Resort Advice / Information Needed

[RLAlden]

We'll be making our first family trip to CA this summer. The kids are excited about seeing DL as well as many of the other sites there are to see. When visiting DL, does anyone have a suggestion as to where to stay? We visit Disney World each year and always stay on the grounds. I assume that to get the total Disney experience, we'd want to do the same out there. The problem is that we will be traveling with 5-6 (2 adults, 3 or 4 kids). Do any of the DL hotels have rooms that accomodate 5-6 people? Also, are any of them more kid friendly? Thanks for any information you can provide.

If you have any other must-sees while we're out there, please include those as well. We're planning on about 10 days and were thinking of various things from San Diego to San Fran.

Thanks again...

 

[justmestace]

All three resorts are kid friendly...it's Disney ! The most that any of them sleep comfortably is 5.....but I thiink you can squeeze a roll-away into most rooms. The Disneyland Hotel rooms have (generally) 2 Queens, and the small couch makes in to a bed (not a fold-out). Their rooms also have a little mini kitchen (cabinets, sink, small fridge).
It is a very busy place for kids, lots to do but also quite noisy, and in my opinion, getting a little run down.
Have not stayed at Paradise Pier, but it is similar to DL hotel, but not as many things to do, and also the furthest away.
The Grand Californian is gorgeous, but also the most expensive. To be within steps of both parks was well worth the money. We have had the rooms that have one queen bed, a sturdy set of bunk beds (that would even sleep a not-too-tall adult) and a trundle under the bunk beds. They also offer the option of bringing you sleeping bags. I don't remember if the couch makes into a bed. There is a small fridge also. It has its own entrance to California Adventure, and you can walk right into DownTown Disney from one exit of the hotel and go just a short way and you are at the Main Gates of Disneyland. GC definitely gets my vote.
We loved the Halloween changes at Haunted Mansion, and the Christmas decorations and celebrations are so good that we plan on making Christmas an annual trip. DW and DL are quite different. ALthough DW has a lot of property, not as much of it was used for the Kingdom. You'll be amazed at how big Small World is, and the Haunted Mansion & Pirates. You'll love the Matterhorn & Indiana Jones.
If you go to San Diego, you have to go to Coronado and see the Hotel Del Coronado...beautiful. One of our most favorite things to do also is tour the Queen Mary in Long Beach, it's very, very interesting....the kids even liked it, especially the "haunted" tour.
I'm not a zoo person, so the San Diego Zoo didn't thrill me. Didn't think Sea World was all that much either. Skip Knotts Berry Farm.
Just walking around the wharf in San Fran is a blast, and you could use two days there. Tour the old ships, tour the submarine, and definitely go out to Alcatraz. Do not miss it!! Plan to walk around and explore on your own, too...besides the tour.
This is very long.....if you have any more questions, feel free to ask!

 

[din]

The only comment that I would offer as far as DL and WDW is the atmosphere. WDW is, IMHO, offer more of the resort atmoshpere eg EPCOT resort, that is not to say that DL is not great , it is, just smaller scale if you are used to WDW.

As for the 10 days... as mentioned San Diego is great and I am not sure what you are looking for in SF other than the ones mentioned. Just north you can visit Muir Woods National Park, or Point Reyes National Park, south on SF is Monteray Bay or Big Sur and South East of SF is Yosemite. Not for forget Lake Tahoe, Please let me know and I may be able to provide you some information.

Alaso not sure if you are planning to drive between or in LA, SF or SD, just plan for traffic, and I mean traffic. In SF you can run into a traffic jam at 10 PM!!

 

[westjones]

Do all the rooms at the Disney Land Resorts (the California, Disneyland, and Paradise Pier) have a small fridge? Do they also have microwaves? That would be super!

DJ

 

[Disney-Kim]

We stayed at the DL hotel last November and our room had a small refridge but I don't think there was a microwave....but I just cant remember. But...the room was definately not run down. remodeled and very new. We were in the Sierra Tower in a Downtown Disney view. It was wonderful !!

We are trying the Grand Californian this November.

 

[disneychrista]

Honestly there is no reason to stay on property at Disneyland. I could not imagine NOT staying on site at WDW but the feel of the resorts are much different because they are all pretty much "right there" unlike WDW where you must drive to and from the parks or other resorts.

There are many off site hotels, with suites, that could be had much cheaper then the onsite hotels. And if you stay on one right on harbor "accross the street" they hotel will much as close or closer then that of either paradise peir or the dinseyland hotel to the main gate of Disneyland.

Try the Desert Inn and Suites . I have never stayed there but have heard many good things about it and they have a variety of room sizes.

 

[justmestace]

No microwaves, sorry.
We took a trip to DL in January without the kids, my husband and I and another couple. Our friends didn't want to stay on property, so we stayed at the Desert Inn and Suites. The rooms were in dire need of repairs, cleaning, painting, etc. They aren't what you would really call suites....just standard hotel rooms with adjoining doors. The pictures make it look great, trust me, it was not. Most rooms had really large groups of people in them, and if you didn't get to the continental breakfast the second it was set out, it was all gone & no replenishing.
There were a few people there that I would be afraid to meet on a dark street. I didn't feel safe at all.
My husband was walking from the office to our room when someone spit on him from an upper level. My friend and I had cigarette ashes dropped on us from above.
You couldn't pay me to stay off property again! I'd sooner not go, or mortgage the house in order to stay on property with an entirely different class of people.
Please, no flames if you stay off property....not everyone will be like those we encountered.

