Disneyland Fitness Classes REVIEW – Workout in Park Before Opening, Unique Disney Fitness Classes
Disneyland offers fitness classes inside Disney California Adventure and at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel for guests of all the Disneyland Resort Hotels.
While the thought of additional working out on top of the already long days of walking at Disneyland may seem daunting, these Disneyland fitness classes offer a unique access to the Disney magic and work outs that are a perfect way to kick off your day at the Disneyland Resort.
From a speed walking class INSIDE Disney California Adventure before the park opens to all guests to a paddle board fitness class in Disney’s Grand Californian pool, these classes create unique opportunities that all Disney fans will appreciate.
In this review of the classes I’ll share a look at my experience with a number of these different sessions (they are now a must-do for me with almost every Disneyland trip) and all the info you need to know on fitness class pricing and sign-ups.
NEW: Sunrise Yoga in Disneyland and California Adventure
For guests staying at any of the three on property hotels at Disneyland, there is a NEW Sunrise Yoga experience at Disneyland you can take advantage of. The sunrise yoga takes place at a special location at the Space Mountain concourse in Tomorrowland or may change depending on the park’s schedule for the day.
This yoga class is designed for all skill levels and includes a fitness towel, light snacks, bottle of water and a Disney PhotoPass digital download. Yoga mats will be provided during the session. This session costs $89 per person and is only available to guests at the Disneyland Resort hotels.
Guests staying at the on property hotels can also experience an intimate yoga class in Redwood Creek in California Adventure Park (or somewhere else, depending on the park schedule!) before park opening. This yoga class focuses on a connection with nature and capstone sound meditation which is an unique blend of peaceful sounds and imagery.
This yoga class is designed for all skill levels and incorporates various yoga flows to engage the body and mind. Yoga mats are provided during the session. This session costs $30 per person and is only available to guests at the Disneyland Resort hotels.
Disneyland Fitness Classes Overview
There are a number of different Disneyland Fitness classes offered to guests of the official Disneyland Resort Hotels. The most notable of these classes are the classes that take place in Disney California Adventure before the park opens. The speed walking class was the first Disneyland workout that I experienced and then was so impressed with the leader of the fitness programs at the Grand Californian that I kept coming back for more.
Offered as part of the Tenaya Stone Spa at Disney’s Grand Californian, these classes are an additional charge of $25-$30 each. You can view the active fitness schedule on the Disney website here. While individual participants must be 18 years old to participate in fitness classes, minors ages 14 to 17 may participate if they have written consent and are accompanied by a parent or guardian.
These are just one of the perks offered to Disneyland Resort on-property hotel guests.
Here are the various classes offered.
Fitness Classes Inside Disney California Adventure
Currently two of the fitness classes are held within Disney California Adventure park. There was also previously an obstacle course class held within the Redwood Creek Challenge trail area. This class is not currently listed as available on the Disneyland website though we have heard that the Disney fitness team is now considering offering yoga in the Redwood Creek Challenge trail area.
Power Walking Workout in Disney California Adventure Park
Class Length: 45 minutes
Additional Details: Disney describes this experience as “an energetic walk and active stretching throughout Disney California Adventure Park before the park opens”. The class maintains a 15 to 18 minute per mile pace and walks up to 2 miles through the parks. Wear walking shoes.
Disney California Adventure Boot Camp
Class Length: 45 minutes
Additional Details: Disney describes this experience as “a spirited high intensity boot camp at Disney California Adventure Park before the park opens”. Unlike the speed walking, this class “includes push-ups, squats and sit-ups”. The class maintains a 12 minute per mile jogging pace. Wear exercise shoes.
Disney California Adventure Speed-Walking Class Review
Before we go further into the other Disney fitness classes offered, I’ll share a bit about my experience in the morning workout inside Disneyland’s Disney California Adventure Park.
For our speed walk class inside Disney California Adventure we met at the Tenaya Stone Spa (just outside of the Grand Californian gate into Disney California Adventure) at 6:15 am for a 6:30 am class start time – I received a call mid-morning the day before to confirm my attendance to the class and let me know the class timing and location. There were pieces of fruit, KIND bars, and water bottles when I arrived. There was the option to leave any bags on a cart that is kept in the spa during the workout class in the park. I wore a light jacket layer for the class. Check the forecast before arriving.
Here we met our instructor. There are multiple instructors but I have always been lucky to have Shinubo, the head of the Disneyland fitness program lead my classes. She has been with Disney for over ten years and previously created the fitness program at the Aulani Disney Resort in Hawaii before coming to Disneyland to setup the fitness program when the resort reopened after COVID. She is passionate about the guest experience and dedicated to making sure that each and every guest gets a VIP experience. Recently (after the above picture was taken) she received the Walt Disney Legacy award which honors the top 1% of Cast Members that uphold the Disney legacy. All that said, you are clearly in good hands during your fitness classes.
At 6:30 am a Disney security guard arrived to open the theme park gate and welcome our group in to the theme park. Class routes may vary based on construction or other morning work – you will see working trucks and third shift Cast Members still in the parks getting everything ready for day guests – but I will share the route that I have taken in classes. Pictures are not allowed in class. Below are some photos released by Disney to illustrate the experience.
First we started off with a warmup in Grizzly Peak before heading to the Pixar Pier World of Color viewing area to circle around the steps and do some workouts. From here we ventured to Cars Land. In Cars Land we did our first “sprint” where members of the group were encourage to run our fastest down from the front of the land to the Stanley statue at the end of the street.
