Any benefits to staying on property?

[Zippa D Doodah]

We are making our first DLR trip this summer. I researched, and thought long and hard on this topic. I ruled our DLH due to construction, and PP because it just didn't appeal to me. That meant my choice came down to Grand Californian or a place on Harbor.

I chose Candy Cane Inn on Harbor Blvd entirely because it is $1100 cheaper for me and my family to stay there than it is the Grand Californian during our four nights in Anaheim. Not to mention CCI gets good reviews, and looks to be a decent motel.

I love all the pics I have seen of GCH. It would be an absolute dream to stay there. Honestly, I could even afford the $1100. But it just seemed like money that would be better spent elsewhere. That kind of dough makes good seed money for a quick WDW trip later in the year! Just sayin'...

I look forward to experiencing it all this summer, and seeing if I have any regrets. Here's to magical journeys for all of us who will be vacationing at DLR this summer!

 

[CrazyDuck]

Everytime I think of Hawaii my wallet gets sucked dry.

Jack

You should try living here!

 

[blackjackdelta]

You should try living here!

Very funny, just has never been a favorite of mine. I do wish you luck in your Hawaiian endevores. I really enjoy your input.

Jack

 

[Hound 109]

We are making our first DLR trip this summer. I researched, and thought long and hard on this topic. I ruled our DLH due to construction, and PP because it just didn't appeal to me. That meant my choice came down to Grand Californian or a place on Harbor.

I chose Candy Cane Inn on Harbor Blvd entirely because it is $1100 cheaper for me and my family to stay there than it is the Grand Californian during our four nights in Anaheim. Not to mention CCI gets good reviews, and looks to be a decent motel.

I love all the pics I have seen of GCH. It would be an absolute dream to stay there. Honestly, I could even afford the $1100. But it just seemed like money that would be better spent elsewhere. That kind of dough makes good seed money for a quick WDW trip later in the year! Just sayin'...

I look forward to experiencing it all this summer, and seeing if I have any regrets. Here's to magical journeys for all of us who will be vacationing at DLR this summer!

I like the CCI....alot. (& i like hojo, fairfield & would probably stay at these & perhaps a few others on Harbor Blvd. as well.)

But I also like the PPH & would love to stay at the GCH.


IMO....If you spend most of your time in the parks & enjoy the Values at WDW then the CCI is a solid pick. (But definitely DO KNOW how to use the dedicated shuttle to your schedule & benefit....especially if you plan to be first at the turnstile in the AM).

But WDW vets who stay & like to lounge around at Deluxe resorts (imo) could be disappointed with Harbor hotels (& the lack of immersion etc.)...& should probably stay on site. Otherwise they are setting themselves up for disappointment in their ONE visit to Walt's Park. If you're used to dropping $250+ per night at WDW, then by all means stay at the DLH or GCH.

Maybe stay 2 nights at CCI & 2 nights at GCH? But as long as you know the CCI is basically a nice motel/hotel just outside the gates then you'll be ok.

.....& as long as you know the castle will be smaller than you will ever imagine...no, it's really smaller than even that. But actually it's just the right size when you get up to the HUB.

 

[skiingfast]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWPWFBnC2BU&feature=related

She explains things pretty good.

She said something that is not true and a couple things that are really stretching the truth, though she stated those couple things as opinions. I'm shocked they couldn't produce a better video. It's not windy everyday in Anaheim.

 

[bumbershoot]

From what everyone has said, it sounds like we should stay on property since it will be so busy the weekend we are there to take advantage of the early entry.

How long is your trip, and how many MMs will you get? They are usually on the S and T days. As a FWIW, if you only have one day of MM (like if you're checking in after opening on Saturday and are leaving before Tuesday, you'd only have 1 MM day), just by buying a 3+ day ticket you'd get MM with that.

