Where to Stay at Disneyland

Due to budget concerns, I'm never sure if we'll be able to take our kids to Disneyland more than once in their childhood. So, we waited until our youngest was old enough to remember the experience. Also, I decided that I wanted to give them as much of the experience in one trip, just in case it was the only one.

So, I originally assumed that we were going to spend a bit extra and stay in one of the Disneyland Hotels. I knew it would be a bit more, but I thought it would be more convenient and "magical" for the little ones. Then, when I tried to price the rooms I found out the deal breaker... you can only have 5 people in a room. Bummer. Since we have four kids, plus my husband and I, that creates a big problem.

The suggestion from Disney? Book two rooms or a suite.
Not happening.

So, we went to Plan B. I looked for Hotels that would accept 6 people but were still very close to Disneyland. I didn't want to deal with the cost of a shuttle or the hassle of loading four little kids in and out of shuttles twice a day.

I was happy to find the Good Neighbor Hotels. I specifically found a number of them that had "Kid Suites". They often have bunk beds, etc. and provide a kid friendly room. So, I refined my search to only Good Neighbor Hotels with Kid Suites and walking distance to Disneyland. Also, it was a big deal to me whether there was a breakfast provided by the Hotel. Both for convenience and cost (okay... mainly cost), I wanted to have breakfast taken care of at the Hotel. I mainly looked at the Anaheim Portofino Inn and Suites and Desert Palm Inn and Suites. I read the reviews for both and overall they were good. I liked that the Portofino had reviews that said they offered great viewing on the roof for fireworks. However, I had a friend that took her family to Disneyland a few months ago and she really liked the Desert Palm Inn and Suites overall and liked their provided Hot Breakfast. That sealed the deal for me. It will be nice to not have to worry if the kids are still hungry after just a bowl of cereal and some toast.

So, our choice ended up being the Desert Palm Inn and Suites. I like the cost, the reviews from previous guests, the Hot Breakfast and the location to Disneyland.

Current Projects - Disneyland and Hawaii

This is a special year for our family. We're planning two big trips, which is unusual for us. However, I've been planning them for years (literally) to pull it off. Using Credit Card rewards, I was able to get free flights for both trips and then I found low priced places to stay. In a couple of areas I'm splurging, but I feel like they're in the memorable areas.

For these trips, there are a number of things I've been researching. In the upcoming posts, I'll be highlighting items I've researched for these two trips and what I ended up choosing. Hawaii and Disneyland here we come!

Introduction

I love to do research. If I'm going on a trip, planning a purchase (big or small), etc. I put some time into researching my options.

It frequently pays off for me. I've saved myself and friends/family money or helped them get a better quality product on multiple occasions.

Other times, it may feel like a waste of time. For example, if I don't find a lower price than what my travel agent offered. However, even in those situations, I get peace of mind knowing that I personally know I've gotten the best deal I can get. Not because another business told me so, but because I've done the research and know there isn't anything better out there.

I thought I'd share what I find for anyone else who is interested. Perhaps it will save you some researching time or save you some money too!