Hi Pim! Welcome back to planDisney.
We love Disney's Polynesian Village Resort too, and Walt Disney World Monorail Transportation is not only convenient but also an Attraction itself, especially if you ask my boys! They'd happily ride around most of the day. The good news is that all three Disneyland Resort Hotels are nearly as close to the parks as Disney's Contemporary Resort is to Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort. So, I suggest you choose the hotel theming that most calls to you!
Disney's Polynesian Village Resort has a very fun vintage feel, and
Disneyland Hotel also features retro-cool styling. It's the iconic hotel choice at Disneyland Resort. Plus, if you like tiki vibes, the Quick Service option that overlooks the pool has it in spades. Tangaroa Terrace Tropical Bar & Grill offers Polynesian-inspired breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu options with some of our favorite Quick Service selections! Try the Tropical Buttermilk Pancakes or Poke Bowl currently available. You can order a DOLE Whip at Tangaroa Terrace too, which is a very nice way to enjoy the pool view with your family.
But our favorite part about Disneyland Hotel is that it is just a few steps away from the Disneyland Monorail, which only has two stops. The first is in Downtown Disney District near the entrance to Disneyland Hotel, and the other is in Tomorrowland at Disneyland Park. You can easily walk to Disneyland Park from Disneyland Hotel, but why not ride on the Disneyland Monorail? It's quick, has great views, and saves your feet those extra steps on a long park day.
Your other two choices,
Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and
Pixar Place Hotel, are fantastic too. Pixar Place Hotel has adorable, immersive theming, while Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is a gorgeous tribute to Craftsman-style elegance and features our favorite place to enjoy elevated dining, Napa Rose. But above all else, they each have their own exclusive entrance to Disney California Adventure Park. If you think you might spend more time in that park than Disneyland Park, I'd pick between one of those two hotels, otherwise, my top choice is Disneyland Hotel.
One quick note: You can visit each of the hotels, regardless of where you're staying, and make
dining reservations in the hotel dining locations up to 60 days out from your visit, so that's not a dealbreaker!
I hope this helps.
Elizabeth