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View Full Version : Help- El Capitan Hotels?



kaybee2
06-12-2007, 10:33 AM
I need help! We are going to DL on Friday and have ressies set at Hojo's. I am thinking of staying Sun night in LA and catching a Monday showing of "Pirates" at the El Capitan. We've never been there and I've just found out about the props, costumes, etc. It sounds great!

The only problem is that I'm clueless about hotels. I'd like to stay somewhere along the lines of Hojo's as it is to Disneyland - close walking distance, nice, clean, but we don't need 5 stars. Does anyone have any advice?

Many thanks!
Karen

SJF510
06-12-2007, 10:46 AM
I don't know of any specific hotels. There is a big 5 star type place right across the street at Hollywood and Highland. That area has gone through a bit of an upgrade lately, but it can still be a bit dicey. I would definitely stick with a chain and get a good look at the property online as well.

dawnid
06-12-2007, 11:19 AM
The Hollywood Roosevelt is just down the street. AAA rates it at 3 star and its about 200 a night. This is not the best area to worry about price because the trade off might be safety. IMHO. I've never stayed up there just day or night trips to see a show or watch the kids in the Hollywood Parade, I wouldn't recommend adventure trips down side streets though.

adriennek
06-12-2007, 11:26 AM
Does anyone have any advice?

My advice would be to stay at Hojos and just commute it to LA.

Adrienne

bloodnswash
06-12-2007, 11:58 AM
Last October hubby and I went down to DL for 6 nights. We decided to go to the El Capitan to see The Nightmare Before Xmas in 3-D (we, too, had never been there). We left our hotel in plenty of time (we were going to just walk around once we got there to kill some time). Good thing we left when we did. It took us 3 1/2 hours to get to the El Capitan from the Disneyland Resort. A hay truck was on fire on the freeway that day. We just about missed our movie (I had purchased VIP tickets online before we left. I was afraid we were not going to make it in time. We did, but barely). So basically what I'm saying is.....you never know what the freeway is going to be like. So if you do decide to drive to the theater from Anaheim make sure you allow yourself plenty of time.

Whatever you decide to do for your room.....have fun! :)

mkraemer
06-12-2007, 12:45 PM
I *highly* recommend seeing Pirates at the El Cap. It is absolutely, positively the best environment to immerse yourself in All Things Pirate. :)
The movie props/costumes are great.

Having done it several times for various movies, I've decided that I really dislike commuting from Anaheim to Hollywood to go to the El Cap. It seems like you spend more time on the road than at the theater!! And you never do know how long that drive might take...

I prefer to walk across the street from the El Cap, through the Hollywood and Highland Center, and directly to the Hollywood Orchid Suites. It is *directly* behind the H&H Center on, obviously enough, Orchid St. It is *not* a fancy place by any stretch, but it has worked out just fine for us on several occasions. The prices are very reasonable, considering the area, and it's close enough to the theater and the H&H Center that you're not really going anywhere too dicey.

It used to be an apartment building, and there is gated underground parking that seems pretty secure. There are units that have full kitchens, if that interests you.

FWIW, the Disney Soda Shop has Pirates merchandise that's not available at the park (or at least wasn't available at the park when the film opened).

bassett1976
06-12-2007, 01:36 PM
Mrs. Bassett Here-
I will second Adrienne K's advice. A few years back, we took all of our kindergarten students (I'm a teacher) to the El Cap to see a movie. The managers would not let us wait outside the theater for the bus due to safety issues, and that was during the day. I am local girl, grew up going to the El Cap, the Chinese and the Cinerama Dome (saw ET there, it was great) and I have and always will drive in. They have cleaned up the area with the relatively new Hollywood and Highland complex, but it is still risky-not to mention expensive.

kaybee2
06-14-2007, 11:10 AM
Thanks everyone for the great advice. While I like the proximity and parking of the Orchid, we've decided to take Adrienne's advice and stay at Hojo's on Sun, then drive to LA on Monday, leaving plenty of time for the drive just in case... in addition to the cost, the safety, etc., we thought about having the kids in 2 different hotels over 3 nights and just didn't like it. We have a few issues with flexibility and transitions! ;)

I really appreciate all of the feedback. We can't wait to see the theater and the cafe/shop!

cstephens
06-15-2007, 07:49 AM
I really appreciate all of the feedback. We can't wait to see the theater and the cafe/shop!

