Have the opportunity to stay at the DLH - is it really worth it?

[PJackson]

My lovely Mum has offered to help with the cost if we want to stay at the DLH when we go on our trip in two weeks! It's an extortionate cost (almost double HNY) and I feel a bit guilty about her helping with the cost as it's so much. So....

What do you all think?

Is it really worth the extra money? We were going to stay at the Marriott Vacation Club but for various reasons (namely I've decided to put off starting my DD2 on solid food until our return), I don't think we need a 'house' anymore. I actually think, this trip, we'll benefit more from being so near the parks - can nip back etc if need be etc.

There is always the HNY as a second...?

Thanks for any advice...

 

[torsie24]

Mmmm, its up to you.....

I'd say definitely go for on site. Great bonus of EMH and being walking distance to parks.

I went for DLH purely becuase I've always wanted to, and in january with the free night offer I thought £730 was a pretty good price for 3 nights of being almost 'in' the parks.

I don't htink I'd go over £1000 for a 3 night stay though.

It was a while ago I stayed at HNY and it was lovely but not 'magical' which I'm hoping I'll be getting from DLH.

Maybe go for HNY this time, and when DD is older try DLH, as there will always be characters about for her.

Sorry - I know I havent helped at all....

 

[DLPdaft]

I think Torsie may be right - if I ever had the money (and for what it costs to stay at DLH compared to the other onsite hotels, I'd seriously have to win close to the lottery jackpot to be able to justify the cost to myself) the DLH would be a wonderful trip to make, but I'll be honest, I'd be doing it for me, not for DD - she feels the Magic wherever we stay (even offsite ).

You will have a fantastic time, wherever you stay. Onsite does have the edge when you have young children, as there is the opportunity at all of the hotels for you to be surprised by a character or 2.

 

[PJackson]

Thanks for your replies - you are right - I'd really be doing it for me and maybe we should wait until DD1 (at least!) is a little older.... It's just for our first trip I wanted to make it 'extra' magical as Torsie says (although I'm sure it will be magical no matter where we stay!).... Hmmm not sure what to do really. It's going to be £2000 + for all of us for 4 nights (as we qualify for the 4 nights for 3 offer - it would be even more if we didn't have the offer )....

I can't believe there isn't even tea/coffee facilities in the rooms at that price either Or am I missing it somewhere?

 

[Ruth B]

I'm hoping to go to DLH in May with a 16 month old and 2x teengaer and am planning on staying here purely for location. I found the bus trip too much last time( when we stayed at Sante fe) and my son was nearly 5 at that time.
If your mum is offering to give you all a really special trip then i feel DLH is the place to stay!

 

[DLPdaft]

There is another thing to consider for your first trip - if you do DLH on your first trip, its going to be very hard going back to DLRP and not staying at the DLH

 

[torsie24]

There is another thing to consider for your first trip - if you do DLH on your first trip, its going to be very hard going back to DLRP and not staying at the DLH

Definitely...might become a VERY expensive habit if you do DLH first! lol.

 

[PJackson]

Hmm I did think that...

 

[A Small World]

There is another thing to consider for your first trip - if you do DLH on your first trip, its going to be very hard going back to DLRP and not staying at the DLH

Thats my fear as well

 

[davewasbaloo]

Hmmm, well personally I would rather stay at Marriott. I prefer the space and privacy, especially as the Villas are five times the size (at least) of a DLH room. Having play space for the kids, a full kitchen, civilised breakfast with a little Disney music on, a washer so we can pack light, and seperate rooms for romance make me disappointed with the Disney hotels.

We have Dream APs so make use of EMH, and we park at the HNY (so we occassionally bump into characters). We use our own car driving down, I might feel different if I had to rely on public transport.

Unless I was only going for one night, I cannot see me ever staying on site again when Marriott is available.

The DLH is ok, but overpriced. The other Disney resort premier hotels in California and Orlando offer much better service and hotel quality. However, the location of the DLH cannot be beat and with little one's it's great.

