Help planning trip for young adult daughters.

[Shoshannah]

I'm taking my two adult daughters (23 and 20) in April to Disneyland for college graduation. First, which good neighbor hotel? I've reservations at Best Western Park Place Inn and Tropicana. Priority, is closeness to the park since youngest daughter will still be doing online college classes that week and will have to spend time in the hotel. Also, she likes pools and is not into Disney as much as her elder sister. Both hotels pools don't look that great, but I can't afford DLH nor GCH. Tropicana looks slightly better by pictures, but pictures can be deceiving. I don't really care about breakfast (I have multiple food allergies) nor parking (We won't have a car with us).

Can anyone go to the spa at GCH or do you have to be staying there? I would like to book a treatment for my 20 year old since I'm trying to have her enjoy this trip. (She only wanted to go to Disney for one day and her sister and I are hoping for at least four days.)

Any other suggestions for her? I thought of going to Universal, but I don't want to take time away from Disney and she's not willing to stay more nights.

 

[Niltiac]

She can hang out in DtD if either she can find a strong enough wifi signal or if some of her work can be done offline. There are lots of little seating areas at restaurants. I would suggest she check out Trader Sams in the evening. I think (but I'm not positive) that you don't have to be a hotel guest to use the wifi at DLH, and you don't have to be 21 to sit on the outdoor patio. In the evening they have tiki torches and often live music - it's a very relaxing setting. If you have to sit around doing schoolwork, you might as well have good atmosphere. The fireplace at the GCH lobby is another option - in fact when I went there recently there was a group of high school or college-aged locals (I assume) having a study group there. If she needs a strong internet connection definitely scout those places ahead of time so she doesn't get stuck unable to connect. There are also some relatively quiet places in the parks where she could work, but I think wifi would be even more spotty there. I would just make sure she knows her options so she doesn't feel trapped in the hotel room. Assuming it hasn't closed yet (I have no idea what the timeline is for construction), she can catch a movie in DtD too.

If she doesn't want to do her work in public and if she's going to end up spending whole days in the hotel room, I would consider getting a nicer room even if that means being farther away, so she can enjoy her solo time at the hotel. I haven't stayed in either of the places you mentioned, but I'm pretty sure all or most of the across-the-street options are motels and are fine for sleeping but might not be the most relaxing place to spend a day. There are some good options near the convention center which are still walking distance (or you an use the Toy Story shuttles for free), they're just not right across the street like your current options.

 

[Shoshannah]

She can hang out in DtD if either she can find a strong enough wifi signal or if some of her work can be done offline. There are lots of little seating areas at restaurants. I would suggest she check out Trader Sams in the evening.

She might actually like doing that! Sounds nice...except for lugging around a laptop. Maybe she could get by with the iPad. Thanks!

 

[Malcon10t]

My daughter has been known to use our data and create a Hotspot in the park to connect to and do online classes by the NOS train station. DTD, she could go to Starbucks and use their signal. Or from DTD, enter the Grand Californian and kick back in the lobby and use the signal there. (Just an FYI, the wifi signal at Trader Sam's is hit or miss....)

As for the Spa, it is open to all, but fills up, so you might want to schedule at least a week out. I enjoy their massages.

 

[Niltiac]

My daughter has been known to use our data and create a Hotspot in the park to connect to and do online classes by the NOS train station.

This is a good idea, just make sure to check your phone plan ahead of time because not all carriers/plans allow you to create hotspots. And if you don't have unlimited data, set limits. If she can do her work in the parks (either with a hotspot, offline, or if she lucks out with the in-park wifi), there's lots of atmosphere entertainment she can sit and watch such as bands, and she can grab a table at various counter service restaurants. This thread has a ton of info about quiet spots in the parks:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/where-is-your-favorite-quiet-spot.3640532/

Although something to keep in mind is that if she's really only interested in spending one day in the parks, and she doesn't mind alone time, you could just purchase her a 1-day ticket and spend that day prioritizing what she wants to do, and put the money you saved on her ticket toward a nicer hotel and/or a spa treatment.

