Hotel Recommendations (Free Breakfast!)

[kittyklawz]

My husband said free breakfast is his top priority, also needs to have a heated pool + hot tub for my kiddo, and I would prefer to be walking distance but that's not a deal breaker if there is a shuttle. We are doing Disney on a budget in October and grandparents will also be coming. What is your recommendations for hotels?

 

[irlandaise]

Lots of choices, but I've always liked the Candy Cane Inn. Free breakfast, eminently walkable (about 10 min. to the esplanade), or you can take their free shuttle.

https://www.candycaneinn.net/

What breakfast items does your hubby want? The CCI has bagels and stuff like that that can be heated, but not waffles or scrambled eggs, if he's looking for a more extensive free breakfast.

 

[kittyklawz]

Lots of choices, but I've always liked the Candy Cane Inn. Free breakfast, eminently walkable (about 10 min. to the esplanade), or you can take their free shuttle.

https://www.candycaneinn.net/

What breakfast items does your hubby want? The CCI has bagels and stuff like that that can be heated, but not waffles or scrambled eggs, if he's looking for a more extensive free breakfast.

Ideally something with eggs/meat or other gluten free options like yogurt because someone in our party is allergic to gluten. For the hotels that have free shuttles, are you able to see the fire works at the end of the night and make it to the shuttle on time?

 

[2tinkerbell]

The Candy Cane Inn fits the walkable and has a free shuttle. However, their breakfast is an “expanded” Continental breakfast and could be considered heavy on the gluten. We always make it to the shuttle after watching the fireworks.

There are really only 2 hotels that have a grandfathered in dedicated shuttle. Candy Cane Inn or Majestic Gardens. At least that is what I have been told. I think some hotels in the Garden Grove area share a shuttle. All the others utilize the ART. There are hotels close to the Toy Story parking lot and you can walk there and take the shuttles. Many will have free breakfasts.

When the Candy Cane was closed I checked out a lot of YouTube video. I also read a lot of reviews.

 

[crystal1313]

Hotels that have included breakfast and are still walkable are: (already mentioned Candy Cane Inn), Best Western Park Place Inn and mini suites, Best Western Anaheim Inn (both on harbor), Home2Suites, Element, Holiday Inn Express and suites (all on Manchester). Further of a walk and might need to use ART or walk to Toy Story lot are: Homewood Suites, Hampton inn and suites, and Cambria hotel. There is also a Residence inn, Springhill suites and Hyatt House at the intersection of harbor and Katella. Plus Best Western Stovalls on the corner of Katella and Disneyland drive. Hope that helps!

 

[ComeToSocialize]

I would definitely look into Best Western Park Place Inn and Anaheim Inn. Extremely walkable (Park Place Inn might even have a shorter walk to Disneyland than the Grand Californian! Though obviously not to DCA). They have a pretty good buffet style breakfast right next door with eggs, bacon and sausage, fruit, yogurt and pastries/bread. And they do have a pool/hot tub, though those are honestly a bit dreary so we’ve never used them.

Because they are so close, they can actually get a little expensive for what is really a motel, but I’d definitely look into it. The short walk at the end of a long day is amazing

 

[DizMe]

You could also look into the Hyatt Regency Orange County, which has a shuttle but not free breakfast, and Embassy Suites Anaheim South, which has a shuttle and free breakfast. I believe there is a charge for the shuttle from both hotels.

 

[jhlmendez]

We stayed at the Element a couple of weeks ago. Free breakfast and walkable to park though not as close as others. I thought it was great for families staying for a bit because the rooms are large (our room had a King bed, bunk beds for 2 kids, and a pull-out couch. The rooms also have a full kitchen which can help w/ breakfast and maybe help cut down on dining costs especially for families staying 3+ days.

The reviews were good when I read them. It's a newer hotel so it doesn't have some of the same complaints about needing updates or maintenance that I saw in reviews of some of the other, older hotels in close proximity to the park. As mentioned above, the main drawback was distance from the park. It's about 10-25 minute walk (depending on your party) which can seem pretty long after a 20K-30K steps at the park during the day.

