto]

DL discounts aren't offered until a few months out. I wouldn't be expecting too much on that front though for you because 1) you are traveling prime time & 2) 60th anniversary will be in full swing. To increase discount odds travel during the week, but don't book it if you're depending on getting one. If you are walking distance to DL, you are walking distance to Downtown Disney and it's variety of food options. The shortest walking distance is GCH & Disney knows it, most of the inflated price there is location premium. The rooms are average, but there are nice places in the hotel where you're husband could relax without Disney being thrown at him. GCH is DL flagship resort much like GF is WDW's (although I understand the theming & architecture to be most similar to WL but GF prices). Since your husband isn't very Disney I would advise against DLH & it's heavy Disney theming that extends into the individual rooms. I don't know walking distance comparisons to area hotels vs PPH but I vaguely recall seeing a convo on this board sometime back about it so maybe try using the search feature here on the board. Oh, my understanding from reading others posts about PPH is that it's not quite what WDW goers consider "deluxe level" but it would fulfill you're personal requirements listed here.

 

[HappiestHaunt]

I am right there with you and in the same boat. I am used to heavy discounts too and $500 per night for the GCH makes me cringe. It seems many DLR fans stay at a good neighbor hotel. I just priced out the Howard Johnson that has a cool water park for $150 per night vs. $500 per night at the GCH but the GCH is where I really want to stay so I am not sure what to do.

Onsite is wonderful, but you do not lose much staying offsite at the DLR. And some of the hotels across the street are closer than the DL hotel and Paradise Pier. If you can afford the Resort hotels, then they are a fun stay for sure. I have in the past stayed at the Grand Californian and thought it a fine stay, and subtly Disney. It has the fun features of entrance to DCA and DD and themed pools. The lobby at the GC is breathtaking for sure. But the basic hotel room there is just that, a basic hotel room. It really will depend on your habits. How much time do you intend to spend in the room? If a bit, then the cost of staying on property will be worth it. And for some the MM that accompanies the property hotels is also worth it. We find that we prefer to save the money, stay at one of the hotels that is as close to Disneyland as GC and closer than the DL Hotel or Paradise Pier. Then we use the savings for more enjoyable pursuits, like character meals or fine dining, etc. You can stay offsite at the DLR and not lose much or anything, which I hear is different that offsite stays at WDW.

 

[TheDoleWhipper]

Based on your requirements, you would probably be happiest staying onsite. All three of the hotels are awesome, and the walk through downtown disney to get to the parks is safe and well-lit at night. PPH is a bright, cheerful hotel filled with subtle disney touches that your daughter might like. Also, the views of DCA are great, if you choose to splurge for a view room. It has less of a resort feel and feels more isolated than the GCH or DLR, but if you cut through the GCH the walk will be less than 10 minutes. If the PPH is all you can afford, then go for it, it is still a lovely hotel , just less upscale than others.

But if you do find a good discount, the GCH will give you a nice resort feel similar to the deluxes at WDW. It is super close, has a nice, woodsy feel to it, and will give your husband a relaxing break from disney whenever he feels the needs it. The DLH is also great, but further away and it might be too much disney for your husband (as a PP mentioned). But the pools are some of the best in the area! But based on what you said, the grand californian would fit you best if you can afford it. Keep looking for discounts, check orbitz and expedia, and call disney to ask about specials. Unfortunately, disneyland does not have as much deals as WDW, especially in peak season, but occasionally they run promotions.

Offsite is adequate for many people, but we can clearly see that it won't really fit your needs. There simply isn't any nice upscale hotels within easy walking distance of disneyland aside from the onsite hotels. The higher end ones, like the hyatt regency, the doubletree suites, and the hilton and marriotts are all further south near the convention center, so you will have to take shuttles. The ones right across the street are clean and adequate, for the most part, but they are simply motels, which are not suitable for those who want more of a resort orieted vacation. The hojo and farfield inn are probably the closest things you can find to a "deluxe" hotel within walking distance.

All in all, if what you are really after is a resort style vacation, you will have to pay much, much more than you anticipated for the GCH or DLH. But if you do not want to spend 500$ per night, the PPH is still a great hotel and you will have loads of fun no matter where you spend the night!

Good luck!

