On our recent Disneyland trip, we were lucky enough to be able to stay at the Disneyland Hotel. A lot of people (including us) often wonder whether or not it is worth it to stay on property at Disneyland! The prices tend to be outrageous! But with a good deal and a one-night stay, we were able to get a taste of this Disney deluxe resort on the property at Disneyland. Here’s our review.
When vacationing at Disneyland, it is not necessary to stay on property at Disneyland. In fact, we often recommend staying off-property at Disneyland. As there are many Hotels within Walking Distance of Disneyland. However, there is no magic like staying in a Disney Resort on-property at Disneyland.
Where is Disneyland Hotel?
Disneyland Hotel is adjacent to Downtown Disney. To get to the Parks from the Disneyland Hotel is pretty easy, but keep in mind, it’s actually not any closer than staying off property. You have to go through the back of the hotel and into Downtown Disney, where you can take the monorail into Tomorrowland. Or, you can keep walking all the way through Downtown Disney to get there. You’ll go through security to get into Downtown Disney, so you don’t have to worry about all of that later.
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Disneyland Hotel Rooms
Disneyland Hotel just got a huge refurb a few years ago and is super fun and magical now. We stayed in a standard room, which was pretty “standard” as far as size goes. We stayed in two other Anaheim area hotels during this trip and honestly, all of the rooms were pretty close to the same size. Of course, we loved the theming of the room and the magical headboards are a seriously fun touch of magic. And be on the lookout for little Mickeys throughout the room and the hotel; there are lots of added little touches and we loved finding them.
What Kinds of Rooms are Available at Disneyland Hotel?
Disneyland Hotel has standard rooms that sleep up to 5 adults, as well as family suites that can sleep up to 14 people! Disneyland Hotel also has Signature Suites across a few Disney themes. Disneyland Hotel Signature Suites include the Mickey Mouse Penthouse Suite, Big Thunder Suite, Adventureland Suite, Pirates of the Caribbean Suite, and the Fairytale Suite. Check out current Disneyland Hotel Prices.
Disneyland Hotel Restaurants
In the Disneyland Hotel, there are a variety of restaurants ranging from family-friendly character dining to an adult lounge. Whether you choose to stay here or not, we highly recommend trying out the dining options at Disneyland Hotel.
Goofy’s Kitchen
Offering up American cuisine, Goofy’s Kitchen offers up both breakfast and dinner. For breakfast, a variety of all you care to enjoy dishes are available. Breakfast basics like bacon, sausage, eggs, biscuits, and more are offered. But Goofy’s peanut butter and jelly pizza is the headliner here. For dinner, also a buffet, there are a variety of meats available at a carving station, veggies, salads, mac and cheese, and pizza. Desserts are also on the menu, but the warm bread pudding is famous here. Check out Goofy’s Kitchen Menu.
Tangaroa Terrace Tropical Bar and Grill
Tangaroa Terrace Tropical Bar and Grill features a Polynesian atmosphere filled with tiki torches, music, and foods from the island. This restaurant is inspired by the Enchanted Tiki Room and is surrounded by tropical palms. Serving up breakfast, lunch, and dinner in tropical fashion. Sweet and spicy wings, Hawaiian cheeseburgers, hot ramen, and dole whip are all on the menu. Peruse the Tangaroa Terrace Menu.
The Coffee House
The Coffee House has more than just coffee! A great place for a snack you can grab a coffee, donuts, pastries, and dole whip here. Check out everything available at The Coffee House.
Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar
If you’re up for drinks, the most famous bar at Disneyland is Trader Sams, and you can find it at the Disneyland Hotel. This Jungle Cruise-themed tiki bar offers up theme drinks and small plates for your time adventuring the Amazon River. Browse the Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar Menu for your next drink.
Disneyland Hotel Pools
Just like any hotel, you can find pools here. The E-ticket Pool, D-Ticket Pool, and Monorail Slides, and Splash Activity Area pools are all encompassed in the u-shape the hotel grounds make.
Disneyland Hotel Gift Shops
Disney’s Fantasia Shop and Small World Gifts & Sundries are the two gift shops at Disneyland Hotel and provide hotel-specific collections, and all the Disneyland merchandise you can imagine. From Mickey ears to home decor to apparel and accessories, you can find whatever Disney merchandise you need here.
Disneyland Hotel on a Budget
Is Disneyland Hotel Worth the Cost?
First of all, let me start by saying, if you are on a budget, the Disneyland Hotel is not worth the extra cost. I really don’t like starting the post off like that, but I also don’t want to make the very budget-conscious Disneyland traveler read this entire post just to find out my opinion on that. Check out our post on Staying On or Off Property at Disneyland for options for staying near Disneyland Park on a budget.
Is it Worth it to Stay on Disneyland Property?
For clarity here, there are three Disneyland Resort hotels. They include the Disneyland Hotel, the Grand Californian, and Paradise Pier Hotel. I had been warned by a lot of people not to bother with Paradise Pier….and Grand Californian- why are you SO expensive? So we stayed at the Disneyland Hotel, which we were told was the most “magical” of the three, in the hopes of getting a glamourous night stay on Disneyland property.
How to Get a Deal for the Disneyland Hotel?
We did get a killer deal by using hotels.com and actually saved about $200/night, which I was pretty thrilled about. It was still not cheap, but definitely more affordable. I would recommend checking third-party sites before booking directly, simply because you still get all of the same perks and usually at a lower cost. We also love Get Away Today for cheap and surprise resort deals, check out the Disneyland Hotel Deals.
Does Disneyland Hotel Have Dole Whip?
I actually didn’t realize that this hotel had dole whip, so this was a nice surprise. Thankfully, the Coffee House is right by the pool, so if you’re visiting Disneyland in warmer weather, grab a dole whip and relax by the pool.
The Perks of Staying at the Disneyland Hotel
The biggest perk of staying at the Disneyland Resort Hotel is that you get the Extra Magic Hour. Extra Magic Hour is only available to Disneyland Resort Hotel (DLR) guests. This will get you in an extra hour early to the Parks on select days. This is not to be confused with Magic Mornings. What makes this a little more of a perk over Magic Mornings is that you can get into Disney California Adventure early. Whereas Magic Mornings are only good for Disneyland. The reason that this is exciting is that Cars Land will get very busy as the day goes on and Radiator Springs Racers will have waits that will make you want to sell your right arm on the black market for a FastPass. That being said, it was a very nice perk to have, but not worth the extra cost just for that one extra.
Disneyland Hotel Review
So, do we recommend the Disneyland Hotel? Well, if you are only planning to go to Disneyland once, have no budget restrictions, and are planning on actually spending some time at your hotel, then sure, why not? It’s cute, it’s fun, your kids (or your inner child) will love it. But, if you’re like most people and have to have a budget for your vacations, then we suggest you stay off property at Disneyland. There are some hotels that are actually closer to the Parks. And if that’s where you are planning to spend most of your time anyway, then blowing your budget on the Disneyland hotel is probably not the best idea. What do you think? Have you stayed on property at Disneyland? Do you recommend it? Let us know!
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