Hotel Help for SEVEN! Two first-timers...

[Comicbookmommy]

Hi! I'll have a party of 7 ( 2 Adults, 4 kids, 1 infant) and am wondering what hotel option would be to have the BEST first time experience for 2 kids in our party who have never been to Disneyland (they are aged 12 and 14). We'll be going during October.

Researching options I have some questions that would help with my decision as I've only stayed at Fairfield and on-site before.

Camelot Inn & Suites - The only close hotel that will put all of us in one room. Cheapest of the options. Also like the Castle frontage.

- What are the suites like, quality wise?
- Do any of the suites have a view of the park?

Tropicana- Close by, but would need two rooms. I like this place because of the balcony rooms that view the park.

- How are the View suites? Would the view be worth it for a first-timer?

Embassy Suites South - I like this place because it has the most "Disney" -ish feel in the Atrium, and I KNOW all the kids would enjoy the buffet breakfast every morning. Would need two rooms also, but the price for two isn't that much more expensive than other places.

- Does taking the a shuttle to and from DL take you out of the magic more than walking back and forth to nearby hotels?

I did not like walking from Fairfield and back last time. I didn't like walking next to traffic for that long. Are there any other hotels I should be considering?

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[SMD]

How many will be in strollers? That's something to consider if you plan to use a shuttle.

 

[Comicbookmommy]

How many will be in strollers? That's something to consider if you plan to use a shuttle.

Just one stroller. We also don't intend to go back to the hotel mid-day, only to and from the park once a day. The shuttle I would worry would be so crowded/dirty it would be unenjoyable. But seeing as it's privately owned by the hotel, I'm hoping it's a bit nicer. I also read the Embassy Suites shuttle always has another one on stand-by in case more than one vehicle is needed, so that gives me hope it's not too crowded.

Any input on the shuttle there would be very welcome!

 

[lizabu]

I would pick 2 rooms over a suite and request connecting two rooms. Two bathrooms will make getting ready so much faster. I would also go out of my way to avoid having to use a shuttle. The flexibility of coming and going as you please is worth a lot to me. I'm not familiar with the properties you mentioned but I would do two rooms within walking distance. I don't think the view is as important.

 

[Imdboss]

We will be staying at Embassy Suites S this August. Just as an FYI the shuttle isn't owned by the hotel, it's a third party shuttle and I believe it will make stops at other properties out in that area. Last Oct we stayed at DoubleTree Suites and really enjoyed it, not sure if you looked at cost on that one yet or not, but we chose Embassy for our upcoming trip because it's appx $50 less per night for our dates. You also might want to look at the new Homewood Suites that will be opening up, might be a perfect fit for you. They are taking reservations starting Nov 1 but they are suppose to open in Sept. I did see some prices around $120 for some dates in Nov.

 

[zanzibar138]

Why can't you have a suite at Desert Inn? Are they sold out? I highly recommend the biggest suite there - 2 fully separate bedrooms with 2 queens each, both with their own bathroom, and an extra fully separate sitting area with a sofa bed. There was no balcony with a park view (I didn't think any of their rooms had balconies?), but we could see the fireworks out the side windows, and there is a dedicated fireworks viewing deck on the top floor. DH and I stayed there for Half Marathon (ie Labor Day) weekend last year with my parents, and loved the space AND the super quick stroll to the park. It's such a quick walk, there's hardly time to notice the 'real world'.

I would take a short walk any day over having to work around a shuttle timetable. I find buses a real drag and it would definitely take away from the magic for me.

 

[Comicbookmommy]

I would pick 2 rooms over a suite and request connecting two rooms. Two bathrooms will make getting ready so much faster. I would also go out of my way to avoid having to use a shuttle. The flexibility of coming and going as you please is worth a lot to me. I'm not familiar with the properties you mentioned but I would do two rooms within walking distance. I don't think the view is as important.

Ah, two bathrooms! Forgot about that! That WOULD be a lifesaver. I'll totally take that into consideration now, thank you!

