First trip to DL-Have ???

[gatorchinsky]

We are trying to plan our first trip to DL and DCA and I have some questions about the Hilton Anaheim. First off, let me say that we are WDW vets as we live only 1 1/2 hours away and for 7 years prior we lived about 30 minutes away. Also, I was born and raised in Florida so I use to go to WDW when it first opened as a child (when there was only Magic Kingdom). We have been dying to see DL and DCA and think that this might be the only time we can make the trip. It would be me, my husband and our DS who will be 5 by the time we actually go. We are planning on going in mid-September 2009. I am someone who would rather go when the park hours are shorter than deal with the crowds, especially with a 5 year old. How much is shut down at the parks during mid-September. From experience, not much is closed at MK during this time period.

Now for the Hilton Anaheim questions. Have they finished the renovations yet? My husband is a HHonors Diamond Member and we would be using points for the stay (that is why we would stay at the Hilton). Is the walk that far? Also, I read about going to the Timon Parking lot as a shortcut. Would that parking lot be open in September? I'm not big on using the ART Shuttle. I don't like using the Disney Shuttle when staying at WDW because it could get very crowded and the wait could be very long. That's why we stay at the Monorail resorts when we go.

If there is anything else we need to know? We are planning on going for 6 nights and getting 4 day park hopper tickets.

Thanks for all the help.

 

[DisDreamz]

How much is shut down at the parks during mid-September. From experience, not much is closed at MK during this time period.

Can't really help with the Hilton information given that we've never stayed there (and I'm not sure where it is located, we usually stay at HOJOs which is across the street and is a 15-20 minute walk), but this I can comment on. There shouldn't be much shut down in September. Obviously you can always check the website as you get closer to check on ride closures, but for the most part they try not to close too much down at a time no matter what time of year.

You'll have a good time no matter what!

 

[DahliaRW]

The one thing that will be closed for sure is Haunted Mansion to put on the holiday overlay.

 

[gatorchinsky]

When do they close Haunted Mansion and for how long? That is one ride I would not like to miss. If we go at the end of September or beginning of October is the Halloween decorations up?

 

[Krissy Marissy]

Gatorchinsky the HMH should be open for Oct as it opened at the end of sept this year. As for the hilton I haven't stayed there so not sure. I would guess you might need a rental car or ART if you planned on hopping to the parking lot for the tram...again I dont park at DL since we stay onsite so I'm not sure which parking lots are open at that time. Hopefully someone with actual information can come along and help you out! Enjoy your trip!

 

[LucyDingo]

Blue square = Hilton
Red circle = Timon lot tram pick up (Not sure if the lot is open year round or not.)

Close up...
Blue square = Hilton
Yellow line = Crosswalk and walk to the tram stop. I'm not exactly sure where your walk starts from at the hotel though.

 

[gatorchinsky]

Thank you for that map. That gives me a good idea of what to expect. It probably wouldn't have been my first choice of hotel because of the location, but free is free and every little bit helps.

Walking in the mornings won't be bad, but we can always take the shuttle or grab a cab at night if we are too tired.

 

[LucyDingo]

We stayed at the Anabella once...which is farther west than the Hilton. It's the grouping of buildings in the bottom left corner of the second photo. The walk to the tram wasn't that bad.

But if the tram isn't running...the walk would be pretty darn long.

 

[bumbershoot]

But if the tram isn't running...the walk would be pretty darn long.

Definitely. That's why we didn't even try for the tram during our Anabella stay, and just walked to the parks through GCH.


We had a night at the Hilton on our recent trip, because it was so cheap through hotwire and ended up being the same price as motel 6 would have been (hmm, hilton vs motel 6...). If you're parking and it's not included with your point, that's $15 per day, FYI.

It looked really nice there, the beds seemed comfy (I ended up with insomnia and had some very weird pain that was almost like appendicitis so I didn't sleep), and it was very very quiet once we got into the rooms. But they had guests from something like 6 conventions, and there were tons of partiers out in the lobby and smoking right outside the doors in the drop-off spot, and that was at midnight. The staff was nice, and the Starbucks in the lobby opened at 6.

 

[LucyDingo]

Definitely. That's why we didn't even try for the tram during our Anabella stay, and just walked to the parks through GCH.


We had a night at the Hilton on our recent trip, because it was so cheap through hotwire and ended up being the same price as motel 6 would have been (hmm, hilton vs motel 6...). If you're parking and it's not included with your point, that's $15 per day, FYI.

It looked really nice there, the beds seemed comfy (I ended up with insomnia and had some very weird pain that was almost like appendicitis so I didn't sleep), and it was very very quiet once we got into the rooms. But they had guests from something like 6 conventions, and there were tons of partiers out in the lobby and smoking right outside the doors in the drop-off spot, and that was at midnight. The staff was nice, and the Starbucks in the lobby opened at 6.

I'm confused...you stayed at the Anabella...and walked through the GCH to get into the parks? I don't get it. Isn't the GCH far away?

 

[jlmarr]

From the Anabella you would walk west a bit to the corner of Katella and Disneyland Drive, then north on DL Dr, pass over the hidden Mickey that I'd never noticed before just now, and duck into the GCH. See this Wikimapia map, where the Anabella is at the lower left.

 

[LucyDingo]

From the Anabella you would walk west a bit to the corner of Katella and Disneyland Drive, then north on DL Dr, pass over the hidden Mickey that I'd never noticed before just now, and duck into the GCH. See this Wikimapia map, where the Anabella is at the lower left.

Yeah...that seems a lot farther than hopping on the tram. When we stayed at the Anabella the walk to the tram was super short.

 

[Hound 109]

Excellent Maps, but with a possible correction.....

On the larger scale map, it looks like the words "Disneyland Hotel" is located approx. where Main Street in DL is located.....as opposed to it's location 800 - 1200 yards to the left of the DL entrance.

(doesn't affect the OPs question, but didn't want any future DLH guests to get too excited. )

 

[LucyDingo]

Excellent Maps, but with a possible correction.....

On the larger scale map, it looks like the words "Disneyland Hotel" is located approx. where Main Street in DL is located.....as opposed to it's location 800 - 1200 yards to the left of the DL entrance.

(doesn't affect the OPs question, but didn't want any future DLH guests to get too excited. )

Haha...yeah....sometimes google maps aren't very accurate.