I just can't see paying almost double to stay on site…WDW yes…DL no

[jammyjam25]

For me personally, most trips it is not worth it to spend the extra money to stay on property, simply because even though I technically *could* afford to do so, I'd have so little money left over for food and souvenirs, I would feel like the overall quality of my vacation had suffered because I had splurged for the luxury of staying on property. But I would never begrudge those who stay on site each trip, whatever the reason they choose to do so. More power to them!

All that being said, I'm going in October and staying on site at the DLH thanks to an amazing rate offer (and splitting travel expenses with my travel buddy), and I'm going to enjoy EVERY minute of time spent at the hotel! <3

 

[5forMickey]

I don't care how many times people say that staying at the closer motels on Harbor puts you nearer to the parks; for me, the walk seems so much longer and so much less fun.

DizMe, I think we agree on many things. I used to jump right on these discussions wanting people to know how wonderful it was to stay onsite, and then I thought, why are you giving away secrets? Let people think it isn't a great deal and the Hotels aren't as fantastic as they are and then they won't want to stay there ---- and then they won't fill up --- and then there will always be room for ME!

So now my answer is, yup -- stay on Harbor and keep thinking it's just as nice.

 

[soma151]

DizMe, I think we agree on many things. I used to jump right on these discussions wanting people to know how wonderful it was to stay onsite, and then I thought, why are you giving away secrets? Let people think it isn't a great deal and the Hotels aren't as fantastic as they are and then they won't want to stay there ---- and then they won't fill up --- and then there will always be room for ME!

So now my answer is, yup -- stay on Harbor and keep thinking it's just as nice.

Good plan? How is it working?

 

[pindecisive]

To be honest I think it depends entirely on the person. I'm a hotel person. If the hotel I stay in is gross, shabby, or lacking in amenities it impacts my entire experience. I'm in a bad mood from step one. And for me, it's all about managing my expectations and my mood.

I had an acquaintance who had no problem staying in hovels as long as she could get really fantastic food. For her the experience was about food - she didn't care where she slept. And for me? I could care less about the food.

I guess it's about what's important to you. Is it more important to save money because to you the hotel doesn't matter, or is it more important to be in a relaxed, happy mood because your space is clean, and lacking in seedyness? For some people much of the experience IS in their surroundings and where they sleep. Sometimes it's hard to be thoughtful to the fact that some people are impacted more by their environment that you may be.

but for the life of me i can't see paying almost double to stay on site

Personally, we didn't pay double. The honey and I each paid less than $100 per night to stay onsite at PPH. To us, it was worth it. Some people also have bigger budgets than others so while paying double may seem crazy to you - to them, that may be how they run their vacations.

We primarily stayed onsite because the military discount brought the PPH's nightly rate down to a reasonable (and in some cases, not much more expensive) price compared to the offsite choices we were considering.

I was surprised myself that the minimal difference in pricing once we ran the numbers on the package. I don't think many people buy the packages - or at least it's not mentioned on here enough to make me think they're all that popular.

 

[5forMickey]

Good plan? How is it working?

I was just able to book last week for September so I'd say pretty good.

 

[soma151]

Would you mind telling every one how you got it under $100 a night?

To be honest I think it depends entirely on the person. I'm a hotel person. If the hotel I stay in is gross, shabby, or lacking in amenities it impacts my entire experience. I'm in a bad mood from step one. And for me, it's all about managing my expectations and my mood.

I had an acquaintance who had no problem staying in hovels as long as she could get really fantastic food. For her the experience was about food - she didn't care where she slept. And for me? I could care less about the food.

I guess it's about what's important to you. Is it more important to save money because to you the hotel doesn't matter, or is it more important to be in a relaxed, happy mood because your space is clean, and lacking in seedyness? For some people much of the experience IS in their surroundings and where they sleep. Sometimes it's hard to be thoughtful to the fact that some people are impacted more by their environment that you may be.



