Disneyland is one of the best getaways in California and one of the best stops on a Southern California road trip. So I’ve rounded up the top family-friendly hotels near Disneyland California.
Your Disneyland Survival Guide
A trip to Disneyland can be expensive, so check out my budget tips for visiting Disneyland. If you’re not familiar with the Genie Pass system (which is essential for all dining, rides, and attractions at the park), here’s my ultimate Genie guide to plan your Disneyland trip.
Here are the best family-friendly hotels near Disneyland California!
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
You can’t stay any closer to Disneyland than this – hotel guests even have their own entrance to the park! Almost every room has Disneyland or California Adventure views, there are adult and kid-friendly pools, and you’ll love the on-site spa after a long day of walking at Disneyland.
Courtyard by Marriott Anaheim Theme Park Entrance
Your kids (or kids at heart) will love this waterpark hotel. Every room has bunk beds and two separate showers in the bathroom to accommodate your whole crew. The waterpark has six slides, a drench bucket, and a children’s pool. Plus, there’s an on-site Starbucks and restaurant, and you’ll be just a five-minute walk from Disneyland.
JW Marriott Anaheim Resort
This luxury resort is just a short walk from Disneyland. There’s a garden, yoga and Zen room, fitness center, a swimming pool, fire pits, an on-site restaurant, and a great rooftop bar. Plus, you can watch the Disneyland fireworks show from your room or the rooftop lounge.
Disneyland Hotel
Disneyland Hotel
This hotel has everything you could want – two waterslides, multiple pools, hot tubs, private cabanas, state-of-the-art amenities, and magical Disney furnishings. And most importantly, you’ll be just steps from Downtown Disney, Disneyland Park, and California Adventure.
Hyatt House at Anaheim Resort Convention Center
Hyatt House at Anaheim Resort Convention Center
If you want a budget hotel that’s still close to Disneyland, this hotel is for you. You can book a studio or one-bedroom suite with a kitchen, modern décor, and plush beds. There’s a 24-hour fitness center, pool, complimentary breakfast, and a bar. Plus, you can earn or use reward points here!
The Westin Anaheim Resort
Located across from Disneyland, you can watch the nightly fireworks shows from your room or the rooftop bar. Your luxury room will have floor-to-ceiling windows, modern furnishings, a balcony, Heavenly Beds, and there are three on-site restaurants, a fitness center, and a fabulous pool.
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What do you think are the best family-friendly hotels near Disneyland California? Share with us in the comments!
For Planning The Rest Of Your Disneyland Trip
Frequently Asked Questions
How do people survive at Disney?
Disneyland Survival Tips:
1. Plan Ahead With Genie Pass
2. Arrive Early and Stay Late.
3. Stay Near The Park.
4. Use Lightning Lanes.
5. Buy a Lightning Lane for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance in the Disneyland app.
6. If you don’t buy a Lightning Lane for Rise of the Resistance, arrive as early as possible (the park opens at 7 am and the ride opens at 8 am) to beat the crowd into line.
7. Use Single Rider Lines.
8. Eat Early or Late.
9. Make Mobile Food Orders or Advance Dining Reservations.
10. Bring a Backpack That Can Fit at Your Feet on Rides.
11. Minimize Walking.
12. Be Able To Entertain Yourself and Your Group.
How much does the average person walk at Disney?
The average Disneyland guest walks more than five miles per day.
This is why, in my opinion, Genie+ is well worth the extra cost. I’d have even paid more for it!
Genie+ saved me hours of standing in line all three of my days in Disneyland, and I love getting unlimited photos from the rides and professional photographers.
But even if you don’t get Genie+, the complimentary Genie service in the Disneyland app can help you plan your day and cut down on wait times.
How does Genie plus work at Disneyland?
The a la carte Lightning Lanes are straightforward. You buy the next available Lightning Lane time starting a 7 am, or when you arrive at the park, then you show up for your scheduled time.
The regular Lighting Lanes included with Genie+ require more planning and strategy. So here are the best tips to maximize your Lightning Lanes and minimize your wait times:
You can only reserve Lightning Lanes on the day of starting at 7 am. So, unlike the FastPass system, you can’t choose any Lightning Lanes in advance. But you can still plan ahead of time. Use the free Genie service to gauge expected wait times so that you don’t schedule a Lightning Lane for a time when there will already be a short wait time.
You can only Lightning Lane a ride once per day. So if you get to a ride and it has a low wait time, and you know you’ll want to ride it twice, stand in line when it’s a short wait and save your Lightning Lane for later in the day.
As long as you haven’t redeemed your Lightning Lane by scanning it at the ride entrance, you can cancel it at any time for any reason. So if you get to a ride and it has a short wait time, you can cancel and save your Lightning Lane for that ride for later in the day.
You can only make one Lightning Lane selection at a time for the next available time slot. So to get as many Lightning Lane reservations as possible in a day, reserve your next Lightning Lane as soon as you scan into your current Lightning Lane.
If you have a Lightning Lane with an arrival window of more than two hours from when you selected it, you can make another Lightning Lane reservation. So if the next available Lightning Lane for a popular ride like Space Mountain is three hours away, you’ll be able to Lightning Lane other rides while you wait for your Space Mountain time.
What should you avoid at Disneyland?
Disneyland Survival Tips:
1. Plan Ahead With Genie Pass
2. Arrive Early and Stay Late.
3. Stay Near The Park.
4. Use Lightning Lanes.
5. Buy a Lightning Lane for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance in the Disneyland app.
6. If you don’t buy a Lightning Lane for Rise of the Resistance, arrive as early as possible (the park opens at 7 am and the ride opens at 8 am) to beat the crowd into line.
7. Use Single Rider Lines.
8. Eat Early or Late.
9. Make Mobile Food Orders or Advance Dining Reservations.
10. Bring a Backpack That Can Fit at Your Feet on Rides.
11. Minimize Walking.
12. Be Able To Entertain Yourself and Your Group.
How do I add a Genie to my Disney ticket?
Disney Genie is a complimentary service in the Disneyland app included with your theme park ticket. The Genie service is free. It comes with your Disneyland ticket, and all of its features will automatically be in your Disneyland app.
Genie+ is a paid add-on to your park ticket that lets you Lightning Lane (formerly FastPass) some rides and have unlimited PhotoPass digital downloads. You can add Genie+ to specific days of your trip or every day.
You can add Genie+ to your theme park ticket at the time of purchase, or via the Disneyland app any time after midnight on the night before you visit.
Is Disney Genie free?
Yes. Disney Genie is a complimentary service in the Disneyland app included with your theme park ticket. The Genie service is free. It comes with your Disneyland ticket, and all of its features will automatically be in your Disneyland app.
Genie+ is a paid add-on to your park ticket that lets you Lightning Lane (formerly FastPass) some rides and have unlimited PhotoPass digital downloads. You can add Genie+ to specific days of your trip or every day.
Is 3 days at Disneyland too much?
I think three days is the perfect amount of time to spend at Disneyland. This will give you plenty of time to ride every ride multiple times, see all the shows you want, enjoy the night activities at both parks, and be able to take your time instead of rushing around the parks.
Can you purchase Genie Plus in advance for Disneyland?
You can add Genie+ to your theme park ticket at the time of purchase, or via the Disneyland app any time after midnight on the night before you visit.
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This article about the best family-friendly hotels near Disneyland California is not a sponsored post, and the thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own. Some of the links in this post about the best family-friendly hotels near Disneyland California are affiliate links, and, at no cost to you, I may earn a small commission.