Disneyland is very much different than WDW. Geographically, the Disney Resort is much smaller. It's very easy to see everything entirely on foot. There isn't anything like the Epcot World Showcase, nothing like Animal Kingdom, no waterparks (although there are non-Disney waterparks in the LA area), no Disney golf courses, no Disney lakes, etc. Disneyland is pretty similar to the Magic Kingdom in many ways, but Disneyland is much more compact. It has more attractions, but covers considerably less land. The 3 Disney hotels are smaller than most of the WDW resorts. DTD also much smaller and is adjacent to the parks. A stay at the Disneyland resort can be done in about 1/2 the time as WDW or even less. In November, unless you are there during Thanksgiving, you will probably be happy with around 4 days. You definitely do not need 7 days, but if you have extra time, there are many ways to enjoy them.
To get an idea of how much it will cost, I recommend that you go to the Disneyland.com website and price some packages. You may be able to beat these costs, but it gives you a pretty good idea of what to budget, and the variation in costs between staying on or off site. You'll find the room rates are much less during the off-season.
Unlike WDW, the benefits of staying on-site are not that significant. There are hotels and inns directly across the street that are as close or closer than 2 out of 3 of the Disney resorts, and they are significantly cheaper. For large groups, you might prefer one of the suite hotels. There are also some nice places a mile or two away with shuttles every 1/2 hour. The "ART" shuttles get mixed reviews, put should be OK if you are going during a slow period. Still, the Disney properties are wonderful, especially the Grand Californian. Where you stay depends a lot on your own priorities and budget.
By the way, Christmas decorations start going up around the second week of November, and the weather is generally pretty mild. It's a lovely time to visit.
