Whether you’re hitting the Disney parks for a weekend or for a weeklong family vacation, your days will probably be packed from morning into the late evening. Staying onsite at one of the three Disneyland Park hotels — The Paradise Pier Hotel, Disneyland Hotel, and Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa — offers the shortest route to a good night’s sleep, but it also offers guests other advantages.
- Location
The obvious advantage to staying onsite is the immediate access to Disneyland, Disney California Adventure Park and Downtown Disney. Being a walk away means no need to wait for a seat on a crowded bus or find your car in the parking lot. You’ll be grateful for this when the kids are crashing from a full day of excitement. Guests also have a private entrance into Disney’s California Adventure right from Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa, enabling you to avoid long park lines. - Disney Character Interaction
When visiting the Disney parks, seeing Mickey and friends is as much part of the trip as the rides. Staying onsite at one of the Disney hotels enables you to extend the Disney experience even when you’re not within the parks. Start your day with a wake-up call from Mickey Mouse, enjoy dining with the characters or meeting them in the halls of the hotel, or stay in one of the Disney themed suites like the Pirates of the Caribbean Suite or Fairy Tale suite located within the Disneyland Hotel. - Disney Hospitality
Disney is labeled as ‘The Happiest Place on Earth’ and to earn such praise it needs to employ great staff. Staying at one of Disney’s onsite hotels means you’re going to receive the same friendly, helpful service you come to expect from the Disney name. - Easy Shopping and Dining
The room keys at the onsite Disneyland hotels enable you to do so much more than just enter your room. You can use your key to make room charges (within the parks and hotel) and even tie your dining plan to it. Now you don’t need to worry about carrying your credit card or cash around with you. - Package Delivery
Shopping in the park to pick-up a souvenir or gift for someone back home doesn’t have to be a burden or last minute thought as you leave the park. Staying onsite means you can have your purchases delivered to your hotel (delivery may be next day), at no additional fee. No more juggling those stuffed animals, T-shirts, and picture frames as you walk around the park. - Magic Hours
It doesn’t seem to matter what day of the week you are visiting the Disneyland, there always seems to be a line to enter. As a guest at one of the Disneyland onsite hotels, you can avoid the line with Magic Hours. On select dates, guests are granted access to Disneyland park an hour before it opens to the general public. Early access means avoiding the lines but it also means less crowds when you first arrive, perfect to catch a ride or two on those really popular rides.
So next time you’re planning a visit to Disneyland, why not plan to stay close by at the The Paradise Pier, Disneyland Hotel, or Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa and take advantage of the extra privilages afforded to guests.
If your vacation budget doesn’t allow for you to stay onsite, Disneyland does have a number of ‘good neighbour’ accommodations designed to fit all budget requirements.
Photo: Paul Hiffmeyer/Disneyland