Off-site vs. on-site

[candyht]

I'm planning a trip to DL for April/May. I am trying to decide if my and family and I should stay on or off-site. What are the advantages of staying on-site besides early entry? I just came back from WDW last month and we stayed at the Yacht Club. It was our first time staying on-site at WDW and we'll never stay off-site again. But I know that DL is different from WDW in that the off-site hotels are so close by, so I'm just wondering if it's worth the extra $ to stay on-site.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Off-site is fine. If you make your reservation through Disney Travel, you still get all the EE privledges of the on-site guests. If you book through Priceline or Hotwire, you'll save big bucks, but you'll trade away these privledges.

We stayed at the WestCoast Anaheim. Their shuttle service ran every 30 minutes and was always on time (which is a bummer if you are two minutes late). The shuttles work well, but you'll still find it difficult to coordinate the time to run back to the room for a dip in the pool or to take a break mid-day as you would have in the Epcot resort area (boy were we spoiled when we stayed at BWI last year). Our neigbors stayed at the Anabella and it looks like a great place.

Anything south of Katella could be a chore to walk, depending on the ages of the kids. There is a tram stop in the Timon parking loat (Katella/Harbor, behind DCA) which you can use to shorten your walk by about 50%.

Priceline/Hotwire 3* typically gets you the Marriott or the WestCoast Anaheim (around $35). 4* is rumored to get you the Hilton and Towers (around $45), which is a really nice looking property.

 

[LuvTigger]

I go to DL almost every year, and WDW on the years I don't go to DL. I always stay on Harbor Blvd., mainly because of cost. Like you said, it's not like WDW where staying onsite really helps to immerse you in the magic. My favorite is Howard Johnson, a little further away than some other hotel/motels, but still walking distance, and they have a shuttle. I've heard great things about Desert Inn and Suites too.

However, I must say that I LOVED Disney's Grand Californian Hotel. I stayed there several weeks ago and totally fell in love with the place. I can't afford to stay there every trip, but I will make an effort to splurge on it occasionally, or maybe stay several nights somewhere on Harbor and spend one night at GC. GC is the most comparable to a WDW resort out of the three DLR hotels.

 

[Judy from Boise]

I am another one of "thoses" people ! In 7 trips to WDW I have always stayed on site, and have never stayed on site at DL. We usually get passes with a Southwest package....3 day pass gets you 1 EE, and I beleive 4 day and above is EE every day it is offered.

PS I would stay on site except for budget