HELP!!!! Overwhelmed with hotel stuff!!! *Update*

[midnight star]

My friend, her sister and I will be going to the parks together on April 27&28! We are going to stay the night of April 27, because we are planning to stay until closing and don’t want to drive back home to LA.

We checked the onsite locations and they are (expectedly) expensive! I asked if they did AP rates and they said not on weekends. So we are scrapping those! I’ll keep checking for a good rate, but I doubt one will pop up.

Out of the list from below, which would be a good idea to stay at? One that isn’t too expensive but is comfy and safe. I’m so overwhelmed with the options and little details regarding shuttles, breakfast, distance, etc.

Howard Johnson

Tropicana inn

Anaheim Majestic Garden

Candy Cane Inn: I read this has a shuttle

Cartona- I read you can use the Toy Story shuttle?

I also read there’s another hotel that is nice, but is on top of a hill. Which one is that? We want to avoid that one lol

 

[ParkHopper1]

HoJo is a DIS Board favorite among many users.

CCI is nice. It is a 10 min totally safe walk to gates or they are one of the few that have been grandfathered in with their own shuttle. Everyone else is on ART shuttle system. Basic continental breakfast.

Fairfield Inn is one of my go to properties. No breakfast.

Tropicana and Anaheim Majestic Garden...Have not stayed at either but have heard a few first and second hand reviews and I am avoiding.

 

[avalon451]

Desert Inn has a standard room for $149. It's not fancy, but it's reasonably clean, feels safe, and it's right across the street.

 

[Where's Wall-E]

HoJo and Tropicana are across the street from the entrance. (Tropicana being closer to the crosswalk.) I've stayed at the HoJo multiple times, and it's a good hotel with clean, comfy beds. The Tropicana has a good store in there, including a small coffee bar where you can pick up coffee and a muffin in the morning.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

My friend, her sister and I will be going to the parks together on April 27&28! We are going to stay the night of April 27, because we are planning to stay until closing and don’t want to drive back home to LA.

We checked the onsite locations and they are (expectedly) expensive! I asked if they did AP rates and they said not on weekends. So we are scrapping those! I’ll keep checking for a good rate, but I doubt one will pop up.

Out of the list from below, which would be a good idea to stay at? One that isn’t too expensive but is comfy and safe. I’m so overwhelmed with the options and little details regarding shuttles, breakfast, distance, etc.

Howard Johnson

Tropicana inn

Anaheim Majestic Garden

Candy Cane Inn: I read this has a shuttle

Cartona- I read you can use the Toy Story shuttle?

I also read there’s another hotel that is nice, but is on top of a hill. Which one is that? We want to avoid that one lol

For only one night, with the three of you to split the room rate, here are some thoughts:

CCI is one of our go-to DLR hotels -- never had a bad stay, safe, clean, great customer service, generous continental breakfast (free), free parking (!), private shuttle (runs on time!), about 8-10 minutes walk to Harbor bag check. They offer a variety of discounts -- including AP, I think -- so call to ask about this.
Majestic Garden -- used to be the Sheraton Anaheim -- rooms are older and in need of some TLC, but I think the hotel is undergoing some refurbishment -- not sure how far they've gotten with this, some rooms appear to have been redone -- rooms are large, but bathrooms are on the small side -- private shuttle to the Harbor entrance, but walking distance (about 10 minutes) to the M&F tram.
Cortona -- a bit far to walk to the Harbor entrance, but not far to the TS lot -- for one night, why not if you can get a great rate?
"Hotel at top of the hill" -- this is the Four Points Sheraton at Harbor and Ball -- it's not a super steep rise, but after a RD-to-close day in the parks, you can feel it on the walk back -- but if you can get a super low rate, for just one night?, might be worth it. It is across Harbor from a "real" (= corporate owned = can use mobile ordering via the app) Starbucks.
Also look at the Motel 6 Maingate, the Clementine (used to be the Residence Inn Maingate -- some great rates on Expedia recently), the Hotel Indigo on Katella, the Alpine Inn on Katella (older, but cute in a vintage, retro way), the Super 8 on Disneyland Dr. -- walking distance to M&F tram (about 10 minutes -- across the street from the Majestic Garden), BW Stovall's on Katella (walk up Disneyland Dr. to the DTD bag check).
Check Mousesavers.com for any deals on DLR area hotels -- I think there is a deal on the Hilton right now. The Hilton isn't a far walk (for us), and for one night, you could always use Uber/Lyft for the ride back.
Let us know what you find! Good luck!

