Help with a Disney Hotel vs. Good Neighbor Hotel

[aimathy]

We have a reservation for Howard Johnson's (Good Neighbor) hotel from 8/12-8/18. We have family meeting up with us mid-week and we won't be in Disney for those days....so we are actually going to the parks on 8/12, 13, 14 and 15. I was hoping to get some advice. Can anyone convince me that it's worth it to spend the extra money to stay at a DL Hotel for at least the first 3 nights (when it's just my family at DL)? I know we can't afford to stay there for the entire week, but with the early admission to the parks for hotel guests, I'm wondering if it is worth the switch? Any suggestions? Thank you!!

 

[DznyCrzy11]

We have a reservation for Howard Johnson's (Good Neighbor) hotel from 8/12-8/18. We have family meeting up with us mid-week and we won't be in Disney for those days....so we are actually going to the parks on 8/12, 13, 14 and 15. I was hoping to get some advice. Can anyone convince me that it's worth it to spend the extra money to stay at a DL Hotel for at least the first 3 nights (when it's just my family at DL)? I know we can't afford to stay there for the entire week, but with the early admission to the parks for hotel guests, I'm wondering if it is worth the switch? Any suggestions? Thank you!!

Ok, this is coming from someone who has been to WDW many, many times but never to DL! I would stay those few days at the DL hotel. You wouldn't have to worry about getting to and from the parks, or paying for parking, and like you mentioned, you will also be able to take advantage of the EMH.

Might I also add, if you stay at a DL hotel you will be emersed in the "Disney magic".

 

[blackjackdelta]

If I can I always stay on site...some of the perks, the closeness, the magic that Disney provides is important to us. Only one vacation a year we try to do it right.

Jack

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Ok, this is coming from someone who has been to WDW many, many times but never to DL! I would stay those few days at the DL hotel. You wouldn't have to worry about getting to and from the parks, or paying for parking, and like you mentioned, you will also be able to take advantage of the EMH.

Might I also add, if you stay at a DL hotel you will be emersed in the "Disney magic".

Lots of "good neighbor" hotels/motels are closer to the parks than the DLR hotels. OP perhaps end your visit with a night or 2 on site, we've done that before but never a full stay.

 

[jcarwash]

You wouldn't have to worry about getting to and from the parks, or paying for parking, and like you mentioned, you will also be able to take advantage of the EMH.

On paying for parking...unless I am missing some other information, DL hotel guests do have to pay a daily rate for parking at the hotels.

 

[KateDrake]

On paying for parking...unless I am missing some other information, DL hotel guests do have to pay a daily rate for parking at the hotels.

That is correct, hotel guests at DLR still have to pay for parking.
I'm torn on this one. Staying on property is great, but it sure would be hard to go back to HoJos after! I always think it is better to stay at the nicer hotel second, so you don't have a big let down when you move.
I also have a hard time shelling out the money for the Disney resorts at DLR. At WDW, I would never stay off property, just because there are so many benefits to being on-site. But at DLR, there just aren't as many benefits. But the hotels are amazing, and if money were no object, I'd probably do it.
How's that for a non-answer?

 

[Momrow]

When we do a split stay we always spend the last nights in the better hotel. What is the cost difference? I am only using DLH and GCH as examples, I'm guessing maybe $300/night??? Times 3 nights, plus now meals are more expensive (if eating at Storytellers/Goofy's), etc. So with taxes, parking, extra food costs it could be $1000 extra for those 3 nights. Then to pack up and head to the HoJo would be tough, IMO. If you were to start out at HoJo it would most likely be great, but to move there you would want to move back to DLH/GCH.

Saying this, I just moved our reservation to the DLH from a good neighbour hotel and am finding room elsewhere in the budget to pay for it!

 

[DznyCrzy11]

On paying for parking...unless I am missing some other information, DL hotel guests do have to pay a daily rate for parking at the hotels.

I am really surprised but that's good to know! I just figured it would be free parking like WDW. Guess I learned something new today!

