10 Hotel Options at Disneyland for Large(r) Families

A few months ago I wrote a blog post about places to stay at Disneyland with a large family.  10 places to stay, of course.  I defined a large family as a family of 5 or more.  Well lately there have been some commenters on the post saying that I was off my rocker if I thought 5 was large.  Really, they were a lot nicer than that, but a few pointed out that families are often a lot bigger than 5 these days.  So this time my goal is bigger!  Bigger and better!  6 and up!!  Let’s look at 10 of them.

1. Two Rooms – Two or more rooms is the most obvious option, and often the cheapest option.  Getting two rooms also has the added benefit of an extra bathroom.  Two rooms will easily sleep 8, and sometimes up to 10 in standard rooms.  You don’t have to worry about paying extra for a suite, just create your own.  Some hotels will guarantee connecting rooms when it’s one immediate family split into two rooms (check with the hotel or your travel agent).

2. Onsite Suites – All three of the Disney hotels at Disneyland Resort have suites.  These suites won’t even be in the same ballpark, or state for that matter, as other less expensive options, however.  They will, however, reign supreme in the coolness category.  The suites are awesome.  Huge and beautiful.  Some are heavily themed, like the Big Thunder Suite and Mickey Mouse Penthouse in the Disneyland Hotel.  Others, like the suite at Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel pictured on the right, are spacious and tastefully decorated.  How much do these cost you ask?  Well, let me put it this way – if you have to ask, you probably can’t afford it.  Okay, I’ll tell you.  You’re probably going to be north of $2000 a night.

3. Vacation Home Rentals – Renting an actual home for a few days can give you a ton of space and save you a lot of money.  Some reputable sites like VRBO.com have several options near Disneyland.  These are homes that the owners rent out for a few days or a week at a time.  Generally for far less than multiple hotel rooms would cost.  VRBO doesn’t guarantee the quality of any of these homes, but there are reviews to help guide you in your selection.  Since these are actual homes, you’ll have multiple bathrooms, kitchens, a living area to gather in – all the comforts of home!  Well, someone else’s home, but still.

4. Deluxe Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa – The villas at the Grand Californian can make you feel like you’re staying in a luxury option at a fraction of the price of some of those suites mentioned above.  If you’re a Disney Vacation Club member and you’re staying with your own points, you’ve found your best option right here.  Renting points from a member is another good option.  There’s some level of trust and risk involved here, but it’s usually a great deal cheaper than paying cash for the same room.  Just make sure you do your homework to understand exactly what you’re doing!  Villas are very popular, and hard to find a lot of the time!  If you can rent from a member who owns points at the Grand Californian and you can take advantage of their early booking window, you’ve got a much better chance of scoring some of the most sought after villas.  The Grand Villas are the crème de la crème with two-story floor-to-ceiling windows, and they sleep 12!

5. Some of the Options Listed Before – Some of the options I listed in the last blog sleep 6, so I won’t devote too much more space to them here.  They are as follows:  The Best Western Park Place Inn and Mini-Suites has mini suites that sleep 6, the Doubletree Guest Suites sleep 6, Embassy Suites sleep 6, the Residence Inn sleeps 6 and has a penthouse that sleeps up to 8, Homewood Suites by Hilton sleep up to 6 and the Anaheim Marriott Suites sleep 6.  Read on for a few more ideas.

6. Staybridge Suites Anaheim – The Staybridge Suites has some very big rooms.  Their two bedroom suites sleep 8.  One bedroom has a king bed, and the other has two doubles.  There are two bathrooms and a living area with a full kitchen.  It’s a little over a mile to the park, so the Anaheim Resort Transit (ART) is your easiest option to get to all the fun.  These suites are around 750 square feet with a complimentary breakfast.  Free food!

7. Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites – The Holiday Inn is a great option for a large family.  The two bedroom suites sleep 8, with a living area, two bathrooms, a Jacuzzi tub, a microwave.  Lots of space in other words!!  It’s about a15-20 minute walk to Disneyland, or there’s an ART stop at the hotel for a super short trip.

8. Hotel Menage – The suites in the Hotel Menage don’t have a lot of beds, but with a roll away, you can put 5 guests in them.  I included them because two of these suites have a connecting room you can book as well.  That would put you at 9!  The other reason I included them, is that I really like this hotel.  The suites are just gorgeous.  They feel very upscale.  The lobby and restaurant are both great, and the pool area is very nice.  It’s right across the interstate from Disneyland, so the best way to get there is a short ART trip.

9. The Anaheim Islander Inn & Suites – The recently renovated, Anaheim Islander has a two-bedroom suite that has 4 queen beds!  Not sleeper sofas, queen beds!  There’s only one bathroom, which can be a downer, but the 640 square feet of beds should help make up for that!  It’s a short walk to Disneyland, or you can take the ART shuttle.

10. Anaheim Desert Inn & Suites – You can’t get much closer to Disneyland than the Desert Inn & Suites.  It is directly across the street from the Disneyland Resort main entrance.  And get this, they have suites that sleep up to 10!  I’m not going to say that the Desert Inn has the most upscale or gorgeous of accommodations, but it does sleep a lot of people, it’s clean, and how much time do you spend in your room?  There are 4 queen beds AND a living room with a sofa bed.  Space!  No ART transfer is required, just walk across the street!

Do you have any other suggestions for families over 6?  Do share!