Shuttle vs walking- Anaheim Marriot

[pixiepower1971]

I am planning a last minute trip to DL. My husband has to be out there for work and my daughters and I are tagging along so we can visit DL for the first time. We are staying at the Anaheim Marriot. I was wondering if anyone knows how long the walk is to the parks (me and 2 teenagers, all in good physical shape). I was also wondering how reliable the ART busses are and how long they take to get to Disneyland. I looked at the schedule but I was hoping someone might have recent experience. It seems like it might take longer to ride the bus vs. walking.TIA

 

[NiceOneSimba]

I did that walk a couple of times in April when I had a convention at the Marriott. (It's a nice hotel, BTW). Unfortunately, I didn't time it. I'd estimate it's at least 20 minutes, and maybe longer if you have to wait for the light at Katella.

Others will probably disagree, but I consider it within walking distance for adults/teens who are reasonably fit. It's a long walk, but not ridiculously long.

 

[HydroGuy]

I did that walk a couple of times in April when I had a convention at the Marriott. (It's a nice hotel, BTW). Unfortunately, I didn't time it. I'd estimate it's at least 20 minutes, and maybe longer if you have to wait for the light at Katella.

Others will probably disagree, but I consider it within walking distance for adults/teens who are reasonably fit. It's a long walk, but not ridiculously long.

I think where the disagreements comes is that many people use their hotel for afternoon breaks. So there are four walks per day from and to the hotel. When a hotel is 20 minutes away people tend to not take afternoon breaks. That can change the dynamics of a trip. If they do take breaks, that is of course 80 minutes out of the day or 4+ miles of walking on top of all the other walking at the parks.

At the risk of appearing to be totally obsessive, the real time you have to watch out for his how long it takes from the hotel room door to the parks. Sometimes in bigger hotels there is another hidden 5-10 minutes to get from your room, down the hall, wait for an elevator, take it down, then out the lobby - just so you can start the walk. It all adds up over a 3-5 day trip.

Some people are OK with all of that. But if it makes one not take afternoon breaks - especially in the summer - then I think that is real drawback.

Just my two cents. Lots of people do it. If anyone is interested in more info on this then this link talks about it.

 

[marciemouse]

We've stayed at the Marriott several times within the past year and have always enjoyed it. As for the walk, we've done it. Our daughter (3 years old) definitely needed the stroller for it. We like to walk up to DTD on our first night, just to stretch out from being in the car all day. However, we like ART and use it to go back and forth for mid-day rests. We've found it to be mostly reliable and quick. For the Marriott, you take bus 5. However, hop on bus 4 if it comes sooner. It drops off at the Hilton entrance which is just across the driveway from the Marriott.

As for the Marriott, it is a nice hotel. Request a room in the main tower, high floor with a fireworks view. We've always had our requests fulfilled, and watched plenty of fireworks from our room!

The breakfast buffet in the restaurant is incredible. If you can get a package rate that includes it for not too much more money, do it!

 

[crbrowniegirl]

Hi! We have had somewhat of the same dilemna - last time at DL in 2004 with our 4 kids, we stayed at a nice hotel but it was a couple kms away and had to take that blasted shuttle. This time at the end of Sept we want to stay close, within walking distance, of DL to avoid the shuttle. The problem we have run into is finding a hotel for 5 to a room and Grandma will be in her own room that isn't ridiculously priced and is decent and close!!! Im a bit of a hotel snob.........so 2.5 star hotels scare me........tee hee...... We are currently booked into the Fairfield Inn by marriott which is a 2.5 start hotel with outside corridor in a standard 2 queen room with foldout chair for our 5 year old. We rec'd a good rate for the 5 nights but I am having second thoughts about it. The pool doesn't look that great, no shade and the pool at the Howard Johnson looks awesome but it's about $150 more and is currently unavailable anyhow!

Suggestions anyone? Our travel agent uses some hotel supplier/discounter and it seems whenever I email to ask him if a certain hotel is available or offered, its "no". The Best Western Plus Park Place Inn is available but not sure if it would be better as it is also $230 more for the 5 nights.....