 

[yoyoyo]

When we do a split stay we always spend the last nights in the better hotel. What is the cost difference? I am only using DLH and GCH as examples, I'm guessing maybe $300/night??? Times 3 nights, plus now meals are more expensive (if eating at Storytellers/Goofy's), etc. So with taxes, parking, extra food costs it could be $1000 extra for those 3 nights. Then to pack up and head to the HoJo would be tough, IMO. If you were to start out at HoJo it would most likely be great, but to move there you would want to move back to DLH/GCH.

Saying this, I just moved our reservation to the DLH from a good neighbour hotel and am finding room elsewhere in the budget to pay for it!

Two years ago we spent a week in SoCal. We did our non-disney stuff the first 3 days, and stayed at the HoJo. The last 3 days, when we went to DL, we moved from HoJo to the DLH. If you can do it this way, I think it would ideal because you'd end your trip with that Disney magic.

 

[aimathy]

Thanks for the advice everyone! It would be nice to end with Disney and not do it at the start, but the way our plans are set up and the fact that we are staying at HoJo's with family for the latter part of our stay, means that we can't do it that way. I'm going to find out the exact price difference today and go from there. We've gone to WDW many times and you can't beat the Disney magic....but yes, it seems like the biggest perk at DL would be the Early Entry to the parks. Thank you and any more advice would still be appreciated.

 

[chrissiecutie]

I am really surprised but that's good to know! I just figured it would be free parking like WDW. Guess I learned something new today!

I've never been to WDW but DLR is SO easy to navigate. Much easier then WDW appears to be IMO.

There's no need to even worry about the same issues that you would with WDW. DLR is very walkable no matter if you stay onsite or at a Good Neighbor and as other poster pointed out some of the Good Neighbor's are actually closer. So really- its a whole different ballgame then WDW.

OP- I think it really makes a difference as to what your budget is & how important the cost is for you.

Undoubtably there will be people on both sides of this fence. Some will say YES, stay onsite because of the extra perks. However, IMO, those perks don't justify the HUGE expense. Because most Good Neighbors, HoJo's included, are within walking distance- the "perk" of being so close is a mute point.

Others will say- stay at a Good Neighbor because of the lower cost. So I think you need to decide if you are willing to pay more for the perks.

IMO- the perks associated with staying onsite are the extra MM's when available. I would check to see if these would fall on your days. Otherwise, you're paying for a perk you're not getting. And the other big perk is being at a Disney hotel immersed in the constant magic. Distance & ease of transportation doesn't factor in AT ALL because the Good Neighbors are all so close & walkable.

So really...are you willing to pay more for these 2 perks? One of which might not even apply to you? Definately check on the MM days to make sure you can take advantage of them!

Personally- if I had the money, I would really want to stay at the GCH. I'm actually looking into renting DVC points for our next trip so that we can at least give it a try.

However, we always choose to stay at the HoJo's because of the great Retro Rate, the pirate water park & the clean & comfy rooms. Price is almost always a determining factor & my family is actually really happy staying at the HoJo. DS has never stayed anywhere else when visiting DLR & in his mind, HoJo's is the ONLY hotel at Disney.

 

[HydroGuy]

We have a reservation for Howard Johnson's (Good Neighbor) hotel from 8/12-8/18. We have family meeting up with us mid-week and we won't be in Disney for those days....so we are actually going to the parks on 8/12, 13, 14 and 15. I was hoping to get some advice. Can anyone convince me that it's worth it to spend the extra money to stay at a DL Hotel for at least the first 3 nights (when it's just my family at DL)? I know we can't afford to stay there for the entire week, but with the early admission to the parks for hotel guests, I'm wondering if it is worth the switch? Any suggestions? Thank you!!

10-15 years ago my kids were younger and finances were much tighter and we stayed offsite most all the time. And it was fine. Now kids are older and finances are not so tight and we usually stay onsite.

I would say the EMH perk is not enough to justify the price difference in hotels - unless one is going during a time of big discounts on the DLR hotels.

We do not stay at the GCH because of the price. It is because we are hands down splurging. Same thing with Fantasmic desserts. Never would have considered it 10 or even 5 years ago. Now we splurge on that too.

You can take the savings from staying at HoJo's and add on 1-3 days of park days at DLR if you are so inclined. That more than makes up for the loss of EMH. Plus you get one MM anyways.