Personally, we didn't pay double. The honey and I each paid less than $100 per night to stay onsite at PPH. To us, it was worth it. Some people also have bigger budgets than others so while paying double may seem crazy to you - to them, that may be how they run their vacations.



I was surprised myself that the minimal difference in pricing once we ran the numbers on the package. I don't think many people buy the packages - or at least it's not mentioned on here enough to make me think they're all that popular.

Would you mind telling every one how you got it for under $100 a night?

I was just able to book last week for September so I'd say pretty good.

Isn't Sept the slowest month of the year for Disneyland?

 

[5forMickey]

Isn't Sept the slowest month of the year for Disneyland?

That's what I'm hoping -- because the last trip between Christmas and New Years was CRAZY!!!

 

[sheetz]

My guess is that if you're questioning the value of staying onsite then you'll do fine offsite. Only a small percentage of guests stay onsite, but everyone seems to enjoy themselves regardless.

 

[DizMe]

Isn't Sept the slowest month of the year for Disneyland?

Not anymore, at least for much of it! There's Dapper Day, Tiki Day and the beginning of the Halloween season (Halloween parties several nights a week). The beginning of Sept may be slower, but when I was there last year and the year before in mid-Sept, it was really busy. One reason is people take advantage of the low DD rates which allow you to book about 10-12 days at half price.

 

[soma151]

i went for the 50 celebration for my 50th birthday Sept 12 and it was great, lots of people from New Zealand and Australia and they all sung me HAPPY BIRTHDAY in the hot tub….lol…Thats when i wanted to go but my Kid is a teacher and just can't get off the first month of school.

 

[5forMickey]

One reason is people take advantage of the low DD rates which allow you to book about 10-12 days at half price.

Your giving away secrets again.

 

[DizMe]

Would you mind telling every one how you got it under $100 a night?

Would you mind telling every one how you got it for under $100 a night?

I think they're saying that they EACH paid less than $100, so x 2.

 

[707MickeyGirl]

I'd love to be able to take advantage of those incredible Dapper Day rates but March and September just don't work for me. I take my DGD7 and her parents won't let her miss school for Disney. We like to stay for 7-9 days at a time, so we go during her spring and winter breaks. Of course the discounts are nearly non-existent at those times, even though we have APs. So... we stay off-site about every other trip, as I'm the one funding the entire trip and I don't have copious amounts of disposable income.

 

[peterpanandwendy]

I had an acquaintance who had no problem staying in hovels as long as she could get really fantastic food. For her the experience was about food - she didn't care where she slept. And for me? I could care less about the food.

LOL, man that is so me!!! I LIVE for food when on holiday. I could care less where I'm sleeping but I will be up late at night reading menus and trip advisor reviews for every possible restaurant! A bad hotel doesn't make me cranky, but a bad meal does… which is why I spend less on my hotel, so that I can afford better meals. Funny how we all have a different idea of what makes a great holiday?

 

[dsny1mom]

This is definitely a hot topic in the DL forum on DISboards. Every family needs to do what is best for their unique situation.

We have stayed on site at the DLH before. It was great. My kids loved the pool. It was so nice to have fresh towels pool side. And the EMH was great, too. But after 3 days, the walk to/from DLH to the park entrance got tiring. And it's really expensive to stay there...definitely outside of my normal travel budget.

For our most recent trip, we stayed at a motel on Katella and I paid $119 including tax & parking for the night. That would barely cover 1/3 of a night at the DLH.

For our next trip in October, we're staying at the Tropicana. $417.00 for 3 nights. That's basically 1 night at the DLH including tax and parking. We don't have oodles of disposable income and we have to scrimp and save in order to go to DL at all. For our family, we would rather go to DL and stay at a Good Neighbor hotel than not go to DL.

I must admit...I don't really understand the notion of "if I can't stay at PPH, DLH, or GCH, it's not worth going to Disneyland and I'm staying home."

++

Then you certainly would not understand my family and others we know!

