$175 for a main gate hotel or Free hotel?

[Mike Bartenhagen]

We are going to be traveling to LA for a meeting in a few weeks and have extended our stay by one day to visit DLR. We are frequent WDW visitors but have never been to DLR. I have lots of Holiday Inn points so we could stay for free at an HI property but as I look at the DLR maps some of the motels directly across from the gate look very convenient, it looks as if it would cost about $175 for those hotels with tax. We will have a car so driving won't be a problem if needed. For a one day, one night trip is the close proximity of the maingate hotels worth spending $175?

 

[Baliezer]

We are going to be traveling to LA for a meeting in a few weeks and have extended our stay by one day to visit DLR. We are frequent WDW visitors but have never been to DLR. I have lots of Holiday Inn points so we could stay for free at an HI property but as I look at the DLR maps some of the motels directly across from the gate look very convenient, it looks as if it would cost about $175 for those hotels with tax. We will have a car so driving won't be a problem if needed. For a one day, one night trip is the close proximity of the maingate hotels worth spending $175?

I would say yes. Our first stay in the Disneyland area was at the Hyatt. It is a nice hotel, but having to wait for a shuttle, fold up at stroller and load it, then repeat the process all over again for the return, is a lot of trouble. Every stay since then has been with a walking distance motel. The convenience cannot be beat. Many times we leave the park when my two little ones are fast asleep. To be able to walk them directly to the room and unload them into the bed is priceless.

We also like the fact the it is easy to walk to the motel in the middle of the day for a break and head back without worrying about catching a shuttle. I have found most of the motels across the street to be very clean and nice. Fairfield Inn is very nice and really gives that "hotel" feel.

 

[Dot2Vegas]

I think it all depends on whether or not you plan on taking a break mid day, and who you are traveling with (young kids that you don't want to get in and out of the car after a long day?).
If you plan on being at the park with no breaks then I would chose the free hotel. It's only one day. I wouldn't stay far for a long trip but one day is no big deal.

 

[Cinderpamela]

I would have to say that for me it would totally be worth it to be across the street vs having to deal with a shuttle or a really long walk. Especially when you look at the locations of the Holiday Inn options.

If it means going to DL vs not going, then I say take the free option (we have stayed at Starwood properties on points, that are farther out, because it was the way to make the trip work money wise), but if the $175 is spent to make your life easier and ability to have more park time (especially since you are not knowing when/if you will make it back any time soon) then I say its worth it to stay across the street.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

I think it all depends on whether or not you plan on taking a break mid day, and who you are traveling with (young kids that you don't want to get in and out of the car after a long day?).
If you plan on being at the park with no breaks then I would chose the free hotel. It's only one day. I wouldn't stay far for a long trip but one day is no big deal.

I second this. If you're willing to get up early, shuttle or drive in, stay at the parks from opening until closing and not go back to a hotel for a break, then you may as well stay at the free hotel. You'll be using it for nothing but sleeping.

 

[pennyring]

Nah. $175 is way too much for anything on Harbor.

I like my cheapie hotels. Last spring we stayed in Buena Park for like $37/night. It was a ten minute drive and no big deal. It was a last minute trip, so the cost savings was great for us.

If you don't really care about the $$, then yeah, stay close. If you need to go back for a rest in the afternoon, yeah, stay close.

Otherwise, go freebie!

 

[GenGen22]

I think it does deepend on if you have little ones or not. I agree that taking the lil ones in & out of the stroller is a hassle & they do need to take a nap in the afternoon. But for us we stay a bit farther out like Buena Park, Garden Grove, Orange because its cheaper & either drive or take a shuttle because at the end of the day we don't wanna walk anymore as we are exhausted so, if it were me I would take the free nights stay I mean why not its free!

 

[dreeger]

It depends on your preferences and ages of your children I think. My boys are 13 & 16, so they don't need naps or breaks. I would prefer to stay further away and have a nicer hotel for less money (let alone free! Wow!) than stay at a motel. Not my thing.

We've always stayed at Homewood suites or Marriott suites and either shuttled or drove to DL lots (we have AP so we can park for free) and unless we stay onsite in the future, we will continue to stay further away.

 

[RayB]

Listen I stayed at the Holiday Inn on the backside of the park.It is literally miles to the park through some lonely territory.Nothing except the hotel to eat at.That said we were taking son to work at Disneyland and I too had points and used them.This hotel is old and lame.Again free is important so we used the points and it was fine.But it is not located conveniently at all.They were remodeling in Jan and had scaffolding all around the hotel--hope you are getting the picture here.They did allow son to park his car there for free, so all in all would probably do it again but would pay to park at Disneyland.The walk back was flat our kreepy nothing like the front side on Harbor..And there is no where to eat either like McDonalds etc on the front.

 

[ParkHopper1]

For one day, go with the free option. When I am not staying on site, the Holiday Inn on S. Walnut is my go to off site hotel. (I too stay on points). It is located RIGHT behind the M&F parking garage and takes literally seconds to drive around the block. It is nothing special, but on par with most of the surrounding off site hotels. It is walkable to the M&F garage trams, but I still would just drop the $15 to park, that way you can keep a change of clothes or extra stuff in the car.

