Is The Disneyland hotel worth the money?

[carissa1970]

I love the DLH and would love to stay there again. But now that we have three kids, we much prefer the extra space of the kids suites at HOJO. The water play area there would be great for all of your kids too

We just stayed at the HOJO. Loved it!

 

[HydroGuy]

For those that swear by staying on site only, does that mean if your budget changed and you could not afford to stay on site at the time, would you then wait to visit DLR until you can?
Might be a long wait. Might be never.......

I can't answer for others and I personally do not swear to any hotel. I will say for me, when I had younger kids, the cost for onsite was way too steep and offsite made way more sense. Plus I had four kids and the onsite hotels only catered to families of five. So we could not fit very well. So I totally get staying offsite and think it works fine.

When my kids got older I got some good deals to make a very expensive GCH stay become something within reach. For me it was worth it to stay there. But if money was tighter or the deal not so good I could have happily stayed offsite.

I think if folks feel uncomfortable with the DLR hotel prices they should not feel at all torn and just stay offsite. I travel a bit and have stayed at hotels all over the world. Many are very expensive. I am bit more comfortable with the cost of a nice hotel. So it does not shock me like it does many. The GCH IS expensive. DLH is too but not so much. I only stay there when I can get a deal and my group size can fit into a single room - which means some of my kids do not go.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

For those that swear by staying on site only, does that mean if your budget changed and you could not afford to stay on site at the time, would you then wait to visit DLR until you can? Might be a long wait. Might be never.......

We have yet to take our first trip, will be at the DLH at the end of the month for a 7-night stay. For us it very much was stay at this particular hotel or don't go. I know it seems strange but ever since I saw the videos & pics post remodel I was smitten. I wanted to stay here SO bad. Believe me, the cost wasn't a fun pill to swallow and I suggested we stay offsite a few times. DH wouldn't hear any of that. Our "dream" was to stay at the DLH. It will be our first trip. The last thing we wanted was to get there & have regrets or leave pieces of what our hearts wanted on the table. DH laid it down, stay at the hotel or go somewhere else entirely. So we made a few sacrifices to make the dream happen. I couldn't be more thrilled. I definitely think we've made the right choice for us.

 

[hootey]

For those that swear by staying on site only, does that mean if your budget changed and you could not afford to stay on site at the time, would you then wait to visit DLR until you can?

Yes, we stay at the DLH or we do not go. That is from our entire family. Our sons said it first several years ago after a stay at a motel across Harbor Blvd. Then the wife seconded the motion. I finalized it and passes the resolution. We stay at the DLH or we do not go

 

[Cheshirecatty]

We have yet to take our first trip, will be at the DLH at the end of the month for a 7-night stay. For us it very much was stay at this particular hotel or don't go. I know it seems strange but ever since I saw the videos & pics post remodel I was smitten. I wanted to stay here SO bad. Believe me, the cost wasn't a fun pill to swallow and I suggested we stay offsite a few times. DH wouldn't hear any of that. Our "dream" was to stay at the DLH. It will be our first trip. The last thing we wanted was to get there & have regrets or leave pieces of what our hearts wanted on the table. DH laid it down, stay at the hotel or go somewhere else entirely. So we made a few sacrifices to make the dream happen. I couldn't be more thrilled. I definitely think we've made the right choice for us.

I.Love.This!!!!!

So excited for you to experience your dream!!!

There's just something marvelous about planning/setting a goal/dreaming, and then seeing it come to fruition!

I hope you have an incredible time!

 

[Andray]

We have yet to take our first trip, will be at the DLH at the end of the month for a 7-night stay. For us it very much was stay at this particular hotel or don't go. I know it seems strange but ever since I saw the videos & pics post remodel I was smitten. I wanted to stay here SO bad. Believe me, the cost wasn't a fun pill to swallow and I suggested we stay offsite a few times. DH wouldn't hear any of that. Our "dream" was to stay at the DLH. It will be our first trip. The last thing we wanted was to get there & have regrets or leave pieces of what our hearts wanted on the table. DH laid it down, stay at the hotel or go somewhere else entirely. So we made a few sacrifices to make the dream happen. I couldn't be more thrilled. I definitely think we've made the right choice for us.

