Where to Stay not in Disneyland

[Magic Smiles]

I was thinking about staying 3 or 4 nights in Disneyland and then another 3 or 4 nights off-site. Where would you recommend?

[NotaGeek]

There are several threads going now with recommendations for off site hotels. Try looking for hotels on Harbor ... they are right across from the main entrance to the DLR and some are about 5 minutes to the gates.

My top 3 favorite:

1. Best Western Park Place Inn
2. Ramada Inn Maingate
3. Fairfield by Marriott

[scoot241]

The Howard Johnson on Harbor was a decent hotel.

I would suggest staying offsite for the first portion of your trip if you plan to do this. You won't want to move down to the offsite hotels once you're in any of the DLR hotels.

[Magic Smiles]

I would suggest staying offsite for the first portion of your trip if you plan to do this. You won't want to move down to the offsite hotels once you're in any of the DLR hotels.

Why would that be? I am looking at the Disneyland Hotel for part of the stay. Is there a big difference from staying on-site and off-site in Disneyland? We have only ever stayed on-site when in WDW, always at the Port Orleans French Quarter.
We will be driving to Disney from Las Vegas and then flying home from LAX.

[NotaGeek]

Most of the properties around the resort are Motels ... so they are MUCH different than the Resort Hotels. I would also say try for staying on property at the end ...

If you don't mind being a bit further there's a really nice Marriott by the convention center that I have stayed at before... it's great and has a Starbucks! It's a drive ... or you can use the Anaheim area resort shuttle

[mook3y]

I have to agree, big difference between resort hotels and the motels in the area. But... if you are spending all day at the park and just need a place to sleep and shower, then I recommend the carousel inn. It is literally across the street from Disneyland, has a free continental breakfast in a room with a great view of the parks. Its a fun way to start they day for a fraction of staying at the DLR resort.

For us personally, I would take Carousel Inn over paradise pier.

[Magic Smiles]

We want to do 3 or 4 days in Disneyland and also go to Universal and Sea World and maybe something else depending on time. Really have no idea. A day to the ocean would also be nice. Normally when in WDW we stay on-site the whole trip but still do all the other places around, but the Disneyland Hotels are so much more expensive.
Originally planning 1 week in Las Vegas (a day for the Grand Canyon) and 1 week around Disneyland..........might have to re-think the plan, as the more I think about the ocean, the more I like the idea. If airfare wasn't so expensive for us, we would do 2 separate trips.

I NEED A MAP! Will have to pick one up tomorrow.

[badkitty]

I agree with staying off-site first and then move to the Disney hotels. You won't want to spend very much time in your motel room unless you are at the Marriott. The non-Disney motel situation around DLR was one of Walt's biggest regrets and one of the reasons why he bought up so much land around WDW.

I have stayed at all of the off-site locations listed previous and agree these are the better choices. Beware some of the lower priced options. We stayed at one that we didn't research very well (I can't remember but it was behind either the Denny's or the IHop- I will have to ask my sister) and it was scary. I didn't want to take my shoes off! LOL! We still laugh about that.

[Tinkerbellaella]

We have also stayed and the Fairfield by Marriot which was nice, and right across the street from the main gate.

Another one of our favorites is the Candy Cane Inn. The rooms seem to be a bit smaller but they are very clean, and it also includes an expanded continental breakfast. It is a reasonable walk to the gate, or you can take their shuttle for free.

I also agree, stay off site first then move to the DLR hotel. I would recommend either the Disneyland Hotel or the Grand Californian as the Pier seems to be a Holiday in with Disney decoration added.

[Magic Smiles]

I can just see which way this thread is going....we will probably end up broke, but in a Disney Resort for the whole week. I really need to get a map and found out where the other attractions that we want to visit are.
Thanks for everyones input. I was thinking that all the surrounding hotel would be great like in Orlando.

[scoot241]

I can just see which way this thread is going....we will probably end up broke, but in a Disney Resort for the whole week. I really need to get a map and found out where the other attractions that we want to visit are.
Thanks for everyones input. I was thinking that all the surrounding hotel would be great like in Orlando.

