POLL: Families with toddlers: suites or no suite?

[smiles33]

I'm definitely planning for us to stay off-site within walking distance of DL, since it's a short walk and several hundred dollars in savings. We also only plan to take a leisurely 1 day visit to DL (focused on princesses and maybe some FL rides, with me SR'ing/FP'ing while our DDs nap). The rest of our trip will be spent relaxing.

My dilemma is this:

I had thought we'd spend one day lounging at the HoJo's kids' water play area and then meeting friends for dinner. I called last month to book a room for a visit in October but all their suites are taken. I currently have a reservation for a Premium view room with 2 queens. It won't be an issue the first night (after a long drive) or the second (after a long day at DL), but DD2 usually goes to bed a full hour before DD1 and up to 2 hours before DH and I are ready for bed. Without a suite, I imagine we're all set to go to bed the same time as DD2 (who will turn 2 by our trip) or risk having a cranky toddler. I have emailed HoJo three times now since booking to ask re: cancellations but they don't maintain a wait list so I may just have to continue to email/call weekly. However, even if a Kids' Suite opens up, I'm worried about freeway noise as DH is a light sleeper and doesn't even like the white noise of the AC.

Should I change our reservation to another place that offers suites? DISBoard members seem to also recommend the Desert Inn Suites and Carousel Inn, both of which are closer to the gates and have suites. DIS is available for only $30 more (for the entire trip!).

Or the third option: stay at HoJo Thurs and Fri night and just check out Saturday at 12 (after the girls have played in the Castaway Cove) and move to the suites for Sat night?

What would you do?

 

[the donut]

I'm a firm believer that the kids need to be in a separate room. Otherwise both the kids and the husband end up cranky, and no one is having any fun.

We used to stay at the HOJO before our DVC membership. They didn't have kid suites at the time, so we would just get 2 connecting rooms. Our favorite configuration was in building 2 with a king connected to a 2q room facing the garden pool. Technically, we had to book 1 adult in each room, but we simply put the kids in one room and left the door open a crack with a baby monitor going. If you face the pool, the highway noise is fairly minimal, though the kids sleep with a white noise machine going anyway.

 

[shanni]

We are booked at HoJo in a couple of weeks. I'm really excited to stay there, but I wouldn't have done it if I didn't get a kids suite. If we are only going to be someplace for a day or two, I don't mind sharing a room with the kids, but much longer than that, I feel like we need a little more space. Especially at a place like DL. The kids are going to get SOOOO overstimulated as it is, they need good sleep. (And so do mom and dad!) If it were me, I would book somewhere that I could get a suite. If you really want Hojo, you could always keep calling and see if something opens up, and if something does, then you could cancel the other hotel. But then you would at least know that you had a suite. Just my .02!

 

[kimara]

We love traveling with our children...but we love it even more when we can have a little more space. Occasional privacy is good too. We (almost) always go for a hotel with suites or get connecting rooms.

That being said...we have enjoyed many trips with just the standard hotel room with 2 queen beds when our family was smaller and younger. Good luck!

 

[jasy]

I would stay where I am. We are leaving Tuesday and staying at the PPH for 3 nights, if it was for longer I would have gone with a suite offsite but for only 3 nights for us it's not worth it, our son goes to bed a few hours before us but he's a sound sleeper so it's not like we can't watch tv or whatever while he's sleeping. But then again we have an only so that makes it a bit easier.

 

[Cagirl767]

Several times a year for 6 years now, we've stayed in a suite. Everybody gets up at different times and we've learned early on that we just can't even take a trip if we don't get enough sleep. For us, the long drive there, the planning, the anticipation and Disneyland itself isn't worth the risk of someone not getting enough sleep or feeling claustraphobic as DS did once in a Marriott room. We just don't chance it.

We sure would like to try Priceline someday though or stay on property!

 

[Luv Bunnies]

Desert Inn has a parlor suite. The parlor has a sofa bed and its own TV while the main room has 2 queens. You could put the two year old down on the sofa bed and close the door to the main room. Or, you could put her down on one of the queens while the rest of you hang out in the parlor. It's a small area and you would still risk waking her up when the rest of you go to bed so I would suggest putting her to sleep in the parlor. I think you'd be much happier with that arrangement vs. a regular room. We've stayed at Desert Inn several times. It looks pretty basic from the outside, but I'm always surprised at how nice the rooms are. The parking can be a little tight, but everything is within walking distance so you can park once and not worry about moving your car. The pool is indoors and rather small. But my boys still enjoyed it and we didn't have to worry about sunburn!

 

[smiles33]

Desert Inn has a parlor suite. The parlor has a sofa bed and its own TV while the main room has 2 queens. You could put the two year old down on the sofa bed and close the door to the main room. Or, you could put her down on one of the queens while the rest of you hang out in the parlor. It's a small area and you would still risk waking her up when the rest of you go to bed so I would suggest putting her to sleep in the parlor. I think you'd be much happier with that arrangement vs. a regular room. We've stayed at Desert Inn several times. It looks pretty basic from the outside, but I'm always surprised at how nice the rooms are. The parking can be a little tight, but everything is within walking distance so you can park once and not worry about moving your car. The pool is indoors and rather small. But my boys still enjoyed it and we didn't have to worry about sunburn!

I went ahead and booked Desert Inn's Parlor Suite as I can always cancel later. Thanks everyone!

 

[mama2dutchies]

I really like suite's with littles.. most often they crash!!!! and I am not ready too, and besides it's nice to have some adult time with my hubby.

 

[tanyaewa]

My kiddos are bigger now but we have stayed in many many hotels with 2xQ.
By day 3 of vacation they will be exhausted. What I did was put them to bed together and then put the room into *quiet Mode*. Lights down, TV off and maybe dh out to get some snacks or a bottle of wine. 15 min of silence and they were out for the night.
Then we sat on the balcony or watched TV and enjoyed some nice quiet time.

 

[DahliaRW]

I would just do a second day and DL and the room won't be an issue at all. I can't imagine a child being content to sit around relaxing at a hotel when they know DL is right across the street.

 

[Mama Who]

We just stayed at the Carousel and were happy with the service. The regular rooms are TINY but I saw one of their view suites and it was gorgeous!