 

[Geemo]

I'm taking my two adult daughters (23 and 20) in April to Disneyland for college graduation. First, which good neighbor hotel? I've reservations at Best Western Park Place Inn and Tropicana. Priority, is closeness to the park since youngest daughter will still be doing online college classes that week and will have to spend time in the hotel. Also, she likes pools and is not into Disney as much as her elder sister. Both hotels pools don't look that great, but I can't afford DLH nor GCH. Tropicana looks slightly better by pictures, but pictures can be deceiving. I don't really care about breakfast (I have multiple food allergies) nor parking (We won't have a car with us).

Can anyone go to the spa at GCH or do you have to be staying there? I would like to book a treatment for my 20 year old since I'm trying to have her enjoy this trip. (She only wanted to go to Disney for one day and her sister and I are hoping for at least four days.)

Any other suggestions for her? I thought of going to Universal, but I don't want to take time away from Disney and she's not willing to stay more nights.

I've never stayed at BWPPI but we have at the Tropicana.
The Tropicana is my go to location when staying on Harbor.
The rooms have been re-done in the past year, so they're fresh.
We use the pool on every trip and I enjoy the Tropicana's pool. Even though it's in the middle of the parking lot, once inside the gate and on the lounger I don't notice the cars. The kids like the pool and I love the hot tub.

The Tropicana has an area in the lobby with a computer for anyone to use.
School work.... On one of my trips a few years pack I took two of my grandkids. My DIL called me to say DGS needed to finish a school paper. When we left on the trip he thought it was complete and submitted. The teacher called her Friday afternoon to tell her otherwise. So Friday night at 9pm, he and I sat in the lobby of the Tropicana at their computer to complete is paper online.
I was so glad they had this available because I had not brought along the laptop.

There is a small store right in front of the Tropicana where we stop for coffee and a pastry for breakfast. I think it's called the Cove.

Enjoy
Geemo

 

[Shoshannah]

The teacher called her Friday afternoon to tell her otherwise. So Friday night at 9pm, he and I sat in the lobby of the Tropicana at their computer to complete is paper online.

Sounds like a good start to a vacation! Thanks for the review of the Tropicana!

 

[Shoshannah]

As for the Spa, it is open to all, but fills up, so you might want to schedule at least a week out.

Is a weeks notice really all we need? What about Fantasmic or World of Color dining packages? How far in advance do you need to book them? Do you really need the dining packages for the shows? We've only been to Disneyland once before in our lives and neither was running so we don't want to miss them. Will they run them on weekday nights as well? (We're trying to avoid the weekends because of grad nights.)

 

[Geemo]

Is a weeks notice really all we need? What about Fantasmic or World of Color dining packages? How far in advance do you need to book them? Do you really need the dining packages for the shows? We've only been to Disneyland once before in our lives and neither was running so we don't want to miss them. Will they run them on weekday nights as well? (We're trying to avoid the weekends because of grad nights.)

Fantasmic! has free FP's for general viewing but I've heard the viewing locations aren't too desirable.
For Fantasmic! dining packages, you need to book pretty much at the 60 day mark if you want an ADR.
Hungry Bear is an exception, those last a little longer than BB and RBT.
For WOC dessert Party, I book at the 60day mark to be sure I get a spot.
Keep in mind, for the WOC dessert party you pay in full at the time of booking.
I've done WOC dessert party twice now and will be going again at the end of the month. I'm so short I need a front row to see. I love not fighting the chaos of the general viewing crowd.

Geemo

 

[theluckyrabbit]

There is a shuttle that runs to South Coast Plaza from several of the DLR hotels. SCP is one of the nicest malls (indoor) in Southern California (Saks, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Macy's, lots of designer stores, etc.). Your youngest daughter might enjoy spending a day doing some shopping and browsing. SCP is about half an hour away from DLR. The Block at Orange is an outlet mall about 10 minutes from the parks. She could get an Uber or a taxi there and back. She could see a movie at the AMC in DTD. Once she's done with her schoolwork, there will be things for her to do other than the parks.
I would recommend doing a dining package for F! and WOC. The packages offer better viewing, especially for F!. The WOC Dessert Party is the only option that gives you an actual chair, a dessert plate (you can specify about your food allergies -- mine have been accommodated every time), and a beverage (choices include alcohol or non). There are descriptions of these packages on the DLR website.