Hotels - location

[Nicoleclaw]

Hi everyone! We are in the middle of planning a cross country trip for July of next year. We are squeezing in 3 days at Disneyland. (I'd like more, but that is another story) We are looking at hotels. Is it any cheaper to stay further away? Is the ease of walking to the park worth it? Tell me your thoughts! Thank you!

In addition, I have been looking at the Tropicana..thoughts on it?

 

[larina]

It's definitely worth it to stay within walking distance. There are lots of places right across the street.

 

[Butterfly123]

Our first trip to Disneyland with kids we stayed further away and took ART. That was a mistake we never repeated! It is so much nicer to have a really short walk at the end of the day. Also, we always go back for a mid day break. We didn't like having our arrival and departure tied to a bus schedule, and a long walk (even 15 minutes!) is hard when you've been walking all day. So yes! It is worth it to stay across the street.

I haven't stayed at Tropicsna. We stay at BWPPI because their mini suites work for our family of 5.

 

[Nicoleclaw]

Any recommendations for close by? I've got Tropicana for $119 so far.

 

[HydroGuy]

Any recommendations for close by? I've got Tropicana for $119 so far.

Tropicana is a fine option. Never stayed there myself but have come close a few times. This thread has some advice and links:

"HydroGuy's Hotel Rule" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1199862

Three popular walking distance hotels on this forum are HoJo's, Best Western Park Place Inn (next door to Tropicana), and Candy Cane Inn.

But if you like Tropicana that generally seems like a solid choice from folks on this forum.

 

[Cal-Pie]

Any recommendations for close by? I've got Tropicana for $119 so far.

Tropicana is quite popular on these boards, although I've never tried it. I really like Park Vue and Desert Inn & Suites. You won't regret paying a bit more to stay closer, it's so much nicer to have a 5 minute walk than to have to deal with crowded shuttles.

 

[Nicoleclaw]

We will have our car since we are driving cross country...but I'm thinking we won't want to get in it at that point!
Thanks for the input!

 

[ginodeyoung]

Driving your own car from a hotel comes the "hassle" of the Mickey & Friends parking lot, which you can avoid by staying within walking distance.

While the lot and tram is as functional and efficient as it should be - I still find it a disappointing way to start the day, queuing up, but this time in a car, in an escalator, in a tram holding area. The 15 minutes that feel like an hour...

Having sudden nostalgia for the pre-DCA days when, with a bit of luck, you could drive up practically to the front if the park, and even if you were at the far reaches of the lot, the tram would come get you, instead of the other way around.

 

[Epek]

One thing to take into consideration is that it costs $18 (?) to park in the Disneyland lots, where as hotels are free-$10/day! That could be the difference of the cost of a further away hotel.

 

[PinkBudgie]

We love Candy Cane Inn- short walk, free breakfast, free shuttle if needed/wanted. Motel style, but made to look very nice. Flowers and vines on the building, cobble stone parking lot.

 

[lalasmama]

Staying further away is definitely less expensive, but some other things will increase the price--added gas usage, and parking at the parks will add up quickly, and eat up the price difference.

We usually stay at the Desert Inn and Suites. I believe it's about the same distance as the Tropicana. We choose DI&S because of the prices--in Feb, we usually spend about $70/night for their 2 queen room, plus taxes. I haven't looked at summer prices there, but I know the earlier you book, the cheaper their prices are. I think their parking fee is $9/day. They are less than 10 minutes from the front gates of Disneyland, *including* the time you spend crossing the street and going up the walkway on DL property. The place is nothing special--just a basic motel, 5 stories (I think), indoor pool (where I got a rash that took weeks to disappear), hard-ish beds. But, at Disneyland, I couldn't really care about anything more than having a place to shower and sleep!

