Hellobee Boards

@HLK208: Bummer. Check with friends/family. We got two days free for the 3 of us through our network.

Embassy Suites hotels have many locations in Anaheim. Obviously the ones closer to DL are going to cost more, but I believe all of them have shuttles to Disney. The one in North Anaheim (the one on Frontera Street) is the furthest, but usually the least expensive and has free parking, which the ones closer to Disney do not (I believe its like $20 a night). Embassy Suites are great because they have free breakfasts, an indoor pool, and then a free happy hour from 5-7pm every night with lots of snacks for both parents and kids. The rooms are suites with a separate bedroom and living area. They have mini fridges and a bar area for simple food prep (i.e. if you wanted to pack PBJs and snacks to eat at Disney and to keep juice/water/milk in the room for the kids. They also have a pull-out couch in the living room part, so if you go with a room with 2 double beds, you can sleep up to 6 people. They also provide pack n plays for babies to sleep in.

My coworkers have also stayed at the Howard Johnson near Disney. That property is really close to Disney, they provide a shuttle, and they also have a waterpark on the grounds, which made for a great break for the kids that wasn't an extra expense.

There's also the condo option, which would require your own car, but also has all the perks of a condo. Most of the people who rent condos and homes near the resort cater to families coming to Disney so they often have lots of stuff there, like high chairs, pack n' plays, strollers, etc.

If you stay near Disney, there is a Target down the street where you can get all your Disney gear and souvenirs for the kids for much cheaper than at the park, and obviously you can get all your snacks and stuff there too.

I don't think park hopper passes are usually worth it because the parks so big that you'll probably want to focus on one park on a given day. If you are going to do Disneyland only, 2 days is probably fine. If you want to do both, and you only have 3 days, perhaps you'll want the park hopper for the 3rd day to run back and forth. AAA, Costco, and Sam's Club usually offer some kind of discount, as well as military.

@gingerbebe: we stayed at embassy suites Anaheim south and really liked it!

There is a Ramada Inn, Maingate that is directly across from the park. No shuttles needed- just walk over. So easy with a stroller. I've had bad experiences with shuttles at other places-with a short, tiring trip, the last thing I want to deal with is shuttles. But it really is timing. Also free breakfast..not so yummy but edible.

Also Costco is pretty cheap for car rental usually but I wouldn't do their Disney packages. I can get it cheaper on my own. My mom worked for Costco Travel and sometimes it's cheaper and sometimes it is not.

@HLK208: there was some traffic in the am, but it didn't take long at all. 7 mins tops.
there are lots of restaurants around the hotel and a target too!
You guys will have so much fun!

@HLK208: How about an AirBnB? You would have a whole house to yourself and I see tons of rentals for around $150/night. You'd be able to cook or order in to save on food costs, and an Uber would cost less than the parking structure, and would be quick, too. Some houses are near the ART shuttle stops, so you could take the Anaheim shuttle if needed.