Oh the debate continues...

[LifeIsTinkIsLife]

So stupid old me had to go price searching yet again for our trip in January. I went through the DLR website and saw that most Good Neighbor hotels have the two nights free available as well, so of course the trip would be much cheaper if I stayed at one hotel I found. Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites on Ball and Walnut, that is really nice looking and everything, but a further walk (still doable for us, I saw we can just walk to the trams) no good views and it's just not the Paradise Pier! I was excited about this, but if we don't stay there, we would save enough money to go on a three day anniversary trip as well.... Actually, we'd probably be able to still go in April, because DBF will get his taxes back by then. UGH! Part of me wants to give it up and save money, but the other part wants to stay there! Grrr... Plus Holiday charges for microwaves and fridges. Not sure how much but it is just dumb that they aren't included like most hotels I've stayed in, and don't want to give them even more money for that, lol. So we're looking at either $715 plus cost of food, gas, microwave and fridge. or $1096 plus food, gas, and resort fee(?), but a $20 gift card and character dining is included.

Ugh, what do you think?

 

[Disney Dreams]

I think you should just decide if you want to stay on property or not and go with it.

If you search and search, you will find all sorts of great hotel deals. Some include X, but not Y. Some include X, Y AND Z, but not A. Some cost more, others less. Decide what's important to you ($, view, location, or.....???) and go from there.

On a personal note, I don't know if you travel often. As a somewhat seasoned traveler, I could care less if I have a microwave in my room and would NEVER pay extra for it unless I was planning on spending my entire vacation in my room and never leaving. Same with a refrigerator. A small frigde is nice, but I would not pay extra for a fridge while on a 3-day trip to Disneyland.

As for money for an anniversary trip, didn't you post elsewhere that you were hoping to get Anniversary buttons at Disneyland because this is your anniversary trip? If so, that solves that issue, right?

You can spin yourself silly with options. There is every possible type of accommodation available at / near Disneyland. It's just a matter of what you want and what you are willing to spend. And only you and your boyfriend know that.

Hope that helps,
Dreams

 

[goldies 5]

If you booked your trip in a package your resort fee is included. Unless you are purchasing internet usage. These are tough decisions. You seem to already know what you really want to do. If you can wing both I say do it.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Ya know what ~ I've spent 1 night at each of the 3 DLR hotels ~ in fact we're staying at the Grand just 1 night early next month - I'll split the cost with my mom and we'll get a MM. But I'd rather stay at several off site places (#1 would be HoJo) than on site ~ price being #1 and sometimes distance from the parks ~ I actually didn't care all that much for PP when we stayed there. All we do is sleep in our hotel, so long as it's clean and safe I'm fine ~ in fact our $52 per night room at the Anaheim Plaza this past Sept. had a lovely view from the balcony of the TOT. I've stayed at the Crowne Plaza twice this year (paid no more then $60 per night incl. the daily resort fee) "won" it on priceline.com ~ it's not within walking distance but they share a private shuttle with 2 other resorts ~ very convenient.

To me on-site isn't that great at DLR ~ too expensive, the only benefit for us is the MM, we're AP holders so no MM, we try to get a decent rate and have our last or 1st night (for a multi day trip) at a on-site hotel and take advantage of the MM on our check-out day.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

I'm pretty sure you won't get a micro & fridge at PP either ~ maybe, but it's not that big of a deal, more so if you're traveling with children but still not a deal breaker for me.

 

[LifeIsTinkIsLife]

I think you should just decide if you want to stay on property or not and go with it.

If you search and search, you will find all sorts of great hotel deals. Some include X, but not Y. Some include X, Y AND Z, but not A. Some cost more, others less. Decide what's important to you ($, view, location, or.....???) and go from there.

On a personal note, I don't know if you travel often. As a somewhat seasoned traveler, I could care less if I have a microwave in my room and would NEVER pay extra for it unless I was planning on spending my entire vacation in my room and never leaving. Same with a refrigerator. A small frigde is nice, but I would not pay extra for a fridge while on a 3-day trip to Disneyland.

As for money for an anniversary trip, didn't you post elsewhere that you were hoping to get Anniversary buttons at Disneyland because this is your anniversary trip? If so, that solves that issue, right?

You can spin yourself silly with options. There is every possible type of accommodation available at / near Disneyland. It's just a matter of what you want and what you are willing to spend. And only you and your boyfriend know that.

Hope that helps,
Dreams

Haha, thanks! Yeah that's true I could find all sorts of different things if I keep looking, so I should stop! Yeah, I think that is a very dumb thing to have to pay for, but we always use it because we go to Raplh's and get things that need it, haha. As for a fridge we could just use our cooler. And yes, I have only started to travel to DLR. DBF's first trip was in 2006 when my family took him, and we didn't go for another two years after that. This year we had a weekend trip (one day) in Feb, a 5 day in May, and about three weekend trips since then. So we've only once done a long vacation to DLR, which requires a lot more planning. So you're right, I am sort of a newbie. Yeah, I found out that our actual anniversary lands on a Saturday this year, so I thought it would be fun to go again, so I guess this doesn't count as our anniversary trip anymore, haha. I guess it's just nice actually having a "reason" to go to DLR, and we keep telling family it's for our anniversary. They just don't get it.