Don't get me wrong...I like PPH quite a bit. (and DLH somewhat, and the Grand not all that much at all...the free, open to all, areas of the hotel are the best parts IMO) But I do NOT stay there b/c it's closer, and from the room we got at the Grand I'd be a fool to assume I was going to be closer than close offsite places (our room to the esplanade was literally almost as far as from HoJo's sidewalk to the esplanade!).

Umm yeah. I would rather be walking in Downtown Disney vs. sucking down the fumes of the buses and other traffic on Harbor Blvd anyday.

5. You can take the monorail into the park from downtown disney

Not a huge deal breaker but you usually get disney pins, lanyards, and a Disneyland backpack. Priority seating to Aladdin, day parade, muppets, and ITTBAB.

I've always noticed fresh clean air while walking from HoJo on the Disney side. On the other side, it's not as fun (or as fast) b/c of the driveways (once got stuck for nearly 5 minutes as a Pepsi delivery truck waited, while entirely blocking the sidewalk, to get out of a driveway) and the foot traffic.

Anyone can use the monorail at other times than the very opening of the park....

you can also charge purchases and food back to your room... also you can send purchases back to your hotel if you don't want to schlep them around the park all day!

The two times I tried to use it, it was unavailable b/c the stores didn't have the paperwork for it. They said "take your purchase and go to another store to fill it out", but those purchases were for DS who was with us and only 3 at the time, and once he saw those things it would have been more of a pain than it was worth, to send them away, not to be seen until the following morning....

It was so sad! But that process might be different nowadays; they might not have paperwork to fill out. Just having an emotional reaction b/c of our bummer experiences with it. Harumph.

 

[bumbershoot]

Onsite is expensive. I'd much rather someone have ALL sides of the story before using that money on a hotel! Our first stay at PPH was so disappointing, because of all I'd been lead to believe about it, that we enjoyed HoJo FAR more than PPH! We only tried it again b/c the great rate at HJ wasn't available, and PPH was cheaper than HJ (OK the MMs added some value to it). Thankfully we had the blinders off that time, and really enjoyed it. Whew!

I know it seems like I'm being argumentative, but whether a hotel is enjoyable or not is SO subjective...I feel it's important to hear all sides. For me, walking through a mall is one of the least enjoyable experiences I can have on a normal day...so to go to through the consumer mecca of DTD is just tortuous for me. Especially with DS and DH, because they get nasty cases of the "I wants" when they know perfectly well what the budget is... Knowing that to get from DLH, PPH, and the Grand out to the esplanade (for those days that you want to go to Disneyland before DCA is open) you have to walk through the mall is highly important if you're like me.

And so on.

 

[CrazyDuck]

Originally Posted by KCmike
Umm yeah. I would rather be walking in Downtown Disney vs. sucking down the fumes of the buses and other traffic on Harbor Blvd anyday.

5. You can take the monorail into the park from downtown disney

Not a huge deal breaker but you usually get disney pins, lanyards, and a Disneyland backpack. Priority seating to Aladdin, day parade, muppets, and ITTBAB.

I've always noticed fresh clean air while walking from HoJo on the Disney side.

Well that's because you are from Tacoma Washington! Just messin with ya!

Anyone can use the monorail at other times than the very opening of the park....

Yes but who would use the monorail, other than DLR hotel guests, to get back to their rooms, which is the whole reason for this thread! You wouldn't take the monorail out of Disneyland to walk back to HoJo's

 

[GhostlyHitchhiker]

You might not want to limit your hotel choices to just On-property or Harbor Blvd. As a seasoned WDW vet who hopped coasts and has now become more a DL vet, I have stayed on-site, across on Harbor and at some of the other nearby hotels many times.

On property at DL is NOTHING like on property at WDW. They are completely different parks, resorts and experiences entirely, imo.

Staying at any location here has its ups and downs. On property does give you a little bit of Disney feel, but the resorts are nowhere near as Disney-ified as the resorts at WDW (some may disagree, but this is my opinion). They are a Disney hotel certainly, but you aren't as immersed in Disney as you are at WDW. The cost for staying on site and the "perks" you get just don't add up to me. MM is nice for sure, but like someone else said, you get MM for buying a 3-day parkhopper anyway.

