I've been staying in the DLRP Hotels on the last 3 occasions and have always gone for the cheaper option.
My first time was with my (now ex-)girlfriend and her brother so we stayed in Cheyene and the last two times I've booked Santa FE.
I've always found the hotels clean, comfortable and everything we've needed for a stay at DLRP - when you consider that 99% of the time is spent in the Parks.
Does booking a better (i.e. more expensive) class of Hotel really make any difference?
I know if you book a Suite or Castle Club your get a free soft toy and an unlimited FastPass, but what more do you get by staying in Newport Bay, New York or even a standard room in Disney Hotel?
Am I better off saving my money - which in turn will give me more money to spand on Disney-related tat?
Discuss...
Magic Mxxxxxxxxxxxx
To be honest I've done it cheaply and more expensively and the more I visit the
more I enjoy a better hotel such as the Disneyland Hotel (Which I'll be booking next).
Yes I know the quality has gone down at several hotels in recent times but we do like
to stay onsite and avoid the bus journeys etc. The prices do seem horrendous but if I'm gonna go I want to make sure I have a chance of enjoying every aspect of my holiday.
Just my opinion ...
Mr_B
The hotel doesnt make any difference to me at all, I quit enjoy the walk from santa fe to the park! but then we spend all of our time in the park or dv, only go back to bathe, change clothes and sleep.
admittidly i would love to stay at NPBC, it just looks so nice, and we have booked SL for this trip, as it looks the nicest for xmas, but when i go next year, we will be staying in the Holiday inn (£35 per night!!) bargan! and the Dream castle for 2 night (special treat as its my 21st birthday!) which will cost us the same amount for 2 nights as 6 in the holiday inn :shock: id rather go for longer, than stay at the best hotel!
Nornally when my family and I go we stay in the hotel Cheyenne...which to me is the best hotel in DLRP
I have stayed in Hotel New York, Sequoia Lodge and the Disneyland Hotel but we always end up saying that the Cheyenne was better....I think the atmosphere out of most things is the thing we notice most....
And like you said, we get to spend more on Disney stuff which is always a bonus...especially if you want something for a Birthday or Christmas that you can't find any where else!!
I've stayed in different hotels and for me it does make a difference. The beds are the same everywhere (except in Disneyland hotel), but the service and facilities are different from one hotel to another. The Santa Fe is not bad, but it's rather basic. I stayed there last time and the TV was not working properly, the bathroom felt a bit old (and not enough towels), and breakfast was OK but rather basic. It's a nice walk to the parks, but after a long day of walking and queuing, it felt a bit long... We were only staying there for the 1 night, so I didn't really care, but I wouldn't like stay there for longer..
I haven't tried the Cheyenne yet, it looks great so maybe next year. Personally I love the Sequoia, it has a great atmosphere. The Newport Bay is great, but feels a bit massive sometimes. The Disneyland Hotel is like a dream... shame about those prices though!
We have stayed at:
Sante Fe
Cheyenne
Sequoia Lodge
Newport Bay
New York
Disneyland Hotel
Kyriad
Dreamcastle
Explorer's
Adagio Residence
Ibis Paris.
My favourite is New York, SL, Cheyenne, Sante Fe, Explorers.
For me the holiday is about relaxing and all the hotels I have stayed in (except Kyriad) make me feel relaxed and happy.
What was wrong with the Kyraid? we stayed there and loved it!
The hotel was fine, it was the service I had an issue with!
There was 4 of us: Myself, my wife Sarah and our 2 kids. I had booked the hotel as a package with Eurostar, requesting a room for four, ideally on the ground floor or with lift access.
On arrival we were given a room with 2 single beds on the 2nd floor of one of the stand alone buildings. There wasn't a lift so we had to lug 2 pushchairs, 2 suitcases and 2 children up 4 flights of stairs!
When I complained I was told that this was what Eurostar had requested on my behalf.
When I produced my booking confirmation which showed what I had originally requested, I was told that there were no other rooms available.
I asked to see the manager and eventually got the room I originally requested. The manager would not explain why his staff had misled me (whether intentionally or not).
The staff were very reluctant to help and (although I speak French very well ,I am not used to this kind of vocabulary and could not remember a lot of the necessary phrases) refused to discuss the matter in English.
