Head is spinning with lodging choices

[connorlevismom]

We are going for our first trip in late August. We are not staying onsite because I just cannot justify paying those prices. We are WDW vets so this is a whole new world to me.

So.......now I trying to decide what to do so I am hoping someone can help. We will have a car the entire time.

Renting a house is one option
Good Neighbor Hotel is another
And a hotel further away is also an option

Can someone please explain the good neighbor benefits for me? Also - is driving everyday and parking a real pain in the butt? We plan on getting 5 day PH passes so hopefully will have plenty of time to get everything done.

We are used to staying at DVC at WDW so that is the kind of room we are looking for. At least 1 separate bedroom and a full kitchen. We like CLEAN and modern for hotels. So anything anyone can recommend would be great!

 

[RemainSeatedPlease]

The main benefit of the good neighbor hotels (or any hotel near the entrance, along Harbor Blvd.) is that you won't have to pay for parking every day ($17 a day), or worry about the extra time and effort it takes to drive there and park and then get from the parking lot to the park itself. The good neighbor hotels are right across the street, less time than it would take you to walk from the parking lots. It is also very convenient if you plan to go back to the room at any point throughout the day (or even if you don't plan it); knowing that your stuff is just a 10 minute walk away is a relief, and it's great if you need/want to take breaks or naps or have a meal in your room instead of paying for it in the parks.

I've never had a room with a full kitchen myself, but a quick search online indicates that at least the Tropicana (definitely walking distance), Residence Inn Anaheim Maingate (pretty far walk), and Park Vue Inn (says kitchenette but reviews say it is a kitchen) have them.

I also haven't stayed at DVC so can't exactly compare, but keep in mind that most of the hotels around DLR aren't deluxe resorts - they are definitely designed with the idea in mind that you are spending the majority of your time in the parks and really just using the room for a place to crash at night. That's not to say that there aren't very clean options with great amenities, just that I wouldn't go into it expecting a resort style stay. For that you will have to pay much more and probably be much further away.

 

[chickapin parterre]

modern hotels, the farther away from the disneyland resort, the greater your chance for a modern hotel.

Clean Kitchens. Best to go with a chain that you trust.

Good neighbor hotels. A Disney designation in relationship to how much you want to spend for lodging. Take for example motel 6. The outside is in need of attention. Not a year round pool. Accommodates a range of government needs in the community. Upgrade in rooms are still modern and fresh. But is not a lodging that I would recommend if looking for clean and modern. If looking to save money and crash, then yes the lodging choice. And that is the crux of a GNH, the more you save, the less you should expect from the lodging.

Hence, there are no benefits to GNH.

 

[Indiana Scott]

Keep in mind Some of the best and closest hotels are not on the "Good neighbor" list.
I suggest looking at:
Park Vue Inn (best free breakfast and super close to entrance)
Best Western Park Place (also good B-fast also super close)
Ramada inn maingate (decent b-fast and just another minute or two walk)

 

[Canuck16]

We found when looking at hotels around DL that the majority of the ones that have suites are farther away from the parks. Its not to say that there are not ones that are close to the parks but as the OP has said the further away from the parks you get the more modern/newer hotels you will find.
Even when we had a car we always stayed close enough so that we could walk back and forth without having to drive and park then walk to the park.

Good luck with your search

 

[connorlevismom]

Wow - thanks for this. I had no idea. I just thought all the surrounding hotels were good neighbor hotels and did not look any further from the DL website.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

here is a list I received I don't know if it has them all but I was asking what ones could get Disney baskets. I am leaning towards Best western Park place inn at the light. I also looked on to Camelot Inn almost went with them However not having a breakfast any longer is moving us to Best Western.
Beds- OK
Breakfast-OK
Microwave and Fridge- seem to be a good size
I am hoping that my choice pays off.

Anabella, Anaheim Camelot Inn and Suites, Anaheim Courtyard by Marriott, Fairfield Inn Anaheim Disneyland Resort, Anaheim Marriott Hotel, Anaheim Marriott Suites.



Best Western Plus Anaheim Inn, Best Western Plus Pavilions, Best Western Plus Park Place Inn, Best Western Plus Raffles Inn and Suites, Best Western Plus Stovall's Inn.


