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bookcrazymama
07-24-2006, 06:29 AM
Hi,

I've been lurking and reading for a couple of weeks now and I've found some GREAT information here. I have a couple of logistical questions about hotels that I can't find the information to though. We're planning our first trip to Disneyland with kids (4 and almost 2) this October 23-27th. We were planning to stay in a hotel w/in walking distance with a suite, but with the 4th night free deal going on right now I'm wondering if we might be better getting 2 connecting rooms at the Paradise Pier. I know they can't guarantee connecting rooms, but I'm thinking that during the "value" season we have a much better chance of getting connecting rooms. Does anyone have any experience with this?

Also, if we do get a suite - who has the best suites w/in walking distance or who has the best shuttles? Is the ART any good? I've gotten the impression that it's crowded and runs behind schedule quite a lot. Would I be better going with a hotel with it's own shuttle?

And last question, about the Sheraton - the one north of the park. I read somewhere that it's possible to take the parking tram to the end and then it's just a short walk to the hotel - is this really true? And is it a pain to get out of the parking lot walking? We won't have a stroller to maneuver around.

Thanks so much for any help or advice!

ralfrick
07-24-2006, 07:28 AM
We stayed at The Carousel in 2000, and the suite was a regular hotel room with an additional bedroom that had a door in between. I think there was one bathroom.

Next month we're at the Anaheim Desert Inn & Suites for the third time. We have a parlor suite. You enter into a small room with a sofa bed, TV, microwave and fridge. Another door leads to what is basically a normal hotel room with 2 queens and the bathroom. We have also stayed in a bigger suite, which is basically 2 hotel rooms connected with only one entrance to the outside. I believe there was a bathroom in each. Their website does have floorplans. It's simple and clean, and has worked well for us. Both of these are about a 10 minute walk to the gates. Desert Inn is a bit closer, but it does depend upon how far back the room is. We were really far back at the Carousel, with no elevator access. The bigger suite at the Desert Inn was the second closest room to the street, your mileage may vary.

Unless something has changed since I last looked at all the other close hotels,these are the 2 closest with suites. I think both have a free basic breakfast.

Cheers.

JosieGirl71
07-24-2006, 08:18 AM
We were able to get a 2 bedroom/2 bath suite and Homewood Suites for $99/night for two nights and $119/night for three nights. You may want to check there. It is not within walking distance but you can take the ART shuttle.

lobotomomma
07-24-2006, 08:45 AM
I second what Josie said! I paid a little more for our suite BUT I also went over Spring Break AND waited until 3 weeks before we went to plan our trip ....Homewood Suites was wonderful!!!

bookcrazymama
07-24-2006, 08:46 AM
We were able to get a 2 bedroom/2 bath suite and Homewood Suites for $99/night for two nights and $119/night for three nights. You may want to check there. It is not within walking distance but you can take the ART shuttle.

That's a good price - how convenient was the ART shuttle?

sierranevada
07-24-2006, 09:34 AM
I know they can't guarantee connecting rooms, but I'm thinking that during the "value" season we have a much better chance of getting connecting rooms. Does anyone have any experience with this?

All the times that we have requested connecting rooms at any DLR hotel, we have gotten them. They do give priority to families requesting connecting rooms.

JosieGirl71
07-24-2006, 10:07 AM
That's a good price - how convenient was the ART shuttle?
We haven't taken our trip yet but a lot of the hotel reviews mention the shuttle and say it was fine. I think you get on the shuttle and the hotel next door. And from what I understand, there are several restaurants near it.

tinker3
07-24-2006, 10:27 AM
I third what Josie said, the Homewood Suites is Great. They also offer a free breakfast (good selection) which makes it easier for us to get going early. I would also recommend the Residence inn on Clementime. We have walked from there many times. It's not even 1/2 mile (depending where your room is) my 5 and 8 yr old boys walked it, no problem, with our 2yr old in the stroller. We usually walked there and did the shuttle back, or opposite it just depended on if a shuttle was there. There is also a Residence inn on Harbor, it's further away not walking distance, but is a great suite hotel with kid's suites that have bunk beds and three seperate area's. Travelocity or Expedia sometimes offer good deals on all of these hotels. I think right now Homewood has the best deal. All of these offer a great breakfast (a must for my boys:) ) and a light evening snack/meal which we usually aren't there for but the one time we caught it, it was pretty good! Good luck with your choice!

