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View Full Version : Hotel Help Please!



astisma
05-11-2007, 06:37 AM
We are planning a trip to Disneyland for the first time. There are 6 people in my family. We are wanting to stay on the park since my oldest will be graduating High School and wanted this trip to be "special". From the online pictures you really can't tell which hotel is in better condition. So...I was wondering if you guys could give me your opinions on the 3 hotels on the park. Thanks!;)

mkraemer
05-11-2007, 06:44 AM
"Onsite" DL hotels are not what you might think, if you're coming from a WDW perspective. The three Disney properties are the Disneyland Hotel, Paradise Pier, and Grand Californian. The GC is a very, very nice hotel, followed by the DLH, and the PP is the most affordable. All nice. All with Disney pricing.

There are MANY hotel options surrounding Disneyland, some of which are an even shorter walk to the main gate than some of the Disney hotels. And you could probably get better rates for a party your size than you could get from Disney (you'd most likely have to get two rooms at the Disney properties to accommodate that many people).

One thing to be wary of, w/r/t the non-Disney hotels, is the distance involved. Some places that advertise to be walking distance to the parks are--technically--but Anaheim has some of the longest blocks I've ever seen, and at the end of a long day...even longer, it seems!

Check some of the MP hotel reviews for suggestions.

astisma
05-11-2007, 06:47 AM
Thank you so much. I have read several reviews on the Candy Cane Inn. So I might look into that one.

tinker3
05-11-2007, 08:28 AM
As far as the 3 DLR hotels we have only stayed at Paradise Pier and the Disneyland hotel. Our friends stayed at the GCH we saw the room and although it's very nice, I just can't justify the price. The lobby is beautiful. We really like DL hotel and PP it's pretty close but I might say I liked the PP a little better. We had a view room at PP and it was so cool to see California Adventure at night and as it was getting ready in the morning. PP has more of a beach/pier theme and might even be better for teens. I also thought the rooms were very spacious (2 queens and a couch bed). I guess it would depend on how good the rates are. I would suggest looking on expedia and getawaytoday.com those are two sites I use.

If you are thinking of staying off property, the candy cane is a very nice hotel, we have stayed there many times. The breakfast is nice, the rooms are very clean and well decorated. It is a short walk, or they have their own personal shuttle. The only drawback I can find with CCI is the rooms are pretty small. The other off property hotel we use a lot is Residence Inn. There is one on Clementine, that is pretty close. When we stay at the Clementine property we have walked it many times and use the shuttle sometimes ($3 a day I think). It has a lot of Disney decor and the free breakfast can't be beat! With teens that might be a big help. It's a pretty big buffet with make your own waffle stations. All rooms are suites and very big and clean.

Enjoy your trip! :)

shamrockshake
05-11-2007, 08:56 AM
We have stayed at all three of the DL resorts. GCH is the favorite, because it has a balcony and closeness to the parks, but if paying full price, it is too expensive. Nice pool with slides. close to 400 in summer.

DLH has a very nice pool with slides and more to do at the hotel. rooms are nice. But again you would pay almost 300 a night in the summer. distance wise, it is probably the same or farther away than the park vue or other neighbor hotels that are right across from the parks. But you get to walk through downtown disney which makes it seem better.

PPH is pretty basic. Not much to do at the hotel, but it is a quick walk to the DLH. Basic pool, but does have slide. Agian distance is same as DLH. better deal, but still pricey for what you get.

At the nighbor hotels you can get 2 room suites for under 150 a night. ( We just stayed at the castle inn and suites for 124 a night, 2 room, perfect for the 5 of us.) I enjoyed the castle inn, but the walk for a 5 year old in the recent heat wave was too much. ( about 15 minutes) I think next time we will try one of the hotels across the street.

The howard Johnson's is nice, and some rooms have a balcony. Probably about a 10 - 15 minute walk. Nice pool area. I don't know what they charge for the 2 room suites. but a regular room is around 100 a night.

