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View Full Version : Does the hotel you stay at make any difference to you in enjoying your trip to DL?



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CoasterChickie
03-17-2005, 09:58 AM
Now that I've stayed at the DLR hotels , it's really hard to "go back" to the other hotels even though I stayed at them and enjoyed them many times as a kid and with my kids.


A lot of people say it's just a room to sleep in at night and shower in the morning, but I like to take a break in the middle of the day when I'm at DL and I actually use the ammenities. Plus I like feeling like I'm still on the property even though I'm in the hotel.

But I know price is often the determining factor in where to stay. So my question is this, if the price wasn't the deciding factor would you stay at one of the DLR hotels or would you stay at another hotel that you like better or that's cheaper so you could spend the money on something else?


For me, where I stay is part of what makes it a good or bad experience so I would still pay more for the hotel and less on food and souvenirs.

bradk
03-17-2005, 10:06 AM
if price wasn't a concern, of course i'd stay at the GCH. I'd also be living at the Trump International hotel instead of my dinky little apartment too.

i think the hotel can potentially make or break a vacation, but at one extreme, you don't want the hotel room to be the highlight of your trip and at the other, you don't want to be repulsed by it so it becomes the worst part of your trip either.

fortunately, there's a whole lot of grey area inbetween and for those folks who say 'it's just a place to stay the night' (myself included), that's fine. however, i would never stay at a hotel i know to be rotten. there's a very thick line between being content and miserable. at least in my opinion.

nvmom
03-17-2005, 10:16 AM
Having just returned from our first ever trip.... if money was no issue- I'd stay at a DLR hotel at least once. For me, the hotel can make or break the trip. We went back and rested in the middle of the day and we liked having a pool & hot tub to soak in after walking all day. I just can't handle a scummy hotel. That was the one thing I was terribly nervous about on our trip. No matter how many reviews I read or got recommendations... I was nervous the hotel would be dirty, etc.

Now that I've been there once, I'd know more what to look for. I liked having a refridge, the microwave doesn't matter. Continental breakfast, take it or leave it. None of the hotels seem to offer a very good one... so I can buy fruit or cereal at 7-11. I'd be certain to ask if they have a shuttle. I want a pool & hot tub. Mostly, I want it clean and I want a friendly staff (we did not get a friendly staff at the Desert Palms.)

I think if my husband answered this question, he'd say that he'd prefer the nicest off-site hotel, that was within walking distance or had good shuttle service. He seems to prefer to get away from Disney at this hotel.

nvmom

Disneygirl65
03-17-2005, 10:19 AM
For me the hotel is part of the experience anywhere I travel. In Disneyland I prefer to stay on property, it seems you really never left the park. I did stay off property twice, once at The Sheraton because we where with a large group and that's where everyone was staying. That hotel is, well lets just say I'd never stay there again. The other time was at the Anaheim Coast Hotel. For 60 bucks is was nice. I wanted to see what it was like to stay off property on that trip. It was different though and my mom did not like staying off property so that will be our last experience off property I guess when we take her.
I like the dining at Downtown Disney and the Disney Hotels so that is another reason why we stay on site. Granville's is a great place to get a steak.
We also go enough to Disneyland that I don't feel I have to be in the park every minute of the day, so I do want a nice room, good room service, and a nice pool area.

Jewels
03-17-2005, 10:23 AM
I have never stayed at PPH but we have done both DLH and GCH. We have also stayed at many offsite hotels. There is just something special about staying at one of the resort hotels. We did DLH for the first time so my niece did not have to leave the magic each day. Then we were hooked. Next we had to try GCH when we had a wedding to attend. I have to say it was nice after the Grizzy ride to have a quick trip to our hotel to change. To me it is worth the extra money to stay at a resort hotel. They just have extra touches and goodies you just can not get with the offsite places.

srfantasmic
03-17-2005, 10:34 AM
I'm on a budget so I always find the cheapest hotel that is near the park. The only thing I do is sleep at the hotel, so I don't care what condition it is in. As long as it has a shower, I'm good.

I stayed at the GCH with my sister's family. That was great, but at $250/night I thought it was grossly overpriced.

If money wasn't an issue I'd definitely stay there. But if money wasn't an issue I'd pay for a taller Splash Mountain. ;)

pisces
03-17-2005, 10:38 AM
A bad Hotel will definitely wreck my whole experience. I'd feel so shortchanged and cheated knowing that there were better accommodations out there, and I didn't avail myself of them.

Since I usually travel alone, everything becomes magnified, and a nasty room would ruin everything. I'm the kind of person who looks for the flaws, and any one thing wrong will set me off.

It's just one less thing to worry about.

If I'm on vacation, then that means doing things up right, going all out. Otherwise, why not stay home?

I always want my personal space to be the best it can be, and on vacation, doubly so.

It doesn't matter if I'm never actually in the luxury room. Just knowing that it's there for me, and it's mine........puts a smile on my face and the good feelings that result from knowing you've got luxury accommodations to come back to......whenever you decide to saunter on back..........that's what a vacation is all about!!!

