On-Site Disneyland Hotels vs Off-Site Hotels- Which Should You Pick?

One of the very first decisions that needs to be made when planning a Disneyland vacation is which hotel you want to stay at. Not only are there multiple hotels right on Disneyland property, there are also many off-property hotels that can be considered for your stay.

There are pros and cons that come along with both on-property and off-property hotels. So which one is better? Here at Mickey Visit, we’ve stayed at both, and we’re going to help you decide which one is the best option for you.

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Understanding the Layout of Disneyland Resort

It’s helpful to have a good understanding of the layout of Disneyland Resort when deciding between an on-property and off-property hotel. Unlike Walt Disney World, everything is in close proximity at Disneyland. All of the Disneyland Resort hotels, Downtown Disney, and the two theme parks are within walking distance of each other.

Furthermore, Disneyland isn’t tucked away from the city. There are multiple hotels, restaurants, and convenience stores close by. Many are located right across the street!

Disneyland’s On-Property Hotels

Disneyland has three hotels on property – Pixar Place Hotel, Disneyland Hotel, and Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa.

Pixar Place Hotel, which was previously known as Paradise Pier Hotel, opened just last year with a complete re-theme, making it the first ever hotel to recognize all of the films of Pixar. The entire hotel features Pixar-themed decor and art that was created by Pixar Animation Studios. At Pixar Place Hotel, Guests can enjoy their stay in a standard room, club level room, or suite. Dining options include multiple quick-service restaurants as well as a full-service restaurant. For fun, Guests can play games at the Pixar Shorts Court, splash around on the rooftop pool, or play a game of Pixar Putt. (Pixar Putt is a limited-time miniature golf experience that will be available through June 1, 2025.)

Disneyland Hotel is the original hotel of Disneyland Resort. This hotel celebrates the past and present of Disneyland, combining a sleek design and appearance with touches of Disneyland history. Rooms, club level rooms, and suites are available for stays in the three main towers of the hotel – Adventure, Fantasy, and Frontier – which pay tribute to the original lands of Disneyland. The newest tower, Discovery tower, houses studios and villas. Dining highlights at this hotel include character dining at Goofy’s Kitchen and Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar. Guests can enjoy time at the two pool areas, which feature waterslides, whirlpools, and water play areas for little ones.

The most luxurious hotel at Disneyland is Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. This hotel features Craftsman-style sophistication and charm, exquisite dining options, and top-tier amenities. Guests of Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa can opt to stay in rooms, club level rooms, or suites. There are multiple full-service restaurants, which are located in beautiful, rustic settings and offer California-inspired dishes. Multiple character dining experiences are available, with opportunities to dine with Disney Princesses and Mickey and friends.

Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is most notably known for its full-service spa – Tenaya Stone Spa. Beautifully furnished to capture the picturesque California landscape, this spa offers a space for Guests to unwind as they enjoy massages, body treatments, and salon services.

Pros of Staying at a Disneyland Resort Hotel

Like all Disney Resort hotels, there are special perks that come along with staying on property at Disney. When staying at the Disneyland hotels, Guests can take advantage of Early Theme Park Entry, preferred access to hotel dining reservations, Disney’s Direct-to-Room service, and the ability to make Charge-to-Room purchases with the Disneyland app for shopping and dining.

Due to the close proximity of the Disneyland properties, staying on property also provides Guests with easy access to the theme parks. All hotel Guests can walk to the Disney Esplanade from their hotel, where they can choose to enter either Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure Park. A monorail station can also be accessed in Downtown Disney, which will take all Guests to Disneyland Park. Guests staying at Disneyland Hotel have direct access to the monorail, since it is the only hotel that the monorail travels to. Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa Guests also have special theme park access, with a private hotel entrance to Disney California Adventure Park.

Are the Perks Worth the Cost?

For the most part, I don’t feel that there’s enough incentive to stay on property at Disneyland. The close proximity of the on-property hotels doesn’t appeal to me since off-property hotels are also very close. I also haven’t had a bad experience at Disneyland by walking in at park opening without using Early Theme Park Entry. I’ve always been able to get everything done within a day that I’ve wanted to do.

Of course, there may be times in the future when I decide that I’d like to stay on property. One reason would be for the theming. My family loves Pixar. One day, we may decide that we’d like to experience a stay at the immersive Pixar Place Hotel. There also may come a time when I decide I would like to utilize Early Theme Park Entry. A perfect time to do this would be around Christmastime, when the parks are much busier.

