Disneyland : Onsite vs. Offsite and general questions

[sonnyjane]

But what ARE the perks to staying inside aside from MM and being able to charge to your room?

They've pretty much all been mentioned - the MM's, potential for an extra Fastpass if it's during a special promotion (it's happened in the past occasionally when new rides open), being able to charge things to your room, being able to buy things in the park and have them sent directly to your room, and being able to use the GCH entrance into California Adventure. We're not holding out on you, that's really pretty much it lol.

It's definitely not worth $500 extra A NIGHT! I'd pay $50 extra a night to stay on-site, but DEFINITELY not $500 extra! You could pay for an entire second trip!

 

[Butterfly123]

While I would love an extra MM on a trip, if I can get my family up and out for one MM I am doing well. I think if I tried for more than one, there would be a mutiny. There aren't tons of benefits, other than the "Disney" experience....worth it to some, and not to others.

 

[ValpoCory]

But what ARE the perks to staying inside aside from MM and being able to charge to your room?

http://disneyland.disney.go.com/hotels/resort-benefits/

 

[mbrittb00]

http://disneyland.disney.go.com/hotels/resort-benefits/

So other than being closer the most other hotels, the Califorina Adventure entrance, and MM, the benefits are mostly superficial. I'd probably pay an extra $100 or $200 a night for that, but not what I would have to pay.

So, with that said, which are the better offsite hotels. We would be most interested in the ones that have 1 and 2 bedroom suites, like the Double Tree, Desert Palms, etc.

Thanks for all the info so far, it has been a huge help.

 

[HydroGuy]

So other than being closer the most other hotels, the Califorina Adventure entrance, and MM, the benefits are mostly superficial. I'd probably pay an extra $100 or $200 a night for that, but not what I would have to pay.

So, with that said, which are the better offsite hotels. We would be most interested in the ones that have 1 and 2 bedroom suites, like the Double Tree, Desert Palms, etc.

Thanks for all the info so far, it has been a huge help.

What you call "superficial" others call "magical".

This view from our room at the GCH in 2010 (we stayed in nearly the same room in 2011) some might call superficial. I call it inspiring:

View From Our Room 5438 at the GCH

I woke up early and sat out on the balcony in the morniing and watched the sun come up. Very cool.

I am not at all saying you should stay at a DLR hotel. I am saying that dismissing the above view into DCA as "superficial" is a bit like saying that the differences between being on a beach in Hawaii and one in California are superficial. It is why some people are fine staying in a Super 8 motel while others must stay at a Hyatt.

With all that said, 5-10 years ago I was firmly in the camp of "the extra cost for onsite at DLR is not worth it". I looked at how much extra we would pay for hotels and say with that money we could stay an extra day or two at DLR or do a whole separate trip.

I was also firmly against special touches such as Fantasmic Dessert seating. $60 a person for a family of 6? That equated to us one whole extra park day (hotel plus park tix for a day).

What changed? Well, in some way my trips to WDW changed my mind on this. Some of the extras they offer made me look at things differently.

Do we stay at GCH every time now? No, as my signature line shows. But what used to be "not worth it" to me has become "worth it".

It really depends on the person and I totally get it when folks conclude it is not worth to stay onsite. At DLR the offsite hotels are still magical - especially the ones right one Harbor or Katella by DLR. Further away not so much.

So in answer to your question, when you ask about "better offsite hotels" you end up with the same kind of issues. When I say "better" I mean "closer to the DLR gates" not "nicer and more upscale". With my definition the hotels from HoJos to Candy Cane Inn along Harbor are the best choices with HoJos and CCI being a step up in quality and the others, for the most part, being of fine quality. But none will compare that well with the Hiltons, Hyatts, DoubleTrees or Sheratons in quality - but which are all 1+ miles away from DLR.

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

Have a magical trip!

 

[nunzia]

What you call "superficial" others call "magical".

This view from our room at the GCH in 2010 (we stayed in nearly the same room in 2011) some might call superficial. I call it inspiring:

View From Our Room 5438 at the GCH

I woke up early and sat out on the balcony in the morniing and watched the sun come up. Very cool.

I am not at all saying you should stay at a DLR hotel. I am saying that dismissing the above view into DCA as "superficial" is a bit like saying that the differences between being on a beach in Hawaii and one in California are superficial. It is why some people are fine staying in a Super 8 motel while others must stay at a Hyatt.

