PDA

View Full Version : Where to stay? Disneyland Hotel or Anaheim Residence Inn Maingate??



Family5LovesDisney
01-01-2005, 01:04 PM
Hello again! I am having a great time reading through all of your helpful suggestions to my previous posts. I am now working on where we will stay. I have been looking at the Disney website and they are running some very good offers both with "Good Neighbor Hotels" and with their own resorts.

Two choices keep coming back at me.......
Disneyland Hotel or Anaheim Residence Inn Maingate.

The package is basically the same at both hotels.........a three day Park Hopper pass with the adult paying a child's price, one early morning entry into the park. a pin, a coupon book, one Mickey's Toontown Madness morning.

The Disneyland hotel throws in $150.00 Disney Dollars. This package costs about $300 more (taking off the Disney dollars at $10 parking a day)

The Residence Inn Maingate includes breakfast. No breakfast at the Disneyland Hotel. This room would have two Queen Beds and a sofa sleeper in a living room. It has a full kitchen (which I doubt I would ever use)

I see that a standard room at the Disneyland Hotel has two Queen Beds and that they won't charge me extra for a cot for my four year old.

Is is worth the extra money to stay right at the Disneyland Resort?? I know that we we go to Disney World, it's always worth the extra money to stay on property because the surrounding area and Highway 92 is NASTY and we like to just stay on Park property and drive on Disney owned roads. But Disneyland is different and the city is around it so I am wondering if it would make much of a difference??? Or is the magic all worth it???

Any input would be much appreciated! I love the idea now of the three day Park Hopper so we can hit the parks the first day we arrive even though we will all be feeling somewhat jet lagged from the 6 hour flight and the 3 hour time difference. That extra "half day" will give us so much more time to enjoy the parks!

got2travel
01-01-2005, 01:21 PM
Unlike at WDW, it is not necessary to stay on property at DL unless you can spring for the Grand Californian. Many hotels on Harbor Blvd can get you closer to the main gates than the DL Hotel or Paradise Pier. I have not stayed at the Residence Inn, so I can't give advice on that. But my opinion is since you will still get the extras, such as Toontown Madness, save the money and go with Residence Inn over DL Hotel.

rentayenta
01-01-2005, 01:24 PM
I see that a standard room at the Disneyland Hotel has two Queen Beds and that they won't charge me extra for a cot for my four year old.





Some of their standard rooms have a sofa sleeper as well at no additional charge. There were 5 of us in our room this past Dec. and we had plenty of room. You won't need a cot :D We were in the Sierra Tower. I don't know if all of their three towers offer these rooms.

I vote for the DLH. I had never stayed on property as an adult and let me tell you, not having to leave the magic was incredible! I found the walk a breeze, even with three young children, especially if you use the Monorail. I loved being able to grab my mocha at The Coffee House each morning and stroll the grounds alone in the early morning while the rest of the family slept.

If you won't have to charge it or not eat for a while, I say go DLH ;)

Nancy
01-01-2005, 01:59 PM
I usually stay off proprety, we go a couple times a year. Any time I can get a good deal at the Disneyland Hotel I jump at it. Like Renta said it is wonderful to not have to leave the magic. :)

disney jones
01-01-2005, 02:28 PM
it really depends on how budget conscious you are.

on one hand, lodging is such a huge expense, its the best way to pinch pennies and the biggest opportunity to save $$$. If you like to be at the park opening-to-closing, is it worth it to pay a premium for a room you'll be in just for the bed? The extra 'magic' the hotels offer pales to all the 'magic' that's inside the parks.

On the other hand, the convenience of the Monorail back to the hotel is also priceless and i think is the biggest benefit of staying on-site. Its especially handy for mid-afternoon naps for the little ones (and the Dad that has to push the strollers around). I look at the extra cost not so much as the additional 'magic' but as the convenience factor. Its also nice not having to get in and out of a car with a family twice a day - the extra walking from the parking and trams is tiresome, especially at the end of the day

Coming all this way for the trip, i'd say to soak it all in and stay on site. And i'd recommend the Grand Californian too - might as well splurge. For a one-time trip, the extra $$ the GCH will cost you is worth it.

The traffic around the resort isn't bad at all. It's really not a factor.

Just to know, i wrestle with the lodging dilemna every trip and am currently debating where to stay for our next trip. From the great reviews on this board and other friends, it sounds like the HoJo is the best off-site property from a convenience and budget standpoint. Last year we stayed at GCH twice, and the DLH a few times, but to save $$, lately we've been staying off-site.

Family5LovesDisney
01-01-2005, 02:38 PM
I am reading all sorts of reviews on the net about the Disneyland Hotel. It seems like people either love it or hate it!

Does anyone know about the noise factor in the evening?? My kids are VERY early risers and so they hit the sack rather early compared to most children! LOL! :) They normally go to bed about 8:00. To put them to bed much later results in very CRANKY children the next day. Do you hear fireworks and such??

I have always loved staying at Disney's Old Key West Resort in WDW because it is very quiet at night and my kids were able to get a good night's rest so they were happy and full of energy the next day.

rentayenta
01-01-2005, 02:49 PM
The fireworks were at about 9:30 and yes, we could hear them. We could also see them from our balcony :D

DTD seemed to quiet down about 10:00 pm. The music did anyway. We overlooked DTD and the noise never kept us awake. My kids were so tuckered out by the end of the day, nothing could have kept them from sleeping.

Family5LovesDisney
01-01-2005, 02:53 PM
The fireworks were at about 9:30 and yes, we could hear them. We could also see them from our balcony :D

DTD seemed to quiet down about 10:00 pm. The music did anyway. We overlooked DTD and the noise never kept us awake. My kids were so tuckered out by the end of the day, nothing could have kept them from sleeping.

You are right. The boys will probably be so tired, that they would sleep right through them. :D

disney jones
01-01-2005, 02:53 PM
i think the DLH is quiet, just the sounds you'd hear at any other big hotel - people in the halls, the pool area, etc. You really don't hear the park at all. i'd say the potential noise from an off-site stay is higher is you're next to the street.

Family5LovesDisney
01-01-2005, 03:07 PM
i think the DLH is quiet, just the sounds you'd hear at any other big hotel - people in the halls, the pool area, etc. You really don't hear the park at all. i'd say the potential noise from an off-site stay is higher is you're next to the street.

Yes, that can be yucky. Noise from street traffic. I am thinking about what you said earlier and maybe springing for the California Hotel. I am leaning towards a Disney Hotel since we are only here for a few days and it would be nice to just walk to the Parks. We don't mind a lot of walking.

SoCalDude
01-01-2005, 03:08 PM
I would say go for the Disneyland Hotel!

You have the monorail right there - easy to get in and out of the park. But even with that I would suggest walking in the main gates and down main street at least once - and prob on your first visit into the park.

Staying on-site and spending a few more bucks is worth it IMHO. Just part of the vacation and the magic. And you can stay at a non-Disney hotel anytime ;)