For those who stay off-site...

[IUTBAM]

what is the farthest away you've stayed from Disneyland? We are going to So Cal for two weeks over the holidays, and while DLR is one of the main reasons we're going, we've gone so many times that we don't feel the need to stay right next door to the parks. Previously the furthest we've stayed off-site was about 1.5 miles down Harbor at the Embassy Suites Garden Grove. But I'd be willing to drive further if we could get a really great deal on a hotel, especially since we'll be visiting other area attractions on day trips (SD Zoo, Reagan Museum, the Getty Center, Chinatown, Hollywood).

 

[skiingfast]

I've stayed, 15, 30 , 45 , even an hours away. But it was really bescause of I was in LA for business and DL was an add on.

Going for DL I stay where I can walk from.

You might consider staying in three hotels and avoid traffic for a relaxed pace. Despite the packing and repacking and checking in and out. Somewhere in LA or Hollywood, Anaheim and then in San Diego.

 

[PinkBudgie]

The furthest we've stayed is my sister's house about an hour away to the east in no traffic. The problem is, the further away you stay, the earlier you have to get up to get there at opening. When staying at my sister's we had to get up at 4:30 just to get all of 4 us ready to leave by 6:30.

We stayed at Embassy Suites South once and loved it, but still had to get up really early to get to breakfast and then drive to the parks. The past 3 trips we have stayed at Candy Cane Inn. Because we can walk over in less than 10 minutes, we have more time to sleep and to have a relaxed breakfast. Also, we can walk back quickly for an afternoon nap. Even from Embassy Suites we didn't want to take the time to drive back and forth and loose our great parking space. So we ended up leaving the parks about 9pm every night.

If it was me, I'd stay in two or three different hotels too, depending on how many days I was visiting an area because vacations can be exhausting. If you are just going to spend one day in SD, I can see just driving down for the day. But I wouldn't want to do that more than once. And I really wouldn't want to drive all the way from LA to DLR everyday.

 

[Mama Who]

Candy Cane Inn is the farthest we stay. When I was a kid we stayed with relatives in San Fernando for single day commando trips because that's what we could afford.

 

[rentayenta]

I grew up about 10 miles from Disneyland so I'm guessing that's about the furthest I've stayed. The only bummer to me, about driving, is leaving and the drive home even if it's only 20 minutes away. We are all just so tired and the start and stop sitting makes it worse...the tram, the car.....bleh.

 

[blackjackdelta]

A few years back we stayed at my brothers in Manhatten Beach.

Jack

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Our limits are Fairfield Inn on one end and Candy Cane on the other. We just don't see any point in the hassle of the parking garage or the hassle of shuttles.

 

[MyYearWithTheMouse]

I'd stay in at least 2 hotels. Getting from Anaheim to Hollywood/Universal/and especially the Getty is a SERIOUS pain in the traffic, esp. if you want to spend the day at Universal. For traffic patterns in general, people live in Orange County and work in LA, so Westbound traffic in the morning, then return home to Orange Count in the afternoon (Eastbound). But there's always traffic fighting your way through downtown. The SD Zoo you can do from Anaheim.

 

[IUTBAM]

I forgot to add that we have been to all these places before from our base in Anaheim (we've stayed onsite and off), and I know LA traffic can be insane...but we do love the HOV lanes! I'd like to find a suite-type hotel (2 bedrooms...like a Homewood Suites or Residence Inn) that can be our base for SoCal. I don't mind driving...we like to get up early...

 

[robinjh7]

85 miles! My parents moved 15 years ago, or we'd still be staying 85 miles away.

In 1999, we did Magic Mountain (or whatever it's called now), three days of Disneyland, and then Universal Studios. We stayed at the Peacock Suites in Anaheim. It was TOO FAR from the other parks. We (well, DH mostly) like to open and close the parks, so it was a completely exhausting trip. My DH's brother and his family joined us, and they have never been to Disneyland again! We're going to fix that in December, but we're sticking with JUST DLR, no other parks. I think we burned them out!

So I'd second the two-hotel idea.

 

[blackjackdelta]

85 miles! My parents moved 15 years ago, or we'd still be staying 85 miles away.

In 1999, we did Magic Mountain (or whatever it's called now), three days of Disneyland, and then Universal Studios. We stayed at the Peacock Suites in Anaheim. It was TOO FAR from the other parks. We (well, DH mostly) like to open and close the parks, so it was a completely exhausting trip. My DH's brother and his family joined us, and they have never been to Disneyland again! We're going to fix that in December, but we're sticking with JUST DLR, no other parks. I think we burned them out!

So I'd second the two-hotel idea.

We have done the same numerous times satying in one place and it is to a degree exhausting for some, but works real we for us. Do not like moving bags constantly.

Jack

 

[robinjh7]

Do not like moving bags constantly.

That's a good point. I do hate that. It is nice to unpack one time and one time only. (My DH and I love to cruise for our 'parents-only' vacations, and that is one of the reasons.)

 

[GenGen22]

I have stayed at the Radisson Suites in Buena park (includes hot buffet breakfast) and also Embassy Suites Anaheim South (I prefer this one and it also includes a hot buffet breakfast) I have traveled from these two areas to DLR and Universal Studios and back as I didn't really want to stay in Hollywood.