Cheap but safe hotel close to DLR?

[stellablue]

Hello,

We have never been to DLR before, but are planning a trip for next year.
We just came back from WDW & it seems like it's much easier to find info on hotels there (or maybe I just haven't found the right website?)

Anyways, we don't know much about the layout. I was wondering if anyone could give us a little advice or direct us to an informational website.

Here are our preferences:

1. We are thinking of staying off-site. It seems MUCH cheaper and from what I've read so far, it seems like there are several hotels within walking distance to DLR.

2. Again, we are only interested in walking distance locations (5-10 minutes maybe)

3. Are there any off site hotels that offer views of DLR?

4. Pools are not important to us.

5. We are 2 adults (a couple). Interested in somewhere clean, SAFE, and decent. Continental breakfast a plus (but not required).

Any ideas would be much appreciated!!

TIA!!

 

[HydroGuy]

Hello,

We have never been to WDL before, but are planning a trip for next year.
We just came back from WDW & it seems like it's much easier to find info on hotels there (or maybe I just haven't found the right website?)

Anyways, we don't know much about the layout. I was wondering if anyone could give us a little advice or direct us to an informational website.

Here are our preferences:

1. We are thinking of staying off-site. It seems MUCH cheaper and from what I've read so far, it seems like there are several hotels within walking distance to WDL.

2. Again, we are only interested in walking distance locations (5-10 minutes maybe)

3. Are there any off site hotels that offer views of WDL?

4. Pools are not important to us.

5. We are 2 adults (a couple). Interested in somewhere clean, SAFE, and decent. Continental breakfast a plus (but not required).

Any ideas would be much appreciated!!

TIA!!

OK. Your title says you want a hotel close to WDW. Then your post talks about WDL. By this I think you mean Disneyland Resort which would be called DLR for short. So what is it you are looking for?

 

[stellablue]

OK. Your title says you want a hotel close to WDW. Then your post talks about WDL. By this I think you mean Disneyland Resort which would be called DLR for short. So what is it you are looking for?

Woops! Yes, I do mean DisneyLAND. Sorry, we just got back from WDW and I had been posting alot on that section of the Disboards.

Thank you for the acronym correction

Anyways, any advice on DLR would be greatly appreciated-thanks!!

 

[HydroGuy]

Woops! Yes, I do mean DisneyLAND. Sorry, we just got back from WDW and I had been posting alot on that section of the Disboards.

Thank you for the acronym correction

Anyways, any advice on DLR would be greatly appreciated-thanks!!

In answer to your questions about DLR check out the links in this thread:

"HydroGuy's Hotel Rule" www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1199862

We have stayed at the BWPPI right across the street. Most of the Harbor hotels (the ones on Harbor Blvd where DLR is located) have a view of DLR. I cannot remember exactly what you can see from BWPPI. At least ToT and California Screamin at DCA, and (I think) Space Mtn at DL.

We like BWPPI because it is the closest hotel, has mini-suites with fridges and microwaves, and it is clean and quiet. There are other good choices on Harbor. HoJo's is a little farther but still walking distance, and definitely nicer than BWPPI and most of the other Harbor hotels. BWPPI offers breakfast vouchers for Captain Kidds next door.

 

[stellablue]

Thanks! It looks like BWPPI might be our choice!

Seems like a waste of money to stay in a DLR hotel when the price is SO much cheaper at a non DLR resort that is so close by!!

Not like WDW at all. In Florida, you really seem to lose out if you don't stay on site.

 

[kiwitravel]

BWPPI, Tropicanna, Carousel and Camelot are very close (5min walk) and get good reviews. Park Vue gets mixed reviews, some here love it so certainly worth getting a price from them. Top floor camelot offer views to the Matahorn and the fireworks at night. Carousel have view suites with stunning views of the park but they are more expensive, their standard rooms only have limited views of CA. The suites across the front of Tropicanna have views, you could try requesting a room with a view. BWPPI didn't seem to have any rooms with a view, like Carousel you may get limited views of CA. All these hotels serve a cont breakfast of varying quality. We found the Carousel good during our last stay but from recent reviews it may have gone a little downhill, we have also stayed at the Tropicanna with a good stay. Shop around and see who has the best deals, don't think you can lose with any of these hotels.

 

[Snoozan]

Alot of folks here are big fans of HoJo's - which is 10 minute or less walk. You can get a DLR view from their premiere rooms. If you can get an Entertainment Book(from your area or Anaheim's), you can sometimes get great deals - Try going to the HoJo's website and use code SD50 - you just have to have your Entertainment card by the time you check-in.

I, too, am a WDW vet and am staying at the HoJo's next October, based on all the wonderful reviews I found on these boards.

 

[kkheburn]

We have stayed at Desert Inn and Suites and it was so easy to walk over from the park to change and get jackets. We paid 7 for a locker one day and I wont be doing that again. The free breakfast was a bust but we bring our own food for breakfast. There is a Denny's right next door too. It was cheap and clean.

