First trip want to save some $ - recommendations for good neighbor hotels?

[MsLeFever]

Would the cost of Uber override hotel savings? Any close enough to walk? I was hoping to do a Disney hotel but just can't justify the $. I know WDW backwards and forwards but this is our first DL trip so I appreciate any help!

 

[WITN-E]

There are a few good and reasonably priced hotels that are walking distance or right across the street from the entrance, but of course they tend to book fast and ultimately are overpriced for what they are for the sake of convenience. I know the BW right there has a good reputation. I personally have found a happy medium by booking at the hotels in the convention center area, just south of the parks. There is a very cheap shuttle (Anaheim Regional Transit (ART)) that stops at those hotels and takes you right to the park and back, so you don't have to walk, and they come about every 15 minutes so really very efficient!

 

[maleficent55]

I think if you’re not staying on site, then stay as close as you can across the street on Harbor Blvd

Look at Best Western Park Place Inn, Camelot, Tropicana, Fairfield, Courtyard by Marriott Anaheim Theme Park Entrance

If you want the equivalent to a WDW moderate, try Westin or JW Marriott. I haven’t stayed at either of these two because proximity is most important to me.
So I’m either on Harbor or at the Grand Californian

 

[disneychrista]

That depends on what hotel you are choosing. Many of the hotels across Harbor are actually CLOSER to the park gates that the Disneyland hotel.

As far as cost, figure that into things when comparing.

 

[LAS2AMS]

All of the hotels across the street from the main entrance have gotten pricy. But you don’t need to stay across the street or onsite if you’re simply looking for a clean, comfortable place to stay.

The Clarion Inn can be had for around $100/night, for example. It’s a 20-minute walk up Harbor Blvd to the main entrance. It’s also directly across the street from the Harbor entrance of Toy Story parking lot, so you could take the bus and make the short walk over.

 

[Pluto468]

Good neighbor hotels generally cost less than the resort hotels, but sometimes discounts make the resort hotels comparable or even less than good neighbor. For instance, this summer I've seen Pixar Place for $382 and Disneyland hotel for $476, which isn't much more than some of the Harbor hotels. They're further to walk than some Harbor hotels but it's really nice being in the bubble.

Generally, for close and not too expensive:

Less than 3 minute walk:
Park Vue
BW Park place Inn
BW Anaheim Plus Inn

Less than 10 minutes:
Tropicana
Camelot
Candy Cane Inn


A bit further - 15-20 minutes
Courtyard Marriott
Howard Johnson
Residence Inn
Westin

 

[Geemo]

Would the cost of Uber override hotel savings? Any close enough to walk? I was hoping to do a Disney hotel but just can't justify the $. I know WDW backwards and forwards but this is our first DL trip so I appreciate any help!

One thing I have found about the locations across the street on Harbor, is the earlier you book the lower the rate. Most open their booking calendar a year in advance.

 

[clappyclaps]

I recently stayed in the Best Western Plus Pavilions following a recommendation on here and I'd highly rate it. It's maybe a 15 min or so walk (depending on your speed) but it was very reasonably priced compared to others. Quiet yet safe too for me as a solo traveller. Rooms could've been a bit more modern but still had everything you'd need.

 

[katyringo]

I just booked for a weekend in June and was able to get Howard Johnson for $175 a night which is the lowest I've seen in a long time..

 

[Pluto468]

I just booked for a weekend in June and was able to get Howard Johnson for $175 a night which is the lowest I've seen in a long time..

That's a great rate! Which room type did you book?

 

[ChrissyLou]

Would the cost of Uber override hotel savings? Any close enough to walk? I was hoping to do a Disney hotel but just can't justify the $. I know WDW backwards and forwards but this is our first DL trip so I appreciate any help!

I second Howard Johnson (or HoJo's as it's often referred to). Although it is across from DL (you can see it and know you're at DL) it is still in that 10-15 minute walk category, but it has never been a problem for us and we take mid-day breaks, so we're generally walking that four times a day. It has interior corridors, a really nice garden pool area (unlike a typical parking lot pool as many of the area hotels are) and we've always had excellent service from staff. I'd also suggest the Candy Cane Inn (actually only stayed there once because they were booked or some other reason not relating to the hotel itself) but it's the same distance roughly as HoJo's but opposite direction and they do have their own dedicated shuttle which is a feet saver at the end of a long day, a great complimentary breakfast, just a nice little hotel that is a favorite of many, but I will say the rooms are a little on the small side, HoJo's rooms are much more spacious. Good luck with whatever option you choose.

 

[ParkHopper1]

Just a note..."Good Neighbor" hotel at Disneyland does not really mean anything other than they allow you to book through Disney...but you can often find better rates and better cancelation policies booking direct...and a GN hotel is not any better quality than any other off site hotel so don't limit yourself to just those.

Plenty of good quality cheaper walkable hotels on Harbor and surrounding areas.

The Clarion Inn can be had for around $100/night, for example. It’s a 20-minute walk up Harbor Blvd to the main entrance. It’s also directly across the street from the Harbor entrance of Toy Story parking lot, so you could take the bus and make the short walk over.

...except this one...one of the most disgusting hotels I have ever stayed at. Was working for a client who booked us there and told them put us up somewhere better or find another vendor for the next year! One had dirty underwear under the chair, two of our co-workers got rashes, and my bathroom was just gross. YMMV.

 

[irlandaise]

Just a note..."Good Neighbor" hotel at Disneyland does not really mean anything other than they allow you to book through Disney...but you can often find better rates and better cancelation policies booking direct...and a GN hotel is not any better quality than any other off site hotel so int limit yourself to just those.

They used to have an early entry perk, but now that that's gone, there really isn't any advantage to them.

 

[LAS2AMS]

expect this one...one of the most disgusting hotels I have ever stayed at. Was working for a client who booked us there and told them put us up somewhere better or find another vendor for the next year! One had dirty underwear under the chair, two of our co-workers got rashes, and my bathroom was just gross. YMMV.

I’ve stayed there many times without incident. Reality is, you can have a negative experience at any hotel. Sorry this one was yours.

 

[katyringo]

That's a great rate! Which room type did you book?

Whatever their standard/ non renovated rooms- building 3-5 or something like that. Wyndham reward member rate (free to join). We've stayed in these rooms before. Hojo used to be our go to before we ruined ourselves with DLH.

 

[Louis63]

When booking at a non disney property look at a map, some hotels will say x amount of distance from the parks but that doesn't mean from the gates only the perimeter of the parks, I just started staying at the Del Sol Inn, nothing fancy but the rooms are large.

 

[pennym]

Candy Cane Inn. Clean, pretty, has a lovely free breakfast and a free shuttle, plus if you prefer to walk it's only about 5 mins to where the shuttle stops. Not huge rooms though.