For $580, is it worth it?

[mystic_path]

Im gonna say go for it if you can afford it. If you think its going to be a once in a life time opportunity then why not make the best of it. You are going to have more of a Disney feel when staying at the DLH then you would elsewhere, and this gives you something to talk about later Just make sure this is something you wont regret in the long run.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

IMO ~ NO! At least not the whole time. All we do is sleep in our hotel so as long as it's clean & safe that's great! For our trips this past Dec. & March we spent our last night @ PP (in Dec.) and DLH (in March) mostly for the MM benefit (we are AP holders so no MM for us) perhaps you could do that; start out at DLH or end at DLH and stay someplace less expensive the other nights. You can use the MM benefit either the day you check in or the day you check of a DLR hotel.

Edit ~
Thought you had Desert Inn booked, whoops!

 

[JadeDarkstar]

im gona say no to the dlh an yes to the fantasmic desert seeting. if we go this year we are going to that with our 7year old. We love fantasmic

 

[DSNY4ever]

This is just my opinion. I am not a big fan of the Anaheim Plaza ( I would only recommend it if you are on an REALLY tight budget). If this is truly a once in a lifetime trip I say go for it, stay at the DLH. But me, being a tightwad, I would go to Orbitz and book the Anabella (price is really good for the time you are there, and although it will add about 5 minutes to your walk, it is nicer than the plaza, but still budget friendly). Then take the rest of the money you saved and splurge!

Have fun no matter what you decide. If you are family that like to spend all of your time at the parks then you hotel won't really matter.

 

[Sherry E]

I don't think anyone answered this part of your original post, so I will - YES! the Mickey ears shampoo and bath products are found at the DLH as well as PPH (but not in the GCH)!

And, as Lulubelle stated earlier, as a guest of one of the 3 DLR hotels, you do get the perks of being able to send your purchases back to the hotel so you don't have to schlep them around with you or get an expensive locker (a great feature I have used several times), you get the Magic Morning/Early Entry feature on whatever days it is available to you, and you can use the handy DCA entrance in the GCH to enter DCA a little early and get a head start to the TSMM line before the people at the main entrance get to it!!! Plus, you are immersed in magic from beginning to end by staying onsite. The DLH has a lovely koi pond and waterfalls and mini remote-controlled Jungle Cruise boats. The pool area is really nice. The walk from DLH through DTD to the gates of the park is fun and interesting and gets you in the Disney spirit and revs you up for the parks. So as others have stated, if this is going to be your only trip to DLR ever or for a very, very long time, then I would say stay at DLH and get the FULL Disney-fied experience from top to bottom. However, if money is a great concern - and let's face it, $580 is a LOT of extra money to spend - and if you think you will be back again soon, then I would stick with your original hotel.

By the way, Princess Vija - did you ever receive your Catalina Visitors Guide (I gave you the info on how to get it and the explanation on what to do in Avalon), and did that look like something your family would enjoy?

 

[erinbev]

Maybe I overlooked this, but I didn't see how many days you were staying? That would make a difference for me.

And if you were staying for several days, maybe you could split the difference and save money by staying fewer nights at the DLH? Just a thought! I am a poor, poor student, but for my next trip in September, we are staying for a week and spending our last 2 nights at the GCH! (We've been saving for a year and have been on the lookout for really good deals for everything) So we'll be spending $59/night at HOJO for the first part...it kind of makes up the cost, and gives you something to look forward to!

The main thing is to have little or no regrets for your vacation. You don't want to stay offsite thinking, "oh, I wish we had stayed at DLH" for your whole vacation. And you don't want to be at DLH the whole time thinking, "this is costing us so much...*sigh*"

Lots of thoughts on this! Hope that helps, a little...

 

[lolinmr]

I go back and forth every trip about staying at a resort hotel. We always end up at a good neighbor. I'm pretty sure if you book thru Disney travel and stay at a selected good neighbour you will get the same early entry, pins & lanyards, etc.
We find we are not in the hotel enough to warrant the extra cost. We basically get up and go all day, come back and sleep and head out again early the following morning. Having said that we normaly travel in October when crowd numbers are lower and the temperature is cooler so we can stay in the park all day with out over heating.
Whatever your decision I'm sure you'll have a great time!