Cons of Staying at a Disneyland Resort Hotel

Realistically, there aren’t many cons to staying on-property at Disneyland. However, the most common reason that so many Guests, myself included, choose not to stay at a Disneyland hotel is the price. While the hotels are tiered in regard to price, with Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa being the most expensive and Pixar Place Hotel generally being the most affordable, none of them are cheap.

You won’t find lower prices at Disneyland like you can with Walt Disney World’s Value Resort options. The average cost tends to hover around $300-$600 per night at Pixar Place Hotel, $300-$415 per night at Disneyland Hotel, and $475-$980 per night at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. There are also additional charges when staying on property at Disneyland, such as the $40 per night self-parking fee.

Off-Property Disneyland Hotels

The off-property hotels surrounding Disneyland range from budget hotels to luxury hotels, providing perfect options for everyone. Some inexpensive hotels that you’ll find near Disneyland are Best Western PLUS Park Place Inn & Mini-Suites, Castle Inn and Suites, Tropicana Inn & Suites, The Fairfield Inn, Element by Westin, and Residence Inn by Marriot. Those who are looking for a more upscale hotel will enjoy stays at The Westin Anaheim Resort, JW Marriott Near Disneyland, or the Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance.

Depending on your hotel choice, you can choose from rooms or suites. My party of 6 enjoys booking family suites for our stays. By doing so, we can all be in the same location and split the price. Whether you’re looking for a standard room or suite, options are available at both the cheaper hotels and the higher-end hotels.

Almost every off-property hotel has at least one pool. Some have multiple pool areas and even include additional features such as hot tubs, splash pads, and water playgrounds. Other recreational options, such as fitness centers, can also be found at many off-property hotels. Generally, these include cardio machines and weights.

Dining options will vary depending on the hotel. However, most provide breakfast each morning, while others may even have restaurants located within the hotel with lunch and dinner options. Many of them also have small markets where produce and snacks can be purchased.

Pros of Staying at an Off-Property Hotel

Again, due to the layout of Disneyland, there are many off-property hotels that are in close proximity to Disneyland. There are multiple hotels that are right across the street, or just a few blocks away, which puts them within walking distance of the parks. There are also many more that may be slightly farther away, but are still only a short drive from the parks. If you don’t have your vehicle with you, there are many rideshare drivers in the area that are readily available to take you where you need to go.

Off-property hotels also tend to have more affordable options in comparison the Disneyland hotels. In addition to the lower nightly costs, many off-property hotels also offer other perks such as free parking and complimentary breakfast. If you’re feeding an entire family, it’s hard to pass on a free breakfast and choose to pay for Disney-priced food instead.

The nearby restaurants and stores are also beneficial to those staying off-property. These locations also offer more affordable food options as well as a way to acquire vacation necessities that you may be in need of.

Cons of Staying at an Off-Property Hotel

One disadvantage of staying off-property at Disneyland is that you won’t be able to take advantage of the exclusive Disneyland Resort hotel perks, such as Early Theme Park entry and preferred access to hotel dining reservations.

Some Guests also greatly value being inside of the “Disney Bubble”. This feeling is, of course, lost when staying off property. The immersive theming and storytelling doesn’t exist off property. If this is an experience that you enjoy having, you’ll want to consider this when deciding whether you want to stay on or off property.

Is it Better to Stay On or Off Property When Visiting Disneyland?

When deciding whether you want to stay on-property or off-property at Disneyland, you’re going to want to think about what your priorities are. Do you want to save money on your stay so you can put that money towards other aspects of your vacation? Is Early Theme Park Entry something that you can’t miss out on? Are special amenities important to you? Or are you simply looking for a clean and comfortable place to sleep at night? These are the types of things that you’re going to want to think about.

As I previously mentioned, I personally prefer to stay at an off-property hotel during my Disneyland vacations. During my trips, I’m at the parks from the time they open to the time they close. I’m generally not looking for anything luxurious from my hotel for the simple fact that I’m barely in the room. Normally, I’m only at my hotel long enough to get ready for the day and to sleep. I prefer to save money on my hotel stay and use that money for other parts of my trip, such as travel, dining, Lightning Lane Passes, merchandise, or specialty experiences.

Again, your hotel choice will very much be based on the type of experience that you’re looking for, what you’re wanting out of your hotel, and how you’d like to spend your money. No matter which choice you make, you’ll be visiting the Happiest Place on Earth, and you’re sure to have a fantastic time!

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