I have stayed at:
Howard Johnson's. Nice, older hotel with spacious rooms and a very nice kiddie pool area (the regular pool is just that, regular). It also has very nice grounds that are immaculately maintained. Very nice staff that are all very helpful. The walk will vary as far as opinions. I thought it was a bit far, especially in the evenings and also its uphill as you return to the hotel. In the mornings after a good night's rest and with the anticipation of going to the park it didn't seem bad at all. I found the rooms to be a bit dated, as I recall our bathroom looked very old. I would stay there again if I got a good rate but I have found hotels just a few doors up on Harbor much closer to the main gate of
Disneyland I like better. Also, some of the rooms at the HoJo sit about 20 feet from the I-5 freeway and can be very noisey. We didn't get one of those but I have heard some reviews regarding that that were not so good. No free breakfast but they have a nice gift shop that sells reasonably priced items right there. There is also two nice, affordable sit down places next door and a McDonald's a few doors up.
Park Inn: Better location than the HoJo. Not nearly as nice of a pool area, although this is a great spot to watch the fireworks. Smaller rooms that were very dark and very worn when we stayed there. TV never worked right the whole time and they could never be bothered to fix it, in fact they told us, "oh all the tv's don't work right". Not too biggie since we didn't go to watch tv but I do like to have something to keep the kids occupied during the morning and watch the weather. No landscaping, it is a small motel, above a parking lot. Free, minimal continental breakfast. Our room was clean, just really old and dark, however I believe this hotel is being rennovated right now.
Tropicana: We just stayed there for five nights a week ago and loved it. Even closer to the crosswalk than the Park Inn, newer, lighter, refurbed rooms and some pretty landscaping that while not as extensive as the HoJo's lovely grounds made for a nice touch. Incredibly clean rooms. I have never had such a clean bathroom at any hotel. Small but nice pool area, there is also a hottub but no kiddie pool. Really nice staff, they were always out washing windows and sidewalks, sweeping, trimming the bushes and just keeping the place well maintained. The room is not large but not small either. We were able to easily accomodate the four of us and set up the rollaway no problem each night. This has been by far my favorite of the three offsite hotels I have stayed at. Minimal but okay free continental breakfast just like the Park Inn's, which incidentally is owned by the same people.
At all three of these hotels I paid less than $100 a night. I hope this helps. And even though I haven't stayed there, I can't help but recommend the Candy Cane which just seems to get the best overall reviews. But its not that close but they do have a shuttle. I have always wanted to stay there and it just hasn't worked out. And now that we have found the Tropicana I will probably stick with that. That location cannot be beat! Good luck!
I am editing to add that pretty much every place within walking distance (inlcuding the three I mentioned above) of Disneyland is a motel, not hotel. Normally I don't like motels and spring for a Hyatt or Hilton. For Disneyland however, we spend so little time in the room that the above motels were just fine. I still love the Disneyland Hotel the best, but its too darn expensive for all our trips! If you want a hotel, that is cheaper than the onsite properties you need to go with the Anaheim Hilton, a Marriott or Hyatt, none of which are walking distance. There is also the Sheraton Anaheim. It is generally cheaper than the Hilton, has a free shuttle and a restuaurant and looks really nice. That's another place I would like to try out sometime. Their rates have been so high the last few times I have checked it wouldn't be that much more to stay onsite. Within walking distance away however there is either motels, or more expensive hotels like the onsite properties.