Best Hotels Near Disneyland
This guide to accommodations near Disneyland ranks the 10 best hotels within walking distance of the California parks, weighs pros & cons of staying off-site v. on-site, perks of choosing an official DLR hotel, which options are best at Anaheim Convention Center. (Updated April 3, 2022.)
When Disneyland vacation planning, there are a ton of options: Good Neighbor Hotels, Disneyland Hotel, Paradise Pier 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.
In addition to this post, which focuses heavily on whether you should stay off-site or on-site, we have a much more comprehensive list that shares all of our Anaheim hotel experiences, including hotel room photos, pros & cons, and a numerical score for each hotel. For that, check out our Disneyland/Anaheim Hotel Review & Rankings list. It’s very long, but thorough!
Get Away Today already has some great package discounts, and more are likely on the way. 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.
If you’re booking at the last minute, we’d instead recommend using the Hotel Tonight app for maximum savings. Along those lines, Priceline Express Deals can offer better last-minute savings if you don’t mind using a ‘blind booking’ site. However, we’d caution against (voluntarily) booking at the last minute this year, as we anticipate rooms increasing in price in the coming weeks and months.
The reason for this is that the Anaheim Convention Center has a jam-packed schedule of events (see above). This is unlike last year, when most events were cancelled or delayed (until this year!). The result then was atypically low prices for hotels near Disneyland. The result this year is likely going to be surging prices, driven by a mix of pent-up demand among tourists and convention-goers.
In spot-checking hotel prices and availability in Anaheim, we’re already starting to see this for the next two months, but June 2022 and beyond aren’t bad…yet. Those prices will only go up, not down. You should lock something in ASAP if you’re planning a trip to Disneyland between now and mid-August 2022. During the fall off-season, there are only a handful of conventions and deals should return. (With one big exception: September 8-11, 2022, which is the 2022 D23 Expo.)
If you’re a longtime reader, you might note that this advice is the exact opposite of our recommendation last year. Again, that’s because of the Anaheim Convention Center schedule. When there’s an event in town, there’s a shortage of hotels around Disneyland, driving prices higher.
When there’s not an event in Anaheim, there’s a surplus of hotel rooms, and prices fall. We have consistently seen this play out year after year for almost the last decade. (The worst was back when runDisney races coincided with conventions!) 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.
None of this is to scare you away from visiting Disneyland in 2022. To the contrary, we think it’s a great year to visit. The California parks have gotten back to normal at a faster pace than Walt Disney World and will be pretty close to 100% by April 22, 2022. Even though it’s Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary, it’s arguably a better year for Disneyland.
We make the case for California in Disneyland v. Walt Disney World: Is West Best in 2022? Beyond more normalcy, there are a number of reasons for this recommendation, from a more laid back experience (Genie+ isn’t stressful at Disneyland) to lower prices for hotels. But in order for the last part of that to be true, you need to lock-in hotel reservations sooner rather than 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…
10 Best 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!
Top 5 Budget Hotels Near Disneyland
1. Best Western Plus Park Place
- Closest hotel to Disneyland (less than 10 minute walk)
- Good pricing, nice bedding, and free breakfast
- Click here to book discounted rates at Best Western Plus Park Place 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. Best Western Plus Anaheim Inn
- Great location within a 10 minute walk
- Very similar to BW Park Place in all regards–but usually cheaper
- Click here to book discounted rates at Best Western Plus Anaheim Inn
4. 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
- Chic and stylish decor plus large rooms
- Great for travelers wanting more space on a moderate budget
- Click here to book discounted rates at Hyatt House Anaheim
Top 5 Luxury Hotels Near Disneyland
- 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
2. 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
- 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
- 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
5. 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
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.
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 Coldstone 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 – Currently (as of April 3, 2022), there are no perks of staying at Disney-owned hotels beyond the themed design and proximity to the parks (although as discussed below, the latter is not always an advantage). Normally, the biggest on-site perk is the Extra Magic Hour benefit. However, this early entry has been suspended with no timeframe for its return. We will update accordingly if/when Disneyland brings it back.
