4th visit all booked for 27th of March

Beltane · February 03, 2015, 12:33:51 PM

Our fourth visit (and first off site) for quite a few years. Staying at the HiPark. It's about 7 years since we were last there, so I'm guessing there will be many changes. Cannot wait now, the count down has begun!

twentythingamabobs · February 03, 2015, 12:46:39 PM

Hi Beltane! We have stayed at HiPark a number of times now, it is a good offsite location. The shuttle buses are quite frequent (apart from a couple of hours in the afternoon) but the walk is not too bad at all, especially in decent weather. We normally walk home after Dreams as the bus can get absolutely crazy. I mean, grown people shoving kids out of the way, trampling over pushchairs crazy! We always visit during school holidays though so it will more than likely be totally fine for you. Hope you enjoy your visit, I'm jealous you have a shorter wait than me to return

Beltane · February 03, 2015, 01:03:12 PM

Hi, We will be arriving just at the start of the UK Easter school hols (well for some schools anyway) but I'm hoping it will be early enough to avoid the Easter weekend rush. Decided to stay off site mainly due to cost, but we stayed off site when we went to Disneyland in California in August and it worked just fine for us.

I've seen a few reviews of the Hipark that say the walk is about 40 mins and some that say 15 so I'm guessing there is a way that is shorter than walking the bus route?

As for the weather, well again, mixed opinions. some say it can be freezing at the end of March, others saying that last year it was t shirt weather. From experience though, I know it can do all kinds of weather in one day at any time of year, so I'll just have to be prepared. It's not so bad now my daughter is 12, not as many things to remember to pack nowadays!

twentythingamabobs · February 03, 2015, 02:24:03 PM

Oh wow, I feel sorry for the people who walked the bus route!! It is about 15 minutes - you come out of Disneyland and walk straight, don't turn left at World of Disney, just keep walking and leave via the exit there up there - there is an IMAX sign if i remember rightly. Then you walk straight up (past Newport Bay Hotel) and turn right at the roundabout. Walk for another couple of minutes and then its your first left. Then its a straight line (past the police station and the lake) to the hotel! For when you're coming home on the shuttle, ring the bell when you see the police station (on your right) and it'll be the next stop. Cross the road and walk straight down the hotel is on your left.The shuttle picks you up from directly outside the hotel to take you to Disneyland bus station.

Definitely good idea to be prepared weather wise - we normally go at the beginning of April and it was no coat weather through the day but the evenings were really chilly. No rain though which was a plus so I am hoping for more of the same this year.

Beltane · February 03, 2015, 04:40:39 PM

Thanks for the directions, that's really helpful. Is the walking route fairly well lit in the evenings?
We have stayed at the Newport Bay before so I can remember some of that route. I think we would probably walk and avoid the shuttle bus mayhem.

I'm thinking of booking for the Sunday Brunch at the Steakhouse in the Village, have you ever eaten there? If so, what did you think? Again, very mixed reviews of the food and service and my husband is a chef so he can be quite particular.

Thanks again for your advice, it's really good to get tips from someone who has stayed at our hotel before.

littlebitofpixiedust · February 03, 2015, 05:29:18 PM

Nothing like booking a DLP holiday

Hope you have a wonderful trip! We've never stayed of-site but after reading above you can walk it it's something to consider. My son is in a wheelchair and the pushing and shoving of the shuttle buses wouldnt be fair on him he'd freak.
I remember using shuttle buses as kids before my son was here, and it's really not any fun at all. So now we always stay on site so we can walk to hotel. But I wasn't aware there's hotels 15min walks away we happily walk to Santa fe/Cheyenne and there a little further walk than the other 3 we do however try to afford sequioa/HNY if possible but the amount of times we visit sometimes we try and save where we can.
We've been march many times and weather really varies sometimes lovely warm sometimes cold but it's usually not too busy in march

Beltane · February 03, 2015, 08:57:53 PM

Thank you, We have stayed at the Sequoia Lodge (twice) and the Newport Bay. The first time we stayed when our daughter was 4 it was dark when we arrived and didn't know you could walk to the park so we got the shuttle bus! we felt a bit stupid when we saw the next day that you could walk. Staying on site is much easier with kids I agree . I'll let you all know how it goes getting to and from the park from the HiPark.

twentythingamabobs · February 04, 2015, 10:59:28 AM

We go at least 4 times a year so staying off site is the only afforable option for us! We have stayed at a few other apartments but HiPark is the best in my opinion

Just wanted to add to my directions (this might be totally obvious!) but walk up the first main road (past Newport Bay) on the right hand side - makes turning right at the roundabout much easier.

The walk is fairly well lit - we have walked it at 1 in the morning after the Halloween Soiree with out too much trouble!

I'm sorry, I've never eaten at the Steakhouse so can't comment on that. The only place we have eaten in the Village is the sports pub for some random reason! I've done Sunday Brunch at Inventions at Christmas which was really lovely, the food is amazing (massive buffet with a ton of options) but it is pretty pricey