 

[mareed]

I'd definitely recommend HoJo's over BWPPI. We've stayed at HoJo several times before and have always been satisfied. We tried BWPPI last month and were miserable in a ground room floor with vehicles right outside our door that seemed to have car alarms beeping all night long! They were full, so we were stuck with our room. As I lay awake listening to the noise all night long, I had visions of calling HoJo and paying any price to move down the street!

To be fair, I think this would be a potential problem with any of the exterior corridor motels, of which there are many across from DL. HoJo has interior corridors and you're going to be away from the parking lot. We also were extremely unimpressed with the breakfast at BWPPI and actually prefer to just have our mini frig in our room at HoJo where we keep some simple breakfast things to eat quickly in the room. We don't like having to leave the room to get the "free" breakfast which was not very good anyway.

We're back to HoJo next trip and all future trips!

 

[DTDkettleCORNfan]

We always stay at the Park Vue. We have had great luck there. It is right at the crosswalk across Harbor (next to the BWPPI), so you can't get any closer. They have a pretty decent breakfast. Toast your own waffles, cold cereal, yogurt, fruit, donuts, muffins, coffee, juice. We have found it to be cheaper than the BWPPI, which is why we stay there. We have always been able to see Space Mountain from our room, and they have a large balcony outside the breakfast area that has an EXCELLENT view of the fireworks. We like to watch them from there on the night we arrive in Anaheim. Good luck deciding and have a wonderful trip!!!!!

 

[Mrs. Bee]

The only two we've stayed at are the Anabella and The Anaheim Plaza. The Anabella is more expensive than the Anaheim Plaza but it's nicer and still cheaper than an on-site hotel. They are both clean. The Anaheim Plaza is pretty old and somewhat rundown but not bad unless you're picky. I don't think either has a free breakfast but they both have a restaurant (or two? not sure.)

Here are the links to their websites...

http://www.anabellahotel.com/
http://www.anaheimplazahotel.com/

Here's a satellite view of the DLR area. The yellow circle is the Anabella and the blue circle is the Anaheim Plaza. From the Anabella you can walk over to the Lion King parking lot and get on the tram to the front gates. From the Anaheim Plaza you would walk directly to the gates. (Routes are shown in red.) Sorry the diagram isn't the greatest...but I tried...haha.)

 

[Miss_Mouse]

Our hotel of choice has always been the Desert Inn and Suites. Like many of the other hotels, it is literally right across the street from DL and an extemely easy walk. From hotel to turnstiles, it is honestly not even five minutes. The hotel is nothing fancy, but it is comfortable, clean and very spacious. They do have a "continental breakfast," although it is really not much to write home about. They have toast, danishes, fruit, juice and coffee.

We have not yet had the good fortune to stay there, but the Howard Johnson is RAVED about. It is a little farther, maybe a ten minute walk tops, but everyone we have ever talked to has absolutely loved it here. A tip - if you have the entertainment card you can get a great deal on a room here (about $55 for a standard room, about $70 for a premium room). We're hoping to stay here on our next DL trip.

Happy planning!

 

[mystic_path]

My Choice of hotel is the Tropicana Inn and Suites. Its right across the road (You basically leave the hotel and your looking at the Disneyland cross walk) clean, great free continental breakfast, quiet the pool is nice, and the service is exceptional.

My family loves it so much we wont stay anywhere else now.

 

[Amy&Dan]

The Tropicana is my favorite, it doesn't have the nice grounds and pools of the Hojo but I love that location. Still for a stay of longer than a night or two and if you enjoy swimming, the Hojo is hard to beat in some ways. I just know if I stay there I'll walk by the Tropicana on my way back to my room and wonder what the heck I am doing not staying there! Still if I had little kids I would pick the Hojo since it has a baby pool and spray jets at the main pool area.

I also enjoyed the BWPPI but their pool is really sorry and small and their free breakfast must be eaten at the restaurant and cannot be taken to the room. I know its dumb but I hated that! The little dining rooms was packed and the food was sorry. The Tropicana's breakfast wasn't too stellar either, but at least you could take it back to the room which was nice. And the pool at the BWPPI is small, really small, and dreary. The Tropicana pool is very nice, has some nice landscaping touches that while not as nice as the Hojo's pool area, is way better than the BWPPI's.

For location: Tropicana
For overall atmosphere: Hojo

Just based on my experieces of course!

 

[Mrs. Bee]

Of the two I've stayed at (mentioned in a previous post)....we stay at the Anaheim Plaza for the price. But I love the grounds at the Anabella. They also have an adult/quiet pool. No one under 18 is allowed. And they actually enforce it too.

 

[PoohBearFriends]

We are staying at Tropicana for the first time in April. Do they let you check in a little early or are they strict about the 3pm check in?