8 Best Disneyland Hotels: Where to Stay In and Around the Park

Visiting Disneyland is a dream come true for many theme park fans, but finding the right hotel can be challenging. With only a handful of on-site options and dozens of Good Neighbor and other off-site hotels, the options are as limitless as Minnie Mouse’s ever-changing wardrobe. But if you’re willing to be like Tiana and dig a little deeper, you can find the ideal hotel for your family, no matter your budget, group size, style preference, or how close you want to be to California’s Disneyland Resort.

We’ve narrowed down our favorite Disneyland hotels both on and very close to the entrance to Walt Disney’s original Magic Kingdom, so no matter if you’re traveling for a family reunion or with kids who are obsessed with Pixar movies, you can book something special. Even better: Some of these resorts offer extra benefits, such as 30 minutes of early access to Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure.

Hotels in Disneyland

Disneyland Resort/Christian Thompson

The Villas at the Disneyland Hotel

Disneyland’s newest on-site accommodations are The Villas at the Disneyland Hotel. While these rooms are marked as Disney Vacation Club rooms, you don’t have to be a member of the flexible timeshare program to stay in one of these studios or villas. Each room type can sleep anywhere from two people in the Jungle Book–themed duo studios to 12 people in three-bedroom grand villas where the spaces are themed after beloved Disney movies like Bambi, Frozen, and Moana. And when you need a break from the parks, head to the new pool and Steamboat Willie–themed splash pad area to cool off and recharge before going back to the theme parks at night for more fun.

The Disneyland Hotel first opened in 1955, the same year as Disneyland Park, and even though the hotel has gone through plenty of changes over the decades, it’s still a quintessential part of the landscape of the Disneyland Resort. The real star of staying in one of the standard rooms here is the cute Disney touches, including our favorite detail: the fiber-optic headboard that displays fireworks going off over Sleeping Beauty Castle. The rooms sleep up to five adults, meaning there’s plenty of room for bigger families—plus, the easy access to Disneyland via the Downtown Disney District means there’s less chance of a commuting meltdown among tiny travelers.

Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa

Travelers who want to stay as close to the Disneyland theme parks as possible while also enjoying the benefits of staying at an on-site resort will want to book Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. The standard rooms here sleep up to five adults, and some look over the Downtown Disney District and Disney California Adventure Park. After a day in the parks, head to the lobby bar, Hearthstone Lounge, for a nightcap and a few bar bites.

The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa

Traveling with a crew and hoping to cook a few meals while you’re away from home? Book a room at The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, where the accommodations fit 5 to 12 people. Here you have the option to cook your own meals or enjoy exceptional on-site dining. The resort has a beautiful craftsman-style hotel accentuated with dark wood interiors and pops of copper—but the overall theme nods to Chip ’n Dale. The biggest perk of staying here is the direct access to Disney California Adventure Park for resort guests. While you can’t book these with cash like you can the Villas at the Disneyland Hotel, you can rent DVC points from reputable outlets like DVC Shop or DVC Rental Store to stay here.

Richard Harbaugh/Disneyland Resort

Richard Harbaugh

Disney’s Pixar Place Hotel

Open date: January 30, 2024