As each of the hotels along Harbor Boulevard upgrade competition becomes aggressive between each of them. You can generally count on higher prices the closer you are to Disneyland, but always be on the lookout for discounts and great deals. One place that has taken advantage of using offers to lure guests is the Grand Legacy at the Park.
The Hotel
The Grand Legacy is the former Ramada that was taken over a few years ago and redone as a privately owned hotel. The hotel is about a five to ten minute walk to the park entrance and sits on the block directly across the street from the Disneyland Resort (you can see Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout directly across the street). It is similar to the other hotel-motels along Harbor, but it has made strides to set itself apart.
The hotel has been renovated so rooms and common areas are in a tasteful, modern-yet-traditional style that many hotels have adopted. The front building has had the most work done and includes the family suites that have become so popular in Anaheim. Most of the hotel is in the same vein as the other hotel-motels of the area: exterior doors and walkways, central pool area, minimal landscaping or fuss. The hotel seems to have a larger number of rooms available, with four floors in the rear building. We’ve noticed whether you are purchasing direct or through a travel service rooms here tend to be lower in price than their immediate competitors: Best Western Anaheim Inn, Best Western Park Place, Anaheim Desert Inn, Park Vue Inn, Del Sol Inn, Tropicana Inn, and Camelot Inn, all of which are just up the block.
While there appear to be more rooms don’t let that lead you to believe there is plentiful parking. Parking here is the same at other hotel-motels we’ve been to recently: crowded, small spaces and a valet option for those who can’t self-park. Much like other motel-hotels, valet comes at no extra charge should you be unable to find a parking spot on your own, but they will stack park (three or more cars parked in a row) and valet can get worse when there’s an event at the lounge or a large group at Tony Roma’s next door. As with almost all Anaheim hotels parking is a separate fee that is not included in your room fee.
There is a popular lounge/restaurant in the hotel: The 5th. This venue is located on the fifth-floor of the main building at the front of the property along Harbor. You can watch the fireworks from up here, have food and drinks, or take in nightly entertainment such as live bands and dancing. This spot has become pretty popular with locals looking for a place to go that isn’t Disneyland or the Anaheim GardenWalk, so expect it to be crowded during busier times of the year. The music varies from night to night (something you may have to take into consideration if you get a room in that main building) but there’s usually something for everyone’s tastes throughout the week. Brunches on the weekend are also popular. Schedules of events are posted in elevators and in rooms.
If you don’t want to dine at the hotel you can find Tony Roma’s next door and Denny’s just beyond that. Slightly further is IHOP and Captain Kidd’s, while the restaurants of the Disneyland Resort are just across the street. The Anaheim GardenWalk is down the block on Disney Way. There you can find the House of Blues (their new home since moving out of Downtown Disney), Johnny Rockets, The Cheesecake Factory, P.F. Chang’s and more. This entertainment complex/mall was just a dirt lot and a “Coming Soon” fence while I was a Cast Member, but it is now a busy but Disney-free alternative. If there are any members of your party that are less Disney-inclined or need a break from the theme parks you can always find something to do at the GardenWalk.
As I mentioned before the Grand Legacy is keen on discounts to lure and keep guests coming back. If you check out their website and/or subscribe to their email list you’ll find a diverse array of offers and discounts that can make your stay more affordable. Among the most popular are the free gas promo (bring a receipt for filling up your before or during your stay and have that amount applied to your total stay as a discount) and the Annual Passholder promo (receive a per-night discount when you present your valid Annual Pass). You can also get a discount if you dine or buy drinks at The Fifth. These discounts keep the Grand Legacy competitive with its neighbors.
While the hotel does not offer a free breakfast option it does offer what I consider to be a unique and valuable service: the morning snack bag. This bag is available every morning until 10am for pickup at the pool’s shack. Present your room number and how many snack bags you’ll need and a helpful member of the staff with provide you with a bottle of water, fresh fruit, cheese stick, and granola bar. Because time is of the essence in the mornings I think you can save valuable time getting this snack bag versus finding a breakfast spot to sit down and eat at before you go to the parks. The snacks are portable, nutritious, and surprisingly filling. We ate ours while waiting in the security line, but security will wave you through with them if you want to eat your snacks later. The only dietary concern would be the cheese stick, and I’m not sure you can ask for a substitute. If you have an allergy or dietary restriction check with the front desk to see if they can help you.
The Room
Our room was in the farthest building to the back. While that may not sound great, it wasn’t a far walk to the front (just add a few minutes to the time you’ll take getting to the parks, which is already low) and it was fairly quiet. My concern with the front building was sound: fireworks, families, live music, traffic. Since we were in the back the longer walk seemed a small price to pay for a quieter stay. For those who walk from the back buildings: be aware of your surroundings as you walk through the parking area, as there is no marked walkway once you head towards the Harbor sidewalk. In the evenings it can be hard for drivers to see pedestrians, so watch out for valets fetching cars or fellow guests driving in the parking lot.
We were on the fourth floor, which meant using the elevator with luggage. Luckily the elevator was in tip-top shape and we never had an issue with waiting too long for it or waiting with crowds of people for it. The higher floor meant we did not have to hear as much traffic from the street/parking level and we could see the fireworks if we went to the middle of the exterior walkway (our room was directly across from the elevator, so no view to speak of).
The room had been renovated so the furnishings and style were similar to what we’ve had at previous hotel-motels such as the Best Western Park Place. Like those hotels the room had a safe, microwave, refrigerator, coffee maker, ironing board, iron, television, alarm clock, and plenty of outlets for charging devices. There wasn’t a desk but there was a small table with two chairs (yay! Busy Bumble has a seat!). I did like that compared to other hotel-motels there was an enclosed wardrobe, rather than just drawers and an exposed clothes rack. This kept our things tucked away and prevented a mess from piling up.
The beds were comfortable, though a bit on the firmer side for my tastes. Like many other hotels in warm climates there is an air-conditioner by the window. I found during our stay that it could be set at what seemed like a comfortable temperature while you were awake but felt like the next Ice Age while you slept. Since I slept in the bed closest to the A/C unit I took the brunt of the cold air. Again, during the day it felt perfectly fine, but either because of weather or the nature of our room it felt much colder as the night went on. If you use it, keep an eye on it and be ready to adjust as necessary, even at night.
The bathroom has also been renovated with the sink/vanity area outside of the bathroom. Inside the bathroom there is the standard shower-tub combo and a toilet. The refurbished look with real tile is a plus, although you’ll want to be careful with puddles after you bathe; it can get slippery in there. The toiletries will be familiar to anyone who’s stayed in Anaheim in recent years.
The Grand Legacy is one of the best values on Harbor, in my opinion. With a competitive price, well-appointed rooms, and a location that makes walking to and from Disneyland easy, this is a great option for many travelers. If you would like to take advantage of the many deals and discounts the Grand Legacy offers you can check with them directly, either through their website or by giving them a call. Their offers are only available with direct booking so check with them first before booking through another service. While the value is already top-notch it never hurts to save a little more money.
Busy Disney 