 

[TheDoleWhipper]

Based on your requirements, you would probably be happiest staying onsite. All three of the hotels are awesome, and the walk through downtown disney to get to the parks is safe and well-lit at night. PPH is a bright, cheerful hotel filled with subtle disney touches that your daughter might like. Also, the views of DCA are great, if you choose to splurge for a view room. It has less of a resort feel and feels more isolated than the GCH or DLR, but if you cut throuh the GCH the walk will be less than 10 minutes. If the PPH is all you can afford, then go for it, it is still a lovely hotel , just less upscale than others.

But if you do find a good discount, the GCH will give you a nice resort feel similar to the deluxes at WDW. It is super close, has a nice, woodsy feel to it, and will give your husband a relaxing break from disney whenever he feels he needs it. The DLH is also great, but further away and it might be too much disney for your husband (as a PP mentioned). But the pools are some of the best in the area! But based on what you said, the grand californian would fit you best if you can afford it. Keep looking for discounts, check orbitz and expedia, and call disney to ask about specials. Unfortunately, disneyland does not have as much deals as WDW, especially in peak season, but occasionally they run promotions.

Offsite is adequate for many people, but we can clearly see that it won't really fit yor needs. There simply isn't any nice upscale hotels within easy walking distance of disneyland (aside from the onsite hotels). The higher end ones, like the hyatt regency, the doubletree suites, and the hilton and marriotts are all further south near the convention center, so you will have to take shuttles. The ones right across the street are clean and adequate, for the most part, but they are simply motels, which are not suitable for those who want more of a resort orieted vacation. The hojo and farfield inn are probably the closest things you can find to a "deluxe" hotel within walking distance.

All in all, if what you are really after is a resort style vacation, you will have to pay much, much more than you anticipated for the GCH or DLH. But if you do not want to spend 500$ per night, the PPH is still a great hotel and you will have loads of fun no matter where you spend the night!

Good luck!

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

IMHO, the Hojo is the nicest of the offsite close walking-distance options. Rooms are spacious and clean. Very comfortable beds. Mini-fridge, microwave, keurig coffeemaker, in-room safe, flat screen t.v., decent selection of cable channels. Free Internet. Free parking. Interior corridors. Immaculate grounds. Fun water play area for the kids. Decent size swimming pool in a separate location from the water play area. This is our go-to place. We have stayed there over two dozen times, so we obviously like the place and feel comfortable there.

Hojo has its negatives too, so you may not want to consider it if any of these are deal-breakers:

No free breakfast. No onsite dining. There is a Mimi's restaurant right across the street though and a few other options just down the street between Hojo and DL including a McDonald's, Pizza Press, and Cold Stone Creamery.
No "Disney bubble". You will have to walk alongside and cross Harbor Blvd. The walk is about the same distance as from the Disneyland Hotel but is less pleasant. I have walked back and forth alone and with my family various times of the day and night and not had any issues or been concerned for my safety.
I don't love the bathrooms at Hojo. They are serviceable, but the plumbing is old and the space is small.
While the Internet is much improved, I still have some issues with it.

Obviously for our family, the positives of this location far outweigh the negatives.

I think Hojo would satisfy a number of your DH's basic requirements, and it's a good choice for the Disneyland visitor that doesn't want to shell out for onsite. It is no deluxe resort though. If your family can't be happy with anything less than an on-property experience, then I would suggest you book the Disneyland Hotel and hope some sort of discount comes out. You're not going to see huge discounts for the onsite hotels though because there are few of them, the demand is great, and they tend to fill close to capacity throughout the summer.

 

[danzma]

We stayed at Disneyland Hotel and loved everything about it, but the cost is not something every family can swallow and I agree with other posters that finding a discount is unlikely.

We're lucky in that we get a 50% cast member discount from a friend, but even with that it's much more expensive than the moderates we typically stay in at WDW. We're going back in March and we're planning on doing more off property dining. After a week the on-site choices became a bit tiring not to mention expensive.

DLR is much smaller and compact so don't feel that if you stay off property you'll be far removed from the magic. Good luck!

