Tropicana Inn & Suites Anaheim Hotel Near Disneyland Review
Tropicana Inn & Suites is a hotel across the street from Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. This review features room photos, how this compares to other Anaheim accommodations, and thoughts about our experiences staying here. (Updated January 31, 2023.)
The Tropicana is best categorized as a budget hotel/motel, like many of the options on Harbor Boulevard near the front gates. Actually, calling it a budget hotel is a little dismissive. It’s nicer than a budget hotel and has solid rooms and a reasonable slate of amenities. It also compares favorably with other similarly-situated hotels on Harbor Boulevard that are about the same distance from Disneyland. It’s certainly not the Waldorf Astoria, but for what it is, it’s a solid option, as you’ll see.
Truthfully, Tropicana Inn does have a fair amount of history that makes it a great place to stay. Few people know this, but it was here that Cleetus and Clarence “Doc” Tropicana launched the world’s first juice stand back in 1834. At the time, they served only fermented prune juice, which was a huge hit among the Hollywood elite who made the pilgrimage down for their juice. Eventually, that grew into the world famous Tropicana Orange Juice Co and this hotel was founded to commemorate the location. Actually, that isn’t truthful at all. I have no clue what the history behind this hotel is, but I’m going to go ahead and assume it has something to do with orange juice.
Joking aside, someone had to have had foresight when purchasing this land, as Tropicana Inn & Suites is closer to Disneyland than Disneyland Hotel. There’s only one hotel that is closer: Best Western Park Place Inn. While we prefer that by a slight margin for a few reasons, it’s less than one minute closer to Disneyland and DCA than Tropicana Inn. Hardly make or break.
Tropicana Inn & Suites is about a 2 minute walk to Disneyland’s Esplanade, and less than a 10 minute walk from the hotel to the turnstiles at Disneyland, which makes it closer to Disneyland than the Grand Californian, Disneyland Hotel, and Paradise Pier Hotel (although the Grand Californian is closer to Disney California Adventure, so perhaps this is a bit of a technicality). The actual distance does depend upon your room location–this is a deep hotel, so some rooms are a couple minutes more than that away from the parks.
Tropicana Inn & Suites is one of a few dozen Disneyland Good Neighbor Hotels, which is frankly a bit of a meaningless distinction as some truly crumby hotels are “Good” Neighbors. All that’s required to obtain that status is for the hotel to pay Disney a kickback for the “recognition,” which in turn gives guests the ability to book a Disneyland vacation package with tickets and an inflated room rate. Whoop-dee-freakin-doo.
You can get an idea of how Tropicana Inn & Suites stacks up to the competition in my opinion (which is based on the perspective of someone who has stayed in nearly 50 different hotels near Disneyland), check out our Disneyland Hotels Reviews & Rankings post. Spoiler: Tropicana Inn is a top 10 hotel near Disneyland, in our opinion.
We’ve actually stayed at Tropicana Inn & Suites several times over the course of the last decade-plus. It was one of the first hotels we did back when making our second trip to Disneyland from the Midwest, and we’ve subsequently stayed here while making cross-country visits from Florida and now cross-county visits from California.
We most recently did a ‘staycation’ at Tropicana Inn so we could rope drop the Disney100 festivities and opening of Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway in January 2023. (Consult our Guide to Disney’s 100th Anniversary Celebration at Disneyland & DCA for everything you need to know about that.)
Suffice to say, we’re big fans of the Tropicana and have enjoyed watching it change over the years. Although the Anaheim hotel landscape has evolved considerably in the last several years, the Tropicana still enjoys one insurmountable advantage: location. To that point, check out our overall comparison of the benefits of staying in Disney-owned hotels versus third party accommodations in Off-Site v. On-Site Disneyland Hotels: Where to Stay. Suffice to say, the calculus for the California resorts is nothing like at Walt Disney World.
