Best Hotels Near Disneyland

This guide to accommodations near Disneyland ranks the 10 best hotels within walking distance of the parks, weighs pros & cons of staying off-site or on-site, perks of choosing an official DLR hotel, plus staying in Anaheim vs. beach cities or Los Angeles for California vacations.

When Disneyland vacation planning, there are a ton of options: Good Neighbor Hotels, Disneyland Hotel, Pixar Place Hotel, Grand Californian Hotel, or one of the cheaper hotels on Harbor Boulevard? We regularly tour and stay in hotels near Disneyland, and update this post regularly with thoughts on the benefits and drawbacks of hotels around Disneyland.

This post narrows down the literally hundreds of hotels near Disneyland to our favorites. If you’re looking for something more comprehensive that covers all of our Anaheim hotel experiences, including hotel room photos, pros & cons, and a numerical score for each hotel, check out our Disneyland/Anaheim Hotel Review & Rankings list. It’s very long, but thorough!

For booking any hotel near Disneyland or other points of interest in Southern California, we recommend Get Away Today’s great package discounts. Some hotels have ‘4th night free’ promos, and you can save an extra $10 by using code TOURIST at checkout (valid on 2-night and longer stays). Click here to check out the package discounts available.

One thing to keep in mind about third party off-site hotels near Disneyland is that most use dynamic pricing. Meaning that prices can go up or down as your travel dates draw nearer based on high or low demand. Prices are still set seasonally, so they’re going to start out being more expensive around Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, and other school travel breaks. From there, prices can go up or down depending on whether the hotels are hitting their occupancy targets.

When pent-up demand was running hot, it was always best to book as far in advance as possible because of this. There were seldom last-minute deals, and instead, rates usually went up as hotels sold out. As a general rule, you’re still better off buying earlier. However, not always. Last minute reservations are a great option for saving more, but only during the off-season and slower times of the year.

Even during slower seasons, you should be mindful of the Anaheim Convention Center schedule of events. When there’s not an event in Anaheim, there’s a surplus of hotel rooms, and prices fall. When a big event is being held at the ACC, there aren’t enough hotel rooms within walking distance, and prices absolutely skyrocket. We’re talking $400 per night for hotels that are normally $150!

We have consistently seen this play out year after year for almost the last decade. The worst is when major Disney events coincide with conventions! The big upcoming one this year is the D23 Expo, which returns to Anaheim from August 14 through 16, 2026. Expect that full week to see elevated room rates and hotel occupancy, meaning decreased availability. This happens so consistently that it’s not as much a prediction as it is an inevitability. If you don’t believe us, hedge your bets by reserving something that’s refundable to see if prices fall later.

With that out of the way, we will start off with our favorite hotels near Disneyland in a variety of categories, and then discuss the reasons to stay on-site versus the big advantage of staying off-site…

Top 10 Hotels Near Disneyland

We’ve stayed at every on-site Disneyland hotel and most of the Good Neighbor Disneyland hotels and other off-site hotels within walking distance of the Disneyland Esplanade. Thus far, we’ve reviewed over 50 of these. One thing we really want to stress is that not all hotels near Disneyland are equal.

Many are relics from a different era when most of the hotels near Disneyland were shady motels that thrived simply due to their location and the fact that people would book them regardless. We’ve stayed at many of these, and have had some downright creepy experiences.

Other hotels near Disneyland are brand new, built during a huge construction boom that began post-Cars Land and continues to this day, and will likely for years to come now with Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Avengers Campus (Marvel Land), and more being built. While these hotels tend to be a bit pricier, they also are considerably nicer. Along those same lines, many older motels have been renovated in the last several years, elevating their quality.

With that said, here are our favorite hotels near Disneyland, along with the strengths of each hotel. Since there are huge variances in pricing, we’ve broken this list down into great value for money options (most of which are around $150 per night) and excellent luxury options, which typically start at over $250 per night. Clicking the name of each hotel will open our full review in a new tab (which includes room photos and more), so click away!

