We've done it both ways; stayed at a hotel nearby and then the last time we went we stayed at the Disneyland Hotel. It was wonderful! To be so close to our hotel was so worth the money! We rode the monorail each day, which my kids loved. If you stay at one of the Disneyland resorts, they give you early access to Disneyland, before the general public. Definitely some perks with staying at the Disney Hotel. My kids were always running into the characters while at the hotel. Good Luck!

Deblyn:
I have heard mixed reviews on the Disneyland Hotel but it seems to be the norm with so many people that stay there. Not everyone is going to satisfied. Could you give me some extra details on it because I am sure it will be slightly cheaper than the Californian since that one is much newer. I guess it is a give and take to be in the park and I have a five year old who will get tired pretty quick and would be nice to get in and out of the park so easily with the monorail, so definitely a lot to consider. I will have to check into the Disneyland Hotel. I did hear they have a real nice children's pool somewhere in my research. Any info you can give on this place would be great and of course I know everyone will have there own opinions but curious to hear about it. I can always look at their photos on the web but would still like to hear from you. Room quality/size, service, food qualilty at the hotel and anything else you think might be of important interest. Thanks so much!

jojo7;
We have actually stayed there twice. Both times have been great experiences. We did have some problems @ check-in, not getting the room type we had reserved, and after asking for a front desk manager, they were quick to accomodate us. Our room was very roomy, and it was in the tower that looked out on Downtown Disney; which was nice as we could see the fireworks from our room @ night. The beds were very comfortable, and each day, I would leave a note and a tip to the maid, and she would make our room up exactly as we asked (extras towels, pillows, etc). Other people complained of not getting their room made up early, so each morning before we went over to Disneyland, I would call and request our room cleaned early. It was always made up when we came back to the room to rest. The bathrooms were roomy and we had a refrigerator to keep snacks in, which was nice to come back in the afternoon, have some snacks and let the kids swim in the pool (which was a great pool for kids)! I have read other reviews about the rooms being dated, but ours was not. But I will look through my stuff and see if I can see exactly which tower we were in and what room. In my opinion, it is definitely worth staying at a Disney property. If you do encounter any problems, guest services, is very helpful and accomodating to make your experience great! We chose the Disneyland Hotel over the Californian also, as the prices are extreme for Californian. We toured the California, and in my opinion, especially if you have kids, Disney Hotel is a better choice. I personally don't think Californian is any better, only newer and more expensive. Good Luck!

Deblynn:
Thank you so much for your imformative feedback!!