Best Place to Stay for DL Half Marathon? About This Page:

[Amy L]

For those of you running in the DL Half or who have run in it in the past, which Disney hotel is the most convenient/best place to stay? I have never been to DL and am starting to feel a little overwhelmed in my planning for this trip. We will not be renting a car for this trip. I read that DL Hotel is not convenient to the parks, but then I read that that is where the expo will be? I was also told that you walk to the start which is so different from the races at WDW, where we all get on a bus. Anyways, I would really, really appreciate any help/advice I could get!!! Thanks!!

[disney_duke]

The good news is we have like 7-8 months to plan this trip! And since DLR doesn't require the 6 month planning of ADR's like WDW does, you have plenty of time to research! In fact I think most restaurants will only accept a reservation (still called priority seating out there, I think) at 30 days prior. Some might be 60 days though. No worries till summer! Except to book that hotel, of course, since the race is sold out.

Most convenient? DL Hotel. GC or PP would be next, I imagine. But they're also the most expensive. And yes, the expo is at the DL hotel. And yes, you walk to the start of the race. It's not nearly as scary as it sounds. In fact, I think the walk to the start from most hotels on Harbor Blvd. is almost the same distance as the walk from the Epcot parking lot to the corrals. The pre-party is in a DLH parking lot, and the corrals are a very short stroll away from there.

Last time, I stayed at Candy Cane Inn. It's on Harbor Blvd. but a bit further down the road than most. Still, the walk was like 20 minutes to the race! This year, I'm using hotel points to stay for free at the Sheraton Anaheim. This isn't anywhere near the gates of DL, but it's super convenient for walking to the corrals. I'll be walking up Disneyland Drive right into the last corrals. (Working my way forward, of course, since I shouldn't be actually in the last corral. ) I've plotted it on mapmyrun.com and it's like 1/2 mile walk. Sweet! They have a shuttle that runs every half hour, so I'll be using that after the race and to/from the parks during the day. But for race morning, I've got a short little walk directly to the corrals. I don't bag-check so I don't need the pre-race area whatsoever.

It's not that the DLHotel isn't convenient to the parks. It's just that it's a little more walking than the ones on Harbor Blvd. You have to walk through DTD every single time, that's all. However, there is a monorail stop (I think it's actually in DTD? I can't remember) that goes directly into Tomorrowland at DL. So you actually have to go through bag check and use your ticket at the turnstiles before you can get on the monorail! But to get to DCA, you'd have to walk.

I believe the closest to the gates on Harbor Blvd is the Best Western Park place inn. I've also read (on another board) that it might actually be sold out already for that weekend. Other ones nearby are Park Vue Inn, Tropicana Inn and Suites, Camelot Inn and Suites, Fairfield Inn by Marriott, Ramada Maingate, among others. You'd have to do some research of course to see what you think.

Search For Hotel Discounts, Cheap Hotels, Hotel Rates + Hotel Reservations

Not sure if that will show you the map that I was just looking at, but just click on Map View to see. Or use any old mapping site and usually hotels pop up as well. You'll see that it really and truly is very compact and walking everywhere is not as scary as it sounds! Hope some of that helps! Any other questions, and I'll try my best to answer! Or you could hit up the DL section of these boards too.

[kadterp]

Wow! Thanks Tanya!

I went ahead and booked three nights at DL resort. We have stayed at wilderness lodge and that's a carbon copy of GC so we didn't want to do that one. PP seems like the Boardwalk and we just did that one for WandD so that left us with DL! I wanted to stay in the original too..I read that they just went thru an upgrade so that's how we decided to do that one. I haven't called RunDisney yet to see what they are offering, I jumped the gun and booked a room thru Disneylands site last week so if all rooms get taken, I have one. Then if Run has a better offer, I will just cancel my other ones.

I was thinking about the Hilton too but figured that its our first time there and we would spend a few more bucks and actually stay on Disney property. Then if we go back again, we know the property more and will stay at an outside one.

[Amy L]

Thanks so much for the great info. Tanya!! I think we are leaning towards DL Hotel.

