On property vs. Off Property

prfctlyximprct

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I apologize if this has been asked before, couldn't find a thread about it!

I have been to WDW numerous times and believe a big part of the experience comes from staying on property. Is this the case with Disneyland?

I know everything is sort of "smooshed" together and you can walk everywhere... but should I still stay on property?

Looking to go to Disneyland sometime next summer, researching and watching numerous YouTube videos.. but thought it would be best to ask the DL veterans. Thank you so much for your input!

:inlove:
 

Figments Friend

Well-Known Member
The short answer is no, especially from the perspective of a WDW Vet.
WDW Vets will expect real benefits for staying 'On Property' to justify the rooming expense but there is no real need to stay in a Disney owned hotel on the West Coast.

Of course it is really your personal preferences and choice as to where to stay, but in my experience the Disney owned hotels in CA, although nice, are insanely expensive and have no real benefits at all.
No 'Magical Express' type service, no stay-on-site advantages.
Even the so called 'Magic Hours' are greatly reduced compared to what a WDW Vet.would be expecting.
I personally don't find the extra cost worth it, exspecially when their are actually nice hotels closer to the Park then the Disney owned ones.

Your mileage may vary, but there is no real advantage to staying 'On Property' at the DLR.
Save all that money and spend it in the Park themselves, and stay is one of the many decent and affordable hotels within immediate walking distance.
I personally enjoy the hotels on Katella Ave for a little breathing room between the Parks and the somewhat chaotic 'touristy' scene that is on Harbor
Blvd.

Having said all that, if staying at a Resort Hotel is a important part of your overall vacation experience, and you can afford the expense, then go ahead and stay at either the Grand Californian or the Disneyland Hotel.
A WDW Vet will find the GC similar in some ways to The Grand Floridian crossed with design elects from Wilderness Lodge in a compact, streamlined package.
The DLH will feel much like any high rise hotel in the DTD / DS area, with a few unique themed elements.

Hope this helps you out!

:)

-
 
Last edited:

prfctlyximprct

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
The short answer is no, especially from the perspective of a WDW Vet.
WDW Vets will expect real benefits for staying 'On Property' to justify the rooming expense but there is no real need to stay in a Disney owned hotel on the West Coast.

Of course it is really your personal preferences and choice as to where to stay, but in my experience the Disney owned hotels in CA, although nice, are insanely expensive and have no real benefits at all.
No 'Magical Express' type service, no stay-on-site advantages.
Even the so called 'Magic Hours' are greatly reduced compared to what a WDW Vet.would be expecting.
I personally don't find the extra cost worth it, exspecially when their are actually nice hotels closer to the Park then the Disney owned ones.

Your mileage may vary, but there is no real advantage to staying 'On Property' at the DLR.
Save all that money and spend it in the Park themselves, and stay is one of the many decent and affordable hotels within immediate walking distance.
I personally enjoy the hotels on Katella Ave for a little breathing room between the Parks and the somewhat chaotic 'touristy' scene that is on Harbor
Blvd.

Having said all that, if staying at a Resort Hotel is a important part of your overall vacation experience, and you can afford the expense, then go ahead and stay at either the Grand Californian or the Disneyland Hotel.
A WDW Vet will find the GC similar in some ways to The Grand Floridian crossed with design elects from Wilderness Lodge in a compact, streamlined package.
The DLH will feel much like any high rise hotel in the DTD / DS area, with a few unique themed elements.

Hope this helps you out!

:)

-


Thank you so much for your detailed response! I've been looking at the Disneyland hotel simply because of the history it contains.. I'm used to being immersed in my Disney bubble, just didn't know if staying "off-property" would detract from the overall experience. I want my first time at Disneyland to be as magical as possible! :)
 

Disneysea05

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
Yes
I just like my "immersion" into that Disney bubble. I am a spoiled little Disney princess aren't I?

No, I completely understand. Believe me, I do.

If the immersion is that important to you, go for it! It's your first trip after all!

However, adjust your expectations for the immersion at DLR. While Disneyland Park (and most of California Adventure Park) feels worlds away from the urban area it is in, certain other areas of the resort still have views of surrounding Anaheim creeping in.

Grand Californian Downtown Disney View or Theme Park View (request Grizzly Peak view) are my favorite cause you just wouldn't believe you were in the middle of Anaheim.
 

Californian Elitist

Well-Known Member
I personally would not up the cash for the standard rooms at any of the three onsite hotels at the DLR. Paying for one of the Signature Suites, however, is something different and something I'd consider because of the extras one receives. Other than that, I'd save my hundreds of dollars and stay offsite.

Since you're into the whole "bubble" experience, maybe one of the onsite hotels is for you.
 

George Lucas on a Bench

Well-Known Member
You can't beat the location of the Grand Californian. However, a 5-10 minute walk down the street from Disney is also incredibly convenient and cheaper.

