Need DL off-site hotel advice: get suite or go for water play fun?

[smiles33]

I have been lurking at the DISboards and picking up lots of tips but still want BBB'ers' advice. I'm definitely planning for us to stay off-site within walking distance of DL, since it's a short walk and several hundred dollars in savings. We also only plan to take a leisurely 1 day visit to DL (focused on princesses, not cramming in as many rides as possible). The rest of our trip will be spent relaxing.

My dilemma is this:

Howard Johnson Anaheim has rave reviews for its fun toddler water play area. I think DDs would both enjoy that. Thus, I had thought we'd spend one day lounging at the hotel with the girls playing in the water, napping, and then meeting friends for dinner. I called last month to book a room for a visit in October but all their suites are taken. I currently have a reservation for a room with 2 queens. It won't be an issue the first night (after a long drive) or the second (after a long day at DL), but DD2 usually goes to bed a full hour before DD1 and up to 2 hours before DH and I are ready for bed. Without a suite, I imagine we're all set to go to bed the same time as DD2 or risk having a cranky toddler.

Should I change our reservation to another place that offers suites? DISBoard members seem to also recommend the Desert Inn Suites and Carousel Inn, both of which are closer to the gates and have suites. DIS is available for only $30 more (for the entire trip!).

What would you do?

[TwinFoxes]

I've stayed at HJ pre-kids, and the pool area is cool, but not cool enough to make up for going to bed 2 hrs early. I've never stayed at the other two, but they are significantly closer to the Main Gate, especially after a long day at the park. I think your DDs won't know what they're missing, the other hotels have a pool, they don't know about the cooler pool. ;)

HJ is an older hotel (I believe we stayed there when I was a kid!) and I find the rooms to be slightly larger than the newer hotels. But I'd still go for the suite.

[geochick]

The family suites at HoJo are awesome. Can you get on a cancellation list? It's worth it! That, plus the pool, make it worth a phone call to ask if there's a list you can get on. We stayed there for 2 nights last summer. I wish we would have stayed 4.

[smiles33]

The family suites at HoJo are awesome. Can you get on a cancellation list? It's worth it! That, plus the pool, make it worth a phone call to ask if there's a list you can get on. We stayed there for 2 nights last summer. I wish we would have stayed 4.

I know this sounds awesome but they won't add my name to a waiting list. I have to call/email myself every week (or less often I guess) and ask if any cancellations have come up. Plus, the kids suites are facing the freeway so there might be a noise issue (DH is such a light sleeper and can't even stand the white noise of the AC).

TwinFoxes: yes, i know HoJo is older but we don't need a fancy room. We tend to stay at modest rental homes on our vacations, so clean and simple is fine by us. The HoJo building is decades old (some famous architect designed it) but the rooms are clean, spacious, and lots of people rave about the comfy beds. If they just had suites I would totally stay there.

[geochick]

Honestly, I had read about the freeway noise at Hojo, but it wasn't and issue at all for us. My kids are light sleepers, so we use a fan in their rooms for white noise at night. We have a tiny travel fan that we plugged in at the HoJo. That little travel fan was enough to block the freeway noise. We got up early to go to Dland, so it's not like the early morning traffic woke us up.

I think it's worth it to call once a week to see if there are cancellations.

[bubbaray]

IIRC, the Desert Inn is around the corner from the MG and is farther away than the HoJo??

We have stayed at the HoJo pre-suites and it was fine. We thought it would be a PITA, but we were so exhausted at the end of the day, we went to sleep at the same time as the girls.

I'd stay at the HoJo. We also highly recommend the Best Western Anaheim Inn. Right across from the MG and smaller than the HoJo. You won't like the pool, though (was cool weather when we were there).

The Crowne Plaza was GREAT, but waaaaay too far away -- never again.

[smiles33]

IIRC, the Desert Inn is around the corner from the MG and is farther away than the HoJo??

We have stayed at the HoJo pre-suites and it was fine. We thought it would be a PITA, but we were so exhausted at the end of the day, we went to sleep at the same time as the girls.

I'd stay at the HoJo. We also highly recommend the Best Western Anaheim Inn. Right across from the MG and smaller than the HoJo. You won't like the pool, though (was cool weather when we were there).

The Crowne Plaza was GREAT, but waaaaay too far away -- never again.

Desert Inn is right at MG and much closer than HoJo. Does the Best Western Anaheim Inn have suites? I think suites tend to be cheaper than connecting rooms, right?