Hotel Close to Airport OR Close to DL? Advice Would Be Awesome!

[Little E]

Wise Disboard friends, I need some more advice for our first trip to DL. Life has thrown us a couple of curveballs, and we've had to make some changes to our summer trip to CA. We've moved our trip from July to August, and we've cut out the national parks/RV portion of our trip. We are staying at the DL Hotel and we'll have three days in the parks. I know it's expensive and we could have saved money by staying at good neighbor hotel close by for all of the days in the parks, but this might be our only trip to DL (we are WDW vets and we live in the midwest...) and we really have our hearts set on experiencing the hotel where Walt actually walked.

With that being said, we'll fly in on the evening of August 13th, but we don't check in to the DL Hotel until the 14th. We'll be in the parks on the 14th, 15th, and 16th, and then we fly home on the 17th. So, we need one night in a hotel on the 13th. Since we only have three days in the parks, we'd like to get as much park time as possible on the 14th. I checked, and there is availability at the DL Hotel on the 13th, but it would cost an additional $822. This is NOT in our budget...it's not an option for us.

So, talk me through this. We'll fly in to the Orange County airport around dinner time on the 13th. Do we stay close to the airport, or do we get a hotel as close to the DL Hotel as possible? I have no sense about how close the John Wayne airport is to DL or what traffic is like in the am? I'm trying to figure out if we should just get a hotel close the airport, crash and get up at the crack of dawn and uber or shuttle to the DL Hotel, check in, and head to the parks, or if we should try to get a hotel room as close to the DL Hotel as possible, so we can get up on the 14th, check in to the DL Hotel and head to the parks. I'm thinking we'll just uber, unless there are better ways to get there?

Any advice about close to airport vs close to DL Hotel hotels would be awesome. I'm traveling with DH, DS 16, and DS 14. I would like breakfast included in the hotel, and we need three sleep surfaces (DS 14 is a BLENDER when he sleeps, and DS 16 won't sleep with him .). Hotel doesn't need to be fancy...just clean with these requirements.

Thanks, in advance, friends! You always have such good advice!

 

[limace]

It’s very close-14 miles, I think. I personally would Uber to a hotel on Harbor for the night. First thing in the morning, one of you walk or Uber over to DLH hotel and check in-your room won’t be ready but you’ll be able to take advantage of early entry to the park that morning as a hotel guest.

 

[Congo Queen]

I agree wholeheartedly with limace. You will want a hotel as close to Dland on Aug 13th because if possible you will want to check in to DLH on morning of Aug 14th so you can use the early enter benefit (Extra Magic Hour - EMH) of being a hotel guest. The 14th is Tuesday right? So that means EMH is in Disneyland, and if they are still on summer opening hours, EMH is at 7am w/ regular park opening at 8am. So that means you need to be at the DLH front desk at something like 5:30am as you want your whole family at the maingate of Dland by 6:30am with all of your hotel cards as every person in your party will need to show their DLH card to get into EMH with their ticket media. So given that, I would try very hard to stay as close to the esplanade as possible so that travel time to and from DLH is minimal morning of the 14th.

I took a quick look online and it looks like there is actually a room at GCH for $661 which is slightly better than $822 and if you did that you'd already be on-property and not have to do the early check in at DLH as you'd have your GCH keys to get in. But if that is too expense, look at hotels close to the esplanade entrance on Harbor Blvd - the Best Western Park Place Inn or the Tropicana as they have rooms available on the 13th in the $200 range. Not sure if breakfast is included but you can always get something the night before and keep it in your hotel fridge for a quick in room meal in the morning. In the morning, you would get up hecka early, walk west across the esplanade, through DTD to its other far end and that is where DLH is. Hope this helps.

 

[HydroGuy]

Another agreement with the PPs.

We are doing something similar. Flying into SNA late afternoon. Can't check into GCV until the next morning. I got us one night at the BWPPI. We will maneuver bags over to GCV the next morning, do an check-in, and head to the parks. I would say it is a no-brainer to find a room near DLR.

 

[ParkHopper1]

Are you getting in early enough to enjoy DTD on the 13th?

