Choosing the Right DLR Area Hotel for You

[superdeluxe]

How much further of a walk is the Anaheim Fairfield compared to the Best western?

 

[HydroGuy]

We were happily booked in at the BWPPI, until we noticed a much better rate at the Tropicana. The king room at the Tropicana looks smaller, and the parking is more expensive, but even so it is around a $400 savings for our stay. I'm not sure if there is anything at the BWPPI that would justify the extra expense? (Not terribly interested in the breakfast.) So we will probably try the Tropicana.

I would say no. I like the rooms better at BWPPI over Tropicana. Other than that not much. The difference in distance is negligible.

 

[HydroGuy]

One of the things we discussed in this thread is that the real question is far your hotel room door is to the parks (including delays for elevators) - not how far the hotel is. Some hotels have significant internal walks you need to make.

The OP provides a map you can use to answer this question for yourself. The Fairfield on Harbor is probably 5-7 minutes longer than rooms near the front of BWWPI.

 

[EvangelineG]

I would say no. I like the rooms better at BWPPI over Tropicana. Other than that not much. The difference in distance is negligible.

Thanks for responding, and good to know!

 

[sherilaine]

We have always stayed at the HOJO but our very first trip was when our kids were 9 and 8 - so they were pretty good with the walk. Now that they are teenagers they are better with it than I am.

However, if I was going with small kids that do not have a stroller they would likely find it a long walk and you'd likely be carrying them at the end of a long day of walking at DLR.

Ironically the water park at HOJO is really only aimed at kids about 10 and under. So my suggestion is for any family that is staying at the HOJO with younger kids enjoying either the water park or the kids suites (which are wonderful) - having a stroller even if your child would not use one otherwise - might be something to consider.

 

[Ava]

I am looking at hotels for our first trip to DLR in July. Want to stick with IHG because I have points & a free night to use with them. It looks like the two closest options are the Holiday Inn Express on S Manchester or the Hotel Indigo on W Katella. Google Maps is showing 11 minutes from HIE to the park gates, and 15 minutes from Indigo. Do these walk times seem accurate? They are both newer hotels so aren’t on the maps I’ve seen posted (unless I’m missing them).

 

[sherilaine]

I am looking at hotels for our first trip to DLR in July. Want to stick with IHG because I have points & a free night to use with them. It looks like the two closest options are the Holiday Inn Express on S Manchester or the Hotel Indigo on W Katella. Google Maps is showing 11 minutes from HIE to the park gates, and 15 minutes from Indigo. Do these walk times seem accurate? They are both newer hotels so aren’t on the maps I’ve seen posted (unless I’m missing them).

The Holiday Inn is just behind the Courtyard Maingate and beside the HOJO - I'd say 11 minutes from there is pretty accurate provided you are walking at a decent pace. I can't speak to the other one but I'd say anything up on Katella would be a longer walk.

 

[StarlitNight05]

I am looking at hotels for our first trip to DLR in July. Want to stick with IHG because I have points & a free night to use with them. It looks like the two closest options are the Holiday Inn Express on S Manchester or the Hotel Indigo on W Katella. Google Maps is showing 11 minutes from HIE to the park gates, and 15 minutes from Indigo. Do these walk times seem accurate? They are both newer hotels so aren’t on the maps I’ve seen posted (unless I’m missing them).

We've stayed at Hotel Indigo and 15 minutes is about right. I am a bit of a powerwalker, and was able to do it in about 10-ish minutes (although that depends on how crosswalk timing works out too).

 

[Frozen2014]

Do you think the deluxe rooms are dis are quieter?

We stayed at Desert Inn in August. Not sure how much room you need but we were in a parlour suite and enjoyed. Found it spacious and location is amazing. The elevator was just beyond the pool so walk wasn't bad. Room was quiet. Would book there again.

 

[mel373]

Hi! All this info is awesome! Thanks!

We can’t decide on the Sheraton at the Park or the Fairfield on S Harbour. We don’t mind walking a little bit. I heard the rooms at the Fairfield are tiny?
We would be 2 adults and 2 teens.

We also have the paradise pier booked but the price is $400 more to stay there.

First time at DL and need some help from someone who has stayed at these hotels.
Thanks!

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Haven't yet stayed at the FFI, but the Sheraton Park is one of our go-to hotels in Anaheim. The walk actually works out well for us, since it is a good warm up on the way to the parks and a good cool down at the end of the day. The walk back takes you by the A Mart (formally the ABC Mart) and 7-11 (both convenience stores) and the 24/7 CVS, all on Harbor, so it is easy to pick up snacks and drinks for the hotel room and for the next day. If you don't want to walk, you can cross Harbor to take the free shuttles from the TS parking lot. We've always had good experiences at the Sheraton. For 2 adults and 2 teens, the bathroom in a standard room might be too small, although I can't imagine that the bathroom at the FFI is bigger.

 

[aymiewilson]

We stayed at Desert Inn in August. Not sure how much room you need but we were in a parlour suite and enjoyed. Found it spacious and location is amazing. The elevator was just beyond the pool so walk wasn't bad. Room was quiet. Would book there again.

Just curious to know how far back on the property your parlor suite was? I'm going with a group of 6 the week of Nov. 11 for the start of Christmastime, and I saw a rate for less than $2k for 6 nights for that parlor suite, so I booked. We're all early 30s, no kids, so I mean... even 10 mins walk to the turnstiles isn't a big deal for us. I'm just curious to know how far back on the property those parlor suites are! Also very curious to know what was on the breakfast menu! Typically when we do Disney trips together, we book somewhere that has a mini fridge so we can keep yogurt or milk and cereal in there to eat in the room prior to rope dropping the parks. We can do that again if the complimentary breakfast sucks, but it would be nice not to have to bother!

