Advice on hotel for 1st timer

[jensenrick]

I've been going to WDW since I was 6, and I have a opportunity to go to So Cal for the first time this November for a conference, so I thought I'd take some extra days and go exploring Cali. Of course I want to take a day or two to see Disneyland, but I'm very surprised to find it's hard to find an inexpensive hotel nearby- since I'd always heard they were plentiful and made for easy walking distance.

From what I gather here on the boards, Tues and Wed are best, so I'm figuring 11/19 & 11/20 of my week. The only hotel I'm seeing under $100 for those dates in walking distance is the Anaheim Portofino Inn. Has anyone stayed there and can recommend it? Or am I better off staying a little farther out, and driving? I'm pretty sure I'll have a rental car, since the conference is in Burbank.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

It seems like any non Disney hotel is a steal compared to the prices for the disney hotels. I recently stayed at the Best Western Anaheim Inn and it wasn't much over $100 and took less than 5 minutes to reach the turnstiles. I personally wouldn't want to drive back and forth, it wastes time and I hate traffic. If your budget can handle it I would just stay a couple of nights near Disneyland.

 

[Californian Elitist]

If nothing else is available, I'd hurry and book the Anaheim Portofino Inn. I haven't stayed there before but I have yet to hear anything negative about that hotel. It's cheap, I would book a room now.

 

[jensenrick]

Thank you for the note. I looked at Best Western, and it was 109 (as were several of the other motels right next door). I expanded my budget accordingly, and decided to splurge a little more and got the Fairfield Inn by Marriot for $129. I figure if I'm gonna go over !00, I'll add the extra 20 and get something better than a motel. LOL

 

[Californian Elitist]

Thank you for the note. I looked at Best Western, and it was 109 (as were several of the other motels right next door). I expanded my budget accordingly, and decided to splurge a little more and got the Fairfield Inn by Marriot for $129. I figure if I'm gonna go over !00, I'll add the extra 20 and get something better than a motel. LOL

Good for you! And the best part is, that's still a cheap price, especially when compared to the absurd onsite hotel prices.

 

[jensenrick]

Thank you. Yeah, not a bad price for a Fairfield, which I've had good experiences with.

Any other advice for a newbie? One thing that springs to my mind right now- is it possible to get fastpasses for both Rad Springs Racers and World of Color on the same morning?

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Thank you. Yeah, not a bad price for a Fairfield, which I've had good experiences with.

Any other advice for a newbie? One thing that springs to my mind right now- is it possible to get fastpasses for both Rad Springs Racers and World of Color on the same morning?

Especially during the week, demand for WoC FP shouldn't be too bad. If you're by yourself, single rider for Racers might be just as good as FP. In that case, you could grab your WoC FP first thing and then start your day without that line for the Racers FP. WoC always and Racers usually lets you get another FP without waiting, so you could do something like get Racers FP, WoC FP and then Soarin FP all in a row in the morning.

BTW, I checked the Desert Inn and you can get it for $99. I've never been, but other members here give it good reviews. The resort fee/parking/free breakfast/wi-fi (if you need it) situation can really make a difference with the hotel prices, so you have to crunch the numbers. Wikimapia is my favorite tool for finding every nook and cranny around DLR. You can see exactly which hotel is where and not all of them will show up on your standard booking site.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Read up before you go. Get the official and unofficial guidebooks. The official one will help you to know the parks while the unofficial one will help you plan. Also make sure you study the maps. The layout of DLP is different than MK (for example, Pirates is next to HM is next to Splash).

For RSR, I recommend the singles line. The wait is usually around 20 minutes. And make sure you see World of Color and the fireworks at DLP. You can see Fantasmic if you want to, but put World of Color and the fireworks at the top of your list since you only have two days. Fantasmic is similar to the WDW version (not identical) and can be hard to find a spot to watch it from.

 

[lego606]

the Hollywood Tower Hotel always has unoccupied rooms, but I hear the elevators never work.

 

[Cosmic Commando]

the Hollywood Tower Hotel always has unoccupied rooms, but I hear the elevators never work.

NO THANKS! Do you know how long I was standing at the front desk in the lobby before someone came to check me in?!?!

 

[Californian Elitist]

the Hollywood Tower Hotel always has unoccupied rooms, but I hear the elevators never work.

