Best Good Neighbor for a Disneyland Race?

[lovingeire]

Rebel Challenge will be my first west coast race. What Good Neighbor hotels are best to stay at for a Disneyland race weekend?

 

[Jackie Skellington]

I've stayed at Best Western Stovalls on Katella (corner of Disneyland Dr.) numerous times and it's such a great location. Only a block from the start/finish lines of the races and a nice hotel for the price. They do tend to book up quickly too...

 

[lovingeire]

I've stayed at Best Western Stovalls on Katella (corner of Disneyland Dr.) numerous times and it's such a great location. Only a block from the start/finish lines of the races and a nice hotel for the price. They do tend to book up quickly too...

Thanks. I've heard of this one at least. I'll check it out. Growing up in LA there wasn't a need for a hotel for Disneyland, but since I now live on the East Coast I'll need one for the weekend before going to visit my parents.

 

[bumbershoot]

Anabella.

Not far far from Stovalls.

 

[SueInBoston]

I stayed at Anaheim Desert Inn this past January and the location is great. Nothing fancy but nice and clean.

 

[camaker]

Does anyone have feedback or experience with the Tropicana? I'm booked there because it was reasonable and looked convenient.

 

[bumbershoot]

A lot of people like Tropicana.


I suggest Anabella (or Stovalls though I've never stayed there) because of the proximity for the race events. I looked at the GPS, and walking from there, to the staging area, and to the start lines is shorter than walking from the "across the street from the entrance" places on Harbor.

Now this does depend on your priorities. For us, we want to be closer for the races so we can sleep in just that much longer. Others might want a shorter walk to and from the parks. Depends on what you want!

 

[lovingeire]

A lot of people like Tropicana.


I suggest Anabella (or Stovalls though I've never stayed there) because of the proximity for the race events. I looked at the GPS, and walking from there, to the staging area, and to the start lines is shorter than walking from the "across the street from the entrance" places on Harbor.

Now this does depend on your priorities. For us, we want to be closer for the races so we can sleep in just that much longer. Others might want a shorter walk to and from the parks. Depends on what you want!

Thanks! All good advice. I know that I like my sleep, but we'll also be coming from the east coast so we're not as worried about time since we'll have quite the advantage there. My running buddy did Tink and stayed at a Sheraton and said it was nice and she'd stay there again, but it definitely wasn't the closest I dont' think. Tropicana does look nice and has a decent military rate available. Someone mentioned issues with Anabella and hot water after a race so I'm a little leary of it. Stovalls looks ok too. It's just weird to be looking at hotels for Disneyland after growing up there.

 

[bumbershoot]

we'll also be coming from the east coast so we're not as worried about time since we'll have quite the advantage there.

So lucky.


We've stayed at Anabella upwards of 5 times over the years (last time was for Star Wars this year) and we've never had a single issue with a room or water or anything. I know that there are people who have had issues, but I have not had them.


Oh, for the disneyland half we stayed at Ramada Plaza, which we have also enjoyed. Was a nice warmup walk there in the morning (before standing around for an hour, LOL). Would have been a nice stretch-out walk home, but I was ridiculous and decided to take ART. I got to the hotel an hour after my brother did (he walked it with my son) and was miserable sitting, waiting for the bus, then being the last stop, and the driver had to be yelled at to actually stop there b/c he forgot it. Ugh. Shoulda walked it!

 

[Sleepless Knight]

I've stayed at the Desert Inn for both Star Wars 1/2 Marathon weekends and love it. The walk from the hotel to the corrals is a good warmup for race morning(s). Plus Desert Inn has a nice continental breakfast with hard boiled eggs and fresh fruit in addition to the usual suspects of a continental breakfast.

Tropicana is as close as Desert Inn, so it works too. I haven't stayed at Tropicana in a few years, but I've enjoyed it whenever I've stayed there.

To me, the big advantage of staying right there on Harbor is the very short walk to Disneyland after cleaning up post race and heading back at the end of the day.

 

[C_leen]

My first DL race we did Sheraton. It really seemed terribly far as the weekend progressed! It was a solid hotel though. The thing is, we are either running, at parks, or sleeping. We don't really use the amenities Starwood provides. We did use the ART and it worked fine that time.

ART seemed to be a bit fouled up this past Nov. as in it never came and drivers seemed confused about which one to take to our Nov hotel. It was cheap to just hop in a cab too! Which we did twice in Nov. to rest our feet since we did the challenge.

Last Nov we stayed at Springhill Suites - Convention Center. The one with a CVS on the first floor. We loved it. No tub though. Very good included breakfast. I also liked watching the fireworks from their pool roof. I am all over buying my snacks, alcohol, bottled water and souvies in CVS. They were really nice staff working there.

I actually reserved this yesterday and pray we get into Star Wars. There is a brand new Residence Inn opening next door, but their prices were $330 or so... I think I reserved a family suite with 2 Queen and bunk beds for about $265 a night. My son (15) is going to come and hang out and do the 10K!! MLK weekend is a travel weekend and I am expecting it to be really busy in the parks. I also liked knowing that if I had bathroom issues on the run, my own hotel is on the route!

Good luck deciding!

 

[pigletliz]

Another vote for Stovalls. We also liked Eden Roc and the Hilton.

 

[Mjmdiva]

I stay at Stovalls on race weekends. Cant beat the location and a oretty good breakfast.

 

[lovingeire]

Thanks everyone! We are tentatively booked in to Stovalls for the weekend. Will check for a military rate on-site, but we're fine being there if not. (Or at least we hope so once all is said and done!)

 

[kirstie101]

For race weekends we've been doing Stovalls since we can't afford PPH.
For our normal family vacation we do the Hojo on Harbor which I do prefer over Stovalls. This year for RC I'm undecided which I'll end up going with. I'm going to make reservations at both for now and decide later.

 

[lovingeire]

For race weekends we've been doing Stovalls since we can't afford PPH.
For our normal family vacation we do the Hojo on Harbor which I do prefer over Stovalls. This year for RC I'm undecided which I'll end up going with. I'm going to make reservations at both for now and decide later.

I've always heard good things about HoJo, but we won't have kids with us as it's just my friend and I so I'm unsure if we need what HoJo's offers. I'm thinking the proximity to corrals might trump things.

 

[kirstie101]

I've always heard good things about HoJo, but we won't have kids with us as it's just my friend and I so I'm unsure if we need what HoJo's offers. I'm thinking the proximity to corrals might trump things.

And I find Stovalls breakfast room to come in very handy on race weekends also!

 

[Anisum]

I agree for Stovalls is good if you can get it. I also know people who were able to walk through the parking lot to hit The Best Western Courtesy Inn on Ball Rd. but I can't speak to the quality of the hotel. Since we didn't stay at Stovalls last time we instead we did Hotel Indigo which is a beautiful hotel but it doesn't have the included breakfast and it's on the Harbor Blvd. side of Katella. That means that the fastest way to Disneyland includes a walk through security which is just painful after the races when people are lining up to get in to the parks. That's why I would definitely shoot for a hotel along Disneyland Dr.

 

[miker1251]

Holiday Inn and Suites on Walnut is very convenient.

 

[Keels]

If I can't afford Paradise Pier, I stay at the Fairfield Inn. Love both!