So what are the other pros and cons of staying at Tropicana Inn & Suites? Let’s take a look…
Here, we’re again going to emphasize Tropicana Inn’s proximity to the parks. If you look at the photo above (a throwback of the old sign), you’ll see that the Matterhorn is across the street from and behind Tropicana Inn. The hotel itself is almost directly across from the Esplanade.
Without a doubt, this is Tropicana Inn’s greatest selling point. As with all of the hotels “across the street” from Disneyland, you are paying a pretty big premium for the incredibly convenient location. If location does not matter to you, look elsewhere. With that said…location absolutely should matter to you, as the convenience cannot be overstated.
Tropicana Inn & Suites is close enough that you can take a midday nap without worrying about losing any time for the commute. One thing I really like about the hotels in this strip is that they are effectively lockers. I can be looking at Sleeping Beauty Castle, head back to the hotel in the early evening to grab my jacket and tripod, and be back on Main Street again all in the span of under 30 minutes.
In terms of things that would actually be considered amenities, there are a number of selling points–most of which are pretty standard. Tropicana Inn & Suites offers free Wi-Fi, coin operated self-service laundry facilities, free luggage storage in the lobby, ECV rentals and on-site delivery, and a 24-hour front desk for requests and assistance.
The Cove on Harbor Market & Cafe is a convenience store across from the lobby. While somewhat overpriced, this store has a large selection, including in terms of beer & alcohol. If you’re planning on doing some day-drinking at Disney California Adventure, stopping here for some pre-gaming fluids might be a nice, money-saving option.
It’s also worth noting that there are several food options nearby. Panera Bread and McDonald’s are both only a couple minutes away, with Denny’s and IHOP in the other direction.
There’s also a decent pool. I’d say it’s slightly nicer than the average for pools at the Harbor Boulevard hotels, but that really isn’t saying much.
It also seems larger than the norm for pools at hotels near Disneyland. It’s still very much a basic, utilitarian pool.
Now let’s take a look at the standard guest rooms at the Tropicana Inn & Suites.
These were refurbished recently, and now feature new carpet, televisions, beds, chairs, and a fun accent wall. The regular rooms are still relatively basic, but they are fresh and unique. That’s significant–as most of the other across-the-street from Disneyland motels are tired and very generic looking.
The beds have plenty of pillows that are above-average and while the bedding is very basic in terms of look, it’s more comfortable than the average for other Harbor Boulevard hotels.
On the whole, the rooms have a clean, crisp look to them that, while not exactly pushing the envelope in terms of contemporary design, also does not look dated. If you start reading reviews of the other hotels on this block of Harbor Boulevard, you’ll see that this is the exception rather than the rule.
Although there has been a development explosion in Anaheim over the course of the last decade, that has taken place more towards the outskirts of the Anaheim Resort District. In fact, the number of nearby hotels has actually decreased as a couple of them have been demolished and are now empty lots. (That doesn’t seem like the best use of such valuable real estate, but what do I know.)
For the most part, the across-the-street motels have abstained from making improvements, instead resting on the laurels of their location. Consequently, you usually need to choose between a modernized hotel that’s farther away or a dated motel that’s a super short walk. Tropicana Inn & Suites is one of the few hotels in the two block radius by the Disneyland Esplanade that has been updated within the last decade.
The rooms have a mini-fridge, microwave, safe, coffee maker, and flat screen television in the standard guest rooms. Definitely nice options if you want to prepare light meals in your room.
Also worth noting is that there are larger room options than this. As the name suggests, Tropicana Inn and Suites also offers a Family Kitchen Suite with this double queen room plus a connecting kitchen complete with an oven and stove top, refrigerator, microwave, pots and pans, utensils, and kitchen table. Then there’s the Park View Suite, which is the same as what you see here, but with a better location and a balcony that faces the Matterhorn and offers fireworks views. It’s also directly on Harbor Boulevard, which means lots of traffic–foot and vehicular.
Bathroom is pretty standard stuff, too. Worth noting is that the coffee maker game here is weak, but the toiletry game is strong.
