$381 per night at Disneyland Hotel, REALLY???

[TeddiBarra]

Ok I just did it for you...

roomrates are 415/415/315.

The Disney hotels no longer charge a resort fee, they do however now charge for parking (DLH is $15 plus tax (15%), and you can park two cars for that price). If you won't have a car, that's nice.

Remember anaheim hotel tax is 15%, except that now there is a temporary additional 2% city resort improvement tax.

If you had a discount equal to 25%, with tax it would be $1005. Parking add $52.

Have you ever stayed at the Paradise Pier? It might be more in your price range...

 

[frijolefrito]

Military 40% off. If it wasn't to me.. still worth it.

 

[teach1abc]

We went that same time but during the week (Wed-Sat) last year. We paid $750 for three nights at the Grand. I think Friday night was quite a bit more because of the Candlelight Processional. The park was fairly empty Wed and Thurs but got crazy crowded Friday and Saturday. If we go again this year, I think we might try Sun-Wed right after Thanksgiving.

The way I did it, we booked a room early on. I continued to check the website on different days and times. One day, probably 2 mos before our trip, I found this rate. After I changed our reservation, I kept looking to see if the price would continue to go down but I never saw it below $900 ever again.

 

[Sherry E]

Try doing the "Saved Offers" tactic I spoke of in my post to oumagic above. Don't pay for anything or officially book it. Just Save it on the DLR website. Another DIS'er JUST received an offer/PIN code after trying that, and the rates are:

10/16/11-11/19/11 and 11/27/11-12/17/11
Paradise Pier $163
Disneyland Hotel $186
Grand Californian $247


You have to actually have the offer sent to you from DLR, but if you Save the hotel-only rates for the dates you want in the My Disneyland section of the DLR website, they will see you did not book at that rate and most likely send you something better.

That's what I did last year and that's what several other DIS'ers have done!

 

[rosiep]

but keep in mind that at WDW, at any of the value or moderate resorts, you need a car. You have to take time in the morning to get to the parks. In a few of the deluxe resorts you can walk to a theme park (or get on a quick boat ride) but you still need to commute to the other parks.

DL only has 3 hotels, but they are all within walking distances of the 2 parks that WDW people can only dream about. I've stayed at the Contemporary at WDW (the only resort where you can walk to MK) and the Yacht Club at WDW (were you can walk to the 'back door' of Epcot) and in both cases it was more difficult to get to the parks (ANY of the parks) than it is at DL.

Just want to clarify..you don't need a car...WDW provides shuttle buses from all their resorts. What you do need is transportation (in most cases but not all)...Some of the newer resorts are within walking distance to Epcot.

For myself I would much rather fly across the country and stay onsite at WDW than to stay off-site at Disneyland. While it is quick and easy, Harbor Blvd is much too depressing. This last trip (in May) I saw several cast members in uniform waiting for the bus looking sad and dejected. Forgive me but I love the WDW "bubble".

 

[brenda1966]

A couple of things....

Pin codes -- the elusive pin codes. I've requested DVD's, registered on all the web sites, saved vacations online, stayed onsite year after year at WDW and still have never received one!

I don't believe it's fair to compare staying on site at WDW to staying onsite at DL or even Universal Studios Orlando. WDW has dozens of resorts, in all prices, down to the values that I love. DL and USO only have 3 hotels each, so you really have to think of those as deluxe hotels. The values are the little motels that you stay at nearby (like Best Western or Hojo's etc.). I think you must view those walkable hotels on HArbor as your "value onsite" hotels. Really, how much closer can you be? The walk down Harbor doesn't bother me because I choose to look at the matterhorn peeking up over the wall, or the monorail rushing by.

 

[DisMike]

I am not sure it keeps attendance down or it doed not seem that way when I am there also DLR is doing fairly well with their earnings. Everytime we visit we are told the GCH is sold out so i wonder what the other resort holtels are doing.

Jack

Actually, it most likely does keep attendance down. Not down like low attendance but down from where it possibly could be. It's like trying to prove a negative.

Imagine if everything was 50% less than it is now. That includes, admission, food, hotel.... Imagine how crowded it would be then.

That was my point.

 

[Sherry E]

....I think you must view those walkable hotels on HArbor as your "value onsite" hotels. Really, how much closer can you be? The walk down Harbor doesn't bother me because I choose to look at the matterhorn peeking up over the wall, or the monorail rushing by.

brenda1966 - ^^That's kind of what I was thinking, too. In this particular scenario - being the layout of DLR and the surrounding area - the Good Neighbor hotels really are the equivalents of the WDW value onsite options. The only thing that's missing is the Disney 'stamp,' I suppose - the Disney name & the accompanying bits of magic sprinkled here and there. Otherwise, those would definitely be the value onsite parallels to WDW.

 

[lapdwife]

I'd love to take the family on a Disney cruise for example but with the airfare, cost of the cruise, etc. it would run around $5,000 and that's if we only took the two young kids.

P.S. I know that Disney has a kids sail free for Mexico in November and December. Don't want to go there.

I'd do the Mexico and not get off the ship. But we're doing a 5 night Dream next year, paying the amount you posted above. The awesome thing about that, though, is that they take payments interest free. I have only stayed cash for one night or used DVC points to stay on property at both WDW and DL, but is there such a thing here too?

 

[Kathymford]

The theory is with only 3 on-site hotels there isn't as much competition in DL as there is in WDW.

For off-stie, I've stayed at the Anabella and can really recommend it. The rooms are big and usually not too expensive. And really close to DCA espeicially.

 

[cmwade77]

That is actually cheap, many nights DLH charges $500/nt.

