Hotel near Disneyland questions

[cinderwannabe]

I am looking at prices for a few night stay in August. The prices seem a little better if I book through hotels.com rather than the Disneyland website. Is there any advantage to booking directly on the Disney sight that would make the higher price worth it?

I am also debating over a hotel directly across the street or on a bit further down the road. I keep seeing "art" buses. Can someone fill me in on how this works? I am used to staying at Disney World and how they do their transportation!

In your opinion is staying directly across the street the way to go?

Thanks and looking forward to answers!!

 

[Girimama33]

Book the cheaper rate. There are no additional perks if you book through Disney typically.
I think staying within walking distance is totally worth it. ART is fine, but I avoid having to use it.
We like the Park Vue Inn espucally because our is so close. They have free parking and breakfast.

 

[Canuck16]

No perks through Disney so book through another site if they are cheaper.

 

[Stacy O]

We have stayed mostly right across the street at bwppi. We stayed once at candy cane inn which was nice because they have their own shuttle and it's a great hotel. We consistently stay at bwppi because of the location and we don't spend any time but to sleep and shower at the hotel. Being across the street for us was great because we didn't have to deal with an overly crowded shuttle and frankly art is even more congested....my kids are older so they could just stay at the park late and walk back with ease to the hotel.

Art is crowded and makes several stops. The locals don't use it for transport but everyone that stays any distance away uses it and in August you can bet it will be standing room only in the morning and at night.

 

[Butterfly123]

Our first trip with our kids we stayed far enough away that we needed to use ART. After that trip we learned, and have since always stayed walking distance on Harbor. ART works, but it takes time out of your day, and you have to go by its schedule. Leaving the parks after the fireworks we had to rush out to the bus to get a spot, then sit on the bus while it made all its stops on the way to our hotel. It took a while! Walking distance is so much nicer!

 

[kirstie101]

As others have said, there are no perks to booking through the Disneyland website. I usually find the best deals going through the hotel itself with whatever discounts I have. If hotels.com is giving you the cheapest rate I'd book that way.

My kids are 8 and 4. I wont stay where we have to use ART. For their ages, I like to be walking distance to the hotel. As of our last trip we were still using a stroller for our youngest and I dont want to deal with folding it up to get on the shuttle. Also he falls asleep in the stroller at the end of the night and I dont want to have to wake him up to get him out of the stroller to get on the bus back to our hotel. Maybe when they're a bit older I'll try some hotels that have ART shuttles to the park, but for now its just worth it to us to stay closer. I like being on my own schedule, especially at the end of the night. I dont want to have to wait for a shuttle honestly. Just my personal preference.

 

[MommyLove]

We typically stay within walking distance. BWPPI (Best Westerm Park Place Inn) is one of our favorites and is *right* across from the entrance and is a great place with one of the better continental breakfasts. You just can't beat the convenience of being able to walk back to the room in the middle of the day when it's the busiest (and especially in August when it's hot) take a nice break and maybe even a nap, then go back to the parks and stay till midnight.

 

[cinderwannabe]

Thanks for the replies! I think I am going to stay at the tropicana. It looks like it is right across the street so I won't have to bother with the art buses!