Never been to Disneyland - Hotel recommendation please?

[eebuckeye]

I would like to stay at a Disney resort but it is not worth the cost to me at Disneyland. We normally stay at Pop Century since we are barely in the room and it is great.

What are very close hotels that people recommend to Disneyland that are within walking distance?

Thank you!

PS Is the Disneyland dining plan worth it? We always get it (usually free) at Disney World.

 

[mom2rtk]

Disneyland's dining plan is completely different and not worth it. You only get vouchers for certain amounts, and nothing is refunded if you don't use the entire amount.

We also usually stay at a value resort at WDW but opted to stay in a standard room at PPH to maintain as much of that bubble feel as we could. I hear there are lots of great offsite close hotels though, so I'm sure others will have recommendations for you.

 

[Trisity]

I am looking at the Anaheim Plaza Hotel & Suites across from the entrance for a possible November trip and they seem to be on the cheaper end in cost per night but no free breakfast/happy hour that some other hotels may have. Have not stayed there personally but out of a few others around there they are a likely choice so far for my trip!

http://www.anaheimplazahotel.com/

 

[disneymom0104]

The dining plan is completely different. We were offered it free in Oct. 2011, and it was hard keeping track of all the vouchers- and if your voucher is for $10 and you only spend $9.59- you don't get any change. That has been one of the biggest changes for us- just buying the food as we go.

We have stayed at Pop Century, and there is really nothing that compares to that. The 3 Disney hotels are all more of a deluxe WDW feel (although Paradise Pier is a little below that, but still pricey in comparison to even the moderates at WDW). We stayed at Paradise Pier our first visit and liked it. Our second visit we stayed at the Howard Johnson, which is about a 10 minute walk and we enjoyed that, too- but it does not feel like a WDW hotel. This last trip we stayed right across the street at the Best Western Park Place Inn and it is definitely a motel style in comparison to Pop Century, but location was great and it offered free breakfast. There are a lot of motels on Harbor within a walking distance- Park Vue, Desert Inn and Suites, Tropicana, Camelot Inn, Candy Cane Inn- there are a ton of them.

 

[lalasmama]

I am looking at the Anaheim Plaza Hotel & Suites across from the entrance for a possible November trip and they seem to be on the cheaper end in cost per night but no free breakfast/happy hour that some other hotels may have. Have not stayed there personally but out of a few others around there they are a likely choice so far for my trip!

http://www.anaheimplazahotel.com/

Beware that they aren't actually next to the pedestrian entrance of Disneyland... Essentially, you will be 1 hotel away from the corner of Harbor and Katella, which is basically the furthest you can be while still being "across the street" from the Disneyland Resort. (Technically, you'll be across the street from the Tower of Terror, plus a beautiful "go away green"-colored fence). You'll walk out of your hotel, past a large parking area, across Disney Way, past Ramada Main Gate, Tony Roma's, Best Western Anaheim Inn, Denny's, Desert Inn and Suites, Park Vue Inn, and IHOP, where the pedestrian entrance to Disneyland is. Honestly, I have no idea how Anaheim Plaza can say they are "directly across the main entrance to Disneyland" according to their website! $135/night isn't bad at all.. .. But not amazing, either, when you look at other hotels about that walk away.

 

[22Tink]

Best Western Park Place Inn. Hands down. We've stayed there 3 times. They have a free breakfast buffet and are located directly across the street from the entrance to DL. It's not fancy but you can't beat it for location!!

 

[MillauFr]

The Candy Cane Inn is what you are looking for. Free parking, free breakfast, great service, very clean, nice rooms, and within walking distance.

 

[Trisity]

Best Western Park Place Inn. Hands down. We've stayed there 3 times. They have a free breakfast buffet and are located directly across the street from the entrance to DL. It's not fancy but you can't beat it for location!!

The Candy Cane Inn is what you are looking for. Free parking, free breakfast, great service, very clean, nice rooms, and within walking distance.

Priced both for the 6 days in November (15-21)

The Candy Cane Inn is $169/night with free parking, the Best Western Inn is $179/night with $10/night parking, and the Plaza is $139.23/night with $4/night parking for 4 people with 2 standard queens at all 3.

I think I am liking the Candy Cane Inn for my group, especially after the distance lalasmama is saying!

 

[MillauFr]

You end up saving $20-$30 by not having to eat breakfast out. If you take that into consideration then it almost a wash between Candy Cane and the Plaza. Then it is a no brainer to book the Candy Cane. It is far superior to the Plaza.

 

[TechGuy]

We have stayed at the Fairfield several times, but not recently. I listened to the DIS review of it and it sounds like not much has changed. It is a business traveler style hotel, near DLR... real close. It is about a 5 minute walk to the crosswalk.

I like it because it has concrete walls, nice linens, doesn't smell and has good beds. The pool is nice, but near the parking areas, but you can't see them from inside.

My DLR style is get up early, eat on the way to the park (often while in line) and come back to the hotel at midnight to sleep soundly and do it again. The upper (exterior) walkways allow for nice view of the park and fireworks.