 

[Krissy Marissy]

but keep in mind that at WDW, at any of the value or moderate resorts, you need a car. You have to take time in the morning to get to the parks. In a few of the deluxe resorts you can walk to a theme park (or get on a quick boat ride) but you still need to commute to the other parks.

DL only has 3 hotels, but they are all within walking distances of the 2 parks that WDW people can only dream about. I've stayed at the Contemporary at WDW (the only resort where you can walk to MK) and the Yacht Club at WDW (were you can walk to the 'back door' of Epcot) and in both cases it was more difficult to get to the parks (ANY of the parks) than it is at DL.

As stated this is not true. Disneyland provides transportation for all of their guests at all of their hotels. We haven't stayed anywhere below a deluxe resort and now do DVC but I know busses go to all hotels. Also, my fav hotel, the grand floridian you can walk straight to the MK Lovely lighted path along the water and monorail tracks. I have stayed at all deluxe resorts and remember taking a bus each time

 

[helenb]

As stated this is not true. Disneyland provides transportation for all of their guests at all of their hotels. We haven't stayed anywhere below a deluxe resort and now do DVC but I know busses go to all hotels. Also, my fav hotel, the grand floridian you can walk straight to the MK Lovely lighted path along the water and monorail tracks. I have stayed at all deluxe resorts and remember taking a bus each time

I wasn't saying that Disney didn't provide transportation, only that that transportation is pretty terrible. You are far better off in your own car, with a few minor exceptions (e.g. taking the boat launch from the Wilderness Lodge to MK). And no matter which resort you stay in, you will have to trek across the World to see all of the parks. The buses generally aren't fun, especially at the beginning and end of the day, when they are packed with people. And it's nearly impossible to use them to get to the park early enough for first entrance for Early Entry mornings. IME, the WDW transportation is poor, and a car is definitely preferable.

Regardless, my point still stands: at WDW, the Deluxe hotels are the ones that have easy access to ONE park (or two if you're lucky) out of four. The moderate and value resorts require significant transportation time to all four parks. Thus the reason we stay at deluxe hotels at WDW is for location/convenience. At DL, *all* 3 resorts have this level of convenience (and far more so than the deluxe resorts at WDW) and therefore that convenience is worth paying for, putting the DL hotels on a par with the 'deluxe' WDW resorts in terms of cost.

 

[HappyHaunt]

We didn't mind taking the buses at all at WDW. We were at the Caribbean Beach resort. They came all the time, and sure you had to wait some late at night when leaving the park. We had some good laughs actually when it was quite full one night coming back from the MK. We were standing and just having a laughing fit. lol But it wasn't that bad, wouldn't have wanted to have a car there. We even hopped a few times, no big deal. I think people make a bigger deal out of the buses then it really is.

 

[brenda1966]

My heart belongs to DL, but I have to defend the WDW bus system. I've used it every time and I've been to early entry and standing at the gates before they open. I've seen the opening ceremony at MK several times. The buses have served me well, granted they do take up a lot of time, but so does driving to the parks. Which is why I do love how compact DL is.

 

[rosiep]

I think we can all agree that staying onsite at Disney, whether World or Land is infinitely more magical than staying offsite. How could it not be?

I don't mean to make this into WDW vs DL...

But for my money, staying onsite at WDW has more value...especially because there are only "deluxe" options at DL. At WDW, staying onsite, whether at a value or a deluxe, affords you "free" airport transportation, often it includes specials like "free" dining, morning and evening extra magic hours, and the resorts all have expansive grounds.

* free is in quotations because essentially it's factored into your purchase price.

 

[yesman70]

IM staying at DLH next week. Been to WDW and DL 4 or 5 times over the years and ive always wanted to on site at a Disney hotel. This will be my first time staying on property.

I saved up for a few years on my Disney Chase Visa. That helps alot.

 

[krash2501]

Ok I just did it for you...

roomrates are 415/415/315.

Have you ever stayed at the Paradise Pier? It might be more in your price range...

Thanks. Yes I have stayed at PPH as mentioned in my post and loved it. I am goint to move my dates. When would be a better time to go? The week after that like 12/9 - 12/12?

 

[lovebug33]

I wasn't saying that Disney didn't provide transportation, only that that transportation is pretty terrible. You are far better off in your own car, with a few minor exceptions (e.g. taking the boat launch from the Wilderness Lodge to MK). And no matter which resort you stay in, you will have to trek across the World to see all of the parks. The buses generally aren't fun, especially at the beginning and end of the day, when they are packed with people. And it's nearly impossible to use them to get to the park early enough for first entrance for Early Entry mornings. IME, the WDW transportation is poor, and a car is definitely preferable.

Regardless, my point still stands: at WDW, the Deluxe hotels are the ones that have easy access to ONE park (or two if you're lucky) out of four. The moderate and value resorts require significant transportation time to all four parks. Thus the reason we stay at deluxe hotels at WDW is for location/convenience. At DL, *all* 3 resorts have this level of convenience (and far more so than the deluxe resorts at WDW) and therefore that convenience is worth paying for, putting the DL hotels on a par with the 'deluxe' WDW resorts in terms of cost.

We had no problems with the buses. We never had to wait much more than 10 minutes, which is better than the trek to the car. We never had to stand. We got there so early for Magic Hours that we were the family of the day at MK. To us, it was much better than shelling out more money for a car and more money for parking. DH was glad he didn't have to navigate the roads when he was exhausted. And, we went at an incredibly busy time of the year, Spring Break!

 

[LisainCalifornia]

like everyone else has said--you have to wait till the new promotions are released. I got 30 percent off for our stay at the Grand Californian (leaving on Sunday!) using their "spring promotion". Anyone could have used it--you don't need an AP. Keep going back to the disney.com websit and checking for "special offers".

I booked in April for our trip coming up this weekend.