A friend recommends the homewood suites. FULL hot breakfast ( feed those kids before entering the park) and light dinners on MOn - Thurs. ( hot dogs, enchiladas, hamburgers, I think beer for the adults) Again a $$ saver. But the place is farther away, so you need to use the shuttle.

Good luck. hope this helps.

avalosn
05-11-2007, 10:01 AM
I've stayed at all three hotels on site and I like the DLH best.

The Grand Californian is cool, but didn't really live up to the hype for me. I guess I was expecting more for the price. Although, the location is prime because it is so close to the parks, even has it's own entrance to DCA.

The DLH is nice and good for the price. They have the Lost Bar, which makes my life easier after a LONG day at DL. I like it because I think it is a better fit as far as paying for what you get. The price is about $257. a night in the summer.

Paradise Pier is eh. If you aren't going to spend a lot of time in the room, you might not mind staying here. It's simple and fairly clean. I'd only stay here as a last option.

I have never stayed at surrounding hotels, but lots of others have on this site have. I have heard good things about the Candy Cane Inn and the Anabella. Good luck and may the best hotel win!!!:fez:

jeffthechef
05-11-2007, 10:49 AM
We had been staying at Paradise Pier on our last 3 visits, but with the latest price increase, it was out of reach for our trip last week. We opted for HoJo's thanks to the recommendations of my fellow MousePlaneteers. Let me tell you that it was just as good, and in many respects, better than PP.

First, the rate was less than half. Second, the room was larger, with a balcony overlooking the Matterhorn. It was great watching fireworks from there after a long day. Third, the distance is shorter by about five minutes. Lastly is the food options. Mimi's is right next door, and their prices are not inflated like some other resort-area chains (IHOP). Also, Tony Roma's was good. Most importantly, Hojo's has a small gift shop in the lobby which sells among other things, ice cream and beer. It was very convenient to grab a
24oz. Heineken ($3.75 incl. tax) after a tiring day treking the parks.

From what I have read, Candy Cane Inn is just as nice, but you don't have the view nor the beer. Therefore, I am a new convert to HoJo's!

kimi911
05-11-2007, 01:12 PM
I like GCH, but for the price PP is my favorite on-site hotel. When I stayed at DLH last year, the room was so old and dirty.

However, most of the time I stay off-site.

luckyamber
05-11-2007, 01:35 PM
Thank you so much. I have read several reviews on the Candy Cane Inn. So I might look into that one.
I go to WDW a couple of times a year and would never think of staying offsite. When I first visited Disneyland I was really unsure about staying offsite and I was convinced that I would hate it. We stayed at the CCI and had an awesome time. The CCI is about as close (if not closer) than the Contemporary to Magic Kingdom. Disneyland has a different feel to it over all... less grand but a lot more charming... does that make sense? Staying at the CCI made me feel like I was visiting back it the day before all the branded hotels. That said, I still wouldn't mind staying at the Grand Californian!:D

Jungle Cruiser
05-11-2007, 02:28 PM
I have stayed at both the Grand Californian and the Disneyland Hotel and enjoyed both, but if you are paying full price they are not worth the money to me. We have also stayed "off-property" at the Ho-Jo, the Park Vue Inn, the Desert Inn, the Del Sol Inn and the Candy Cane Inn. For the money and with a group of 6, I would suggest either the Park Vue Inn with a 2 bedroom suite or one of the 2 bedroom suites at the Desert Inn. Both of these are closer to the esplanade than the Disneyland Hotel, they are clean and comfortable. If you have a party of 4 or less, I think the Candy Cane Inn is a great option, but you would need two rooms for a party of 6. Not very cost effective. The Desert Inn and Park Vue Inn do not have much in the way of amenities, but they do come with a standard continental breakfast and you can't beat the walk back to the hotel after the park closes. We are going again in November and have already booked rooms at the Desert Inn.

pisces
05-11-2007, 02:57 PM
The original post didn't say anything about money, or cost.

So, if we are talking about "special" and condition of the hotel......I would say Grand Californian is very special, and in good condition. They've kept up the common areas, including the new lobby carpet.