 

[Fantaluminishes]

We (DH, DD then 6, and I) are planning to travel to Disneyland the end of June/first of July. We are WDW folks and I am absolutely at a loss in planning a Disneyland trip. I've read HydroGuy's thread but I'm still struggling with hotel choices. We typically stay on property at a deluxe resort (YC/BC, BWI, WL, AKL), but I've always booked those resorts with significant discounts. I'm not seeing those kinds of discounts at the DL hotels. DH is not a Disney fan (he only agreed to do Disneyland as an add-on to a San Franscisco trip) so the hotel is important. Walking distance to the parks and safety of the walk are very important as DD and I will likely be making most trips to the parks alone. DH's requirements for the hotel are 1. Nice hotel 2. No exterior corridors 3. Comfy beds. 4. Food close by. We can stay on property but unless I find a good discount, we'd probably do PPH. I don't think I could make myself pay $500+ per night for DLH or GCH. Any suggestions or ideas would be great! Thanks!!

Nothing at DLR comes close to the hotels you listed from WDW. The resort hotels are nice, but they are very compact compared to all of the WDW resorts. I tend to compare the DLR resorts to the hotel plaza ones near DTD at WDW. The off-site choices are very similar to those on Hwy 192 outside of WDW. That being said, if you splurge on a DLR hotel, I'd recommend the DLH.

If you opt for offsite, you can try the Marriott at the Convention Center, the Hilton or a Sheraton property. They won't meet all of your requirements, but they will be affordable. Also, the Hotel Indigo on Katella, and the Holiday Inn on Walnut are nice options that are within walking distance. Rooms can be as low as $120 per night. Indigo has better dining options as it is two door down from Anaheim Garden Walk with plenty of nice restaurants to choose from. Walking to Disneyland from either of these is about 15 minutes. The Anaheim Resort Transport shuttle (ART) stops in front of the Holiday Inn. There is a fee for this shuttle, but it will reduce the walking if that's important.

 

[grnflash]

Our favorite off site is the Marriott and would probably meet your preferences.

First, it's a very nice, upscale hotel (imo, the nicest offsite hotel) and the service is amazing. We like staying in the tower directly behind the check in desk. The rooms have balconies and we've always been able to get a park view room (it's just a peak of a view of CA but even that adds to keeping the stay more "disneyfied.") The pool is partially indoors (huge pool with half of it covered) and our son (6) swims in it at all times of the year. There's usually pool toys, beach balls for the kids. The jacuzzi is under the covered area.

Second, we book our rooms on priceline. Hotwire offers this hotel too. Sometimes I have to watch the trip for awhile, but we've never paid more than $125. **The parking is an extra $25/day but that's something you'll pay for at most of the area hotels. There's no additional resort fee though so no hit there. The total cost is more than worth it to us since the hotel is so nice.

Third, sometimes we walk to the park. It takes about 15 minutes and is a nice enough walk along the side of California Adventure. But more often, we just walk across the street, Harbor Blvd, and take the Toy Story shuttle. Perfectly safe, about a 5 minute walk from hotel to the busses and particularly great when tired at night. **Most of our trips are just DS & me and I've never felt the slightest bit uncomfortable walking to/from the park or the parking lot. From the parking lot at night, there are always plenty of other people heading out of the lot to nearby hotels.

The only downside to us is that the rooms all have double beds, there are no rooms with 2 queen beds. When DH is with us, I end up sleeping in the bed with our son. Since he's only 6, this is fine. This may change once he's a little older.

The hotel has restaurants of course and Starbucks and we've ventured across the convention center esplanade to restaurants at the Hilton as well.

**The other 4 star upscale hotel on Priceline is the Hyatt. Also very nice. This hotel is further from the park but does have a dedicated shuttle ($5/ day, free for kids.) There are more restaurant options here - several mid-range chains directly across the street (Chapman.) The pools are not as nice but the rooms have 2 queen beds.

 

[mommy2adisneygirl]

Thanks for all the replies - lots of great suggestions to consider!! I'm sure I will have lots more questions as we get closer to the trip.

