Hey Grace!
Welcome to planDisney!
There’s nothing more that I love than staying at one of the
three hotels at the Disneyland Resort. I love being immersed in the Magic and relaxing by the pools or having breakfast on my balcony. I think for me, staying on property really depends on what you want to get out of your hotel stay. Besides the Magic and theming, convenience is probably the biggest factor that comes to mind. My family also enjoys non-park days for relaxing and rejuvenating.
The dining options are amazing and make it easy to enjoy really good food. Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa has some of the best dining on property and we often eat there even when we’re not staying there, it's that good! Hotel guests have preferred access to a limited amount of dining reservations that are set aside for hotel guests. This can come in handy for those hard to get dining reservations. Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel have their own entrance into Disney California Adventure Park. This is extremely convenient for those mid day breaks, especially with little ones. All hotels are just steps away from the
Downtown Disney District where you can enjoy more dining options and shopping. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve been relaxing in our room or at the resort and have quickly run out for a pizza or some ice cream to bring back and enjoy.
The biggest perk has got to be the early entry into Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park. All hotel guests with valid theme park admission and reservation are able to enter both parks 30 minutes before the regularly scheduled time. You cannot get this perk with any park ticket or while staying at an off-site hotel. You'll have access to attractions before everyone else which will allow you to knock out some big attractions before you even start your day.
If you plan on being in the theme parks the whole time and aren't going to make use of any of the extra perks or amenities that are provided at one of the three hotels at the Disneyland Resort, then an off-site Disney approved
Good Neighbor Hotel could be a good option for you. Based on the information that you shared, It doesn't sound like the JW Marriott Anaheim would be a good fit for you. The JW Marriott Anaheim does not have self parking and only has valet parking which is currently priced at $59 per night (subject to change at any time). If you were to take the 8-9 minute drive over to park at one of the theme park parking lots, you'd be paying another $30 per day (subject to change at any time) to park which puts you at almost $100 just in parking for the day. That’s a lot of churros you could buy with that extra money! Then you’d have to either take the 12-15 minute walk to the parks or wait for a tram to take you to the parks. It's about a 16-19 minute walk from the JW Marriott to the theme parks if you were planning on walking. In comparison, the farthest Disney Hotel is about a 10 minute walk and your car stays parked the whole time. If you're wanting to stay off property I would take a look at some of the other Good Neighbor hotels that are closer and walkable to the Main Gate Entrance.
Well Grace, If you need any specific recommendations for Good Neighbor Hotels or want more details on Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, the Disneyland Hotel, or Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel, please come back and let us know.
Remember, always believe in the Magic!
Andres