Stay at Disney hotel or not?

[silvaohana808]

Hello! We are planning on visiting DLR in October from Oct 12-Oct 19. There will be 4 adults & 4 children (Ages 9, 8, 5, & 2). We are planning on being the park 4 days...so we don't have to rush, take our time, and take in everything we can. Especially with 4 kids, it'll take us a while.

I'm so torn. We loved staying on property last time. I'm debating on splurging (A LOT) to stay on property or...I found a hotel maybe about a 6 minute drive away. The only thing I'm thinking about is if we do take a mid-day break to have the littles take a nap, it'll be easier to just walk back to our hotel instead of exiting the park, hopping on the tram, getting to our car in the parking lot, driving back to the hotel, and then getting our kids settled for a break. It just seems like a lot...and by the time we get back to our hotel, they may be sleeping already. LOL. Did I just answer my own question?!

Well, I would love any advice! Thank you in advance!

 

[VandVsmama]

There's an option C: stay somewhere else within walking distance. A hotel that's off property but within a 10-ish minute walk. That way, you can get back to the hotel for your little ones to nap and you won't have to get everybody in and out of the car. Plus, you avoid the nonsense of a Disney parking lot.

 

[Etonduf]

I don't think I've never heard anyone regret staying on-property. We go every other year, and each time I swear that we'll stay on-site--and I'm willing to pony up. But then the prices are soooo high that I can't bring myself to do it. There are so many great, low-cost options within easy walking distance of the gates (literally 5-10 minutes) and we've always been happy staying at one of those.

I do know that there is value added with the on-site hotels, but you should at least look at the options and factor those in.

 

[VandVsmama]

For example, you could stay right across the street at the crosswalk on Harbor Blvd at Best Western Park Place Inn for $209/night (you'd need 2 rooms of course). It includes free breakfast, which adds up when you're talking about 8 people. BW Stovall's on Katella Ave is $150/night for your dates.

**Edited to add**
BWPPI has a shorter walk to the main gate than the DLH does.
BW Stovall's has free breakfast too but walk is longer.
Park Vue Inn is next door to BWPPI & also has free breakfast (plus free parking!).
Desert Inn usually has bigger suites available for larger families.

What sort of place are you looking for? Full service hotel with room service, interior corridors, etc.? Or would something else suffice?

 

[silvaohana808]

There's an option C: stay somewhere else within walking distance. A hotel that's off property but within a 10-ish minute walk. That way, you can get back to the hotel for your little ones to nap and you won't have to get everybody in and out of the car. Plus, you avoid the nonsense of a Disney parking lot.

For example, you could stay right across the street at the crosswalk on Harbor Blvd at Best Western Park Place Inn for $209/night (you'd need 2 rooms of course). It includes free breakfast, which adds up when you're talking about 8 people. BW Stovall's on Katella Ave is $150/night for your dates.

**Edited to add**
BWPPI has a shorter walk to the main gate than the DLH does.
BW Stovall's has free breakfast too but walk is longer.
Park Vue Inn is next door to BWPPI & also has free breakfast (plus free parking!).
Desert Inn usually has bigger suites available for larger families.

What sort of place are you looking for? Full service hotel with room service, interior corridors, etc.? Or would something else suffice?

Yes! I was looking at nearby hotels as well. It doesn't cost as much as the Disney hotels and yes! I don't have to deal with the parking. I'm just nervous that it may be too far of a walk?? Maybe I'm just being too paranoid. LOL. I will definitely look into those hotels for sure!

I'm really just looking for a hotel that'll be comfortable for everyone, free parking is a plus, and also free breakfast! We're not really picky about hotels but as long as they're clean and customer service is good...then we'll be happy!

I don't think I've never heard anyone regret staying on-property. We go every other year, and each time I swear that we'll stay on-site--and I'm willing to pony up. But then the prices are soooo high that I can't bring myself to do it. There are so many great, low-cost options within easy walking distance of the gates (literally 5-10 minutes) and we've always been happy staying at one of those.

I do know that there is value added with the on-site hotels, but you should at least look at the options and factor those in.