I am booked there this trip.

 

[22Tink]

Priced both for the 6 days in November (15-21)

The Candy Cane Inn is $169/night with free parking, the Best Western Inn is $179/night with $10/night parking, and the Plaza is $139.23/night with $4/night parking for 4 people with 2 standard queens at all 3.

I think I am liking the Candy Cane Inn for my group, especially after the distance lalasmama is saying!

We never take car so parking cost isn't a factor for us. We are a family of 6 so the free breakfast and very short walk to DL are our main reasons for staying at the best western. It is definitely the closest hotel to the entrance. If parking cost is a factor for you then definitely go with the free parking! Have a great trip!

 

[kirstie101]

I dont know anyone who has used the Dining Plan in DL. From what I understand its not worth it.

As for hotels I would recommend staying within walking distance so you don't have to wait for shuttles. Thats just always my personal preference. My family has stayed at Best Western Park Place Inn, Anaheim Desert Inn and Suites and the Hojo on Harbor. Hojo is our go to hotel but I would happily stay at any of the three. BWPPI and DI&S are closest, being right at the crosswalk to the pedestrian entrance to the parks. Hojo is about an 8 minute walk since its a block down the street. BWPPI and DI&S both offer a free breakfast but charge for parking. Hojo does not have a free breakfast but parking is free. DI&S has an indoor pool. Hojo has a great kids pool area (as well as a normal pool) and BWPPI has a small pool but it gets the job done. I've found all to be clean and comfortable.

 

[RemainSeatedPlease]

I usually go with either Camelot or Desert Inn & Suites. I was really happy with my stay at the Camelot last December. I will be trying out their sister property, the Tropicana, this July.

 

[DLSean22]

For us, walking distance and free breakfast seem to be the most important things. We spend the vast majority of our time in the park so the hotel is basically a place to sleep, shower and eat breakfast before our long day at the parks. The shorter the walk the better. Within the last five years, we have stayed at the Red Lion three times and Desert Palm once. Both had decent free breakfasts and the rooms were good, but the walking distance was just about at the edge of where we would like to be (especially after a long day/night of park-hopping). For our August trip this year, I chose the Park Vue Inn, mainly due to the proximity/free breakfast/free parking (driving this trip). It was a toss up between that and the Candy Cane Inn, based on what I've read here on Disboards. We only chose Park Vue since it was closer (as close as you can get, even including the on-site hotels) and had what appears to be a bigger breakfast spread. Hopefully we chose well. We are coming back again in November, so our August stay will help determine where we stay in November.

 

[KellaCat]

We like Ramada Maingate. Next to the Best Western Park Place Inn, so it's super close. They have a lot of remodeled/upgraded rooms. Join their mailing list or Like their FB page to get discounts. I can usually get a standard room for right around $100 a night.

 

[4Siamese]

Another vote for the Fairfield Inn. Our daughter stayed at the Desert Inn and Suites recently and said it was nice but the walk was a little further after a long day in the parks.

Personally I think PP is the way to go if you can justify the extra $$. You still maintain the Disney "bubble" without breaking the bank and the proximity to the parks was quite close.

The dining plan is a definate no at DLR for the above listed reasons. We always do the dining plan at DW but there is really no benefit at DLR.

 

[BadPinkTink]

Last year I stayed at Motel 6 Main Gate and Im staying there again this year. There is no breakfast, which suits me, as Im not a breakfast person and a coffee and sandwich at Starbucks when I get to the park suits me better. Compared to some of the budget hotels I have stayed at in Europe, its very good standard for the price approx $90 per night. Its about 10 minutes from the park by shuttle, which is not free, its on the Anaheim Resort Transport Route.

 

[AZpharmacist]

We stayed at the Desert Inn and Suites. It wasn't fancy but it was clean and comfy. They also had a breakfast buffet every morning. We stayed 3 nights. It was walking distance (about 7 min) even with my 1 year old. I Would stay there again. We booked a regular room but I think they saw our stroller and all our baby gear and moved us to a suite. No change in price. It was very nice of them

 

[GatorChris]

The Disney hotels aren't what you're looking for. If you stay Value, which is that $89-129 range, you'll want to stay on Harbor across the street. Even if you're used to Moderate pricing at WDW, the DL hotels are still too pricey. Especially if you're used to getting that hotel with free food to boot (man, I miss going to WDW - free food tastes so much better). We've stayed at HoJo and felt that it was as good as the Paradise Pier, which wasn't very Disney at all. It's pricier than some other places nearby, and doesn't offer breakfast. But it does have a fun little water park area and the rooms are spacious and not dirty. Plus, the walk ain't to bad to the parks. About the same as PPH.

 

[RemainSeatedPlease]

Another vote for the Fairfield Inn. Our daughter stayed at the Desert Inn and Suites recently and said it was nice but the walk was a little further after a long day in the parks.

I'm confused - isn't Desert Inn & Suites actually closer?? Am I reading the maps wrong?