First time "Good Neighbor" - need a reality check (pep talk?)

[8lovesmickey]

Hi Dis-ers - After an examination of our budget, we have decided to stay in a "good neighbor" hotel for the first time. We have previously stayed in all three DL hotels, with the last two stays at the PPH. This time we can't justify spending literally twice as much for a room, so we're booked at the Best Western Park Place Inn. We'll stay 3 nights and have 4 day park hoppers (we also have Best Western rewards so that makes it even cheaper).

But I think I need a pep talk. Do I need to lower my expectations? Or not? Will I be so overjoyed at saving $700 (plus free breakfast) that I won't be bothered by not having early entry every day, not being able to send packages to the hotel, and having to leave 'the bubble'? How bad is the walk? (Honestly the BW looks closer than the PPH now that we can't cut through the Grand...?)

We're traveling with two other families and most of the kids (including both of mine) are teenagers, so naps and strollers aren't an issue. I guess part of me is just spoiled and a little concerned about not feeling the magic. With your help (and $700), I'm hoping to get over it.

Thanks!

 

[Aladora]

Hi Dis-ers - After an examination of our budget, we have decided to stay in a "good neighbor" hotel for the first time. We have previously stayed in all three DL hotels, with the last two stays at the PPH. This time we can't justify spending literally twice as much for a room, so we're booked at the Best Western Park Place Inn. We'll stay 3 nights and have 4 day park hoppers (we also have Best Western rewards so that makes it even cheaper).

But I think I need a pep talk. Do I need to lower my expectations? Or not? Will I be so overjoyed at saving $700 (plus free breakfast) that I won't be bothered by not having early entry every day, not being able to send packages to the hotel, and having to leave 'the bubble'? How bad is the walk? (Honestly the BW looks closer than the PPH now that we can't cut through the Grand...?)

We're traveling with two other families and most of the kids (including both of mine) are teenagers, so naps and strollers aren't an issue. I guess part of me is just spoiled and a little concerned about not feeling the magic. With your help (and $700), I'm hoping to get over it.

Thanks!

BWPPI is SUPER close to the DL entrance, cross the street at the crosswalk that is about 10 steps from the hotel entrance and you are there. $700 would go a long way to helping me get over not being onsite! Take a bit of the extra $$$ and do something like the WOC dessert party!

 

[VandVsmama]

BWPPI is as close to the Esplanade, if not closer, then the GCH. You won't go wrong by staying there. It's REALLY CLOSE! That being said, you should not expect GCH/DLH type of rooms.

Your room is really going to be just a place to sleep. Consider this...think of all of the cool Disneyland artwork you could bring home with you from the Disneyana store with that $700! Or splurge for the WOC dessert party.

*** edited to add ***
The free breakfast at BWPPI is worth probably $30-$40 for a family of four. That adds up over a few days. For $700, you could do 2 character meals AND a dining package at Blue Bayou and probably still have $$ left over. Or do the Blue Bayou parade package, 1 character meal, and WOC dessert package and have some change left over. Or WOC dessert package and 2 nice pieces of art as souvenirs to take home with you. Or have a really fancy dinner at Napa Rose at the GCH and have enough left over for lunch or dinner at Blue Bayou.

 

[wilkeliza]

700 is a lot of money. From my understanding a lot of the good neighbor hotels actually have equal or better accommodations and services. We have always stayed at Grand Californian but in July are staying at the Hilton Anaheim. Our room will have a private balcony with theme park views. It is further away but the walk really isn't that far as long as it isn't 100 degrees and if it is we'll just take the 10 cab each way. 20 in cabs a day is much much less then what we would pay to be at one of the onsite hotels.

 

[Stacy's a freak]

When the Disneyland sign is right across the street from your hotel room, you're still in the bubble. The room may not be posh but once you step out of the room, your savings will more than overcome your sadness about not staying at a DL resort. Enjoy!!

 

[bumbershoot]

OP, it's not going to be DLH or PPH or the Grand. It's a basic motel. But it's totally fine. It's a place to lay your head so you can get enough rest to have fun at the parks. You can still have your purchases sent to the front of the resort, to pick up on your way out for the day.

And apart from one time entering at the DCA entrance from the Grand we went to the front anyway! That line at the DCA entrance from the Grand was soooooo long! And I mapped it; from our room at the Grand to the center of the esplanade, it was almost as long to get from outside HoJo to the same spot. So you're actually closer to the esplanade, which means closer to Disneyland itself, and also close to Radiator Springs etc, than you are from many rooms at the Grand.

700 is a lot of money. From my understanding a lot of the good neighbor hotels actually have equal or better accommodations and services. We have always stayed at Grand Californian but in July are staying at the Hilton Anaheim. Our room will have a private balcony with theme park views. It is further away but the walk really isn't that far as long as it isn't 100 degrees and if it is we'll just take the 10 cab each way. 20 in cabs a day is much much less then what we would pay to be at one of the onsite hotels.

I like that Hilton. The hallways can be long but the rooms are comfy. We've never had a balcony, though; swanky! We find the walk to be fine, though yeah, if it's 100 degrees that might be a bit much.

 

[wilkeliza]

I like that Hilton. The hallways can be long but the rooms are comfy. We've never had a balcony, though; swanky! We find the walk to be fine, though yeah, if it's 100 degrees that might be a bit much.

I caught the balcony room right before they adjusted all the prices for d23 haha. It is about half the cost of what Grand California and Disneyland was for that week and still less then Paradise Pier. We always get stuck in the last room at the Grand (so not fun after running a half marathon let me tell you) so long hallways are no biggie.