If you booked your trip in a package your resort fee is included. Unless you are purchasing internet usage. These are tough decisions. You seem to already know what you really want to do. If you can wing both I say do it.

Oh! That's good to know!! I don't need internet either, so that's good. It is a little bit tough, but I think once I tell DBF the options he will want to stay at PP because he saw how happy I was when he told me that staying there would be an option. So I don't know, we'll see!

 

[LifeIsTinkIsLife]

Ya know what ~ I've spent 1 night at each of the 3 DLR hotels ~ in fact we're staying at the Grand just 1 night early next month - I'll split the cost with my mom and we'll get a MM. But I'd rather stay at several off site places (#1 would be HoJo) than on site ~ price being #1 and sometimes distance from the parks ~ I actually didn't care all that much for PP when we stayed there. All we do is sleep in our hotel, so long as it's clean and safe I'm fine ~ in fact our $52 per night room at the Anaheim Plaza this past Sept. had a lovely view from the balcony of the TOT. I've stayed at the Crowne Plaza twice this year (paid no more then $60 per night incl. the daily resort fee) "won" it on priceline.com ~ it's not within walking distance but they share a private shuttle with 2 other resorts ~ very convenient.

To me on-site isn't that great at DLR ~ too expensive, the only benefit for us is the MM, we're AP holders so no MM, we try to get a decent rate and have our last or 1st night (for a multi day trip) at a on-site hotel and take advantage of the MM on our check-out day.

Yeah, I don't know I have heard good reviews and I have always wanted to stay on site and I probably would not do it every time, but just wanted to see what it is like. Yeah, fridge isn't a deal breaker for me either, but it is useful. We will bring a cooler anyway so it's no big deal! I don't see the Plaza listed on the DLR website, which is how I am going to book because there will be two nights free on most of the hotels!

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Most times it's better to book your hotel through the hotel directly ~ is the ent rate available for any of your days at HoJo? Look here ~ http://www.hojoanaheim.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=14

Here's the site for the Anaheim Plaza ~ http://www.anaheimplazahotel.com/
I don't know your dates but lots of nights availabe at $59 in Jan. at the Plaza.

It's been a long time since I've booked a package for Disneyland ~ it's cheaper (most of the time) and easier (I think) to do it on your own.

You might get 2 nights free but the nights you're paying for might be $100 + per night.

 

[LifeIsTinkIsLife]

Most times it's better to book your hotel through the hotel directly ~ is the ent rate available for any of your days at HoJo? Look here ~ http://www.hojoanaheim.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=14

Here's the site for the Anaheim Plaza ~ http://www.anaheimplazahotel.com/
I don't know your dates but lots of nights availabe at $59 in Jan. at the Plaza.

It's been a long time since I've booked a package for Disneyland ~ it's cheaper (most of the time) and easier (I think) to do it on your own.

You might get 2 nights free but the nights you're paying for might be $100 + per night.

Yeah, I did look at that way before I even found the package deal, going from hotel to hotel looking for deals and prices. The package was the cheapest I found, I think. I found that the Fairfield inn package is only $701, and I have seen pictures of that hotel and really like it. I took one night off of the package and it would be $577, and DBF could buy one night at the PP with a theme park view and the total would only be about $823 (I think), so I was thinking that might be a good idea. Then I will get the best of both worlds, cheaper and the stay I really want, with the theme park view. I am still deciding, and will have to talk to DBF about it.


Ok, I just read somewhere that there is a theme park view at the Fairfield inn. How good is the view? If I could get a good view then PPH is totally out of the picture! I am really starting to like the FFI.

 

[Disney Dreams]

...I guess it's just nice actually having a "reason" to go to DLR,...

Ah, see that's the key right there! Who needs a reason to go to Disneyland!?!?!? If you MUST have a reason:
- Because it's a day with "y" in it.
- Because we are celebrating a blue sky.
- Because it's there.

If you need more, I'm sure we could provide you with a dozen or so!

I don't need internet either, so that's good....

Now this is EXACTLY what I meant by "figure out what's important to you." I have never paid to have a fridge or microwave in my room on any trip anywhere, but I would pay (and have) to have internet in my room if it were not offered! The thought of no internet access for several days is a deal-breaker for us.

It's all about what matters to you and your DBF, which only you 2 know.

- Dreams

 

[nunzia]

I say just stay at the Grand and be done with it

 

[LifeIsTinkIsLife]

Ah, see that's the key right there! Who needs a reason to go to Disneyland!?!?!? If you MUST have a reason:
- Because it's a day with "y" in it.
- Because we are celebrating a blue sky.
- Because it's there.

If you need more, I'm sure we could provide you with a dozen or so!


Now this is EXACTLY what I meant by "figure out what's important to you." I have never paid to have a fridge or microwave in my room on any trip anywhere, but I would pay (and have) to have internet in my room if it were not offered! The thought of no internet access for several days is a deal-breaker for us.

It's all about what matters to you and your DBF, which only you 2 know.

