Is Disneyland Hotel worth it?

[ld2]

I grew up in Southern California, with Disneyland a short (although 30 minutes seemed like forever back then) drive away so we never had to worry about staying in a hotel when we visited the park. I've lived up in Portland for the last 30 years and our family is heading down right before Christmas. We've made the trip twice before and stayed off-site. Both times the hotels were fine, but we're contemplating staying at the Disneyland Hotel this time around. I thought I'd check with the experts: Is the extra cost worth it? Thanks for any help you can offer.

[PirateMickey]

To us it is.

But with the AP deals, it's only a little more than the off-site props. (though they have been a little tight with the discounts lately)

We prefer to be on-site due to the Monorail access, the Neverland Pool, the great restaurants, the tiggerific service by the CM's and of course, the atmosphere.

Request a room in the Sierra Tower overlooking DTD. It adds to the "experience".

FYI-The Monorail service might be down for refurb after Labor Day. (I haven't been following the posts about it, so you might want to check into that, if it's an issue)

Enjoy!

[Druggas]

Stay there at least once in your life.

[ghoofie]

I have been a LOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNG time visitor of Disneyland. We had NEVER stayed at a Disney hotel until last year (Ssssh,
don't tell the Candy Cane mgmt I was in town ONCE and didn't stay there,
I might lose my perks. he he). We would always say, something like, "Next visit we are gonna stay at DLH.". Well, with AP night rates and a bunch of Disney reward dollars we finally did. I have to say, honestly, no it isn't worth the higher cost...at least it wasn't for us. HOWEVER, having said that...I agree with the other post...everyone should do it at least once. In fact, I am currently saving reward dollars to stay at the Grand California sometime.

I certainly don't knock the people who regularly stay at the Disney resort hotels. It just doesn't make much difference for me and my family.

But again.....do it at least once and decide for yourself.

[Sweetie]

I have stayed there and at Paradise Pier. I love staying on site, but I preferred the Paradise Pier. The rooms were nicer (seemed bigger) and much cheaper.

[JulieNMM]

If I could afford it, I would stay there in a heartbeat! But they're not having any discounts when I'm going so it would be $350 a night vs $89 a night at a hotel right across the street that is almost as close, if not closer! So we will stay offsite. If you can afford it, I say definitely stay in the DLH -- it has great atmosphere!

JULIE

[Micoofy Duck]

I had originally booked my hotel room for DH but then transferred to Paradise Pier Hotel for the DCA view and THEN transferred to Disney's Grand Californian Hotel because if I"m going to Disneyland once in a few years... might as well be at the best darn hotel on property.

Hopefully you'll graduate as I did.

[Bruce Bergman]

Disclaimer: We're close enough to drive home, it's only in the last few years we've gotten a room nearby on 7/4 or NYE to delay the drive till the morning.

That said, the DL Resort Hotels are just a hotel room - with walls, beds, bathrooms, windows, etc. just like any other. And you'll spend the majority of your time in the room asleep just like any other hotel room in the world. And the Disneyland Hotel is really showing it's age if you get picky about it.

The service and the atmosphere at the DLR Hotels are supposed to make the difference - but IMNSHO these intangibles aren't worth anywhere near what they ask if you are paying full 'rack rate' price for the rooms. Some of the rooms at the Grand Californian really are spectacular, but they're also over a grand a night...

If you can't get a heavily discounted room through AP or other programs, I'd stay elsewhere nearby and put the significant sum of money you save toward the rest of your vacation.

--<< Bruce >>--

[DOOM BGI]

Staying at a Disneyland Resort Hotel is definitely worth it. I live in L.A. and I've stayed at the Grand Calfornian several times. It's not like you need to do it every weekend, but if you're making a special trip to DLR from another state... it's a no brainer. Go for it!!

[Athlonacon]

In the Marina days (1960's to 1990's)...yes

In the current period of overly commercial pixie dust and sourcerer hats...no

[Mathius]

I grew up in Southern California, with Disneyland a short (although 30 minutes seemed like forever back then) drive away so we never had to worry about staying in a hotel when we visited the park. I've lived up in Portland for the last 30 years and our family is heading down right before Christmas. We've made the trip twice before and stayed off-site. Both times the hotels were fine, but we're contemplating staying at the Disneyland Hotel this time around. I thought I'd check with the experts: Is the extra cost worth it? Thanks for any help you can offer.

Is it worth it? Not by a long shot.
Is it expensive? Very.
Will you enjoy it? Probably.

300.00 a night for a 3 star with a small room doesn't cut it for me.

[Candlegal]

If you plan on spending time in your room in the afternoons and have kids (the Neverland Pool) plus the waterfalls and stuff. It does add to the Disney experience. You should do it at least once, it does add some magic.

[aliasdisney]

We are staying there in November. You can get a 4th night free, the Mickey's Toontown Morning Madness early admission, a free Character Breakfast at Goofy's Kitchen or any other Character Dining place and a $20 gift card through Costco Travel online. With the the cost of the Character Breakfast thrown in, which we were planning on doing anyway, it makes it cheaper than staying at the Best Western across the street and it has a much nicer pool.

[Darkbeer]

I am in the camp of not worth it, unless you can find a really good rate, such as the AP rates that run under $100 a night.

3 star hotels can be gotten for between $50 to $100 on Hotwire and Priceline. Much nicer rooms, though having a car is usually a good idea when you bid on these type of rooms.

If you don't want to worry about a car, the hotel on Harbor Blvd can be gotton for $100 or less, a lot of folks love HoJo's and Candy Cane Inn, and the walk is about the same as if you stayed at the Disneyland or Paradise Pier Hotels.

What do I want in a hotel room, decent sized, access to high speed internet, nice grounds, and a hot shower. Nothing fancy, I would rather spend the extra money on a nice meal than on a hotel room.

So I would stay off-property.

[BoygunaSurf]

The Disneyland Hotel offers many ammenities not found in the surrounding "good-neighbor" hotels. Here are a few of the differences I found to be quite refreshing while visiting the DLH:

-The ability to avoid the Hong Kong Chinese extravaganza that takes place by the trams to other hotels. Does anybody actually order this food?
-The pillows at DLH are so big that they can double as a mate if you are on holiday by yourself.
-In the shower, there is a knob for cold, a knob for hot, and in the suites, a knob for chocolate pudding! Yumm!
-DLH offers a wake-up call from a Disney character of your choosing, where as the other hotels give out your room phone number to street people and you are greeted at 3am by toothless wonders such as Rufus the Rump.
-DLH won't steal your credit card number and make off to vegas with your suit case and favorite stuffed animal like the other hotels have been known to do.

...And finally, the biggest advantage to staying in the Disneyland Hotel is the fact that at no time will you return to your room from a wonderful day at the park to ask yourself, "why is this midget taking a nap in my bathtub?"