Help!

Leah

 

[taaren]

Hi! We have had somewhat of the same dilemna - last time at DL in 2004 with our 4 kids, we stayed at a nice hotel but it was a couple kms away and had to take that blasted shuttle. This time at the end of Sept we want to stay close, within walking distance, of DL to avoid the shuttle. The problem we have run into is finding a hotel for 5 to a room and Grandma will be in her own room that isn't ridiculously priced and is decent and close!!! Im a bit of a hotel snob.........so 2.5 star hotels scare me........tee hee...... We are currently booked into the Fairfield Inn by marriott which is a 2.5 start hotel with outside corridor in a standard 2 queen room with foldout chair for our 5 year old. We rec'd a good rate for the 5 nights but I am having second thoughts about it. The pool doesn't look that great, no shade and the pool at the Howard Johnson looks awesome but it's about $150 more and is currently unavailable anyhow!

Suggestions anyone? Our travel agent uses some hotel supplier/discounter and it seems whenever I email to ask him if a certain hotel is available or offered, its "no". The Best Western Plus Park Place Inn is available but not sure if it would be better as it is also $230 more for the 5 nights.....

Help!

Leah

I'd stick with FFI. Its nice, up to Marriott standards which are pretty high for cleanliness, etc although the pool is quite 'meh'. Having a nice pool is not a requirement for my family though.
BWPPI is a motel; the closeness and ridiculously short walk make it worth perhaps $10-15 more per night IMHO, and I've gotten rates there that were in the same bracket as FFI. So if the rates come down, and you want a short walk (the pool there I don't even remember so it must also be pretty 'meh'), BWPPI would be the way to go but definitely wouldn't spend an extra $230 on it.
Haven't stayed at HoJo's but a lot of people here like it ... if its unavailable and expensive wouldn't think about it.

Desert Suites has rooms for 5+ that aren't too expensive though its very uhm... spartan is a good word for it (my brother stays there). Menage also has a few rooms that sleep 5 comfortably and are fairly reasonable from the reports of friends who have 3 kids.

 

[azmommyto3]

We stay at the Courtyard Marriott which is next door to the Marriott. We usually walk in the mornings ( I think its like 3/4- 1 mile to the entrance), and then at the end of the night when we are all exhausted, we hop the bus to the Toy Story parking lot (which is directly across the light from the Marriott). The bus drops you off inside the parking lot, and instead of walking to a car, we just walked out of the parking lot and across the street. Just a thought

 

[pixiepower1971]

Thanks for the replies and info! I appreciate it. After discussing all this with my husband, I convinced him that it was worth a little more money to stay at the Grand Californian. So excited!!!!! No more worries about walks or busses for us! Ready to start packing now. We leave on Mon morning!!!

 

[jlp879]

I haven't stayed at any of the convention centre hotels before and we're staying at the Anaheim Marriott next week. Is there a way to walk through, behind or around the convention centre to get into California Adventure any quicker?

 

[crbrowniegirl]

I'd stick with FFI. Its nice, up to Marriott standards which are pretty high for cleanliness, etc although the pool is quite 'meh'. Having a nice pool is not a requirement for my family though.
BWPPI is a motel; the closeness and ridiculously short walk make it worth perhaps $10-15 more per night IMHO, and I've gotten rates there that were in the same bracket as FFI. So if the rates come down, and you want a short walk (the pool there I don't even remember so it must also be pretty 'meh'), BWPPI would be the way to go but definitely wouldn't spend an extra $230 on it.
Haven't stayed at HoJo's but a lot of people here like it ... if its unavailable and expensive wouldn't think about it.