 

[kittyklawz]

If I wanna go super cheap, how is the motel 6? I know they don’t have breakfast but I saw they have free parking. Is it walkable? Also looking at stuff like del sol, Tropicana, desert palms and the other desert one

 

[Boardwalk_bride]

We are staying at the Hampton Inn and Suites Convention Centre. Haven't stayed yet, and never been to DLR before, but the resort gets high reviews, free breakfast, pool/hot tub, nice rooms, and was the best price for what we wanted (kids suite). Toy Story shuttle right behind it and looks like lots of restaurants in close proximity.

 

[monkeypat83]

I see from other posts that you have kids so will be bringing a stroller. One thing to think about when thinking about walking distance vs shuttle is that to take a shuttle you will have to fold up your stroller and take everything out of the bottom basket of the stroller/potentially wake a sleeping child which I find a pain. Pre-kids (or trips without kids) I am totally fine with a shuttle but I have a 3 year old and a 1 year old so I find that spending a little more money to stay walking distance is worth it for me to avoid the hassle of unpacking my stroller to ride the shuttle. Just something else to consider when choosing a hotel. Good luck!

 

[ballarinamom]

We stayed at the Tropicana before. The walking distance is great. Shorter than the Disneyland Hotel. We left too early for breakfast in order to make rope drop. So that may also be something to take into consideration. Will you be trying to hit rope drop and how that goes along with the breakfast times

 

[Pluto468]

We stayed at BW Plus Anaheim Inn last summer and loved it. They have a great hot breakfast with eggs and bacon, plus the usual danishes etc. I think they had waffles one day. This year we're staying at BW Park Place Inn because Anaheim Inn isn't available, but I've heard excellent things about Park Place.

 

[Bossy22]

We stay at Desert Inn & Suites and won't stay anywhere else now. It's the best bang for your buck. SOOOOO close, a breakfast (which isn't amazing but with the better price on room we can afford to suplement it). With grandparents coming we like the rooms they offer as well.

 

[crystal1313]

If I wanna go super cheap, how is the motel 6? I know they don’t have breakfast but I saw they have free parking. Is it walkable? Also looking at stuff like del sol, Tropicana, desert palms and the other desert one

Desert palms has a nice hot breakfast. It’s on the roof so they also have a great view into DCA. We really liked our stay there.

If you want free parking, Castle Inn, Wyndham Anaheim, Park Vue Inn, Candy Cane, Kings Inn and Hotel Indigo all have free parking. The only one of those with breakfast is Candy Cane. Park Vue is right at the pedestrian crossing on Harbor. So very close to the parks.

 

[kittyklawz]

We stayed at the Tropicana before. The walking distance is great. Shorter than the Disneyland Hotel. We left too early for breakfast in order to make rope drop. So that may also be something to take into consideration. Will you be trying to hit rope drop and how that goes along with the breakfast times

I don’t think we will do rope drop because we are slow to get ready in the morning lol

 

[irlandaise]

We stay at Desert Inn & Suites and won't stay anywhere else now. It's the best bang for your buck. SOOOOO close, a breakfast (which isn't amazing but with the better price on room we can afford to suplement it).

That's a good point, Bossy. Yogurt, cheese, and other perishable proteins are easy to keep in in-room refrigerators to supplement the bread products and fruits generally available at hotel breakfasts. That won't cut it for a family that wants egg dishes for breakfast, but it's better than just muffins and fruit.

 

[pennym]

Homewood suites has an excellent cooked breakfast spread. You can't do better. Right next to Toy Story parking lot for shuttles.

 

[DL1WDW2]

I have always stayed at Best Western Park Place Inn if I couldn’t afford Disney property.

But have been on the rooftop balcony at The Grand Legacy for fireworks viewing ! Very tempted to stay here next time!

 

[mamacatnv]

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express and Suites on Manchester in December. It had the best free breakfast we have ever experienced at a hotel. I would absolutely stay there again. We booked a package thru Costco which included very nice large rooms with 2 queen beds and a sectional sofa with a pull out and a chaise lounge. Very clean, great staff, amazing breakfast. As a party of 8, that breakfast saved us a ton of $$ which was one of the reasons we chose that hotel.

The breakfast area was large enough to accommodate guests, was kept very clean and tidy, was replenished often and had several hot choices every day along with staples of bacon, two different sausages (the pork maple links were amazing) potatoes, an egg item and then all the usual offerings. There were biscuits and gravy a few times as well.

Breakfast hours were 6:30-9:30, we made rope drop with no problem.