 

[teatime]

What do you get that matters? A cute show for 10 minutes, early entry one day to Toontown, one day early entry to parks. a bunch of Priental Trading frou frous like lanyards, use the GCH access to DCA, discounts at DTD you will probably not use, and cute toiletries.

The question for you is what can you do with $580 instead of staying at DLH? Would this be extra special as is with just the staying on property? What to you emotionally get out of staying on site?

I would spend $120 at Ariel's Grotto, buy $100 in bling bling girly stuff, $100 in gifts, $90 for Minnie Breakfast, $50 for a special birthday cake and other goodies on her birthday in parks, and still I have $120 to spend on new clothes, gifts, and other special stuff. You are on a budget so why not spend $500 on her and your family on an all out in park birthday celebration.

we think so much alike !!!

I can not see spending that kind of money when a trip of a life time can be so much better with all that extra money !! its only a motel room, and unless you plan to stay in it who cares? I say save the money and have a better time spending it !!!

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Use your MM from you PH and make it so your last night is spent @ DLH that way you'd get a 2nd MM (either the day you check in or check out **or both if you check in Sat. morning and check out on Sun.)! Which would be a great thing in *July **adding ~ Whoops I mean Aug. And I'm gonna assume mid-late Aug. will be much better (crowd wise) than July!

 

[Sherry E]

Use your MM from you PH and make it so your last night is spent @ DLH that way you'd get a 2nd MM (either the day you check in or check out **or both if you check in Sat. morning and check out on Sun.)! Which would be a great thing in July.

Ooooh! That's good, DisneyMomma81! Clever thinking and planning, and very effective. That is a way to get a little taste of the DLH and its perks but keep the overall hotel stay price down.

 

[LisainCalifornia]

I would say definitely yes! For me, the hotel is a very big part of the Disneyland experience--especially when you are staying as many days as you are. You will likely be spending some downtime at the pool (which is very nice for kids and adults), and will enjoy the Disney theme all over the hotel. It really does make a difference!

 

[pycees312]

i used to think the hotel did not matter to the kids only me.. However last month the twins boilogical father took them to disneyland. And just last week my son tells me" mom it's just not the same with my dad as when we go when we go, we always stay at one of the Disney hotel's and have so much more fun" So i dunno i guess where you stay may matter but if your kids have never experience either it shouldn't...

 

[JadeDarkstar]

I like that idea guys hehe

 

[AmericanItGirl]

Personally, I'd split the difference and stay at PPH (if it's cheaper than DLH, depending on whatever deal you can get). That way, you can still get the perks of staying at a Disney hotel, but for less $$$. It might not be worth it to split the the stay at two different hotels (because you'd have to spend at least part of your day moving to a new hotel room that may or may not be ready when you are). You can still wander the grounds of DLH without having to stay there. Plus, more people stay off-site than on.

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

Thanks for all of the opinions!

To answer some questions, DS is 14, and DD is 10. We will be staying Sun-Fri (check out Friday) So 5 nights. We would be getting the stay 3 nights get 2 nights free.

Sherry, Yes, thank you , we did get the Catalina island information, I sent away for it, but we have opted to do an extra park day instead of heading over there. I do thank you for the info, it looks so pretty!

I can pretty much say for certain, that unless we win the lottery, this is our only time going to DLR.

I am starting to REALLY lean toward doing this! I have to go and crunch some numbers.

 

[Sherry E]

Thanks for all of the opinions!

To answer some questions, DS is 14, and DD is 10. We will be staying Sun-Fri (check out Friday) So 5 nights. We would be getting the stay 3 nights get 2 nights free.

Sherry, Yes, thank you , we did get the Catalina island information, I sent away for it, but we have opted to do an extra park day instead of heading over there. I do thank you for the info, it looks so pretty!