Desert Suites has rooms for 5+ that aren't too expensive though its very uhm... spartan is a good word for it (my brother stays there). Menage also has a few rooms that sleep 5 comfortably and are fairly reasonable from the reports of friends who have 3 kids.

thanks for your information, I REALLY appreciate it! It has been a long time since I've been to DL and I really want it to go well!!! We only a standard room at the FFI but hopefully it will be okay (I'm a bit of a hotel snob.....lol)..... thanks again! It is so hard to find the perfect hotel for 5 in a room that includes cont. breakie, and is within walking distance! My TA uses some hotel wholesaler and it is frustrating going through them as every time I ask for a quote on an other hotel, it isn't offered..............errrr.........oh well, the FFI should be just fine! the money we saved booking there can go towards our breakie!

Leah

 

[taaren]

We stay at the Courtyard Marriott which is next door to the Marriott. We usually walk in the mornings ( I think its like 3/4- 1 mile to the entrance), and then at the end of the night when we are all exhausted, we hop the bus to the Toy Story parking lot (which is directly across the light from the Marriott). The bus drops you off inside the parking lot, and instead of walking to a car, we just walked out of the parking lot and across the street. Just a thought

It looks like we may be staying a few nights at the Marriott after our villa stay this fall trip since by the time we added our last couple of nights the villas were completely booked, so thanks for posting this! I've heard about this trick but wasn't sure about the specifics.
Where does the TSM shuttle pick up at Disneyland? Before if we stayed off-site we always parked at the Mickey and Friends lot which picks up near DTD so I'm guessing the TSM is in the front somewhere by where the ART pickups are? Or maybe we'll try to pick it up in the morning as well ...

 

[23bw]

thanks for your information, I REALLY appreciate it! It has been a long time since I've been to DL and I really want it to go well!!! We only a standard room at the FFI but hopefully it will be okay (I'm a bit of a hotel snob.....lol)..... thanks again! It is so hard to find the perfect hotel for 5 in a room that includes cont. breakie, and is within walking distance! My TA uses some hotel wholesaler and it is frustrating going through them as every time I ask for a quote on an other hotel, it isn't offered..............errrr.........oh well, the FFI should be just fine! the money we saved booking there can go towards our breakie!
Leah

The fact that you might be a hotel snob, I recommend you skip the FFI and book a hotel like the Sheraton Anaheim. The rooms are big and some rooms have a pull out sofa. We tried to stay at the FFI once but only lasted 30 minutes there before checking out. The beauty of the Sheraton is they run their own private (and free) shuttles to DL all day long. No need to fuss with ART.

 

[NiceOneSimba]

I haven't stayed at any of the convention centre hotels before and we're staying at the Anaheim Marriott next week. Is there a way to walk through, behind or around the convention centre to get into California Adventure any quicker?

The only way into California Adventure is the main entrance (unless you're staying at a Disney hotel). It will be quicker to get to the entrance by entering on the Harbor Ave side.

The Marriott's main entrance is on side street called Convention Way. You can turn to the right from the main entrance and walk out to Harbor, then hang a left and walk all the way down Harbor to the main entrance. Or you can take the crosswalk directly outside the main entrance, turn to the left (past the Hilton), and go down a path that skirts the outside of the convention center. (It's shady and has some attractive plantings). This will put you out on Katella. You will need to turn to the right and walk down to Harbor, then turn left and walk down the the main entrance.

I hope that makes sense. It's hard to describe if you're not there in person.

I think the first option may be shorter, but I have to admit, I have found cutting by the convention center to be a more pleasant option.

Either way, it is a bit of a hike, but totally doable if you're in reasonably good shape.

 

[azmommyto3]

It looks like we may be staying a few nights at the Marriott after our villa stay this fall trip since by the time we added our last couple of nights the villas were completely booked, so thanks for posting this! I've heard about this trick but wasn't sure about the specifics.
Where does the TSM shuttle pick up at Disneyland? Before if we stayed off-site we always parked at the Mickey and Friends lot which picks up near DTD so I'm guessing the TSM is in the front somewhere by where the ART pickups are? Or maybe we'll try to pick it up in the morning as well ...

Yup, its out front. When you are walking out, you will see all the ART pickups....head all the way to the right and you will see the Toy Story buses, they are blue They will take you right into the TS parking lot and you can just walk out and across the street to your hotel