Just can't justify it... staying onsite

[tiffjoy]

I agree with a PP that there is just no answer for this. It depends.

For my family, no, we do not stay on site, and no, we cannot justify the cost. "Afford it" and "willing to spend it" are separate ideas in our heads. There is just no need for us to stay on site at DLR. There are plenty of nice off site hotels within easy walking distance. If you are accustomed to high end hotels like the Four Seasons or even Hilton, then I suppose that the walking distance hotels wouldn't be ok for you. While we have stayed in high end hotels, we do not have a need to stay in one for every trip. Clean and comfortable are my absolute requirements, and I have had no problems finding those in the Good Neighbor hotels.

Personally, at DLR, there is no justification to me for the on site hotels. The EMH isn't enough to do it for me, and there really aren't any other perks guaranteed, as a PP pointed out. At WDW, we always stay on site (although again, not at the Deluxe resorts because we cannot justify the expense) because the perks are worth it (bus to parks, proximity, no parking fees, comparable prices to off site hotels).

But each person has to decide for their family. Everyone is different in what they value and find "worth it."

 

[SweetAlex]

Yes I totally know what you mean. We are staying at DLH this trip but I fully expect it to be a one time thing, as we are people that would rather spend that $1000 towards another trip, something else on the trip, more days on this trip etc.
I have always wanted to stay on site and the upgrade from offsite was my birthday gift.
I figure some things you just have to do, then you will know if they are worth it (like for us we are saving to take the girls for a xmas home in Canada, DH hates the fact that our flights will cost twice what they would to visit another time of year and to spend so much to go somewhere we visit so often BUT the only way to experience the Christmas train, carolling ships, cutting down a real tree etc is to spend that extra money, we won't get that experience visiting in September)

I agree. Canada is worth every penny . Good for you! We love the Christmas train and are going to miss it this year since we moved 8 hours away from Vancouver. I hope you have an absolutely wonderful time in Canada and at DLH!

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

I actually wished we had stayed at HoJo's Kids' Suite again while on our trip--especially after the first very uncomfortable night in the bad beds. I can't believe a 2 star HoJo has better beds than the supposedly 3-4 star DLH! Next time we go, I'm either going to splurge on GCH or head back to HoJo's Kids' Suite. We've stayed at HoJo twice and I love the space, the Keurig, microwave and the fridge (DLH didn't have a coffeemaker or microwave), and the uncrowded walk (when you cross at Manchester) versus fighting the crowds in DTD. Yet GCH's location is probably the best if you get the right room. I'm just nervous of being severely disappointed again after shelling out so much money if we splurge on GCH.

See and this is where it comes back to different strokes for different folks We've stayed in the Hojo kid's suite (and I'm a HUGE Hojo's fan) and at the Retro (previous entertainment card) rate, it's totally worth it. But I've see it upwards of $250/night and that just isn't to me. The upper bunk's rail squeaked every time my daughter rolled over and I personally think the beds at the DLH are better. But that's what makes the world go round, right?

FWIW, the DLH does have coffee makers, albeit not Keurig (and I really wish they would!) I agree I wish they could have microwaves though. I will say this though, except for the pool area and the lounge, I don't love the DLH and if I can, I'd pick GCH every time. I know there are people who would hands down pick PPH or DLH and don't like the GCH at all.

 

[DizMe]

Here's how I do it:

1. I go with friends and we split the cost.

2. I go during Dapper Days (50% off) or good AP discount times (20%+).

3. I have an AP, so I don't have to buy tickets at the same time.

4. I only go for 2-3 nights.

We have one family trip/year, and we prefer to stay on site. It's a splurge but we're not staying more than 3 nights so the hit isn't as bad as it would be for those spending a week or more. When I go with friends, it's pretty cheap because we split it 4 ways. I generally go about 4 times a year and split the cost on all but one of those trips. Sometimes I stay off site but that's rare when I'm splitting it anyway because the savings is not that much.

 

[whoever]

I know there are people who would hands down pick PPH or DLH and don't like the GCH at all.

The world is full of weird people.

 

[5forMickey]

That's a bit harsh. Have you actually stayed in any of the Good Neighbor hotels on Harbor?

My apologies -- that WAS NOT my intent.