5 Best Budget Hotels Near Disneyland

1. Tropicana Inn & Suites

• One of the closest hotels to Disneyland (less than 10 minute walk)
• Reasonable pricing and recently redone rooms
• Click here to book discounted rates at Tropicana Inn

2. Residence Inn Anaheim Resort

• Great for families on a budget wanting more space, but not two separate rooms
• Brand new hotel built within the last few years
• Click here to book discounted rates at Residence Inn Anaheim Resort

3. Element by Westin Anaheim Resort

• New family-style suites with variety of room configurations including bunk beds, kitchens, and more.
• Fair price given the modern, spacious rooms and slate of amenities.
• The walk is a bit longer than across the street hotels, but an easy one down a quiet side street.
• Click here to book discounted rates at Element by Westin Anaheim Resort

4. Fairfield Inn & Suites

• Across-the-street location (also easy access to McDonald’s and Panera)
• Relatively reasonable pricing and above-average rooms
• Click here to book discounted rates at Fairfield Inn & Suites

5. Springhill Suites Anaheim Resort

• Spacious family suites with modern decor, nice bedding, and sectional couches
• Great value for the amenities
• Click here to book discounted rates at the Springhill Suites Anaheim Resort

Note that for our 2026 update, both the Best Western Park Place and Anaheim Inn have been removed from the list, not because of any issues with their quality, but due to costs. Rising prices remove both from the realm of “budget” hotels most dates, but it nevertheless can be worth checking them out to see if you can score a deal.

This list should be great for families looking to be close to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure without breaking the bank. All of the above hotels are within walking distance, but some are really close. Many of our favorite hotels near Disneyland can be booked via Get Away Today at a discount. If you bundle tickets into your hotel stay, you’ll get an even better deal. You can check package prices here.

Best Luxury Hotels Near Disneyland

1. Westin Anaheim Resort

• Brand new luxury hotel that opened last year
• Overlooks Disney California Adventure (located behind Pixar Pier)
• Click here to book discounted rates at Westin Anaheim Resort

2. JW Marriott Anaheim Resort

• True luxury resort with refined accommodations, dining, and amenities
• Lacking the theme park location and Disney style of Grand Californian, but more refined and less expensive
• Click here to book discounted rates at JW Marriott Anaheim Resort

3. Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance

• Nicest off-site rooms of any hotel near Disneyland
• Large family suites are expensive–but a good alternative to on-site options
• Click here to book discounted rates at Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance

There are not other off-site luxury hotels in Anaheim. Honestly, even calling the Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance “luxury” might be a stretch. It’s an incredibly nice family-friend hotel that has great rooms and amenities–like a water park–but it isn’t your prototypical luxury-caliber hotel. (Hence the “Courtyard” branding.)

You might find lists of 4-star or AAA Diamond hotels that include The Viv Anaheim Tribute Portfolio Hotel, The Anaheim Hotel, Anaheim Marriott, Sheraton Park Hotel, or Hilton Anaheim. All of those are really nice (except The Anaheim Hotel), but The Viv is really far from the parks and the others are slightly-dated and closer to the Anaheim Convention Center. None of them are on par with the above trio or Disney-branded options below.

Now that we have daughter, our go-to hotel near Disneyland has become the Westin Anaheim. We love the location, especially exiting through DCA. We also routinely do stays during the off-season or shoulder season, and we find the prices then to be relatively fair. The amenities and rooms are top-notch, too. In the last 2 years, we’ve stayed at the Westin Anaheim more than any other hotel near Disneyland.

Disney-Owned Hotel Rankings

1. Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa

• Private park entrance to Disney California Adventure
• Lavish and posh Californian design…albeit with the highest prices of any hotel in Anaheim
• Click here to request a price quote on a Grand Californian Hotel vacation package

2. Disneyland Hotel

• Perfect rooms and themed environment for Disney fans, plus a great pool
• Very expensive given a walk that’s longer than many off-site hotels
• Click here to request a price quote on a Disneyland Hotel vacation package

3. Pixar Place Hotel

• Recently reimagined with markedly improved Pixar-styled guest rooms and private park entrance to DCA
• Expensive, inefficient elevators, and bones of a decades-old third party tower hotel
• Click here to request a price quote on a Disneyland Hotel vacation package

Okay, so there are only three Disney-branded or owned hotels near Disneyland and that’s all of them on the list above. Pixar Place Hotel is the “newest” addition to this list, and was a top-to-bottom refurbishment and reimagining of the old Paradise Pier Hotel. We hated its predecessor, but have been pleasantly surprised by Pixar Place Hotel.

Not to the point that we’d book it over the Grand Californian or Disneyland Hotel, but if your kids like Pixar and the room rate is significantly lower, it’s worthy of consideration. At the end of the day, it’s still a lot of window-dressing on what used to be a third-party hotel. The window-dressing does look nice and Imagineering did a fairly good job with the transformation, but it’s still just not on the same level at Disneyland Hotel or Grand Californian.