And, price is always a factor for me, too. But, I'll simply cut down the number of days I stay, only go once-a-year, or bring my own food, to afford it. I do whatever I have to----to make sure my personal space is the absolute best it can be........at least on vacation.

Alex S.
03-17-2005, 11:14 AM
I'm very indifferent to hotels. A bad hotel can negatively impact a trip but I can't ever say that I've had a trip that was better because of the hotel.

I've had a few bad hotels (though my tolerance is pretty high) but otherwise I'd generally be happy with a flat patch of grass on which to pitch a tent (I didn't this on a recent trip for testing MouseAdventure at the nearby Harbor RV Park).

Swimming pools will go unused by me 99.9% of the time so they're irrelevant. Same with bars and restaurants. In fact, the thing most likely to make be dislike a hotel room (an excessively soft bed) is most likely to be found at the higher end of the moderate hotels.

That said, I have never staid at a DL on-property hotel (though I have at WDW on-property) so maybe I just haven seen the light yet.

Hakuna Makarla
03-17-2005, 11:18 AM
I want a clean room with a good staff ! If my kids go I need a pool, and a breakfast of some sort, but for me if the room is clean and the staff is good I am happy. If I was staying several days ( 5 to 7 days) I would wantto stay on thegorunds because Iwould spend more time in the room. but on a quick trip where being in the park as long as possible is a must I am happy to go cheap and just sleep there. Now if I could afford the the hotels at disneyland for any time yes, hon I would di it in a heart beat!!! But alas I am not rich and can not do it. :)

Faith Trust & Pixie Dust
03-17-2005, 11:40 AM
Count me in the "it DEFINITELY matters" camp. I don't typically get to DL more than once a year, and we have family in South Pasadena if it's just going to be a day trip. A longer trip=vacation and I want a nice room. With three little ones we do spend a fair amount of time in the room, so we need clean, quiet and lots of on-site amenities. Even when I went with 2 girlfriends in November 2003 we splurged for GC during our 3 day stay because we loved the convenience and the magic. If I went more often or my kids were older I might change my mind.

Villains Fan
03-17-2005, 11:44 AM
I'm usually pretty indifferent to hotels/motels. I usually go for the cheapest, but that being said, I will admit, the hotel I was in last weekend was a disaster and while it didn't ruin my trip, I couldn't get out of there quick enough on Monday. Now, if money is no object, then I would love to stay at one of the resort hotels. Just the atmosphere and convenience would be a huge plus.

3894
03-17-2005, 11:46 AM
I honestly think how often you go has an impact.

If I went to the DLR frequently, I'd be disinclined to splurge on the GCH. But since I go once in a blue moon, the GCH is perfect in every way.

Susan L
03-17-2005, 11:47 AM
I space my trips out to be at least 1 year to 18 months apart just so we can stay on DLR property. I need that time to save the money to pay for the hotel room. I don't want to stay anywhere else but there. I feel very comfortable on property I don't think I would off site. Yeah it cost more but it is so worth it to me. My only disappointment is that I wish I could go more often. Oh, well may-be when I win the lotto.

dizy4disney1
03-17-2005, 11:52 AM
If money didn't play, I'd stay on property without a doubt. GCH first and then DLH and PP. Love them all.

But, I've only got to stay in GCH once and DLH once. Price obviously is a factor for me!

MrsPooh
03-17-2005, 11:52 AM
I have never stayed at a DL hotel, and I probably would if money were no object. But I have a hard time justifying big bucks for a room. It just doesn't do it for me.

Now I won't stay in a scummy hotel. I did my days of youth where you spent $29.95 a night at Motel 6, and I won't do that any more. I could tell you stories that would make you sick. Never again!

We have one off site hotel we stay at (CC and I disagree about it, but we still like each other! ;) ) that Mr. Pooh loves. It is clean, we have always had good service, and they serve a full buffet breakfast. The shuttle is easy to use, so we go back and forth at will.

They have a courtyard with a fountain that we always breakfast at, I think that is Mr. Pooh's favorite place at the hotel. It is like on that first morning he gets his plate, sits down and lets out a big *sigh*, and it tells me that he finally feels like he is on vacation at that moment. So for him, that hotel makes up a big part of the trip.

CoasterChickie
03-17-2005, 11:54 AM
Disneygirl 65 ...I'm really surprised to hear that you had a bad eperience at the Sheraton. We stayed thetre last fal and we loved it. We had a deluxe room and it was beautiful. And the beds were super comfortable!!

Villain's Fan...where did you stay last weekend?

I started to book a room at the Peny Sleeper Inn for April, but I just couldn't do it. DLF said there is no shuttle to it and it's down by the HOJO's. Plus, the doors are on the outside of the builiding. When I 'm traveling alone or just with girls I feel much safer in a hotel that is larger and has the doors on the inside.