The Extra Magic Hour perk is a nice way to experience some attractions in the morning one hour before the park opens to regular guests. The current Extra Magic Hour schedule is as follows:
Disneyland Park: Tuesdays, Thursdays and SaturdaysDisney California Adventure: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays
As far as on-site perks go, that’s it. Even the Extra Magic Hour is not all that magical. On many mornings, it’s not necessary, or doesn’t offer much of an advantage over sleeping in and rope-dropping the park that does not have the Extra Magic Hour.
There are no evening Extra Magic Hours at Disneyland, and during the Extra Magic Hour only select attractions are open. If you’re staying off-site, you can have just as much of an advantage by rope-dropping the park that is not offering Extra Magic Hours.
The only scenario in which Extra Magic Hour really makes an actual difference is with Cars Land. It can help minimize waits for Radiator Springs Racers, and also make it easier to experience other popular draws like Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!
However, as we discuss below, rope dropping Disney California Adventure on a non-Extra Magic Hour morning offers pretty much the exact same opportunity…
Reasons to Stay Off-Site
Cost – What’s the saying? “Money talks.” Disneyland doesn’t have Value Resorts. Rack rates start at around $300 per night for both Disneyland Hotel and Disney’s Paradise Pier 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 five minute walk to the turnstiles.
Even if you’re hotel does happen to be further from the Esplanade than Disneyland Hotel or Paradise Pier Hotel (which are both around 10-15 minutes away), 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. Even if for some reason you book a hotel that isn’t within walking distance, chances are you can cheaply get to it via a hotel shuttle that it offers, or the Anaheim Resort Transit.
Since Disneyland can’t meet all of the needs of guests with its three hotels, Disneyland has a better working relationship with many “Good Neighbor Hotels” in the area. Due to the difference in pricing, Disneyland Resort does not even consider the off-site hotels competition (most people are not choosing between a $600/night room at the Grand Californian and a $125/night room at Alpine Inn!); this is unlike the Value Resorts at Walt Disney World, which are direct competition to the off-site hotels in Florida. Because of this, Disneyland tries to work with off-site hotels instead of competing with them.
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 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.
We already covered the Extra Magic Hour above, but there’s another, similar perk for off-site guests. The (sorta?) good news is that even if you don’t stay on-site, you can be eligible for Magic Mornings. As with the Extra Magic Hour, we aren’t huge fans of Magic Mornings, as they tend to offer little actual advantage over skipping the perk and simply doing regular rope drop.
Magic Mornings function similarly to the Extra Magic Hour, except are open to anyone with a qualifying 3+ day ticket. Currently, Magic Mornings occur only at Disneyland on Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday. You might notice these are exactly the same days as Extra Magic Hours. On these days, you have a lot of people getting up early to go to Disneyland to take “advantage” of what they think is a special perk.
It’s to the point where you’re actually better off skipping this perk and rope-dropping Disney California Adventure on these mornings. With so many people heading to Disneyland for this special access, DCA is actually very quiet on those days. In other words, the Extra Magic Hour and Magic Mornings are pretty much a perk in name only. The actual advantage they offer is illusory.
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.
Conclusion
Off-site hotels 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 just too much 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 to us.
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 v. on-site changed since Cars Land opened in Disney California Adventure? Any questions? Hearing from readers is both helpful and interesting, so please share your thoughts in the comments!
Park Vue Inn doesn’t make the top 5 anymore? 🙁
We always stay there. I also always check the BW+ Park Place too, but inevitably the cost is just a little bit higher. The Park Vue isn’t remotely fancy, but it’s never let us down.