With all that said, 5-10 years ago I was firmly in the camp of "the extra cost for onsite at DLR is not worth it". I looked at how much extra we would pay for hotels and say with that money we could stay an extra day or two at DLR or do a whole separate trip.

I was also firmly against special touches such as Fantasmic Dessert seating. $60 a person for a family of 6? That equated to us one whole extra park day (hotel plus park tix for a day).

What changed? Well, in some way my trips to WDW changed my mind on this. Some of the extras they offer made me look at things differently.

Do we stay at GCH every time now? No, as my signature line shows. But what used to be "not worth it" to me has become "worth it".

It really depends on the person and I totally get it when folks conclude it is not worth to stay onsite. At DLR the offsite hotels are still magical - especially the ones right one Harbor or Katella by DLR. Further away not so much.

So in answer to your question, when you ask about "better offsite hotels" you end up with the same kind of issues. When I say "better" I mean "closer to the DLR gates" not "nicer and more upscale". With my definition the hotels from HoJos to Candy Cane Inn along Harbor are the best choices with HoJos and CCI being a step up in quality and the others, for the most part, being of fine quality. But none will compare that well with the Hiltons, Hyatts, DoubleTrees or Sheratons in quality - but which are all 1+ miles away from DLR.

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

Have a magical trip!

Well said.. I think what I love most about the park views is hearing all the activity during the day, seeing it all change at night, seeing WOC and hearing the crown from my balcony and then seeing all the workers prepping for the new day in the early morning. I also like to sit on the balcony late at night and watch WOC testing, vehicle testing etc. Magical.. For a large family a DVC rental would be ideal if it can be had.

 

[ValpoCory]

Thanks HydroGuy. That's a great picture there from the Grand Californian. I can't wait.

Also, I noticed the Disneyland Hotel Super Thread that there are some other minor benefits for Resort Guests. Look for the "Disneyland Resort Hotels Weekly Calendar of Activities" section.

1) A daily (and free!) Get Up and Go Power Walk, that lets guests 14 and up walk through DCA at 7:30am. My DW and I are planning on taking turns doing that on different weekdays while the other stays with the kids. Seeing the sunrise on an empty and quiet Cars Land ... magical.

2) getting a World of Color Fastpass at 9:15am when the park opens at 9:30am unoffically/10am officially

3) letting Resort Guests in at 9:15am to ride The Little Mermaid,

4) participating in hotel activities in Pinocchio's Workshop like a 30-minute learning to draw Mickey class (only problem is the time on that one ... 10am is prime park time ... but that time might change)


Overall ... when we heard about Cars Land and first started considering a Disneyland trip instead of our usual WDW trip, I never was considering an onsite hotel, even though we always stay onsite at WDW. I had started looking into Good Neighbor Hotel deals. I was convinced. DLR hotels were just too expensive. But then I looked closer at renting DVC points for the Villas at the Grand Californian ... and slowly I came to the realization that not only is this doable, but also a financial decision I could easily live with. The Magic of it all is important to us. Each individual perk is small, but when you add them all up, to us it was worth the extra $20-$80 per night over the HoJo.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Next time we go to Disneyland we'll be taking our 19-month old grand son (and his parents.) They'll be staying off-site (freebie Marriott points) but we'll most likely stay at the GCH since it will be off-season. We refuse to pay high-season rates.

DH and I both rent scooters and will not have a car, so the closer we stay to the parks, the better.

We've also been known to get soaked(!) on the Grizzly River Rapids ride, and being 5 mins away from a change of clothes is so very handy.

Our grandson will need a nap and it's so much easier for grandma to babysit him at the GCH while his parents enjoy the parks.

When it's hot during the day and cool at night, it's easy to return to the room for extra jackets, a blanket, etc before WOC of starts.

As for the Magic Morning perk -- we're not morning people, and the best rides don't open early anyway, so we don't bother.

Getting an early fast-pass to WOC at the hotel before the parks open was a perk when WOC first opened, but now the fast-passes for WOC are readily available even in the afternoons. It will be interesting to see what the Disney hotels offer when Carsland opens.

Your mileage may vary.

 

[blackjackdelta]

This was a view from our room in 2010, I also get up and sit outside listening and enjoying the sounds of the park before it opens.

I think Hydroguy put it very well.

Jack