Disneyland Hotel Review for Families
The Disneyland Hotel is a delight for Disney lovers of all ages. Located at one end of Downtown Disney with a nearby Monorail stop, this hotel feels very much at the center of all things Disney. Read this Disneyland Hotel review to discover this property’s incredible swimming pools, Monorail waterslides, standard rooms, specialty suites, on-site restaurants and more.
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Disneyland Hotel Pools
Last summer I named the Disneyland Hotel’s Monorail Slide Pool one of the 10 Best Hotel Pools for Kids in the USA for its whimsical Monorail-themed waterslides. There are two large slides on which sliders zip through enclosed Monorail tunnels and then spin about before splashing below. There are two mini slides for young children too. This pool is open 11 am – 5 pm daily.
Last weekend, the hotel’s E-Ticket Pool area finished its remodel and opened to the public. While not as fantastical as the Monorail Slide Pool, this traditional pool area is still super fun. One large pool has a loopy shape, while a smaller rectangular pool sits beneath a flower-ensconced footbridge. Plenty of complimentary cushy lounge chairs are available. Shaded cabanas with flat-screen TVs, Internet access, and refrigerators can be rented at an additional charge.
Both E-Ticket Pools are 4 feet-deep all of the way across. This means there’s no diving, and you must keep a close eye on young children whose feet cannot touch the bottom. Children’s life vests, as well as disposable swim diapers, are available at no charge. The E-Ticket Pools are open from 6 am to 10 pm daily.
My family visited on a chilly November day, and we were pleased to find the pool heated to a swimmable temperature. If visiting during colder winter months, note that the smaller pool is slightly warmer. Still, I spent most of my time in the toasty whirlpool spa. A second hot tub decorated with Minnie Mouse ears and bow is available near the Monorail Slide Pool.
Standard Rooms
The Disneyland Hotel keeps the magical feeling of Disney alive without hitting you over the head with cartoon decor. Standard rooms are decorated with subtle Disney elements. Look for Mickey Mouse-shaped faucets, white-on-white Mickey-patterned duvet covers, and royal blue fireworks-inspired coverlets.
At the turn of a switch, a fireworks display cut into the headboard comes to light above a carved castle design. At the same time, the tinkling sound of Sleeping Beauty’s theme song, “Once Upon a Dream” plays. My children delighted in pressing this button again…and again…and again.
I appreciated the little extra touches, like a magnified makeup mirror in the bathroom and mini bendable reading lights beside each bed.
Beware of hidden costs at this resort. When my husband called to ask for a corkscrew and wine glasses, he was told it would cost $15 to have them delivered to our room. We opted to stay thirsty.
Disneyland Hotel Suites
I am a big fan of booking a suite whenever possible. Having a separate room for the kiddos allows for some post-bedtime privacy and enables better sleep all around. At a more expensive hotel, like the Disneyland Hotel, I would probably opt for a standard room and save my money for the parks. Besides, after a big day riding Teacups and roller-coasters, families are pretty worn out and ready to sleep, no matter how many people are in the room.
If you have a large family, will be visiting with grandparents, or have money to spare, by all means, opt for one of the Disneyland Hotel’s one-, two-, or three-bedroom suites. These can sleep up to six people.
Better yet, go all-out and book one of five Signature Suites. Choose from these themes: Pirates of the Caribbean, Mickey Mouse Penthouse, Fairy Tale, Big Thunder, or Adventureland. I got a chance to tour all of these (besides the Fairy Tale Suite, which was booked up), and each would make a wonderful splurge for a big anniversary, birthday, wedding proposal, or other celebration. The Adventureland Suite was my favorite for its lush fabrics, safari prints, and secret passageway behind a faux bookshelf.
Restaurants at the Disneyland Hotel
Choose from five restaurants at the Disneyland Hotel. Goofy’s Kitchen is the place to go for a character meal and all-you-can-eat buffet. As with all character meals, only the title character (Goofy) is guaranteed to make an appearance, but expect to see the likes of Pluto, Winnie-the-Pooh, and others here.
For a quick breakfast of coffee, rolls, yogurt, and such, head to The Coffee House. There is no indoor seating, but you can enjoy your meal at an outdoor table on the patio. My family opted to camp out on a couch in the lobby during our frosty visit.
