New to Forum and Going to DisneyLand for 1st time

[GlennGlenn]

Hi everyone, I am new to forum and need some advice. I have been to Disney World many times over the past almost 30 years its been open. Now, for the first time, I am going to Disneyland and need some advice as to where to stay on premises that has parking. Traveling with 2 adults and 2 kids and would like to be either on premises or really really close (like across the street). Will also need to rent a ca while in Calif. Any advicebor directions to agents who handle this would be appreciated. Looking for advice on where to stay, restaurants to go to and best value for a 4 day stay (prefer a two day park hopper as we want to drive around and also see the LA area)

Glenn

[Meville]

Welcome Glenn!

Our family has always enjoyed the Howard Johnson on Harbor blvd. It is comfortable, close to the park (closer than the Disneyland Hotel) and has free parking.

As for Car Rental I always suggest going to hotwire.com as it provides the best deal. depending on what airport your flying into it maybe worth while to just pick up a car from there.

[chechire cat]

Well Glenn.....

I've always stayed at the carousel inn& suites
the rooms are nice and you can go to the swimming pool and watch the fireworks. they do have a complementary breakfast (although i do recommend buying yogurt and the little boxes of cereal)


The Carousel Is a three minute walk to Disneyland and has parking

Hope This Helped!

[RegionsBeyond]

Welcome to MiceChat!

Hotelwise, my recommendation would be the Candy Cane Inn, which is on the same side of the street as the resort and roughly behind California Adventure. It's got a large parking lot, rather more quiet, good free/included breakfast daily, and a shuttle to the park every 15 minutes or half hour..forget which, as well as shuttle service back. Not fancy, but overall relaxing and the shuttle makes up for the walk (still not far, about a city block and you're there.)

[sbk1234]

There are a lot of good hotels right across the street. I've found the Disney hotels are great, but expensive. My favorite hotel across the street is the Camelot Inn. It looks like this:



This was close enough that I could walk there from Rivers of America with my sleeping daughter on my shoulders. And I'm not a big guy.

[CMHusband]

All of the places mentioned here are pretty nice. The Howard Johnsons (or called HOJO on this forum) seems to be one of the more popular places. Most have a shuttle service if you don't want to walk to the park. As you can see by the posting here everyone has their favorite but you can't go wrong with any of these suggestions.

[Meville]

As far as dinning and food, there is options for all tastes with in walking distance of the park, that is, if you don't want to eat there. I'd start at either Down Town Disney and if nothing suits your taste buds there, look across on the east side of the park to the Garden Walk. I almost think there is to many choices...lol.

And if you are on a budget, there is always McDonald's on Harbor. Probably the 2nd busiest Mcdonald's Location in North America, next to Times Square. Look for a 15% off coupon in the pamphlet section of any surrounding hotel... every little bit helps!

[Broadway Guru]

Good news: Unlike WDW, DL rests on a small parcel of land, surrounded by local hotels and motels. You'll have no problem leaving your car at your hotel and walking or riding the bus to DL.

Bad news: Unlike WDW, these hotels are individually operated. There are some chains and some mom and pop joints. Some are new; some are only a few years younger than DL itself! They vary widely in price and quality.

We Micechatters can give you our favorites, but to help you pick the right hotel for your needs, you need to prioritize things like budget per night, amenities, and proximity to the park. You've indicated this last is a priority for you, so to give you an example, there are hotels right across the street, all next to each other, which go from anywhere from $75/night to $150/night. Some also charge for parking. What type of hotels do you usually stay at when you go other places?

Here are some other useful links to help answer your questions:

MouseSavers.com - Disney Discount Source - Disney World Discounts, Disneyland Discounts, Disney Cruise Discounts

Anaheim/Orange County Visitor Coupons | Anaheim/Orange County - Visitor Information

[John K]

Hi everyone, I am new to forum and need some advice. I have been to Disney World many times over the past almost 30 years its been open. Now, for the first time, I am going to Disneyland and need some advice as to where to stay on premises that has parking. Traveling with 2 adults and 2 kids and would like to be either on premises or really really close (like across the street). Will also need to rent a ca while in Calif. Any advicebor directions to agents who handle this would be appreciated. Looking for advice on where to stay, restaurants to go to and best value for a 4 day stay (prefer a two day park hopper as we want to drive around and also see the LA area)

Glenn

Welcome to MiceChat!

All of the Disney hotels have parking, however it's like $20 per day. All of the hotel options listed here are sound, and the fact that the HoJo has free parking in my opinion would make it a no brainer.

For car rental I use Avis normally, and Hertz. They are a bit pricier than say Enterprise, but the cars are clean. All car rental agencies usually have AMEX, AAA, or some other form of discount.

Food. . . Ah one of my favorite topics! Lots of good eats in So. Cal. In Downtown Disney my favorite is Naples, Awesome pie! Disneyland would be Plaza Inn for the fried Chicken Dinner, DCA would be Wine Country Trattoria, or alternatively the food court area (Asian/Mexican/California style foods). Although the new local over by Paradise Pier is pretty good too. Also try Steakhouse 55 (even for breakfast!) in the Disneyland Hotel, Napa Rose in the Grand California, and Storyteller's cafe. Since you will have a car, there are other options near by that you will love, it depends on your budget and dietary needs.

Hope this helps some! Have a great visit.

[Jewel Gilreath]

If you can afford a room with a little kitchen suite - that would be the way to go.. you can hit the grocery stores and cook breakfast and lunch etc.. get a rental car with GPS - it can get really confusing down there. the main drag is Harbor but the cross streets are Katella, Ball and Chapman...
If your children need strollers - City Stroller Rentals is great - clean etc..
There is The Anaheim Gardenwalk which has many eateries too.
The Best Westerns have somewhat secure parking, the Embassy Suites, Sheraton and the like have free parking