 

[SandraVB79]

OP, how much time will you spend in the hotel, while you are awake?
Is that time worth it to pay the increased price?

To me, it is not, to others it is, it's all a personal choice

 

[cap'njack.]

OP, how much time will you spend in the hotel, while you are awake?
Is that time worth it to pay the increased price?

To me, it is not, to others it is, it's all a personal choice

My exact reasons for staying in the Santa Fe the last time we went. We literally staggered through the hotel door at 11pm and were out again by 8am, to me the DLH would not have been worth it.

 

[davewasbaloo]

My exact reasons for staying in the Santa Fe the last time we went. We literally staggered through the hotel door at 11pm and were out again by 8am, to me the DLH would not have been worth it.

It depends on when you go and how you tour the parks. If you like a swim, are there when the parks close early, or on a weekend break and need to be at work refreshed on a Monday, the DLH is a good choice.

Before kids, we did not mind staying at the Santa Fe or Cheyenne, but once we had babies and toddlers it is easiest to either stay closer in or at a better value hotel off site IMHO.

 

[PJackson]

I know - we have booked the Marriott but some of the party wouldn't be able to do EMH and it meant multiple trips backwards and forwards and we don't want to spend the day travelling to and from...

I think the biggest reason for staying (possibly) and the DLH is the location - I don't think you can beat it with little ones - if they want a nap (DD1 will not sleep in a pushchair at all) or if DD2 is getting too fractious etc etc we are stones throw from the park....

Still not decided though - is the HNY much further away - been told on another thread about a 10 min walk but not sure how much actually further it is from the DLH?

 

[DLPdaft]

HNY is a 5-minute walk, through the Village, from the turnstile-entrance to DLH.

 

[davewasbaloo]

HNY may be a 5 min walk without kids, or to the door, but realistically I would say from the gates to room is at least 10 minutes. It is doable, and the best non DLH option, but it is through the gardens, the railway concourse, the village, round the lake to the ice rink.

If you are using pushchairs, no probs. My kids (age 3 and 5) walked to the parks, and then if awake, one would ride in the push chair and the other walked (or stood on the back of the pushchair). If asleep, one would ride and the other was carried.

 

[thelittlemermaid83]

I think its down to personal choice, my DD is 2 will be 3 when we stay in the DLH in January and she don't care where she stays, i'm bascially staying there for myself as the price was too good for a single parent like me to refuse and i plan on spending time in the hotel chilling out etc...

 

[disneyangel]

I would love to stay at the DLH one day but think the Marriot is just lovely

The buses have always worked for us and even paying for a few taxi's wouldn't take you near the DLH prices I would think .

Still a 4 for 3 deal at the DLH sounds good too

I would probably stick to the Marriot (for all the reasons Davewasballo has given) and ask your Mum to pay for a special meal for you all.

 

[karenmoloney]

Hi Patsy,
What a dilemma! The only thing that I think the Disneyland Hotel has over Marriott is its proximity to the park. Spending 4 nights with us all in one room when I could have a whole house, the Marriott would win every time, but then my DD2 doesn't sleep very well & would have everyone up during the night instead of just me! If you choose Marriott, you can always pop into the Disneyland Hotel to see what it's like. The reception area there is lovely. When my DD2 was small I went in there a few times to relax on the comfy sofas & feed her. But I know what you're going through, I stayed at the Disneyland Hotel when DD1 was 2 1/2 because it was so convenient to just pop up to the room when she needed a nap. Also they have lovely white wooden cots instead of the travel ones you usually get - or at least that's what I got. Good luck with your decision & let us what you decide.

 

[PJackson]

Aww thanks again. Tbh I'm so busy at home right now (back at work freelancing so times going a bit too quickly for me!) so I'm kind of leaving it up to Mum to decide really. We still have time to sort and will look to finalise this weekend (or rather I'll be finalising/booking lol!). Mum always plays 'dumb' when it comes to booking stuff

To be fair, I think this time we won't really 'use' the house that much as I don't intend being in the room much really. I think once DD2 is a little older we probably would use it more.... (I think?)