Which AP to get?

[DisneySuiteFreak]

I checked orbitz, expedia, hotwire, and another place and it all says $310 per night for a standard room at DLH on July 16th. Hmmm

Sorry, I didn't realize you were going in July which is peak summer season. Like the other posters said, I would look for a hotel/motel on Harbor, especially if you have an AP. Save the money. You will probably be able to go again and get a real AP rate once the summer season is over.

 

[Huff]

Say, is there a thread where everyone is posting about AP hotel deals? Maybe something that I can reference throughout the month.

Have you looked at Mousesavers.com? They usually are very up to date at showing any current specials and rate codes.

 

[Boo Bear]

Couldn't I stay at any hotel and park at the Disney hotels lot with the AP? I'll be driving my own car.

 

[Boo Bear]

Sorry, I didn't realize you were going in July which is peak summer season. Like the other posters said, I would look for a hotel/motel on Harbor, especially if you have an AP. Save the money. You will probably be able to go again and get a real AP rate once the summer season is over.

Thanks! I'm probably going to do that. I also have an AAA membership if I can't get an AP rate. I'm finding places for $100.... MUCH better than $320!

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

Couldn't I stay at any hotel and park at the Disney hotels lot with the AP? I'll be driving my own car.

I'm sure you could park at DL, but I think the DLR hotels charge a parking fee if you aren't staying there. If you stayed there, you could get a parking pass for the hotel parking. Believe it or not, it's farther to walk to DL parking garage than it is to walk to Hojos. (You could take the tram for free to the garage if it's running, though.) Why not just park in the hotel where you are staying. Most provide free parking. Once you get there, unless you plan on going anywhere else, you can just leave your car.

 

[bumbershoot]

Couldn't I stay at any hotel and park at the Disney hotels lot with the AP? I'll be driving my own car.

The premium AP (or the $59 parking option put on another AP) gives you the right to park at the park parking lots (that was a funny little sentence!), not the hotel lots. So if you had parking on your AP, you could indeed drive to the parks' parking lots each day.

The parking costs of the hotels is covered for hotel guests under the $12 (plus 15% tax) per day resort fee.

I do agree, from experience, that the walk from where you've parked your car to the tram, then from the tram to the esplanade, can be *longer* than the walk from HoJo...if you're very first in then you can get better parking, but the two times we've parked at the Mickey and Friends lot that walk has been absolute AGES b/c the people driving us (my wonderful brother and sister in law, lovely in all ways except for getting to the parks before opening) can't get out of the house early enough.


If you're going for a hotel that is not owned by Disney (I like HoJo on Harbor and Anabella on Katella, personally) be sure you know of any parking charges there! At HoJo parking is free, but at Anabella it's something like $10 per night. I've also stayed at the Hilton, and it's even higher there. Kinda ruined our lovely Hotwire rate at the Hilton!

 

[wendyinoc]

At $92 for a one day admission the premium is a great deal!!