 

[Elly]

On site vs. Off site will depend entirely on how much money you would feel comfortable spending. The Disney Hotels are great of course, but they are very expensive, especially for a large party. There are many very nice hotels (I would not recommend the Desert Inn) surrounding the park which are almost as close or as close to the gates as the Disney hotels. If you will spend the majority of your time in the parks, I would recommend an off site hotel. If you like to really hang out in your hotel you might find the extra expense worth it. If money is no object, certainly go for the Disney experience.

As far as your overall trip, I would not recommend trying to do San Francisco, Disneyland, and San Diego in 10 days. I have actually done that trip and there was only time for one day in Disneyland. Today, with all there is to do in DL, that is not nearly enough time. The distances are great and you will see more of California's freeways than anything else! I would recommend adding either San Francisco OR San Diego to your Anaheim trip. Personally, I prefer San Diego. Some great additions to your trip might be Universal Studios (L.A.) for one day, the San Diego Zoo or the San Diego Wild Animal Park (1 day each), Balboa park (tons of museums there), Old Town San Diego (1/2 day), Coronado Beach and the Hotel Del Coronado (1/2 day), and Seaworld (1 day). At Disneyland, I would allow a minimum of 3 days, more if possible.

 

[missypie]

You will love the Disneyland Hotel. Make sure you tell them you need a room with a day bed - it's a regular twin sized bed, so the room sleeps 5. Not all rooms have day beds, so get in your request. There are three towers, and one side of each tower overlooks the cool Peter Pan themed pool - so you have a 50% chance of getting a pool view. The pool has a slide and a hot tub that is very large as far as hot tubs are concerened. Goofy's Kitchen (for great character meals) is in the Marina Tower, as is a nice gift shop. The rooms are decorated quite nicely (and I'm picky about room decor). The rooms have a small fridge (but I woudn't call it a kitchen area.) Two sinks in the rest room and the toilet is in a separate room. (You will have fun gazing at the wall paper.) There is also a "quiet pool" and a water fall area and the Fantasy Waters show, which is still cool after all three years.
At the DLH you willl feel like you are 24/7 in Disney.

The Grand Californian is lovely but looks like a very nice resort hotel, while the DLH looks like DISNEY.

Also, if you have stayed at the Deluxes at WDW, I think you will be pleasantly surpised at the rates you can get at the DLH.

Finally, there is every reason in the world to stay on site. You can park your car and be in Disney the whole time you're there. When you walk from your hotel to the parks you are walking through Downtown Disney, which is nicely landscaped and plays happy music. If you stay offsite, once you exit the gates, you're in the slightly seedy world of a city...the pixie dust goes away.

Have a great time. (Also, if you want to see the San Diego sights, I'd split my hotel stays with one down there. It may not look far on the map, but traffic can be a bear.)

 

[Wineaux]

I would stay at Grand Californian again in a heartbeat! It was plenty Disney for me...I tend to OD on the Mouse after a while.

The beds were the most comfortable of any hotel I've ever been in. A good night's rest is just as important as a good pair of shoes if you're going to survive days and days of theme park adventures.

If you take advantage of the concierge, they have a nighttime story hour for the kids with warm cookies and milk. It was so cute to see them in their jammies.

If Donald is still working the concierge room, be sure to bring him a Donald Duck pin. He collects them. And he'll bring you wine whenever you want!

 

[trishy]

If you're considering off-site, you may want to consider Embassy Suites for that # of people. It has a bedroom (2 queens) and a large pull out sofa in a separate room. It has a small kitchenette with microwave, fridge, sink. Complimentary breakfast is included every morning and at night they have free cocktails from 5-7 (not that you'd be there - you're tourists). I wanted to add about Sea World that if you have kids interested in dolphins, they have a Dolphin Interaction Program and other programs designed for kids (all ages) that would make the experience even more memorable. My 3 did the DIP with the dolphins and had a blast. Also, you can "Dine With Shamu" - ressies needed in advance (it's a buffet next to the Shamu pool) - really cool stuff there. I absolutely love Sea World. If you go to the Monterey area, they have a Bubba Gumps Restaurant (from the Forrest Gump movie) - just love that place. I've stayed at Paradise Pier, DisneyHotel, and Grand Californian - Paradise is the cheapest because there's really nothing to do there, DisneyHotel has a nice atmosphere and beautifully themed pool area, Grand Californian(most expensive of the 3) is very nice, pool area is pretty and you're in the center of everything, but it really depends on how much time you think you'd be using the hotel - there's no need to spend a great deal for using just the shower and bed. They are all extremely kid friendly. While you're here you may want to visit one of the many beaches. If you're in San Diego, Mission Bay is really nice. Up the coast a bit is La Jolla, San Clemente, Dana Point - all very nice, clean beaches. Personally, I'd skip Venice, Santa Monica and even Malibu. Depending on how far north you want to travel, the Sonoma wine country, the redwoods, the sequoia trees are gorgeous, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe - beautiful, beautiful, beautiful scenery up there. Way too much to mention in just one post. You'll need to plan an additional trip - one for southern Cal - one for northern Cal. All this talk makes me want to go on a long drive....

 

[disgirl]

Hi. I appreciate your post RLAlden, as we too are planning a trip to southern CA in August. However, there will only be 2 adults and one child. I was not sure which hotel to pick although, I think I am now leaning toward DL. We were also thinking of trying to see San Fransisco on this trip. Since we are from NY, we will be flying to CA so we thought we might actually fly from LA to San Fransisco to save time, but it will be costly with all the airfare. My husband is a little hesitant to drive to SF from LA, although I do hear it is a nice road trip. So, it looks like this trip, we may just stay in the LA area, go to Universal, visit friends, and then spend a few days in Anaheim. I gather you were planning on driving to see SF and San Diego. I give you a lot of credit, but I think you might be better off concentrating on one area, SF or SD., as others posted so that you can really enjoy your time there. Good Luck with all your planning!!