For us staying on property is mandatory and at DLH specifically is close to mandatory. Several years ago for 3 shorter trips when DLH was not available we stayed at PPH but spent the entire time wishing we were at DLH. We had a split ressie for one week each for DLH/GC the year GC opened. Walked over to check out what the rooms looked like at GC when we where at DLH and cancelled the GC and extended our DLH stay for the entire 2 weeks.

We started bringing our children to DL in 1986 so we have stayed at DLH at least one long trip a year for the past 29 years. So this is not something new for us!

For my family our time spent at DLR is all about the entire experience, not just about the parks! Even before DL was DLR and we rode the tiny hotel tram across the massive parking lot to and from DLH we felt this way.

For us staying at a DLR hotel is the same as staying at on site hotel at DW. It's not about the distance or the time spent to get to and from the parks for us. We want to be in the middle of the magic. We don't want to see or deal with reality when we at DLR. We want to be surrounded by Disney magic every waking moment and even when we are sleeping. We don't use early entry for the most part and we spend little to no time at the pools so it is't about the hotel's amenities either.

I know we could pay a fraction of what we do and stay at a near by motel and get a free breakfast and maybe even save a few steps to get to the front gate but we choose not to. Heck, we could probably go DL once a month for close to a week for an entire year for what it costs us to stay at DLH 3 visits a year, but for us those trips would not give us the total experience that we want.

Lastly it isn't about not knowing what off site stays are like at DLR. I know very well what they are like! As a child my parents started taking their children to DL in 1956 and we made our last month long summer trip to Anaheim in the late 1970's. We stayed at every motel in the area. I think Candy Cane was our fave as we stayed there more than others. My parents refused to pay the then inflated prices of the DLH. I found a letter the DLH sent to my mom back in the late 1950's or early 1960's (cant find it now) stating a nightly rate of around $12. lol

Everyone gets to choose what is best and right for them! If you can enjoy DLR and stay off site I think that is great for you! If I need to stay on site that is what works for me! As long as all enjoy their time at DLR that is what matters most!!!

dsny1mom

 

[soma151]

I love this about this board we can all talk nice a friendly and have many different views. Lots of boards this would have gone way south by now. We had killer Mexican food on the strip about 1 mile south across the street from Target.

 

[RemainSeatedPlease]

So many think this discussion is DLR specific, but really to me it has to do with how you feel about hotels in general. I don't think I've ever paid more than $130 a night to stay at any hotel on any vacation, because I can't fathom why I would choose to spend more when I could spend less. I would never stay at a 5 star hotel unless it was offered to me for the same price or cheaper than the lesser hotels. I don't use the pool, I don't use room service (over-inflated food prices, no thanks), I don't use the gym, I don't use bell service (I like to handle my own stuff). So really, what would the point be?? I would not use any of the amenities. I would much rather have a crappy room with a fridge and microwave in it so that I can cook my own meals.

When I go on vacation, it is to do things - I never just sit around relaxing, I find that to be frustrating and boring. I prefer to be on the go, hiking, exploring, seeing museums, spending all day at DLR. A hotel is just a place to sleep, and honestly if the option is available, I would rather stay at a campground instead because it is cheaper and I love being outside (I have fond memories of the DLR campground as a kid).

This was brought up on my recent trip to Yosemite. We camped, but took a stroll through the Ahwahnee (prices similar to GC) and I just could not understand why anyone would willingly pay those prices to stay there. You come all the way to be immersed in this beautiful nature - and you stay in an overpriced hotel?! At least at DLR it makes more sense.

To me, I can only "relax" and feel at ease on my trip when I know that I have done all that I can to save money. So all of this should have made it painfully obvious by now that I stay off-site when I visit DLR.

But I do understand that other people have entirely different ideas of what a vacation is. They may enjoy being pampered and relaxing by the pool. They may not want to deal with cooking their own meals or camping in a tent or carrying their own luggage. To them the ability to not worry about these things may represent their peace of mind.

