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View Full Version : Which hotel? Paradise Pier or Anaheim Desert Inn?



JulieEdelman
01-02-2006, 03:52 PM
Any recommendations?

We will be traveling with 2 adults and 3 kids under 3.

Last time we stayed in a suite at the Anaheim Desert Inn and it worked nicely to have 2 rooms.

We have this hotel booked, but now see the cheap prices on Expedia for the DLH, or we can get the PP for 89.00 a night.

Should be deal with having 1 room for the sake of Disney magic, or should we stick with a suite.

Thanks
Julie

lisap
01-02-2006, 04:30 PM
I like the PPH very much, but with so many people in one space I would go with the suite. We always appreciate having that extra room to put kids down early so the grown-ups can stay up a bit later and not have to creep around a darkened room.;) I understand it's a tough choice, though. I'm always tempted to stay on property.

rentayenta
01-02-2006, 04:49 PM
I would stay at the PPH. We had 2 adults and 3 kids too and there was plenty of room. Stay on property if you can- it really does enhance the magic. :)

adriennek
01-02-2006, 04:58 PM
Any recommendations?

We will be traveling with 2 adults and 3 kids under 3.

Bolding mine.

Three kids under three? You couldn't pay me enough to not stay in a suite. The Paradise Pier will be there later when they're older and/or when you can leave them with grandma for a couple of nights without them ;) :eek:

Adrienne

Susan L
01-02-2006, 05:40 PM
PPH is a very nice hotel and that is a great price. You can easily fit 5 people in one of the rooms. We did it with 2 adults and 3 teenagers. If you do choose this hotel be prepared because, it is a long walk to the front entrance of DL and even the DTD Monorail Station and even longer coming back after long day and night at the park.

If you could swing the DLH I would do that one. It is the perfect place for your little ones. Its also closer to the DTD Monorail Station. The Neverland Pool is awsome.

The Anaheim Desert Inn I can't help you on that one we have never stayed there.

JulieEdelman
01-02-2006, 05:54 PM
Thanks for the opinions.
I do see that the DLH has some decent rates, so I am considering that route now over PP.
I guess it is a decision of whether to follow my heart or my brain. :D

I should also mention I guess that I will be taking all the kids on my own to Disney during the day while my DH works. I did this in October, so I know I can do it. I am just trying to minimize my stress levels, LOL.

lbrackjo
01-02-2006, 06:30 PM
Given your posts, I'd choose DLH. It's right at the end of the DTD plaza and so you and the kids have no shuttles to deal with and no streets to cross, just amble up to the monorail or the maingate. Check the latest info on monorail construction. If it is closed, that might impact your decision. But for me, I'd still go with DLH if I was soloing with 3 little ones.:)

adriennek
01-02-2006, 09:18 PM
Given your posts, I'd choose DLH. It's right at the end of the DTD plaza and so you and the kids have no shuttles to deal with and no streets to cross, just amble up to the monorail or the maingate.

The Desert Inn is actually closer to the Main Gate than the DLH is, let alone the Paradise Pier Hotel. Even if the monorail is working, the Paradise Pier is a walk from the monorail station. You could get a short cut from DCA if you cut through the Grand Californian exit, but then you'd still be crossing a big street to get to your hotel.

Have you ever stayed in a one-room hotel room with your kids before? Will they go to sleep in one if you're still awake? Mine just won't. We have to turn all the lights off and sit in the dark and even then it takes a long time to get them out. Forget about napping.

So for us, having that room makes a huge world of difference when we're traveling with little people. I'm hoping they get more flexible as they grow up ;)

Adrienne

Leash81
01-02-2006, 09:54 PM
I would go with an on-property hotel but I might just be biased against the Anaheim Desert Inn. Our room was as far back in the hotel as it could be, atleast the length of a city block from the entrance. Once we got there our room smelled and the bathroom was kind of dirty. I let it go because it was the middle of the night and I didn't want to stay up to have a maid clean up since we were just there for that one night. The beds were awful and the pillows were so thin that I ended up just folding up my jacket and sleeping on that. The walls were quite thin and we could clearly hear the "adult" movie playing in the room next door. After a very long night we got up to get ready and while I was puting things in my suitcase I was greeted by a couple of roaches climbing up the front of the wardrobe. Finally on our way out we had to sit in our car and wait for about 10 minutes because a garbage truck was blocking the entrance to the parking lot which is only wide enough to allow one car through one way at a time.
I picked this hotel because it was closer and cheaper than the Candy Cane Inn, big mistake.

lisap
01-03-2006, 08:24 AM
Have you ever stayed in a one-room hotel room with your kids before? Will they go to sleep in one if you're still awake? Mine just won't. We have to turn all the lights off and sit in the dark and even then it takes a long time to get them out. Forget about napping.



Ding dong. That was my world when the kids were littler. I know some parents just have the kids stay up until everyone is ready to go night-night, but my kids needed their sleep, especially staying away from home and having such big days at the parks. The would need a nice, dark, quiet room to wind down and go to sleep. Now that the kids are older we have more flexibility, but it's still very nice to have some time alone at the end of the day while the kids are snoozing in the other room.

That said, we will stay with our older kids at the PPH for their good rates this season. Our kids are older and we will only stay one night--they can catch up on their sleep the rest of the weekend.

I see both sides of the argument, for sure. Staying on property is one of my very favorite things. It makes you feel part of the action the whole visit. Whatever you choose I'm sure you will have a great time.

Wendi
01-03-2006, 11:17 AM
How long are you staying? I think I'd opt for a property hotel. My son falls asleep just fine with me around, in fact, I don't think he'd fall asleep easily if I weren't there, so it's not an issue for us to be in the same room. Being on property just gives you a few extras... not leaving the magic is a biggie, there are almost always characters in the DLH lobby, and you'll have early entry each day it is offered as long as they continue to offer it. Plus, for me, it just feels really special to stay on property.