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Need advise on two Disneyland resorts
- Thread starter pj4963
- Start date
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
I’ve never stayed at the Grand, but I don’t think it’s worth the extra money. Neither hotels are, but if you’re going to stay in one, it depends on what you want. The Grand is closer to the parks than the DL Hotel.
What are you looking for?
What are you looking for?
DrAlice
Well-Known Member
All 3 Disneyland Hotels are ridiculously overpriced. Seriously.
Grand Cal is closest. It's got a beautiful lobby with a giant fireplace and has a fancy spa.
Disneyland Hotel has the best pools with water slides. It also has a cool retro vibe and fun eateries (Goofy's Kitchen, Trader Sam's, etc.)
Paradise Pier is seriously dated (the 90s called, they want their interior design back), but has a rooftop pool with water slides. It's the cheapest of the three, but furthest away.
Truth in advertising: I've never stayed at any of them because they aren't worth the price to me. However, if I were to shell out the price for one of these, I would choose the DL Hotel for the pools and retro vibe.
Grand Cal is closest. It's got a beautiful lobby with a giant fireplace and has a fancy spa.
Disneyland Hotel has the best pools with water slides. It also has a cool retro vibe and fun eateries (Goofy's Kitchen, Trader Sam's, etc.)
Paradise Pier is seriously dated (the 90s called, they want their interior design back), but has a rooftop pool with water slides. It's the cheapest of the three, but furthest away.
Truth in advertising: I've never stayed at any of them because they aren't worth the price to me. However, if I were to shell out the price for one of these, I would choose the DL Hotel for the pools and retro vibe.
PiratesMansion
Well-Known Member
There are many hotels on Harbor that are closer than DLH and PPH.
Not sure if they've resumed, but the only REAL benefit they offered pre-pandemic was 1 hour early entry every day for Disneyland (shared with anyone who bought a parkhopper of 3 days or more) and DCA (hotel guests only). They also probably win out if a pool area is very important to you. Otherwise? You're best off staying offsite.
To me, that's not worth the price. Even if you don't want to stay at the uninspiring hotels directly across the street, you could probably get a nicer room at a better price at the Hyatt that's at Harbor and Katella. Seriously.
Not sure if they've resumed, but the only REAL benefit they offered pre-pandemic was 1 hour early entry every day for Disneyland (shared with anyone who bought a parkhopper of 3 days or more) and DCA (hotel guests only). They also probably win out if a pool area is very important to you. Otherwise? You're best off staying offsite.
To me, that's not worth the price. Even if you don't want to stay at the uninspiring hotels directly across the street, you could probably get a nicer room at a better price at the Hyatt that's at Harbor and Katella. Seriously.
BuzzedPotatoHead89
Well-Known Member
If you’re going to shell out the $$ for one I would say the Disneyland Hotel is a better value at a relatively lower cost. There is a better pool area with more room for lounging and assortment of dining locations.
If you really want to “experience” the best of GCH you can always make reservations to dine at Napa Rose (the steakhouse) or go to the spa; it’s a very short walk. Also assuming the monorail is up and running by then (2022) you should have easy access to Disneyland park from the DLH.
Jefro
Active Member
Stayed both DVC and rack room at GC. Pretty, but most of it can be experienced by dining at one of the restaurants and walking around. You can buy a nice dinner at one of those for the money you will save staying off site even one night.
We now stay at the Residence Inn and it's much more roomy and half to a third of the cost. Plus, once you have to walk through Downtown Disney to DL, it really isn't much further than off-site hotels.
Never stayed at DL hotel, but have also stayed at PP...same as above, much too expensive for the value.
FAIRIEDUST78
Member
I LOVE the GC! I splurge for my bday and stay there. The proximity to the parks, the design, everything is superb! I’ve stayed at the DL hotel and where as it’s slightly cheaper, the decor is blah and I had so many problems with the room that I vowed never to stay there again!
