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Thread: Trying to decide between hotels

  1. #1

    Trying to decide between hotels

    I'm wondering if someone can offer advice- we've been to Disneyland a few times before and are returning in April. The annual pass rates have dropped again, and though we're booked across the street at a cheap, great rate hotel that we've stayed at before (it's just fine), I'm wondering if it's worth it to stay at the Disneyland hotel for two or three nights of our trip. What are the benefits to staying at the Disneyland Hotel? Opinions??

    Thanks so much for helping me out!

     

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    We have visited 14 times. Only one of those times have we stayed at the Disneyland Hotel.

    Being a resort guest we got:

    - Early Entry via the DTD monorail EVERY morning it's offered, whether you have that option on your passes or not.
    - The Hotel Tour (which included a tour of the MM Penthouse Suite) and a special Scavengar Hunt for POC ride
    - The Disney touches in the room... Pictures of rides hidden in the bedspreads, characters on the wallpaper, map of the park on the armoir, picture of the castle on the headboard, mouse hands holding the lightbulbs in the bathroom, aladdin lamp sink faucet, magic mirror lookalike mirror, toiletries with mouse ear shaped tops, and many more....
    - And last but not least the MAGIC that we felt just being in that Hotel.

    I am extremely happy that we experienced this at least once, but when my bank account makes the decisions...we will typically stay in a hotel on Harbor that offers free breakfast and the rate is often less than half the price.

    I would say YES - do it especially if you haven't done it before and enjoy the magic!

    So Excited!

  4. #3
    It was a good day! Malcon10t's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LeahS View Post
    I'm wondering if someone can offer advice- we've been to Disneyland a few times before and are returning in April. The annual pass rates have dropped again, and though we're booked across the street at a cheap, great rate hotel that we've stayed at before (it's just fine), I'm wondering if it's worth it to stay at the Disneyland hotel for two or three nights of our trip.
    Well... Last summer I offered the kids the choice to stay at the DLH because of a drop in price that would have put it $20 CHEAPER than the Carousel Inn adn Suites. My kids said "NO", its a further walk and the beds are better at the Carousel. Hey, at least I offered. (But I agree with them...)
    Planning 3 trips at once...

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    Quote Originally Posted by Malcon10t View Post
    Well... Last summer I offered the kids the choice to stay at the DLH because of a drop in price that would have put it $20 CHEAPER than the Carousel Inn adn Suites. My kids said "NO", its a further walk and the beds are better at the Carousel. Hey, at least I offered. (But I agree with them...)
    Have you ever had someone else's dried oatmeal on a bedspread at Carousel?

    Adrienne
    NO. The horse isn't QUITE dead enough yet. Not at all.
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    It was a good day! Malcon10t's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by adriennek View Post
    Have you ever had someone else's dried oatmeal on a bedspread at Carousel?

    Adrienne
    NO. The horse isn't QUITE dead enough yet. Not at all.
    ROTFL!!! Nope, never happened. DLH will take a major step forward when they gt rid of those bedspreads.

    I do love the Carousel. Its just not always available when I want. But, I also like Hojos and Residence Inn, so I like moving around.
    Planning 3 trips at once...

  7. #6

    I've stayed at both the Fairfield Inn and DLH. IMHO, I definitely prefer the Fairfield Inn. The rooms were cleaner, nicer, and newer. The walk from the hotel was much closer. And the rates were about half of what DLH charges.

    I suppose it matter which of the 3 towers at DLH you are put in, but I didn't find the Disneyland touches at the hotel to be that charming at all. I found the furniture, carpet, and bedspread to be a little tired and need of renovation. The bedsheet even had a hole in it about the size of a dime. The walk from DLH to the park seemed twice as long as the walk from Fairfield Inn to the park. Yes, there's a monorail, but the guy at hotel registration advised us to just walk to the park since it sometimes takes awhile to wait for the monorail to arrive.

    Having said all that, though, it was GREAT to have Magic Mornings! But I'm not sure it's worth the big hotel bill when the main reason you're there is to visit the park, not stay in a hotel.


  8. #7
    Save damsel-kill bad guys-save world jMom's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LeahS View Post
    I'm wondering if someone can offer advice- we've been to Disneyland a few times before and are returning in April. The annual pass rates have dropped again, and though we're booked across the street at a cheap, great rate hotel that we've stayed at before (it's just fine), I'm wondering if it's worth it to stay at the Disneyland hotel for two or three nights of our trip. What are the benefits to staying at the Disneyland Hotel? Opinions??

