Benefits of staying @ a Disney hotel?

[MaryAnnDVC]

Besides convenience, magic, and all that swell stuff are there ticket price benefits? Early entry? Anything else?

If so...do you need to stay a particular number of nights? I plan to do one night probably, as the majority of our trip will be visiting my sister in Long Beach, which isn't too far away...just thought it would be nice to do a night at Disney, especially if we can get into DL early in the morning.

 

[lucky1]

While the theming is not a great as with WDW resorts, the resorts are attempting to add that Disney Touch to your vacation.

Benefits with staying at a DL Resort.
1. Early entry into DL every day that it is offered (Not available Wed/Sun).
(If you purchase some multi days passes, one EE day is included regardless of staying in DL resort)

2. Charge purchases, meals in DD, DCA and DL back to your hotel room

3. DGC and PP Hotel guests have their own entry into DCA. DGA guests can enter early into DCA, but there is no posted early entry days.

4. Packages purchased in DL, DD and DCA can be delievered to your DL Resort.

5. Everything is short walking distance throughout the DL resort.


Since everything is so close together around DL resort, staying at one of the good neighbor hotels is a very good and easy option if you can't justify the cost of one of the Disney owned hotels. Actually some are just as close of a walk, but will see the "Outside world" on your walk to Disneyland resort area.

 

[teri]

Check these recent threads...
Disneyland Resorts
Paradise Pier

You can search for Disneyland Hotel, or Grand Californian, and gets lots of insight. They do have reduced rates for park hoppers there. With the new park, I would say it is a 3-day minimum stay to really "do" the parks and get a good sample of the restaurants and other features.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

I just called, and booked a Wednesday night at the Disneyland Hotel. Paradise Pier also had availability, but DGC was sold out. The CM suggested the DL Hotel because of the pool and slide. ??

I'm only doing one night because our main purpose for this California trip is to visit my sister, and we're only going for a week. I kind of wish I had made it a couple of days longer...oh well. She doesn't like Disneyland and she also is teaching summer school in the morning, so I figure I'll take two full days out to do DL.

We got two day park hoppers with it, with early entry. We'll arrive early Wednesday morning, check in and get our tickets, and head out. Thursday morning we'll do EE at DL.

I have a 72 hour hold on the reservation. Monday I'm going to call DVC member services (we just joined in February) and see what they have to offer.

Thanks for the info, and the links! I'll spend the rest of the weekend checking these boards for info. I finally reached the point with WDW that I felt comfortable that I knew a lot...I've been procrastinating about learning about a whole new park!

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

teri, thanks for the links. The Disneyland Hotel sounds pretty good!

Four years ago, we thought our first trip to WDW was the "trip of a lifetime". We've been there twice since, and just bought DVC. Who knows...we may be headed back to DL for a longer visit sooner than we thought.

 

[teri]

I have done DVC points at the Disneyland Hotel before, but I would recommend doing the math before you do that -- if you can get a good rate through Dreams, Disney using a AAA discount, or Travelocity, then calculate out how much that costs plus tax and the $5.95 resort fee... compare that to the number of points and see how many dollars per point you are getting. Compare that to the going rental rate for points-- now about $10/point -- and only use your points if the rate is significantly better than what you could have gotten for cash.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

DH and I talked about the points issue. We've got a bunch of points because we bought a resale and banked the 2000 points, and we don't see us ever renting out points...just don't want to be bothered. (I also would NEVER have a yard sale...much easier just to donate stuff and take the deduction, even if the value we get is lower.) Basically, the points are sitting there, based on how we expect to "do" WDW. So, might as well save the cash outlay and use points.

BUT...I will check out all those other options you gave for looking for a good cash rate, and take it from there before I do anything with DVC. Thanks!