Really excited that my family (hubby, me, and 11 year old girl) are planning our first trip to
Disneyland next summer!! We have been to WDW many times but not Disneyland.
We're between the Park Vue Inn, Desert Inn and Suites, and the Tropicana Inn and Suites. We're looking at those because they offer suites; we are just not willing to be crammed in a regular hotel room. We always stay in suite hotels or in condos.
We're looking for the following in a hotel:
1)Space.
2)Free breakfast that is at least decent
3)Best value (meaning, best price, but you get a lot for what you pay). We'd like free wi-fi, and it'd be nice if one of them has free parking (but I don't think any of them do)
4)Easy walk to Disneyland
What would be your recommendation?
I've stayed at Park Vue and Desert Inn and Suites, so I can only offer my opinion on those two from your list. We've been to PVI with DH, DD10, and I, and just DH and I for our honeymoon. I stayed at DI&S with my BFF for a mommies-only trip.
Space--I haven't stayed in a DI&S suite yet, only one of their regular "deluxe" 2Q rooms. At PVI, we've stayed in a "mini" suite (2Q in the bedroom, and 1 sofa bed in the other room), as well as a Jacuzzi suite. In my experience, the PVI wins here. Maybe the suite would be better, but at DI&S felt like they were trying to cram so much into such a small space. PVI's "mini" suite had a kitchenette (small fridge, apartment size range/oven, microwave, dishes), a sink in the bathroom, in the kitchen, and in the vanity area (which was the other side of the kitchen, basically), along with a sofa, fireplace (electric), coffee table, a desk, and 2 TVs, and our family of 3 didn't feel crowded at all! In contrast, the 2Q room at DI&S felt crowded with just BFF and I--there were the 2 beds, a table, a small fridge and microwave on a stand thingy, the TV with a dresser, and one sink, and we felt like we were always tripping over each other.
Free Breakfast--PVI wins here by a long shot! PVI: scrambled eggs, sausage or bacon, fried potatoes, sometimes biscuits and gravy, oatmeal, bagels, breads, yogurt, fresh fruit, make your own waffles, cereals, juices, hot cocoa, coffee (with to-go cups!), tea. DI&S: apples, oranges (cut open, so they can't be grab-n-go), Danish pastries (usually 2 flavors), hard-boiled eggs, bread, cereals, juice, coffee, maybe oatmeal, can't remember. PVI leaves us much more filled, allowing us to wait for a late lunch, and starting our day much happier (and healthier!).
Best value--Price by itself is always going to point towards DI&S. It's hard to argue paying $60 or so more per night.... However, to be fair, I'd guess you'd be saving maybe $20-30 each day by not going to grab a pastry and drink from Starbucks thanks to the PVI breakfast! Obviously this category is as clear as mud, since "value" is different to each person. Oh, and you get 15% off at Coldstone Creamery, which is basically in the front part of the PVI lobby. Yummy!
Easy walk to Disneyland--obviously, all 3 of the hotels have this in common. PVI is the closest of all 3. You walk out from your hotel room, past a few rooms (furthest room back is maybe 15 rooms from the front of the hotel), across the entrance to IHOP, and you are at the crosswalk for the Disneyland Pedestrian entrance. This is where I get a little nit-picky with DI&S--you have to leave your room, either wait for the elevator (that takes f.o.r.e.v.e.r!), or go down a flight of stairs, then walk the length of the parking lot, then walk the width of the building, then the width of PVI, across the entrance of IHOP to be at the pedestrian entrance. Is it that bad of a walk? Heck no! But, I'll admit, even when it was just BFF and I and we were staying at DI&S, I may have cursed that little bit of an extra walk!
In the interest of full disclosure, we're going to be staying at DI&S for the next two trips we take, all because of price. Our suite at DI&S in Dec is like $109 night. A semi-comparable room at PVI was $179. And, honestly, $70/night is a big deal for our family! That $70/night price difference is, in essence, paying the hotel for my solo trip in May, when my room at DI&S is $69/night. Yes, it means we will be stopping at Starbucks for breakfast each morning ($10/person, more or less). Yes, I will curse the extra steps each and every evening. Yes, I will curse the flat beds every morning. But, $70 is $70, and without a "huge" reason to spend $70 more a night, we're staying at DI&S.