If you’re willing to pay the price then splurge on the GC. I also agree with other posters that staying off site is a lot cheaper. I usually stay at the Sheraton at park gate. Short walk to the parks and reasonably priced. Enjoy your trip !
If you’re willing to pay the price then splurge on the GC. I also agree with other posters that staying off site is a lot cheaper. I usually stay at the Sheraton at park gate. Short walk to the parks and reasonably priced. Enjoy your trip !
Curious Constance
Well-Known Member
This is where I chime in and say Park Vue Inn is the literal closest hotel to the gates aside from the Grand Californian. It’s on Harbor and right across the street from the pedestrian entrance. Tastes can vary widely so if you like what you see on their website, that’s what you get in person too. No surprises.
DrAlice
Well-Known Member
My uncle's family just stayed there and enjoyed it. Like you say, it's not fancy, but they appreciated being super close to the entrance.
DrAlice
Well-Known Member
We stayed at Stovall's BW on Katella for years. It's not fancy, but breakfast is included. It's a little bit of a walk, but there is less of a crowd of people on that side. (And when we were really tired, we took the bus.)
The last 2 trips, we have stayed at the Howard Johnson. No breakfast, but it's got fun Disney art in the rooms, the park-view balconies have views of the fireworks, fun waterslides for small kids, and it's a reasonably-short walk to the parks.
The last 2 trips, we have stayed at the Howard Johnson. No breakfast, but it's got fun Disney art in the rooms, the park-view balconies have views of the fireworks, fun waterslides for small kids, and it's a reasonably-short walk to the parks.
TP2000
Well-Known Member
All the great advice has already been given in this thread. Now it's just up to me to mention that SoCal nomenclature doesn't use the phrase "resorts" to refer to hotels. The hotels at the Disneyland Resort are simply called... hotels. The hotels around the Disneyland Resort are also just called... hotels.
It's a very honest and simple way of using the English language, and I wouldn't be surprised to see TDA abandon it in the near future for something else. Calling them Resorts! Or maybe something bolder like Entirely New Hospitality Cultures!, or even New Planets! But for now, they are hotels. Some lavish, some not so lavish. But they are simply... hotels that are near Disneyland.
It's also one of the hotels on Harbor that has had the same family ownership since JFK was in the White House. They had big plans pre-Covid to remodel the place. I have no idea where that plan is now, but at least it's still in business. Not all of the old mom n' pop hotels around Disneyland can say the same in 2021. The Resort District was decimated the last 18 months.
Fabulous! Stovall's is another decades-old family name operating hotels in Anaheim. They aren't good friends of mine, but are friends of friends who live nearby, and the younger Mr. and Mrs. Stovall are still alive and kicking and hosting a few parties each year. Mrs. Stovall played a mean piano at a Christmas party I went to a few years ago.
People forget that there are actual, hard-working people behind all these mom n' pop motels and coffee shops and tourist hangouts around Disneyland. The Stovall family is just one of them. They are part of what makes Anaheim a hospitable and enjoyable place to visit.
Axoman
Active Member
I've stayed at both the DLH and GC on separate trips. To me, the GC is nice, but it's only perk is location. I felt that the DLH is more "Disney" with the theming and I prefer it over the GC. However, my wife really likes the GC, probably because it is where we stayed on our first ever trip to Disneyland.
For our most recent trip that was in 2018, we stayed at the Courtyard Theme Park entrance and we all liked that hotel, but if we go again, I'd like to try a good neighbor hotel that includes breakfast, as the Courtyard did not.
For our most recent trip that was in 2018, we stayed at the Courtyard Theme Park entrance and we all liked that hotel, but if we go again, I'd like to try a good neighbor hotel that includes breakfast, as the Courtyard did not.
aliceismad
Well-Known Member
GC is stunning and attached to DCA. There is some appeal to being in the park, more or less. I haven't stayed at DLH except once as a kid, and never at PP. We stay offsite. There is no real bubble like WDW, and the minimal perks are not worth the price. There are many decent hotels in walking distance (although fewer with great pools, if that's important to you).
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