The Disneyland Hotel is my very favorite on the West Coast and I have enjoyed every moment of all three of my stays, the most recent of which ended last week!
The hotel pays homage to the park’s original lands, with towers themed after Adventure, Fantasy and Frontier. There are whimsical touches throughout the resort, and is has a prime location located steps from Downtown Disney and a short walk to both Disneyland and California Adventure Parks!
The first thing you will likely notice about the Disneyland Hotel is the characters!! They are so fun and friendly, and can be caught just wandering through the lobby. This is something you will rarely see in Walt Disney World.
Accommodations at the Disneyland Hotel
The Disneyland Hotel offers regular double queen rooms, club level rooms and 1-, 2-, and 3- bedroom suites.
The regular rooms are absolutely magical with the headboard that lights up with the castle, fireworks and plays When You Wish Upon a Star. I kid you not, a tear of joy slid down my face when I walked in. It made for the perfect nightlight each evening. These rooms were all renovated during the 2020 closure and are fresh, clean and lovely!
Here are photos of our room that slept 4 with 2 queen beds:
Some sleep 5, like in this set-up (old photo):
The bathrooms also have a touch of Disney whimsy.
Disneyland Hotel E-Ticket Club Lounge
The Disneyland E-Ticket Club Lounge is a wonderful amenity definitely worth the upgrade! It is things like this that elevate a vacation from ordinary to extraordinary. The lounge is in the midst of a full renovation as of this post.
Here are the benefits that come with a club level stay:
- Nightly turndown service
- View fireworks from the E-Ticket Club with soundtrack (excludes special ticket events)
- Snacks from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM
- Exclusive access to the E-Ticket Club in the Adventure Tower
- Personal assistance from the Club Staff
- Wine and cheese reception from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
- A selection of DVDs available for checkout
- Continental breakfast from 6:30 AM to 10:00 AM
- Cookies and desserts from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM
You can’t beat this amazing view from the lounge, no matter what time of day. Of course, the sweeping vantage point offers magnificent viewing of nighttime fireworks!
Disneyland Hotel Signature Suites
For suites, there are 1-, 2- and 3- bedroom options that also have the ability to add on the E Ticket Lounge at check-in, based on availability. However, the crowning jewel of the Disneyland Hotel are the five absolutely incredible themed suites! You can tour each of them in this post:
Dining at the Disneyland Hotel
In addition to the fabulous options steps away in Downtown Disney and the parks, Disneyland Hotel is home to some incredible dining experiences:
Goofy’s Kitchen
This is the “Chef Mickey’s” of the West Coast. At the buffet, guests are welcomed by a Disney Character host as you enter the eatery where boisterous fun is the perfect way to start your day! In addition to Goofy, Mickey, Minnie, Chip and Dale usually make an appearance. I will be very honest and say that I am not a fan of Goofy’s Kitchen. There are other, better, character meals in my opinion!
Tangaroa Terrace
Enjoy bartop seating outside to dine alfresco under tribal-print lanterns while taking in views of the Disneyland Hotel’s Monorail Pool and waterslide, or find a seat inside amidst Island-inspired décor. On select evenings as the sun goes down, picture yourself in the South Pacific as you unwind to the soothing sounds of live music. This is a quick serve dining experience and reservations are not needed.
Trader Sam’s
The original Trader Sam’s is one of our personal favorites and is not to miss! Try to keep cool as surreal events unfold: Exotic elixirs of untold potency are shaken, walls shake with volcanic eruptions and you may not be able to shake the feeling that the tiki gods are watching you. Trader Sam’s does not take reservations and seating inside does fill up quickly!
Broken Spell Lounge
Visit the Broken Spell Lounge for a sophisticated experience in a forest setting. Enjoy a delectable drink, tasty small bites and enchanting conversation before your dinner or drop in for a nightcap. I had high hopes for this new lounge, but the location fell flat – right in the middle of a brightly lit high traffic area.
Recreation
Like all Disney resorts, there is no shortage of fun with characters, trivia, movie nights, live music and so much more to enjoy. My family absolutely loves the two retro themed pools and two waterslides at the Disneyland Hotel. There are plenty of umbrellas and plush chairs. With the close proximity to the theme parks, it is EASY to pop back to the resort to swim and enjoy the pool during the heat of the day and then return in the evevning.
Location
I always tell my Disneyland clients to take everything they know about Disney World and throw it out the window! Disneyland is easy with some careful planning about two months out! The Disneyland Hotel opens right up into Downtown Disney. Once you go through security here, you can move between BOTH parks AND Downtown Disney freely all day. The monorail entrance is just inside of Downtown Disney and deposits you right in the middle of Tomorrowland in Disneyland park.
If I had to choose between the three Disneyland Resort hotels, this one has my heart. I can’t resist all of the Disney memorabilia and classic but tasteful Disney theming.
Villas at the Disneyland Hotel
The newest tower at the Disneyland Hotel features studio and villa-style accommodations. This area of the resort has it’s own lobby, lounge and pool. Guests also enjoy all of the amenities of the rest of the resort – dining, recreation, lounges and pools!
We stayed in a deluxe studio and absolutely loved it. The rooms were bright, spacious and felt more updated and modernized than in the other towers. Our room had a light Tiana theme and was gorgeous.
Palm Breeze Bar
Treat yourself to cocktails, mocktails and chilled favorites at the pool-side Palm Breeze Bar. And keep an eye out for incredible Disney art! Palm Breeze Bar is surrounded by screens featuring the art and artists that helped create many classic Disney movies and Disneyland Park—and which continue to inspire today!
Villa Pool
Soak up some inspiration—along with some sun – at the villa pool! Multicolored pergolas cast a rainbow-hued glow along the covered breezeway, which leads to a palette-shaped pool flanked by cabanas and a poolside bar offering delicious drinks and treats.
Disneyland is a wonderful experience overall and makes for the perfect mix of theme park and relaxation.
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