Hi, I'm back but haven't visited the boards a lot since arriving home very early Sunday morning. Also, I'm feeling a bit guilty about not starting my trip report yet.
But...I will answer your question.
First of all, the Candy Cane Inn would not be my first choice for a future visit. It was a nice place, but the Park Inn is much closer and comparably priced. The entrance to DL, DCA, DD is directly across the street from the Park Inn. It is about a ten minute walk from the Candy Cane.
The Candy Cane bus is very nice and leaves the hotel every 30 minutes. The seats all have their backs to the windows and face inward which leaves a wider aisle than normal. All of the drivers were really nice and would search the people approaching the bus while at the DL drop-off for famaliar faces and would wait on you if necessary. Even though it was only a 10 minute walk, we normally rode the bus to and from the parks because our feet were so tired of walking all through the parks! It's also nice to have a bus dedicated to your hotel. Most of the other hotels use a group shuttle.
I spoke with another guest at the pool (our kids were swimming) and she said that she has stayed at the Park Inn before and it is a very nice, clean place. In fact, that was her first choice, but they were already booked when she was making reservations. No bus is needed for the Park Inn. It is also right next door to a McDonalds.
We also discussed the Castle Inn (which is about halfway between the Candy Cane and the DL entrance and she said that they have stayed there and it is a bit dirty. She would not recommend it.
I stopped off at the Park Inn and picked up a brochure and was told that their pool is heated and it is located on top of the fourth floor (rooftop). The Unofficial Guide lists the Park Inn as the best deal for lodging in the area.
My kids used the pool everyday. The deepest (center) part was 5 foot and the sides are 3 foot. So, the kids were able to "touch" the bottom. Also, there is a hot tub and a separate wading pool for toddlers.
The room was nice. We had a deluxe room which is a little larger than the regular room and had a small refrigerator. We visited a grocery store and got some pop & water to keep in the frig. One nice feature was that the area under the bathroom sink is enclosed with cabinet doors. Just a small touch, but it's nice to be able to put things away behind closed doors and not have to look at them. BTW, from walking by other "regular" rooms with their doors open, it appeared that the area under their sinks was open. Also, all of the deluxe rooms were at the very back of the parking lot (fartherest from the bus stop) which felt like a really long walk after a full day at the parks!
One other reason why the Candy Cane would not be my first choice was the front desk manager. She had an attitude and was not very "customer oriented."
Sheila
sheila.bennett@home.com
Wilderness Lodge; Dec 1999
Disneyland March 2001!