PS..Mrs Pooh , I actually considered staying at that hotel again, but if I did, I wouldn't go in the pool or hot tub, especially during or after spring break!! ;)

Villains Fan
03-17-2005, 12:16 PM
I stayed at the Ramada Inn on Katella. When I first checked in, I was impressed by the size of the room for the price, but after coming back from the park late that night, I found out the room had a plumbing problem, and although I complained 3 times, it did not get fixed during my stay. The bed was the hardest bed I have ever "slept" in. Then to top it off, they tried to overcharge me for the room. Guess I will be looking at everyone's recommendations next time I book a room.

disneyperson
03-17-2005, 12:25 PM
We can't afford to stay on site, but we don't always go for the cheapest hotel either. It must be on Harbor within walking distance,have free parking,coffee maker, and fridge. We never even turn on the TV and rarely swim.We stay in the park from opening until they kick us out so we don't need much else besides a clean room and a comfy bed.
If money were not an issue, I might opt for on site, but would probably choose to spend the extra cash on nicer restaraunts and goodies.
If money were really truly no object, then you bet, I'd go all out for luxury.

Hakuna Makarla
03-17-2005, 12:30 PM
I also wanted to tell you CC I bring my own blanket ( I love my blankie) and I bring my own pillow. I have been a maid when I was young and even the best motels have secrets! I sleep on the sheets, but not on there pillows or there bedspreads ( yuck!
So yes I have to take a big suitcase :( but its all good :)

Monte Cristo
03-17-2005, 12:45 PM
But I know price is often the determining factor in where to stay. So my question is this, if the price wasn't the deciding factor would you stay at one of the DLR hotels or would you stay at another hotel that you like better or that's cheaper so you could spend the money on something else?


For me, where I stay is part of what makes it a good or bad experience so I would still pay more for the hotel and less on food and souvenirs.

If price wasn't a deciding factor, yes - I'd stay at a DLR hotel. The proximity can't be beat and it is preferable walking through DTD to get to the park instead of the surrounding area. I've been critical of both the GCH and DLH in terms of price vs. worth. The problem is I find that we share the same mindset: when visiting DL, I want to be surrounded by DL.

However, if distance weren't a deciding factor, I'd stay at Hojo's. I was really impressed with that hotel. Just wish it were closer.

bradk
03-17-2005, 12:48 PM
proximity is NOT a factor with DLR hotels though. except for GCH, there are half a dozen hotels or so on harbor that are closer than DLH and PPH.

i will say this for the location though, i do like the idea that DLH is convenient to DTD and all, but that alone can't make me spend $150 more a night than a hotel across the street from the gates is going to cost me.

dlandnut
03-17-2005, 12:52 PM
I space my trips out to be at least 1 year to 18 months apart just so we can stay on DLR property. I need that time to save the money to pay for the hotel room. I don't want to stay anywhere else but there. I feel very comfortable on property I don't think I would off site. Yeah it cost more but it is so worth it to me. My only disappointment is that I wish I could go more often. Oh, well may-be when I win the lotto.


My sentiments exactly. We're from out of state, so we only go about once a year or once every 2 years. It is SOOOO worth it to stay at one of the Disneyland Resorts. I have stayed at the Disneyland Hotel many, many times, at the Grand Californian twice. Both are great. Have not experienced the Paradise Pier Hotel, but to me it seems a bit "off property". In reading many of the threads on MousePlanet, I'm sure a lot would disagree, so someday I may have the chance to go to the Paradise Pier and see for myself just how "off property" it really is. There are 12 of us going in June, and we're staying at the Disneyland Hotel. A bit cheaper than the Grand Californian, yet convenient and so nice. To me, the magic is a bit lost when you're not a resort hotel. In fact, years ago I went to DL and stayed with an old college roommate at her home in Santa Ana. Just not quite the same as being there each day and using those Mickey Mouse soaps, lol!!! :)

kohl
03-17-2005, 03:19 PM
We used to stay off property to save money, then we found out that with the AP rates (we usually go off season) that we maybe pay $10 more a night to stay on property. We just love to stay on property. Would stay at GCH every time if we could, but we still love DLH and PPH. November trip was GCH. This trip PPH, next trip DLH :D

SCUBAbe
03-17-2005, 05:38 PM
as long as I can sleep...no, but my last trip had kids running on our ceiiling until 2am and they started back up at 5:30am. My neighbors were even compalining about it. They checked out and then we had someone who walked like an elephant. The room isn't that importaant to me as long as I get some sleep...oh and the pillows need to be somewhat comfortable. I just asked for extra pillows and I was fine..:)

rentayenta
03-17-2005, 06:05 PM
For me the hotel is part of the experience anywhere I travel. In Disneyland I prefer to stay on property, it seems you really never left the park....................................
We also go enough to Disneyland that I don't feel I have to be in the park every minute of the day, so I do want a nice room, good room service, and a nice pool area.



My thoughts exactly. :D


Before this past Christmas we had never stayed in a hotel on a trip to Disneyland-we always stayed with my best friend. Now that I have stayed at the DLH twice, it will be interesting to stay somewhere else. I will let you know if it makes a difference.

For our Christmas trip this year, we will be staying at the PPH. :D