We've stayed on property before and loved it! I was still a cast member at the time so the discount was really nice...no discount this time and also a bigger travelling party! LOL. Which hotels nearby would you recommend? That aren't tooooo far. Thank you!

 

[Indiana Scott]

I would never stay on site again. Just wasn't worth it when we're hardly in the room other than to sleep and bath. To us, it's nothing like WDW where staying in the bubble is so much more convenient and rewarding.
Hotels on Harbor are very nice and no farther away.

 

[silvaohana808]

I would never stay on site again. Just wasn't worth it when we're hardly in the room other than to sleep and bath. To us, it's nothing like WDW where staying in the bubble is so much more convenient and rewarding.
Hotels on Harbor are very nice and no farther away.

That is so true! I will definitely look into the hotels on Harbor. Thanks so much!

 

[silvaohana808]

For example, you could stay right across the street at the crosswalk on Harbor Blvd at Best Western Park Place Inn for $209/night (you'd need 2 rooms of course). It includes free breakfast, which adds up when you're talking about 8 people. BW Stovall's on Katella Ave is $150/night for your dates.

**Edited to add**
BWPPI has a shorter walk to the main gate than the DLH does.
BW Stovall's has free breakfast too but walk is longer.
Park Vue Inn is next door to BWPPI & also has free breakfast (plus free parking!).
Desert Inn usually has bigger suites available for larger families.

What sort of place are you looking for? Full service hotel with room service, interior corridors, etc.? Or would something else suffice?

I have another question...I looked into BWPPI, it looks awesome! Would you know if they have connecting rooms? I don't see anything on the website about that. That's really important to us as well.

 

[VandVsmama]

Yes! I was looking at nearby hotels as well. It doesn't cost as much as the Disney hotels and yes! I don't have to deal with the parking. I'm just nervous that it may be too far of a walk?? Maybe I'm just being too paranoid. LOL. I will definitely look into those hotels for sure!

I'm really just looking for a hotel that'll be comfortable for everyone, free parking is a plus, and also free breakfast! We're not really picky about hotels but as long as they're clean and customer service is good...then we'll be happy!



We've stayed on property before and loved it! I was still a cast member at the time so the discount was really nice...no discount this time and also a bigger travelling party! LOL. Which hotels nearby would you recommend? That aren't tooooo far. Thank you!

Ok. That extra info helps. I've stayed at the DLH twice. It's an awesome hotel. But with a party of 8 and since you'd probably need 2 rooms, that gets pricey pretty darn quickly. The DLH pool is wonderful. 2 round trip walks from DLH to main entrance & back can get tiring, though (although there is the monorail, which is a plus).

Honestly, you could spend far less on the hotel and then use the savings in your budget for "extras." Extras which would allow you to experience some other stuff that you might otherwise pass by given the little ones' ages and stuff like that. For example:

• dining package for Fantasmic
• World of Color dining package
• World of Color dessert party
• a couple of character meals - Plaza Inn & at GCH (because either IN a park or close proximity to a park)

Our family has also stayed off site a few times. My DH gets theme park fatigue. So this means we HAVE to have an afternoon break at the hotel. NO way is that happening if we have to get in the car and drive. Forget it. It just takes too much time. Too much hassle. Here's where we've stayed & what we've thought of the places (ordered from farthest away to closest):