The bath soaps are “I Love…” Mango & Papaya. I had never heard of this brand before, but it was solid stuff and superior to garden variety toiletries.
Pretty average bathroom. This is par for the course in terms of Anaheim hotels.
Water pressure in the shower was fine, toilet worked fine, towels weren’t scratchy…it all checked out.
Booked directly, Tropicana Inn & Suites costs around $220 to $310 per night before tax depending upon season–prices could be less in the off-season, and even more during peak season. Tropicana Inn & Suites also charges for parking. Both of these things are becoming the norm for hotels along Harbor Boulevard.
If you’re feeling a bit of sticker shock, just keep in mind that the prices are inflated for all hotels near the parks now. Many of the hotels in this area have doubled in price over the course of the last 5 years.
Overall, the Tropicana Inn & Suites compares favorably to the other hotels adjacent to it along Harbor Boulevard. Aside from the location, the rooms are fairly nice and spacious as compared to other hotels across the street from Disneyland. You’re unlikely to have a negative experience with a disappointing or dirty room, but you’re also unlikely to have a standout experience with a room or amenities that blow you away.
For better or worse, the Tropicana Inn is simply a solid and straightforward hotel relative to other hotels that are this close to the parks. You’ll absolutely pay a premium for the location, and get less for your money than you would at one of the newer “big box” hotels that’s about a 12-15 minute walk instead of a 5 minute walk to the parks. However, that’s pretty much the best-case scenario for these hotels that are so close to the front gates, and there’s definitely something to be said for such a convenient location. I’d put Tropicana Inn & Suites near the top of your list if being a short walk from Disneyland and Disney California Adventure is your top consideration–it’s really tough to beat this location!
Get discounted pricing on a Disneyland vacation package that includes your stay at Tropicana Inn & Suites and Disneyland park tickets via Get Away Today. We always recommend them to save money on Disneyland tickets, and this is a great way to get an even better deal by purchasing a bundle that includes hotel and tickets. Click here to price out your dates at Tropicana Inn & Suites.
In addition to the package discount, some hotels have ‘4th night free’ promos. In addition to their normal discounts and special packages, you can save an extra $10 by using code TOURIST at checkout. We also recommend Get Away Today in our Guide to Buying Discounted Disneyland Tickets—booking a vacation package makes an already great deal even better.
Planning a Southern California vacation? For park admission deals, read Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets. Learn about on-site and off-site hotels in our Anaheim Hotel Reviews & Rankings. For where to eat, check out our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews. For unique ideas of things that’ll improve your trip, check out What to Pack for Disney. For comprehensive advice, consult our Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide. Finally, for guides beyond Disney, check out our Southern California Itineraries for day trips to Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, and many other SoCal cities!
Your Thoughts
Have you stayed at the Tropicana Inn & Suites? Did you enjoy your stay? What do you think are the pros & cons of Tropicana Inn? Considering this hotel? Do you prefer staying off-site or on-site at Disneyland? Any questions? Hearing your feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts or questions below in the comments!
That is a nice for a motel chair that, along with the matching stool, adds a splash of color to this upgrade which at least keeps the Tropicana on pace as #3 in the “Disneyland-area motels closer than the Californian” category. I’m not sure that it moves to #2 behind the Best Western Park Place Inn, unless they put in a fake casino to go with the name.
Based on your recommendation,we stayed at the Best Western Park Place right next door last summer (it was great). When we arrived we went to the Cove on Harbor Market for supplies. We were very impressed with the choice of wine available. It is a good sized store with lots of items. We later moved to the Grand California DVC and where very disappointed with the small market and poor selection (four total with one sparkling). That Market is a real plus for staying in the hotels right across from Disneyland.
Cove Market definitely has good selection, and it also seems like the prices are more reasonable than they used to be as of 2023. Perhaps that’s a result of more competition from CVS and Walgreen’s down the street, or perhaps it’s because prices everywhere else have increased significantly and the Cove hasn’t kept pace. Either way, it’s a nice option to have!