Having to walk through Downtown Disney to me isn't much different than Harbor Blvd (and depending on where you're staying, the walk can be LONGER than Harbor). Sure there are some Disney stores and it's cleaner, but it's still nothing but stores and restaurants trying to get you to buy their stuff. Which when I'm either trying to get TO the park or trying to get back to the hotel I don't really need in my face.

Across on Harbor you are "within walking distance", but that has it's downside too, with walking tired, grumpy children back to the hotel at the end of the night. Waiting at the lights to cross Harbor and then waiting at every hotel to be able to cross the drive-way can sometimes be tedious to downright LONG depending on how busy it is.

Right now my favorite place to stay is Staybridge Suites on Manchester. They are right on the ART line and only 1 mile from Disneyland. To put it in WDW terms, it's still better than an All-Stars Value Resort. IMO, ART runs about as well (if not moreso) as the bus system at WDW. We have had to wait at-most 20-25 minutes if we literally just missed the bus. They use nice, BIG clean buses so even when it looks like "OMG we'll never all fit! We'll have to wait for the next bus!" at the end of the night, we all still fit and it's only a 10 minute bus ride most of which is sitting at the light at Harbor & Katella to turn left. Staybridge has a full kitchen (no oven, but stovetop, microwave and FULL fridge/freezer) in every room and a free, nice breakfast (including scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage and make-your-own waffles/mini waffles) every morning. The prices are comparable to *better* than a lot of the hotels on Harbor.

I just got back at 4am this morning from a 3-day stay and am going again in May and am deciding where to stay. I have yet to stay at GC because I can never justify the costs to myself, but I look every time just to make sure. Let me give an example price breakdown. I am looking at a 4-night stay next trip:

Paradise Pier (2 queen beds): 1215 with no view; 1558 w/ view
Disneyland Hotel (2 queen beds): 1436 with no view; 1749 w/ view
Grand Californian (2 queen beds): 1910 with no view; 2452 w/ view

Staybridge Suites (2 bedroom suite, 1 King, 2 doubles, 1 sofabed): 700

Total walking to/from bus stops = less than anywhere on Harbor or on-site. Sure, I have to wait for a bus, but ART is actually pretty fantastic in my opinion (every driver we got was super nice) so any hotel on the ART route is worth looking into.

Writing up this post made it clear to me where to stay. I can use the extra $500-1800 savings from staying at Staybridge to make my own "Disney Magic" with my kids.

 

[CrazyDuck]

MM is nice for sure, but like someone else said, you get MM for buying a 3-day parkhopper anyway.

You get a (1) MM with a 3+ Day Hopper, You get ALL MM's if you stay onsite!

I just got back at 4am this morning from a 3-day stay and am going again in May and am deciding where to stay. I have yet to stay at GC because I can never justify the costs to myself, but I look every time just to make sure.

Don't knock it til you try it! It is the only Disney hotel are DLR that was actually built by Disney! Same architect that did Wilderness Lodge at WDW so you will notice similarities! as well as the "Disney Immersion" factor... Just don't wander east of Harbor, South of Katella, West of Disneyland Drive, and North of Ball... They way you will stay totally immersed!

 

[DahliaRW]

The two times I tried to use it, it was unavailable b/c the stores didn't have the paperwork for it. They said "take your purchase and go to another store to fill it out", but those purchases were for DS who was with us and only 3 at the time, and once he saw those things it would have been more of a pain than it was worth, to send them away, not to be seen until the following morning....

It was so sad! But that process might be different nowadays; they might not have paperwork to fill out. Just having an emotional reaction b/c of our bummer experiences with it. Harumph.

FWIW, I had no issue with this in January. In fact, the photo store told me I had to take it to town hall, and since I'd never done it I didn't know better. But then I bought some stuff at another store, mentioned wanting it sent to my room, and that CM told me that they do it right there and that in fact TH doesn't. She took both of my purchases and had them sent, even putting a big fragile note on the bag that had a picture frame and mug!