• BW Pavilions on Katella -couple of doors down from BW Stovall's. Cheapest price of all we've stayed at. At the time we stayed there, it was free parking. No free breakfast but there were free b-fast vouchers for 2 adults at Denny's next door. Pool was really clean. Room was very clean, very pleasant, we slept like logs. Parking was fine. The walk was long. Would stay there again only if needed to for budget AND if we were NOT taking a PM break at the room.
• BW Stovall's on Katella - closer to the crosswalk that takes you to PPH, GCH, and DLH. Also very clean, very pleasant rooms, good beds. Parking was ~$11, I think. Like at almost all the other off site hotels, you have to move your car by the check out time (so 11 am in this case). That's something to consider if you're going to the parks on check out day. Free breakfast. Breakfast was good, had waffles each morning (my kids liked this). Meat alternated between sausage patties & bacon every other day. 2 pools. We liked staying here. would stay here again. Still a long walk for an afternoon break.
• Hojo's on Harbor Blvd - great customer service, no free breakfast (but McDonald's and Panera Bread are close by). We stayed in a 2 double-bed room, so it only had a fridge (no microwave). Many other rooms there also have microwave. We could keep our car there until 3 pm on check out day. Free parking. Very clean rooms, comfortable beds. The kids' water play area was a favorite of my children. I'd stay here again, but it's gotten more expensive compared to a few years ago. MUCH better walk compared to the 2 BW's on Katella. An afternoon nap is do-able here.
• Park Vue Inn on Harbor Blvd - next door to BWPPI. Free parking, free breakfast, move your car by 11 am check out time. Great customer service. Pool is in parking lot, but feels very private. Clean room. Didn't notice background noise but we sleep with white noise (use an app on our phones) anyway so that helps drown out any issues like thin hotel walls. This place is THE shortest walk of all the ones we stayed at. When you're in the parking lot, you can see the crosswalk. It's that close. It was wonderful.

 

[Summer2018]

Whether in Disneyland or WDW, we stay on property. We don’t want to leave the magic bubble.

 

[Where's Wall-E]

Hotels such as the BWPPI are geographically closer than the DLH and PPH.

It's lovely to stay on-site, especially to take advantage of EMH at DCA, but it's far more cost effective to stay along Harbor.

 

[VandVsmama]

I have another question...I looked into BWPPI, it looks awesome! Would you know if they have connecting rooms? I don't see anything on the website about that. That's really important to us as well.

I don't know, but you could definitely call them and ask. Are connecting rooms a must have or a nice to have?

 

[Dreams&wishes]

I think that because this is the last year that you will be able to book a single room in a disney resort before your son turns 3, I would go on property. After that your will need to book two rooms and the price will double up. We loved the Disneyland hotel and found it magical and very spacious. Ps. Family of 6 here too

 

[silvaohana808]

Ok. That extra info helps. I've stayed at the DLH twice. It's an awesome hotel. But with a party of 8 and since you'd probably need 2 rooms, that gets pricey pretty darn quickly. The DLH pool is wonderful. 2 round trip walks from DLH to main entrance & back can get tiring, though (although there is the monorail, which is a plus).

Honestly, you could spend far less on the hotel and then use the savings in your budget for "extras." Extras which would allow you to experience some other stuff that you might otherwise pass by given the little ones' ages and stuff like that. For example:

• dining package for Fantasmic
• World of Color dining package
• World of Color dessert party
• a couple of character meals - Plaza Inn & at GCH (because either IN a park or close proximity to a park)

Our family has also stayed off site a few times. My DH gets theme park fatigue. So this means we HAVE to have an afternoon break at the hotel. NO way is that happening if we have to get in the car and drive. Forget it. It just takes too much time. Too much hassle. Here's where we've stayed & what we've thought of the places (ordered from farthest away to closest):

• BW Pavilions on Katella -couple of doors down from BW Stovall's. Cheapest price of all we've stayed at. At the time we stayed there, it was free parking. No free breakfast but there were free b-fast vouchers for 2 adults at Denny's next door. Pool was really clean. Room was very clean, very pleasant, we slept like logs. Parking was fine. The walk was long. Would stay there again only if needed to for budget AND if we were NOT taking a PM break at the room.
• BW Stovall's on Katella - closer to the crosswalk that takes you to PPH, GCH, and DLH. Also very clean, very pleasant rooms, good beds. Parking was ~$11, I think. Like at almost all the other off site hotels, you have to move your car by the check out time (so 11 am in this case). That's something to consider if you're going to the parks on check out day. Free breakfast. Breakfast was good, had waffles each morning (my kids liked this). Meat alternated between sausage patties & bacon every other day. 2 pools. We liked staying here. would stay here again. Still a long walk for an afternoon break.
• Hojo's on Harbor Blvd - great customer service, no free breakfast (but McDonald's and Panera Bread are close by). We stayed in a 2 double-bed room, so it only had a fridge (no microwave). Many other rooms there also have microwave. We could keep our car there until 3 pm on check out day. Free parking. Very clean rooms, comfortable beds. The kids' water play area was a favorite of my children. I'd stay here again, but it's gotten more expensive compared to a few years ago. MUCH better walk compared to the 2 BW's on Katella. An afternoon nap is do-able here.
• Park Vue Inn on Harbor Blvd - next door to BWPPI. Free parking, free breakfast, move your car by 11 am check out time. Great customer service. Pool is in parking lot, but feels very private. Clean room. Didn't notice background noise but we sleep with white noise (use an app on our phones) anyway so that helps drown out any issues like thin hotel walls. This place is THE shortest walk of all the ones we stayed at. When you're in the parking lot, you can see the crosswalk. It's that close. It was wonderful.

