Howard Johnson (Disneyland) Anaheim, CA review by Average Joe Reviews
Our review of the Howard Johnson Anaheim, CA (Disneyland). We selected this hotel due to the proximity to Disneyland and outdoor water play area for the kids (Castaway Cove). We arrived during Spring Break on a Tuesday and our room was ready so we checked in and immediately went to the pool area. There are two areas: Castaway Cove with a small "kiddie" pool, shooting fountains, two slide areas, a bucket that fills and spills from above and a hot tub. You can also see the Disneyland Fireworks at night from this location very easily (you can even hear and feel the bing bangs). The second area is the Garden Pool. It is just a normal pool, no slide or diving board on the other side of the hotel through the courtyard area. One of the courtyards veers off and you can see a large orange chair for picture taking (you can see it in our travel video of this hotel).
The room itself is dated, but adequate. We had a double (two queen beds) and it had a small refrigerator and microwave for our convenience (which we used a lot by the way). The market is located in building one (where we stayed) as well as a small game room. The market is very expensive so I would suggest you purchase food and supplies elsewhere ($4 for a Velveeta with shells and cheese single serving, ouch!). There is no restaurant or bar on site but nearby hotels offer those. This location is about a 10 minute walk to Disneyland and that is the main reason we opted for it, location! We slept well and the beds were fairly comfortable with daily maid service. The shower and bathroom are dated but again, adequate. The only major drawback for us was that, I believe, smoking is allowed in some rooms and we could definitely smell that from the hallway when we got off the elevator.
Pros: location to Disneyland (10 minute walk), ample parking, great pool area for kids.
Cons: market is way overpriced, smoking is allowed on some floors.