What's your favorite off-site "Walking Distance" property and why?

[WannabeAriel]

Hi! I'm a DL newb but a WDW vet. I've already got some great tips and feedback. Now I'm trying to decide where to stay. I can't find a comprehensive thread with opinions of each walking distance hotel... so I'll try and start one. (Please forgive me if I'm totally lame and just missed it somewhere!)

I'd like an off site walking distance hotel.

Can you tell me your favorite walking distance accommodations and why?

I would love to hear both positive and negatives about each property! And if you have a "WHATEVER YOU DO... DON'T STAY HERE" opinion... PLEASE SHARE!!!!!

Thanks for the help!

 

[ncbyrne]

What are your dates? I've been researching all of the "walking distance" properties too. We're not going until the first week in Oct, and two of the hotels I considered this week were already booked solid!! I did make ressies at Ramada Maingate based on details I gleaned from here on the DIS.
Walking distance hotels are those with addresses between 1380 - 1700 South Harbor Blvd.

 

[WannabeAriel]

We're going to be there the last week of July. Probably peak season I'm sure.

I'm shocked that October is already booked! Yikes!

 

[TinkerbellTris]

The one's I like best are within 5 to 7 minutes from the main gate of disneyland.
They are Carousel Inn and suites, Dessert inn and suites, Del Sol is not too bad either. Tropicana is nice from the outside, and Hojo is nice but a little longer walk. There is alos a Fairfield inn by marriott about a 10 min walk and the hotle on the crosswalk is Park Vue inn.

 

[pixiewings71]

I like the HoJo. The staff is great, the grounds are great, the rooms are great. The only thing is the walk at the end of the day and while it's not that bad it's still a walk. LOL But the staff/hotel/rates make up for it. Altho if I can't get a room at the Ent Rate I do try the Tropicana, BWPPI and the CCI.

 

[awoltoday]

Check the sticky at the top of this forum - HydroGuy Tips Compilation

There are TONS of good advice there including a thread entitled A DLR Guide for WDW Vets and HydroGuy's Hotel Rule has GREAT hotel links/info.

We usually stay in the BWPPI because it is the closest and it is clean and houses the 6 of us in one room. But, we almost always go off season and do not leave the park under any circumstances while it is open (or face the wrath of Mom!). So, we don't care about a pool or anything other than the bed.

 

[DangerMouse]

HOJO. Why? Super comfy beds, gorgeous grounds, awesome pool areas, exceptional customer service and the very best thing is the incredibly low entertainment rate they offer at certain times of the year.

 

[labattblue]

My two favorite links for helping to decide which "walking distance" hotel/motel to stay at...

This one so you can see exactly how far each place is from the park entrances...

http://wikimapia.org/#lat=33.8092213&lon=-117.9152352&z=19&l=0&m=a&v=2

This one to see a ton of reviews on all motels/hotels...

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g29092-Anaheim_California-Hotels.html

 

[disney-super-mom]

That's easy - the HOJO (for the same reasons that DangerMouse listed).

 

[nurse.darcy]

Okay, I know lots love the HoJo. . .I am partial to the Portofino Inn. . .Why? cause I take two teens with me that each need their own space. . .one takes the sofa bed the other the bunk bed. . .for 99 bucks a night its a great value and a 7 minute walk to main gate. On the corner of harbor and Katella.

 

[S. S. Columbia]

I also like the HoJo. It has good, clean rooms. I haven't actually seen the updated swimming area, but I've heard good things about it. The HoJo has free internet. The HoJo is near Mimi's. I think every room has a refrigerator, and the rooms in Buildings 1 and 2 also have microwaves. The walk is around 8 to 10 minutes.

I like the Camelot Inn. It's also very clean. The swimming pool is o.k. -- I think it's 20-foot by 30-foot. They charge $9.95 for 24 hours of internet. It includes a continental breakfast that's decent -- decent OJ, decent milk, decent coffee, etc. -- and you can get a tray to bring food back to your room. The walk is around 6 or 7 minutes.

I haven't stayed at the Tropicana, but it's the Camelot Inn's sister hotel. The walk is around 5 or 6 minutes.

HTH

 

[bluedoll]

I like the anaheim plaza. it's a short walk. older hotel. but great price.

 

[Disneyluvr2]

Park Vue Inn! My feet love me at the end of the day because it's directly across the street from the entrance!

 

[nancy drew]

I was concerned about the walking distance on my first trip. I am an avid walker, but I heard conflicting reports. Therefore I stayed at the closest property: the Park Vue. Our room sucked. We were under the breakfast room, near the store, and they were paving the parking lot that week. That meant we were awakened every morning by kids running on the path to the breakfast room and trucks paving the parking lot. We had a white noise machine in the room, but that didn't do anything. I was ready to switch hotels the 2nd night, but $$$ prevented that.

This time we will be at the HOJO and I am more prepared to complain if we are not happy in our room. Honestly, I don't mind walking. I walk my kids 2.5 miles each way to school in fair weather. But I cannot stand noise when I am trying to sleep. The reviews I had read of the HOJO before our first trip were mixed, and some people felt it was SOOOOOOOOOOO far away. When we exited the highway and I saw where it was relative to the Park Vue, I quickly decided that the distance complaints I had heard were not relevant to us. Some people are not accustomed to walking, some are.