Lola
07-24-2006, 12:06 PM
We stayed at the Sheraton on our trip last Christmas.
The room was huge!
We had 2 Queen beds and there was still room to set up a double size air mattress on the floor, and we still had plenty of walking room.
The hotel shuttle to Disneyland was a great plus. The shuttle picked up in front of the hotel at 15 after and 15 before the hour and picked up at Disneyland on the half hour and hour. It is a shuttle for the Sheraton guests only so we never had to wait.
I would definatly stay there again.

JosieGirl71
07-24-2006, 12:53 PM
bookcrazymama - For the dates you mentioned, you can get a 2 bedroom/2 bath suite for $259/night at Homewood Suites or a 1 bedroom/1 bath suite for $170/night if you go directly through their website. That isn't a very good deal but you might check getawaytoday.com as they usually have good deals (including free nights).

As far as Anaheim Desert Inn and Suites, I think several people have had problems there with being charged the wrong amount on their credit cards and other credit card-type of issues.

tonytone
07-27-2006, 09:03 AM
...As far as Anaheim Desert Inn and Suites, I think several people have had problems there with being charged the wrong amount on their credit cards and other credit card-type of issues.
And that's what is making me hedge my decision about staying there...I have a reservation there for Labor Day weekend, and although it's hard to ignore the $59/day rate, the credit-card stuff and other complaints I've read in the MP reviews and elsewhere now has me looking around at other hotels. Guess that would explain in part why Disney no longer considers them a Disney Good Neighbor Hotel...but how/why Desert Inn can still get away w/ not only displaying the Good Neighbor Hotel logo, but explicitly state on their website that they are a certified Disney GNH, is beyond me... :rolleyes:

Susan L
07-27-2006, 11:40 AM
The standard rooms at the PPH are very spacious the 4 of you could easily fit comfortably. We do it all the time and have teenagers. Plus there is an extra pull out bed in the room. I'm wondering why you need so much room unless you got the money to burn.

On our last stay there we had 5 of us. 2 adults and 3 teens. They gave us a corner room with a park view - absolutely wonderful. The corner room was a bit bigger then a standard. But again the standard room is very spacious. If you do stay at the PPH request a park view room the view is awsome. Check in very early if possible to have a better chance of getting your request.

rentayenta
07-27-2006, 04:43 PM
All the times that we have requested connecting rooms at any DLR hotel, we have gotten them. They do give priority to families requesting connecting rooms.


Same here. Last year we stayed at the PPH when it was booked and got the connecting rooms as requested.

darph nader
07-27-2006, 09:42 PM
Here's my vote (again).:eek: Camelot Inn.LARGE 2 room family suites(only one bathroom tough).:rolleyes: Right across the street,nice pool to watch fireworks. my $.02.:cool:

bookcrazymama
07-28-2006, 07:22 AM
The standard rooms at the PPH are very spacious the 4 of you could easily fit comfortably. We do it all the time and have teenagers. Plus there is an extra pull out bed in the room. I'm wondering why you need so much room unless you got the money to burn.

It's not so much a matter of room as it is a separate place for the kids to sleep where they can't see/hear us. My kids do much better if they have their own room to sleep in. And going to bed at the same time as them just isn't an option - they're both still sleeping 12 hours a night and I really don't want to go to bed at 7 pm with them! LOL! I've stayed in one hotel room with both the kids many times and we have to hide in the bathroom or pretend we're asleep until the kids fall asleep (30 plus minutes) and then be very, very quiet. Not very fun. Also, this way we'll have a place to visit with our friends who're going to be there at the same time.

I ended up booking the PP. Pricewise it was the same as Homewood Suites for us, and, well, I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to stay in an actual Disneyland hotel! Thanks for all your input and advice. Homewood Suites is high on my list for the next visit, when the kids are no longer napping!

JosieGirl71
07-28-2006, 08:12 AM
PPH sounds great, especially if it is the same price as Homewood Suites! I am hoping that we will be able to stay on-property one of these days.

Susan L
07-28-2006, 11:53 AM
Gotcha on the extra room thing. I'm so glad you went with PPH you will like it. Its a very nice hotel. Have a wonderful time.

10-97
07-28-2006, 08:20 PM
Though connecting rooms aren't guaranteed at the DLR hotels, we've been assigned connecting rooms each time we requested them. We usually check in by 8 am.