If not..I would check prices right in the resort district, but also look at Garden Grove or anywhere between SNA and DLH for cheaper rooms (there is a decent Holiday Inn Express in Garden Grove)...then first thing in the AM, check out, grab your bags then Uber to the DLH. You can check in as early as 6am and they will issue your room keys (they text you your room # when ready) and store your bags. That will maximize your in park time during the day and have check in process outta the way.

Any way you cut it, you will wanna Uber to the DLH in the AM with your bags. While you can walk from some off site properties, schlepping your bags a few blocks on foot does not sounds like a great way to start a vacation so proximity is less important to stay right next to DLH for that first night.

SNA to DLH is only a 17 min drive.

Now if you are getting in early enough, it would be worth is to stay close and go walk to DTD for dinner the first night when you arrive.

 

[Little E]

@limace , @Congo Queen , @HydroGuy , this is exactly why I go to the Disboards! I was leaning towards getting a room as close to DL as possible, and your expert advice was just what I needed. Thank you all for the info! I'm off to look at both the Tropicana and the BWPPI.

@ParkHopper1, thanks also for the tip about doing DTD. If the flights all go as planned, we are due to arrive at the SNA airport at dinnertime. If we stay close to DL, I never thought about hitting DTD for dinner on the 13th. Great idea!

Thanks again, friends!

 

[Angrose]

Just a word of caution, if you stay on Harbor (BWPPI or Tropicana) I would not count on being able to roll your bags through security and across the esplanade to DLH. Last year I had a rolling backpack that they almost didn't let me go through with. Luckily it was a backpack so as long as I carried it on my back they were OK with it. Best to Uber over to DLH to be on the safe side. It will only cost a few dollars.

BWPPI has rooms with 2 queens and a fold out sofa, includes breakfast. Sounds like that would be perfect for your family.

 

[Little E]

Good catch, @Angrose! Thank you for the insight about the bags through security.

I have looked at BWPPI and the Tropicana. Both look good. The BWPPI is a little more, but comes with breakfast and seems closer. Looks like I can get three sleep surfaces at either, which is great. Am I right? Does anyone have any thoughts about DelSol Inn...I saw that one too.

 

[Little E]

One more question...regardless of whether we pick BWPPI, Tropicana, or Del Sol, will taking an Uber early in the am be hard? We'll need to go to the DL Hotel, not the main gate, and if these places are so close, will it be tough to find an Uber that will take us such a short distance? Is BWPPI walkable with luggage to DL Hotel? I know @Angrose said we probably couldn't schlepp our luggage through the esplanade. Is this the only way to walk to the DL Hotel or is there another way to walk to the DL Hotel with luggage? I'm sorry for my ignorance...

 

[amyg1975]

If you stay at BWPPI, breakfast might not start in time for you to catch a ride to get to the Disneyland Hotel to check in and get early entrance into the park.

 

[Geemo]

One more question...regardless of whether we pick BWPPI, Tropicana, or Del Sol, will taking an Uber early in the am be hard? We'll need to go to the DL Hotel, not the main gate, and if these places are so close, will it be tough to find an Uber that will take us such a short distance? Is BWPPI walkable with luggage to DL Hotel? I know @Angrose said we probably couldn't schlepp our luggage through the esplanade. Is this the only way to walk to the DL Hotel or is there another way to walk to the DL Hotel with luggage? I'm sorry for my ignorance...

We've stayed at both the Tropicana and Desert Inn & Suites on arrival night.
The next morning we just grab a taxi over to check in so we can enjoy the early entry perk.
It usually costs about $10 to get everyone and their luggage to the Disney Hotel.

Never been a problem.

Geemo

 

[2tinkerbell]

I would stay at a hotel on Harbor and then early in the morning Uber/Taxi to DLH, check in, and hit the parks. Plan on at least 1/2 hour for the check in process,to get your room keys, and store your luggage. It is about a 10 minute ride. Then it is a 10-15 minute walk to the main gate. Just to give you an idea of time frames to get to the parks when you want. We have gotten a quick bite to eat at the Coffee House at the DLH to eat on the way.

