Favorite off-property resort for family of 6

[Meldev]

We're partial to Hiltons because we're HH gold members, but that doesn't mean I won't stay elsewhere.

So far the Homewood Suites Convention Center, the Doubletree Suites and the Residence Inn Maingate look most appealing (The Hilton Anaheim (1st choice) is showing as sold-out for our dates (1st week of October))

What are some of your favorites and why? We're looking to having a suite or even booking two connecting rooms. Our family is Mom/Dad kids: DD12, DD10, DD8 and DS4

Being within walking distance would be nice, having breakfast included would too!

TIA!

 

[beachdreamr1229]

If you don't mind spending in the $300+ range for a hotel room, check out the Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance. It's within walking distance to the parks, has awesome waterslides if you're going when it's warm, and has extremely comfortable beds. Our family stayed there when they first opened and it's easily our favorite hotel in the area. The rooms are plenty big for 6 and the staff there are awesome.

 

[cruisehopeful]

I will be trying out the Hampton Inn and Suites in Garden Grove next week. It has a hot breakfast and is a one mile walk to the parks. I will give you more info after my stay. It is accepts Hilton points.

 

[Becca1007]

We're partial to Hiltons because we're HH gold members, but that doesn't mean I won't stay elsewhere.

So far the Homewood Suites Convention Center, the Doubletree Suites and the Residence Inn Maingate look most appealing (The Hilton Anaheim (1st choice) is showing as sold-out for our dates (1st week of October))

What are some of your favorites and why? We're looking to having a suite or even booking two connecting rooms. Our family is Mom/Dad kids: DD12, DD10, DD8 and DS4

Being within walking distance would be nice, having breakfast included would too!

TIA!

Park Vue Inn. It is the closest off-property hotel (literally right as you cross the street). Since you have a DS who is 4 it is convenient to come back to the hotel for a rest in the afternoon.

They have rooms for 6 people; either a single room with 2 Queen beds and a set of bunk beds, or connecting rooms with Queen beds. Depending on how well your family of 6 does at getting ready in the morning with only one bathroom, I would probably pick the connecting rooms since you get 2 bathrooms.

They have a full breakfast every morning (eggs, sausage or bacon, waffles, biscuits, fruit, toast, cereal) so more options than many of the off site hotels continental breakfast. And for a family of six the savings add up quick by not having to eat breakfast in the park.

Parking is FREE and plentiful, many of the other hotels there charge a daily parking fee and they will let you remain parked there even on the day you checkout. So if you check out in the morning and have part of the day in the park before heading home you don't have to move your car.

It is generally my preferred hotel for DL visits.

 

[MommyLove]

We're a family of six and enjoy staying within walking distance and having a free breakfast with hot/protein foods included (eggs, sausage, etc). We have a 4 year old son and an 8 year old daughter too! Our older two are teenagers though. Anyway, I second the Park Vue. We have a 2 Queen + bunk bed room booked for New Year's. I believe they only have two of those types of rooms in the whole hotel, so book early. For more of our experiences with walking-distance hotels, you can read my post here: Where are you staying on your next Disneyland Trip and Why?.

 

[Imdboss]

We are partial to Hilton also as DH is diamond with them, he travels a lot! We just got back from our second stay at DoubleTree and were once again very happy. I wanted to try the new Homewood but we decided on taking this trip less than two months out and it was booked. Our first time there we walked to the park and would take ART back. This time we walked to the Toy Story lot which was very convenient for us. The walk from the hotel all the way to where you actually get on the shuttle took about 10 minutes depending on the stop lights, this was at a comfortable pace with a 12 and 7 year old. They have a pretty nice breakfast buffet, not sure on cost though as we received it for free with DH's diamond status.

 

[smartlabelprint]

Were staying Homewood suited next trip!!

 

[CateinPhoenix]

There is an Embassy Suites close by on the ART also. If I remember correctly it about the same distance as the Hilton. I was checking it out for our Christmas trip since we are Hilton Gold also.

 

[kathy040690]

If you don't mind spending in the $300+ range for a hotel room, check out the Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance. It's within walking distance to the parks, has awesome waterslides if you're going when it's warm, and has extremely comfortable beds. Our family stayed there when they first opened and it's easily our favorite hotel in the area. The rooms are plenty big for 6 and the staff there are awesome.

I'm glad to hear this.. This is where we chose for our upcoming trip in novemeeber !

 

[Imdboss]

There is an Embassy Suites close by on the ART also. If I remember correctly it about the same distance as the Hilton. I was checking it out for our Christmas trip since we are Hilton Gold also.

If you are referring to Embassy Suites S it is further down from Hilton, definitely not walkable to the park. ART doesn't go that far but they do have their own shuttle (for a fee) shared with 2 other hotels that are right there. Let's just say it was about the only thing we liked about the hotel.

 

[Meldev]

We are partial to Hilton also as DH is diamond with them, he travels a lot! We just got back from our second stay at DoubleTree and were once again very happy. I wanted to try the new Homewood but we decided on taking this trip less than two months out and it was booked. Our first time there we walked to the park and would take ART back. This time we walked to the Toy Story lot which was very convenient for us. The walk from the hotel all the way to where you actually get on the shuttle took about 10 minutes depending on the stop lights, this was at a comfortable pace with a 12 and 7 year old. They have a pretty nice breakfast buffet, not sure on cost though as we received it for free with DH's diamond status.

Glad to hear this - just 10 mins to the shuttle! Great, I'm leaning toward this one, the points+money HH rewards are just too good to beat.
Does breakfast get very crowded? Anything else to walk around to in the area?

