Which Hotel Should You Choose for Your Disneyland Trip?

Planning a Disney trip can be incredibly stressful, and undoubtedly one of the hardest parts of planning the trip is figuring out where to stay.

The Disneyland Resort is jam-packed with fantastic nostalgia, amazing attractions, great food, and plenty of the warm fuzzies. Being at Disneyland is a total BLAST — but getting there can be a pain. What’s even worse is figuring out the best lodging. WORRY NOT, we’re here to help!

If you’ve ever wondered about all the hotel options at the Disneyland Resort, we’ve got you covered. We’ve assembled a pros and cons list for every lodging option at the resort to help you find the best fit for you and your family on your next trip!

DISNEY’S GRAND CALIFORNIAN HOTEL & SPA

Let’s just put this out there right off the bat — there is no such thing as a cheap/affordable Disneyland Resort hotel. Regularly, standard hotel rooms range somewhere between $450 to $1,000 or more a night. With that down and understood, let’s take a look at Disney’s most expensive hotel on property — Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa.

This hotel is AMAZING. If you crave the finer things in life, view money as no object, want access to a resort spa, and/or want a once-in-a-lifetime Disneyland experience wrapped up in a premier California experience, this is the hotel for you.

This Craftsman-style masterpiece of a hotel offers the usual Disney hotel perks such as Early Entry, top-of-the-line services and amenities, as well as personal gates into Downtown Disney and Disney California Adventure. Dining here is also exquisite, with offerings like the famous Napa Rose and the underrated GCH Craftsman Grill.

The Grand Californian isn’t just the best hotel on-property, it’s one of the best Disney hotels in the world.

So why should you consider staying anywhere else? Most nights a standard room costs upwards of $800 and can easily get into quadruple figures if demand calls for it. This is anything but a cheap stay and you could put your money to better use if you’re on a budget.

DISNEYLAND HOTEL

The ever-classic Disneyland Hotel is a staple of the Disneyland Resort and is the hotel you should circle if you’re looking for those vintage Disney vibes. Each tower pays homage to Disneyland’s original lands — Adventureland, Fantasyland, and Frontierland — and is decorated with nostalgic Easter eggs and odes to old-school Disney.

This hotel also offers the standard Disney hotel benefits and is connected to Downtown Disney. The Downtown Disney Monorail station is located fairly close to this hotel and is a fun way to get into Disneyland if you don’t want to walk all the way to the front gate. If you’re a fan of character dining, Goofy’s Kitchen is a popular buffet, and Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Room is one of the best places to grab cocktails in all of Disneyland.

The Disneyland Hotel is old-school with modern refurbishments and continues to evolve to maintain upscale lodging.

The biggest downside to the hotel is the same with all the Disney hotels at the resort — the price. You’re still shelling out $500+ a night.

PIXAR PLACE HOTEL

The newest hotel at the resort, Pixar Place Hotel just underwent a massive retheme from what once was Paradise Pier Hotel in addition to many refurbishments.

This hotel is a goldmine for Pixar fans, as it pays homage to Pixar movies with every step you take. From concept art to character models in your room to the Pixar ball design in your bedding, this one-of-a-kind hotel was made for Pixar lovers with all the usual perks of a Disney hotel.

Modern, charming, chic, and full of fun little tidbits, Pixar Place Hotel is sure to provide a positively memorable stay. It’s also home to Great Maple Modern American Eatery which takes meals like fried chicken and donuts as well as other brunch entrees and elevates them to a fine dining experience.

This hotel is technically new, so coming by a reservation can be difficult and demand has also kept rooms in that $450-$600/night range for standard rooms.

GOOD NEIGHBOR HOTELS

Good Neighbor Hotels are Disney-approved hotels close to Disneyland that don’t offer the same perks like Early Entry, but often supply transportation to Disneyland and other basic hotel amenities.

In the past, this was the way to go, as these hotels were significantly cheaper. However, their rates continue to go up and sometimes the transportation costs an extra fee, negating some savings.

Still, Good Neighbor hotels are objectively cheaper overall and often include theme park ticket packages that you can bundle with your room. These hotels require a bit more research in terms of package offers (such as base tickets instead of park hopper tickets) and locations, but if the prices for the other three hotels put you off, this is where you want to start looking.

OFF-SITE

At the end of the day, the further you are willing to lodge away from Disneyland, the cheaper the rates you’ll find. While this is not ideal if you’ve centered your entire vacation around Disneyland, staying well off-site can have its benefits.

If you’ve rented a car and want to see some of the COUNTLESS historical landmarks, gorgeous beaches, sports venues, museums, and other amazing locations Southern California has to offer, staying well off-site at a normal hotel is a great choice. Orange County, Los Angeles, and San Diego are worth separate trips on their own, and if you have time to break from the Disney bubble to see the sights, we highly recommend it.

We’ll constantly keep you updated with all kinds of Disneyland news, tips, and reviews so be sure to stay tuned here at AllEars for all the latest!

ALL of Disneyland’s Rides RANKED

Do you prefer to stay at a Disneyland hotel when you visit the resort or do you stay off-site? Tell us what you think is better and why in the comments below!

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