Susan L
07-28-2006, 09:35 PM
Its a good idea to check in by 8am for any room request. We have found we always get our room request when checking in at this early hour. When we don't do this we don't get our room request.

Malcon10t
07-28-2006, 11:06 PM
The standard rooms at the PPH are very spacious the 4 of you could easily fit comfortably. We do it all the time and have teenagers. Plus there is an extra pull out bed in the room. I'm wondering why you need so much room unless you got the money to burn.

On our last stay there we had 5 of us. 2 adults and 3 teens. They gave us a corner room with a park view - absolutely wonderful. The corner room was a bit bigger then a standard. But again the standard room is very spacious. If you do stay at the PPH request a park view room the view is awsome. Check in very early if possible to have a better chance of getting your request.
Yes, but travelling with teens is VASTLY different than travelling with 2 toddlers. Its easy with teens as they can stay up (half the time I go to bed first!) but with little ones, they dont want to go to bed unless you are, and then you can't have the TV on, and if they go to bed at 830 or 9, makes it hard on mom and dad who would prefer to watch the news or something.

I would recommend the Carousel or Camelot. Both have seperate rooms with closing doors. Park Place Inn has "mini suites" which is no wall and door. The parlor suite at Desert Inn has a seperate room, but it is at the front of the room so if you need to get ice or go get a snack (one parent, I knw you wouldn't leave the kids alone asleep) you'd have to go thru their room. The Anabella kid suite is really nice though. It has a small seperate room with bunk beds in it. They also have a "King/Double" which has the double bed in an alcove, so not a seperate room, but it is somewhat hidden. My nephew (1 at teh time) did ok sleeping there.

annieb727
07-29-2006, 05:12 AM
The parlor suite at Desert Inn has a seperate room, but it is at the front of the room so if you need to get ice or go get a snack (one parent, I knw you wouldn't leave the kids alone asleep) you'd have to go thru their room.

The other problem with this type of room with little ones - is if they are big enough to open the door - you could have a HUGE problem. You don't want them opening the door while you're in the other room asleep.

bookcrazymama
07-29-2006, 06:20 AM
Its a good idea to check in by 8am for any room request. We have found we always get our room request when checking in at this early hour. When we don't do this we don't get our room request.

How early do we need to check in? I was planning for around 10 or 11 am. We'll be driving from my in-laws house in Torrance, CA. It sounds like I need to plan for earlier maybe?

Malcon10t
07-29-2006, 07:42 AM
How early do we need to check in? I was planning for around 10 or 11 am. We'll be driving from my in-laws house in Torrance, CA. It sounds like I need to plan for earlier maybe?
Generally, in a case such as yours, you don't have to check in early, usually a call at 8am to verify the set up will work. Hotels usually block the rooms early. Its not a big deal with my kids being older now, but when they were younger, I would call and check where we were being placed, then remind them if they hadn't made connecting rooms that the children were young, and I didn't think they would like the kids so far from a parent. Now, I make sure their room is in a completely different section! <joking>

Susan L
07-29-2006, 10:06 AM
Yes, but travelling with teens is VASTLY different than travelling with 2 toddlers. Its easy with teens as they can stay up (half the time I go to bed first!) but with little ones, they dont want to go to bed unless you are, and then you can't have the TV on, and if they go to bed at 830 or 9, makes it hard on mom and dad who would prefer to watch the news or something.



Oh yes, I agree my kids are 16 months apart and I remember the days traveling with them as toddlers. We must have been lucky though bedtime was never an issue. Now a days we have a whole other set of worries to deal with.

SeansMom
07-29-2006, 12:20 PM
We stayed at the Sheraton on our trip last Christmas.
The room was huge!
We had 2 Queen beds and there was still room to set up a double size air mattress on the floor, and we still had plenty of walking room.
The hotel shuttle to Disneyland was a great plus. The shuttle picked up in front of the hotel at 15 after and 15 before the hour and picked up at Disneyland on the half hour and hour. It is a shuttle for the Sheraton guests only so we never had to wait.
I would definatly stay there again.

What she said. We've stayed at the Sheraton several times and love it. The rooms are sooooo big. Last time, we stayed 3 nights at the GCH, then moved to the Sheraton for two nights. It really made the size difference of the Sheraton rooms more remarkable as the GCH rooms are really kind of small. The shuttle was great, too. Also, they have room service, which I love, and their pool area is nice. The grounds at the Sheraton have some really pretty landscaping as well.