Off site hotels.... walk vs shuttle

[tay's mom]

Last minute 40th b'day trip in 2 weeks(no kids this time!!!) I haven't been to DL for awhile and was counting on your expertise! Comments on staying at Paradise Pier (4nights $433) vs off site (can you walk or is shuttle a must, and are they clean?) What does staying on site get me for $150 more(4 -nights)
Carousel. Park Inn, BWPark place Inn, Candy Cane or Fairfield??
Thanks

 

[daannzzz]

Your price for the Paradise Pier is a nice price. It will get you a nice room themed with more modern Disney art and styles. I assume you booked a standard view and you could ask for an upgrade to the themepark view which is awesome from that hotel. You have a private side entrance into DCA which is across the street and about a 5 minute walk.
My favorite of the offsite hotels you picked is the Candy Cane. It has nice decore and atmosphere. It has a good free breakfast bar and you can walk to the front gates of the parks in 7-10 minutes. The shuttle is a van or small bus and was clean with nice drivers.
BW Park Place Inn is has the best location other than Disney's Grand Californian and is right at the cross walk to the parks. If the light is green for you, you can walk to the parks in 3-5 minutes.
The Park Inn was nice when we stayed and is a few doors down from the Park Place Inn.

 

[bluemoonjo]

We loved Candy Cane Inn. We walked and rode the shuttle depending on the time. The walk really is short, 10 minutes top even with the baby fussing.
Here is their site
www.candycaninn.net
We where planning on staying there 1 night and ended up staying 3. It was no problem we stayed in the same room for the same rate as the first night.
That was our first trip to Disney so I don't know how others compare.One thing that did kind of throw me was all the rooms have a outside entrance.

 

[NancyIL]

I've stayed at the Fairfield Inn and WestCoast Anaheim (now the Coast Hotel). It was very easy to walk from the Fairfield Inn, and the WestCoast Anaheim had a nice shuttle. I personally can't see paying mega bucks to stay in one of the "official" Disneyland hotels.

 

[lbmom5]

We stayed at the Best Western Park Place Inn the 1st of December. It was an ideal location, directly across from the park entrance and two doors down from McDonalds! The room had a microwave and refrigerator, free breakfast, was clean and had plenty of towels. I would stay there again in a minute.

 

[steve_rob]

Where in relation to the park is the BW Park Place? I'm going to DL next year and we've been offered a number of reasonably priced hotels described as "close" to the park by our travel agent, but this could mean anything from 5 minutes walk to 20 minutes drive in my experience. Your recommendation might just swing this!!!

 

[daannzzz]

There is a pedestrian crosswalk on Harbor Blvd that leads into the tram drop off area. Best Western Park Place Inn is located at the cross walk. If the light were green when you approched it you could be at Disneyland's front gate in 5 minutes from room to turnstyle. It is closer than the Disneyland Hotel and Para Dise Pier hotel.

 

[Sonya in Boise]

I recently stayed at The Carousel Inn and Suites and the Desert Inn and Suites both are across the street from DL. Walking distance. I like each of them and would stay there again .

The Desert Inn we had a parlor suite, which had a livingroom and a bedroom w/ 2 beds. We paid 69.00 during the off season. At the Carousel we had a standard room which I booked via their web site and paid 49.00 a night.

Both places were clean and quiet. Walk from each was between 5-8 minutes depending on if we had to wait for the light on Harbor. Breakfast at Carousel was better than Desert Inn, but the Desert Inn had milk at theirs. Both had micro and refridge in the room. The Desert Inn was a slight bit closer than Carousel.

 

[Letsbgoofy]

We loved the Candy Cane Inn this summer (going back next summer). The walk was short-under 5 minutes for 2 adults and a 12 year old. The shuttle was also very convenient, although we only used it once.

 

[dcfromva]

We stayed at the Best Western Park Place Inn--in terms of location, it is probably the closest you can get to DL/CA. It is almost as close as the Grand CAlifornian. (It is just across the street from the parks).
However, we had a couple of unfortunate things happen whilst staying there. After we checked in, when we went to our room--someone else's stuff was in it. (whoops!) We had to go get another room. It was okay--but all the furnishing were cheap and had seen lots of wear.
Then, the deciding factor was my sister's family had their toilet overflow (the water kept running) and the floor was flooded (I wondered about the family staying in the room below). They called the front desk and were told that since it was after 10:00pm the housekeeping staff had left for the evening --and what did they expect the front desk to do? (Well, my sister's DH said--could you at least get me a mop so I can clean it up?!)
We didn't find out about that incident until the next morning--My sister said she had called the DL hotel and they had space and they were moving over there.... Well, I wanted to stay at DL hotel in the first place, so we had gathered all our stuff up and were out of that place before my sister finished her conversation... You should have seen the beautiful accomodations that we moved into...

Anyway, we would never go back to the Park Place Inn.
Since that time, my sister has stayed at the Dessert Inn and Suites--several times. It is right next to the Park Place Inn, so it is maybe another 20 yards further to get to DL/CA. We have stayed there once. I would classify it as nothing special, but a clean comfortable room (we didn't stay in the suites). The management there seems to be a little more proactive than at the Park Place--where they don't really seem to care if you come back (right across from DL--I guess they are going to fill the rooms).

That's my 2 cents.
-DC

 

[tay's mom]

Thanks for all your help...I'm narrowing down the choices . Definately not BWPPInn, but anyone stayed at the PARK INN (good rate) it's rated a 3 star on expedia?? 6 more days .... good thing ' cause an Arctic Cold front is coming !!!!!!

 

[disneefamily]

Disnee Dad Says.............................Find out the AAA star rateing and make sure it is a three. When people rate hotels, it is usually compared to what they are used to. I don't like the 5 star rating, as a very high 3 and a very low 4 are practically the same but seem much different when you look at stars.
We stayed at Dessert Inn and Suites. Great location. Nothing special about the place, but it was clean and relatively quiet. It's been a few years, but I think we got the parlor suite for like $49.00! We like four stars but are always willing to grab a great rate for a three star place and more often then not we do.
Last year we stayed at the Maui Westin (Hawaii) for 5 nights for $750, it included 5 day car rental and $75 hotel credit, and all taxes!!! The rack rate was $299 per night just for the room!

 

[tay's mom]

Thanks to all , once again you guys are the best. Last year our WDW was awesome! Now for DL on Friday (adults only!!!!) we have booked the Fairfield Marriott for $50/per night(231 total) Good deal , good hotel and good weather expected for the next 10 days.....I'm so excited. thanks again