Yes I have stayed at some of the offsite hotels, and I wouldn't want to again. That was kind of my point, not that they are not nice (that probably wasn't the correct word), they are just not the "nice" I want when I stay at a motel for a number of reason.

I actually spent my honeymoon trip at HOJO's in 1984 and we had a wonderful experience. But the 20 yro I was in 1984 and the "xx something" I am now are looking for different experiences. That was just more my point, we just all have different wants in a hotel. For some of us, we don't feel the need to justify it.

This seems to be a touchy subject so again my apologies if that sounded offensive.

 

[crystal1313]

This is the age old debate...with no right answer. It all comes down to priorites, which are different for everybody. Location is a huge one for us. I know many of the offsite motels are just as close if not closer, but I personally like the stroll through DTD. I know some people disagree because it gets crowded, but I feel like I'm away from reality walking that way - the so called "Disney Bubble". We also don't just use our room for sleeping/showering. We go back for breaks, we swim and if we have concierge, we spend a lot of time in the lounge. The pools at the Grand and especially DLH can't be beat. There is a feeling that is hard to put into words about the magic I feel staying onsite. EMH doesn't hurt either That said, we've stayed off site plenty of time and likely will in the future. But when we can afford to stay onsite, we do. Disney is about more than parks to us.

ETA: I really prefer staying some place with indoor corridors and while there are plenty of motels directly across the street, hotels (and nice ones) get much further out.

Agree! If we can swing it, we stay on property. Usually at PPH, and we LOVE the PPH. If we can't afford it, which is more often than not, we stay off site (but I secretly wish we were at PPH). I'm sure when our kids are older and riding a shuttle won't be such a hassle because we won't have a stroller, we will branch further out.

 

[dec2009mama]

Hi from a fellow Disney lover in BC!
We are going to be in DL at the exact same time as you – our dates are Dec 4 to Dec 9 for our third time in 2014, for us we are staying at the Tropicana!

We have stayed several times as a family at various hotels on harbor and haven’t stayed anywhere we wouldn’t stay at again!
We splurged in May 2012 and stayed at the DL hotel but like a previous poster said other than the magical headboard there was nothing really magical about our stay – no towel animal, no special signed mickey photo at check-in, etc (at that time there was no hotel guest EE) – I understand those “perks” are random and weren’t expected but I was still slightly disappointed more for my 3 year old!

I did like the pool area though and we got to use it several times although poolside service was lacking…..
If you were going in summertime where you could make sure of the pool area, I would stay splurge but in December I’d rather save the $$$ and stay off-property!

 

[whoever]

All I have to add to this thread is this:

 

[GracieB]

While I'm not a prima Donna, I do appreciate value. I don't even stay across the street, because I can get a fancier hotel further away, for much less. I don't put such a high premium on Disney time that 30 minutes waiting for a shuttle, or walking, is a hardship. Early morning would be great, but not worth paying a king's ransom!

If I had to pay $400 @ night, I'd scrap Disneyland and stay at the Royal Hawaiian in Waikiki, or one of the Westins in Maui. On my one trip to Florida, I stayed on-site, but WDW and Disneyland are not comparable.

This city girl is not too good for the ART shuttle.

I would only stay on site IF I had an amazing rate under $250, was only there for 3 days, or it was a really special event.

 

[tiffjoy]

If I had to pay $400 @ night, I'd scrap Disneyland and stay at the Royal Hawaiian in Waikiki, or one of the Westins in Maui. On my one trip to Florida, I stayed on-site, but WDW and Disneyland are not comparable.

Yes. That's our thing. We will and have paid $400+ a night for a hotel, but it was a bang up amazing hotel in a fabulous local (and yes, it was Hawaii. ).

 

[Julylady]

A long time ago, I decided I would never stay in a hotel that wasn't as nice as my own house. And I have kept that promise. I was raised staying a "cheap" hotels as a kid and I did not enjoy them. (Neither did my Mom and at one point put her foot down and told my Dad no more. )

And our trips to Disney are as much about the hotel as the parks. We spend a lot of downtime at the hotel. To each his own, but that's my explanation.

 

[GracieB]

A long time ago, I decided I would never stay in a hotel that wasn't as nice as my own house. And I have kept that promise. I was raised staying a "cheap" hotels as a kid and I did not enjoy them. (Neither did my Mom and at one point put her foot down and told my Dad no more. )

And our trips to Disney are as much about the hotel as the parks. We spend a lot of downtime at the hotel. To each his own, but that's my explanation.