Same thing for us. Taking our first trip at the end of the month with our DD5 and staying at the DLH. We debated staying off site when we compared cost (almost $1500 more!!! yikes!), but the Disney bubble, the resort feel and the EMH were the major incentives for us when we decided to stay onsite, and the appeal of the DLH over the other two was all about the theming of the hotel. Looking at the pictures, it made me really want to be there and surprise DD with that hotel, that pool, the decore in the room, etc. We are not going to Disney only for the rides. We want to experience Disney, the entertainment, the quality of the service that they are known, the DLH pool, the character meals (booked 3 of them!). I am looking at it as a once in a very long time trip. Not saying once in a lifetime as I am sure once we get a taste of it, we'll want to go back, but maybe once in a decade. So we are splurging, big time!

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I.Love.This!!!!! So excited for you to experience your dream!!! There's just something marvelous about planning/setting a goal/dreaming, and then seeing it come to fruition! I hope you have an incredible time!

Well thank you for the kind words. I appreciate it so much! The boys & I have never even been to California. I'm in a state of complete awe that I'm going to California. I'll be standing in California. I'll be breathing California air. It must sound like I'm a simpleton beyond compare. LOL! I think I'm just as excited knowing I'm going to touch the Pacific Ocean. That's so crazy to me! And thrilling!

I don't even know how I'm going to handle it when I walk into the DLH. Or our room. I've had a few very vivid dreams about walking in the gates of Disneyland and breaking into happy sobs. How can that not be a super emotional poignant moment? I will be where Walt had been seeing things that Walt himself saw & touched. That's insane!

Yep, just a little excited. LOL!

Same thing for us. Taking our first trip at the end of the month with our DD5 and staying at the DLH. We debated staying off site when we compared cost (almost $1500 more!!! yikes!), but the Disney bubble, the resort feel and the EMH were the major incentives for us when we decided to stay onsite, and the appeal of the DLH over the other two was all about the theming of the hotel. Looking at the pictures, it made me really want to be there and surprise DD with that hotel, that pool, the decore in the room, etc. We are not going to Disney only for the rides. We want to experience Disney, the entertainment, the quality of the service that they are known, the DLH pool, the character meals (booked 3 of them!). I am looking at it as a once in a very long time trip. Not saying once in a lifetime as I am sure once we get a taste of it, we'll want to go back, but maybe once in a decade. So we are splurging, big time!

Yep. We're bringing our boys, 16 & 18 yro's. We've been bringing them to WDW since they were in grade school and they've sailed with Mickey several times. This Disney fan has afflicted her offspring with the Disney love properly, I promise! I was really on the fence about even going forward with this trip because it's not cheap and with cars and all too soon college I looked at the expense as maybe not the smartest thing financially to do with that amount of money. I do try to be a grown-up now that I'm almost 40. LOL! So I tried to talk my hubby down from the trip and he was super tight-lipped. I knew he wasn't happy. After collecting his thoughts and pondering the points I made he explained how he felt. Our boys are getting so much older. It's already tough to make family time with our oldest because he has a job. My youngest won't be long before he has a job, too. At this moment we don't really have to work around school schedules because we homeschool. But next year if our oldest starts dual enrollment at the local junior college that will change. The years are flying by so fast. Time is so precious. If we don't do this now who knows if we'll have another chance. And it hurts this momma to think of all the things we had hoped to do with our boys in the short time they would be ours. We don't feel like we can keep putting off bits of our dreams. If we can we need to do it. The memories together are what matters. Right? Hubby has worked 6 & 7 day weeks for a couple years. I cut a few corners here & there plus a bit more than we were expecting on the taxes made it possible. It's all good. I've got a bunch of little morsels planned for our trip and we couldn't be more excited. We aren't park commando types. We like a magical resort atmosphere for relaxation.

 

[whoever]

I'll be breathing California air.

Be careful... the air in California contains chemicals known in the state of California to cause cancer.

 

[Kristina4109]

I'm pretty sure you know this, but just in case...if you think you might break into happy sobs, make sure you look at the window above the fire house on Main Street. Note the lighted lamp. That lamp used to be lit when Walt stayed there to signal to the CM's that he was on property. After he died the decision was made to leave it on all the time...because he's ALWAYS at Disneyland.

We stayed at the Disneyland Hotel for my 43rd birthday. AWESOME! We have stayed there many times over the years but it is really special since the last renovation. I think you're going to love it!

 

[DizMe]

Be careful... the air in California contains chemicals known in the state of California to cause cancer.

...except at Disney. Pixie dust etc takes care of the air. That's another good reason to stay on site

 

[whoever]

...except at Disney. Pixie dust etc takes care of the air. That's another good reason to stay on site

I was making fun at the sign as you pull into the GCH. Blah blah blah... California... CANCER.. blah blah blah.

Everything IN california apparently causes cancer.

