Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
not exclusively, to business travelers. While the hotels near Disneyland Drive appear
close to Disney property on a map, there is no easy pedestrian access to the park from
the west. If staying along Katella Avenue, you can walk north on Disneyland Drive
and cut through the Grand Californian Hotel. From West Ball Road, you can walk
south on West Place (between the Rodeway and Best Western) through the Mickey &
Friends garage, and take a tram to the park. Neither walk is particularly convenient,
and we can't recommend it for families with children.
For families, a second important consideration is the quality of the hotel swim-
ming pool. We mention this because, unfortunately, many of the non-Disney hotels
closest to the theme parks have really crummy pools, sometimes just a tiny rectangle
on a stark slab of concrete surrounded on four sides by a parking lot. To bring pool
quality and proximity to the theme parks together, we've developed a
chart
that lists
the hotels, both Disney and non-Disney, within walking distance of the theme parks.
The chart shows the walking time from each hotel to the theme park entrances.
The times provided are averages—a couple of fit adults might cover the distance in
less time, and a family with small children will likely take longer. Also on the chart
we rate the swimming areas of the hotels listed on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being best.
As a rule of thumb, any pool with a rating less than 5 is not a place where most folks
would want to spend much time. Any hotel not listed is, in our opinion, too far away
for walking. Note that several non-Disney hotels are closer than the Disneyland Re-
sort hotels, except for the Grand Californian.
The chart and the above discussion might lead youto wonder whether there's any
real advantage to staying in a Disney-owned hotel. The Disney hotels, of course, are
very expensive, but if you can handle the tariff, here are the primary benefits of stay-
ing in one:
1.
You are eligible for early entry at Disneyland Park three days each week and DCA
on the other four days.
2.
Dozens of full- and counter-service restaurants are within walking distance.
3.
The Disney hotels offer the nicest rooms of any of the hotels within walking dis-
tance.
4.
The Disney hotels offer the nicest swimming pools of any of the hotels within
walking distance.
5.
Numerous entertainment and shopping options are in Downtown Disney.
6.
It's easy to retreat to your hotel for a meal, a nap, or a swim.
7.
You don't need a car.
