This hotel is a total rip off. Beware!!! We were charged $4.50 for arriving at 1:00 the day off check in, $9 for the overnight, And $12 for "post check" out parking. That is a total of $26 for 26 hours of parking!!! About 25% of the room rate! We visit Disneyland about every two months and I will NEVER stay at this hotel again!

we stayed here from Feb 2-Feb 6. It was awesome. The hotel grounds were clean and neat, the staff at the front desk was very friendly and helpful when it came to wanting a cab to the airport. The room was clean and comfy. The beds were soooo comfortable. It was great to have a fridge in the room to help with leftovers. This hotel is so close to Disney that it really helps when your kids are tired. The pool was a little cold, but what do you expect in February. Hot tub was hot but enjoyable.

I must admit that this was my very first experience staying at a non-brand hotel (ie, hilton, marriot, sheraton, etc.). i didnt know what to expect except from all these reviews which were all impt to me up to the day of arrival. i was even ready to bring my own pillows and sheets.

However....this place was AWESOME! id look no further than here. i feel silly to have thought of all those negative things about this place. sleep is very impt to me esp after a day of nonstop activites (we left the room around 9am and didnt come back until 10p). so i was very worried. was the bed going to be too hard or too soft, etc.? but the bed was perfect, the pillows and sheets were clean. and thank goodness for the fast working heater. the house keepers even kept our air conditioner on warm to assure that the room would be comfortable instead of freezing cold upon our return back to the room. and they even had a turn-down service, so when we came back to the room the kids could just go straight to bed if they wanted to.

the bathrooms were clean as well. id always look forward to that warm shower after a long day. and our room was always well stocked with clean towels everyday.

location is key! this part is a given. you cant get any closer than Grand California. i think this location is the same distance as the Disney Pier hotel and closer than the Disneyland Hotel. i really wanted to get the "Disney" experience by staying on property and since the Disneyland Hotel was just renovated I thought it'd be worth it. Im so glad I decided not to because i didnt have to deal with the monorail or shuttle. we just walked right across the street. there was no depending on anyone else or waiting in line for transportation. id see the lines for the shuttles, esp when the park was closing or right after the firework show or World of color show. it was madness. it was nice to walk past all of that. im sure we were back in our room first before those people. also, if youre waiting for the hotel buses, forget that...youd be waiting for at least 15-20 min before they actual depart the bus station. no way...just walk right across the street!

one night the kids used the pool. i thought it was crazy to go swimming at 9pm in 30degree weather. but the kids had a blast, the temperature was perfect in the pool and jacuzzi. perfect ending to a long day at Disney. we even ordered pizza and they delivered it to the pool area.

FOOD:
we ordered pizza from Marri's Pizza. omg, it was SO good. be careful, their large is an XXL pizza. i think 18 slices. i wish they told me cuz i had enough food to feed everyone at the pool that night. but the room has a micowave, so it was perfect to have another slice after swimming.

we ate at IHOP for a quick dinner upon arrival to the hotel (we checked in at 1130p). it was within walking distance late at night (i was worried walking that late, it was just me and my 2 young kids, 9 and 7, but it was fine because the path was well lit). i thought the prices were decent, however i later found out that their prices are higher than the other restaurants near by. but for the convenience i guess its worth it.

i was desperate for real food. i was tired of chicken nuggets, fries, turkey legs, hot dogs, and churros. the little extra walk to Mimi's Cafe was well worth it. it was cheap and good!! this place is a must. they had a dinner special, (1) soup or salad, (2) dinner entree, and (3) a dessert all for a whopping $14! you cant go wrong. i didnt think i was gonna eat all that food, but it was our first real meal on the trip. perfect!

we tried their continental breakfast one day. everything on the counter is free (danish, croissant, fruits, coffee, hot choc, and juice). it was perfect for us because my kids only wanted fruit and cereal. it was only a couple dollars more for it. and they were nice enough to toast my croissant. its a small room of maybe 6 round tables. so if you have a large party, you may not all be able to sit.

i didnt go to Denny's, but its also walking distance. just a little further down the street.

i inquired about nearby restaurants, ie Cheesecake Factory. they said it was walking distance. no way, it was far from the hotel. your best bet is to go to Mimi's Cafe.

MISC:
i wanted to do laundry while the kids were sleeping. i wish i knew the laundromat closed around 10 or so. i thought it was 24hr. my friend was able to do her laundry there. she said it was cheap and fast (dryers worked really well, she pulled out her clothes much sooner than expected).

As several have mentioned, the Tropicana is right across the street from the main entrance to the facility--go left to Cal Adventure, and right to Dizzyland. The motel is nothing fancy, but is clean & tidy, nothing smelled, everything worked, etc. We have 2 very active sons, 9 and 11, and were in the room very little, except to collapse after full days of running around. This is a Motel, not a resort, and I rate it as such, but delivers good value and great location. Very family oriented so expect excited kiddie's voices outside your room starting around 7 or 7:30am. Other than some gratis sugary "danish" rolls and Hostess-style "donuts" you pay for everything else. This is OK, given the reasonable room rates. We bought fruit, yogurt, juice, cereal etc & snacks about a mile along Harbor (heading away from I5) at Target, & other grocery stores further down. Snag some plastic/paper bowls/cups/utensils and extra napkins and eat in your room, or by the pool. Not surprisingly, gas is MUCH cheaper as you out Harbor into Garden Grove, away from I5.