 

[goooof1]

Lots of recent questions about hotels and where to stay.....thought I'd search and bring this VERY informative thread to the top again!

 

[arizonacolbys]

We are planning our first DL trip with the kids the first week of June - my girls will be 8 & 9 on our trip. My husband & I haven't visited since we were kids, but go to WDW annually. I keep changing my mind on the best place to stay! We're currently booked at the Hojo - primarily for the waterpark & the rate. I love the look of the waterpark at the Courtyard, but I think the price is going to be too much to swing with everything else we're planning on our Cali trip. Are these the 2 hotels with the nicest water play areas? Swimming is normally such a huge part of our WDW trip for the kids, so I'm hesitant to stay somewhere without a fun water area. I'd love any other suggestions! Thanks

 

[katyringo]

We are planning our first DL trip with the kids the first week of June - my girls will be 8 & 9 on our trip. My husband & I haven't visited since we were kids, but go to WDW annually. I keep changing my mind on the best place to stay! We're currently booked at the Hojo - primarily for the waterpark & the rate. I love the look of the waterpark at the Courtyard, but I think the price is going to be too much to swing with everything else we're planning on our Cali trip. Are these the 2 hotels with the nicest water play areas? Swimming is normally such a huge part of our WDW trip for the kids, so I'm hesitant to stay somewhere without a fun water area. I'd love any other suggestions! Thanks

We stayed at the Hojo in December and LOVED it. The water playground is super great and they have a hot tub that faces it so I could relax while kids played. The walk to and from the parks was nothing... and considering your used to WDW the walk will seem crazy short lol. We are planning on staying there again with the kids.

 

[HydroGuy]

We are planning our first DL trip with the kids the first week of June - my girls will be 8 & 9 on our trip. My husband & I haven't visited since we were kids, but go to WDW annually. I keep changing my mind on the best place to stay! We're currently booked at the Hojo - primarily for the waterpark & the rate. I love the look of the waterpark at the Courtyard, but I think the price is going to be too much to swing with everything else we're planning on our Cali trip. Are these the 2 hotels with the nicest water play areas? Swimming is normally such a huge part of our WDW trip for the kids, so I'm hesitant to stay somewhere without a fun water area. I'd love any other suggestions! Thanks

Different strokes for different folks. When we stayed at Hojo's it was nice. But the walk back at night with my kids (all under 10 at the time) just seemed so long. I like to joke that the distance from DLR to Hojo's at night is 4 times as far as the distance from Hojo's to DLR in the morning LOL!

After that we always stayed onsite (GCH/DLH) or closer to the Harbor Blvd crosswalk (usually at BWPPI). But that is just us. At DLR you are so close to the parks compared to WDW that we always find ourselves spending way more time at the parks and way less time at the hotel. So hotel amenities (to us) are less important at DLR. YMMV.

Good luck!

 

[DL Dreamer]

Been to WDW four times but planning our first Disneyland trip. Thanks, HydroGuy for ALL the helpful threads & information & thanks everyone else who has contributed! We are category 2 (easy walking distance hotel) but the problem we are running into is that we will be arriving well before check in on our arrival day & departing well after check out on our departure day & we are noticing that many (hopefully not all?) of the hotels restrict parking in such a way that we will have to do something else with our vehicle on those days. We'd prefer not to have to drive to the Disneyland parking if it can be avoided, especially after reading the advice in this & other threads to avoid doing that. Can anyone help with any other options we might have?

 

[Katems]

Candy Cane Inn all the way! Free breakfast, free parking, free shuttle, AND a ten minute walk down the sidewalk to the gates! And it's on the same side as Disney so there's only one place you have to cross a street which is really just a small cul de sac that Disney buses use to turn around in. The rooms are nice and the people are nice. You can ask for a room facing the fireworks but if you don't get one just walk around the top balcony (the motel is U shaped and being a motel you can walk in front of all the rooms on the upper balcony. The place is DRIPPING with hanging plants and flowers, there is a convenience store RIGHT next door for anything you forget (I always buy a package of water bottles and a cheap hand soap (pump) for the room. There is a fridge and coffee maker and little known fact...next to the TV is a tiny white tray you can use to bring up breakfast from the lobby to your room. There are no elevators though so if your luggage is heavy request the ground floor.

 

[HydroGuy]

Been to WDW four times but planning our first Disneyland trip. Thanks, HydroGuy for ALL the helpful threads & information & thanks everyone else who has contributed! We are category 2 (easy walking distance hotel) but the problem we are running into is that we will be arriving well before check in on our arrival day & departing well after check out on our departure day & we are noticing that many (hopefully not all?) of the hotels restrict parking in such a way that we will have to do something else with our vehicle on those days. We'd prefer not to have to drive to the Disneyland parking if it can be avoided, especially after reading the advice in this & other threads to avoid doing that. Can anyone help with any other options we might have?

I understand the issue but it has not impacted me personally as much because by the time the Harbor hotels got picky about parking I had stopped having a car. Are you driving your own car or a rental? If your own, then I am afraid your only real choice is Disney parking. Toy Story Lot may be the best bet. I would not leave my luggage in the car though. I would have the hotel hold the luggage.

If you are driving a rental (this is me these days) I always return the car at the beginning of the trip and get a new car at the end if I need one.

 

[katyringo]

I think the hojo has free parking.