 

[Kanekapolei]

CCI is one of our go-to DLR hotels -- never had a bad stay, safe, clean, great customer service, generous continental breakfast (free), free parking (!), private shuttle (runs on time!), about 8-10 minutes walk to Harbor bag check. They offer a variety of discounts -- including AP, I think -- so call to ask about this.

I've been researching hotels for my upcoming trip, as well. I just wanted to mention that CCI no longer offers free parking as of Feb 2019. I believe they are now charging $15/night. I was excited to stay there, but ended up booking another hotel since the new parking fee put me over budget.

 

[midnight star]

I've been researching hotels for my upcoming trip, as well. I just wanted to mention that CCI no longer offers free parking as of Feb 2019. I believe they are now charging $15/night. I was excited to stay there, but ended up booking another hotel since the new parking fee put me over budget.

Ugh! Thanks for the update! We were actually leaning towards the CCI. We still might but that is something to consider.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I've been researching hotels for my upcoming trip, as well. I just wanted to mention that CCI no longer offers free parking as of Feb 2019. I believe they are now charging $15/night. I was excited to stay there, but ended up booking another hotel since the new parking fee put me over budget.

Thanks for this update! For us, the free breakfast and AP discount may balance this out in the end.

 

[Kanekapolei]

The free breakfast definitely helps balance out the cost. Fewer and fewer hotels are offering it now, and the ones that do sell out of lower priced rooms quickly.

 

[midnight star]

The free breakfast definitely helps balance out the cost. Fewer and fewer hotels are offering it now, and the ones that do sell out of lower priced rooms quickly.

Yeah we realized the big thing we want is a shuttle to and from the parks. So we will just have to pay for parking if we do CCI.

 

[RainyDayPixie]

I've been researching hotels for my upcoming trip, as well. I just wanted to mention that CCI no longer offers free parking as of Feb 2019. I believe they are now charging $15/night. I was excited to stay there, but ended up booking another hotel since the new parking fee put me over budget.

So good to know! Thanks for the report! I am considering CCI, but this makes a couple other properties a better deal.

 

[midnight star]

For only one night, with the three of you to split the room rate, here are some thoughts:

CCI is one of our go-to DLR hotels -- never had a bad stay, safe, clean, great customer service, generous continental breakfast (free), free parking (!), private shuttle (runs on time!), about 8-10 minutes walk to Harbor bag check. They offer a variety of discounts -- including AP, I think -- so call to ask about this.
Majestic Garden -- used to be the Sheraton Anaheim -- rooms are older and in need of some TLC, but I think the hotel is undergoing some refurbishment -- not sure how far they've gotten with this, some rooms appear to have been redone -- rooms are large, but bathrooms are on the small side -- private shuttle to the Harbor entrance, but walking distance (about 10 minutes) to the M&F tram.
Cortona -- a bit far to walk to the Harbor entrance, but not far to the TS lot -- for one night, why not if you can get a great rate?
"Hotel at top of the hill" -- this is the Four Points Sheraton at Harbor and Ball -- it's not a super steep rise, but after a RD-to-close day in the parks, you can feel it on the walk back -- but if you can get a super low rate, for just one night?, might be worth it. It is across Harbor from a "real" (= corporate owned = can use mobile ordering via the app) Starbucks.
Also look at the Motel 6 Maingate, the Clementine (used to be the Residence Inn Maingate -- some great rates on Expedia recently), the Hotel Indigo on Katella, the Alpine Inn on Katella (older, but cute in a vintage, retro way), the Super 8 on Disneyland Dr. -- walking distance to M&F tram (about 10 minutes -- across the street from the Majestic Garden), BW Stovall's on Katella (walk up Disneyland Dr. to the DTD bag check).
Check Mousesavers.com for any deals on DLR area hotels -- I think there is a deal on the Hilton right now. The Hilton isn't a far walk (for us), and for one night, you could always use Uber/Lyft for the ride back.
Let us know what you find! Good luck!

