Disneyland Hotel Review: Is It Still Worth It?

The Disneyland Lodge in Anaheim, California, is a historic property wrapped in nostalgia, with sufficient trendy touches to nonetheless really feel magical. For some followers, it’s the final word method to keep contained in the “Disney bubble,” however it would not come low-cost.

Even within the low season (which tends to run mid-September to mid-November, and once more from January via March), nightly room charges hover round $500. On peak nights (like Christmas), nightly charges can prime $800.

Nonetheless, the Disneyland Lodge is price it for:

Disney invited me to expertise the lodge as a part of a two-night keep in Might 2025 throughout its seventieth Anniversary kickoff occasion. Despite the fact that Disney footed the invoice, these opinions are mine.

Location: Steps from Downtown Disney

To get to the parks from the Disneyland Lodge, you may both stroll for about quarter-hour via Downtown Disney, Disney’s curated promenade of retailers and eating places, or catch a trip on the Monorail, which plops you within the coronary heart of Tomorrowland and cuts down in your strolling distance.

If you need a noon break on the pool or a fast outfit change, the comfort is unmatched. Solely Disney’s Grand Californian beats it in proximity, however that one comes at a fair steeper value.

The Disneyland Lodge’s finest perk goes away

Disneyland Lodge’s finest perk is Early Entry, which permits lodge friends with legitimate theme park admission tickets to enter the parks half-hour earlier than most people. However that perk goes away quickly.

For a very long time, this perk was top-of-the-line methods to expertise Disneyland in its relative ghost-town kind (and that’s factor). I used it each mornings of my journey to go to the most well-liked rides. One morning, I rode six Fantasyland points of interest earlier than most individuals even scanned their tickets. If time is cash, this perk delivers a excessive return.

However this profit ends on Jan. 5, 2026. Disney is changing it with a perk that’s considerably much less worthwhile. Come 2026, friends will obtain only one complimentary Lightning Lane entry per on-site lodge visitor per keep (not even per day!). That line-skipping privilege can be utilized on a Multi Move attraction with legitimate admission and reservations.

The brand new profit is healthier than a poke within the eye (and it may very well be good for individuals who’d quite not get up early). However I’d quite clock six rides in 30 blissful minutes than reduce the road for one trip.

Facilities on the Disneyland Lodge

Even when you skip the parks, this lodge has lots to maintain you entertained.

The principle pool has two slides which can be made to appear like monorail trains surrounding a reproduction of a retro Disneyland signal.

Youthful children would possibly quite hang around on the splash pad, additionally designed with a nostalgic “Steamboat Willie” theme.

There are additionally a couple of different swimming pools and whirlpools, which are typically a lot quieter than the principle slide pool.

There’s a fitness center on the Disneyland Lodge, however the place the lodge stands out is its health courses — a few of which truly happen contained in the theme park.

Although they value an extra charge, they really feel like a surprisingly whole lot. For simply $40, you may partake in a boot-camp-style health class incorporating fundamental tools like resistance bands and drugs balls on Pixar Pier in Disney California Journey. I’ve paid about that a lot for the same Barry’s Bootcamp class. However I’d take the surroundings of Pixar Pier over the Crimson Room any day.

Sadly, my schedule conflicted with the category occasions, so I didn’t get to verify any of those out firsthand, however I’ll be again.

Eating on the Disneyland Lodge

It’s robust to have a foul meal wherever on the Disneyland Lodge. Listed here are some highlights:

Dealer Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar is actually extra concerning the leisure than the refreshments (although these are good, too). Ordering drinks is an interactive expertise. For instance, if you order a Krakatoa Punch, the “climate” contained in the restaurant adjustments. There’s additionally out of doors seating that retains the tropical vibes flowing with a reside ukulele efficiency on most nights.

Goofy’s Kitchen is a personality buffet serves zany choices like PB&J pizza, although there’s additionally extra conventional (and high-quality) buffet fare like spare ribs, shrimp cocktails and crab muffins.

It’s not low-cost (about $70 to $80 per grownup), however it may be price it if assembly characters is a precedence. Within the parks, it’s simple to spend half-hour or extra in line contained in the parks to satisfy one character, solely to be subjected to what’s known as the “love and shove” therapy. That is the place you get a fast hug and photograph from Minnie Mouse earlier than she strikes down the lengthy line to the following child.

At Goofy’s Kitchen, you’ll sometimes meet 4 characters, most of whom come as much as your desk and linger so long as you want. And particularly on gradual days, characters would possibly circle again to your desk a number of occasions.

Caveat: I used to work right here in highschool, however I feel it’s properly definitely worth the worth if you wish to save time from standing in character traces. Dine at Goofy’s Kitchen on a non-park day, after which use the day you’ve bought Disney park tickets for to maximise rides quite than ready in line at Minnie’s home.

Adjoining to Dealer Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar, Tangaroa Terrace Tropical Bar & Grill is a quick-service restaurant has a powerful Hawaiian-inspired menu, together with poke bowls and teriyaki hen.

Evenly impressed by the movie “Sleeping Magnificence” (largely evidenced via the forest motif on the partitions), the Damaged Spell Lounge is a extra conventional, quiet lodge bar. Drinks are intelligent, with nods to the movie, akin to “Make it Blue, Make it Pink.”

Rooms: The outdated ones are refreshed, however the bones present

The Disneyland Lodge opened in 1955 (the identical yr as Disneyland), and its age exhibits in its older towers.

At this time, the lodge is made up of 4 towers. I stayed in a Commonplace room at one of many lodge’s older towers. Many occasions over the previous seven a long time, these rooms have been up to date and really feel clear and shiny, with stylish Disney touches. A big interactive wall-hanging above each beds shows a picture of fireworks, which lights up and performs a lullaby.

However the format nonetheless whispers “classic.” My toilet was slender to the purpose that two folks buying and selling showers and toothbrushes would play hallway Tetris. In case your plan is to spend the whole day within the parks, the room works fantastic. If you need a noon retreat for a household, house can really feel tight.

In contrast, The Villas at Disneyland Lodge (the latest tower) feels worlds aside. Every of the 344 rooms are way more trendy, with layouts that higher maximize house and considerate touches like USB ports in every single place to layer on comfort.

Rooms vary from tiny studios for 2 adults to a three-bedroom villa that sleeps 12. Even within the smallest of those “Villas” rooms, you’ll get a kitchenette and a break up toilet, which makes preparing in a shared house extra environment friendly.

This tower was constructed as a part of the Disney Trip Membership, which is Disney’s model of a timeshare program. However even when you’re not a DVC member, you may nonetheless pay money to e book a room right here, pending availability.

Value: The pixie-dust premium

This lodge is dear. For a lot of vacationers, the premium is tough to justify when wonderful, walkable non-Disney choices exist — together with close by Hyatts that always value a lot much less, embrace breakfast and have family-friendly room layouts.

The Disneyland Lodge’s eating places and bars are top-notch, however you don’t should be a visitor to make use of them, which additional erodes the “must-stay” math. Probably the most money-can’t-buy perk, Early Entry, goes away in 2026, which additional diminishes the worth.

After 2026, simply two issues — nostalgia and one of many closest walks to the parks you may get — turn out to be the principle purpose to pay the premium.

Featured photograph by Sally French.