The plumbing in the guest room bathrooms is not great....for whatever that's worth. The guest room bathrooms are not special. However the guest room itself, the GCH has recently updated the bedding with new mattresses and new flatscreen TVs, and custom CD players , oh and DVD players too.

I've only stayed there----- and the Best Western Park Place too. There's nothing special about Park Place, unless you consider walking distance "special". Park Place rooms aren't terrible, though.

But it seems like you are looking for something a little more festive than just Park Place, from your post.

jamwilson
05-11-2007, 03:59 PM
We love GCH. Location is great & we love the decor. It is nice to be able to walk out of the hotel into Downtown Disney. Also, it is close for family members to walk back to if they are tired & need a break. Feels safer than walking down a street to one of the off site hotels. Price is a drawback though, it is pricey but it is Disney. ;)
DLH is nice. If you stay there try for the Sierra Tower & corner room. These are quite large. We had a corner with connecting room last time we stayed there & it was huge for the 4 of us. (we had rooms 2136 & 2138)
CCI is quaint & a great option. Easy walking distance or take their free shuttle that leaves every half hour.
If you stay at one of the on site hotels you will get early entry which is nice on those especially busy days.
Have a great time wherever you stay! :)

astisma
05-12-2007, 08:46 PM
Thanks to you all for your comments. We booked at Desert Inn and are saving enough buxx to take the family to Universal Studios. The only thing I have noticed is that you can not purchase your tickets for DL/DCA with the reservation with the hotel. So now my question is...do I wait until we get to the hotel to buy them there or should I purchase them online? :confused:

ibob52
05-12-2007, 09:18 PM
The 3 day hopper tix are $5.00 cheaper online than at the hotels ...

Malcon10t
05-12-2007, 09:18 PM
Thanks to you all for your comments. We booked at Desert Inn and are saving enough buxx to take the family to Universal Studios. The only thing I have noticed is that you can not purchase your tickets for DL/DCA with the reservation with the hotel. So now my question is...do I wait until we get to the hotel to buy them there or should I purchase them online? :confused: I would buy them online if you can't find a better deal thru a credit union or a human resource department at work.

julbright
05-13-2007, 07:34 PM
I have never stayed at the DLR hotels, but have heard they can be "ranked" in this order - GC, DLH, PP, and I could be totally wrong about this but I THINK DLH is only one with monorail service????


We will be staying at the Embassy Suites for the 3rd time in June. We enjoy the 2 seperate rooms (and tv's) and the cooked to order breakfast. Our rate is 119 for thursday night and 139 for the weekend nights.... so it is worth it to us. We always rent a car but the hotel does offer transportation. also has an indoor pool in case of weird weather - a plus for our swimming children.

bloodnswash
05-13-2007, 07:44 PM
The monorail no longer goes to the Disneyland Hotel :crying:

I have stayed at each Resort hotel twice. This is MY preference: The Grand, PP, and then the DLH. However, at PP the elevators are awful! There's not enough of them.

I have stayed at the Candy Cane Inn on numerous occasions. I give them a thumbs up :)

Malcon10t
05-13-2007, 07:49 PM
I have never stayed at the DLR hotels, but have heard they can be "ranked" in this order - GC, DLH, PP, and I could be totally wrong about this but I THINK DLH is only one with monorail service????The Monorail stops in DTD and is accessible to all 3 hotels, though it is most convenient to DLH.

Several months ago, I accidentally made a reservation at the Carousel Inn for a view suite. I forgot I even did it. Since then I had booked us into the Park Vue Inn. Then, my oldest son's girlfriend decided she wanted to come along. So, I started calling around looking for a suite. The Carousel had a view suite available for $298. I decided I would book it, and see if I could swing it later. When I went to book it, the phone person said "Did you know you already have one booked for these same dates??" I asked the rate, $198. WHOA!! I lucked out. Cheaper than 2 rooms at the PVI! And Quiznos is right there!!!!!

Gilesmt
05-14-2007, 01:59 AM
I did not see it mentioned but we have stayed at both Residence Inn's, the maingate one and the resort one. With teenagers I would say it is the best. We get the penthouse or the kids suite. That gives you a room for you and one for the kids, and then you have the living room with a sofa bed, plus a fully stocked kitchen. This includes the much needed two bathrooms. You also get a full breakfast included in the room price. With my teenagers that alone saves me $100's of dollars.

