Newbie needs HELP!

[JennyT2]

Hey all - I have never been to DL before and are now considering a 2-3 day trip just before our Disney Cruise in January. We are HUGE WDW people and always stay on property in Orlando. BUT that being said, the cruise is already costing alot and we would also like to try to get in some other site seeing so I am now looking at hotels just outside DL but since I don't know the area at all, I don't know what to look for or which are the best hotels to stay in. We usually stay moderate at WDW and do prefer a hotel with lots of amenities. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[skiingfast]

In general people stay in the hotels just west of DLR on Harbor drive. From these you can walk to the resort. Keep in mind that they are pretty much circa 1960 motels. Each has a pool. Most have a free breakfast of varying quality and size. But that sums them up.

They are not like a WDW moderate. To the south near the convention center are some nice hotels but you pay more and then walking to parks comes in to question.

 

[PinkBudgie]

Sometimes those nicer hotels near the convention center are not more or not that much more than ones walking distance. We stayed at the Embassy Suites South and loved it. It was $150 a night and we got a bedroom, a living room, 2 tvs, a microwave, a fridge, a hideaway bed, and an full free breakfast. My parents stayed at another one, the Hilton, I think, for only $45 a night through one of those name your own price places. I think those are hotels are a great value when compared to the price of some of the close ones. But you have to drive to DLR or take ART.

This summer we wanted to try staying walking distance so we will try the Candy Cane Inn. It is really a "motel" but has gotten great reviews. I have heard the rooms can be a little small though. A lot of people also like Hojos, but I've never been there.

I also look up places I'm interested in on Trip Advisor.

 

[DirkLogan]

Here is a handy little hotel map:

http://www.accommodationsneardisney.com/Disneyland/default.asp

Here is a great way to calculate walking distance (the link is to the motel 6, which is clean and cheap):

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3433268

I have stayed at the following:

Quailty Inn & Suites - clean, cheap, small pool, free parking, .7 miles walk, nice continental breakfast (had make it yourself waffles), linen quality is good. I have stayed there 4 times.

Motel 6 - clean, really cheap, small pool, free parking, .95 miles walk, no free breakfast, linen quality is a little low (regular for motel6). Stayed there once.

Best Western Stovall's Inn - clean, reasonably priced, two pools, was free parking ( i heard it is now $8), nice continental breakfast, .75 miles walk through the Grand CA, linen quaility is good, I stayed there once.

Desert Palm Inn - Stayed here with my parents in a suite that fit 7 and price was good for all of us, very clean and nice, good linen quality, nice little pool, nice continental breakfast (had scrambled eggs), I think it was about .7 miles walk, free parking, I stayed there twice.

Travelodge Anaheim - dirty, priced a little high for what you get, kind of a long walk, free parking, free breakfast, I stayed there once and won't ever again.

Paradise Pier - very clean, very nice, no free breakfast, free parking, very nice pool and water slide, very nice linens, I don't recall the walking distance but not too bad. I liked it but I can get two nights at one of the cheaper places for what I paid to stay there and that is what I do now.

Those have been my experiences.

 

[Lissame]

I recommend that you read all of the sticky tips at the top of the page, but especially the one for WDW vets:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1162599

The thing to remember is that everything is relatively close if you compare it to WDW. "Off Property" hotels are occasionally closer than the three DLR hotels, yet quite a bit more inexpensive.

When you are talking amenities, what exactly do you mean? What would your priorities be when you're looking at a hotel?

 

[JennyT2]

Great tips so far ... thanks!
As for what we would want .... since it's Jan I am not too worried about the pool but I would like there to be either a restaurant on site or at least some where good to eat within walking distance for breakfast and perhaps a late dinner. It needs to be 100% clean and though not huge, my dh is a big man and can't stand a teeny room. tia
And I will read that thread!

 

[Leofoenget]

Hey all - I have never been to DL before and are now considering a 2-3 day trip just before our Disney Cruise in January. We are HUGE WDW people and always stay on property in Orlando. BUT that being said, the cruise is already costing alot and we would also like to try to get in some other site seeing so I am now looking at hotels just outside DL but since I don't know the area at all, I don't know what to look for or which are the best hotels to stay in. We usually stay moderate at WDW and do prefer a hotel with lots of amenities. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

http://www.accommodationsneardisney.com/Disneyland/default.asp

 

[skiingfast]

Great tips so far ... thanks!
As for what we would want .... since it's Jan I am not too worried about the pool but I would like there to be either a restaurant on site or at least some where good to eat within walking distance for breakfast and perhaps a late dinner. It needs to be 100% clean and though not huge, my dh is a big man and can't stand a teeny room. tia
And I will read that thread!

I haven't head of any of the hotels along Harbor being dirty, but some look old and some renovated. Also they are all fairly standard. They don't have tiny rooms because they were built in a remodled building like I have seen in some cities. Also unlike the WDW mods they will have queen beds instead of doubles.

There are a few resturaunts along harbor so within 100 feet of any hotel. Nothing is great in particular. There is an IHOP and Denny's wich are not hotel affiliated but in front of a few of them. There's also a couple small chain resturaunts or independents. I wouldn't worry about finding somewhere to eat. But the prices aren't great so unless you want to eat fastfood you may be just as well off eating in the parks.

 

[Funball]

my personal favorite-the hojo, can't beat a 8 min walk to the park! clean, good deals and discounts if you have an AP,AAA or entertainment book coupon thing! Also if you have kids-they have more then just a pool, they have a huge water play area. please check out the link, it has photos of the pool etc!

http://www.hojoanaheim.com/

 

[23bw]

We usually stay moderate at WDW and do prefer a hotel with lots of amenities.

Since a motel isn't your type of thing, I highly recommend the Sheraton Anaheim Hotel. It has full restaurant, bar, fitness room, pool, and internet access. Best of all is their free private shuttle to DL Resort, just a 5 minute ride.

 

[JennyT2]

You guys are AMAZING - thanks!

 

[Flitterific]

my personal favorite-the hojo, can't beat a 8 min walk to the park! clean, good deals and discounts if you have an AP,AAA or entertainment book coupon thing! Also if you have kids-they have more then just a pool, they have a huge water play area. please check out the link, it has photos of the pool etc!

http://www.hojoanaheim.com/

I second HoJo, especially if you can get it at the Entertainment/AP rate of as low as $59/night. Here is the link to the dates that the Ent/AP rate is currently available for: http://www.hojoanaheim.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=14

They don't have any rates for January yet but HoJo updates the dates almost weekly and sometimes rates pop up a few days before the actual date so keep checking it. FYI - you can make a reservation to guarantee a room (they don't charge your credit card unless you don't cancel your reservation at least 24 hours prior to your stay) and then call HoJo to get the lower rate if your dates pop up