 

[BecBennett]

I was concerned about the walking distance on my first trip. I am an avid walker, but I heard conflicting reports. Therefore I stayed at the closest property: the Park Vue. Our room sucked. We were under the breakfast room, near the store, and they were paving the parking lot that week. That meant we were awakened every morning by kids running on the path to the breakfast room and trucks paving the parking lot. We had a white noise machine in the room, but that didn't do anything. I was ready to switch hotels the 2nd night, but $$$ prevented that.

This time we will be at the HOJO and I am more prepared to complain if we are not happy in our room. Honestly, I don't mind walking. I walk my kids 2.5 miles each way to school in fair weather. But I cannot stand noise when I am trying to sleep. The reviews I had read of the HOJO before our first trip were mixed, and some people felt it was SOOOOOOOOOOO far away. When we exited the highway and I saw where it was relative to the Park Vue, I quickly decided that the distance complaints I had heard were not relevant to us. Some people are not accustomed to walking, some are.

Wow, you must have had the worst possible room!! I'd probably feel the same as you if we ended up with that room...

That out of the way, my vote actually is for the Park Vue inn, even though it's a motel and not a hotel, the location can't be beat, and the price is pretty friendly too!

Our room was a great size, and the free breakfast sweetens the deal.

 

[mariezp]

We have stayed at the Anaheim Desert Inn for our past 8 trips. We get their largest room which is basically 2 rooms. It has 4 beds, 2 baths, a small living area with a small sofa, 3 tvs, a microwave and a fridge. There is a small convience store downstairs and they have internet access. The beds are comfy, the walk to DL is short and the price is right. Overall they provide us with everything thing we need and we have never had any significant problems, maybe something small like an occasional problem with the movie channel. They are not a fancy establishment but they have always been clean and efficient and provided us with plenty of space, a place to eat, shower, relax and sleep.

There have been some not so great reviews about their pool and breakfast. We don't use the pool so it has never been an issue for us but I will admit that it is small. We seldom do breakfast, so again it has not been a problem for us. I can say that it is just your basic continental breakfast which does not offer much variety. It has always just fine for us on the rare occasion that we take advantage of it.

The parking area is very small so guests are limited to only one space. This could be a problem if you have more than one car in your group. They do offer some alternative parking but it is not at the property.

We also enjoy that there is a Denney's on one side. And our new favorite is the Cold Stone Creamery on the other side!

 

[happygirl]

I have only stayed at one, It's the fairfield Inn very nice. Clean spacious rooms. There is fridge and it a short walk to Disney. There is a McDonalds right in front of the hotel, and a pizza hut inside. We will stay here ag ain

 

[Amy&Dan]

My three favorites are:

Howard Johnsons. Nice, oversized rooms, lovely grounds and a mini pirate themed water park for kids. The staff at this hotel have always been amazing to deal with before and during our trips. Its also next door to Mimi's Cafe which is a great place to eat a few offsite meals. My only drawback is that at night, the Hojo can feel a little long to walk back to. Opinions vary on this. Many scoff at me when I say that and I don't at all say its so far its horrible, but after hours at DL, at night the walk feels longer than it did earlier in the day. But to me its a small negative and totally outweighed by the positives. I also love the fabulous Entertainment Card rates they offer.

Tropicana: Right at the crosswalk to DL. It has a small but very nice pool and a huge hot tub. The rooms were updated in recent years, the staff was wonderful to us and this property was so well maintained and clean in and out. I loved always seeing them out hosing down walkways, cleaning windows and our room was spotless. The location cannot be beat. It also has a free continental breakfast. It doesn't have grounds but it does have some nice landscaping touches and the parking lot is larger than other places right around there. And the pool area is very pretty with pottled palms and flowers and they provide towels at the pool and keep it up very nice.

Best Western Park Place Inn: Another great location (right next to the Tropicana and even a tad closer to the walkway to DL), nice, updated rooms. They have these mini suites I like that for not much more than a regular priced room, you get a bit larger space with a sofa that makes into a bed Cheaper than a true suite but more space. Free continental breakfast as well. My drawbacks to this place are that it has a tiny pool area, that is located sort of in a courtyard and its dreary and small. It has a tiny, cramped parking lot and no grounds or landscaping. The staff have been very nice both times we've stayed there. But for longer stays when I want to be close but also want a pool break, I go with Tropicana. I do love the mini suites at BWPPI, they are perfect for my two teens that can't share a bed.

 

[tyluvsdis]

I have only stayed in one that is walking distance. I do have to say that we enjoy it. It is the BWPPI. We love that at the end of a long day, our four kids only have to make it across the street. For them, at peak melt-down time, it is comforting that they only have to go that far. The rooms have been clean, the pool is fine for us-though small-and the breakfast is great for the kids. They love that they can decide what they want-ie. donuts, cereal, toast, fruit. While it is definately not high-end, it is wonderful for us. Just my two cents...

 

[WannabeAriel]

I just want to thank those that have already contributed! I'm LOVING this thread!!! You've given me the exact type of information and opinions I was looking for from my trusted Dissers!!!!

Also, thanks for the tip about tripadvisor. I know about tripadvisor and those type of sites and I use them frequently... but I place much more value in the opinions of my fellow Disney freaks rather than random internet opinion!!!

Keep it up!!!