Anyway, we got the room we wanted, unpacked and went to the parks to play. When we returned I plugged our DVD player in and the fuses blew in our room.
The manager (different one) came up and attempted and failed to reset things, blamed our DVD player and moved us to another room.
I am sure we just picked a bad day, but it put me off the hotel and chain for good.
For me, it doesn't make that much difference. We're only ever in the room to sleep/bathe/etc, so I don't really see the point in paying a huge amount of money just for a room. As long as the room is clean, that's all that matters to me.
I've stayed in the Santa Fe, the Cheyenne and Newport Bay. :D Newport Bay was actually a free upgrade. We got a room with a balcony that over looked Lake Disney. It was really lovely, but honestly, I prefer good value for money over luxury. Even if money wasn't an issue ( :lol: which it is ), I doubt I would pay to stay in any hotel higher than the Cheyenne.
Hmmm...a tough question.
We like to stay at the most expensive hotel that we can afford when we are looking at booking our package. We have stayed at the Santa Fe, Sequia Lodge and the Davy Crockett Ranch. On our last trip we stayed at a campsite about 15 mins from DLRP which only cost me £50 for 4 nights :D/
On our next trip we are staying at the Davy Crockett Ranch as we recieved a 40% discount for out booking through our Dream Annual Passes.
We would also like to try the Cheyenne. I think it's a very personal matter and we will always stay in the most expensive hotel that we can afford.
Hmmmm I think this really does vary on how you vacation and how much you are used to travelling/Disney themeparks.
Having gone to DL 300+ times, WDW 5 times, and DLP 51 times, I have stayed in or visited every hotel Disney owns outside of HK. I have stayed in all the DLP hotels on numerous occassions as well as the Explorers, Dreamcastle, Holiday Inn and Marriott. I also have virtually lived in hotels for the last 12 years due to work. So when I go on vacation I am picky.
When my wife and I were younger, we wanted somewhere cheap and cheerful (the Cheyenne and Santa Fe used to fit the bill). Once the HI et al opened, they became a better option. However, now with my experience and having small children, to me I would rather stay in the Marriott Villas or the Disneyland Hotel. We spend a lot more time in the hotels because of having little ones and so the hotel makes a big difference.
I also get really annoyed by all the bad manners caused by so many people from different cultures and languages (I am not being ignorant as I speak French, German and a little Spanish and Dutch), so I opt for full service table restaurants during the day and if we have to stay at the other hotels, we get up extra early to avoid the crowds at breakfast. The DLH and HNY have less of a scrum than the other hotels.
The Marriott has the best spa, pool and golf facilities, with a full kitchen, laundry facilities (so we can travel light), 3 TVs, a DVDplayer and a soaking tub in the villa. This feels so much more relaxing. The DLH is the only hotel that offers traditional Disney experiences that the US offers (the HNY used to, but no longer). And I love the theme of the SL. Due to bad experiences, I would never stay at the HBC unless it were free or the cheapest of all the options. But I am a hotel snob to degree, preferring not to go at all if I can't do it right. But when I was younger, and the resort consisted of go, go, go from 7 to 11, then the cheaper hotels were ok.
Personally, if only worried about a room, and you are young - go to the eTAP in Val D Europe or for bus services the 4 main partner hotels. Frankly I find the Santa Fe and Cheyenne ludicrously overpriced for what they offer. We may stay though at the Cheyenne when the kids are a little older though as they will probably like the theming. But as an adult only group, I would either go super budget or luxury.
I felt slightly let down by the Santa Fe last time we used it and was quite glad that we were only there for a night (although where we went on to was worse but ony £50 for 4 nights)
Davewasballoo - Is the Marriott really that nice? And is it expensive?
It depends what you are looking for. If you want to be waited on for everything, it might not be for you. But if you want privacy in a nice environment, it is wonderful. I love the spa, they give great massages. And the pool has a lazy river (very small), but my son loves it. For more info, please see Warner's article with pictures:
http://www.yesterland.com/parisvillas.html (http://www.yesterland.com/parisvillas.html%22%20onclick=%22window.open(this.href);return%20false;)
But as I say, as a seasoned traveller and Disney traveller, I find most of the DLP official hotels decidedly lacking. Also the Village is best if you have a car (which we often choose to drive).
