Hotel for New Years to view Fireworks, escape crowds?

[Alinasan]

Hello and thanks for any input any of you have--last trip all the opinions and observations really helped me make a decision. I'm hoping for more of the same!

This time we are going on a super-busy time, between Christmas and New Years. I know it is not an ideal time to go, but even having minimal expectations for visiting fewer of our favorite attractions, I am worried about New Years Eve. We have 2 small children with us, 8 and almost 4, so we are not going to be interested in carousing in DCA at a dance party or being packed in a human wall at Disneyland for hours. I thought that as the parks reach insanity levels near the evening, it would be nice to retire to our hotel rooms, and hopefully have a view of the fireworks from there and go to sleep.

So which off-site hotels (because cost is a factor!) would you suggest for:

• getting an IN ROOM view of fireworks,
  
• walking to the parks
• kid friendly bed arrangement (we can manage with 2 Q in one room, but prefer a BB and King, and even a separate space)
• wi-fi (because must have data stream!)

I know there are some places that its easy to go to a common area and view, but if the kids are tired, it is much easier not to be out in public with them.

Right now, aside from cost, my clear favorite would be the Courtyard Anaheim Entrance but it is almost 150$ or more a night than some of the other possibilities, so I have a hard time justifying that, especially in winter when we likely won't use the Waterpark part of it.

I know the HoJo generally seemed to be well reviewed, but the bunk bed rooms are booked (and don't have a view anyway)--so it would be 2Q in one of their Disneyland Facing Rooms--and hope we're in a high enough room to see something. Again, the splash pool is something we likely wouldn't get to use at that time of year. There's also Park Vue, with a Q/BB set-up, but we'd have to step out of the room for a view of anything.

Any thoughts on Desert Palms or Portofino? Both are closer than where we stayed last time, when we tried Hyatt Place and ART. I thought that hotel was great in terms of the rooms/service/breakfast, but it was just too far of a walk to use it again--especially without a stroller this time. We just didn't do ART well--seemed to always be off on our times for it.

 

[Imdboss]

We just got back from our second stay at DoubleTree Suites and were very happy again. Current prices look to be around $180 for your timeframe, that's in a 2 room suite and they have wifi. They have rooms with fireworks view however we haven't been in one. It is 1 mile from DL, this trip we walked to the Toy Story lot which took about 10 minutes depending on the timing of the stop lights. It worked really well for us. Last time we were there we would walk to the park and take ART back.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

I don't know about the room configurations, but the Hilton has tower rooms (the westernmost tower, corner rooms) that have views of the fireworks and WOC. The views aren't spectacular because the shows are far away, but the shows can be clearly seen. You can call the front desk to ask which rooms have the best views. Keep in mind that it is possible to have fog at night at that time of year. We go every year at that time and have had no view of the fireworks some years because of fog. It's not a given, but it can happen.

 

[WestMom2two]

We have stayed at both Best western Park Place Inn and Desert Inn and Suites and had a pretty good view of the fireworks on our trip. They both are across from park entrance. As for Internet, it's always hit or miss down Harbor Blvd. I remember having an easier time with it at Desert Inn. You can request a room towards the front of the hotel towards the street facing Disney to get the best view but it's best to call and see which type of room is available towards the front. I remember booking one of their family suites last time and then requesting to be towards the front but they didn't have that size room in that area. It's not going to be the best view but my kids were happy. I think you would have to be in a taller story building like Hojo's to see them the best.

This is my daughter watching them out our hotel window at Desert Inn

 

[Alinasan]

Thanks for all the suggestions!

This is my daughter watching them out our hotel window at Desert Inn View attachment 185378

That's such a magical picture!
I hadn't looked at the Hilton, DoubleTree, or Desert Inn or Best Western, so will check that out.


A few years ago, we stayed at the Red Lion (and had a peek-a-boo view of the fireworks) but walking through a parking lot for Toy Story didn't quite work out for us. Add in fog issues, and I have a feeling we'll look to stay closer in or just do a better job with reading the ART.

 

[beachdreamr1229]

Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance. The standard rooms sleep 6 and have bunk beds and 2 queens. Great views of the fireworks from the hotel if you get a theme park view with balcony. Most of the partial view rooms also have decent fireworks views.

 

[goooof1]

I think a couple of the places on Harbor (across the street from the entrance) have rooms (family suites..?) that face DL. check out Camelot and Carousel. ?