 

[Comicbookmommy]

We will be staying at Embassy Suites S this August. Just as an FYI the shuttle isn't owned by the hotel, it's a third party shuttle and I believe it will make stops at other properties out in that area. Last Oct we stayed at DoubleTree Suites and really enjoyed it, not sure if you looked at cost on that one yet or not, but we chose Embassy for our upcoming trip because it's appx $50 less per night for our dates. You also might want to look at the new Homewood Suites that will be opening up, might be a perfect fit for you. They are taking reservations starting Nov 1 but they are suppose to open in Sept. I did see some prices around $120 for some dates in Nov.

Ah, that is good to know about the shuttle, thank you. Definitely don't want to stop at other hotels. It's difficult to find information on the shuttle online!

I'll definitely look into the new Homewood Suites, and DoubleTree Suites, thank you! Didn't even consider them.

 

[Comicbookmommy]

Why can't you have a suite at Desert Inn? Are they sold out? I highly recommend the biggest suite there - 2 fully separate bedrooms with 2 queens each, both with their own bathroom, and an extra fully separate sitting area with a sofa bed. There was no balcony with a park view (I didn't think any of their rooms had balconies?), but we could see the fireworks out the side windows, and there is a dedicated fireworks viewing deck on the top floor. DH and I stayed there for Half Marathon (ie Labor Day) weekend last year with my parents, and loved the space AND the super quick stroll to the park. It's such a quick walk, there's hardly time to notice the 'real world'.

I would take a short walk any day over having to work around a shuttle timetable. I find buses a real drag and it would definitely take away from the magic for me.

I put the wrong hotel in my original post, I meant the Tropicana. They are the ones with the balcony rooms. I didn't even know about the Desert Inn Suites until you posted about it! How is the rest of the hotel? I'm concerned as when I look on Yelp for any of these hotels I get the impression all the rooms are dirty and smell bad, but I know that can't be true.

Thank you so much for your post!

 

[Comicbookmommy]

Does anyone know anything about Park Vue? Would that be any better than the other hotels near it? Thank you!!

 

[Imdboss]

Ah, that is good to know about the shuttle, thank you. Definitely don't want to stop at other hotels. It's difficult to find information on the shuttle online!

I'll definitely look into the new Homewood Suites, and DoubleTree Suites, thank you! Didn't even consider them.

I don't think the stops at other hotels will take that long. The shuttle is on a set schedule unlike ART that just makes continuos loops. When I called the hotel they told me that it leaves the hotel 15 after and 15 before the hour. I like the idea of knowing exactly when to leave the room to catch the bus so we don't end up standing around wondering how long until it arrives.

 

[zanzibar138]

I put the wrong hotel in my original post, I meant the Tropicana. They are the ones with the balcony rooms. I didn't even know about the Desert Inn Suites until you posted about it! How is the rest of the hotel? I'm concerned as when I look on Yelp for any of these hotels I get the impression all the rooms are dirty and smell bad, but I know that can't be true.

Thank you so much for your post!

We didn't have any problem at all with the condition of the rooms. They weren't fancy, but they were clean and there was certainly no bad smell. They were also relatively modern (not newly refurbished, but definitely not original either). It's a motel with external halls and such, but so are Tropicana and Camelot. There is a pool and hot tub, although they are indoors on the ground floor and not great, but enough for cooling off if you need it. There was also a basic free breakfast. For us, it was enough to tide us over until morning tea/early lunch in the parks (even after running the 10k). It's a SUPER quick walk to the parks, one of the closest you can get, and you will be across the road and entering the parks before you know it. Personally, I think it sounds like a great fit for your group and recommend you check it out.

 

[momof4fans]

Does anyone know anything about Park Vue? Would that be any better than the other hotels near it? Thank you!!

We stayed there twice, 2011 and 2013. We're booked for August 2015 as well. We've been happy with it. We get the two queen bunk bed option but another bathroom would be a time saver! They also have a three queen option. The location is just so close and it has a decent breakfast with protein. Also, they don't charge for parking.