    Thanks so much for helping me out!
    Who is in your party and what are their ages? We've loved the DLH with our two kids, beginning ages 6 months & 21/2 years up to ages almost 4 & 6.

    The flexibility of being on property while the kids had naps and needed down time from the parks was fabulous for us. We really appreciated feeling like we were on vacation and relaxing at all times.

    The DLH hotel really feels like you're at a resort, with its lush gardens, pools, waterfalls, and koi ponds. They even have the Jungle Cruise remote control boats over by the Lost Bar. I've roamed the grounds many an early morning with my son, coffee in hand from either the complimentary coffee or the coffee kiosk.

    While waiting for all the family to be ready, I've been in the lobby of the Marina/Magic tower with one or both of the kids, who were thrilled to see Mickey, Goofy, or Pluto strolling around, with no long lines to wait in.

    There's a cartoon room right across from Goofy's kitchen and the kids love to run around there while I sit and catch a break.

    My daughter loves the Neverland Pool and an afternoon there beats a crowded Disneyland on a hot summer afternoon. In April, I am sure it would be a great activity. I believe the pool is open after sunset for a while. The Neverland Pol has two water slides. There is also a separate area with jacuzzi tubs and a beach-like area too. If you like your workouts, you have access to a workout center.

    I've been able to do souvenir shopping and last-minute runs for things like aspirin & sun tan lotion in one of their two gift shops. There are several restaurants on the DLH property, ranging from the Crocs Bits & Bites take-out counter to Steakhouse 55.

    While in the Marina/Magic tower, standard room, we were able to catch the fireworks show with the sound track on TV. After it was over, we fought no crowds, instead closing the curtains and falling right into bed.

    Also, we've gone during the kids' birthdays. We've told the hotel this and several times have received signed photos of the kids' favourite characters and birthday buttons as we checked in.

    During our last visit, our son came down with croup, which quickly turned into dehydration & pneumonia. Our health insurance advised us to go to the nearest emergency room. A quick call to the front desk meant that directions to the UC Irvine Med Center were waiting for me, including two sets of directions and a map, by the time I got him down into the lobby with our son in the stroller. The lovely house cleaning staff not only helped us keep the room clean, they left Disney chocolates for the kids as they left.

    When the kids get older, I expect we'll be in the parks most of the time, so being on the resort will not be so important. If it's not going to stretch you too much, I'd recommend trying it at least once!
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  9. #8
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    I love the Disneyland Hotel! It will be hard to ever stay off property again. Request the Dream tower we experienced nothing in that tower that others have complained about. We did have a problem with our tub but they fixed it right away. Problem solved. I will agree that the hotel is showing its age, but the magic of staying on property is just so much fun. Even at the hotel you feel like your still in Disneyland! I think you should experience it atleast once!


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  10. #9

    Thanks

    Thanks for the replies-

    It's for my son (10) and husband and I. We'll take a couple of days to think it over- the extra $$ that we would save from staying at the other hotel would afford a walking tour, Fantasmic seats ( did that last year and loved it- Tillamook cheese, yeah!), and fun Disney stuff like pins.

    We also really like our usual hotel just fine. It's just that we had one night last summer at Paradise Pier- it was really fun!

    Thanks again for the input from all of you!

    Leah

     

  11. #10
    It was a good day! Malcon10t's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LeahS View Post
    the extra $$ that we would save from staying at the other hotel would afford a walking tour, Fantasmic seats ( did that last year and loved it- Tillamook cheese, yeah!), and fun Disney stuff like pins.
    Ummmm, Fantasmic! seating far outweighs the DLH in our book!
    Planning 3 trips at once...

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    I'm not a fan of the Disneyland hotel experience. The aforementioned dried oatmeal on my bedspread (from a previous guest,) while several floors lost power and Disney's response was frustrating and lame, is just the beginning for me.

    I've watched time and time again as people I know very well (and whose rooms I visited,) did not get the rooms they reserved (like a room for 5 that only slept 4, a "theme park view" that wasn't,) and experienced overbooked concierge. The Neverland pool LOOKS nice and all but when we visited, it was grossly overcrowded.

    The rooms just aren't all that. They are dated and wearing and small. The reality is that there just is not that much that sets the rooms at the Disneyland hotels apart from the rooms on Harbor. It's not that the Disneyland hotel rooms are bad, but the rooms on Harbor are often just as decent. And, as others have mentioned, as close or closer.

