Is this a good deal?

[CamdenLab]

I've travelled, but not to theme parks, so this is a bit new. Plus, this is the first time I've booked a vacation for five people. Usually it's just me plus one.

At first we booked Marriott Fairfield and got a kids' suite, which has two bedrooms, living area, full kitchen and dining area. It includes daily buffet breakfast and free parking. That was a total of $1200.

I started looking at vacation rentals and found a house. It's the first residential area outside Disneyland and 1/2 mile drive (shorter walk, as you go "as the crow flies"). It is a larger three bedroom, two bathroom house with everything that houses have plus a fenced back yard. They wanted $225 per night and I talked them down to $1100 for our entire stay.

So, is $1100 for seven nights a good deal?

 

[Cindy's Mom]

only you can make that decision. I would prefer the hotel, because I like service while I'm on vacation. It sounds like the hotel gives you plenty of space and a free meal each day.

A big part of vacation to me is meeting new people at b-fast, around the pool anywhere and renting a house you just don't get that.

 

[avalon451]

Remind me again, the dates of your trip, and how many are going? # of adults and kids?

I would be very, very careful about renting a house. It's pretty easy to make them look good on a website, but if you haven't seen it yourself or know somebody who has seen it, it's hard to judge what it will really be like. It should be on some kind of "Angie's List" or something with reviews to back it up, as to its quality. Somebody here recently posted about renting a room with a separate entry, in a house near DL, and it was a pretty bad experience for them.

Also if you stay in a house, you'll have to drive to DL, and that is a major pain. See Hydroguy's tip thread, specifically, "Hidden Time Losses when Using a Car at DLR" and also his "Hotel Rule." http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1520483

Fairfield is within fairly easy walking distance, and is pretty well liked on these boards. 1200 for a kid's suite is not bad for 7 nights, depending on when you are going.

 

[heatherleigh]

I'd stick w/ the hotel. You already know they have a standard of service to uphold, whereas the house does not. That way you won't have to worry about any unexpected surprises.

 

[CamdenLab]

We'll arrive Sept. 27 and depart Oct. 4. There are five of us, parents, DD13, DD11 and DS 9.

The house is within walking distance, about ten minutes strolling.

We weighed the pool situation and because the kids are older, we'll not be coming back to nap or anything at lunchtime and they all have homework that needs to be done and if DD13 does not get hear beauty sleep she is

I haven't cancelled the hotel and we don't have to until day of, in the late afternoon. I've arranged checking into the house at 2:00 the day of and besides a $100 check to hold the house, I won't give her any money until we've arrived and checked the place out.

 

[dhlovesbelle]

First off, welcome to the boards!!! I am also in Oregon, so hi-dee-ho neighbor! I would agree with the others about staying in the hotel. One, because $1200 isn't bad for a kids suite and a full breakfast every morning. And there are other hotels if you want to go cheaper. Two, I promise, you won't want to get in your car and drive to the rental at the end of the day. We stayed in Staybridge last time, which is a great hotel, but I disliked even having to worry about a shuttle after all day at the park that this time I booked us across the street Also, driving away from the area lessens the disney magic, imho You'll enjoy the hotel and being right by the parks that you'll question how you even thought on any other alternative Hotel all the way

EDIT: we were posting at the same time Is it a house or a condo time share? I don't know the area well, but I don't know where a house would be within 10 minutes walking of the park. Just curious. But even if the house is within walking I would still vote hotel unless there is another reason aside from money that you would want all the privacy the house would afford you.

 

[disneegrl4eva]

I haven't cancelled the hotel and we don't have to until day of, in the late afternoon. I've arranged checking into the house at 2:00 the day of and besides a $100 check to hold the house, I won't give her any money until we've arrived and checked the place out.

yeah but if you decide you like the house then youre out one nights stay because usually you have to cancel the hotel within 48 to 72 hours to avoid a charge...so that just defeats your saving any money

 

[CamdenLab]

yeah but if you decide you like the house then youre out one nights stay because usually you have to cancel the hotel within 48 to 72 hours to avoid a charge...so that just defeats your saving any money

Not in this case.

 

[CamdenLab]

First off, welcome to the boards!!! I am also in Oregon, so hi-dee-ho neighbor! I would agree with the others about staying in the hotel. One, because $1200 isn't bad for a kids suite and a full breakfast every morning. And there are other hotels if you want to go cheaper. Two, I promise, you won't want to get in your car and drive to the rental at the end of the day. We stayed in Staybridge last time, which is a great hotel, but I disliked even having to worry about a shuttle after all day at the park that this time I booked us across the street Also, driving away from the area lessens the disney magic, imho You'll enjoy the hotel and being right by the parks that you'll question how you even thought on any other alternative Hotel all the way

EDIT: we were posting at the same time Is it a house or a condo time share? I don't know the area well, but I don't know where a house would be within 10 minutes walking of the park. Just curious. But even if the house is within walking I would still vote hotel unless there is another reason aside from money that you would want all the privacy the house would afford you.

Hi Neighbor!

We won't have to drive to/from the house. It is 1/2 mile to the gate.

It's a house. A retired couple lives there and they travel the entire summer plus the early part of fall (to avoid tourists). They rent their house out while they are gone. There are actually a LOT of residential neighborhoods just outside of Disney.

