My first post, hey everyone..
If you go out of season iat DLP it can be cold, distance and time to walk become a factor. We visited March 2004 and everything weather wise was thrown at us.
Here are my two penies worth....
Disneyland Hotel is on the park entrance and is very grand, you most definitely pay for this though.
The next three hotels span the lake. (You can get the bus from all but the Disneyland Hotel buts thats lazy ;-) )
Newport Bay and Hotel New York are on the left and right facing the park entrance, equal distance and about 5 minutes walk via the Disney Village. I have not stayed at these but others have helped on them.
At the far end of the lake is the Sequoia Lodge, great theme to this hotel, plenty of wood decking and trees about. We stayed there in March and loved it. This is 10 minutes walk approx from the park. Rooms are good and spacious with two double beds (good for toddlers) There is afaik three seperate buildings, try to get the main building if you can (Montana Room i think), helps not to have to run through the cold for breakfast.
Next is the Cheyenne, the cowboy town, Stayed there before the kids were around, again liked this but now you really have to start having to get the bus in the March weather, otherwise i think the walk is nearing 20 mins with the distraction of kids. They have loads of small buildings with i think with a couple of rooms or so per block (correct me if i am wrong, it was some time ago)
Finally the Santa Fe, I liken the look of this hotel to the look of (and i aint having a go at any people who live in them, dont get me wrong) in the UK to a council estate (Projects in the USA??) I cant lose that image from my mind and couldnt bring myself to stay there. It is obviously mexican themed and is the same sort of distance from the park.
Hope this helps a little