The high cost of staying at an official Disneyland Resort hotel puts the experience out of reach for many families, but there are plenty of nearby hotels that offer an even better overall stay. In fact, many Disneyland fans prefer these three hotels over the Disneyland Hotel thanks to their impressive pool areas. We shared similar sentiments about Disney’s Grand Californian.
Let’s take a look at the top three hotels that many Disneyland fans say are even better than the official Disneyland Hotel. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including all the Disneyland popcorn buckets and new changes coming to the Disneyland app.
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Best Pool for All Ages Across the Street
The Courtyard by Marriott Anaheim Theme Park Entrance is the off-property Disneyland hotel that is frequently compared to the Disneyland Hotel. This comparison is so common that this topic comes up frequently on Disney fan message boards, with many commenters always voting for the Courtyard as their top pick. CLICK HERE TO BOOK >
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Commenters voice their preference for The Courtyard by Marriott Anaheim Theme Park Entrance due to its better value, convenient location, and large rooms with two showers plus bunk beds. And of course, the impressive water park.
The water park for the Courtyard by Marriott Anaheim Theme Park Entrance is known for its amazing water park area, which has a view of Disneyland. In the above picture, you can even see Space Mountain in the distance.
This hotel is perfect for all ages, with a large splash pad for younger kids, two large water slides for older kids, plus a pool and hot tub.
This hotel is close to Disneyland and offers massive water slides and a pool area that guests of all ages will enjoy. The Courtyard by Marriott Anaheim Theme Park Entrance is actually a closer walk to the parks (10-minute walk) than the Disneyland Hotel, which is a fact that many Disneyland fans point out.
The Courtyard by Marriott Anaheim Theme Park Entrance varies in price by date, with an average of $450 per night. When the Disneyland Hotel averages around $600 per night, this is a significant savings for a hotel that many Disneyland fans intentionally choose over the on-site options. If you book directly through our travel partner, Get Away Today, you can receive our exclusive discount on tickets and hotel rates.
Best Water Park Hotel for Younger Kids
The Howard Johnson Anaheim Hotel & Water Playground is a family-friendly hotel just down the street (an 8-minute walk) from Disneyland. The atmosphere at Howard Johnson Anaheim is perfect for families focusing on a Disneyland vacation. The Disney artwork in the room, also featuring popular Disney artist SHAG, and the posters of Disney attractions in the hallways, are all a great touch.
The Castaway Cove water playground is the highlight for families with young kids. There’s a big pirate ship that periodically dumps a bucket of water on the children who gather underneath, which kids always love. You can climb up on top of the pirate ship, and two water slides come off of it. There are also water cannons surrounding the ship and water sprinklers to stand under. The toddler area is large with a small wading pool and animal statues to climb on.
Considering that the Howard Johnson offers a water park kids love, you could easily save the money on the Disneyland Hotel and stay here with your kids instead for a similar effect. This hotel is one of our favorites at Mickey Visit, with many of us staying here repeatedly over the years.
Now, when you look at the price difference between the Howard Johnson Anaheim Hotel & Water Playground and the Disneyland Hotel, you’re saving a few hundred dollars a night. If you book through our travel partner, you get our special Mickey Visit rate, which averages about $360 per night for the Howard Johnson Anaheim Hotel & Water Playground (CLICK HERE TO SAVE). For comparison, the Disneyland Hotel is an average of $600 per night, making the difference more than $200 per night.
Best Disneyland Pool for Teens
The Anaheim Suites Hotel is one of the newer hotels near Disneyland (a 20-minute walk) and includes spacious two-room suites with bunk beds, free breakfast, and a large pool and recreation area. This hotel recently underwent a name change when it dropped its national chain loyalty program and rebranded from “Cambria Hotel & Suites” to “Anaheim Suites Hotel.”
The Anaheim Suites Hotel is one of the best hotels in the area for recreation, especially for teens, as it offers two pools, a splash pad, a hot tub, two large waterslides, a basketball court, ping pong tables, mini golf, and other yard games. There is so much for families to do in this outdoor area that this is often the biggest perk advertised for the hotel.
The hotel also offers large two-room suites with kitchenettes, a large king bed, and bunk beds. This is a great hotel with plenty of space for families with older kids, so you have much more space to share. The recreation options here are popular with teens, with such a large pool and the sports deck. Plus, Anahiem Hotel & Suites also offers a free breakfast for guests during their stay!
The average price for this hotel is usually around $285 for a standard room and around $350 for a suite. The suites are extremely spacious, so combined with the great pool area and free breakfast, this makes it a great spot for families visiting Disneyland. The recreation area is what truly wins over the Disneyland Hotel pool, as there is much more to do for older kids and teens. This hotel comes in at about $200 less per night than the Disneyland Hotel when you book through our travel partner. If you book with our recommended travel partner (CLICK HERE TO SAVE NOW!), you can combine your stay with discount Disneyland tickets and have the opportunity to receive exclusive hotel perks.
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All three of these hotels are often ranked as a preference by Disneyland fans over the Disneyland Hotel for their recreation areas, water slides, affordable rates, and close walking distance. All three of these hotels can be booked through our travel partner, Get Away Today. Using our exclusive link also gets you additional deals and discounts just for Mickey Visit readers. You can also book by calling 1-855-GET-AWAY. Make sure to ask for the discounted Mickey Visit rate when you call for the additional savings. Click here to book best hotels near Disneyland now >
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