First time to DLP

[Cazgal]

Hi all

We are planning to go to DLP for 4 days between 14th - 17th April 2008. There will be 2 adults (me and my husband) and my daughter aged 7.

Could anyone point us in the right direction of the best hotel to stay at the first time ? We have a budget (a tight one at that !) and couldn't run to the expensive hotels - we would be around the level of the Santa Fe or Cheyene Hotel. I like the look of the Vienna Dream Castle (which actually costs about the ame as th other 2 Disney hotels).

Do you think it would be best to stay at a "Disney" hotel the first time ... are they much better than the other hotels ? We can always have a character breakfst as an additional item in the Park I think ?

The Dream Castle look great for my little girl - have read the reviews on it and sounds perfect - but want to be sure it is the best one to book for our first time.

Any feedback of advice would be greatfully received !

 

[pigby]

Hi all

We are planning to go to DLP for 4 days between 14th - 17th April 2008. There will be 2 adults (me and my husband) and my daughter aged 7.

Could anyone point us in the right direction of the best hotel to stay at the first time ? We have a budget (a tight one at that !) and couldn't run to the expensive hotels - we would be around the level of the Santa Fe or Cheyene Hotel. I like the look of the Vienna Dream Castle (which actually costs about the ame as th other 2 Disney hotels).

Do you think it would be best to stay at a "Disney" hotel the first time ... are they much better than the other hotels ? We can always have a character breakfst as an additional item in the Park I think ?

The Dream Castle look great for my little girl - have read the reviews on it and sounds perfect - but want to be sure it is the best one to book for our first time.

Any feedback of advice would be greatfully received !

Hi
I have no experience of the Dream Castle but I have stayed both at the Sante Fe only last week and at the CHeyenne 18 months ago and honestly loved them both - you really can't beat the convenience of walking to the park rather than rely on the buses. Plus you won't get the Disney characters in the morning in the Dream Castle. The Disney rooms are probably smaller than the DC but they are really well themed and were plenty big enough for the 3 of us. From either of the 2 Disney hotels, you can explore the other as they are right next door.

The CHeyenne has much better theming on the outside but is slightly more expensive than the Santa Fe. We loved the SF this time though - it more than met our expectations - great bar,restaurant, friendly CM's. The good thing about the SF is that you get 2 double beds - at the Cheyenne you get usually one double and one set of bunks - my DD had difficulty climbing to the top bunk and much preferred the double to herself in the SF.

 

[Cazgal]

Thanks for the quick feedback - it is nice to hear other peoples experiences.

With regard to the EMH I have heard about - I am right in thinking they only come with Disney hotels ? Are they on set days only or do they happen daily ? This may be a factor in perhaps changing from the Dream Castle to a Disney Hotel !

Thanks again

 

[A Small World]

EMH are only for guests of Disney Hotels or guests with dream annual pass. They are only on set days but most months happen everyday or most days.

We have stayed at Santa Fe twice and really liked it for the ease of getting to the parks and as a budget hotel found it good value. We also stayed off site twice (once at Explorers and once at holiday Inn). We liked these hotels as well but missed being able to walk along the lake and river to the hotel.
We havent stayed at Cheyenne yet but are going there in March.

For first visit I would also recommend an onsite hotel to get your bearings, enjoy the stroll back to the hotel rather than having to fight with the buses and get the benefits of EMH.

 

[Cyrano]

Hi Cazgal and welcome to DLP DIS board
We are a friendly bunch here so please join in on any other thread or if you have a number of questions then just start a new thread for each

If you have not had a look yet, DLP posting rules are here, DIS posting guidelines can be found here.

We have stayed on-site and off-site and enjoyed both.
You'll have a better quality of hotel with the Vienna Dream Castle and the breakfast is supposed to be excellent.

Hotel Cheyenne is western themed so it depends what you DD would think to this. As others say EMH and the character meets may make a 1st stay special.
On-site also has the advantage of a hotel id where purchases can be charged to your hotel bill and also your purchases can be sent back to your hotel

 

[jillrobinson]

Personally I would choose onsite in a budget Disney hotel over an offsite higher star rated one.
I don't like shuttle buses and it suits us to walk back to the hotel via the Village at the end of the day. I've stayed at both Santa Fe and Cheyenne and would choose the Cheyenne for the superb theming, other than that there is very little to choose between them.
EMH would also sway me towards a Disney hotel, unless your planning on getting dream passes which would also allow access to EMH regardless of what hotel you stay at.
Neither SF or Cheyenne have pools, this might also be a consideration although we have yet to find the time to go swimming.

Enjoy your trip planning.

 

[maleficent_man]

I've stayed at both and also at the hotels in the Dream Castle area - all are great but for your first visit, staying on site might be the best option. You'll get your EMH benefit as well.

Have a great trip - you'll get to enjoy the new Stitch attraction by then as well!

 

[Cazgal]

Thanks forthe feedback.

Been reading around on the forums (like tripadvior.com) about the different hotels (SF, HC and DC) and there are some really mixed reviews .... some good some really bad .. which worries me

Just want my little girls first visit to be perfect ! So any advice is always welcome !

 

[LoobyLoo33]

Hi we have been for the past 4 years and have always stayed in the Cheyenne.
We love the theming of this hotel and our little boy loves it. I think the best thing about it is where you sleep, it is themed like you would imagine a real wild west street to be, you can almost imagine the tumbleweed going across the pathways, it great. I would recommend the cheyenne as a great base for you and little one and im sure you will love it.

Lisa

 

[Cazgal]

Thanks for allthe great feedback ... now just to find the very best price !

 

[lady&tramp]

i booked Santa Fe on expedia last week for £40 per night, B+B! For 20-22 Nov, thought this was a great deal, now just hoping the flights will go down!! I saw them for £45 rtn with easy jet a while ago but they've gone up to almost double now! i'm praying they go down this week!!

 

[Cyrano]

i booked Santa Fe on expedia last week for £40 per night, B+B! For 20-22 Nov, thought this was a great deal, now just hoping the flights will go down!! I saw them for £45 rtn with easy jet a while ago but they've gone up to almost double now! i'm praying they go down this week!!

Hope you find the flights, although normally they continue to go up the closer to the date they get

 

[hildasmuriel]

Count me in as another who would chose onsite rather than a better quality hotel offsite. The EMH are worth so much, IMO.
The first time we went my daughter was 6 and was so exhausted by the end of each day that I think she would have slept on a clothes line!

 

[Cazgal]

Awww bless !

This forum is great - so much good feedback so thank you all.

Hoping to book soon but can't seem to find the prices for April 2008 and onwards yet.

 

[miffy7]

with regards to the cowboy theming, my 7-year-old dd loved it. there are lots of patchwork blankets and things, and what little girl doesn't love pony rides? they are 5 euro each though so you might want to sneak her past!
at the moment the santa fe is 32 pounds a night some days - it's quite a bargain!

 

[tinkerbell 766]

I agree that staying onsite is best. The disney magic is everywhere and try as they might, imho, other places just cannot match it.
I have stayed at both Cheyene and Santa Fe and both are great. I personally prefer Cheyene but I can't put my finger on why really. Just personal taste.
As previously said the charcters visit all Disney hotels and it is wonderful for the kids (and adults!) to unexpectedly come across a favourite character walking through your hotel. You can't put a price on something like that.
Have a great trip whatever you decide!!!!