Disneyland area hotel sticker shock

[RoseColored97]

I don't know what their rates are for that weekend--likely to be pricier than usual--but Knott's Berry Farm has its own hotel and it has its own shuttle to Disneyland. It's a nice hotel and you could maybe check out KBF while you're there.

What! How did I not know this? That's really cool, we might just have to try it one of these trips.

 

[RoseColored97]

I think we tried for those dates last year and our preferred off-site hotel (Desert Inn and Suites) was listed as being completely booked like 4ish months out. We called the front desk to find out if maybe rooms hadn't been released but they said it was this conference going on so they were completely booked. We had others joining us for the trip and they didn't get their room until later (too late to stay at the same hotel by then), so we gave them our reservation at DI&S and we went to the Grand Californian. I had forgotten why we ended up doing GCH last year lol

 

[DizMe]

What! How did I not know this? That's really cool, we might just have to try it one of these trips.

Yeah, it's nice. I did it once with friends and we did the afternoon tea at Mrs. Knotts. You can get a room only, or include ticket(s), buffet breakfast (which is quite nice), and parking for 1 vehicle. It's a full service hotel rather than a motel, but obviously less convenient for DL than walking across the street. The cost is pretty reasonable.

 

[Chickinvic]

Some co-workers and I are going to be in the area at the end of October and it was suggested that we fly in early for the weekend and go to Disneyland before our conference. It is the October 20-22 weekend. I was looking at hotels across the street on S. Harbor and W. Katella, and wow! I had no idea hotels were that expensive now for DL. I was an AP for years before moving out of California and have visited the past two summers. We never paid anywhere near the prices the travel sites are showing. $367 for the Del Sol Inn? I remember we used to not even touch that place for $79 a night. $503/night for Fairfield Inn. Geesh. I am guessing there are some of the Halloween events and after hours events going on that is driving up the prices of the hotels.

That is ridiculous. I stayed at the 2 adjoining room suite at Del Sol for under $100/night in years past (and wouldn't pay much more than that).

Things have gotten crazy.

 

[Angel Ariel]

That is peak Halloween time. 90% sure thats why it's so expensive.

Prices were the same for me at the end of January, when rooms first opened for booking (so lots of availability). It seems like post-Covid, Harbor has just seriously increased its pricing.

 

[Nonsuch]

Prices were the same for me at the end of January, when rooms first opened for booking (so lots of availability).

https://www.namm.org/
End of January is NAMM, one of the larger conventions

 

[starlite_]

Prices were the same for me at the end of January, when rooms first opened for booking (so lots of availability). It seems like post-Covid, Harbor has just seriously increased its pricing.

I was literally just there and the prices were much lower.

 

[starry_solo]

See if there are any VDH rooms available and rent points? Course that is non refundable…

 

[Angel Ariel]

I was literally just there and the prices were much lower.

I appreciate that. That doesn't change my experience with booking for January 2024 (which we booked in April 2023). We've traveled to Disneyland this same week in January in the past, pre-covid, and were paying around $129/night for the Tropicana, right at the intersection. Same time period post covid, Tropicana was $300/night for some nights, and up to $350 on the weekend days. We ended up choosing the Park Vue Inn, and it's (averaged out) $247/night. That's a significant increase compared to same time period pre-pandemic.

 

[Angel Ariel]

https://www.namm.org/
End of January is NAMM, one of the larger conventions

As it was when we went the same week prepandemic, and prices were nowhere near what they are now.

 

[tlovesdis]

Prices on Harbor have been high since re-opening. Sometimes if you book really early and on days where nothing much is going on you can get a deal, but gone are the days of the cheap hotels across the street. Even Motel 6 Maingate, a mile away, is way higher than it used to be. I booked my September trip in April at Desert Inn and got a rate of $159 a night for a standard room for 3. A few years ago that same room was probably $99 a night in September.

 

[FeliciaB23]

We were looking to stay at a motel on Harbor for our November trip (weeknights, not even a weekend) and most places were sold out, the ones that were left were charging $350+ a night. The Fairfield Marriott motel was $398 a night including fees, which was the cheapest option! Couldn’t believe it. Thankfully, now we are staying at the VDH on rented points, for less than an off site motel.