My family of 2 adults and 2 kids recently stayed at this hotel the week of February 4. The rooms have been updated quite a bit. Even the bathrooms are much better now. The staff at the front desk were always pleasant, as was the valet who took care of our car when there were no more spots available. Not enough can be said about having the convenience of staying at a hotel just across the street. We were at Disneyland in less than 10 minutes. I would definitely stay there again for an upcoming trip we have planned.
Thanks for your feedback!
You need to check this one out again. They are refurbishing the rooms as we speak. We stayed in one of the new ones in early June and there was at least another 20 out of service they were working on while we were there. It seemed as if they were doing sections at a time while keeping the hotel open. We were very pleased with the accommodations and especially the location in regards to the entrance. 5-minute walk max.
Just updated the review with this info. Between the refurbishment and its now-lower prices than comparable options nearby, Tropicana Inn’s stock is on the rise. Thanks!
Great review, thanks! We booked the Tropicana a few weeks ago for our stay August 19th-25th. Just called and asked if I was still eligible to use a promo code.. they said yes, but apparently the code doesn’t exist! Do you know if it expired? Or maybe it was just bad communication on my part.
We stayed at the Tropicana last summer and enjoyed it. We were a group of 4 adults and 4 kids and had connecting rooms. We were on the 3rd floor and had a GREAT view of the fireworks. One night, the kids were exhausted so we came back to the room early. They watched the fireworks from bed as they were falling asleep.
I went to Disneyland for the first time in November and stayed at the Tropicana. It was a very enjoyable experience. The staff was friendly and helpful and that convenience store — well, the man that I believe owns it was there almost every time we went through and was so pleasant and friendly. He gave recommendations on places to eat nearby that stayed open late. The big thing is the location to the park — you just can’t beat it!!! Even if you have to run back to the room for a jacket, you are back to the park in no time. For me, I don’t get bogged down on the aesthetics too much, especially on a Disney trip because I am not in the room much. I would definitely stay here again though.
Yes, have stayed here and found it was one of the nicer “across-the-street” motels in the area. I think it might have been remodeled since our visit because it looks quite nice. We had issue with the carpets being filthy but that’s to be expected anytime access is off the street and people have been pounding the pavement at the parks all day. We liked that they had true blackout curtains so we could sleep in!
It was tough to tell whether it had been recently remodeled or was just well-maintained. Given all the recent remodeling of hotels in the area, I wouldn’t be surprised if it had received a recent refresh.
Thanks for the review! I have stayed at the Tropicana twice now and will be on my 3rd stay there this week for the 24hr. party. It’s a great place to stay for all the reasons Tom has mentioned. In addition, usually when I book it is the least expensive of the Harbor motels, especially when using the Orbitz or Cheaptickets promo codes. They also have some suites that can accommodated larger families.
Have you ever reviewed the Best Western Park Place and if not, do you plan to anytime soon?
I have not, but would like to at some point. Not sure when, though.
When I stayed at the Carousel that convenience store was a daily stop on the way to the park for snacks and a drink. It never seemed to be crowded despite it’s location.
My daughter and I stayed at the Tropicana back in September. We had a pleasant stay and your review sums it up nicely: It’s a clean, adequate, reasonably-priced hotel that’s about as close to Disneyland as you can get.
Only a couple additional things I noticed:
The pool drops off to the “deep end” very quickly and there’s no rope separating things. Just a caution to parents of younger swimmers.
Also, they have a place to store luggage, unlike some hotels along Harbor (I’m looking at you and your “lockers”, Desert Inn!). We left our bags when we checked-out and returned to retrieve them after a late park close. No issues or hassles whatsoever in that regard.