I can pretty much say for certain, that unless we win the lottery, this is our only time going to DLR.

I am starting to REALLY lean toward doing this! I have to go and crunch some numbers.

Good! I am glad you got the Catalina guide (it is beautiful over there!), but yes, having that extra park day can be very valuable! There are always things left to do that don't get done for us when we go, and I always find myself saying, "If only I had one or two more days..." Plus, it is nice to be able to take things at a more leisurely pace and not kill yourself trying to get to Space Mountain or something. It seems that you will have a good amount of time to really see and do everything you want to do in DLR, and the 5 nights for the price of 3 is a good deal that may not come around again after this year. And since you say that it is unlikely you will make it back to DLR any time soon (barring a lottery win!), then I say if you guys can afford it, by all means you should stay onsite for all or part of the time. Many folks do stay offsite nowadays and it is fine (in fact, I was trying to convince one of my friends to stay offsite with her family later this year to save money), but there is just something extra special about being right in the middle of the action and the magic for the entire stay - or at least part of it. It's fun getting the pink Goofy folder at the check in desk that contains your brochures and other hotel info. It is fun getting your room Key to the Magic (with Mickey on it) that is personalized with your name printed on the front. It is fun to walk into the bathroom and see the Mickey ears bath products waiting for you. It is GREAT to be able to send the park purchases back to the hotel and not lug them around. It is great to be able to use the DCA entrance inside of the GCH and beat a few people over to the Toy Story line. And boy, did we ever make use of that Early Entry. We crammed in so many Fantasyland rides that had NO lines by using our Magic Morning hour. So handy.

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

Oh Sherry, you are really selling me on this! I am sitting here smiling, just thinking about the fun to be had! I can't wait!

 

[Sherry E]

Oh Sherry, you are really selling me on this! I am sitting here smiling, just thinking about the fun to be had! I can't wait!

I am an evil ally and instigator of the dreaded DSE - the Disney Snowball Effect! Muahahahahahaha! Seriously, I think if and when you decide to do it, once you get there you will be very happy with your decision to be immersed in the Disney magic 24/7. I know first hand it is just the 'working-yourself-up-to-it' stage that is hard...because it is a lot of money and you have to be able to justify it and know that nothing detrimental will occur if you do take that plunge. I think many of us have that internal struggle of 'what IF I spend that money and then XYZ suddenly happens?' But it really seems like it will be a special occasion for you all if you will likely not get back to DLR again soon, so may as well make it as special and magical as possible!!

 

[specialks]

Just a quick note on the idea to look into the PPH instead of the DLH. I think the photos I have seen of the DLH look more "disney'ish" than the PPH. Although, the PPH does have nice rooms. Also, the pool with the waterslide at the DLH is unmatched at the PPH -- IMO!

I do understand the opinion of some of the other people who say that $580 can go towards lots of other experiences/souveniers. However, I don't believe that a hotel is always just a place to lay your head. It can be a big part of your travel experience. People can have a vacation ruined by a bad hotel so isn't it just as understandable that people can have a vacation "brightened" by a great hotel.

I should mention we are not staying on site for our trip in September for a few reasons. 1) We need a suite since my mother is going with us and the suite prices at the DLR are too much. 2) We stay at a hotel with suites that include a full kitchen and a free deluxe breakfast. That being said, I can guarantee that as my girls get older we will splurge eventually and stay on site.

Good luck with your plans and enjoy your trip!

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

I am an evil ally and instigator of the dreaded DSE - the Disney Snowball Effect! Muahahahahahaha! Seriously, I think if and when you decide to do it, once you get there you will be very happy with your decision to be immersed in the Disney magic 24/7.

But it really seems like it will be a special occasion for you all if you will likely not get back to DLR again soon, so may as well make it as special and magical as possible!!

You are evil!But very helpful!

It can be a big part of your travel experience. People can have a vacation ruined by a bad hotel so isn't it just as understandable that people can have a vacation "brightened" by a great hotel.

You know, I never really thought of it that way, but you are right!

OK, I decided we are doing it!!!!