Steakhouse 55 is the fancier sit-down restaurant option at the Disneyland Hotel. This restaurant makes a good traditional sit-down breakfast option. For dinner, I’d recommend this as a date night restaurant and find a sitter for the kids!
The poolside Tangaroa Terrace offers casual island fare for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus grab-n-go items. I’d love to try the French toast with bacon and banana caramel sauce some morning, wouldn’t you?
Trader Sam’s–Enchanted Tiki Room is an old-school tiki bar. Fo here for appetizers like Asian chicken wings and Ahi poke. Of course, you must order a tropical drink like Krakatoa Punch made with light and dark rums, orange curacao, orgeat syrup, organic agave nectar, and fresh lime juice. Hold on to your hula skirt because you never know when a tropical storm is going to hit…complete with thunder, lightning, and “raining” walls.
Read more about the Disneyland Hotel on TripAdvisor.com.
Save Money on Your Disneyland Vacation
Want to save money on your Disneyland vacation? Of course, you do! Use discount code TravelMamas to get $10 off any two-night or longer Southern California package (hotel and two-ticket minimum) when you book through Get Away Today. Just want tickets? Buy discounted Disneyland Park tickets now!
Consider booking a character meal to add even more magic to your visit. Read our Disneyland character meal reviews to choose the best one for your family.
What is your favorite aspect of the Disneyland Hotel? Tell us in the comments!
A Note from The Travel Mama: I have been hosted by the Disneyland Hotel for various media events and have also paid full-price to stay here many times.
We have been planning a trip down the West Coast and wanted to include a stop at Disneyland. This post pretty much solidified our answer on whether to stay at the Disneyland hotel. I think we would be sorely disappointed if we didn’t stay here and miss out on some Disney Magic!
Staying on property at Disneyland really does add to the magic. Enjoy your California vacation!
Hi, Just discovered your site while planning a US vacation from Australia. Love your site <3
Such great info. Thanks 🙂
Thank you, Wandering Mum! I hope you have a wonderful time in the U.S.!
One of these days I’ll get to Disneyland and give these a try! 🙂
Oh my, Keryn! You MUST visit Disneyland. Your boys would LOVE it!
I stayed at the Disneyland Hotel years ago when I was a kid, long before this delightful remodel. My favorite thing about staying there was the location. When the park became crowded in the afternoon, we took the monorail back to our room and enjoyed the pool for a few hours, then returned to the park later in the evening. This hotel would be a splurge for my family today, but off-season deals are always worth a look.
Great review — I love a Tiki Bar!
Who DOESN’T love a tiki bar?! Especially one with raining/thundering walls!
the hidden passageway is all they’d need to advertise!! what fun!
My kids would be in heaven! What? A hidden passageway? Too fun!
The price tag for the Signature Adventure Suite with the hidden passageway is pretty steep, but it sure would be fun for a splurge!
Ever since finding out about them I’ve wanted to stay in one of the Signature Suites, but I have no hope of affording it. I’m lucky to afford a standard room! But even getting a peek at them would be a fun experience. Can anyone request a tour of the Signature Suites or was it something special for you bloggers?
Bonnie – It was a special tour for bloggers and other media. I’m not sure if you could get a tour but it never hurts to ask!
Signature suites are about $4,000 per night.
Tom Snyder – The signature suites certainly aren’t cheap but they do look super-fun for a celebration or once-in-a-lifetime splurge of some sort (like a honeymoon, significant birthday celebration, or anniversary)!
when i won my disney vacation club stays we used one of them at the disneyland hotel and loved it! so great to be part of what started it all and of course it was magical for all of us! can’t wait to see it updated
Steve – I hope you’ll give Disneyland Hotel another try. I’d LOVE to stay in one of the Signature Suites. Your wife would love you for that, for sure!
Hmmm..Our family gave up on the Disneyland Hotel quite a few years ago when we got tired of paying Four Seasons rates for a Holiday Inn product. It looks like they’ve spent a lot of time and money remaking everything though. The new rooms look fantastic, and I’m pretty sure I’d score a ton of brownie points with my wife if I booked the Pirates suite.
Thanks for the peek into the remodel!