Tell me your thoughts in the DL Resorts! About This Page:

[SARH7]

I visited DL once....a very long time ago....I was 12.....so that was almost 18 years ago. We stayed off property.....I don't believe there was any "on-property" back then and definately no California Adventure! I know things ahve changed a ton since then.

So my question is this...and I'm sure this is not the last...... tell me about the resorts!! Which is best, which is worst? Is there a Value Resort like in Orlando?? (I've been there 3 times in the last year a a half, BTW...) Are there advantages to staying on property like in Orlando? Can you only purchase the dining plan if you stay in their resort??

I am just starting the planning of this trip....It's still a long ways away...Oct 08.

Thanks for all your help!!

[DopeyGirl]

Of the 3 Disney-owned hotels, Paradise Pier is the least expensive, but I would pretty much equate the rates there to that of a Moderate resort at WDW (if not just a bit more expensive).

The only "value" type hotel ($90-100ish - maybe cheaper/night in the off-season) you will find in the area is off-site . . . and some of those can be pretty . . . icky.

As far as advantages, as much as I hate to say it, I don't think there are any more advantages to staying in a Disney-owned resort than there are to some of the off-site hotels. : In fact, when staying at some of the off-site hotels, you may have a bit closer access to the parks than if you were staying at the Disneyland Hotel or Paradise Pier. Probably the best "perk" of staying at a Disney resort is that on select mornings, you can enter Disneyland park early (much like EMH at WDW).

Also, as far as the dining plan is concerned, I have never taken advantage of that myself, but have heard from a few that have that it is really not worth it.

Once you have a good idea of how much you'd like to spend on a hotel room per night, go onto the Disneyland website and check out the October 2007 rates for the Disney resorts and the Good Neighbor Hotels. Pick out a few that sound or look good to you, then check around this forum for reviews too.

We've stayed at the Park Vue Inn a few times (but I didn't really care for it) and the Disneyland Hotel (which I LOVED.). My parents ALWAYS stay at the Carousel Inn and Suites and say they won't stay anywhere else unless the Carousel is booked solid. I have also heard good things about the Desert Inn as well at the Candy Cane Inn.

Hope this helps!



ETA: 18 years ago, there was only ONE on-site resort hotel . . . the Disneyland Hotel! It's been there since 1955!

[Tink and co.]

I agree with what Sarah said. There isn't really the same type of advantage to staying onsite at Disneyland. Unless staying at the Grand Californian (which is very expensive), we've found that it's really not worth the cost. Our list of favorite offsites is as follows (in our order of preference ): Candy Cane Inn, Tropicana Inn and Suites, and Desert Inn and Suites. All would fall into the value category price-wise (around or less than $100 a night). Tropicana and Desert are as close as you can get, but not quite as nice as the Candy Cane.
The dining plan at Disneyland is a system of vouchers which are nice if you want to pre-pay meals, but it's nothing like the DDP at WDW. One thing I didn't like about the vouchers is that if your meal didn't cost as much as the voucher, there was no change. The dining plans are available with any package, whether its on property or at a Good Neighbor Hotel.

[doombuggy]

I have stayed at the Disneyland Hotel 2x and the Paradise Pier (when is was the Disneyland Pacific Hotel) 1x. I liked both hotels very much. I like being able to walk to the parks from the hotel. It can get expensive, even with a discount.
When we went last August (a girls trip), we stayed at the Desert Inn & Suites, and they were fine. Probably a bit closer to the park main entrance than PP or two of the three DL towers (although i think PP has it's own entrance to DCA). For $89 per night, the "parlor suite" was just fine. I would stay there again. Although I am planning a trip to DL in February, and am looking to use my DVC points to stay on property, so.....

Good luck planning!

[bradk]

PP used to have an entrance, but to my knowledge, it's been closed for years.

this is how I see the DLR hotels:

Paradise Pier - least expensive, least Disneyish
Disneyland Hotel - moderate, nice pool (features props that used to be in the park), the 'pixie dust' in the room gets accolades. it's basically retrofitted with a disney theme
Grand Californian - designed by the same architect that did the Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom Lodge (and it shows), this is the only hotel that Disney actually built. To me, it gives the impression of being a cozy WL.

you can't convince me to spend the money on site though or invest in any of those good neighbor packages. there are so many hotels along S Harbor Blvd that are far less expensive and, as mentioned, closer than onsite hotels (most notably the DLH).

I believe the Best Western Park Place Inn is the one that's directly across the street from the pedestrian gate. I've stayed at the Tropicana which is nextdoor to that and the Carousel which is nextdoor to that. location can't be beat. not the most amazing accomodations but nothing to complain about either. I had the carousel for like $60/night. it also features a rooftop pool with a view of the fireworks (although some can be seen just from the street anyway).

[DopeyGirl]

Also, here is a site with a map (and links to some of the hotels' websites) showing the proximity of the on and off-site hotels to the parks.

Bret's Disneyland Lodging LinkMap