 

[kristensideaoffun]

Halloween season is now the most crowded/popular time of year at Disneyland. On top of that, the days you are planning on going look to be during the fall school breaks for AZ and UT schools. The crowds will be crazy and the rooms will be expensive, so pack your patience and get there by rope drop.

 

[gelatoni fan]

I looked at the confirmation emails some of my hotel reservations from August in multiple years and found no notable difference in price:

I booked the Four Points Sheraton for a Thursday night $161 in August 2019, $162 in August 2022 and it's currently bookable for $171 for this upcoming Thursday night.
The Courtyard Anaheim Convention Center was $176 for a Wednesday in August 2016, $126 in August 2022 and is $160 for next Wednesday.
I have other examples but these are the ones with the easiest dates to compare.

Just looking at my past stays, I don't agree that prices are higher post-pandemic. Even if park attendance is higher, there are new hotels in the area to accommodate that. But I would agree that it's harder to find a good deal compared to 2021 because events are now happening at the Anaheim convention center which can drive up prices. Whatever Disney is doing has only a minor effect on room prices compared to what a convention can do.

 

[emchen]

I appreciate that. That doesn't change my experience with booking for January 2024 (which we booked in April 2023). We've traveled to Disneyland this same week in January in the past, pre-covid, and were paying around $129/night for the Tropicana, right at the intersection. Same time period post covid, Tropicana was $300/night for some nights, and up to $350 on the weekend days. We ended up choosing the Park Vue Inn, and it's (averaged out) $247/night. That's a significant increase compared to same time period pre-pandemic.

Run Disney is in January…

 

[RoseColored97]

Run Disney is in January…

That explains it all!!! I thought of this thread as we were booking for the second weekend in January and almost everything is sold out or much more expensive. I just thought it was a random convention but didn't realize it was a runDisney race weekend. I hope the park doesn't open later because of that since we're doing a one day jaunt.

 

[Disneyhanna]

Mid-August is really too late to be looking to get a good rate for October, obviously there are always some cheap places if you look hard enough, but you probably won't have the luxury to be picky when booking this late. Halloween is one of the busiest times of the year at Disneyland and many people (myself included) will have booked their fall trips in the spring. I find the hotels near Disneyland (especially the Best Westerns) have very dynamic pricing that only tends to increase as the dates get closer (as I imagine inventory gets lower). I watched the hotels for the race weekend next January all go up over $100/night over the course of a few weeks as runners were booking their rooms. One of the resorts I booked went from around $200/night to $400/night and I doubt it will drop as choices are already slim for that weekend!

I find booking at Disneyland to be a very different beast than WDW because the hotels are tiny. The two Best Westerns at the Harbour entrance are extremely popular and have less than 300 rooms combined. The nicer hotels within walking distance book up fast in the holiday seasons and if you wait too long, you miss out on the cheaper rates when the rooms are first made available. I tend to book refundable rates when I even THINK about planning a trip, especially if there is no deposit (in which case I book multiple reservations for different date combinations).

 

[Angel Ariel]

Run Disney is in January…

It's not the rundisney weekend.

 

[SpaceMan5]

I can agree with the OP. Prices have definitely jumped for some of those nearby hotels. When we stayed at the BWPPI last Jan it was in the mid $260's or so (going off memory which can be suspect at times). For the same time period in Jan 2024 it was about $100 more per night. We ended up booking at the BW Anaheim Plus and saved some $$.

 

[GoofyGoofyGoofy]

Some co-workers and I are going to be in the area at the end of October and it was suggested that we fly in early for the weekend and go to Disneyland before our conference. It is the October 20-22 weekend. I was looking at hotels across the street on S. Harbor and W. Katella, and wow! I had no idea hotels were that expensive now for DL. I was an AP for years before moving out of California and have visited the past two summers. We never paid anywhere near the prices the travel sites are showing. $367 for the Del Sol Inn? I remember we used to not even touch that place for $79 a night. $503/night for Fairfield Inn. Geesh. I am guessing there are some of the Halloween events and after hours events going on that is driving up the prices of the hotels.

How about checking out the Knotts Berry Farm Hotel? They are under 6 miles away from Disneyland. Their park is fun too.