Is it just me, or has Disneyland Hotels gotten ridiculously expensive?

[onlyoneash]

Two years ago, I could get a room (with a general public discount) for $250 at Grand Californian. DL hotel and PP were even cheaper! Now I can't find a room for under $500 in off-season Sept and the cheap Park Vue motel across the street is a ridiculous $229 plus fees/taxes. Am I crazy? I can fly to WDW for a week with food included for cheaper than driving to Disneyland for 4 days (and no food)

 

[Geemo]

No... It's not just you. The cost of everything has GONE UP. And it has REALLY gone up at Disneyland.
I was able to get a room at PPH for $265 in January for one night. After tax it was up over $300.

 

[anonymousegirl]

And it isn't just the Disney-owned properties. Even the good neighbor hotels are getting pricey. Weekends (only time I can go) are ridiculous.

 

[Mickey&JoshNut]

I agree that the prices are getting ridiculous...I'm sad that they no longer offer the discounts they previously did, like AAA/CAA and the senior's discount.

 

[mom2rtk]

$250 for the Grand Californian 2 years ago? You must have access to better discounts than I do.

 

[GatorChris]

I'm not sure where you got a $250/night price at Grand Cali. I know prices have gone up, of course. But 4 years ago I got a deal PPH on Orbitz for about $230/night (before taxes/fees). The only time I've seen Grand Cali at $250/night was for Dapper Days back in early 2015. Now it's over $300 for Dapper Days.

As for the surrounding hotels, that's where I've seen the price increase. I can't believe people pay $200 or more for Camelot or Tropicana or even Park Vue. I know they're close, but they're motels! Even the new Marriott with waterpark is ridiculous at a minimum $260/night, and usually quite a bit more. These places have gone up as much as the Annual passes.

 

[Westcoastwild]

I'm not sure where you got a $250/night price at Grand Cali. I know prices have gone up, of course. But 4 years ago I got a deal PPH on Orbitz for about $230/night (before taxes/fees). The only time I've seen Grand Cali at $250/night was for Dapper Days back in early 2015. Now it's over $300 for Dapper Days.

As for the surrounding hotels, that's where I've seen the price increase. I can't believe people pay $200 or more for Camelot or Tropicana or even Park Vue. I know they're close, but they're motels! Even the new Marriott with waterpark is ridiculous at a minimum $260/night, and usually quite a bit more. These places have gone up as much as the Annual passes.

All of this. And no, you're not crazy. I flew to WDW for this very reason last year. Anaheim Motel 6- Let me say this again with greater emphasis- MOTEL 6- was nearly the same price as the WDW values for my dates, and I would get a lot fewer amenities. I flew to Wdw on a plane ticket that cost the same amount to fly to LA, camped at fort wilderness, and spent the same amount in 6 days in Florida that I would for 3 days in California without a car.

There is a hostel, if you are going solo during the summer, btw. It's in Fullerton so only really works when driving but that's the only way I've done DL cheaply.

 

[HydroGuy]

I have stayed at the GCH and DLH plus others, and I think:

1. DLR offered some aggressive discounts starting in 2009 because of the economy
2. Once CarsLand and BVS finished in 2012 attendance increased
3. The economy has not been great but good enough since around 2011-2012 that most folks are more confident in spending discretionary money
4. DLR has been bumping prices and limiting discounts for the last several years as a result
5. I believe the hotels have been quite full even with the bumped prices and limited discounts

Add all this together and it is a business matching its prices to the demand. When the economy is really bad and demand is lowered for Disney, and as a result they start offering better discounts, the posts around here are one of joy for Disney guests and not sadness for the Disney company. When the situation is reversed like it is now and the economy is stronger, maybe we should use a similar sense of perspective?

 

[SMD]

Pre-60th it wasn't that hard to at least get PPH for just under $200 on short-ish notice. But the Anaheim room tax is so high it would come out to sticker shock. I don't have a problem with paying $230/night, but usually the hotel is nicer or the location is better.

And as HydroGuy eludes to above, after DCA 2.0, they started offering incentives that we're a discount on the room rate, but things like FP and free photos. Which cost them next to nothing, but keeps the room rate higher.