 

[GhostlyHitchhiker]

You get a (1) MM with a 3+ Day Hopper, You get ALL MM's if you stay onsite!

Only on the days that Disney does MMs. If someone is staying Friday through Sunday, they only have access to the Saturday MM anyway. Correct?

Don't knock it til you try it! It is the only Disney hotel are DLR that was actually built by Disney! Same architect that did Wilderness Lodge at WDW so you will notice similarities! as well as the "Disney Immersion" factor... Just don't wander east of Harbor, South of Katella, West of Disneyland Drive, and North of Ball... They way you will stay totally immersed!

Sorry, it's just not worth an $1200-$1800 price difference for a SMALLER room at the Grand Californian. I can do A LOT with that money to make my vacation more Disney-ified and special to my family than spend it on the hotel room.

And don't go to Downtown Disney either, cuz even though it's Disney property, I don't consider half of those stores Disney enough to count as full immersion.

This is why I say DL is a totally different beast than WDW.

 

[skiingfast]

Only on the days that Disney does MMs. If someone is staying Friday through Sunday, they only have access to the Saturday MM anyway. Correct?

You can use it on check in and check out day. You just have to show your room key and have ticket media to get in. So if you check in early and check out late, it won't be a problem.

 

[DLR29]

You get a (1) MM with a 3+ Day Hopper, You get ALL MM's if you stay onsite!

Ok, but how many MMs are people actually going to encounter on their trips? Assuming people are taking a 3-5 day trip, they will probably encounter 1 or 2 MMs, maybe 3. For us, staying onsite and spending those extra hundreds of dollars is not worth getting 1 or 2 extra hours in DL.

To each his own.

 

[GhostlyHitchhiker]

You can use it on check in and check out day. You just have to show your room key and have ticket media to get in. So if you check in early and check out late, it won't be a problem.

Except that Magical Mornings are only Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. So I suppose with a 3 day parkhopper vs. staying on property and you're there Friday, Saturday & Sunday you get one extra MM on Sunday? A one-day one-hour early entry into the park over a 3 day parkhopper still won't justify the cost difference, imo. If the Disneyland Resort hotels were a bit more reasonably priced it might be worth it, but they just set the prices too high.

I am one to splurge (sometimes too much) on lodging, most especially food, and everything else when on vacation, but the prices I quoted earlier are beyond my threshold of "splurging" and are just outright overpriced. I've stayed at the Disneyland Hotel in the past and I felt I overpaid, but not crazy. The prices at Disney just keep going up while other hotels are realizing the ecomony sucks and are discounting rooms to get people to stay with them.

Literally spending $2000 more for a 4 night vacation JUST for the hotel is not a reasonable splurge when at Disneyland. You spend how much time actually in the room enjoying your $500 per night? (That's for Grand Californian. Disneyland Hotel is still over double the price of the "other" hotels.)

I guess in WDW terms it comes down to comparing The Grand Floridian (Grand Californian) or Contemporary (Disneyland Hotel) or Yacht/Beach Club (Paradise Pier) to the All-Stars or any of the Moderate Resorts on the bus only route (anything on Harbor or ART route).

 

[LisainCalifornia]

Having to walk through Downtown Disney to me isn't much different than Harbor Blvd (and depending on where you're staying, the walk can be LONGER than Harbor). Sure there are some Disney stores and it's cleaner, but it's still nothing but stores and restaurants trying to get you to buy their stuff.

I really think you must be remembering your visit wrong. Downtown Disney is nothing like Harbor Blvd. Harbor Blvd. is a huge metro street with tons of traffic, buses, fast food chains and cheap motels. It isn't pretty by any stretch. Downtown Disney was designed to be more than a shopping area--it was meant to be a carless pramenade with lots of charm and a nice place to hang out. No one is hanging out on Harbor Blvd. unless they are selling something (and it isn't always legal).

