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.

Disneyland Fitness Classes Overview

There are a number of different Disneyland Fitness classes offered at the Disneyland Resort Hotels and some even inside the parks. Some classes are available to all, while others are only accessible to guests of the official Disneyland Resort Hotels or Disney Vacation Club members and their guests.

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 was then 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 about $25-$35 each. A few particular in-park fitness experiences are priced higher.

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.

Sunrise Yoga in Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure

For guests staying at any of the three on property hotels at Disneyland, there is a 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 is the only fitness class currently offered in Disneyland Park. This experience currently costs $99.

Here is the description according to Disney:

Hotels of the Disneyland Resort Guests will greet the day in a special early morning yoga session in Disneyland Park prior to opening. Designed for all levels, this class will incorporate various types of yoga set in an enchanting atmosphere. Following the yoga session, your photo will be captured as a special keepsake of this memorable opportunity. This magical experience concludes with light snacks and a commemorative fitness towel.

The following experience is currently not showing as available at the time of writing but was originally announced alongside the Disneyland Park Sunrise Yoga experience. 

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 is only available to guests at the Disneyland Resort hotels.

Fitness Classes Inside Disney California Adventure

Currently, there are a few different fitness classes held within Disney California Adventure park including yoga, power walking, and more intensive workout classes. There is also an obstacle course class held within the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail area referenced on the main fitness page though this does not appear to be available at the time of writing. Some offerings may not be currently available due to operations updates if Disney is doing certain work in the parks that could impact the fitness classes they are able to offer.

Here are the descriptions of the classes according to Disney.

Awakening Yoga in DCA Park

Hotels of the Disneyland Resort Guests will greet the day in a special early morning yoga session in Disney California Adventure prior to opening. Designed for all levels, this class will incorporate various types of yoga set in a memorable atmosphere.

Power Walking Workout in DCA

Kick off your day with an energetic walk and active stretching throughout Disney California Adventure Park before the Park opens. This class maintains a 15-18 min per mile pace for up to 2 miles. Wear comfortable walking shoes!

Pixar Pier Fitness Challenge

Class will be held in the Pixar Pier area of Disney California Adventure Park and will be boot-camp-style fitness class incorporating bodyweight movements, stairs and ledge exercises, resistance bands, medicine balls, and core work to test strength, ability, and endurance.

Disney Vacation Club Adventure Walk

Kick off your day with an energetic power walk and active stretching throughout Disney California Adventure Park before it opens! This class maintains a 15-18 min per mile pace for up to 2 miles. Wear comfortable walking shoes! Light refreshments and a cooling towel will be provided during this event.

Adventure Boot Camp

Unleash the beast! Participate in a spirited high intensity boot camp class in Disney California Adventure Park before the park opens. This class includes pushups, squats, sit-ups, and maintains a 12-15 min per mile pace when you jog/run around the park. Wear a good pair of exercise shoes!

Avengers Recruits Fitness Challenge 

Class will be held in the Avengers Campus area of Disney California Adventure Park and will incorporate bodyweight movements, Medicine balls, resistance bands, core exercise, and cardio movements.

The following class is currently listed on the fitness classes main page of the Disneyland website but at the time of writing is not showing availability to book.

Yoga in the Redwood Creek

Enjoy an intimate mindfulness experience within Disney California Adventure Park. Connect with nature and soak in a rejuvenating capstone sound meditation—a unique blend of soothing sounds and imagery you won’t soon forget. This practice is designed for all levels and incorporates various yoga flows that engage the body and mind.

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 and their descriptions according to Disney. 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.

Breathe – Sound Meditation

Start with a gentle joint stretch to work on your mobility and then smoothly go into a BREATH work to a guided meditation designed to quiet your mind and bring you into a deep state of self-reflection.

Stretch Before the Magic!

Prepare your body for an exciting day of park hopping! Allow our talented instructors to guide you through gentle stretching to relax the muscles of your entire body. This class will improve your performance in physical activities and decrease your risk of injuries.

Balance Board – Fitness 

This dynamic fitness class is designed to train your stability and balance while providing an effective and engaging workout. Experience unique challenges that keep you motivated and focused, all while having fun. You'll improve your coordination, build strength, and enhance your balance in a lively and supportive environment that makes every session exciting and rewarding.

Yoga Burn

This exhilarating class combines cardio with the practice of pilates and yoga with focus on core engagement. Perfect balance of yin and yang

Review: This is a great workout. 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.

Grand Circuit

Feel the burn! An intense series of timed exercises at multiple stations utilizing your own bodyweight to activate muscles in this total body workout at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa.

Grand Boot Camp

In this high-powered workout, you’ll perform repetitions of different full-body exercises at multiple stations, utilizing various types of equipment at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa.

Awakening Yoga at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel

Wake up with Disney! Ground yourself enjoying a yoga session overlooking Disney California Adventure Park from Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. This class is designed for all levels and incorporates various types of yoga intended to improve the participant's mental awareness and start the day off right!

Tai-chi

Reconnect your mind and body with our transcendent Tai-Chi experience. The ancient Chinese Martial Arts practice consists of gentle physical and breathing exercise with stretches that exudes a graceful meditation in motion

The following classes are listed on the main page of the fitness classes page on the Disneyland website but do not show availability at the time of writing. 

Paddleboard Yoga

Discover inner peace and tranquility. Practice yoga on a paddleboard while floating in the Fountain Pool at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and the Palette Pool of the Villas at the Disneyland Hotel. Note: You should be comfortable in the water before booking this class.

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

This floating workout combines cardio, strength and core exercises on a paddleboard in the Fountain Pool at Disney Grand California Hotel & Spa and the Palette Pool of the Villas at the Disneyland Hotel. Note: You should be comfortable in the water before booking this class.

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.

Disney ears Yoga

Add a little Disney magic to your zen by wearing your favorite Disney ears during this morning yoga session at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. Note: Disney ears are not required, but are strongly encouraged. Disney ears will not be provided.

Quick Core

Strengthen and condition your core muscles surrounding the trunk of your body.

Fascitasia

This therapeutic class incorporates a fascia roller to help relieve muscle tightness and soreness.

Aqua Beat

Move to the music and the water’s natural resistance during this high-intensity/low-impact water aerobic exercise class. Note: The class is held in shallow water that is 3- to 4-feet deep.

Disneyland Fitness Classes in the Disneyland Hotel

There are also a few fitness classes offered at the Disneyland Hotel as well! You can see the descriptions for these below according to Disney.

Disney Vacation Club Mindful Morning Magic

Start your morning with an instructor-led yoga session, just for Disney Vacation Club Members and their Guests. At the end of this complimentary experience, light refreshments will be offered.

Magical Ride – Group Cycling

Kickstart your day with an intense cycling session that will have you pedaling through heart-pounding sprints, climbs, and intervals. Our top-of-the-line stationary cycles and energizing music will keep your heart rate soaring while you burn calories and improve your cardiovascular fitness.

The two paddleboard classes described in the Grand Californian section above are also offered at the Palette Pool of the Villas at the Disneyland Hotel.

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 Pixar Place 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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