If it were $175 to stay on site at one of the three resort hotels, absolutely.

There are also a few other Holiday Inn options near by. The holiday Inn Express on Katella is pretty loud and crappy in my opinion, definitely on the bottom end of quality for the chain.

The next closest Holiday Inn just a few miles away right along HWY 5 is another good option, but all of them can be a hike to walk in.

 

[Andromeda9mm]

For one day, go with the free option. When I am not staying on site, the Holiday Inn on S. Walnut is my go to off site hotel. (I too stay on points). It is located RIGHT behind the M&F parking garage and takes literally seconds to drive around the block. It is nothing special, but on par with most of the surrounding off site hotels. It is walkable to the M&F garage trams, but I still would just drop the $15 to park, that way you can keep a change of clothes or extra stuff in the car.

.

THIS

We stay at this hotel/motel everytime, on purpose. For us, it's great. We walk, because we like it. I love looking at the houses that have been there since Disneyland opened. We've stayed at that HI on Walnut 4 times.

Good luck!

Meredith in Utah

 

[Mike Bartenhagen]

Thanks for the replies, it is interesting to me how widely opinions vary on the HI properties around the park and especially the opinions on the south walnut property. I am a planner so I have read a lot and even in this thread the opinion very greatly on that property.

We have 3 kids, 2 older girls and a 10 year old son with special needs. He uses and wheelchair and does nap but would probably sleep in his chair (it tilts), if he did need to go home early one of us would take him and the other stay with the girls at the park.

In regards to the HI properties the Maintgate hotel appears to be under construction so we would skip that. Has anyone stayed at the Crown Plaza as that is also an option? Right now I have a room booked at the S Walnut property and as odd as it may sound I don't know if we want to stay away from the action...we when travel we sometimes prefer to be right in the mix of things.

 

[wallawallakids]

Personally, I would go for the free one and spend the whole day in the park.

 

[Cinderpamela]

Has anyone stayed at the Crown Plaza as that is also an option?

We have some friends who just stayed at the Crowne Plaza this past Friday and she said it was nice. The shuttle service was good and ran every 30 minutes on the hour and half hour. She also liked that the room had bunk beds. It's about 2 miles away so not as walkable but with the shuttle you wouldn't need to.

 

[Grumpy~N~Dopey]

Thanks for the replies, it is interesting to me how widely opinions vary on the HI properties around the park and especially the opinions on the south walnut property. I am a planner so I have read a lot and even in this thread the opinion very greatly on that property.

We have 3 kids, 2 older girls and a 10 year old son with special needs. He uses and wheelchair and does nap but would probably sleep in his chair (it tilts), if he did need to go home early one of us would take him and the other stay with the girls at the park.

In regards to the HI properties the Maintgate hotel appears to be under construction so we would skip that. Has anyone stayed at the Crown Plaza as that is also an option? Right now I have a room booked at the S Walnut property and as odd as it may sound I don't know if we want to stay away from the action...we when travel we sometimes prefer to be right in the mix of things.

we have stayed at this HI, I usually have to use a scooter, and the amount of time it took to get on an art shuttle and then to get the scooter secured was quite long. Also we had a double bed room there and the beds are very small doubles. I dont know what other rooms they have available I didnt really look well enough. I personally wouldnt stay there again when I have a scooter just because of the shuttle thing...
I dont know when you are going or what sites you have looked at but we use last minute travel and get away today for hotel and usually can get better rates than that. Last minute travel you can call and get better deals and then you will know where the hotel is as well. We have stayed at the Hilton on convention many times for under $90 which is still walkable but it is a longer
walk than across the street, but it is still doable which is nice with a wheel chair. the rooms are nice, big and most of all comfortable which is hit or miss in the across the street hotels.
If you do go "across the street" we have stayed at most of them and when I have to scooter I like fairfield inn, del sol, and Camalot inn. we have always had pretty large rooms and had enough room for the scooter.
Good luck and have fun!!

http://www.lastminutetravel.com/hp.aspx
http://www.getawaytoday.com/

 

[DisneyMomma81]

You don't need to spend $175 to stay closer!
LMT has been mentioned ~ Check this thread

If you don't want to join the club *I wouldn't unless there's still a free code* you can still see what hotel you're getting prior to purchase ~ read here

 

[tdhickey]

We are going to be traveling to LA for a meeting in a few weeks and have extended our stay by one day to visit DLR. We are frequent WDW visitors but have never been to DLR. I have lots of Holiday Inn points so we could stay for free at an HI property but as I look at the DLR maps some of the motels directly across from the gate look very convenient, it looks as if it would cost about $175 for those hotels with tax. We will have a car so driving won't be a problem if needed. For a one day, one night trip is the close proximity of the maingate hotels worth spending $175?

when are you going?