MAP

We do want the privacy and the space.

 

[avalon451]

Camden, thanks for posting the link to the map.

I can tell you with utter certainty that it is NOT 1/2 mile to the park (maybe unless you are counting to the park walls, not to the entrance plaza) and that you will NOT want to walk it. In fact, if you look at the distance posted on your map link, it even says it is 1.4 miles, and estimates 29 minutes of walking. I see that this map routes you around to the end of Downtown Disney, and you could take the shortcut through the Grand Californian hotel, but even so... this is NOT walkable. Even if you are very fit and eager to walk, to do over a mile walk just to get to the gates in the morning is not a good idea, when you will be walking anywhere from 4-8 miles around in the parks during the day. Not to mention your walk back in the evenings. You will be worn out. You could conceivably walk up to Katella and take ART, but that just adds one more dimension of complexity to your trip.

Also, you might want to reconsider the midday break thing. It's been the experience of many people here, that the middle of the day tends to get hot, crowded, and frustrating. No matter what your age, you can get sensory overload and be very ready for a break. Then you can come back in the evening, refreshed and ready to use the FastPasses you collected in the morning. The really convenient way to do this is to stay across the street. You are literally 10 minutes from the gate, so taking a break is easy-- no navigating ART or shuttles to the parking garage.

That's my take on it... stay across the street. $100 is not worth the difference. Good luck whatever you decide!

 

[bumbershoot]

Absolutely not 10 minutes.

The wait to cross Katella there, from experience waiting to cross there while staying at Anabella, could take 10 minutes. It's a LONG crosswalk, with very fast cars and long wait times.

The walk from Anabella, which is closer than this house, is about 20 minutes while staying on Disneyland drive (not jogging to the left behind PPH and going all the way through DTD) and cutting through the Grand Californian.

If you drag the map and center the esplanade (start of your walk per the map) on the page, and look to the right for the L shaped building with the little buidling in front of it, that is Fairfield with McDonald's in front. THAT is 10 minutes.

The house is not 10 minutes.

I'd stick with the Fairfield.

 

[ORMom2Four]

Hi Neighbor! (we're in Oregon too)

After looking at the map, I agree 100% with Gail. The walk will be much longer than 10 minutes, I would estimate at least 20-30 minutes. The kids might walk it the first day, but they are likely to complain about it after that and you may need to drive. Then you will end up spending extra money for parking, plus extra time waiting for parking shuttles.

I would go with the hotel. That's a good deal with the free parking, the breakfast, the housekeeping, the closer walk and the big kidsuite!

As a side note, we do breaks with the kids when the hours to D-land are really long (closing at midnight). However, our kids can easily do the entire day straight when they are only open until 8pm. (and the youngest just turned 3)

We're just going to miss you, we get there the day you guys leave

 

[JaneJetson]

If you go with the hotel - walk to the park.

If you go with the house - drive to the park. I know some people on this board gripe about using cars to get to the parks but I've never found it to be a big deal.

Either way...I'm sure you'll have a great time. You just have to decide what's more important to you - getting to the parks quicker (hotel) or having more space (house.)

 

[heatherleigh]

Is the $100 you gave to the house refundable?

 

[SeattleTink]

I 100% agree with everyone else. I am at the Fairfield right now and I would recommend you staying here. We do not have a suite, but our room has 2 queens and a pull out chair. We are totally enjoying our stay here. They are doing a refurb of the pool in the next week, but is supposed to be done by September 18th.

This is a Marriott, although it isn't top of the line it is very clean and the beds are very comfy!

The service has been exceptional and you cannot beat the location. It is a very easy walk.

I would not hesitate to stay here again.

And, the wireless internet is free and easy to connect to

 

[bumbershoot]

I'm sorry to pile on, but I had showed the map to hubby. Hubby lived in Long Beach for awhile, and got to know the area a little bit, and he says he wouldn't stay in that area. Now he has old info, but it's worth thinking about. And since "no one walks" in CA, walking through even a nice neighborhood is going to make you guys stand out big time, which might draw a seedier element to you.

 

[CamdenLab]

Gosh, now I'm unsure.

DF really wants to stay in the house.

We have time to decide.

If we drive to DL from the house, then drive home at lunch on the long days, do we have to pay twice to park?

 

[Queenbillabong]

I have to agree - the $100 difference is NOT worth it. The hotel also includes breakfast, housekeeping, bathroom amenities, high speed Internet, etc. which you would have to do yourself at the house (worth much more that $100 in my books).

It almost looks like you've decided on the house anyway, so whatever works for you is great - but IMO, go with the hotel for all the valid reasons already listed.

 

[JaneJetson]

Now that I'm looking where that house is....the walk to the lion king tram wouldn't be so bad. (Is that parking lot/tram still there/working? We haven't been there in a while.)

A couple years ago we walked from the Anabella to that tram and rode it to the entrance. It wasn't bad at all. That house isn't that much farther away than the Anabella.

I, personally, would still drive. But it's definitely more do-able than the route posted earlier on that map.

 

[JaneJetson]

Gosh, now I'm unsure.

DF really wants to stay in the house.

We have time to decide.

If we drive to DL from the house, then drive home at lunch on the long days, do we have to pay twice to park?

You keep your receipt thing they give you and you only have to pay once a day.