 

[Westcoastwild]

Good point. I do think crowds increased quite a bit after carsland finished, and you're right about the economy. I went once during those years simply because it was cheaper than flying somewhere more glamorous.

 

[sheetz]

It's not just Anaheim but all over the LA area. Tourism has really boomed over the last few years but hotel construction hasn't kept up with demand. I think it's because there are so many regulatory hurdles that it takes forever to get anything built.

 

[onlyoneash]

$250 for the Grand Californian 2 years ago? You must have access to better discounts than I do.

It was through my credit card reward points. Yes it was awesome. Those days are gone

 

[mom2rtk]

It was through my credit card reward points. Yes it was awesome. Those days are gone

I wouldn't classify that as a general public discount.

 

[onlyoneash]

I have stayed at the GCH and DLH plus others, and I think:

1. DLR offered some aggressive discounts starting in 2009 because of the economy
2. Once CarsLand and BVS finished in 2012 attendance increased
3. The economy has not been great but good enough since around 2011-2012 that most folks are more confident in spending discretionary money
4. DLR has been bumping prices and limiting discounts for the last several years as a result
5. I believe the hotels have been quite full even with the bumped prices and limited discounts

Add all this together and it is a business matching its prices to the demand. When the economy is really bad and demand is lowered for Disney, and as a result they start offering better discounts, the posts around here are one of joy for Disney guests and not sadness for the Disney company. When the situation is reversed like it is now and the economy is stronger, maybe we should use a similar sense of perspective?

Great point. I just wish my salary doubled like the price of everything else. (Long wishful sigh)

 

[onlyoneash]

I wouldn't classify that as a general public discount.

I booked with points, but I still used a travel agency. They told me it was a general promotional discount for that time of year (off season) When I called this year to do the same thing, they said Disney doesn't offer discounts like they used to.

 

[onlyoneash]

And it isn't just the Disney-owned properties. Even the good neighbor hotels are getting pricey. Weekends (only time I can go) are ridiculous.

Yes! The one weekend day we are staying costs $50 more. Weekend only would be tough. Wonder what will happen with prices when Disney gets done with all the new construction in Star Wars land. Yikes!

 

[Westcoastwild]

Yes! The one weekend day we are staying costs $50 more. Weekend only would be tough. Wonder what will happen with prices when Disney gets done with all the new construction in Star Wars land. Yikes!

I'm not sure the prices will change much then. I think availability will definitely change. It's already kind of hard to find a budget room at short notice on a weekend. If you want to stay in walking distance, realistically speaking, you've got a limited number of options already. Going to be real crowded that first summer.

 

[onlyoneash]

It's not just Anaheim but all over the LA area. Tourism has really boomed over the last few years but hotel construction hasn't kept up with demand. I think it's because there are so many regulatory hurdles that it takes forever to get anything built.

I wonder if Disneyland moving their entrance and building more parking and such will in turn allow more hotels to be build where they haven't before? But honestly, it probably won't matter. When Star Wars land opens it will be nuts even if they get a bunch of new hotels.

 

[gottalovepluto]

You're not crazy! It's just the economics are not working in your favor. Disneyland's popularity continues to grow so they can charge continually higher prices. Supply & demand- it's just good business sense. WDW has 6 theme parks (water included) to DL's 2. Therefore DL should have 1/3 the room capacity to compare apples to apples to apples. Well, WDW has over 30,600 rooms according to TP... but DL has less than 3,000 Disney owned rooms. A FAR cry from 1/3 the rooms WDW hosts! Therefore, rooms are MUCH more in demand at DL and more expensive, if you want them to drop in price wait for a big recession- and hope you're recession proof.

 

[Geemo]

I wonder if Disneyland moving their entrance and building more parking and such will in turn allow more hotels to be build where they haven't before? But honestly, it probably won't matter. When Star Wars land opens it will be nuts even if they get a bunch of new hotels.

I say it's already nuts.
But I still go and join the crowds, just like so many others.

I'm curious about how the crowds will be once StarWarsLand does open.
I can only imagine..