Thankfully, I'm from AZ... where we don't acknowledge things known only to CA to cause cancer. I told the kids not to lick the sign though.

 

[DizMe]

I was making fun at the sign as you pull into the GCH. Blah blah blah... California... CANCER.. blah blah blah.

Everything IN california apparently causes cancer.

Thankfully, I'm from AZ... where we don't acknowledge things known only to CA to cause cancer. I told the kids not to lick the sign though.

Oh yeah! I remember a discussion about that. There was talk about not licking the railings and such. It's amazing they still ALLOW rides and don't make everyone wear a bubble suit while walking around, but then again if you're going to get cancer anyway...

 

[Gisele]

Be careful... the air in California contains chemicals known in the state of California to cause cancer.

The worst polluted air and or water that is contaminated with nuclear, chemical, petroleum and industrial waste are in these countries:

Listed in alphabetical order only.


1. Agbogbloshie, Ghana

2. Chernobyl, Ukraine

3. Citarum River, Indonesia

4. Dzerzhinsk, Russia

5. Hazaribagh, Bangladesh

6. Kabwe, Zambia

7. Kalimantan, Indonesia

8. Matanza Riachuelo, Argentina

9. Niger River Delta, Nigeria

10. Norilsk, Russia

http://www.mnn.com/health/healthy-spaces/stories/the-worlds-10-most-polluted-places


Air pollution in California is either at a good or moderate level.
Now with that said, the U.S. does have unhealthy levels of air pollution, in order from worst to last from 2010:

1 .Phoenix, AZ.

2. Bakersfield, Ca.

3. Los Angeles,Ca

4. Pittsburgh, PA

5. Birmingham, Al

6. Cincinnati-Middletown OH, Ky.-Wilmington, Ind.

7. St. Louis-St. Charles, Mo.-Farmington, Ill.


http://aqicn.org/map/northamerica/

http://www.mnn.com/health/healthy-spaces/photos/7-us-cities-with-the-worst-air-pollution/phoenix



Levels change of course over time, be it good, bad or indifferent.
What it all comes down to is that the world is killing itself, poison by poison and or stupidity.

 

[Gisele]

Oh yeah! I remember a discussion about that. There was talk about not licking the railings and such. It's amazing they still ALLOW rides and don't make everyone wear a bubble suit while walking around, but then again if you're going to get cancer anyway...

The railings etc never really looked tasty to me. Now some of that garland during holiday time is an entirely different story man....

 

[whoever]

The worst polluted air and or water that is contaminated with nuclear, chemical, petroleum and industrial waste are in these countries:

Listed in alphabetical order only.


1. Agbogbloshie, Ghana

2. Chernobyl, Ukraine

3. Citarum River, Indonesia

4. Dzerzhinsk, Russia

5. Hazaribagh, Bangladesh

6. Kabwe, Zambia

7. Kalimantan, Indonesia

8. Matanza Riachuelo, Argentina

9. Niger River Delta, Nigeria

10. Norilsk, Russia

http://www.mnn.com/health/healthy-spaces/stories/the-worlds-10-most-polluted-places


Air pollution in California is either at a good or moderate level.
Now with that said, the U.S. does have unhealthy levels of air pollution, in order from worst to last from 2010:

1 .Phoenix, AZ.

2. Bakersfield, Ca.

3. Los Angeles,Ca

4. Pittsburgh, PA

5. Birmingham, Al

6. Cincinnati-Middletown OH, Ky.-Wilmington, Ind.

7. St. Louis-St. Charles, Mo.-Farmington, Ill.


http://aqicn.org/map/northamerica/

http://www.mnn.com/health/healthy-spaces/photos/7-us-cities-with-the-worst-air-pollution/phoenix



Levels change of course over time, be it good, bad or indifferent.
What it all comes down to is that the world is killing itself, poison by poison and or stupidity.

Interesting list. I've never seen the air as bad in Phoenix as it is on its best day in LA.

 

[Gisele]

Interesting list. I've never seen the air as bad in Phoenix as it is on its best day in LA.

Many comparisons may be made. I breathe the air in Northern California. When I am in a U.S. city that does not have the nice, clean fresh air that we up here have, I can handle it. Not worried about it.

 

[DizMe]

The railings etc never really looked tasty to me. Now some of that garland during holiday time is an entirely different story man....

AHAHAHAHA! I agree. Never tempted to lick the railings, but I HAVE seen some good looking decorations! I'm thinking the Gingerbread house in HM, but it probably has someone's ashes on it.