    For the cost of the Disneyland properties, the benefit just isn't there for me. I'd rather spend the extra elsewhere as a vacation enhancement.

    Adrienne

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  13. #12
    It was a good day! Malcon10t's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by adriennek View Post
    They are dated and wearing and small.
    The 2 biggest issues for me is 1.) they are small. Most of the local hotels are at least 50-200 sf larger. And with 4 adults and a dog, we need all the sf we can get. 2.) Distance. Yes, you get to walk through DTD. But that isn't that big of a draw for me. Yes, you can take the Monorail, but the walk across the park to the Monorail, then the wait for a monorail is often longer than just walking it. Last summer, my brother stayed at DLH with friends, so we rode the Monorail back to the hotel in the evening. While it was hotel guests only, it took us 25 minutes in line to ride the monorail out to DTD. We could have walked it much faster. And walking to DLH is almost as far as Hojos. My sister stayed last trip at the GCH for "napping kids" reasons. The last 2 days she moved to the Desert Inn, and she was surprised to find it was closer and quicker than her room at the GCH.

    One advantage it does have, room service. But then I have "slaves" that will run to Mimis or McDs for me if I get back and need something. But we usually have snacks in the room.
    Planning 3 trips at once...

  14. #13

    I keep hearing over and over again that the DLH is so much more money, I just do not see it to be true all the time, yes, there is times that I believe it is way overpriced but they do have times when it is reasonable. I will tell you next week if it is worth it.

    We have 2 rooms for $119, military rate for next week. When we looked around, we looked into our first choice, Residence Inn, which both hotels would have been over $150/room, yes it includes breakfast (which is not huge in our family anyway, my granddaughter will eat some and I will eat some leaving 3 people not wanting anything, even coffee) but it is not really within walking distance. Yes the rooms are bigger, but if you have to spend money parking and taken a bus is it worth the extra money.

    Second choice was the other marriots, both of them were higher also, Fairfield was $139, Anaheim Marriot Suite was over $169/room. No breakfast, I don't think and again one not real close. None of them have military rate and the rates I am quoting was for state employers not rack rate.

    I checked into HoJo's, I could not get that special rate everyone talks about so it would have been $129, the rate has dropped down to $106 now, but I still would have had to walk, no monorail, no charactors, so for $13 more is it worth it, I will let you know. Several other hotels were in the same catagory, they may have been a little cheaper but not much.

    Maybe if some of the other hotels offered military or state employee discounts I could compare them better but they don't so I am stuck with DLH is cheaper than many of the hotels people keep saying they can get for 1/2 the price of DLH and it is closer than most of those hotel. Most of those people also say it is better walking distance, but the monorail at least I can sit down on and if going monorail it is closer walking, and someone on this site even came up with the walking distance and there really is not that much difference, we are talking only Best Western being even with DLH I think and to me that does not really compare to the hotel.


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    Quote Originally Posted by Malcon10t View Post
    Well... Last summer I offered the kids the choice to stay at the DLH because of a drop in price that would have put it $20 CHEAPER than the Carousel Inn adn Suites. My kids said "NO", its a further walk and the beds are better at the Carousel. Hey, at least I offered. (But I agree with them...)
    Malcon, I'm curious, did you ever stay at DLH with your kids when they were younger? If so, did your kids feel much differently about it then?

  16. #15
    It was a good day! Malcon10t's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by wwomant View Post
    Malcon, I'm curious, did you ever stay at DLH with your kids when they were younger? If so, did your kids feel much differently about it then?
    Yes, we did. When they were young, we would stay there due to conventions. (We had 2-3 conventions a year we attended there. Twice a year there was a military show and once a year a computer comference.) They liked it, but when it wasn't being paid for by a company, and I gave them options (probably age 8-10, and options like DLH or Marriots and Goofy's) they chose Goofy's or extra days over DLH.

    My SIL is one that has to stay at DLH. Last summer, we stayed 5 mights at the Fairfield for $65 a night, compared to their $220 a night at the DLH.

    For me, it really is "What do you want to spend your money on?" For me, I prefer spending it on a VIP tour and Fantasmic! seating. Others prefer to stake out a seat and stay at the hotel.
    Planning 3 trips at once...