By contrast, the Grand Californian Hotel and Disneyland Hotel are something special. They are also expensive. Prohibitively so for many families, and without offering as many on-site perks as their pricey counterparts at Walt Disney World.

Nevertheless, both can be worth it for some people depending upon their budgets, circumstances, and priorities. We far prefer the Grand Californian, but that’s largely a matter of taste and its location. For a point-by-point comparison, see Disneyland Hotel vs. Grand Californian.

What we can say is that, even though we stay at the Westin Anaheim more than anywhere else, we would stay at the Grand Californian exclusively if money were no object. Without question, Grand Californian is the flagship hotel of Disneyland Resort, and it’s the only one of the trio that’s a luxury hotel. If splurging, Grand Californian is where we stay–it is the nicest hotel in Anaheim, and one of the best in all of Southern California.

If we’re not splurging, we opt for off-site accommodations. The Westin Anaheim is easily nicer than Pixar Place Hotel or Disneyland Hotel, and even though it doesn’t come with the same perks, its location is close to comparable, and its amenities are superior. All at a lower price.

If you’re still having trouble deciding, we recommend contacting a fee-free Authorized Disney Vacation Planner. They can help choose the option that’s right for your family. Hope this list of the best hotels near Disneyland helps narrow down your decision!  If you’re still debating whether to stay off-site or on-site, here are the pros and cons of each…

Reasons to Stay On-Site

Environment – For us, the most compelling reason for staying on-site is that staying in a Disney-owned hotel keeps you fully immersed in that “magical” Disney environment. Many people discuss liking to be inside the “Disney Bubble” when on vacation, and at Disneyland, that’s only possible at the Disney-owned hotels.

They each have their own restaurants, Disney details, and can generally be accessed without seeing the rest of the “real” world. You won’t see Denny’s or Cold Stone Ice Cream as you head directly from the Grand Californian Hotel right into its theme park entrance. You won’t find theming to a lavishly-designed arts & crafts style lodge or a monorail pool at the off-site hotels, either.

For some people, this is a big deal. For others, it’s not. If this does not matter to you, there’s honestly zero reason to pay a significant premium for a Disney hotel. They’re significantly more expensive, and don’t offer an advantage in terms of perks or proximity to the parks. If this does matter to you, strongly consider a Disney hotel.

While we tend to side with those who want to be immersed in the Disney Bubble as much as possible, that is not practical for us. Due to the high cost of the three official Disneyland hotels, we usually stay off-site at Disneyland in the hotels right across from Disneyland Resort on Harbor Boulevard.

If there was less of a price gap or Disney hotels offered more perks, that might tip the scales for us, but it’s so hard to justify paying an extra $300+ per night to stay in a Disney hotel just for the bubble. Your mileage may vary on that, though.

Perks – As compared to Walt Disney World, there are not as many perks of staying at Disney-owned hotels beyond the themed design and proximity to the parks.

The biggest benefit that used to exist was Early Entry, but this has been permanently retired as of 2026. Early Entry was offered at both theme parks (every other day at each), and gave on-site resort guests exclusive access to the parks before they open officially to the general public each day. Early Entry was fantastic.

Early Entry has been replaced by one (1) Lightning Lane per on-site stay. A single Lightning Lane for a stay is not a worthwhile perk, so do not stay on-site on that basis.

Reasons to Stay Off-Site

Cost – What’s the saying? “Money talks.” Disneyland doesn’t have Value Resorts. Rack rates start at around $400 per night for both Disneyland Hotel and Pixar Place Hotel and can exceed $600/night. Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa is crazy-expensive (think of it as the sister resort of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa), exceeding $800/night during many times of the year.

During the busiest times of the year at Disneyland, rooms in these hotels can cost much more. Just check out the rates for a summer weekend in the graphic above. Those are starting rates for a standard room. If you want a suite or something special, you’re paying even more! Unfortunately, Disneyland has a serious shortage of on-site hotel rooms, so prices are often in exorbitant territory.

By contrast, off-site hotel rooms near Disneyland, are not nearly as expensive–and many of them are actually closer you the parks! These hotels can be a ~10 minute walk to the parks and priced around $150/night, making them ‘value’ options, of sorts.

