January seems like it happened moons ago. As the weather is barely starting to thaw out in the Midwest, I am still dreaming of our days just six weeks ago that we were hanging out in Southern California. If you have been around here very long or follow us on Instagram, you know that the Bahorich's love Disney. Love actually may be an understatement. There is nothing better than a day at the parks.
So when I heard that my company's annual trip was going to be in Southern California, my first thoughts were Disneyland! I instantly went into planning mode and realized that it had been forever since we had visited the OG of Disney. Most folks were shocked that we had not even considered taking the kids, but I know that the Disney Parks are not just for little ones. Dusty and I love our days alone maneuvering the rides and sites without the meltdowns and toddler opinions. A day at Disney for just the two of us was just what the doctor ordered for a cure from the long Midwest winter blues.
This was our third trip to Disneyland, and knowing that there are going to be fewer and farther between Disney trips that do not involve our kids, I wanted to make the most of it. Previously, we had stayed at friends' houses or on a company's dime, so I had no idea where to turn when choosing a resort for our Disneyland trip.
As a common Walt Disney World "go-er", Disneyland is a very different adventure. The parks are different, the experience is different, and the hotels are different. Yes, Disney owns a handful of properties just like they do at Walt Disney World; however, the majority of the hotels that are near Disneyland are not own by Disney and considered "Good Neighbor Hotels".
Good Neighbor Hotels just simply means that the hotel is Disney-approved in their quality and are located near Disney. There are a handful to choose from and all are within walking distance to the parks. We feel in love with HoJo Anaheim and wanted to share with you all of the adorable amenities and why we will be returning the next time we visit the Disneyland parks.
Thank you, Howard Johnson Anaheim Hotel & Water Playground, for sponsoring this post, Howard Johnson Anaheim Hotel & Water Playground Review. I was selected for this opportunity by Howard Johnson Anaheim and received a discounted stay for my review; the content and opinions expressed here are all my own. Many of these links are affiliate, which means that if you buy a product after clicking through from here, I get a small referral commission at no extra cost to you.
Since Disneyland is still relatively new to both of us, the biggest question we had going into this resort stay was what the travel to and from the parks would be like. We only went for a day, and we did not want to spend a lot of time walking to and from. Google Maps continued to reassure us that the hotel is incredibly close to the parks, and closer apparently than even the on-site Paradise Pier Hotel that is owned by Disney!
It was so easy to wake up in the morning and find a refreshing, short, easy walk to the main entrance. All the hotels along the main road that is across the street from Disneyland have nice landscaping, so even though it is a busier street the walk is still very pleasant. It is well-lit and there was no concerns or homelessness, violence, or anything of the sorts. (I'm really worried about this the older and older I get for some reason.)
The walk itself is also SO short! The half mile walk is broken up where half of it is off-property on the major road and the other half is on-property through the outdoor bus depot area of the Disneyland property. Honestly, I believe we were on Disneyland property in less than 5 minutes from our hotel door, making us really happy and impressed for an off-site stay!
The Howard Johnson property itself was gorgeous. It had a number of buildings and beautiful grounds between them. I love that the rooms at Howard Johnson are housed in several different main buildings. This means your hotel room door isn’t exposed to the world like many neighboring hotels. You’ll need a key to access the building itself and your hotel room. I definitely enjoy that extra layer of security.
Our room itself was located with a fantastic view of the HoJo Anaheim own personal waterpark and a firework view of the parks! It was a straight site into the towering Matterhorn ride and we could see other Disneyland park landmarks, as well as the monorail soaring by our room!
We absolutely loved our room. They are newly renovated and so gorgeous. The color scheme, fresh bedding, Disney wall art and plenty of extra seating make the rooms feel even more spacious. Beyond the remarkable view it had absolutely gorgeous windows and a super high ceiling that just flooded the whole room with light! I especially liked that the room had a desk and chair, a small shelf for electronics, two stools/seats and a booth type of bench with a table. When you’re traveling with kids, you know how handy all that extra seating can be! Rooms also come with a patio or step-out balcony, refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker, large closet and double vanity bathroom, just to name a few of the upgraded amenities, along with plenty of Disney touches. Throughout the room, there was a number of pieces of modern Disney art that were truly adorable.
When we checked in, they gifted us with the most fantastic goodie bag that allowed us to have snacks in the rooms for our stay, coffee to bring home (which was amazing coffee), and treats for the kids. Although Disneyland is 100% designed for kids, we know that it is so important to get away, just the two of us! The treats for the kids were a great way for us to take them home presents from when mommy and daddy were away playing at the parks!
Beyond the room, if you’re staying with family/children, one really nice feature of the HoJo is the water park! Our room opened right up to the water park and although the temperature was a bit chilly in January for my taste, there were kids running around during the day having a fantastic time. They also have an amazing arcade area for children, which makes this location even better for an extended Disneyland stay when you are looking for more than just the parks. I know if Ollie would hav been with us, he would have loved the arcade and water park just as much as anything else.
Other bonuses is the affordability! The Howard Johnson was such an amazing price for the location and all of its amenities. The parking is free (which isn't the case at all Good Neighbor Hotels), and if you snag a room like ours, you can watch the fireworks without even entering the Disneyland property! The room was immaculate, the walk to the parks was fantastic, and the price difference could really free up a lot of room for extra fun in your trip! I think there’s only so much a non-Disney resort can do to create that magic feel and between the view, the artistic touches, and how well the grounds are kept up, the HoJo seemed to do everything it could to keep the magic going.
Now the only question is, when will you be staying at Howard Johnson Anaheim?? I know I’ll be back for sure!