  17. #16
    some imagination, huh? DisneyFunFamily4's Avatar
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    We prefer to stay at any of the DLR hotels as opposed to staying on harbor. Our favorite is the GCH, and we really like the proximity to DTD, DL and especially DCA. The walk to the DL hotel is much more "magical" than the walk across the street, yes, sometimes it's a pain to get on the monorail, and as Gilesmt stated it's nice to sit on the monorail after a long day and put your feet up. When we've stayed off site, when we cross the street to our hotel, it felt like we were back in the "real world" when we stay on site, it feels like the magic never ends... We've never had a bad experience at any of the DLR hotel and we stay there quite a bit.


  18. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Malcon10t View Post
    Yes, you can take the Monorail, but the walk across the park to the Monorail, then the wait for a monorail is often longer than just walking it. Last summer, my brother stayed at DLH with friends, so we rode the Monorail back to the hotel in the evening. While it was hotel guests only, it took us 25 minutes in line to ride the monorail out to DTD. We could have walked it much faster.
    Also, the monorail does not take you directly to Main Street. I can not imagine entering Disneyland without going through Main Street first!!! For me personally, if I took the Monorail, I would have to walk to the front of Main Street and then pretend I was entering for the first time. I think the most exciting moment of each trip is when I go past the turnstill, walk down Main Street, and see the Castle right in front of me.

  19. #18
    It was a good day! Malcon10t's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Disney Donna View Post
    Also, the monorail does not take you directly to Main Street. I can not imagine entering Disneyland without going through Main Street first!!!
    I do have to agree. Going back it's fine, but first entering, I love the walk down MS, but my kids say I am a sap.
    Planning 3 trips at once...

  20. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by adriennek View Post
    Have you ever had someone else's dried oatmeal on a bedspread at Carousel?
    Adrienne, I know this is gross, but I have to ask... how do you know it was oatmeal (and not vomit or something even more disgusting?)

  21. #20

    I can not argue at all with the cases made here against the DLH. The hotels on Harbor are in some cases closer, have bigger rooms and are cheaper. The big difference for me though is walking trough the tram and bus area, hitting Harbor and emerging into the real world, breaking that spell of the Disney bubble. That never happens going to the DLH. To me that is worth a lot.

    Though I have to say it is not worth as much as it costs, so I usually go for a hotel on Harbor. I have also never had a bad experience at a Disney hotel. If I did that might change my view.


  22. #21

    3 Towers

    I know there are 3 Towers at Disneyland Hotel -- Dream, Wonder, and ???. What are the differences in each tower? Are the prices the same? Is one clearly nicer than another? Can you request one tower over another and be assured that you would get it?

    We were at a conference and they seemed to put all of us in Wonder.


  23. #22
    some imagination, huh? DisneyFunFamily4's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Disney Donna View Post
    Also, the monorail does not take you directly to Main Street. I can not imagine entering Disneyland without going through Main Street first!!! For me personally, if I took the Monorail, I would have to walk to the front of Main Street and then pretend I was entering for the first time. I think the most exciting moment of each trip is when I go past the turnstill, walk down Main Street, and see the Castle right in front of me.
    When we stay at the DL Hotel we will walk to the main entrance in the morning and then when we head back we take the monorail. I love walking through DTD in the early morning when it's almost empty.

  24. #23
    Save damsel-kill bad guys-save world jMom's Avatar
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    They've renamed the towers recently(ish): Magic (new name)/Marina (old name); Dreams/Sierra and Bonita/Wonder.

    I know people have posted about their bad experiences with the DLH; not to diminish that, but we've not had any problems like those. There are certainly a lot of different opinions about whether or not the resort hotels are worth the price. It seems to come down to what's important for you and your family.

    Wikipedia has a nice entry about the Disneyland Hotel, and I think you can find room plans for the towers on Disney's web site.

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  25. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by Malcon10t View Post
    I do have to agree. Going back it's fine, but first entering, I love the walk down MS, but my kids say I am a sap.
    Malcon10t I have to totally agree too....Especially on the first day of our visit, we HAVE to come in through the main gates and walk down MS. If you are a sap....then so am I! There is nothing like the ambience and excitement of MS USA!
    So Excited!

  26. #25

    Thanks all for your insight and your opinions- after talking with husband and son we've decided to stay across the street ($88/night) and use the difference for Fantasmic, tours, etc.

    We head south as often as possible (we're from the west coast of Canada) and I'm sure that they'll be a Disneyland hotel stay in our future, just not this time.

    Thanks again.

    Leah

     

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