Park Vue Inn ranks *very* highly and I personally love it…I just wanted a bit of variety among the limited options here. You absolutely cannot go wrong with Park Vue Inn! 🙂
Hi Where is the big savings? They all say $350 to 600 a night? And most dates are unavailable for 2 months away ?
place live boxes packed my job shows how many days of work today at noon or four so then maybe after eight o’clock tomorrow
12:30 percent visit from this week meeting zoom classroom google drive all three months but don’t use many things I usually can’t afford things when I’ve decided I’d pay that
my parents Thom Gail Williamsen family
With annual passes, we’ve made countless trips to Disneyland. We prefer hotels that are close by because it allows us an easy trip back to the hotel mid-day for a nap or dip in the pool. This is especially important when you have young children.
Our favorite place has always been the Park Vue Inn. It’s super close, has a quality free breakfast, a nice pool, bunk beds for the kids, a decent price, and availability. I’ve never stayed at the Best Western because it’s always booked up months in advance, but I’ve had good luck with the Park Vue Inn. Tip: book directly from their website. They offer multiple deals and you can save a lot of money over Expedia or other booking sites.
Hey Tom, with the whole EMM for DL….do u think with starwars land opening, this changes your outlook at using EMM or do you look at it the same?!
Thanks Lori
We have been to Disneyland 7 times in the last 9 years. We have 4 children and in our home it is a tradition that we go for each child’s 5th and 10th birthday. Our place to stay of choice is Best Western Park Place Mini Suites. Free full breakfast and a 5 minute walk to the park. 5 times out of the 7 we have stayed there and another October 2019. We have also stayed at the Grand and Paradise Pier. The Grand is great because you get to walk through downtown Disney back to your room each night and hit up the shops. But the price is crazy.
I love you so much for this reply. I was coming here to BEG for a hotel post that focuses on groups/families of 6+ like mine. Some of the “this one is better for the price” and other comparisons in all the DL hotel articles at this site assume parties of four (or less). Some places reviewed would require us booking two rooms, which erases many price advantages compared to suites at other places. Others have rooms where they allow six people but are literally half the square footage of other suites for six. Free breakfasts become a lot more important with more people to feed, and the value of such an amenity increases. We’ve stayed at four hotels (two “off” site, two “on), but the prices have changed so much since 2013 that we are looking for new options. I will check out BW Park Place Mini Suites!
You’re welcome, yeah check it out and let me know if it works.
Cambria Hotel in Anaheim is brand new and looks to be great for families, downside, it is really far to walk!! But, they have the best of all options. It is like they studied all the nearby hotels and came up with their design. They have rooms with a king, bunk bed that sleeps 3, and a sofa pull out, overall sleeps 7. They have two showers, and a kitchenette (not as usable at Hyatt house or Residence Inn, since they don’t provide plates, cups, cutlery). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAO7a_jgHJY They also have free breakfast and water park. We are going in April and booked for the Hyatt house. I found Cambria Hotel when I was looking up hotel reviews. I think it is too far for us (right now) as our daughter is a toddler, and it is too far for us to walk, but I think it will be a perfect option for big family trips especially when our daughter and her cousins are a little older and we can ride the ART. She also is too young to fully utilize all the amenities of the water park, but I know in a few years she will love it! But I also agree with Tom, being close enough to walk is a major plus! Which is why we have booked the Islander (HUGE rooms, you can get 4 queens) when we want a cheap, quick trip, and we get breakfast at Starbucks and walk, or the Hyatt House, for longer trips.
We love Park Vue Inn every time we stay there, which is about 2-5 times a year. It is right across the street and is maybe a few steps farther than Best Western Plus Park Place. They have comfortable beds, free parking, free hot breakfast and a nice gift shop.
Hoping this forum is still running? I was wondering if you have stayed at the Grand Legacy at the Park? I am looking for a hotel with indoor corridors and lifts. With very close proximity to Disneyland. I am happy to pay approx $300 a night for a nice modern room with 2 x queen beds. I was considering the Premium Room. Any advice would be appreciated.