- Dreams

Hahaha, well DBF and I don't need a reason, everyone else does. We get made fun of and criticized by his family and neighbors. My family knows me enough to know that I'm a kid at heart and DLR is just simply my happy place, and there are no questions. His family has never been so they think we're just crazy for wanting to go to DLR instead of the beach or Hearst Castle or the zoo or some place that they like. Um.. Because we're not interested?! I'm sick of them saying "Again?!?!" Every time we mention that we're going. YES, we're going. If you have a problem with that, keep it to yourself. Hahaha.

Yeah, I will have to make a list or something to help me decide. But right now it seems that the view is my top priority, which shouldn't be haha.

 

[LifeIsTinkIsLife]

I say just stay at the Grand and be done with it

Hahah! We're not that spoiled! A room right over the monorail would be amazing. But I guess we should save that for our honeymoon, because when we finally get married we're going straight to DLR!

 

[DisneyMomma81]

Actually the Grand is my least fave of the 3!! We're only staying there next month cause it's actually the cheapest available! I rate them DLH, PP, GCA ~ anyone can visit the Grand Hall (lobby of the Grand) and it's quite lovely ~ but our room was dark and small.

 

[LifeIsTinkIsLife]

Actually the Grand is my least fave of the 3!! We're only staying there next month cause it's actually the cheapest available! I rate them DLH, PP, GCA ~ anyone can visit the Grand Hall (lobby of the Grand) and it's quite lovely ~ but our room was dark and small.

Yeah? I don't like the "Pocahontas" look of the room, but a view is something I treasure, haha.

Edit on the whole FFI thing.. I think there was an error before... The FFI now costs just a little bit less than PPH. That's frustrating! I hit back a bunch of times and found the $702 price I had before and now for the same days it's $880.

OK, I feel stupid. I found out the reason is because I only put 1 adult instead of 2, but the price includes tickets so I was missing a 6 day park hopper.

 

[prettyprincessbelle]

I like going just because it's there!

After going to DL regularly for 3+ years, what we look for in hotels are: Free or really cheap parking. What I always want is a fridge, but if we can't get one for whatever reason, it's no biggie, we bring a cooler. We try to and usually succeed in getting a hotel $70/night or cheaper. It has to be clean and get decent reviews. Walking distance, internet and breakfast don't matter to us, but if the hotel has them, awesome.

Hope you find something!!

 

[Leofoenget]

So we're looking at either $715 plus cost of food, gas, microwave and fridge. or $1096 plus food, gas, and resort fee(?), but a $20 gift card and character dining is included.

There is a $381 difference PLUS food etc. You need to decide if the difference is worth it. That's a pretty big difference IMO

 

[goldies 5]

Most people on this board would probably agree that DL is their happy place too! I am a 39 year old woman and get excited over DL more than most kids would. Don't let anyone kill your joy! My parents still say crud about it. We only go once a year now and I just tune everybody out when they wrongfully chime in about what we should do. Hearst Castle is just not stimulating enough for me.

 

[3TinksAndAnEeyore]

Actually the Grand is my least fave of the 3!! We're only staying there next month cause it's actually the cheapest available! I rate them DLH, PP, GCA ~ anyone can visit the Grand Hall (lobby of the Grand) and it's quite lovely ~ but our room was dark and small.

I agree! I haven't actually stayed at PP yet, but between the room we had at DLH and the room we had at GCA, I pick DLH hands down.

I think our family looks at us a little askance as well when we plan a DLR trip. First of all, we have three sets of parents who live within driving distance of DLR, but we still plan on staying at hotels at DLR instead of with any of the grands (that's a tick against us right there!). Second, though DH and I both went to DL growing up, it was always a one-day thing every year or so, not a "vacation". But, DH and I like going to DLR as one type of vacation and we want to do it for us and our DDS, so we do!

One of these days, we'll end up staying off-site. I'd really like to try Hojo's or Fairfield. I'd even like to stay at BWPPI for a brief trip just to be so close to the entrance! But, what I like best about staying on-site is the walk through DTD to get to or back from the parks. Might sound silly, and I use all the other perks (MM, proximity, decor) to justify the added cost, but really...I like the ambience of DTD and being able to amble up and down it a few times each day on the way from the room and back!

 

[DizMe]

I say buy one ap, book the ap rate for concierge at PPH and then you have food, onsite hotel, and one person covered for tix. Since you plan to go again in April, might as well buy 2 aps and save down the road. Cost of PPH concierge in Jan with ap rate is $195 plus tax and resort fee, but you can pretty much eliminate buying food that way. Fridge is free and you get all the snacks and beverages you want for the parks.

ETA: I am one of those people who will happily pay a difference for the pleasure of not leaving the resort. I just spent 1 night at FFI and finished up with 2 nights at GCH. There is simply no comparison, and it is TOTALLY worth it to me to pay extra for not having to go outside the resort. I appreciated the fact that FFI was a freebie but honestly, I hate that whole journey out of DLR and onto Harbor. I do spend more time in the hotel than many people, though, and I like going back and forth between hotel and parks throughout the day. Going outside the resort messes with my magic