From what I've been told, the rooms at the Disneyland Hotel are nice. The rooms at the Grand Californian are not. The extra magic hour AKA early entry is not a very great perk. Really, you're paying to be extra close to the parks as opposed to pretty close, and to be on Disney property, as opposed to right next to Disney property.
 

ajrwdwgirl

Premium Member
For the price of the Disney hotel, I personally can't justify the cost. I am staying for 4 nights in December at one of the Best Western's for the cost of a ONE night at the DL hotel or Grand Californian. I love staying on property at WDW but I would rather save money and put it into something else. Also I don't spend that much time at my hotel while at DL anyway.
 

HouCuseChickie

Well-Known Member
I don't know if this helps, but while we always stay onsite at WDW, we are going with a Good Neighbor hotel for our upcoming California trip. Now, I had been considering the Disneyland Hotel, but we're going at Christmas and there is a significant price difference between the packages. Between Disney forum/group people and California friends, everyone said that there's no real advantage to going with one of the 3 Disney hotels on Disney property. Mind you, we are combining this with a ski trip and those prices make Disney look downright affordable + that factored into some decisions, but when it came to budgeting...paying the upcharge to stay slopeside won out as the better use of $ over staying at the Disneyland Hotel. So, we'll be staying at the HoJo, which has been a popular choice with a number of forum members and friends. I guess a lot also depends on if you're just going to Disneyland. We only went once before and found that unlike a trip to the FL parks, Disneyland only made up a portion of our time in CA...so budgeting considerations always include things beyond Disney.
 

ForeverAnna

Well-Known Member
I'm saving the on site hotels for my honeymoon. And you can still be pretty immersed in the magic staying off site. So your room won't have a Disney theme but if you're like me it will be full of Disney stuff before you leave.

If you choose not to stay in a Disney hotel, be sure to visit them anyway. One of my favorite ways to take a break from the parks in the afternoon is to grab an ice cream at the Haagen Daas in DTD and enjoy in the lobby of Grand Californian. Great people watching there and the piano is always playing. If the live pianist isn't there it's on player mode. And they have Mickey cartoons playing for the kids.
 

sheriffwoody

Well-Known Member
No insight here because I always stay with family and drive over, but if you go next summer, I hope our trips line up!! We're looking at mid-June most likely. Looks like you have a little of both sides here to think about :)
 

Fox&Hound

Well-Known Member
With WDW, you can't beat staying on property and taking the transportation everywhere. When my wife and visited Disneyland, both times we stayed at the Best Western across the street (Boardwalk Inn?) and it was awesome! You literally walk out the door, across the street, and you are at the main gates of Disneyland. And remember, they have a central "court yard" if you will and to the left is California Adventure, to the right Disneyland, and straight ahead, their version of Downtown Disney (not as impressive). You really can't beat the savings by staying off property. If I had the money, I would consider the Grand Californian for the view of World of Color, but I'm not sure I could justify the money. To me, staying right across the street is just as nice.
 

PrincessJenn5795

Active Member
My family always stays on property, usually at GCH. We just like being right there, and able to go right to the gates or Downtown Disney. We are going in a couple of weeks and will be staying at the Disneyland Hotel. I love the rooms (especially the headboards) and the pool area and Trader Sam's. To me, a little of the magic goes away when I leave the property.
 

Phroobar

Well-Known Member
If you do stay at the GCH, do not get a room that faces DTD. You can hear the music and crowd noise until 1 or 2 in the morning. Get the more expensive DCA view side.

If you choose PP hotel, get the DCA facing side but be aware of the constant light in your room. You do get to watch World of Color from your room though. The other side of PP will be facing a parking lot and really ugly Anaheim.

If you choose the Disneyland hotel, get as high up as possible in the Adventure tower or Fantasy tower and make sure it faces Disneyland. It's a great place to watch the fireworks.
 

UofMGuy423

Well-Known Member
GCH fans here, we'll be staying there the first week of January. We stayed off site during our last trip and,as WDW vets, we missed the immersion of being at a Disney hotel and right on property.
 

Axoman

Active Member
We've stayed at both the Grand Californian and Disneyland Hotel. I preferred the room in the DL Hotel, but the location of GCH can't be beat.

I think the next time we go, we'll give an offsite hotel a chance.
 

Nextinline

Well-Known Member
Have you been to Disneyland before? If not, the shock you'll likely experience when you realize how different DLR is from WDW would be dampened by staying on property. You can save a TON of money and actually stay closer to the gates by staying in an off property hotel/motel, but I far and away prefer staying at the Grand Californian or Disneyland Hotel. You'll maintain the "Disney immersion" by never having to leave the parks, DTD, & your resort.

If you're the kind of person that buys into the Disney magic, I'd very highly recommend staying on property.
 

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