 

[cruisehopeful]

I usually only use my room to shower and sleep. If you travel like that, you should have no problem with staying across the street. I still go to the hotels since I love Trader Sam's, Whitewater Snacks, Hearthstone lodge and the gift shop at DLH when I stay somewhere else. I wouldn't want to pay an extra $700 to shower and sleep there. I just go there for what I from them and go sleep and shower somewhere else (most of the time). I do still stay at GCH once in a while, but it's way too cost prohibitive to make it a regular thing.

 

[jcarwash]

I think BWPPI is just about the perfect choice due to the location alone -- it is so convenient being right across the street. And then, the rooms are fine and the included breakfast (has been, in my experience) decent and worthwhile.

 

[DLfan4]

to me a hotel is just a place we goto after the park and sleep. so to me, as long as the BWPPI is clean, then it would be great. just think of all the money you will be able to save or spend on something else in the park.

 

[althepostman]

BWPPI is our go to choice, but as others are saying, we eat the breakfast and sleep there and that's it. Breakfast is better than standard continental imo. Rooms are small but clean. Location, location, location.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Attitude is everything! If you go expecting not to feel the magic, then you won't (no matter how magical things may be). If you go expecting to be really excited about being at DLR and expecting to enjoy your stay no matter where you are, you'll be surprised how much magic will come your way (and in the most unexpected places)! People post about being disappointed at the GCH and the DLH. Others post about having a wonderful time at the Motel 6 and the Super 8. Your trip will be terrific if you focus on staying positive and on appreciating all the good things.

 

[Malcon10t]

How do you use the hotel room? For us, we aren't there just to sleep and shower. We used to, and we did the cheap hotels. But I have gotten old, and my kids have gotten older. Now we sleep in, go to the park leisurely, relax, etc... So we use the room. My preferences these days are Hilton, Homewood Suites, onsite, Candy Cane Inn, and we will look into Hyatt House.

 

[amyg1975]

I see staying off site as a compromise I am willing to make! By staying off site, we can visit more often, and buy more in the parks without feeling guilty. We also always stay at Park Place Inn for the free breakfast and close entrance into the parks. We never regret our decision, as the hotel is clean and all we do is sleep there. When we do splurge and stay at a Disney hotel, we try to actually be at the hotel a lot more, to make it worth our money.

 

[kristabelle13]

Nobody has mentioned how close it is to Pizza Press! (If you're there before it moves). It's right up there as a benefit of the crosswalk motels.

I almost always stay at Tropicana and love it just as much as the DLRHs (where I stay when not at Tropicana) since it's just so darn easy & quick to get back to room.

 

[cmpeter]

700 is a lot of money. From my understanding a lot of the good neighbor hotels actually have equal or better accommodations and services. We have always stayed at Grand Californian but in July are staying at the Hilton Anaheim. Our room will have a private balcony with theme park views. It is further away but the walk really isn't that far as long as it isn't 100 degrees and if it is we'll just take the 10 cab each way. 20 in cabs a day is much much less then what we would pay to be at one of the onsite hotels.

We found Uber less expensive. $6 from the Hilton to the parks or walk to and take the Toy Story shuttle for free.

 

[Darkbeer1]

We found Uber less expensive. $6 from the Hilton to the parks or walk to and take the Toy Story shuttle for free.

Remember that the Taxi/Uber/Lyft option is only available to those who don't need car/booster seats (aka Children under 8).

And while taking the Toy Story Shuttle (aka ART Route 20) is free, if I was opting to not walk, I would just pay for the ART shuttle that picks up at the Hilton Valet area/Grand Plaza (Routes 1 and 2 stop there).

www.rideart.org

 

[wilkeliza]

We found Uber less expensive. $6 from the Hilton to the parks or walk to and take the Toy Story shuttle for free.

The $20 was roundtrip plus tip. Sometimes it would be 6 and sometimes 8 so I rounded up when factoring budget.

 

[wilkeliza]

Remember that the Taxi/Uber/Lyft option is only available to those who don't need car/booster seats (aka Children under 8).

And while taking the Toy Story Shuttle (aka ART Route 20) is free, if I was opting to not walk, I would just pay for the ART shuttle that picks up at the Hilton Valet area/Grand Plaza (Routes 1 and 2 stop there).

www.rideart.org

I'll have to remember ART this time. I'll admit Disney said they were going to provide a free shuttle for those staying onsite booked through D23 but changed that at the last minute (was online under day 2) so we were kind of stuck unsure of how art worked and stuff.

 

[Darkbeer1]

ART is a fairly well run quasi-public transportation system, set up by the City of Anaheim. Disney uses them for the Toy Story Buses, since they run on city streets.

The best portion are the Resort Area system routes, the longer routes to Buena Park, Costa Mesa and Santa Ana are add ons and don't run frequently.

But one nice feature, the ART Day Pass works on the OCTA Bus System as a fare ticket (inter-agency transfer), and I would use it for the Route 43/543 service on Harbor Blvd, and OCTA Route 83 to the Main Place Mall, Discovery Cube Science Center and the Bowers Museum.

As for Buena Park, I would use the LA Metro Route 460, you would have to pay $1.75 each way (Kids 5 and under are free), but it runs frequently day and night and is an express bus, so takes about 20 minutes in transit time to get to Knott's Berry Farm, the Dinner Theaters, the upcoming Butterfly Palladium and the Buena Park Mall.