[Amy L]

Originally Posted by kadterp

Wow! Thanks Tanya!

I went ahead and booked three nights at DL resort. We have stayed at wilderness lodge and that's a carbon copy of GC so we didn't want to do that one. PP seems like the Boardwalk and we just did that one for WandD so that left us with DL! I wanted to stay in the original too..I read that they just went thru an upgrade so that's how we decided to do that one. I haven't called RunDisney yet to see what they are offering, I jumped the gun and booked a room thru Disneylands site last week so if all rooms get taken, I have one. Then if Run has a better offer, I will just cancel my other ones.

Kim - I got an e-mail with the reduced rates. RunDisney is using GET Travel Sports for reservations. Plus, for every 3 nights booked at DL Hotels, they offer a $25 per room/night credit towards the purchase of theme park tix.

[disney_duke]

Disneyland® Half Marathon — GET Travel Sports & Events

[Amy L]

Thanks for posting the link Tanya!! I really need to learn how to do that!!!

[kadterp]

So here is a question for ya. Disneys Magical Express isnt included in fees? I see that GET travel is charging me $27 each. Is that right??

[disney_duke]

That's correct. There is no free transportation to/from the airports in California.
The bus service, Disney whatever-its-called, is kinda pricey. It's a large motor coach that could make many, many stops.

Personally I use super shuttle. Shared van service holds like 7-9 people and likely makes maybe 3 hotel stops. And less expensive too. There's usually a coupon code you can google and that'll save you $3 one way on average.

Example, o/w from John Wayne/orange county airport is $10. Minus the $3 coupon and its only $7! LAX is a little more, I think $15 o/w, then minus $3. Once SW opens their flights, I'll be booking with supershuttle!

[kadterp]

So the bus is more like Mears?? I wonder if DL does anything like Tiffany??

[disney_duke]

Yes it's like a Mears motor coach but decorated on the side w/castle and such. I guess you could say it "looks" like DME but you've gotta pay for it.

I'm not familiar with any town car service, but I'm sure there's something out there! I'm too cheap to do that! A little research and I'm sure you'll find it.

[Amy L]

Just got off the phone with Get Travel. DL Hotel here we come! So excited and relieved to get that out of the way! I got a better price than when I called regular reservations last week, but it certainly was not a big "bargain". Thanks again Tanya for your expert info!!!

Super Shuttle was recommended to me as well when I called last week. He said the advantage is that they meet you when you get in and they make less stops. Is that your experience too Tanya? Love that there may be a coupon too!

Next question? How many park days?

[disney_duke]

I believe they make less stops, yes. But they didn't meet me at LAX. I went outside to their little desk to let them know I was there. But I crashed at an airport hotel that first night (again, free points) since my arrival was at like midnight. So I didn't need to be met in the airport for supershuttle. On my first morning, i was dropped off by the hotel shuttle and then found my way to the supershuttle desk outside.

How many days? When I went in 2010, I got a 4 day hopper. I stayed 4 nights at the Candy Cane Inn. (Plus that 1 nite at the airport, so 5 in total) 4 days was a perfect amount to get everything done that I wanted to without rushing or being exhausted. I hit the parks Thurs - Sun. After all, there are the 2 races to factor in to the fun as well! I'd suggest at least 3 days for first timers. 4 is better though. This time I'm only doing 2 days. Saving $$ this trip! Besides the only thing that's super new to me is Carsland.

[kadterp]

This is our first time out, but due to my son starting Jr year in High School we can only do three days. We are flying out on Thurs and taking a late flight home on Sunday so we can re-coup on Labor Day and everyone goes back to work/school on Tuesday. Id love to stay longer, but that will have to wait three more years when its just Mom and Dad.

I did fine Execucar and it seems like they are like Tiffany for WDW. Ironically they are about four dollars cheaper than what Disney was quoting me online! From Santa Ana to DL hotel its $76.

Amy, how long are you staying for?

[Amy L]

As of right now, we are planning to stay Thursday to Monday. I still haven't booked flights as SW does not have their schedule that far out yet.

Were you able to get a better rate through Get Travel?