If you happen to get there really early, the Hollywood and Highland complex (where we usually park) has a number of stores and such (including a Virgin Megastore) that you can browse through. You can also shop at the store and soda fountain next door to the theatre before you see the movie, but be careful at looking at the toys and such too closely if you want to avoid spoilers.

One bit of info about the props - they have a couple on the balcony level and a couple on the main level, but most are on the basement level. When we were there, they were trying to usher us through pretty quickly ("please don't stop", "please keep moving"), so you don't necessarily get a great view of everything. Maybe the crowds will have died down some by the time you go. Once you're done with the basement area, they had us actually leave the building. Usually, you can go back into the lobby and exit directly into the store/soda fountain. If they do have you exit directly out of the building, just go back around and enter the soda fountain from the front.

When we're going to the El Capitan, we usually see the movie and then head next door to put our name on the waiting list for a table. It's not usually more than 10 minutes or so of waiting. They have some food items, more than they used to have when they opened, so you could definitely have dinner there, and then of course, there's the ice cream! In addition to their normal dessert items, they usually have a special dessert themed to the current movie. Here's a description of what they have right now for POTC3 (http://www.colddeadfish.net/images/ElCap/Pir3-2.jpg). And here's what the dessert actually looks like (http://www.colddeadfish.net/images/ElCap/Pir3-1.jpg). When you're done, they bring you a clean bowl to take home with you so that you don't have to take the messy one.

Have a great time! Please come back and tell us how you liked it all.

JeffG
06-15-2007, 07:57 AM
I tend to agree with the advice that just staying down in Anaheim is probably your best choice, but if you really did want to shift up to a hotel closer to the El Capitan, my advice would be to go with one of the Universal Studios Hollywood area motels. There is both a Sheraton and a Hilton that are right on Universal property. Either one would be a bit expensive, but they are both nice properties. If you wanted something a bit less expensive (probably closer in price to the HoJo), a really good choice would be Beverly Garland's Holiday Inn, which is just around the corner from Universal. Be sure that you pick the right Holiday Inn, though, as there is also a Holiday Inn Express in Universal City that is in pretty poor shape and a not-so-great neighborhood.

If you stayed anywhere in the Universal area, the easiest way to get to the El Capitan would be to go to the subway station right across from the Universal entrance. Hollywood and Highland is just two stops down from there and the train is much easier than driving and parking in Hollywood.

-Jeff

Bytebear
06-15-2007, 09:16 AM
The drive into LA can be hit or miss. I once drove up on a weekday from OC to Burbank and it took me about 3 hours. Other times, I have made it up there in 45 minutes. I would plan on leaving about 5 hours early, and do some touristy things when you get there. That way you don't have to worry about time. The Hollywood and Highland area (cross streets) has the Kodak Theater complex, Grauman's Chinese Theater, Hollywood wax museum, Ripley's Believe It or Not museum, and lots of really bad souvinier stores. The Kodak complex has a complete shopping mall as well, so you will have plenty to do. There is also a great view of the Hollywood sign from the upper balconies of the Kodak complex. A good eatery is Hamburger Hamlets.

I went to the Haunted Mansion at the El Cap, and it was very cool. They had the full size sets of the atrium and other rooms from the mansion, as well as tons of props and a few spook house type exhibits.

mkraemer
06-15-2007, 01:35 PM
The drive into LA can be hit or miss. I once drove up on a weekday from OC to Burbank and it took me about 3 hours. Other times, I have made it up there in 45 minutes. {snip} A good eatery is Hamburger Hamlets.


That's why I *hate* 'commuting' between Anaheim and Hollywood. I don't live in LA, so I haven't figured out how locals can possibly gauge getting from one place to another in a timely fashion.

When we were in Hollywood at Memorial Day weekend, I noticed that Hamburger Hamlet was closed.

We ate at Mel's (in the Max Factor building, right around the corner from the El Cap) and also at the Soda Fountain. I'm a Mel's fan, but I have to say that we liked the Soda Fountain's sandwiches (and desserts!!) better... I would recommend both places.