Who wants to help me decide?

[European]

OK. So I'm planning on visiting Disneyland before the end of the year, probably October 12-19. I don't think I'll be going back before Ocotber 2008, but I am considering an annual pass (deluxe) because of the reductions. Now what should I do concerning the hotel?

1) Book Howard Johnson on their site with an annual pass discount, buy the annual pass the day of arrival. $804.48 + $239 deluxe annual pass.

2) Book a Howard Johnson package on the Disney site. $1016 no ART included. Upgrade the park tickets into an annual pass. How much will I have to pay extra?

3) Book Motel 6 on their site. $338.93 not including tax (which is $50.84?) + $239 deluxe annual pass.

4) Book a Motel 6 package on the Disney site. $716, ART is included. Upgrade the park tickets into an annual pass. How much will I have to pay extra?

Is there any advantage in booking a package besides the character phone call and the Toontown Morning Madness which both don't appeal much to me?

My limit is about $100 per night for the room. I just need a hotel withing walking distance of the parks which has clean rooms, friendly staff and a laundry room. I've previously stayed at the Alamo Inn and suites (we walked every day through Downtown Disney to the parks and that distance is manageable for me), which was ok, but I'd like a hotel that's a bit more pleasant this time. Breakfast or pool or anything like that is not necessary.

I hope you can help me out, because there are so many to choose from, but they all have bad reviews on trip advisor too. The reason why I might choose Hojo's is that almost everybody is so happy about this hotel, but I was hoping for a cheaper one.

 

[4bugzinarug]

Here is a map of the hotels around Disneyland:

http://www.geocities.com/ashpsyche/DisneylandLinkMap

There must be something going on at during the dates you have provided, as the $69 HOJO rate does not show available on their website. Also, the following hotels show no availablility for packages on the Costco.com travel website: Carousel, Best Western Park Place, Candy Cane Inn.

If the "Free" character breakfast and Toontown aren't important to you, you are really better off booking everything separately. Try the Tropicana, Desert Inn & Suites, Fairfield by Marriott. I believe those are all within walking distance.

If all else fails, there are some *really* nice hotels in Garden Grove on the ART shuttle route. The Hampton Inn is one of the top rated hotels ... when I checked that one for your dates it came up at $1006. That would include continental breakfast. Also, someone just posted an $89 rate for the Hyatt Regency!! Holiday Inn & Suites comes up at $934 for your time period.

I would go ahead and buy five day parkhoppers first to get early entry for one of the days you are staying. And *then* trade it up for an annual pass right after you use the early entry (since you will be paying within $10 of the same amount anyway!).

When comparing hotels, be sure to look at who charges for parking/who doesn't, etc.

 

[European]

Here is a map of the hotels around Disneyland:

http://www.geocities.com/ashpsyche/DisneylandLinkMap

There must be something going on at during the dates you have provided, as the $69 HOJO rate does not show available on their website. Also, the following hotels show no availablility for packages on the Costco.com travel website: Carousel, Best Western Park Place, Candy Cane Inn.

If the "Free" character breakfast and Toontown aren't important to you, you are really better off booking everything separately. Try the Tropicana, Desert Inn & Suites, Fairfield by Marriott. I believe those are all within walking distance.

If all else fails, there are some *really* nice hotels in Garden Grove on the ART shuttle route. The Hampton Inn is one of the top rated hotels ... when I checked that one for your dates it came up at $1006. That would include continental breakfast. Also, someone just posted an $89 rate for the Hyatt Regency!! Holiday Inn & Suites comes up at $934 for your time period.

I would go ahead and buy five day parkhoppers first to get early entry for one of the days you are staying. And *then* trade it up for an annual pass right after you use the early entry (since you will be paying within $10 of the same amount anyway!).

When comparing hotels, be sure to look at who charges for parking/who doesn't, etc.

Thanks so much for helping me out. I could still change my travel days as I still need to ask holiday approval at work. I'm going to NY for a week before going to Disneyland.

That $69 HoJo rate sounds great. How do you get this rate? And on which site?

Things I forgot to mention: I'm travelling solo and won't be renting a car.

So you get only early entry when you purchase a park hopper, it doesn't come with the package? Don't know if I need early entry, though. I do want to go during value season because of the lower crowds and I'm not an early bird. Plus the fact that I'll be there 5-6 days.

 

[kiwitravel]

Don't worry about Trip Advisor..... There are a lot of Hotels putting their own reviews on there these days, I have lost faith in the site. Having said that I don't believe HoJos are doing this, their reviews seem genuine and from long term TA members, many of the others on there have a remarkable number of people who join up, place a review that day and then never log on again.... TA is looking to change their systems to detect the URL of reviewers but are a way off from doing that yet.

The nearest hotels which have good reviews from this site are Carousel, BWPPI and Tropicanna, they are literally a 5 minute walk. HoJos and CCI also have very loyal followings and are each just over half a mile (about 15 min walk depending on speed). All these hotels have different strengths and weaknesses, CCI is the most expensive, the other 4 are all around the same price. HoJos entertainment rate appears to be the cheapest, although I did manage to get the same rate for Carousel for 15 nights in July.

 

[4bugzinarug]

That $69 HoJo rate sounds great. How do you get this rate? And on which site?

So you get only early entry when you purchase a park hopper, it doesn't come with the package?

The $69 rate is if you have an Entertainment Card from the coupon book (do an Ebay search for "Entertainment Book Orange County" or for whatever city you live in). You have to call the HOJO directly and make reservations with someone physically at the hotel (i.e. do NOT get transferred to their central reservations line). A limited number of rooms are available at that rate ... and if the rate is not available they will typically quote 10% off regular price. $69 is for "theme park view" and $54 is for a view of the pool.

Any 3 or more day parkhopper gives you one early entry day. It's fun to do if you never have before ... especially since it looks like the dates you are traveling might be a bit busy (Halloween thing will have just opened, fall break for many has started, etc). I believe that a Deluxe Annual Passport is $239 for an adult ... and you will pay $189 for a 5 day parkhopper plus somewhere between $40-60 total to add the other days. So you may as well get the Passport (either by upgrading the Parkhopper, or just buying it straight out). HTH!