 

[HappiestHaunt]

We will be there in July as well from the first through the sixth. We decided to splurge from our usually cheaper stays in a bit of a walk hotels to stay at a right at the cross walk hotel. I *think* we are going to stick with our Park Place Inn ressies, as they are the cheapest for accommodations that will work for our little family (two adults and an 8 year old). Even with their $10 dollar a day parking fee, the total is about $100 less for the whole stay than the hotel next door the Park Vue Inn ( the next cheapest closest hotel). We are looking at that one as well and might end up booking there. We found it amusing that hotels a bit further out were more for the same dates (and around the same kind of hotel). We love the idea of a 5 minute walk to the Main gates. But we may spend a couple of hours in the afternoon in the hotel room at most, so basic accommodations would work and the etra funds for other things would be great.

I have stayed many years ago at the GCH but frankly, I think the walk to Disneyland Park is about the same from there as with those two hotels (albeit a bit more fun through DD). You will be able to find other hotels with a longer walk at the same prices and some cheaper. It really depends on what you need in a hotel and what you will end up using. For us clean rooms are what we require, but we are not worried if The are fancy. For longer stays we like a fridge and a microwave to make eating outside of the parks possible.

 

[tarheelalum]

The Park Vue Inn is directly across the street from Disneyland. All you have to do is cross the street. They have a great free breakfast and free parking. Lots of places to eat around there as well.

 

[bcla]

I frankly like the Hilton, although they get docked for charging $16 per day to park. It's within a reasonable walking distance, and as a hotel it's frankly much nicer than the more budget/tourist hotels closer to Disneyland. I can walk to DL in 12 minutes depending on traffic lights.

It's also primarily a business hotel serving the convention center, so often they have better rates during holidays since there aren't typically major conventions going on. I've seen rates there as low as $59, with a "friends and family" code.

 

[Ptwolfman]

I frankly like the Hilton, although they get docked for charging $16 per day to park. It's within a reasonable walking distance, and as a hotel it's frankly much nicer than the more budget/tourist hotels closer to Disneyland. I can walk to DL in 12 minutes depending on traffic lights. It's also primarily a business hotel serving the convention center, so often they have better rates during holidays since there aren't typically major conventions going on. I've seen rates there as low as $59, with a "friends and family" code.

Is there a shuttle or does ART stop there? Thanks

James

 

[sk8jdgca]

Is there a shuttle or does ART stop there? Thanks James

. There is an ART stop or alternatively, walk straight down the driveway to the light, cross the street and you are in the ToyStory parking lot, a couple more steps and you can take the free shuttle from the parking lot.

 

[bcla]

Is there a shuttle or does ART stop there [Anaheim Hilton]? Thanks

James

Route 4. Apparently it's just the Hilton to Gardenwalk and then DL and no other stops. The Toy Story lot was mentioned, and that's across Harbor. I've talked to the drivers, and passengers aren't required to actually park in the lot to use the shuttle. The only thing they said was that they were only allowed to drop off passengers at the Toy Story Lot and Disneyland.

Early in the morning - I'd just walk. That part isn't terribly crowded, and I like the walk in front of the convention center.

 

[travisx4]

We just ended our stay at the Hilton this morning. The parking rate was only $5.00 each day with in and out privileges. The walk to Disney is 8/10ths of a mile so 12 minutes is doable but that is a very brisk pace. Plan on at least 20 minutes to get to the entry on South Harbor, you then have the walk down the bus plaza and through security so hotel to either park gate is in the 30 to 35 minute range. The hotel is very nice but they do charge $12.95 per day for the internet.

 

[ClaraOswald]

Walking is definitely worth it! We've stayed at the Anaheim Plaza, which is just 'eh.' But we are trying the Desert Inn this time as their prices are great....and it's even closer.

 

[rainyday77]

We have stayed at tropicana twice and it was nice. Really nice pool and hot tub. We stay at desert inn and suites when we go in feb. As it has an indoor pool and family suites as we travel with my parents. Have stayed at carousel inn as well. We are trying camelot inn in April as it was cheapest and is a sister property to tropicana. Have also considered del sol. I would not choose a hotel further than a block away as distance becomes greatly skewed after spending 12 hours walking in the parks and your body is beyond exhausted on your way back to the hotel. I agree that it sucks waiting for the ART at the end of the night so we would never do that again!