 

[Imdboss]

Glad to hear this - just 10 mins to the shuttle! Great, I'm leaning toward this one, the points+money HH rewards are just too good to beat.
Does breakfast get very crowded? Anything else to walk around to in the area?

We aren't early risers so when we went to breakfast it wasn't crowded at all. On Monday we had to drive back to LA for DH to get to work so we were at breakfast around 8:30 and it was much busier but still plenty of seating in the restaurant and only slight waits at the buffet with a few people in line. We don't typically go anywhere other than straight to DL but there are several other restaurants in the area.

 

[GoBears 1980]

If you don't mind spending in the $300+ range for a hotel room, check out the Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance. It's within walking distance to the parks, has awesome waterslides if you're going when it's warm, and has extremely comfortable beds. Our family stayed there when they first opened and it's easily our favorite hotel in the area. The rooms are plenty big for 6 and the staff there are awesome.

The Courtyard Theme Park Entrance is nice, but the water slides are not "awesome" if you are over 12. A 13 year old would look up from their smartphone just long enough to say "lame".

Park Vue Inn. It is the closest off-property hotel (literally right as you cross the street). Since you have a DS who is 4 it is convenient to come back to the hotel for a rest in the afternoon.

Technically the Best Western Plus Park Place Inn is closer.

We're a family of six and enjoy staying within walking distance and having a free breakfast with hot/protein foods included (eggs, sausage, etc). We have a 4 year old son and an 8 year old daughter too! Our older two are teenagers though. Anyway, I second the Park Vue. We have a 2 Queen + bunk bed room booked for New Year's. I believe they only have two of those types of rooms in the whole hotel, so book early. For more of our experiences with walking-distance hotels, you can read my post here: Where are you staying on your next Disneyland Trip and Why?.

That list of hotels in the hyperlink is a walk through Yesterland of 50 year old hotels.

The SpringHill Suites Anaheim Resort Convention Center, Homewood Suites Anaheim Resort Convention Center, Hyatt House Anaheim Resort Convention Center and Residence Inn Anaheim Resort Convention Center (not Maingate) are all new, two are less than a month old, they have Family Suites and have great pool areas.

If you are referring to Embassy Suites S it is further down from Hilton, definitely not walkable to the park. ART doesn't go that far but they do have their own shuttle (for a fee) shared with 2 other hotels that are right there. Let's just say it was about the only thing we liked about the hotel.

Bad information all the way around. Walkable is a matter of personal fitness. The Embassy Suites South is only 1.5 miles from the entrance plaza. I call that walkable.

The ART definitely goes that far, both Route 1 & Route 2 go there.

For Hilton properties besides the Anaheim Hilton, Homewood Suites Anaheim Resort Convention Center, Embassy Suites South you have the Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Inn, DoubleTree and a second Homewood Suites.

There is also a third Residence Inn right by the Embassy Suites South.

 

[22Tink]

We always stay at the Best Western Park Place Inn. We've never done adjoining rooms but have fit our family of 6 in a room. It was a bit tight but we're hardly in our room except to sleep. Free hot and cold breakfast and it's the closest off site hotel. So convenient! The pool is nothing special but we aren't swimmers so that's never been an issue for us. We love it for the short walk and the free breakfast is a plus, too, when there are 6 of you!

 

[goofyfan13]

FWIW we chose Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance. As a family of five with the oldest at 12, we are looking forward to the stay.

Deciding factors (your criteria, opinion, and desires may vary)
1. Newer Hotel
2. Bunkbeds. Kids Love bunkbeds.
3. Proximity. Is it the closest? no. Is it close enough to walk? Looks closer than DLH, which is where we stayed last time. With our fitness level and youngest weighing in at 8 years old, we figure a 15-minute walk to the front entrance.
4. Water slides / water park. Looks comparable to DLH.
5. Fireworks view. Will it be amazing? Probably not, but still looking forward to it.
6. Reasonable onsite food options.
7. DW loved it when we saw it and looked at youtube videos

Concerns:
1. No breakfast, so we will be eating cold cereal, etc. in the room.
2. Is the walk really as close as we think? You Tube implies it is, but time will tell.
3. Not a good neighbor hotel so we had to get tickets separately, don't get other perks.

Research Material used (we used others, but these helped most with the decision):

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/snadt-courtyard-anaheim-theme-park-entrance/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CcgTdGFqTM

 

[tomato]

We chose the Courtyard Anaheim.

The biggest selling point for us was the room had two showers! Well, a tub and shower combo and a walk in shower.

 

[Meldev]

Thanks GoofyFan - I'm torn between the Doubletree suites and the homewood suites convention center. Has breakfast and light dinner snacks and like you said bunk beds! The family suite has bunk beds with a trundle under as well - so nice for my 3 girls.

Looks like we're walkable to the disney parking lot (right beside it) and we can go from there.
Seems convenient though not across the street.

I may be on my own with the kids during first couple days so I want it to be pretty straight forward to feed them and get to the park.

 

[cruisehopeful]

I will be trying out the Hampton Inn and Suites in Garden Grove next week. It has a hot breakfast and is a one mile walk to the parks. I will give you more info after my stay. It is accepts Hilton points.

Just back and I don't recommend it. I'd stay at any of the other Hiltons over it, unless it was free, which it was. It's a one mile walk which was fine going to the parks, but after walking around the parks for 9 hours, it was a long one mile walk back late at night. The free breakfast was decent, but they charge for parking which is ridiculous. The lot was over half empty and about half the cars there didn't have parking permits displayed. Anyway, I don't think you'd want to walk back with kids several days in a row. Doubletree was about a block closer.