Stovall's is my second "go to" when going to the parks (first being Desert Inn and Suites, but those prices skyrocket when you're planning a trip on short notice!).
Hotel Lulu and BW Stovall's are about the same price. Eden Roc and Clarion are $200 less.
A quick walk to the park is important.
From Stovalls, you'll go to the crosswalk and cross over Katella, going north on
Disneyland Drive. You'll walk past Paradise Pier Hotel, then west (left) through the parking lot to get to the Downtown Disney security checkpoint. Then just walk the length of DTD and you're in the esplanade. To get back to the hotel, you can cut through the Grand Californian and end up on Disneyland Drive, cutting several minutes off the walk "home." In the mornings, it takes maybe 15-ish minutes. I'm not a fast walker though (arthritis in nearly all my joints from my hips down).
Breakfast that we can grab either at the hotel or nearby would also be nice.
I'm always pleased with their breakfasts. Over the last few years, I remember having "make your own breakfast sandwiches," French toast sticks, and biscuits and gravy. I think there was a "generic breakfast" (eggs, bacon, sausage, mini pancakes) once or twice. Always fruit, cereals and breads. Juice, milk, coffee, etc. It's definitely a great way to start the day, and takes me right up until a late lunch time. It's always busy, but I've never had a problem getting a table within a minute or two.
We'd like something clean and safe, but we're not the pickiest people when we go to Disneyland because by the end of the day, we're so tired, we could sleep just about anywhere.
I often travel as a solo, 40-something woman. I basically feel safe there (will come back to this in just a moment). I use a black light before I unpack and have never seen anything that made me ask to switch rooms, so it's "clean enough" for me; however, it doesn't always pass my "white sock test." But it's a hotel room, so I just keep my socks on. It's not like they can shampoo/sanitize the carpets between each guest, so I'm accepting of slightly gray socks. Beds are minorly lumpy, but not especially bad, and not especially firm or soft. Just a moderate but lumpy mattress.
Okay, back to the safety thing. I always feel safe on the walk to and from the parks. Realistically, it's all on Disney property, so anything that happens is on video. They would know if I sneezed wrong, LOL. My only issue was about the pool. Again, solo, 40-something woman. I'm often staying at Stovall's in the winter, so it's dark by 5pm, and the parks close at 8pm, so lots of time to chill before bed time. On my first stay, my room in the west building. The pool is on the east side of the property. To get from the west building to the pool, you have to go through the east building. The walkway was between four rooms. I couldn't see the other side, so I could have easily been ambushed and had no idea if anyone was on the other side of this hallway. Got through it without issue. Got over to the pools and hot tubs. There's 2 pools, and 2 hot tubs. The first hot tub had a couple... ummmm... having "grown-up" time. You can draw your own conclusions about what they were doing, and you'll probably guess correctly. So, I went around to the other hot tub. But it was dark out, and the other hot tub was on the back side of a linen room and not well lit. My anxiety got the better of me, and I went back to my room. Would I have been safe? Yep, probably completely safe. But I like to be able to see everything around me, and having that linen room and an amorous couple between me and the exit was enough to make me feel uncomfortable-ish. Honestly, I'd rather be in a motel's "parking lot pool" on display than to be in a secluded hot tub like that back one at Stovall's.
Despite the pool situation, I still stay there often, and it will continue to be my second budget go-to.
I'm trying Hotel Lulu in September.
