Help me decide- Carousel, Anabella or Desert Palms or?

[BCholly]

I am thinking about booking one of these places for July. I am really opting for the suites, where my hubby and I have a seperate room.
We are travelling with 3 teens and so some seperation would be nice.

The Desert Palms is a bit cheaper than the other two... so I am leaning towards it.

Please, any feed back would be appreciated.

 

[tinkcollector]

The Annabella is very nice, but compared to your other two choices the walk is farther.
I stayed at the Desert Palms a while back and it was in real need of a refurbishment.
The Carousel is a close walk, and the last time we stayed there (about a year and a half ago.) the rooms looked like they had just been remodeled. They were very nice. The Continental Breakfast was very basic, but I do not believe the Annabella, or the Desert Palms have that option.

 

[martinolichfamily]

We booked Desert Palms for July due to the separate room in the Yuha suite...hot breakfast, fridge/micro, free parking, etc...

 

[crazzeddisneyfan]

In December of 2011 My girlfriend, I and two of our friends all stayed at the Desert palm, we all loved it. The rooms are clean, staff is helpful and the breakfast is alright. It is nothing fancy but really it was good for free. They offered the standard cereal,toast,eggs, and sausage, oj and milk.The walk is not to bad and here come December or possibly sooner we will stay there again. They actually let us check in early for a few hours to catch some sleep for our drive, The Ramada did not let us do that in March 2012.

 

[BCholly]

A couple of Desert Palm questions-

How long is the walk really.... Will popping back mid day be doable?

And what is the pool like. I have 3 teens and that seems to be important to them (never mind sleep, which is why I want them to have a seperate bedroom, and I will bring ear plugs).

And I like the idea of a real breakfast. The girls don't eat much but my 6 ft son does.

 

[EmmersIsTheMommy]

We stayed at Desert Palms with two young kiddos. I don't think we popped back..it's a bit of a walk.

HOWEVER, It was worth the stay because the hot breakfast was pretty good and got us fueled up for the day. It'd be worth it for your 6 ft son It was worth it for my 6ft husband

The pool is 'meh'. It wasn't dirty or anything. Just smallish.

Oh and the Desert Palms staff was amazing. The maids were great.

 

[MickeyManiac]

We've stayed at Carousel and Annabella.(sister hotels) They both have their pro's and con's.
Annabella - grounds and pool are beautiful but the walk is longer and no breakfast.
Carousel - location can't be beat (almost right at the crosswalk, light breakfast included, but the rooftop pool is not great (IMO) it's pretty small. I think my first choice would be Carousel because I really prefer to stay on Harbor than on Katella.

 

[Hootch]

a thread with a number of comments that I found useful. The poster has compiled data from several sources and has taken into account comments from other posters.

I can't help. It has been a loooong time since I have been to Disneyland. We are going this summer. I ended up opting for Candy Cane Inn. Cheesy name but it's close and gets good reviews overall.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2796786

 

[bumbershoot]

I've stayed at Carousel and Anabella. They are actually sister resorts, but different from each other in luxury and feel.

I've stayed at Carousel once. I've stayed at Anabella three times. Guess which I like more.

The grounds, the people, the pool...it's all nice. It IS a longer walk, but it's almost all a nice and pretty walk. Once you've gotten across Katella, there is lovely landscaping and it's very pleasant. Then you go through the Grand Californian into the last bit of Downtown Disney to get to bag check to get to the esplanade to get to the parks! Not a bad way to start your day.

 

[BCholly]

Thanks for that link Hootch!

So for the walk from the Annabella it is mostly through the GC hotel? That does sound very nice....

 

[skiingfast]

So for the walk from the Annabella it is mostly through the GC hotel? That does sound very nice....

Mostly not.

Walk out the entry/exit near the lobby, go over to the corner of Katella and Disneyland Dr. Cross Katella. Then you walk up the plam lined Disneyland Dr. for almost half the walk, 7-8 minutes. Then follow the sidewalk into the GCH area, and go in the front doors of the hotel. Make a left and go by registration and continue strait into DTD, about 2 minutes inside the hotel. In DTD make a right and in about 5 minutes you will be at the park gates.

For a break, returning from a break from the parks or if leaving at night from DCA. Where the registration desk end make a right and go along the back edge of the lobby. Continue going strait outside and past the pool area on your right and White Water Cafe, and Storytellers on your left.. You will come to a forced right go a little further and there is a tunnel through the building and the special gates in and out of DCA.

 

[nottellin']

Have you thought about the Park Vue Inn?

They are right across the street, have a hot breakfast and they have some room types that are suites.

I haven't stayed at the other ones, but we have stayed at the PVI and we thought it was good.

 

[lyssgirl89]

I have stayed at the carousel before and I loved it! comfy beds and right across the street.

 

[mysteriouspnai]

We stayed at Desert Inn for Spring Break (March 20-23 for me). There were 6 of us, and the room was definitely spacious enough. I've noticed people mentioned a hot breakfast, but when we went, there were no eggs nor sausage. The breakfast was really basic: toast, cereal, pastries, juice, milk and coffee. The location definitely can't be beat, and is typically cheaper than BWPPI and Park Vue.

 

[DisneylandForever]

Out of the three choices listed, the Carousel is by far my favorite.

 

[mydisneymoney]

Using the gmap - pedometer, it is 0.6214 miles from Desert Palm to the middle of the esplanade. It is 0.4665 miles from Paradise Pier, cutting through GCH to the esplande. We have stayed at PPH and found the walk easy. Basically, it looks like it is a decent walk. Obviously the ones across street are going to be faster. I have never stayed at the Desert Palm but have looked at it several times. Looks clean now and I have looked at online reviews and it is getting good reviews. Guess it depends on how far you want to walk and what you want to pay at this point.