From here we entered my favorite part of the experience, the Avengers Campus area. In this area we did Marvel-themed stretches and workouts. Shinobu and her team are so on top of it that they time your entry and workouts in Avengers Campus to match the increase in volume of the heroic score to be right when the intensity of your workout increases. After Avengers Campus we looped through the Hollywood Land area for another sprint. Then, we passed by the front gate where we waved at the guests waiting to the enter the park. I really felt like a VIP being inside the gate waving at people still lined up. We then did one final sprint through Grizzly Peak airfield up the hill back to the Grand Californian entrance to Disney California Adventure.
Throughout the class you pause in a couple of different spots for exercises. The walking class exercises consist more of stretches while the boot camp exercises are more intense with pushups and body weight exercises. The instructor will attempt to have exercises match the level of the class.
At the end of the class we returned to the Grand Californian Hotel to pickup any bags and grab a snack from the cart. After one of the times I took the exercise class, we went to The Craftsman Grill for breakfast (there is an option to Mobile Order here) which is a quick service restaurant located right next to the spa. You could also turn right around and head back into the park to use our Disney California Adventure morning strategy to do a full morning in the parks.
You can also watch a Youtube video from Disney that captures some of the experience of the workout classes inside Disney California Adventure.
Disneyland Fitness Classes in the Grand Californian Hotel
There are a number of other fitness classes offered by Disneyland at the Grand Californian Hotel that are not held inside the park. After the fun that I had with the fitness instructor for the class inside the park I decided to try out some of the other classes.
Here are the other classes that are offered. I’ll again offer my review of the classes and what to expect below for the classes that I have taken.
Though the classes may sound like normal fitness classes, they are dramatically enhanced by the beautiful settings in and around the theme park and hotel. As you’ll see in the photos below, the yoga classes are offered on a beautiful deck that overlooks Disney California Adventure park.
Paddleboard Yoga
Class Length: 30 minutes
Additional Details: This is a yoga class on a paddleboard type platform that is tethered in the pool. See our photo below. Practice yoga while in the Fountain Pool at the Grand Californian. This is the central pool located just in front of Storyteller’s Cafe. You will be sliding in and out of the water in this class. During my paddleboard class experience there were snacks, water, and spray sunscreen provided.
Paddleboard Fitness
Class Length: 30 minutes
Additional Details: This is a workout class on the same paddleboard platform tethered in the main Grand Californian pool. I loved this workout that combines “cardio, strength and core exercises”. I have done this class multiple times and really have fun with the quick burst of the workout.
Review: The Paddleboard Yoga fitness class is a high intensity class that runs in the Grand Californian pool. I have taken this class two times and always leave feeling sore in different areas than I usually work out. You’ll do exercises in a plank position, stand up and jump to test your balance (you’ll probably fall in the water here as I did multiple times), fast kick in the water, and perform core workouts on the board. During one class I was with two other participants and during another class I was on my own. The only thing to be aware of with this class is that you are in a semi-visible area with lifeguards and other Cast Members all watching the pool. I wore a bathing suit but others may be more comfortable with a work out shirt on. There were snacks, water, and spray sunscreen provided.
Awakening Yoga
Class Length: 45 minutes
Additional Details: Morning yoga session designed for all levels that “incorporates various types of yoga to help improve mental awareness and start the day off right”
Yoga Burn
Class Length: 45 minutes
Additional Details: Combination of cardio, Pilates, and yoga with a focus on the core. This is a great workout.
Review: The morning yoga burn class was located on a stunning patio with a balcony view that looks out over the Disney California Adventure Pixar Pier area. After we settled in from the shock of the reveal of the view (scroll down further for photo of the view), we got into the yoga. The active poses were difficult but a great way to get up and start the day. I felt energized as the sun rose with beams across the yoga area. We took this class during the winter time but did not have any issues with the cold weather as there is a heating system overhead.
Disney ears Yoga
Class Length: 45 minutes
Additional Details: Wear your favorite Disney ears for morning yoga. Ears not required and not provided.
Grand Bodyweight Circuit
Class Length: 45 minutes
Additional Details: This is an intense series of timed exercises that utilize your body weight “to activate muscles in this total body workout at multiple outdoor stations” at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa.
Grand Boot Camp
Class Length: 45 minutes
Additional Details: Using equipment, this full-body work out uses multiple outdoor stations.
Quick Core
Class Length: 30 minutes
Additional Details: Strengthen and condition your core muscles surrounding the trunk of your body.
Sound Meditation
Class Length: 45 minutes
Additional Details: This class promises to be a “guided meditation designed to quiet your mind and bring you into a deep state of self-reflection”.
Fascitasia
Class Length: 45 minutes
Additional Details: “This therapeutic class incorporates a fascia roller to help relieve muscle tightness and soreness.”
Stretch Before the Magic!
Class Length: 45 minutes
Additional Details: This is probably a class that I should try out after the other more intense classes. An instructor will “guide you through gentle stretching to help relax your muscles.
Aqua Beat
Class Length: 45 minutes
Additional Details: This class sounds like it is basically Disney water aerobics. The description on the website is “move to the music and the water’s natural resistance during this high intensity/low impact water aerobic exercise class”. This class is held in the pool in shallow water.
Frequently Asked Disney Workout Questions
Here are some answers to your other frequently asked Disneyland fitness center and workout class questions.
Is there a place to workout at Disney?
All three Disneyland Resort Hotels – the Grand Californian Hotel, Disneyland Hotel, and Paradise Pier Hotel have on site gym facilities.
Does Disneyland have a gym staff?
The gym fitness facilities do not have individual staff members but the fitness classes are all led by trained Disney fitness instructors.
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