Note that off-site hotels can creep up in price, too. The hotel shortage in the area even impacts off-site prices during tourist seasons (think any time school is out of session), as well as when there is an event at the Anaheim Convention Center. For this reason, we recommend booking a hotel near Disneyland far in advance most of the time. (Exceptions to this are the off-season, such as late August through early October and January through early March–last minute bargains can be found then.)

Distance to the Parks – The most compelling reason is that you can typically find an off-site hotel that is closer to Disneyland Resort than an on-site hotel. Sort of makes the terms off-site and on-site misnomers, right?

Although Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa is the closest hotel to Disneyland Resort, there are several hotels directly across the street from Disneyland Resort’s Esplanade (the open area between the two parks) that are a 5-10 minute walk to the turnstiles. Several of these are actually closer to the parks than Disneyland Hotel, which is 10-15 minutes by foot–albeit a lovely walk through Downtown Disney.

Even if your hotel does happen to be farther from the Esplanade than Disneyland Hotel or Pixar Place Hotel, there’s still a good chance your hotel will be within walking distance. You can–and should–easily be able to book a hotel within walking distance from Disneyland.

Few On-Site Benefits – If you’re a Walt Disney World regular who stays on site there for the perks offered there to on-site guests, don’t expect anything comparable at Disneyland. There are no Extended Evening Hours or priority booking window for Individual Lightning Lanes. Walking is the best way to get to Disneyland, so the transportation system at Disneyland isn’t as important.

The upside to the lack of perks for on-site hotels at Disneyland Resort is that they are not really needed in the first place. The entire Anaheim Resort District (which includes Disneyland Resort and the off-site hotels) is far more compact than Walt Disney World, and is fairly easy to navigate entirely by foot. Moreover, Disneyland has that laid back “Californian” atmosphere, and requires far less planning, in general.

Best Hotels Beyond Disneyland

Obviously, this is a post titled “Best Hotels Near Disneyland” and touts the many options within walking distance of the parks. So it probably doesn’t make sense to list options that are outside of Anaheim and require a rental car or rideshare to reach.

Nevertheless, many people doing Disneyland are visiting as part of a bigger picture California vacation, and may also include Universal Studios Hollywood, Knott’s Berry Farm, Los Angeles, beach cities, or other destinations within Southern California. The good news is that Anaheim is a pretty centralized location, and easy access to I-5 makes it a breeze to reach everywhere on that list so long as you don’t encounter traffic.

With that said, here are a few other options:

• Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach – Best centralized beach hotel that’s more like a resort and is relatively reasonably priced.
• Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel – Incredible resort with a great location–pricey and inconvenient to Disneyland or Los Angeles.
• Best Hotels Near Universal Studios Hollywood – Great options if you want to arrive early for Super Nintendo World.
• Laguna Surf Lodge – Great budget resort and a picturesque location in the best beach city–inconvenient to DLR/LA.
• Montage Laguna Beach – Our favorite hotel in Southern California–incredibly expensive, and inconvenient to DLR/LA.

Turning back to Disneyland to wrap this up, there are a lot of selling points for the off-site hotels in Anaheim. They are cheaper, can be just as close to the parks, and offer most of the same perks as on-site Disney-owned hotels with the very big exception of early access. The actual biggest reason to stay in a Disney-owned hotel at Disneyland is if you want the Disney theming and environment.

For some, myself included, this is a big part of the experience of visiting the Disney theme parks. However, when that aspect of the experience is so costly, we’ll usually stay off-site. The cost difference and lack of on-site perks is a lot to overlook. While we always stay on-site at Walt Disney World, the off-site accessibility to Disneyland and the comparative lack of perks for staying on-site makes staying on-site at Disneyland less appealing. With that said, if your cost is no issue or you really want to splurge, then you can’t go wrong with Disneyland Hotel or the Grand Californian, both of which are fantastic.

If you’re still unsure of where to stay, we’d encourage you to read our full post that Ranks & Reviews Hotels Near Disneyland. In these reviews, you can see photos of the rooms and the premises, plus our analysis of whether each hotel is worth staying at, to whom it will appeal, and what our ideal nightly price point is for each hotel. We think these reviews will be really helpful if you’re thinking of booking a hotel near Disneyland.

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 tons of other places!

Your Thoughts

Do you normally stay on-site or in a nearby off-site hotel at Disneyland Resort? Which hotel in Anaheim is your favorite? Any hotels you don’t recommend? Has your opinion on off-site vs. on-site changed? Agree or disagree with our assessments of hotels near Disneyland? Any questions? Hearing from readers is both helpful and interesting, so please share your thoughts in the comments!