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View Full Version : Need hotel advice for trip this summer



Pixie Dust
02-22-2007, 09:42 AM
I love MousePad and have been an avid reader for many years now! Having lived in Orlando for '03-'06 I logged many hours here checking up on the newest info, ride openings etc so we could plan our almost weekly jaunts into the park! Now that we live in VA, we are planning our next "mouse fix" with a trip to DL.

We are heading there for our vacation this August. Starting in San Diego, we hope to hit Legoland and maybe the zoo. Then up to DL for at least three days, maybe four.

We have stayed at the Tropicana twice before (Spring '00 and '02) and liked its location and price, but weren't thrilled with the rooms, the pool or the continental breakfast. So I am considering the HoJo this time, but not having stayed there, I am not sure. I think they are right next door and the HoJo is actually closer to the crosswalk to DL, am I correct? We would need two double or queen beds. A place with two double and a fold out couch or chair would be best. That way DD and DS won't be in the same bed pushing and such! :rolleyes: Any one have any advice on which would be the better of the two? Do keep in mind that my hubby is rather frugal (read: cheap) and the lower costing one of the two will win, unless I have definite proof as to the better of the two. :cool:

Also, any idea on a place to stop for an hour or so on the way up from San Diego so we can stick our feet in the Pacific Ocean? Somewhere where we could safely leave the car for an hour tops, grab a lunch or breakfast and check out the ocean.

Thanks for the help!

Malcon10t
02-22-2007, 10:18 AM
We have stayed at the Tropicana twice before (Spring '00 and '02) and liked its location and price, but weren't thrilled with the rooms, the pool or the continental breakfast. So I am considering the HoJo this time, but not having stayed there, I am not sure. I think they are right next door and the HoJo is actually closer to the crosswalk to DL, am I correct? We would need two double or queen beds. A place with two double and a fold out couch or chair would be best. That way DD and DS won't be in the same bed pushing and such! :rolleyes: Any one have any advice on which would be the better of the two? Do keep in mind that my hubby is rather frugal (read: cheap) and the lower costing one of the two will win, unless I have definite proof as to the better of the two. :cool: Hojo's is further away. Park Vue and Park Place Inns are at the crosswalk. Going left (looking from Disneyland), next is the Tropicana, then Carousel, Camelot, Fairfield Inn, Millie's restaurant, Mimi's Cafe, then Hojo's. Hojo's is about a 5-10 min walk. I don't think Hojo's has regular rooms (read cheap) with a sofa sleeper. Camelot has a Family suite that is usually reasonably priced. Park Vue also has this type of room and has bunkbed rooms. Carousel has suite type rooms, not sure on the price.

If you turn right at the crosswalk, Anaheim Desert inn is next and has an assortment of suites (sleeping up to 10) at decent prices. Next is Del Sol, then BW Anaheim Inn and Ramada Maingate. Not sure if any of these has suites. Also, a little further away is the Residence Inn Maingate, which we love. They are on ART for a shuttle and it is a decent route. At Christmas, we never had a bus have to leave us. (Other than the bus with a driver who didn't know Service Dogs could ride, but a phone call and ART dispatched a ride for us straight to the park!)

kkmickey
02-23-2007, 09:14 PM
I love Howard Johnson's, although I have not stayed there for a few years.

Last year we planned a last-minute trip in August (we don't usually go at peak times) and I got a GREAT rate ($50/night) through Priceline at the Hyatt Regency Orange County Alicante. I thought it was a great hotel, and there is even a Starbucks and a Pizza parlor in the lobby. The shuttle was free and very efficient - it only stopped at one other hotel, and it was quicker than some of the closer hotels I have stayed in and walked to Disneyland. I was really surprised that we got such a great rate so late in the summer.

Kristin

Opus1guy
02-24-2007, 11:36 AM
Don't know what your definition of "cheap" is...but I just checked a random weekend in August at the Sheraton Anaheim (that's just behind Disneyland on Ball Road) and they have rates of $125 if you're a AAA member, and $135 to the general public.

The Sheraton Anaheim is sort of a poor man's Disney hotel. It's designed with a castle theme, and is beautifully landscaped and appointed...having just finished a multi-million dollar renovation. Lots of gardens and courtyards and koi ponds...very beautiful. It as it's own dedicated shuttle (no ART stopping at other hotels) that runs reliably twice an hour in each direction. Travel time...no more than 5 to 7 minutes. Or you could take the lovely stroll down Disneyland Drive via a beautifully landscaped path...about 15 to 20 minutes. Very friendly staff and a Disney Desk right in the lobby. The pubic areas are really nice.

But the big attraction for many are the rooms. The Sheraton Anaheim has the largest standard room size of any hotel in Anaheim...525 sq ft. And many are bigger! Plus the rooms now feature the famous Sheraton Sweet Sleeper Bed...which are just fantastic! They have oversized Double Bedded rooms with sofa beds that still have room for at least 2 roll aways! You have to request those specially though, so be sure to put your request into your reservation's "comments" field, or call the hotel directly.

Here's some crummy cell phone video to give you an idea of the huge room size of one of the "oversized" rooms:

http://members.aol.com/opus1guy/uploads/sheratonanaheim.3g2

Bathrooms are a tad small however...but not bad. Nicely appointed. Parking is $10 a night. Wi-Fi $9.95 per day (Wayport). Packages that include full breakfast and free parking are available and might work out better for you price-wise. See "Hotel Offers" on their web site:

http://www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=995

They also have packages that include Disneyland Resort tickets. Call the hotel directly for those.

:)

jbtaylor780
02-24-2007, 12:16 PM
We've stayed at Hojo's before because they offered 2 beds and a rollaway. However, we now stay at the Fairfield Inn as it's a bit closer. It has 2 queen beds w/ a single sleeper sofa. It sits next door to a McDonalds and has a Pizza Hut express on the 3rd floor (Quick snacks for the kids). It is still a further walk than the Tropicana, though.

AlbertaMinnie
02-24-2007, 01:15 PM
We stayed at the Fairfield once, and it just seemed too far to walk - and the Ho Jo is even further. This year we are trying the Park Vue....right smack at the crosswalk! I've never stayed there, but the reviews are pretty decent, both on Mouse Planet and Expedia. We had a choice of 2 queen beds or 1 queen and bunk beds. We found the rates very decent - they vary a bit from night to night but when we reserved a month ago, we got 9 nights for $699.00. The breakfast sounds like your typical continental type breakfast for that area, and the reviews of the pool have been decent. However, I can't vouch for this place yet, as we have not yet stayed there before. I just thought that we got a good deal so I'd throw that out there for you. Take a look at the hotel pics online...the bunk beds look very safe and sturdy, and the kids certainly can't complain in there!