My friend's sister is offering to pay since it will be my friend's bday weekend.
So we are torn between Anaheim Majestic and CCI. With the new info about parking at CCI, Anaheim Majestic might be the winner. Having a free breakfast would be nice, but we plan to eat breakfast in the park, so it may not really matter to have it at the hotel. I'm just double checking about the AP rates.

You would think the 3 of us could decide easily on a one night stay...but no lol

 

[theluckyrabbit]

We've stayed at both, but not at the MG recently. My pick would be the CCI, based on proximity to the gates and customer service. And if you need the shuttle at the end of the day, the shuttle service is nicer. But the regular rooms at the MG can be larger -- but if you get a room at the back of the hotel, the walk to your room can be a bit of a hike. So, if you need to be closer to the desk, ask about this. The CCI is so much smaller that no room is super far from the desk. If you get a Premium Room at the CCI, there will be more space because those rooms are larger. Just my two cents...

 

[amyg1975]

We stay at Tropicana quite often. It is newly renovated, very clean, and closer than the others you listed. We were there in February, again last week, and will be back before Easter.

 

[midnight star]

We stay at Tropicana quite often. It is newly renovated, very clean, and closer than the others you listed. We were there in February, again last week, and will be back before Easter.

That one is sold out for our dates

 

[avalon451]

Again... Desert Inn, right at the crosswalk. Cheap, clean, 5 minute walk to turnstiles, no need for a shuttle, free continental breakfast (it's pretty minimal, but if you're okay with cereal, juice, muffins and coffee it's fine) AND available for your dates. I'm seeing a standard room for $149 a night, 10 bucks less if you're AAA or one in your group is AARP. CCI is $179 for a standard room, Majestic is $204. They're probably nicer, but a longer walk or shuttle ride. For the proximity alone I'd go with the more basic but closer hotel, especially since it's just 2 days.

 

[midnight star]

Again... Desert Inn, right at the crosswalk. Cheap, clean, 5 minute walk to turnstiles, no need for a shuttle, free continental breakfast (it's pretty minimal, but if you're okay with cereal, juice, muffins and coffee it's fine) AND available for your dates. I'm seeing a standard room for $149 a night, 10 bucks less if you're AAA or one in your group is AARP. CCI is $179 for a standard room, Majestic is $204. They're probably nicer, but a longer walk or shuttle ride. For the proximity alone I'd go with the more basic but closer hotel, especially since it's just 2 days.

I think I had mentioned that to them, but somehow we overlooked it. Will check out again.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

I've been researching hotels for my upcoming trip, as well. I just wanted to mention that CCI no longer offers free parking as of Feb 2019. I believe they are now charging $15/night. I was excited to stay there, but ended up booking another hotel since the new parking fee put me over budget.

Interesting. If this is correct, then they need to update their website. Their homepage still states "Free self-parking". Also, when I did a sample booking, there was no parking cost included in the total nor any note on the reservation page (as far as I got) that a parking cost would be added.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I've been researching hotels for my upcoming trip, as well. I just wanted to mention that CCI no longer offers free parking as of Feb 2019. I believe they are now charging $15/night...

Interesting. If this is correct, then they need to update their website. Their homepage still states "Free self-parking". Also, when I did a sample booking, there was no parking cost included in the total nor any note on the reservation page (as far as I got) that a parking cost would be added.

To clarify: I just spoke with James at the CCI front desk. He said that CCI does not charge a parking fee and never has. There are no plans to charge a fee in the future.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

My friend's sister is offering to pay since it will be my friend's bday weekend.
So we are torn between Anaheim Majestic and CCI. With the new info about parking at CCI, Anaheim Majestic might be the winner...

See my post above: CCI does not and never has charged a parking fee. So does this throw CCI back into the list of contenders? Is this helping or adding more confusion to your day??