When we first started staying at these off-site hotels, the bell services luggage storage situation bugged me a bit. Traveling with a laptop capable of photo editing and camera gear means makes me a bit worried to leave my luggage with anyone, so I PREFERRED the locker situation. I’m slowly becoming more trusting (with the nicer hotels, at least), but I don’t consider the lockers to be a disadvantage.
I guess it’s a YMMV, personal preference type of thing?
I had at first only noticed one Hidden Tommy (and possible Sarah) but then I found the other 2!!
I had considered this place last year but opted not to based on several bad reviews about bugs. I also read that they allow Disneyland guests not staying at their hotel to park there which limits parking for guests (not to mention having people in and out at late hours). Not sure if that’s the case but it did sway my booking options. I might consider it in the future.
There must have been a bed bug ‘epidemic’ 1-2 years ago in Anaheim, because I’ve seen these types of comments about virtually every hotel in the area (including the Disney ones). I have no idea if it’s true about ANY of them or just people freaking out, but I’ve never had any issues with any hotels.
I counted 3 hidden Toms and one hidden and very patient looking Sarah in your photos. When we go, I am not allowed into the hotel room until all indoor room photography has been completed.
It seems that pillows standing on their sides in a diagonal is a relatively new thing. I saw it in a recent non-Disney driving trip along the east coast at several hotels.
What’s the point of booking a hotel besides taking photos of the room?! 😉
Thanks for the review Tom. Have you ever stayed at the Marriott Fairfield Inn on Harbor, slightly north if the tropicana. Thinking about staying there for our next trip using points and was curious as to your thoughts/experience there. I am a big Marriott fan and don’t usually have any issues with their hotels but never hurts to hear.from those who have actually stayed.
We stayed at the Fairfield Inn last October. It’s just a little bit farther down the street from the Tropicana, but still very close to the park entrance. For a bit extra you Can get a higher floor with a view of the park, decorated with a Disney theme. While I don’t think we would pay extra again, young kids might enjoy it. Definitely a thumbs up for this hotel.
Just weighing in – have stayed at the Fairfield Inn numerous times on an annual girls trip with my daughter,
daughter’s best friend and girlfriend. It is awesome.
Great proximity, nice pool, clean rooms. Pizza Hut onsite, and they have “Millie’s” in the parking lot (which is a So Cal equivalent of a Denny’s) We LOVE Millie’s and began leaving the park to have a very nice and much cheaper dinner there…plus a glass of wine. Also right next to McDonalds for the teens. Only downside and it was completely minimal – not only does the hotel face Harbor, it also backs up to I-5 so if you are on the backside of the building, you might get some freeway noise. Was not an issue for us, even when were in the back but might be for light sleepers. Love and recommend Fairfield Inn! (PS, have stayed in the Tropicana, Carousel and Ramada as well and our go to was the Fairfield).
I stayed at the Fairfield the last 4 nights and found it to be a perfectly pleasant but standard family hotel.
Millie’s is gone. Apparently torn down just last week. there was an empty work enclosure in front of the hotel where it used to be. One person told me a Panera was being built on the location.
The on-site food was decent for breakfast, but I found having breakfast in the park much more desirable in Anaheim than it is at WDW.
We paid a little extra for a “themed” room high up. It was fun to be able to see the parks from the balcony outside the room, but the pirate theme of the room was pretty much slapped on with framed pictures and a lamp shaped like an anchor. Not anything too interesting.
The top reason for staying here is the proximity to the parks of course. If you’re a WDW regular it might make sense to you if I say you’re getting value theming at a moderate price in a deluxe location. On each of our three days in the parks we walked back to the room and took a short nap before returning for evening hours and events. The very short walk made this a no-brainer for us even though we rarely adhere to the midday break approach at WDW. The fact that Downtown Disney was also within walking distance was a big plus for me the night I arrived.
I have stayed in the Fairfield Inn, and found it to be quite nice. I think it can be a bit on the pricey side for what it is, but if you’re using Marriott rewards or are loyal to them for the rewards, it’s a good option.