People from all over LA go to Downtown Disney to eat and relax outside--day and night for the ambiance it provides. It may not be your cup of tea, but you can't really make it into a Harbor Blvd twin without stretching the truth.

And as far as it just being a "mall"--I disagree. Is Mainstreet in Disneyland "just a mall" as well--as they are trying to "sell you stuff" and it is just a bunch of stores restaurants? In my mind there is a difference between the two, no matter how you spin it.

 

[blackjackdelta]

Except that Magical Mornings are only Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. So I suppose with a 3 day parkhopper vs. staying on property and you're there Friday, Saturday & Sunday you get one extra MM on Sunday? A one-day one-hour early entry into the park over a 3 day parkhopper still won't justify the cost difference, imo. If the Disneyland Resort hotels were a bit more reasonably priced it might be worth it, but they just set the prices too high.

I am one to splurge (sometimes too much) on lodging, most especially food, and everything else when on vacation, but the prices I quoted earlier are beyond my threshold of "splurging" and are just outright overpriced. I've stayed at the Disneyland Hotel in the past and I felt I overpaid, but not crazy. The prices at Disney just keep going up while other hotels are realizing the ecomony sucks and are discounting rooms to get people to stay with them.

Literally spending $2000 more for a 4 night vacation JUST for the hotel is not a reasonable splurge when at Disneyland. You spend how much time actually in the room enjoying your $500 per night? (That's for Grand Californian. Disneyland Hotel is still over double the price of the "other" hotels.)

I guess in WDW terms it comes down to comparing The Grand Floridian (Grand Californian) or Contemporary (Disneyland Hotel) or Yacht/Beach Club (Paradise Pier) to the All-Stars or any of the Moderate Resorts on the bus only route (anything on Harbor or ART route).

I am going to jump in here with Lisa. We all have our own wallets and what we want to spend our money or not. What is overpriced to some may not be for others and I do not see the "overpriced" places having problems getting people to staying. My wife and I work 2 jobs a piece to be able to do what we want to, others are noyt willing to sacrifice their TV to be able to do, it is not important to them to enjoy the "overpriced food, accomadations, etc"
As for DTD, my family enjoys the shops, the eateries, the strolling at night time listening to music, etc. I have gone since 1955 and I never remember seeing harbor looking like DTD. It would be nice to have a better class hotel right across the street so I would have a different choice to make, but it is what it is. Everyone who goes to Disney does what they want to do.

Jack

 

[CrazyDuck]

It would be nice to have a better class hotel right across the street so I would have a different choice to make, but it is what it is.

There are some really good hotels right across the street.... Unfortunately that street is Katella, and the hotels require a walk of about 1 mile to get to the esplanade!

 

[LisainCalifornia]

Literally spending $2000 more for a 4 night vacation JUST for the hotel is not a reasonable splurge when at Disneyland. You spend how much time actually in the room enjoying your $500 per night? (That's for Grand Californian. Disneyland Hotel is still over double the price of the "other" hotels.)

Many people who stay on property do it with the help of one of the many discounts that the resorts offer througout the year. Right now there is one going that is 40% off, but in the summer (like the last few summers) they have been running promotions for "stay 5 nights and pay for 3". This doesn't cost 2000 for 4 nights like you are quoting. You can also book through places like Expedia (that is where we got a rate of 195.00 a night for a high tower view room at the Disneyland Hotel last July--which was a fantastic trip for me and my girls). So for me, that is worth the splurge!

We also just got a night at the DLH coming up soon that I scored a few weeks ago on Orbitz.com. The total was 232.00 for one night.

So if you do ever go again, you might try looking around for a better deal. The Grand is worth it at least once for most people.

 

[blackjackdelta]

There are some really good hotels right across the street.... Unfortunately that street is Katella, and the hotels require a walk of about 1 mile to get to the esplanade!

A Marriott or a Hilton are not what I am talking about. A Mandarin Oriental would be a start. Sure, Disney knows how to get their $$$ and their are people out there who are willing to pay the price.

Jack