Disneyland Hotel

Let me start off by saying – so that it’s no secret! – I absolutely ADORE the Disneyland Hotel and the Grand Californian. Having only walked through the new Pixar Place Hotel so far, I am inclined to say I will adore that one as well. I will try to be as unbiased as I can. But just know up front, the Disneyland hotels are the bee’s knees to me! 😉

These hotels are not inexpensive. The Grand Californian is the most expensive hotel in the area. But the attention to detail and service provided in these hotels is top quality, as you may have expected from Disney.

Let’s start off discussing what all the Disneyland hotels have in common (pending my stay at Pixar Place) and then we’ll move on to the individual characteristics.

There’s an amazing pool(s), hot tub(s), gym, and restaurants. There’s laundry facilities, ice and vending machines, and gift shops.

Lobby

Disneyland Hotel’s lobby is actually quite small, as you can see in the video above. The teacup chairs are the cutest, though! Did I go too fast for you to see them?

Can I go forward with the abbreviation DH for Disneyland Hotel? Great, thanks 😊 DH consists of 4 towers: Fantasy, Frontier, Adventure, and Discovery, plus the convention center building. Each building has it’s own small lobby on the ground floor. Each lobby has special decor and “attractions” so be sure to explore! There’s also bathrooms in each lobby.

For more on the Discovery tower, or DVC tower, read this post: Discovery Tower at Disneyland Hotel

The towers are situated in a square around the pool and restaurants.

Pool

The pool is quite expansive. There are 3 hot tubs. The Monorail Slides are a big draw for the kids. Also the Steamboat Willie splash pad is super cute in the daytime and even more so at night, when the “fire” and steam effects really shine. Plenty of lounge chairs on all sides, as well as cabanas for rent.

There is poolside service for your food and drink needs, from the Palm Breeze Bar. But you can also walk out to Tangaroa Terrace or The Coffee House for extra options and bring your order back to your chair in the pool area.

Restaurants

At DH, there are 5 restaurants (depending on your definition of restaurant.) Tangaroa Terrace is the “quick-service” or fast food on property. Here you’ll find mostly island-inspired fare, but also chicken nuggies and coffee and such. Trader Sam’s is the tiki-inspired bar. Please, please, please visit here at least once in your life and sit inside. Inside is like a little show with the bartenders and “decor” that goes off every hour or so. Also island-inspired fare here, from the same kitchen as Tangaroa Terrace. You can also walk up to the outside bar to order your Dole Whip, Dole Whip Float, or Adult Dole Whip Float – yes, I said adult, and yes, that does mean alcohol!

There’s a cozy fireplace outside of Trader Sam’s and Tangaroa Terrace that is a popular gathering/meeting place, especially at night as you can see.

Palm Breeze Bar is located in the breezeway that kind of separates the main pool area from the more secluded new pool area that was built in 2023 with the new Discovery tower. Here is your more traditional bar fare with some modern twists, like salads, burgers, and pizza.

The Coffee House is where you’ll find, as you can guess, your coffee fix. Also serving some great grab-and-go pastries, cheese, fruit, and other. Basically, it’s your quick snack and drink stop, like a convenience store.

Goofy’s Kitchen is the character meal on property – but what’s different is there are characters at every meal, not just breakfast. While I don’t think the food is the best, this is what makes it popular since families can have dinner here on arrival day and start getting some of that Disney magic without paying for a park ticket. I recently shared a meal here with Casey over at Disneyland Daily. Find her info here:

https://disneylanddaily.com/a-complete-guide-to-character-meals-at-disneyland-resort/

There’s also a lounge in the area next to Goofy’s Kitchen. It used to be the restaurant Steakhouse 55. Now it’s called Broken Spell and it’s Sleeping Beauty themed. There are signature drinks & a limited menu. Check out this reel here.

Room

Finally, the room! My favorite part of this room is the headboard. In the video, you’ll see how it lights up and plays a short, music-box style rendition of A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes.

I also love all the outlets and charging ports!

I also love…

Well, there’s so much to love here that I think I’ll just let the video speak for itself 😊

We had a standard view room for this stay, but we were high enough to have a partially obstructed view of the fireworks! We just turned our TV to the fireworks channel and had the music too! All Disneyland Resort Hotels have channels for fireworks and World of Color. So if you have any kind of view of those two events from your room, you can absolutely enjoy that from your room, sound and all. (The lesson here: If the check-in Cast Member asks if you have any requests or preferences, say “whatever you recommend.” 😉 Thank you, Sabrina!)

Tips

You do not have to be staying at DH to walk around and explore the lobbies and gift shops or eat at any of the restaurants. If you are in the area and aren’t sure if you’d like to stay here, come by and have a look around.

Or if Goofy’s Kitchen or one of the other restaurants sound up your alley for your trip to Disneyland, you can make a reservation and come here just to eat.

You can use the pool on your check in or check out day. There is a shower in the restroom in the far corner, behind the Discovery tower, so you can freshen up and change.

You are entitled to the Early Entry amenity for Disney hotel guests on your check in and check out days. If you have a park ticket and reservation, taking advantage of that early time for hotel guests can be a great way to make the most of your ticket.

Conclusion

As I said, I LOVE this hotel. I would never hesitate to recommend it. If this works with your budget or sounds like a nice splurge, come, stay, enjoy! You’ll be glad you did.