It’s finally happening...

[luvthemouse71]

A little update, I switched to Best Western-Stovall’s Inn. I saved a good $300+ in doing so. They also have an included breakfast. It’s further than Fairfield Inn but still doable.

 

[StarlitNight05]

A little update, I switched to Best Western-Stovall’s Inn. I saved a good $300+ in doing so. They also have an included breakfast. It’s further than Fairfield Inn but still doable.

A fair chunk of your walk will be through DtD so it'll be pretty pleasant! You can save your feet a bit by taking the monorail (when its running) if going or coming to DL. However, I always like making my first entry to DL an actual walk through Main Street. It makes it feel more magical.

Hope you have a great time!

 

[mentos]

When my wife and I go into the parks without our 4 year old (usually for food festivals and whatnot), we usually stay at a nicer hotel out of the immediate area and take an Uber/Lyft to the drop off point. We'll usually stay at the Hilton or Marriott by the convention center as you can hop on the ART (resort district shuttle) as well. JW Marriott is opening nearby which is another 4* option (I think April 2020).

The benefits of staying at DLH or GCH (we are DVC VGC owners as well) are best suited (IMO) for when traveling with kids (private park entry, own security lines, package service, etc...), or if there's a physical challenge that demands a short walking distance/frequent breaks from the park.

If this is your one and only trip to DL/Anaheim and money is not a constraint, definitely stay at the GCH... but to me the $500-$800/night retail rates aren't worth it. Even with our kid, we only stay on our VGC contract except when retail prices drop < $400/night.

Goodluck and have fun!

 

[luvthemouse71]

When my wife and I go into the parks without our 4 year old (usually for food festivals and whatnot), we usually stay at a nicer hotel out of the immediate area and take an Uber/Lyft to the drop off point. We'll usually stay at the Hilton or Marriott by the convention center as you can hop on the ART (resort district shuttle) as well. JW Marriott is opening nearby which is another 4* option (I think April 2020).

The benefits of staying at DLH or GCH (we are DVC VGC owners as well) are best suited (IMO) for when traveling with kids (private park entry, own security lines, package service, etc...), or if there's a physical challenge that demands a short walking distance/frequent breaks from the park.

If this is your one and only trip to DL/Anaheim and money is not a constraint, definitely stay at the GCH... but to me the $500-$800/night retail rates aren't worth it. Even with our kid, we only stay on our VGC contract except when retail prices drop < $400/night.

Goodluck and have fun!

I’m sure I’ll make other trips to Disneyland. I can afford GCH but I agree with you, I won’t pay those rates. The ridiculous rates are why I don’t stay at the Polynesian anymore, even though it’s my favorite WDW resort.

 

[SnowBelleAlice]

Stovall's is a nice choice, I've stayed there, I like the walk.

 

[ktlm]

We are longtime WDW people too-- although we now have fallen in love with DLR and our one and done trip has turned into us being there every summer for the last 10 years. Since FP+ hit WDW, DLR is so much more flexible and relaxed than DLR. It is so much less stressful and so much easier to just go where the day takes you. It is really nice to be able to walk everywhere and not to have to rely on buses and boats. For us it is more like one big park since they are just separated by a plaza about the length of a football field-- you can get from the back of one park to the back of the other in 10 minutes. DLR is compact- but it packs a whole lot into that space! Honestly, if it wasn't for EPCOT World Showcase and Pandora, it would be hard to get DH to go back to WDW-- he much prefers the ease of DLR.

Whether you are going to like staying off property may depend on what you are used to at WDW. Are you mostly a deluxe resort person at WDW who thrives on the Disney bubble-- if so, you may find that you do not like staying off property.
We usually stay at the Disneyland Hotel. A few years ago, we had to come in early due to a storm, and there was no room at DLH, so we had to spend our first night at Fairfield Inn. We were happy with the Fairfield Inn- it was clean- the staff was really great and it was close-- BUT being used to being on-property at WDW we did not like being outside of the Disney bubble. Being used to the nice DLR Disney Bubble walk from the DLH through DTD to get to and from the parks-- we did not like being on the Harbor side outside of the bubble.

I would absolutely have no issues staying at Fairfield Inn again if we could not afford the Disneyland Hotel, but for us, we really like being in the bubble. We really enjoy the Disneyland Hotel. We like all the Disney touches, and having Trader Sams right there. We like the peaceful morning walk through DTD to get to rope drop. I can't really tell you anything about the Best Western or the walk from there, because we have not stayed there.

Being WDW vets, we prefer DLH to GHC. GHC is a scaled down version of Wilderness Lodge at a higher price than Wilderness Lodge. It is certainly nice, and if you really wanted to splurge having a theme park view room and looking directly down onto the people walking along the park path inside the park (as opposed to a WDW MK theme park view- where you see the castle and space mountain way off in the distance) would be something really neat, but we can't bring ourselves to spend that kind of money. DLH is different than any of the resorts at WDW, so that is where we like to stay.


Have a Fantastic trip!!!!! I think I saw an article that since Haunted Mansion is closing for a long refurbishment, that it will stay open with the Holiday Overlay until it closes on January 20 for the refurbishment I would LOVE to ride it with that overlay someday!

Also, be aware that unlike WDW, DL does not have nightly fireworks in the off season. If you want to see those, your first night- January 11-- might be the only night they run during your stay. Fantasmic also is not every night in the off season. I think it does run Sundays though, so you might have 2 nights to catch that if it is something important to you. I would recommend World of Color. It is different than anything you see at WDW. We love it!