We stayed at the Howard Johnson the entire week we were in California. It was a normal Howard Johnson; nothing special, just a clean room. My comment was simply saying that you would probably want to move up to the nicer DLR accommodations instead of down to the Howard Johnson (or similar).

We bought the Southern California CityPass when we went. It included 1-day tickets to Sea World, Universal, and a choice of the San Diego Zoo or San Diego Wild Animal Park. It also included a 3-day Park Hopper at DLR. We drove down to San Diego for a day and did both the zoo and Sea World, then spent most of a day going to Universal and Los Angeles, and spent the next 3 days at DLR.

The Howard Johnson is about a 5 minute walk away from the entrance to DLR on Harbor. It was nice to be able to walk to Downtown Disney when we felt like it. We took the Anaheim Resort shuttle once because we paid for the passes, but we didn't really need them.

[mook3y]

Just some food for thought, I grew up in San Dimas California and there are a couple of nice hotels in the area (red roof inn for sure) It is a very nice and safe area and is about 30 minutes from Disneyland, 35-40 from Knotts, an hour from Magic Mountain, 40 minutes from Universal Studios. Not sure what other site seeing you want to do, but it is a pretty central spot.

That said, for more $ closer to the beach is always nicer.

Also, check out the last minute hotel reservation website, PM me if you not sure who i am talking about. You can pretty much figure out what hotel your going to get based by the ammenities and rating and you can save a lot of $. (this wont work for disneyland resort though).

Just some more options!

Enjoy!

[Melanie]

I would recommend either the Disneyland Hotel or the Grand Californian as the Pier seems to be a Holiday in with Disney decoration added.

I personally don't agree with your assessment of Paradise Pier at all. Much better than any Holiday Inn I've ever stayed at. I put it on par with any other Disney resort I've stayed at, certainly much nicer than the values at WDW.

As for off-site at Disneyland, I've stayed at both the Fairfield and the Best Western Park Place. Both very clean, convenient and good price.

[Magic Smiles]

I know that with the 3 day or more hopper pass that you get 1 early admisison, but if you stay in a Disneyland Hotel, do you get early admission to a park every day? That for me would be the deciding factor I guess now after reading the comments.

[bobpfef]

I know that with the 3 day or more hopper pass that you get 1 early admisison, but if you stay in a Disneyland Hotel, do you get early admission to a park every day? That for me would be the deciding factor I guess now after reading the comments.

No, early admission is on, I believe, Tues, Thrus, Sat and Sun

[NotaGeek]

I know that with the 3 day or more hopper pass that you get 1 early admisison, but if you stay in a Disneyland Hotel, do you get early admission to a park every day? That for me would be the deciding factor I guess now after reading the comments.

You get early admission on any day it's offered.

[Marilyn Michetti]

We've stayed at Candy Cane, and will be again in April. It's not HC accessible on the bus, so I ride over, and DH takes the shuttle. (he's getting old too).

Candy Cane has a nice breakfast, the rooms are adorable, and it's almost as close as Fairfield Marriott.

[mjm12000]

My last trip we stayed at the Camelot Inn right across the street from DL, we had a king size room with a view of the park. The room was your typical motel type room, nothing fancy but not gross either and with a great view and being right across the street with a view into the park you can't complain. I would stay there again or in any of the hotels along Harbour as they are all about the same price and style room and are as close if not closer than two of the Disney Hotels to DL and California Adventure.

[gwfx1031]

I also vote for Cany Cane Inn. It is so clean, close, has a nice pool, and a decent breakfast.

[Magic Smiles]

I am currently looking at 3 hotels, Sheraton Park Hotel, Sheraton Anaheim Hotel and the Ramada Plaza Hotel Anaheim-South.
Any opinions on these three? As we won't be going to Disneyland on the days that we are in this hotel, it doesn't have to be within walking distance of Disney. We have decided to stay at the Disneyland Hotel for our time in Disney.
Ramada has free parking which is a bonus. Not sure about the other 2.