Where do I stay?

[tinkerszs]

My husband just gave me the best Easter present!!! He said we might be able to go to Disneyland. We did the amazing trip to WDW a few years ago and it was wonderful. Disneyland seems more complicated. Help me get started by recommending a good but not extravagant hotel. I will have a 13 and an 11 year old with me. I don't care about pools.

 

[smartlabelprint]

I'd stay at one of the new ones. I like the idea of suites for privacy. http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/snadt-courtyard-anaheim-theme-park-entrance/

This spring hill suites http://www.marriott.com/hotels/maps/travel/snaao-springhill-suites-anaheim-maingate/
Is farther away.

Fairfield inn (non-suite) is in nice walking distance.

For budget: They have family suites at desert inn & suites (cheaper if booked early). Another budget suites is Camelot inn. I've stayed at both.

Larger room but not a separate bedroom is best western park place inn, which I loved before kids. Costco discount. Calling or on costcotravel.com.

I hear this recommended a lot though I've never stayed there. http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/snaah-residence-inn-anaheim-maingate/

 

[smartlabelprint]

I'll add that Disneyland is probably less complicated!!

Also we never get a car. We take uber (lyft is also available) from SNA.

 

[smartlabelprint]

Another recommendation. http://www.disboards.com/threads/ho...ry-shuttle-parking-lot.3493840/#post-55431335

 

[sherilaine]

We always stay at the Hojo in their kids suites. Our kids were 13 and 12 our last trip - while my DD13 who is 5'7" said the bunk bed wasn't as comfortable as our first trip, 4 trips ago - she still loves it. You get two rooms, which means, two bathrooms, two closets, enough drawer space for everyone to unpack (we stayed 8 nights) and two rooms with separate tvs. It really gives you a lot of space to spread out.

It's a very close walk - especially with older kids. The pools do not attract us to the place, it's the room configuration more than anything. The service is also excellent.

However, they book up fast, at least the kids suites do - keep in mind there is a DIS boards discount of 15% you can use.

Hope you have a fantastic trip no matter where you stay and I agree, I can't imagine DLR being more complicated than WDW - we have put that place off indefinitely due to the level of planning required.

 

[Geemo]

My husband just gave me the best Easter present!!! He said we might be able to go to Disneyland. We did the amazing trip to WDW a few years ago and it was wonderful. Disneyland seems more complicated. Help me get started by recommending a good but not extravagant hotel. I will have a 13 and an 11 year old with me. I don't care about pools.

There are many options for off-site hotels.
I'll give you a few links that will have info for you to check out.

Anaheim Resort map. It's an older one and will not have the newly built hotels.
http://anaheim411.com/2008_mapFRONT_xl.jpg

Accommodations near Disney. Same thing it's an older map.
http://www.accommodationsneardisney.com/Disneyland/default.asp

The Wikimapia will have the new buildings on the map. You can use this one for distances.
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=3...&m=h&gz=0;-1179189741;338091968;0;0;37549;665

This thread is from 2011 but it will give you an idea of walking distances.
http://www.disboards.com/threads/walking-distance-hotel-list-w-discussion-details-of-hotels.2796786/

Enjoy your planning for the trip.
You're going to have a great time when you get there.

Geemo

 

[mgd]

You didn't mention when you will be going and how far you are willing to walk, and how clean and new you are looking for. That will affect hotel pricing. If you want to stay very close (5 min walk) but offsite, most of those are older and somewhat rundown, but some have good reviews here but also fill up fast. Homewood suites next to toy story lot is new, a 5 min walk to the toy story shuttle, plus the drive to the park, and has reasonable rates for a new hotel with large rooms with kitchens. The newer courtyard theme park entrance is pricey and a lot of that is for the pool you won't be using. Springhill resort/convention on the corner of katella is nice, relatively new, but can get pricey some days. Desert palms is about as far as springhill, somewhat older and rundown now, but I would say dependably decent and not overpriced.

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Agree with the pp that DLR is less complicated than WDW! Here is a good thread to help with planning and info on how the parks/resorts are similar and different: A DLR Guide for WDW Vets

 

[luulu1999]

Def not as complicated!!...The new homewood suites has a decent price its cheaper the longer you stay, we really like Park Vue inn its a good price right across the street and a really good breakfast! They do have some rooms w bunk beds but also 3 queen room and ur standard rooms

 

[22Tink]

So much less complicated than WDW!! We always stay at the Best Western Park Place right across the street. Nothing fancy but it has free breakfast and is literally a 5-10 min walk to the bag check lines. Happy planning!!

 

[Disney127]

So much less complicated than WDW!! We always stay at the Best Western Park Place right across the street. Nothing fancy but it has free breakfast and is literally a 5-10 min walk to the bag check lines. Happy planning!!

Totally agree! We are on our way home right now from spending 12 days at WDW. We are DL regulars and DL is so much less complicated. Park hopping is so easier compared to DW. Even though we liked staying at a Disney resort and being in the Disney bubble at DW, it was so much nicer to just walk across the street back to our room at the BWPPI in 5 minutes. We like the Magic Bands and the FP+ but it's also nice to be more spontaneous at DL. We have stayed at a few of the accommodations across the street and also at the DLH & PPH which are pricier but it all depends on when you are planning to go. You will have a great time, we can't wait to go back in July!

 

[Iceman93]

Paradise Pier Hotel!

 

[macNZ]

We stayed at Portofino Inn Anaheim in 2011. We had a kids suite which was perfect for our (then) 6 and 8 year old. We are visiting again in Sept this year and have booked a kids suite again at Portofino Inn. Cheaper than most and we were happy back in 2011.

 

[tinkerszs]

I have narrowed it down to Camelot Inn, Carousel Inn, Tropicana Inn, and Best Western Park Place. Your thoughts?

 

[avalon451]

Check Park Vue and Desert Inn, as well-- both get pretty good reviews here and are right at the crosswalk, next to BWPPI. I stayed at Desert Inn last year and it was great, we're staying there again in Sept.

 

[tinkerszs]

Just checked out Parkvue. I really liked what I read.