 

[BigKid45]

I just spent a week at Hotel Indigo on Katella for a confernece (just off Harbor across from DL) and I think it would be great. I booked at $150/nite. Very quiet, nice, clean, great staff. If you ask for a 4th floor room in the back you can see the fireworks each night...or just go out into the parking lot. Free parking!!! I walked to Downtown and DLR resort complex 2 or 3 nights alone and felt perfectly safe (but then again I'm 6-6/300 lb). One or 2 homeless folks on the way, but no begging or threats of any kind. Lots of dining near by at Garden Walk, IHOP, and fine dining down Harbor.... and best of all not in the mix of those iffy Harbor Ave hotels that uncle Walt hated. You can always catch the bus in either direction if you're too tired for the walk. Colleagues stayed at The Anabella....very close to DLR and downtown, but a little more courtyard like. They had a king suite for $150/nite. Hope that helps

 

[calilou]

Wanted to add another recommendation for Hotel Indigo - that's where we always stay when we can't stay on property. It's often free because we use my husband's points but rates are very affordable. The rooms are spacious and very modern. The pool is decent. The staff are wonderful!

 

[Laz]

I have stayed at the convention hotels on business trips. Yes, they would meet your husband's needs, but the walk to the parks is about 15 minutes. While we always felt comfortable walking (lots of park guest walking), that could be a bit much for little feet, unless you have a stroller. Their us to be a trolley from that hotel area to the parks, but I don't know if it is still running. You also have the option of walking across the street to the Disney parking lot and taking he Disney bus to the parks. We would walk to the park and ride back at the end of the day.

We are WDW vets, but the FP+ changes lead us to DLR. We are going the first week of July and are staying in the DLH, Remember that DLR is NOT WDW. We were at DLR 2 years ago during the 4th of July week. Using a traditional WDW strategy, we found that we had tons of extra time to repeat rides and still spend plenty of time relaxing at the hotel. Remember that if you stay at one of the on site hotels, you get early entry into one of the parks every day. Also remember that both park entrances are right next to each other. We could actually slow down and enjoy the entire DLR! IMO, the Cars ride, Toy Story and Fantasyland are the early entry must dos!

 

[Lucille1963]

I'm going to vote for one of the onsite hotels. It fits your requirement of being close for the walk for you and your daughter, your husband's requirement of interior hallways and close to food, and it is sounding like this may be a once in a lifetime trip.

One of the perks not mentioned above, could be useful for your family. Pinocchio's Workshop, the kid's club at GCH, is available to all onsite guests so you and your husband could have an evening to yourself to dine like adults (Steakhouse 55, Napa Rose, etc) or even visit the parks without your DD. My son was 5 the last time he visited and begged to go back.

Early entry each day of your trip can be a big bonus too.

If your husband won't be at the parks with you, the resort hotels will have more options of things to do on the grounds than others in the area.

How does your husband like to spend his time?

 

[DahliaRW]

The Marriott Residence Inn on Katella might work. It's a bit of a walk, but nice hotel with full breakfast. You could also stay further south on harbor and use ART.

 

[mdurette]

I'm too in the midst of planning our first DL trip as part of a San Diego vacation. We will only be in DL area for 2 nights and plan to spend most of our time in the parks, so the hotel is just a place to eat breakfast and sleep.

The onsite hotels are simply too much for my cheap wallet!!! We are loyal Marriott travelers. I booked the Fairfield that is suppose to be right across the street and a quick walk to DL. It has a mini fridge which is my only requirement to keep the milk cold for the box of cereal I will buy for breakfast!

Anyone with thoughts on this place??

$169 for the night, includes parking and a $25 DL gift card.

 

[mommy2adisneygirl]

Again, thanks for all of the responses! This will probably be a once in at least a long time trip - so I want to make the most of it. My DH will likely spend a lot of time at the hotel just watching tv or reading. He is thinking of going to Angels stadium to watch a game and to visit a presidential library as well. He might venture into the parks a bit but who knows. Last year at WDW, most days he would go to a park for specific attractions and then head back to the hotel. Not sure how well that will work without FPP. His biggest complaints about WDW are the size and walking required, heat, and crowds. The convention center hotels look nice but the walk might make for a bad start should he decide to join us. We won't be using a stroller but my DD has walked all over Alaska at age 4 and WDW this past summer so I think she will be fine. I did manage to get him to look at the on site hotels and he didn't have a stroke over the prices so there may be hope. Of course he thinks 1-2 days would be plenty of time and I want 5 . I'm excited to explore the differences between the two parks but I'm sure it will take a while to learn our way around! Thanks again for all the responses - I obviously need all the help I can get!