Camelot Inn, Candy Cane Inn, Carousel Inn and Suites, Clarion Hotel Anaheim Resort, Cortona Inn and Suites, Crowne Plaza Anaheim Resort.

Desert Palms Hotel and Suites, Doubletree Suites by Hilton.

Embassy Suites Anaheim North, Embassy Suites, Anaheim South.

Hampton Inn and Suites, Hilton Anaheim, Hilton Garden Inn, Holiday Inn Anaheim Resort, Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Hotel Menage, Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel, Hyatt Regency Orange County.

Motel 6 Anaheim Maingate.

Portofino Inn and Suites.

Quality Inn Hotel and Suites.

Red Lion Anaheim Maingate, Residence Inn Anaheim Maingate, Residence Inn Anaheim Resort.

Sheraton Anaheim, Sheraton Park Hotel, Staybridge Suite Anaheim Resort.

Tropicana Inn and Suites.

 

[jbobst]

Someone mentioned saving the $17 a day on parking, but many of the hotels right around Disneyland charge you to park your car on top of the nightly room rate. We will be staying at the Holiday Inn and Suites right next to the main parking structure. The Holiday Inn is charging us $10 a day to park. Still a little bit of savings. If I was going to to do a 5 day park hopper, I just wouldn't want to have to drive and deal with the parking every day. Try finding someplace within walking distance would be my suggestion.

 

[ehrawn]

How many are in your party? How many days will you be staying in Anaheim? Will you be doing 5 days, back to back? Will you have kids or older folks with you- i.e. what will your daily pace be like?

 

[TheDoleWhipper]

Driving to disneyland is really inconvenient. When on a multi-day visit, it just defeats the fact that DLR is an easily walkable, pedestrian resort. Not to mention that the traffic around the annaheim and los angeles area is crazy during rush hour, depending on how far you stay. It would also be hard to take a mid-day break to avoid the afternoon heat and crowds, and you will have trouble getting to the gates at park opening since parking at the mickey and friends parking structure takes up a LOT of time, especially when you take into account the trams. So if you can get a walking distance hotel, that would be a better option.

Here is a thread by hydroguy about hidden time losses when using a car at DLR.

www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1381580

There are many hotels close by within walking distance, both onsite and off, so if you can get one of those, that would make your vacation so much easier. If not, take a taxi, or if not, a shuttle, but preferably don't drive.

But there is one catch: Most of the hotels within walking distamce are pretty old and small, but they are still clean, just not modern or comparable to a deluxe resort in any way. If you want a "resort", then you will have to look even further from the parks if not staying at the GCH or DLH. So you can either have close and basic, or far and fancy, unless you stay onsite, then you can have close AND fancy.

OR another option would be a new courtyard marriott waterpark hotel opening in July. This hotel is going to be large and is more of a deluxe type, will have a waterpark with 6 slides, and best of all, it is super close to the main entrance. Anyways, good luck with your lodging options!

 

[connorlevismom]

Where can I find information about the Courtyard one? Is this a walkable option? That sounds like it might be a good fit!

 

[TheDoleWhipper]

Here is a recent thread about the new courtyard

http://www.disboards.com/threads/fa...-or-new-hotel-w-waterpark-july-16-22.3376358/

It will be easily walkable, since it will be next to Mimi's Café. It says it will be a five minute walk, but I presume it will be slightly further than that, maybe 10 minutes?

 

[ehrawn]

Driving to disneyland is really inconvenient. When on a multi-day visit, it just defeats the fact that DLR is an easily walkable, pedestrian resort. Not to mention that the traffic around the annaheim and los angeles area is crazy during rush hour, depending on how far you stay. It would also be hard to take a mid-day break to avoid the afternoon heat and crowds, and you will have trouble getting to the gates at park opening since parking at the mickey and friends parking structure takes up a LOT of time, especially when you take into account the trams. So if you can get a walking distance hotel, that would be a better option.