 

[ninergrl6]

SNA to DLH is only a 17 min drive.

From my experience it's more like 30 minutes, and usually I plan for an hour because traffic. OP, don't stay by the airport. You'll waste your morning getting to DLH.

Now if you are getting in early enough, it would be worth is to stay close and go walk to DTD for dinner the first night when you arrive.

I agree 100%! I've started planning my trips to spend my first half day at DTD -- shopping, eating, exploring the hotel public areas (Dole Whip at DLH! GCH lobby!), watching a movie at AMC if the weather is bad -- and then go to bed at a reasonable time so I can get up eeeeaaaarrrrrrly the next day to enjoy a full day at the parks. I've done that 3 or 4 times and it's worked out well.

Because I have Sheraton hotel points, I've stayed at Four Points (formerly Hotel Menage) and Sheraton Park several times. Both are on Harbor Blvd. but on opposite sides of the park. Both use the ART shuttle to get people to/from DLR, which I think costs $5 per person per day. Four Points is an easy 10 minute walk to DLR and you can see the DL fireworks REALLY closely from the pool side of the hotel. I felt like I was literally IN the fireworks show.

 

[DizneyMommy]

Personally, I would stay right by the airport. It would be worth the cost savings to me to get an early start the next morning instead. You can snag a Hilton brand hotel around SNA for $100 or under on a good date. You’re going to have to Uber to DLH either way, why not make it all just one trip. You can take a hotel shuttle from the airport to most hotels in the SNA/Irvine/Santa Ana area and then just take one early morning Uber over to DLH. That would actually be my preference.

 

[DizneyMommy]

It does NOT take an hour to get from SNa to DLH normally even in rush hour trafffic. There are carpool lanes the whole way. ;-)

 

[DizneyMommy]

Looking at historical hours, I wouldn’t expect the parks to open before 9am either. You have plenty of time to get from SNA to DLH, check in, and be at rope drop in the morning.

 

[ninergrl6]

Looking at historical hours, I wouldn’t expect the parks to open before 9am either. You have plenty of time to get from SNA to DLH, check in, and be at rope drop in the morning.

I'm pretty sure DL opens at 8 am in August, but I haven't been in August for a long time.

 

[HydroGuy]

Just a word of caution, if you stay on Harbor (BWPPI or Tropicana) I would not count on being able to roll your bags through security and across the esplanade to DLH. Last year I had a rolling backpack that they almost didn't let me go through with. Luckily it was a backpack so as long as I carried it on my back they were OK with it. Best to Uber over to DLH to be on the safe side. It will only cost a few dollars.

I have done this a couple times and for me there was no problem. They assigned a security person to escort me and my bag across the Esplanade. This was before the moved the security in DTD further out.

 

[Angrose]

I have done this a couple times and for me there was no problem. They assigned a security person to escort me and my bag across the Esplanade. This was before the moved the security in DTD further out.

Yeah, I was going to suggest that the OP call guest relations to get advice from Disney about this. I feel like I’ve also read accounts of people being able to roll their suitcases through security too, but they seemed especially strict during my experience.

 

[tzeitel]

One more question...regardless of whether we pick BWPPI, Tropicana, or Del Sol, will taking an Uber early in the am be hard? We'll need to go to the DL Hotel, not the main gate, and if these places are so close, will it be tough to find an Uber that will take us such a short distance? Is BWPPI walkable with luggage to DL Hotel? I know @Angrose said we probably couldn't schlepp our luggage through the esplanade. Is this the only way to walk to the DL Hotel or is there another way to walk to the DL Hotel with luggage? I'm sorry for my ignorance...

From Harbor it would be a pretty long walk to the DLH if you don't go through the Esplanade. If you don't want to bother with Uber/taxi, check out the Best Western Stovall's. That one is a much shorter walk to the DLH and no Esplanade If a hotel site does not say they have a fold out sofa you can always call them directly and see if they have rollaways.

Also, if you are planning on c/I at the DLH early enough to get the EMH you might not get breakfast at the hotel. Most places start breakfast at 6.