I too dislike junky motels. The point of a getaway is to relax and enjoy your surroundings.

I sleep better in a Hilton than in a Super 8 motel. One day I will try DLH, but I suspect it will spoil me for off-site. But if I have to pay $500 @ night, it's Hawaii, baby! Not Disneyland.

 

[tanyaegangibson]

We love the GCH and are fortunate to be able to stay there when we do our multigenerational trips each October, but when DH and I took the kids on a surprise trip in December a few years ago, we saved a bunch of money by staying at the Marriott Courtyard and had just as good of a time.

When we have MIL and FIL with us, staying so close to DCA makes it easy for them to take breaks, and they spend a lot of time in the hotel and at the pool. Plus, MIL, FIL, and DH aren't really "theme park" people the way the kids and I are, so their very special hotel experience at GCH, I think, kind of offsets the fact that the kids and have coaxed them to spend another vacation at a theme park.

When I take the kids this summer (less than a month, yay!), we're going to stay at Hojos for the first time because I couldn't justify paying onsite rates, but since it'll be hot, I want there to be something special for them to do--water features!--that keeps them cool during our midday break. (As much as I love love love theme parks, even I can't imagine going straight through from 8 until late night for several days in a row in what might be very hot weather.)

 

[5forMickey]

A long time ago, I decided I would never stay in a hotel that wasn't as nice as my own house..

I love this quote, I feel like you read my mind!

 

[momof2n2]

A long time ago, I decided I would never stay in a hotel that wasn't as nice as my own house. And I have kept that promise. I was raised staying a "cheap" hotels as a kid and I did not enjoy them. (Neither did my Mom and at one point put her foot down and told my Dad no more. ) And our trips to Disney are as much about the hotel as the parks. We spend a lot of downtime at the hotel. To each his own, but that's my explanation.

See - this is how I feel about vacations and why I normally eschew any hotel. In FL we rent beautiful homes where our family can spread out and enjoy private sleeping quarters and baths.

I'm not finding those kind of options economically in Anaheim. But if we have to do hotels I want to be sure we get multi bedroom suites which are astronomically priced on property.

 

[PatMcDuck]

I know there are people who would hands down pick PPH or DLH and don't like the GCH at all.

I am close to be one of those people. I book either the Villas at Grand Californian on my DVC points, OR Paradise Pier upper level theme park view rooms for $$. (I am a cast member, so eligible for very good room discounts, but on cash trips, I choose those PP rooms, and I get to stare at the Carsland mountains all night long!)

I have a special needs adult son, and I need to push him in a Convaid chair, so I pay to be closer to the parks, and in the Disney magic, but I understand those who stay offsite of course. I often choose a value hotel at WDW, it is good to have choices.

 

[FryingPansWhoKnew]

It all depends on the person really. I travel a lot for business, so I've stayed at all sorts of hotels. At then end of the day, it barely matters to me as long as it's decent. I'm fairly certain though that my standards are quite low in comparison to others even though my company pays for it. I used to backpack a lot through the California wilderness in my 20s. If I can lay all the way down and be dry and insect-free, I'm pretty happy as long as it's not disgustingly dirty.

I've stayed onsite and offsite. For $1,000 extra, I would stay offsite and spend that money elsewhere.

 

[BensWife]

My husband always says that an expensive hotel room is the same as a cheaper room when you close your eyes. He grew up in the motel business (his parents owned a motel and now his sister runs the motel), so for him it really is just a place to sleep. I am the opposite. I LOVE the nicer, more expensive hotels. When I was a kid, we didn't have much money to go on vacations, so our vacations were to drive to our neighboring city and get a suite at a hotel and stay for the weekend. The hard part for DH and I is that we don't agree. So, for our coming trip in July, we are going DH's route and staying at the CCI, but for our trip in September with the kids, we rented DVC points and will stay in a GC studio villa. I really wish we would be staying somewhere nicer in July, but I have to compromise. Boo. At least I have the VGC for Sept.

 

[redwing]

I think we really need to choose words a little better than "slumming it". I do know there are people on here who love to boast-- and they keep me entertained , so I continue reading these posts, but sometimes it sounds a bit, shall I say snooty.