If they want to pay the exorbitant fees to have this, it's no skin off my back. Once you get into DLR, it is the great equalizer. It doesn't matter what hotel you are staying at, Mickey takes his picture with us all the same!

 

[tasha99]

I love staying at VGC. If I'm lucky enough to get a view like this, I like to sit on my balcony and drink wine. This was the best hotel room of my life (3 baths, 2 bedrooms--beautiful view). The other half of our visit that trip was at Hojo's and there is a world of difference. Is it worth the money? Not for us if paying cash, but we prepaid with DVC--it's still expensive, but much cheaper than if we got cash rooms.

 

[Sherry E]

Well, I think we can all agree on one thing -- the regular (non-discounted) rack rates for the DLR hotels are crazy!! I have stayed at the GCH in the past, but I would not pay a non-discounted rack rate for the rooms, as I feel they are too small and dark (which bumbershoot previously stated). However, when I got a room close to the elevator, it was a breeze to just zip down to the lobby and onward to the parks. (I have also had a room that was not close to the elevator and was way off in the hinterlands somewhere.)

I had to chuckle at what DizMe said about people jumping out of the bushes along Harbor. I know what she means, except it happens on my own street (where I live)! I remember walking along at night, trying to get a good look at the Supermoon a few years ago, and a (presumably) homeless person, rambling and babbling incoherently, emerged from behind a bush and scared me half to death!

Anyway, for me, staying onsite is definitely part of my experience. I don't do Fantasmic dining or WOC dining, and I rarely do any tours. I can eat all counter service meals if need be, with maybe only one table service meal for the whole trip. But I like being on Disney property the whole time, and being in what I feel is the Disney Bubble (and others' ideas of what the Bubble entails could vary from my own). I like taking a midday break and heading back to whichever Disney hotel I'm at (probably Paradise Pier, though I have stayed at all 3 hotels). I like being greeted by the CMs at the entrance with a friendly, "Welcome Home!" I like looking for hidden Mickeys in the bedspreads and carpets. I like wandering around the properties and chatting with fellow guests in the elevators. I like the early entry option to one park or the other every day. And when I have a room with a great view, I love the park views!

Also, because I live in Los Angeles, right in the middle of city noise, traffic, litter, etc., when I do a multi-day visit to DLR, I want it to feel like a vacation (not just somewhere that is 45 minutes from where I live), removed from what I would see in daily life. I like to feel like I have been transported elsewhere and am immersed in the atmosphere and concept of the destination I am visiting. I don't have the WDW hotel experience to compare it to, so I only know the DLR hotel experience. If I were staying in Vegas, even though that city is all about the hustle and bustle, I would probably stay in the most Vegas-esque hotel I could find, or a hotel that just represents Vegas (like Caesar's Palace). But, if I were going to a beach town for a vacation, or to a mountain resort, I'd probably stay in a cottage or a cabin, respectively. So, for me, to keep the theme going throughout my trips, staying in a Disney hotel is important.

Now, all of that said, it doesn't mean that I stay in a hotel every time I set foot in DLR. I don't have the money for that at all! I've taken plenty of day trips there where no hotel was involved, and I just went home at the end of the night. I always feel like something is missing, though, when I can't take that walk through Downtown Disney, then through the Grand Californian Hotel lobby and across the street to the Paradise Pier (especially during the holiday season, when the air is brisk and holiday lights and music are everywhere). For some reason, the Disney hotels put the perfect finish on my trips, and I have felt that way since the '80s, when I first stayed at the Disneyland Hotel and knew I wanted to stay there on every trip from that point on (that is, until I ended up staying at the other hotels too!).

I want to try staying offsite at a Good Neighbor hotel/motel at some point soon, so I will have to choose which one. I want to see if I feel like I am really missing anything, or if I am just happy to have a bed and shower.

 

[jlwhitney]

I prefer onsite simply because I like to stay in the Disney Bubble and personally I don't want to see Anaheim after being in the parks.