I disagree with your assessment. I thoroughly read Hydroguy's guide before our visit in July '14. We made the decision to stay off site and drive ourselves (about 1 mile of surface streets). In terms of time loss, it is definitely was worse than staying on property, but no worse than taking a shuttlebus to a hotel, like we normally do. However, this was because of the people in our party and the schedule we kept: kids (and adults) requiring a mid-day break and not able to stay awake until closing. As a result, we didn't fight with crowds or traffic arriving before rope drop, leaving the park when most people were arriving, then returning with locals for the evening shows, and leaving for the night before most. The one night we hit traffic at the tram was a post-WOC visit. We opted to walk through DTD and grab an ice cream cone instead, so I wouldn't call it anything but magical. Hence my earlier questions to connorlevismom: who you are with and what kind of schedule you want to keep matters in for your lodging choice.

 

[GatorChris]

WDW vet here, and I feel your pain. We always stayed Disney at WDW, but it's just way too expensive at DL to do that on a regular basis. We stayed at Paradise Pier in 2013 with a 25% discount - it was still very pricey and the it wasn't as "Disney" as the WDW resort hotels. We stayed at the HoJo (great little water park for young kids) and it was cheaper and was the same walk to the parks.

I would suggest getting a hotel within walking distance. Check this link: http://anaheim-attractions.10-best.info/disney_map.pdf
Anything on Harbor between HoJo and Candy Cane Inn is within comfortable walking distance. It makes it so nice when you can just walk out of your hotel and walk to park entrance instead of waiting for a very un-Disney bus. I didn't realize how much I had grown tired of waiting on buses at WDW until I started walking to the parks at DL! Some folks may disagree with me on "walker" hotels, but this is how we feel after two big trips to DL.

 

[quikah]

No one has mentioned ART yet? You have the option of using ART when booking a hotel further out. This will be similar experience to WDW, taking a bus to the park.

 

[choirchic]

I don't feel overwhelmed, but am glad I found this thread. We're doing a One Day stay and I've been looking into various hotels. The ones that are technically on property are crazy expensive. I'll definitely be looking into some of these.

 

[bumbershoot]

We are used to staying at DVC at WDW so that is the kind of room we are looking for. At least 1 separate bedroom and a full kitchen. We like CLEAN and modern for hotels. So anything anyone can recommend would be great!

Obviously you've checked into the Grand's villas? Renting points for it perhaps?

I cannot think of anything with all full kitchen. You might consider going onto sites like expedia, hotels.com, orbitz, etc, sites that have a huge number of hotels to look at, and put in the filters that you need. That might help. I can't think of any with a full kitchen, personally.

 

[NorCalGal]

I have stayed at the Anaheim Marriott Residence Inn and it has rooms with a full kitchen. Their breakfast is a very nice one as well, and when we stayed they had free appetizers, beer, and wine on weeknights. The appetizers were hot dogs, hamburgers, and chips. I would consider it walking distance in the morning, but maybe not at the end of the day, but I walk a lot. When we stayed, there was a resort shuttle to Disney, but taking a quick glance at their website I don't see it now. ART would probably be an option. I would say that if a separate bedroom and full kitchen are important to you, this might be a good option. I found it too far, because I personally prefer to have a room close enough to walk back and forth easily, even at the end of the day, and for me I am willing to give up the kitchen and bedroom for that.

 

[bcwife76]

The map posted a few above mine is a little outdated; try this one:
http://www.accommodationsneardisney.com/Disneyland/default.asp

 

[Gisele]

We are going for our first trip in late August. We are not staying onsite because I just cannot justify paying those prices. We are WDW vets so this is a whole new world to me.

So.......now I trying to decide what to do so I am hoping someone can help. We will have a car the entire time.

Renting a house is one option
Good Neighbor Hotel is another
And a hotel further away is also an option

Can someone please explain the good neighbor benefits for me? Also - is driving everyday and parking a real pain in the butt? We plan on getting 5 day PH passes so hopefully will have plenty of time to get everything done.

We are used to staying at DVC at WDW so that is the kind of room we are looking for. At least 1 separate bedroom and a full kitchen. We like CLEAN and modern for hotels. So anything anyone can recommend would be great!

Not to sound dumb, but if you do DVC at WDW, can't you do the same at the Grand California Hotel at DLR?