Hotel and tour options

[Kate]

Hey everyone : )
We are planning our next trip for January (and we have the extended family joining us this time as well) and were wondering if its worthwhile staying at Paradise Pier ($1440 for 6 nights) or just Red Lion down the road ($716 for 6 nights). Is it really worth the extra $$?
Also wanting to do a tour this time around, what would you guys recommend? Anyone know the difference between "Walk in Walt's footsteps" and "Welcome to the Disneyland Resort Tour"? Is it worth doing a tour at all when we have been to the park so many times before?
Has anyone done the hunt in the "Disneyland's Hidden Mickeys" book? Thought it could be a fun edition this time round.
Arrr sorry for the billion questions!

[Kate]

Just discovered Carousel suites is on sale, so maybe that is another option for us. Anyone stayed there?

[churros]

Keith's a regular

[KeithS]

Hi Kate - I can't comment on the Paradise Pier at all and whether the extra money is worth it. I think Anthony here has stayed there, so he may be able to shed some light. I do usually go by the mantra that you do get what you pay for, so I'm sure the Paradise Pier is an excellent hotel and has been totally Disneyfied

As Beth said however, Della and I prefer to stay at the Carousel Inn. It is right at across Harbor Blvd from the Disneyland Entrance and that is why it is our place of choice - location. It is not a luxurious hotel in any way - basic rooms (although we pay for the premium rooms which are quite big) - but our basic idea is that we just need a bed when at Disneyland. We get up at 6-7am and don't get back to the room until after midnight, so we don't see a need to spend big in Anaheim for one of the Disney hotels. We've also stayed at the Best Western and Tropicana which are also at the traffic lights, but prefer the Carousel because of the large premium rooms.

The Carousel (like most of the hotels on Harbor Blvd) also provide a continental breakfast with the cost of the room - cereals, bread, tea, coffee, juice, , muffins, fruit, doughnuts etc... so we eat big in the morning.

We like that it is right across the road from the parks, so we can go back in the late afternoon to grab a jacket when the sun goes down it begins to get cool (and take home any merchandise we purchased!). It is just a 500 metre walk to the centre of the Esplanade. Paradise Pier is also walking distance, but is about a kilometre to the centre of the Esplanade as you have to take the path up to the Disneyland Hotel and then go through Downtown Disney. Alternatively, Paradise Pier residents can use the Grand Californian entrance to DCA which is about 500 metre walk (but still a kilometre if going to Disneyland).

So, for our circumstances, the Carousel is right for us, but if you are intending to spend more time at the hotel, then maybe spending a bit more money on the hotel is the way to go.

[churros]

I've stayed at Camelot a couple of doors up and would happily stay again

[ajp]

Keith is right, we have stayed at Paradise Pier, 3 times! We keep going back primarily for the comfort of the rooms and beds. For starters, every room has 2 queen beds and a couch/bed which is just as comfortable as the normal bedding. Allows to sleep up to 5 if required or if you have only 2 kids, they get their own bed. The mattresses and pillows are pure luxury. The hotel is well appointed, with a decent restaurant and cafe. It has the obligatory merchandise shop which is quite good. As Keith said, stay there and you can enter DCA from the back gate, or you wander either past the DL hotel or through the Grand Californian to the monorail for DL. I can't say whether the extra cost is worth it for you, we have stayed off site a few times as well, and also at the DL once too, and we can't help going back to the Paradise Pier. We just love it and we're happy to spend the extra few bucks when at DL.

Here's a thought and we did this the first time we stayed at PP. Spend only a couple of nights there and see if it's worth it and most nights at an off site (make it at the end). Best of both worlds then.

[alice in wonderland]

Hey Kate,
Like Keith, we also always stay at the Carousel Inn!! More money on merchandise is always a good thing in my eyes!

[Kate]

Thanks for the advice guys!
Has anyone done any of the DL tours?

[KeithS]

Has anyone done any of the DL tours?

I did a Walk in Walt's Footsteps many years ago on my very first full day in Disneyland and it was a great introduction. I understand that they've just upped the price quite a bit, but now you also get to look into Walt's apartment over the firehouse.

[Kate]

That might make it worthwhile then, Depending on the $$ we have left! Hard call, tour or merch lol.

[Mel]

I've stayed at the Carousel too and enjoyed it. We've stayed at Paradise Pier, but just for the one night. It was nice, but I'd rather spend my money elsewhere.

As for tours, I really, REALLY like Walk in Walt's Footsteps, but I did it back in.... 2003?!?! Yeah, I think that's right. It was really fun and interesting.

[sandie]

I decided an extra sixty bucks to see Walts apartment wasn't worth. I have designed our own tour I will share tomorrow night