Prices vary according to season. The first time we went we rented and got a deal at £110 a night (though high season I have seen as high as £390 a night). As we drive and were AP holders, this was perfect. As we are frequent DLP visitors, we opted to buy a gold week. It means we own one week a year at the Village for the next 75 years. The cost was £15,000 plus about £750 a year maintenance. However, if we decide we want to go elsewhere, we can. And when we do, they offer us two weeks for the price of one. Last year we did this, opting to swap our week for a week in Newport Beach near Disneyland California:
http://www.yesterland.com/ncv.html (http://www.yesterland.com/ncv.html%22%20onclick=%22window.open(this.href);return%20false;)
and we were given a free week in Mallorca:
http://www.vacationclub.com/resorts/mc/default.jsp (http://www.vacationclub.com/resorts/mc/default.jsp%22%20onclick=%22window.open(this.href);return%20false;)
http://search.live.com/images/results.a ... FORM=BIRE# (http://search.live.com/images/results.aspx?q=marriott+vacation+club+son+antem&FORM=BIRE#%22%20onclick=%22window.open(this.href);return%20false;)
What I really love is it is the same size as our house. It is nicely decorated too. And has all the facilities you need. With a kids club, giant chess, playgrounds, duck ponds, 2 pools, a spa, cookery and wine tasting lessons, and excursions, as well as being on the golf course, it feels like a true resort and is very relaxing.
we love it. We stay there for a week, go to the park during the week days (when quieter) and enjoy some excursions to real France too. Also we can enjoy the resort facilities. If the kids are really tired, we may opt to watch a DVD and order a takeaway or I'll cook with some of the fresh ingredients the french markets have to offer (I don't want my wife to feel obligated). I enjoy the piece and quiet, and we can have what we want for breakfast, when we want it.
Having the washing machine means we can travel light which leaves more space for souvenirs. And to me it feels like a vacation and makes the crowds less frustrating. Then we park up at the Hotel New York, see characters if we want, and enjoy the nicer restaurants of the resort if we want. Returning home in the evening, the fridge is stocked with drinks and food.
I love it.
I used to love the Hotel New York, but our trip in August has shown the service has really gone down hill. The DLH is great, but too expensive. The NBC has always been bad. And when I can stay in the Marriott for less than the SL, frankly I think it is a wonderful option.
The villas sleep 6 with 2 bedrooms and a sleeper sofa. When you think what a suite or 2 rooms costs, it makes the Marriott a very good deal.
Oh, and through a really good deal this year, we are off to Estepona in the south of Spain for £90 for the week during February Half Term and then into DLP for the May half term. A little perk for being owners.
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/a ... -andaluza/ (http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/agppy-marriotts-playa-andaluza/%22%20onclick=%22window.open(this.href);return%20false;)
The beauty of MVCI is if you want, you can trade into non marriotts too, including Disney Vacation Club.
Oh, and here is the official website for Ile De France:
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/p ... de-france/ (http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/pardp-marriotts-village-dlle-de-france/%22%20onclick=%22window.open(this.href);return%20false;)
I have always stayed onsite and i love the Cheyenne. Yes its cheap and basic but the themeing makes up for it all.
We are staying in the DLH January but only as its a Christmas present to myself and to my DD. Any other time its the Cheyenne.
Will get to the point where we may have to stay offsite as staying onsite is getting more expensive every year.
Im sure the villas are nice and all but Im glad we spent our money on the DVC rather than any other timeshare.
Quote from: "disney-dan"Im sure the villas are nice and all but Im glad we spent our money on the DVC rather than any other timeshare.
Different strokes. As WDW is my least fav Disney resort, we opted for Marriott. If WDW is your passion and you want to return there, DVC can be a good deal (though Marriott has some great options in Orlando too).
i guess, wdw is our fav though so like you say, it suites us perfectly.
i dont know what the other guy is on about, is he saying i was spamming? id be more inclined to say that hes a spammer with the mighty post count of 2, lol
Quote from: "disney-dan"i guess, wdw is our fav though so like you say, it suites us perfectly.
i dont know what the other guy is on about, is he saying i was spamming? id be more inclined to say that hes a spammer with the mighty post count of 2, lol
Acrtuallly it was a lighthearted comment at davewasbaloo's 3 posts... they did look more than a little advert-like!