Tips for Residence Inn, get away today is usually great with package deals. But also after 5 years of staying in Residence Inn's all over the west coast I found that if you book with them yourself early enough you can save a lot. I go online and pull them up, I them push in the gov discount (I am a gov worker) and I can get great deals. But after 5 years I realize that Residence Inn never has ask me to prove I am a gov worker. At first I always worried about having my badge with me, but I have stayed at least 100 times in 5 years and have never once been asked to proof I work for the gov. so go ahead and use that price it usually can save you $30 to $100 off a room, sometimes more.

See you at the residence inn resort June 5 to 13th. (My price for the kid suite, $129 a night, but I did book over a month ago), (this also gives me bonus points, since I am a member, and with only a few more nights I will be able to come back to Disney free with Residence Inn).

Tinkermom21
05-14-2007, 09:31 AM
I am pretty shocked that noone mentioned the Best Western Park Place Inn. We have stayed there and LOVED it because they are directly across the street from the DL pedestrian entrance. We literally walked downstairs from our room, through the crosswalk and we were in the tram drop-off area. Clean rooms, great price and about as close as a "good neighbor" hotel can get. Our next trip is for my daughter's 5th b-day so we are splurging on the DLH, but usually the BWPPI is our first choice.

Malcon10t
05-14-2007, 09:34 AM
I am pretty shocked that noone mentioned the Best Western Park Place Inn. We have stayed there and LOVED it because they are directly across the street from the DL pedestrian entrance. We literally walked downstairs from our room, through the crosswalk and we were in the tram drop-off area. Clean rooms, great price and about as close as a "good neighbor" hotel can get. Our next trip is for my daughter's 5th b-day so we are splurging on the DLH, but usually the BWPPI is our first choice.Its a great location, but for 6 adults, it would be somewhat cramped.

blackjackdelta
05-14-2007, 01:26 PM
As far as the 3 DLR hotels we have only stayed at Paradise Pier and the Disneyland hotel. Our friends stayed at the GCH we saw the room and although it's very nice, I just can't justify the price. The lobby is beautiful. We really like DL hotel and PP it's pretty close but I might say I liked the PP a little better. We had a view room at PP and it was so cool to see California Adventure at night and as it was getting ready in the morning. PP has more of a beach/pier theme and might even be better for teens. I also thought the rooms were very spacious (2 queens and a couch bed). I guess it would depend on how good the rates are. I would suggest looking on expedia and getawaytoday.com those are two sites I use.

If you are thinking of staying off property, the candy cane is a very nice hotel, we have stayed there many times. The breakfast is nice, the rooms are very clean and well decorated. It is a short walk, or they have their own personal shuttle. The only drawback I can find with CCI is the rooms are pretty small. The other off property hotel we use a lot is Residence Inn. There is one on Clementine, that is pretty close. When we stay at the Clementine property we have walked it many times and use the shuttle sometimes ($3 a day I think). It has a lot of Disney decor and the free breakfast can't be beat! With teens that might be a big help. It's a pretty big buffet with make your own waffle stations. All rooms are suites and very big and clean.

Enjoy your trip! :)
We have stayed at the RI Clementine numerous times and it gives us all that we need. There are 6 of us and we love the space in the penthouse. The free grocery shopping and the warm/hot breakfast is good and saves us $$.
The walk is very dooable if you know how to walk, some people can not and some people can. We actually enjoy the walk back at night, refreshing.

Have a great trip,

Jack

AZStitch
05-17-2007, 01:04 AM
We stayed at the Paradise Pier Hotel from May 6th to May 9th and it was very nice. I wrote a review on it yesterday. This was our first visit to Disneyland and we stayed "on property" as we were not familiar with the local area. Rarely does Disney do anything sub par! :)

gtpinoy
05-17-2007, 01:22 PM
Anyone know how long in advance you need to reserve to get a room in the GCH?