No, you're thinking of the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego, where people die to stay there.

 

[007mickey]

No, you're thinking of the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego, where people die to stay there.

Something about Del Coronado seems familiar to me...could it be the Grand Floridian?

P1070164 by ncaabwj, on Flickr

 

[Californian Elitist]

Something about Del Coronado seems familiar to me...could it be the Grand Floridian?

P1070164 by ncaabwj, on Flickr

Yes, the Grand Floridian is based off the Del.

 

[tare]

Best western park place. Cross walk to disney us right in front if hotel and we got a suite for under $100

 

[croboy82]

If you are two one of you could stand in line for RSR at the begining while the other goes with both tickets to get fast passes for WOC and returns to you just in time for you to get the fast passes with RSR. Just an idea.

 

[jensenrick]

Especially during the week, demand for WoC FP shouldn't be too bad. If you're by yourself, single rider for Racers might be just as good as FP. In that case, you could grab your WoC FP first thing and then start your day without that line for the Racers FP. WoC always and Racers usually lets you get another FP without waiting, so you could do something like get Racers FP, WoC FP and then Soarin FP all in a row in the morning.

BTW, I checked the Desert Inn and you can get it for $99. I've never been, but other members here give it good reviews. The resort fee/parking/free breakfast/wi-fi (if you need it) situation can really make a difference with the hotel prices, so you have to crunch the numbers. Wikimapia is my favorite tool for finding every nook and cranny around DLR. You can see exactly which hotel is where and not all of them will show up on your standard booking site.

An excellent idea- thank you very much. WoC and RSR are definitely on my must-see list. What other attractions have a single rider line?

As for Soaring, I was thinking I'd skip it- as we have that here in Orlando. I want things that aren't in WDW, or are at least different enough to make it worth it- like for instance I'll definitely check out Pirates and Small World, but I'll skip Jungle Cruise, Peter Pan, Space Ranger spin, Tough to be a Bug, Mr. Toad (especially that one). I hear Space Mountian is different enough to warrant a ride- is that right? What about BTMR?

Thanks for the wikimapia link.

 

[jensenrick]

For RSR, I recommend the singles line. The wait is usually around 20 minutes. And make sure you see World of Color and the fireworks at DLP. You can see Fantasmic if you want to, but put World of Color and the fireworks at the top of your list since you only have two days. Fantasmic is similar to the WDW version (not identical) and can be hard to find a spot to watch it from.

If DL's Fantasmic is anything like WDW's- I won't mind skipping it. Although a lot of my problem with the WDW version is the venue.

 

[jensenrick]

If you are two one of you could stand in line for RSR at the begining while the other goes with both tickets to get fast passes for WOC and returns to you just in time for you to get the fast passes with RSR. Just an idea.

Unfortunately my roommate for the conference doesn't plan to see Disneyland, so I'm on my own.

 

[Californian Elitist]

An excellent idea- thank you very much. WoC and RSR are definitely on my must-see list. What other attractions have a single rider line?

As for Soaring, I was thinking I'd skip it- as we have that here in Orlando. I want things that aren't in WDW, or are at least different enough to make it worth it- like for instance I'll definitely check out Pirates and Small World, but I'll skip Jungle Cruise, Peter Pan, Space Ranger spin, Tough to be a Bug, Mr. Toad (especially that one). I hear Space Mountian is different enough to warrant a ride- is that right? What about BTMR?

Thanks for the wikimapia link.

Thunder has been closed since January, and will remain closed until late October/early November. You don't have to worry about that one. Astro Blasters (Buzz) let's you pick up the gun and the wait times are never that long. I hear the targets don't light up when you hit them and the guns don't vibrate in Florida. I'd check out Astro Blasters if the wait time is bearable. Toad is a classic and since its not in Florida, I would recommend it, as well as the other four Fantasyland dark rides that aren't in MK. Space is different, yes, and I wouldn't recommend skipping Fantasmic!, either.

 

[jensenrick]

re: BTMR, well I'll be there late November, so maybe I'll get lucky.
You have changed my mind about Astro Blasters, I'll probably do that one. I'll definitely like to see the unique things in Fantasland, however, I hate Mr. Toad's ride with a passion, so you couldn't pay me to ride it.
As far as Fantasmic or Fireworks- I guess it will depend on what is happening when midweek in November.