HELP! Off Property Hotel

[wdwlover1897]

Hi!
We are coming from KY in a little over a week to Las Vegas and have decided to come to Disneyland! We are extreme Disney World go-ers (I have an annual pass) and have NEVER stayed off property there. We were in Disneyland 2 years ago and stayed at the Grand Californian. We are not used to off property but we have no choice this time. Need your help!

I have been reading a lot and it seems that the HoJo is the place to go. We are also interested in maybe the Fairfield Inn. We def want to be within walking distance and are a bit spoiled and high maintenance when it comes to hotels. Please help us!

Also...are Thursdays in the parks good days. We would be there July 19th!

THANKS!

 

[gatorfreud]

HoJo is good - we have stayed there many times. VERY different experience though, than staying on site at WDW though.

Thursdays are early entry days for DL, which you will not have staying off site with a one day tix. DCA also has early entry, but that seems to be in flux now...

Kim

 

[Amy5869]

I feel your pain. DLR is a whole different hotel world comapred to WDW. We have stayed at the Fairfield and it's fine. Clean and Close made it a big hit with us. I'm a hotel snob as well. Our home resort is Wilderness Lodge. We are doing a night in one of the DLR hotel's this summer but will spend the bulk of our trip at the Fairfield because you just can't beat the price and distance.

 

[mouseymommy]

We really like the Best Western Park Place Inn. They are the closest you can get to the parks. The rooms are always clean, and they are fine for our DLR trips. Have Fun!

 

[janatmovies]

I stayed in the Hampton Inn a mile away. 100 bucks a night, awesome free breakfast, great dedicated shuttle that runs frequently. clean quiet room and comfy beds. And the customer service is good.

 

[wdwlover1897]

Thanks for the help!

 

[milan15]

BW Stovall's
You'll get to walk through GCH on your way into the park, too

 

[mrsmoku]

my husband and stayed at best western stovalls inn and the Hilton convention center hotel twice. The Hilton is nice and fancy but a good 20 min walk. Stovalls was actually very clean and nice and about a 10-12 minute walk. You can cut through the grand Californian hotel to get to the parks faster. I never felt unsafe walking or frightened late at night and that's a BIG issue for me next to cleanliness!

 

[katejc]

We always stay at the Candy Cane Inn. It's a short easy walk, but also has its own shuttle if you're tired. Staff is really nice and the place is fairly small, nice, not fancy, but we always enjoy staying there when we can't do onsite. We've stayed at the Hojo, too, and thought it was fine. Being across Harbor and in the opposite direction of CCI, it just felt like a longer walk to me. Others disagree, though. Have fun wherever you end up!

 

[BEARCATS07]

We have stayed at the Tropicanna Inn and was a nice place to be, The breakfast was not that great the room was clean and the staff was friendly and helpful. Its a little older than some but a nice value for the location.

 

[SomeDude78]

IMO either "spoiled and high maintenance" or "within walking distance" are going to have to go as a compromise The accommodations within walking distance on Harbor Blvd aren't ghetto by any means, but they are most definitely not upscale by any stretch of the imagination.

I would think of them all as motels (including Hojo despite its interior hallways), just a basic place to rest your head, so there aren't any disappointments. I've been at both Hojo and Fairfield Inn a bunch of times and prefer Fairfield Inn, but only by a hair, and that hair is probably just because of the rewards points I rack up from work and personal travel. IMO they're pretty much comparable unless you like the water play area for kids or Hojo's suites, in which case you could give Hojo the edge.

There are much nicer hotels in the surrounding vicinity, but which would make for a longer walk or the need for a shuttle. But if you're talking walking distance, I'd say to temper expectations and look at value as opposed to "niceness" as the core proposition

(P.S. Just so my comments aren't misconstrued ... I have no problem with spoiled and high maintenance ... I'm the same way with hotels hence my post )

 

[angiemouse]

I highly recommend Hojo. The service and cleanliness were excellent. It was also very quiet and comfortable. The grounds are also beautiful. I honestly thought it was just as good as staying at PPH. I'm very picky about hotels and we were not disappointed. One hotel I did not enjoy at all was the Anabella. Our room had an old squeaky mattress, the floor and headboard was dirty, and when the tub started filling up with sludge we were moved to a better room, which still wasn't as clean as I would like.

 

[smiles33]

I'm guessing you may have to make some calls directly to prospective hotels/motels, as if you're coming in less than 2 weeks, many of the hotels may be booked! If you are accustomed to GCH, you will be disappointed by practically all the off-site hotels within walking distance. Adjust your expectations and think of the room as just a place to sleep and shower. You'll get a clean room, but won't have the Disney magic or the upscale touches of the GCH. Spend all your time in the parks and it will still be a fantastic trip! Have fun!

 

[bumbershoot]

One hotel I did not enjoy at all was the Anabella. Our room had an old squeaky mattress, the floor and headboard was dirty, and when the tub started filling up with sludge we were moved to a better room, which still wasn't as clean as I would like.

That is such a different experience than I've had, and I've stayed at Anabella three times! I just love Anabella. It's a further walk, but beautiful.

If you are accustomed to GCH, you will be disappointed by practically all the off-site hotels within walking distance.

Not necessarily. I've stayed there, and found that the best part of the hotel is the lobby (aka the free part). We got the second worst room in the hotel (when looking at maps) (and I'm including the "column" of rooms to include each floor when I say "worst room") in terms of how far away it was. I mapped it, and our room was further away from the center of the esplanade than the sidewalk outside HoJo.

I'm a snob when I can afford it, but have a very complicated definition of *value*, and the Grand doesn't give me the value *at all*.

So they might not have a hard time. After all, they can still spend time in the lobby!

 

[DisneyMomma81]

That is such a different experience than I've had, and I've stayed at Anabella three times! I just love Anabella. It's a further walk, but beautiful.



Not necessarily. I've stayed there, and found that the best part of the hotel is the lobby (aka the free part). We got the second worst room in the hotel (when looking at maps) (and I'm including the "column" of rooms to include each floor when I say "worst room") in terms of how far away it was. I mapped it, and our room was further away from the center of the esplanade than the sidewalk outside HoJo.

I'm a snob when I can afford it, but have a very complicated definition of *value*, and the Grand doesn't give me the value *at all*.

So they might not have a hard time. After all, they can still spend time in the lobby!

HoJo's and Stovall's are quite nice. We were 1st timers @ Stovall's last Thanksgiving and we're return visitors to HoJo's this coming *late* Oct.

 

[iKristin]

Highly recommend the HoJo. This October will be my 6th trip with them, a total of 30 days of my life have been spent at this hotel haha. I have never had a negative experience with them. The customer service at the hotel itself is great, they are very friendly and will help with anything they can. The rooms have always been clean and nice (the remodeled ones are even better). They offer so many different discounts through Disney fan websites that you can almost guarantee a good pricing. The walking distance is very nice as well. It's not far and there are plenty of food options a long the way if you're looking to save a little moolah (mcdonalds dollar menu anyone?)

 

[chrissiecutie]

That is such a different experience than I've had, and I've stayed at Anabella three times! I just love Anabella. It's a further walk, but beautiful.

Bumbershoot- I've looked at the pics of the Anabella and it "appears" to be more of a boutique hotel geared towards adults. Did you find it to be kid friendly at all??

And OP- we will only stay at the HoJo's. Both DH & DS love it there. The ET/Retro Rates are great, the pirate themed water park is DS' fav, the rooms are clean & comfy and they have Keurig coffee makers- what's NOT to like! DH likes it SO much that when offered the Wyndam in nearby Garden Grove for $25/night, he said no- we would be staying at the HoJo.