Santa Fe or Dream Castle

[jillrobinson]

I've looked at so many hotel options my head is
and I've whittled my choices down to 2
I can get Santa Fe Breakfast & room only for £48.00/night = £199.00
I can get Dream Castle Breakfast & room only for £60.00/night = £240.00

pros for Santa Fe

1. It's Disney !
2. EMH probably on 2 of our days, but we haven't actually managed to get to EMH on either of our last 2 trips.
3. It's Disney

pros for Dream Castle

1. Fantastic reviews (even on Trip Adviser)
2. Nicer breakfast (and we like a good breakfast)
3. Nicer room
4. Better facilities
5. English TV channels (expecting parks to close at 6.00pm)

1 big con though It's NOT Disney !

This is just for me and Liam (12), my sister and family were thinking of staying at SF for the Cars theme for my nephew, but now thinking maybe one of the other Disney hotels and they'll book a package, but Liam and I want to get AP's and we don't mind staying at different hotels.

Which would you choose ?

BTW can get My Travel Explorers for £232, but that's just complicating things

 

[Ware Bears]

Ooh, a toughie but I've voted for Santa Fe because it's cheaper. I know Dream Castle do a nicer breakfast but I'm thinking I'd rather put the £40 saved towards a nice souvenir or a meal or some cocktails!

Also, even though the Dream Castle is a nicer hotel, because the Santa Fe is closer you may not mind walking back there in January but you might mind that extra mileage to the Dream Castle.

Happy planning!

 

[juttawdw]

if you buy dream passes you also have emh, we just got back from dream castle, and loved it.
The bus was very regular and quick.

 

[DLPdaft]

Oh Jill thats a real tough decision - on the one hand you'd get your hot breakfast included at the Dream Castle and its got a pool (but would you use that in January?) but the Santa Fe is walkable, its cheaper, and you could if you wanted, use EMH.

You know, I'm veering towards the Dream Castle on your behalf - I think if you'd want hot breakfast every day that would be worth the extra £10 a day, yes?

If it were me, I'd be going to the Santa Fe, no question, because its cheaper, but mainly because we really don't mind about hot breakfast (in fact I usually skip breakfast altogether at the Santa Fe and have breakfast in the park or go to Salon Mickey at 9am).

 

[Happy Tappy]

To be honest, I'm not a fan of the Santa Fe. If it was a choice between the Cheyenne and the Dreamcastle it would be tough because the theming of the Cheyenne makes it a better hotel then it should be.

The Dreamcastle is superior in every way to the Santa Fe. Better theming, nicer rooms, swimming pool, fantastic breakfast... I could go on!

Dreamcastle all the way for me.

 

[TheMoonman]

I stayed in the Santa Fe two years ago and found it to be awful. The block of rooms we were in were filthy, the room was in need of serious decoration, the radiator came away from the wall when I tried to turn it on and the breakfast was atrocious.

At the time, I felt that Walt must be turning in his grave seeing what poor standards had crept in. That might have been a little over the top, but quite frankly I'd pay extra to stay somewhere else. I was really impressed with the Cheyanne when I went in February.

 

[lojo]

For me it's no contest, even though I haven't stayed at the SF.

Of all the hotels we've stayed in, the DC was easily the best (at the time - faik it could have gone downhill).

The only thing stopping us from going back there was having to use the buses.

A twelve year old boy should love the theme of the DC, and the breakfasts were better than the NYs.

If you have DPs, then EMH won't be an issue, although in January you might be inclined to hang around the hotel slightly longer than normal anyway.

 

[Shakka]

I stayed at the Dream Castle earlier this year four four nights with my family (2 young boys) and I have to say it exceeded our expectations! The room was absolutely fantastic (spotless, quiet in rooms, luxury toiletries, great beds), the breakfast was good (10 times better than the Explorer) and the location was not a problem - as others have said there are regular shuttle buses that get you to the parks in 10 mins.

The only negative I have is that the pool is rather small........Explorer Hotel wins hands down on that one. We stayed at the Exporer before the Dream Castle and my boys were disappointed with the pool on arrival at the Dream Castle. The Dream Castle rooms are so much better than the Explorer that the pool seems insignificant though. (They share the same shuttle bus too)

I haven't stayed at the Santa Fe but 4 stars at the Dream Castle compared to 2 Stars at the Santa Fe...........I know what I would do.....

.....I just booked the Dream Castle for 3 nights for end Nov / Dec for £194!!

 

[franc]

I've stayed at the Cheyenne and Dream Castle. Both nice, but the Dream Castle had much nicer rooms and breakfast. We did walk through the Santa Fe on our way to the garage and decided that we didn't like the look of it at all, (but that's just our personal taste). Unless EMH is really important to you, I would say Dream Castle.

Next year we're planning on staying offsite and getting Dream passes, so we'll have a wider choice of hotels and EMH.

 

[jillrobinson]

Thankyou everyone and I'm still undecided, if my sister opts for SF (cars mad nephew) we'll go there and take advantage of the new offer. If my brother in law gets his way ( I know how likely is that ? ) then they will stay at SL and Liam and I will opt for the Dream Castle. Should have a decision by the weekend.