Update in OP (made our decision) Hotel recommendation for Disneyland (Cali)?

[SnuggleBuggles]

Update- booked a premium room at the Candy Cane Inn. :) Thanks!!! Eta- HoJos and Candy Cane were tge same price for nicer room ($189). The HoJo bunkbeds were $230. While tge kids would love that, just not worth it when all we want is a place to crash. I also wanted to skip tge HoJo pool bc I worried they'd see that and would rather play there than in Disneyland...I know ds2 would be a slight pain about it. :)

We will need somewhere simply to crash for two nights in a few months. Arriving late evening, waking up and going to the park ASAP, staying there all day till almost closing time (I know that varies), sleeping, waking up, driving to San Diego. Clean, quiet are the important things. Walk ability is probably nice too. I'd prefer to keep it under $200/ night (again, I know that will vary based on popularity of dates).

I have read every DL hotel thread over the years but would love a recap of picks and ones to avoid. Thank you!!

[jbbhb]

We will need somewhere simply to crash for two nights in a few months. Arriving late evening, waking up and going to the park ASAP, staying there all day till almost closing time (I know that varies), sleeping, waking up, driving to San Diego. Clean, quiet are the important things. Walk ability is probably nice too. I'd prefer to keep it under $200/ night (again, I know that will vary based on popularity of dates).

I have read every DL hotel thread over the years but would love a recap of picks and ones to avoid. Thank you!!

We are local but love and often stay at the Anaheim Sheraton (there are two, I'm talking about that one that looks like a castle). Nice quiet clean rooms. We have done the walk several times, it's about a mile on a path, but they also have a shuttle that is convenient.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Is there a charge for the shuttle? Last time we went, we stayed at a great Embassy Suites down the road. They wanted $20/ person for the shuttle of something crazy like that!

[jbbhb]

As far as I know there was no charge for the shuttle. I believe it leaves every half hour.

[jbbhb]

Hope this works from my phone...shuttle is complimentary. http://mobile.usablenet.com/mt/www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=995&un_jtt_v_overview=on

[todzwife]

We've stayed at Hojo and Desert Inn and Suites. Hojo's beds are more comfortable but the walk from DI&S was AMAZING.

We have reservations at Ramada Inn Maingate next week, but we've never stayed there before.

[lalasmama]

We're staying at Park Vue Inn. It's across the street from the pedestrian entrance. I've heard about 1 report of bedbugs from a reputable source (a frequent poster on the Disboards), however, I've hear much better things about it than a lot of other places... and there's not a place on Harbor without some report or another of bedbugs. Yeah, I'm as concerned about bedbugs as the next person, but, knowing how to check for bedbugs leaves me feeling okay about taking my chances. And the walk can't be beat! But, like I said, we haven't actually stayed there yet. We've got the military rate (only like $10 less) for a 2 queen, separate living area w/ sofa bed room. Including tax it's $186.

In the past, I've always stayed at the Super 8 on Katella. It's cheap (less than $70 a night usually) and clean. About a 15 minute walk to Disneyland. But, quiet it's not! LOL! I could hear my neighbors having a hard time figuring out the door lock (to be fair, though, they were also inebriated, and so they were much louder than a typical neighbor!). Otherwise, for the price, I have a hard time really complaining about much there! If it wasn't for DD and SO's sleep issues, we'd be at Super 8 again!

[smiles33]

How many months away is your trip and is it ok if you just have 1 room? I just read about renting DVC points on the DISBoards and for some "lower-season" months (like April 2013, which I checked because that's when we want to go), a Deluxe Studio at the Grand Californian Villas (the vacation/time-share part of the hotel) would be about $200. That seems like an amazing deal to me! Of course, there's the risk that the person renting you the points takes your money and doesn't make the reservation, but there's a whole section with great advice about rental contracts and whatnot.

For us, we still "need" a suite because DD2 naps so I'm sticking to HoJo's Kids Suites but I'd love to get a Studio in future years to stay on-site and use GCV's special entrance to DCA.

[SnuggleBuggles]

February. We will be fine with just 1 room. As much as I love a suite, for these nights I don't feel strongly about them (we should be darned tired!). Interesting idea about the points. I can do some reading over there. Thanks!

[Karenn]

We were there in June and stayed at the Park Vue. It was horrible. (Sorry Mimi!) The room was gross. No bedbugs. Just yucky. It smelled. It was shabby. I'd stay at Motel 6 or Super 8 before I stayed there again. I'm generally not a hotel snob. I can handle sparse accomodations and have stayed in Motel 6 & Super 8 up and down the California coast, but I couldn't handle the Park Vue. The only other places I've stayed in the last five years are Disneyland Hotel and Paradise Pier hotel, which were fantastic, but of course more expensive.