Jodie Alcock
I love being immersed in the Disney bubble at WDW when I stay at DVC resorts, therefore, I need to stay onsite on visits to DLR. I stayed offsite twice at DLR. Once was at Red Lion Inn near DLR (the hotel was fine, great rates, no complaints) and another time was a hotel in LA area (I only had one day to visit DLR). Since I am spoiled by the WDW bubble, walking down S. Harbor Blvd in the real world after visiting DLR was a buzzkill. Recently, I stayed at DLH and loved it. I spent some time on the same trip roaming GC and I fell in love with the resort so much that I bought a small resale DVC GC contract. I crunched the numbers and it made sense to purchase the DVC contract for biannual trips to DLR or rent out the points rather than pay the exorbitant DLR onsite hotel nightly rates.
OMG, Best Western Park Place cannot be beat!
Location, location, location!!
I did my research before staying here.
Was traveling solo with my 8 year old daughter & was not renting a car. We shuttled from the the airport.
We are WDW people, so I was blown away by this hotel’s proximity to DL. You literally walk out the front door, up the sidewalk & cross a crosswalk. It felt great going back in the evening too. Highly recommend!
I’d be interested in your views on the Holiday Inn Express that recently opened next to the Marriott Courtyard. We’re bit HIE fans – it is very similar to Hyatt Place/Hyatt House. The location seems excellent.
I am going to DL for the first time this spring and after lots of frustration realizing most hotels were gross or overpriced, I decided to go with Hotel Indigo. It’s a relief to see them on your list!
What is the off season for disney?
Would you know if there are to plans to open new Disney hotels before year 2020? Thanks.
Anaheim Fairfield by Marriott review at all? Friends have recommended it due to its proximity to the gates.
Another perk to staying at certain Grand Californian and Paradise Pier rooms is having a room view that actually looks down into DCA. It’s intoxicating during the day, offers a neat World of Color view at night, and since they keep a lot of the park lights on all night, it offers a one of a kind “afterglow” experience at bedtime.
Also, the “Get Up & Go Power Walk” is a hidden gem for on-site guests.
Here’s a list of some more on site perks — https://disneyland.disney.go.com/hotels/grand-californian-hotel/recreation/
The trivia games are great. In rooms prizes await you when you return from the parks after turning them in!
Second your recommendation of Getawaytoday. Got a great deal at Portofino Inn that included tickets. Perfect walking distance from the parks and clean rooms!
One thing you didn’t mention was the coupons they offer for other things in the area. If you are visiting more in southern California than just Disneyland, these coupons can be very useful.
Were you happy at Portofino? We’re DL newbies who’ve always stayed on WDW property so this is new for us. But we’ve got 3 kids, 21, 20 & 14 so we need a suite. Any feedback would be great!
This info is from 2014, the site boasts up to date info. I just booked a stay at DGCH for April (2017) and with all the construction I am digging for the most current info, do you have any info recommendations or any new tips since this published (am open to other commentator tips too!)
Thank you!
I just stayed there in March.
Construction was ZERO issue. We had one night where I heard it going on at Grizzly Rapids (our balcony faced it) and when I complained they took it very seriously. They weren’t supposed to be doing construction past 5 pm. This was at 2 am!!!
The pool construction is so well hidden you don’t even notice it and we only heard it once.
There’s so much ambience and noise coming from the parks and people it doesn’t take away from anything.
This article was originally published then, but it has been updated multiple times per year since, most recently today.
The reason there’s no mention of Grand Californian’s renovations is because there’s no need to mention them. We were just there on Thursday (July 6, 2017) and aside from some light construction in the lobby, I didn’t notice anything.
Other construction is ongoing, but it does not impact guests. I would not worry about it. 🙂
I recently stayed at the Anaheim Desert Inn & Suites purely based on your review. I couldn’t believe how easily it accessed Disneyland and the room was just what we needed. My parents stayed as well and we all found our rooms pleasant and clean. I would definitely stay again as I prefer to spend my money on the parks than the place I lay my head at night.