HTH

 

[arthur06]

This is the decision that I am toying with right now to a certain extent.

We are traveling Nov 3rd to 10th. We have a 1br at Grand Cal for the 7th to the 10th. I just can't figure out where we want to stay the 3rd to the 7th.

I thought about just staying in Anaheim for those days and doing some non-Disney activities. Doing 2 days in LA and 2 days in SD, then 3 at VGC.

I just can't decide on the non park days what we want to do/see. So it makes booking the hotel a little tougher.

 

[Dobie]

Although the Dobies love the GCH, with Dobie Brat in college we can't afford it...sigh...we also love the PPH, but have decided that since it is a battle royal to get Dobie Brat up for MM, it is probably wiser to stay at the Sheraton...

 

[blackjackdelta]

10-15 years ago my kids were younger and finances were much tighter and we stayed offsite most all the time. And it was fine. Now kids are older and finances are not so tight and we usually stay onsite.

I would say the EMH perk is not enough to justify the price difference in hotels - unless one is going during a time of big discounts on the DLR hotels.

We do not stay at the GCH because of the price. It is because we are hands down splurging. Same thing with Fantasmic desserts. Never would have considered it 10 or even 5 years ago. Now we splurge on that too.

You can take the savings from staying at HoJo's and add on 1-3 days of park days at DLR if you are so inclined. That more than makes up for the loss of EMH. Plus you get one MM anyways.

HTH

I took my 30% and called it good, hope you have a great trip my friend, will be waiting to see how things shape up.

Jack

 

[momrek06]

We have a reservation for Howard Johnson's (Good Neighbor) hotel from 8/12-8/18. We have family meeting up with us mid-week and we won't be in Disney for those days....so we are actually going to the parks on 8/12, 13, 14 and 15. I was hoping to get some advice. Can anyone convince me that it's worth it to spend the extra money to stay at a DL Hotel for at least the first 3 nights (when it's just my family at DL)? I know we can't afford to stay there for the entire week, but with the early admission to the parks for hotel guests, I'm wondering if it is worth the switch? Any suggestions? Thank you!!

OP, I have never done a split stay in CA but we did it in FL and I find that unless its something you really really want to do than certainly do it. For my family, we get unpacked and settled in and I never feel like packing up again once we have arrived at my original destination. Oh and HOJO's is awesome. You will really like it there.

If I can I always stay on site...some of the perks, the closeness, the magic that Disney provides is important to us. Only one vacation a year we try to do it right.

Jack

We lived in San Diego before moving to Orange County … so we traveled often to DL/DCA and whether we stayed on site or off site it was MAGICAL every single time we got to the Parks.

Now we live here (no need to stay in a hotel) … we get to DL/DCA often, like 5x a week. AND every single time I walk through the turnstiles whether its DL or DCA … its all MAGICAL!

There is no need to stay on site to see, feel, breathe and live the MAGIC that Disney is! JMHO.

 

[sasywtch]

I've been toying with the idea of staying in a Disney Hotel this time because of the extra EE (whatever they are called now). I have reservations on Harbor, one block down for $69 a night. Just got an email from Disney with an AP discount for PP for 280 a night plus 14 parking plus tax. 220 a night x 5 nights, I just don't think I can do it. I'd rather spend that 1000 on eating more treats! But that's just me and my hang up.

 

[KSDisneyDad]

We've only been to DL once before and we stayed at the Hojo. We had a room with a balcony that overlooked DL. We could see the monorail, matterhorn, tower of terror and even fireworks from our room. That said, it was definitely not a Disney hotel experience compared to our many stays at WDW. We didn't enjoy the very noisy and busy walk along the road to the main entrance each morning and evening. It just didn't feel like being immersed.

For that reason, we have chosen to stay at the DLH on our upcoming trip. We want to be fully immersed for the four days we plan to be there. I know the walk may be the same, but there is something different about a walk through DTD vs a walk along a busy and very noisy street. Plus, our view will be of the DLH pool and not a big wall with the tips of some attractions and a Mimi's cafe.

Maybe we're crazy for spending the extra for the 24/7 Disney experience, but that's what we enjoy. YMMV