[pinay]

We've stayed at the Park Vue and it was ok, but the location can't be beat! We have also stayed at the Candy Cane Inn, which is just slightly farther down the street and has a complimentary shuttle service. I'd probably rate the Candy Cane Inn above the Park Vue, and they're roughly the same price.

[Tondi G]

We are local but love and often stay at the Anaheim Sheraton (there are two, I'm talking about that one that looks like a castle). Nice quiet clean rooms. We have done the walk several times, it's about a mile on a path, but they also have a shuttle that is convenient.

We stayed at the Anaheim Sheraton a couple of months ago and it was awful. we had a ground floor room initially and found out they are the "pet friendly" rooms. Our room smelled like a wet dog. So we asked to be moved and went to a second floor room. It too had a musty smell (not so much of a dog smell, just not fresh at all. And opening the window (which only opens about 3 to 4 inches) while we went to the parks for the evening didn't help the smell. I don't know if they just need to replace the carpets or what but we were really happy that we were only staying one night. We will never stay here again unless we hear they have replaced the carpets or something.

I would suggest looking into the Ho Jo. They have a great pool area for the kids. It is walking distance but it's a pretty decent walk. Mousesavers always has a good rate for the Ho Jo.

I recently heard that the Main gate Ramada is alright. I've read good reviews for the Doubletree. It's not walking distance though, I don't think.

[smiles33]

I love HoJo's Kids' Suite, but many DISboarders are saying a standard room isn't worth the price now that there are so few special deals. The old Entertainment card rates were unbelievable (we paid $99 for a 2 bedroom/2 bath suite last Sept. and standard rooms were only $59!). Now, with the increase in prices, it seems it has led to folks choosing the Candy Cane Inn, Best Western Park Place Inn, and Fairfield Inn more now if you're limiting yourself just to walking distance hotels.

[lalasmama]

We were there in June and stayed at the Park Vue. It was horrible. (Sorry Mimi!) The room was gross. No bedbugs. Just yucky. It smelled. It was shabby. I'd stay at Motel 6 or Super 8 before I stayed there again. I'm generally not a hotel snob. I can handle sparse accomodations and have stayed in Motel 6 & Super 8 up and down the California coast, but I couldn't handle the Park Vue. The only other places I've stayed in the last five years are Disneyland Hotel and Paradise Pier hotel, which were fantastic, but of course more expensive.

It's okay! I've heard some less than stellar things about Park Vue! I've also heard that they are in the middle of a remodel, and we will be checking in a little early, so hoping that there will be some open remodeled rooms. And if it turns out bad, well, it's only 4 nights, and we can handle just about anything for 4 nights! :)

[MMMommy]

Hyatt Orange County. Their Suites on Sale offers are good for the suites, which we like. They do charge $3 per day per adult for the Disney shuttle now, which is annoying. Kids ride free. Clean, modern, nice hotel.

[fivi2]

We did the HoJo regular room a year ago. I am one of those who didn't like it. And tbh, I wouldn't even consider staying at one of the ones we passed on the walk to dland. I would find a nicer hotel with a dedicated shuttle, or stay at one of the dland hotels if we go back. Sorry! Apparently I am more of a hotel snob than I ever thought! And we usually do not stay in fancy places...

[SnuggleBuggles]

How about any of the Disneyland official hotels? Worth the money? I did price them and The Paradise Pier(?) is $240/ night when we are going so out of budget but if it is amazing, I could consider it.

The DVC thing is too confusing for me!

[kwc]

We liked the Marriott Fairfield Inn... across the street... not quite as close as the Desert Inn but closer than the HoJo by half a long block. They have a place where you can grab a quick breakfast to go (like bagels, cereal, etc) inside which was just right for us.

I think it is technically closer than the Park Place Inn.

We stayed at the Grand Californian for our first (5 day) trip... I don't think it would be worth it for a short stay.

[daniele_ut]

We stayed at HoJo 2 years ago and are staying there again in just over a week. It was clean and we were in the building by the quiet pool in a 2 queen deluxe room. Our first stay was $59 a night and this one will be $75 a night since I lucked into the Super Family Rate right when it was announced.

If we hadn't stayed at HoJo we probably would have stayed at the Fairfield that is just a touch closer to the park on Harbor Blvd.

[Sweetum]

My sister-in-law recently stayed at Alpine Inn ( a few weeks back) and had good things to say. I believe it is walkable. or maybe they have a shuttle...

[Tondi G]

Try using this code for the Ho Jo and see what the prices are like for the time you want to go

http://www.hojoanaheim.com/mousesavers