Well I do love them, and I do think DLP's official hotels are overpriced for what they offer. So many people are blinded by the "magic".
Ive stayed at the Cheyenne, the SL and the Newport Bay in the last 18 months.
The Cheyenne was fine for two in the room but the rooms are very small for any more in my opinion.
I loved the newport (especially as id paid for the cheyenne and was upgraded due to a flood in our room :D ) and as we were there in the summer, we went back to the hotel every afternoon for a relax and swim (which wouldnt have been an option at the Cheyenne.)
I think it depends on the time of year, in July when i last went the park was opening at 8am for magic hours and not shuting till 11pm, so it was nice to be able to take a couple of hours out at the hotel, but when weve been and the park hours are shorter, weve never returned to the hotel during the day.
I also got an upgrade to the Newport Bay, from the Santa Fe, last month.
As we only use the hotel for sleeping in, to be perfectly honest, I'd have preferred to stay at the Santa Fe :D .
I do agree its different for everyone though - if you think you will use your hotel's facilities, it may well be worth it to pay the difference in price and upgrade. For me it just isn't. We visit other hotels to have dinner, shop etc, but our own hotel is really only to lay our heads, have a shower, and change our clothes.
Elaine
We just got back from our first trip to DLRP and stayed in the Sequoia Lodge. It was a decent hotel, though a tiny bit dated. However, we adored the proximity to the Eurostar station, Disney Village, and the parks as we don't drive and don't live near to London or Ashford (adding more travel time...though we still prefer it to flying!).
We're thinking of staying either in the Newport Bay or Hotel New York for our next trip (we decided to splurge for annual passes) as they don't seem significantly more expensive, but are a bit nicer (we walked around all the hotels near to the park while we were there to get an idea!).
We didn't see Santa Fe or Cheyenne and they seemed a bit far (especially as we were there in the winter), though I can see why they would be attractive in the summer months. I'd be curious if anyone thinks the hotels off site are a better deal? I've just joined the Holiday Inn members club (though I can't remember what it's called! lol) so I know I'd get points...I assume that AP members don't get any discount on the off site hotels, but are the shuttles convenient to the parks? Are the facilities significantly different to the Disney hotels or about the same?
Cheers!
Quote from: "autumnal_hedge"We just got back from our first trip to DLRP and stayed in the Sequoia Lodge. It was a decent hotel, though a tiny bit dated. However, we adored the proximity to the Eurostar station, Disney Village, and the parks as we don't drive and don't live near to London or Ashford (adding more travel time...though we still prefer it to flying!).
We're thinking of staying either in the Newport Bay or Hotel New York for our next trip (we decided to splurge for annual passes) as they don't seem significantly more expensive, but are a bit nicer (we walked around all the hotels near to the park while we were there to get an idea!).
We didn't see Santa Fe or Cheyenne and they seemed a bit far (especially as we were there in the winter), though I can see why they would be attractive in the summer months. I'd be curious if anyone thinks the hotels off site are a better deal? I've just joined the Holiday Inn members club (though I can't remember what it's called! lol) so I know I'd get points...I assume that AP members don't get any discount on the off site hotels, but are the shuttles convenient to the parks? Are the facilities significantly different to the Disney hotels or about the same?
Cheers!
Hello autumnal_hedge!! Guess you really enjoyed your first trip, if you've gone and got yourselves some APs!! :D
Regarding your questions about the off site hotels, as with the Disney ones, the services vary. They range from the more basic Kyriad (but still very nice, big rooms, I think it's better than the Santa Fe, for instance) to the nicer ones, like the Dream Castle. They are all normally cheaper than the Disney ones. Of course with your AP you will get nice discounts on the Disney hotels, so it's worth comparing all prices when you do your booking. All the offsite hotels have shuttle buses that will take you to the park.
Personally I prefer to go for the Disney hotels, I like to be as close as possible to the parks, but I've stayed off site a couple of times and I'm sure I will stay there again!
Hmmmm, welcome aboard. About off site, you can get some awesome deals, but yes, they are not as convenient. We drive most of the time, so unless we are at the DLH or get 30% discount deals, we tend to stay at the Holiday Inn (I get about 3-4 free nights a year due to business use and we own at the MArriott Vacation club - our favorite venue in the area for extended stays). Personally I feel ripped off by most of the DLP hotels.