Choosing the Right DLR Area Hotel for You

[arizonacolbys]

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.

Thank you for the reassurance! I've been second guessing our choice for a couple weeks now. I think the girls will love the water area, so I think we're going to stick with it.

 

[arizonacolbys]

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!

Thanks for the great advice - I've loved reading through all the informative threads! Unfortunately, all the closer hotels you mentioned are out of our price range (and/or) out of rooms for our dates. We are on a budget with also visiting San Diego and LEGOLAND this trip. It's more money than our typical WDW vacation already! LOL

 

[DL Dreamer]

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.

It will be our own vehicle & thanks for the response!

 

[DL Dreamer]

Thanks - I did notice a few that had free parking but still am unsure as to their policy for allowing hotel/motel guests to park prior to check in and/or after check out on the arrival/departure days. Guess I should probably contact them and find out - thanks again!

 

[kyrkea333]

So here’s my question...the cost will be a major factor for me. Is it better to find a really cheap motel (under $60 per night) and use Uber? It will be a trip this summer with just my 14 yr old daughter and me. My ideal would be one of the closest spots so we can walk and it would be safe. But, it’s a stretch just to take the trip, so I’m trying to find cheap cheap for lodging.
Any safe but very inexpensive places?
Yes, I do realize it’s probably a pipe dream to find lodging that cheap. Anyone know of a good way to earn some money?? Ha ha!
Becky[/QUOTE

FWIW, I sent you a pm with some info about our favourite budget hotel. I just wanted to share it with you.

 

[StarWarsJez]

Last time we came it was 5-6 years ago and stayed at the Candy Cane Inn and LOVED IT. However our "kids" are grown up now and I think 2 rooms there will be very expensive.

Anyone recommend somewhere as close as that (ie walkable )who have mini-suites?

 

[smartlabelprint]

Last time we came it was 5-6 years ago and stayed at the Candy Cane Inn and LOVED IT. However our "kids" are grown up now and I think 2 rooms there will be very expensive.

Anyone recommend somewhere as close as that (ie walkable )who have mini-suites?

Best western park place inn
Park vue inn
Desert inn & suites
Camelot inn & suites
Hojo

 

[smartlabelprint]

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?

If you’re at a hotel on harbor it won’t be too bad to leave your car at the toy story parking lot the first and last day if necessary.

 

[smartlabelprint]

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

Check the rates at home wood suites if you’re hojo is for a week or more. Someone dus that last summer and the rate was cheaper with lots of food included.

 

[DL Dreamer]

If you’re at a hotel on harbor it won’t be too bad to leave your car at the toy story parking lot the first and last day if necessary.

Thanks!

 

[Minniemouse07]

Trying to decide between the Fairfield and the Tropicana for a three night stay, just me and my 12yo ds.

We stayed at the BWPPI last summer and loved how close we were, but it isn't available the dates we need. The Tropicana is closer and less expensive, but the Fairfield was recommended as worth the extra money.

Thoughts?

 

[smartlabelprint]

Trying to decide between the Fairfield and the Tropicana for a three night stay, just me and my 12yo ds.

We stayed at the BWPPI last summer and loved how close we were, but it isn't available the dates we need. The Tropicana is closer and less expensive, but the Fairfield was recommended as worth the extra money.

Thoughts?

Personally I’d go with Tropicana.

 

[Katiebird]

Thanks!

Contact the hotel to ask about parking. When we’ve stayed at the Hojo and Fairfield, they were fine with checking in early and storing our luggage and leaving the car there. We could also leave the car there on checkout day (the Fairfield always said subject to space, but it was always fine). I know at one point I contacted a couple of other hotels and they said the same thing.

The Sheraton Park’s official policy is you can arrive any time on check in day (your room might not be ready though) and your parking is god through midnight after check out.

 

[nancy155]

Has anyone had any experience with the Anaheim Hotel which is on Harbor and just across the street from DLR? It has recently been refurbished and got a great rate there of $99 per night. Would like input from others. TIA

 

[theluckyrabbit]

We've not had great experiences there before when it was the Anaheim Plaza (i.e. not great = room not as clean as we'd like, hot water/water pressure problems, a/c problems, staff attitude problems, etc. = not the worst, but we know we can do much better close by). Friends have reported that not that much has changed with the refurb -- token fancier look, new management, higher prices, same blah experience. For us and our friends, the best thing about the Anaheim Hotel is that Pizza Press is located there. Even with the special low rate, personally, I would rather stay somewhere else and know (with peace of mind) that I was going to have a pleasant stay.

 

[Supermavs]

FWIW, I sent you a pm with some info about our favourite budget hotel. I just wanted to share it with you.

Care to share with me as well? Trying to stay untra budget yet safe.

 

[kyrkea333]

Care to share with me as well? Trying to stay untra budget yet safe.

Of course!

I’ve stayed at the Clarion three times now; once with my daughter 20, once with my son 15, once by myself, and I’m going back in August with both of them at the same time. I’ve gotten it regularly on the hotel booking sites for $70 to $80 Canadian. It’s nice and quiet with a really nice big pool and we just pop across to the Toy Story lot and take the shuttle to Disneyland. It's also very walkable to the parks. It is showing its age (I discovered I actually stayed there as a teenager) and rooms might have minor issues, but I’ve found it to be clean with very comfy beds and nice staff.

We've decided it’s better for us to save money offsite and maybe have a little splurge in the park. I suggested to my kids that maybe we should stay somewhere a bit newer/nicer this time, and they were both adamant we stay there again. We travel on a budget so we can go more often. It’s lower rated on tripadvisor but I really think that’s because of its age.

Anyway....just my two cents! I hope you have a nice trip!

 

[nancy155]

We've not had great experiences there before when it was the Anaheim Plaza (i.e. not great = room not as clean as we'd like, hot water/water pressure problems, a/c problems, staff attitude problems, etc. = not the worst, but we know we can do much better close by). Friends have reported that not that much has changed with the refurb -- token fancier look, new management, higher prices, same blah experience. For us and our friends, the best thing about the Anaheim Hotel is that Pizza Press is located there. Even with the special low rate, personally, I would rather stay somewhere else and know (with peace of mind) that I was going to have a pleasant stay.

Thank you. May look and switch hotels to have peace of mind, I sure do not want hot water issues.

 

[DL Dreamer]

Contact the hotel to ask about parking. When we’ve stayed at the Hojo and Fairfield, they were fine with checking in early and storing our luggage and leaving the car there. We could also leave the car there on checkout day (the Fairfield always said subject to space, but it was always fine). I know at one point I contacted a couple of other hotels and they said the same thing.

The Sheraton Park’s official policy is you can arrive any time on check in day (your room might not be ready though) and your parking is god through midnight after check out.

Thanks!

 

[avalovesminnie]

I saw that the Tropicana has rooms that fit 5- a pull out single bed somewhere. Are there any others like this? We've usually stayed in suites but trying to spend less $ next time. Most of the across the street motels appear to have raised their rates! Thx