Harbor Rooms with nicer pools and balcony/patios?

[SpringBreak]

We're planning our 1st trip to DL with 2 (maybe 4) kids. (Yay!) Flexible dates but looking at late May/early June. Looking to stay in walking distance. Dh and I will alternate taking younger son back to room mid-day, so looking for a room with a balcony/patio and a nicer pool area for us to use while relaxing with kiddo. I realize the motels on Harbor are older, so I'm looking for the better options, not perfection.

Courtyard Marriott would be my choice, but looks booked. Hojo would work, but we aren't into reserving pool/waterpark time.

I love the suite options (Residence, Hyatt House, etc.) and the Weston, JW, etc., but think the walk may be too far for multiple trips back and forth. Onsite breaks the budget for this trip.
What do you think?

 

[katyringo]

We have the Anaheim hotel booked. We have stayed there before: the rooms themselves could use some updating. They are clean just show their age. They do however have a huge nice pool and hot tub and the ground level rooms have a walk out patio and all others have a balcony. I got a really good rate with a package through Disney there- cheaper than booking separate.

 

[kristensideaoffun]

We're planning our 1st trip to DL with 2 (maybe 4) kids. (Yay!) Flexible dates but looking at late May/early June. Looking to stay in walking distance. Dh and I will alternate taking younger son back to room mid-day, so looking for a room with a balcony/patio and a nicer pool area for us to use while relaxing with kiddo. I realize the motels on Harbor are older, so I'm looking for the better options, not perfection.

Courtyard Marriott would be my choice, but looks booked. Hojo would work, but we aren't into reserving pool/waterpark time.

I love the suite options (Residence, Hyatt House, etc.) and the Weston, JW, etc., but think the walk may be too far for multiple trips back and forth. Onsite breaks the budget for this trip.
What do you think?

Just a heads up - Courtyard also requires you to schedule pool time, as well. I’ve heard the HoJo has stopped the reservation system for its pool and it’s still in place for the water park. But they will be limiting the number of people in the pool area to how many lounge chairs are available, so people will have to queue up outside the pool if it’s full. I know a lot of people on this board like the HoJo, but I am not a fan.

If we don’t stay onsite or at the Courtyard, we stay at the Residence Inn. It’s the closest hotel with the best pool outside the Courtyard and onsite hotels. It has a giant hot tub, splash pad, cabanas, loungers and umbrellas, and seating with fire pits. And I’ve always found it to be well stocked with towels and clean. We take mid-day breaks at the hotel and we don’t find the walk to be too much. I definitely wouldn’t stay any further away, though. There are no balconies, though. But the majority most of the rooms are suites, so you can put the kids down to sleep in one room and hang out in the other room without disturbing them.

 

[cndkanga]

We have a reservation for the Hojo but with the reservations and now the queue for the pool we are reconsidering and have made a reservation at the Home2 Hilton which is just around the corner from the Hojo. The pool looks good with lots of seating and a cabana area and they have an area with seating/eating outside as well. They do not have balconies but the from the reviews the rooms are large. Breakfast is included and each room has a full fridge/freezer, microwave and plates, cutlery etc. We have a car and the parking is expensive and valet only which I don't like.

 

[SpringBreak]

We have a reservation for the Hojo but with the reservations and now the queue for the pool we are reconsidering and have made a reservation at the Home2 Hilton which is just around the corner from the Hojo. The pool looks good with lots of seating and a cabana area and they have an area with seating/eating outside as well. They do not have balconies but the from the reviews the rooms are large. Breakfast is included and each room has a full fridge/freezer, microwave and plates, cutlery etc. We have a car and the parking is expensive and valet only which I don't like.

Thanks for this suggestion! Heading out soon, but will check it out when I get back. We also have a car and dislike valet as well. It's frustrating when you just want to pop out to pick up a pizza or something and have to wait for them to bring the car around. Plus, it's unnerving to have someone unknown driving your vehicle. But, everything else sounds great!

 

[SpringBreak]

Just a heads up - Courtyard also requires you to schedule pool time, as well. I’ve heard the HoJo has stopped the reservation system for its pool and it’s still in place for the water park. But they will be limiting the number of people in the pool area to how many lounge chairs are available, so people will have to queue up outside the pool if it’s full. I know a lot of people on this board like the HoJo, but I am not a fan.

If we don’t stay onsite or at the Courtyard, we stay at the Residence Inn. It’s the closest hotel with the best pool outside the Courtyard and onsite hotels. It has a giant hot tub, splash pad, cabanas, loungers and umbrellas, and seating with fire pits. And I’ve always found it to be well stocked with towels and clean. We take mid-day breaks at the hotel and we don’t find the walk to be too much. I definitely wouldn’t stay any further away, though. There are no balconies, though. But the majority most of the rooms are suites, so you can put the kids down to sleep in one room and hang out in the other room without disturbing them.

Thank you for the info on the pools at Courtyard and Hojo. The Residence is tempting; we stayed at one on the FL Gulf coast and liked it a lot. Having the extra space would negate the need for the balcony. Google has the walk at 15 minutes. Would you say that's accurate?

 

[SpringBreak]

We have the Anaheim hotel booked. We have stayed there before: the rooms themselves could use some updating. They are clean just show their age. They do however have a huge nice pool and hot tub and the ground level rooms have a walk out patio and all others have a balcony. I got a really good rate with a package through Disney there- cheaper than booking separate.

Thanks for this info. I'll check it out. Are the mattresses Ok? DH has back issues. Congrats on getting a great rate!

 

[katyringo]

Thanks for this info. I'll check it out. Are the mattresses Ok? DH has back issues. Congrats on getting a great rate!

We don't have issues with the beds, but we also aren't usually picky about them either.

 

[kristensideaoffun]

Thank you for the info on the pools at Courtyard and Hojo. The Residence is tempting; we stayed at one on the FL Gulf coast and liked it a lot. Having the extra space would negate the need for the balcony. Google has the walk at 15 minutes. Would you say that's accurate?

Yes, that’s accurate. It’s an easy shaded walk most of the way. You only have to cross the Toy Story lot shuttle exit and one other street. We are very picky about hotel rooms and have never had any issues with that RI.