wow this is all amazing information. thank you sooo much. I will look at all of these!

As far as the connecting rooms...I would say a must. I don't want us to be split up. LOL. Is that too much to ask?!

 

[SeattleTink]

I would never stay on site again. Just wasn't worth it when we're hardly in the room other than to sleep and bath. To us, it's nothing like WDW where staying in the bubble is so much more convenient and rewarding.
Hotels on Harbor are very nice and no farther away.

I have stayed on-site at both the DLH and GC, and I agree. The only reason I would stay on-site again would be a REALLY great room rate or if someone else was paying. To me, I just don't see the value of being on-site. I can afford it, but I spend so much time in the actual Parks that paying for all the amenities of these hotels seems silly to me to spend the extra for things I don't use. I understand wanting to for sure. But for me, I'd rather spend my money elsewhere.

 

[StormyCA]

As long as I can afford to stay onsite I will. I love being in the Bubble and the onsite perks like EMH, getting dining ressies when the app shows all booked out and package delivery. Especially package delivery!

But if your main concern is just the issue of naps/breaks, then a walking distance hotel would serve the same purpose as an onsite at a fraction of the price.

 

[silvaohana808]

Whether in Disneyland or WDW, we stay on property. We don’t want to leave the magic bubble.

Part of me feels that way too but I just see the price and I die a little inside...LOL.

Hotels such as the BWPPI are geographically closer than the DLH and PPH.

It's lovely to stay on-site, especially to take advantage of EMH at DCA, but it's far more cost effective to stay along Harbor.

awesome! Thanks so much!

I think that because this is the last year that you will be able to book a single room in a disney resort before your son turns 3, I would go on property. After that your will need to book two rooms and the price will double up. We loved the Disneyland hotel and found it magical and very spacious. Ps. Family of 6 here too

hmmm...that's something to take into account too. Theres 6 of us but 2 others may join us too...which means we'll have to book two rooms.

we've stayed at DLH before and loved it! The walk to and from the parks were long though...LOL.

Thanks for your advice!!

 

[silvaohana808]

As long as I can afford to stay onsite I will. I love being in the Bubble and the onsite perks like EMH and package delivery. Especially package delivery!

But if your main concern is just the issue of naps/breaks, then a walking distance hotel would serve the same purpose as an onsite at a fraction of the price.

Yes!! I totally agree with you. I guess when the time comes to book, I'll just have to see where we're at...if we can find it in our budget or not.

Thanks so much!

 

[silvaohana808]

I have stayed on-site at both the DLH and GC, and I agree. The only reason I would stay on-site again would be a REALLY great room rate or if someone else was paying. To me, I just don't see the value of being on-site. I can afford it, but I spend so much time in the actual Parks that paying for all the amenities of these hotels seems silly to me to spend the extra for things I don't use. I understand wanting to for sure. But for me, I'd rather spend my money elsewhere.

I'm hoping there's really good rates the time that we are planning to visit! LOL if not, we'll just probably book a hotel on Harbor which seems good too! Thank you!

 

[Indiana Scott]

Too me, the "bubble" encompasses the entire resort area. All of the local hotels are full of Disney guests and they hotels themselves basically revolve around Disney. Even the streets are modeled after Disney with their streetlights, hardscape and plantings. When you're going to and from the parks, you're with lots of other families doing the same thing.
I don't feel out of the bubble at all on Harbor.