This is an entry about off-property hotels in our Disneyland 101 Glossary: Disneyland Resort definitions in under 101 words, from Mouse Brief.
For more information on how to choose an off-property hotel and tips for booking accommodations near Disneyland resort, keep reading after this glossary entry.
“Off-property” is a term used by some Disney guests to describe a hotel near Disneyland Resort that is not owned by Disney. These are accomodations where a guest might stay overnight while visiting Disneyland, but they are not on Disneyland Resort property. Another term used is “third party hotel.” Examples include the Fairfield Inn and Howard Johnson both on Harbor Boulevard. By contrast, Pixar Place Hotel, Disneyland Hotel and Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa are Disney-owned, staffed by cast members and located on Disneyland Resort property. Note that some off-property hotels are also Good Neighbor Hotels, but not all.
Thank you for reading this entry from our Disneyland 101 Glossary. For the definition of ON-property hotels, take a look at the glossary entry: DISNEYLAND RESORT HOTELS. But for more on off-property hotels, keep on reading after the photo below.
Why Stay at an Off-Property Hotel Near Disneyland Resort
Disneyland Resort has three wonderful resort hotels. They are Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa, Disneyland Hotel and Pixar Place Hotel. The first two of these Disney hotels also have Disney Vacation Club Villas as part of their accommodations. All three Disneyland Resort Hotels are located on Disney property within easy distance of Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park, and they have whimsical theming to compliment the parks themselves. These three on-property hotels also come with a changing slate of perks for use at the hotel and in the theme parks, and you can read more about all of those offerings at: Disneyland Resort Hotels.
So why would anyone pass-up the chance to stay at one of the Disneyland Resort Hotels and choose an off-property hotel instead. Well, let us jump into that. Here are four reasons you might choose an off-property hotel for your accommodations near Disneyland Resort.
You Want to Save Some Money on Your Disneyland Vacation
Disneyland Resort Hotels are among the most expensive options for accommodations near Disneyland. Sure, the JW Marriott and Westin near Disneyland could give the on-property Disney hotels a run for their… I mean your money when in comes to cost, but those third-party hotels offer a lot of value for that money. Basically, Disneyland Resort Hotels cost more than off-property hotels with comparable amenities. You can find off-property hotel rooms that will cost more than a standard room at Pixar Place Hotel, but you can also always find off-property rooms that will cost significantly less than that Pixar Place Hotel room. (Pixar Place Hotel is typically the cheapest of all Disneyland Resort Hotels.
So, if you are looking for some savings in your Disneyland vacation budget, choosing the right off-site hotel should make a significant difference.
You Want a Short Walk to Disneyland
Surprisingly, the three Disneyland Resort hotels are not the three closest hotels to the theme parks. Now, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa is the closest hotel to the parks, it even has a special entrance from the lobby into Disney California Adventure Park. But, Disneyland Hotel and Pixar Place Hotel do not hold the second and third place spots!
Some hotels on Harbor Boulevard—that’s the road that runs along the east side of Disneyland Resort—actually offer shorter travel time than either Disneyland Hotel or Pixar Place Hotel. If you are simply looking at an overhead view of the hotels, this may not be immediately obvious, but this has to do with the actual routes you must take to reach the parks’ entrances. We wrote about this in 5 Mistakes to Avoid When Booking a Disneyland Hotel, and we suggest reading that post for a detailed look at how to choose a hotel that will make getting to the parks easy.
That post should also help you evaluate what amenities are most important to you when choosing a hotel near Disneyland. For more on that, also explore our post Forget These 5 Things When Booking a Hotel for Disneyland.
You Are Loyal to a Hotel Chain
Another reason many visitors book off-property hotels near Disneyland is that they are loyal to certain hotel brands. Basically every major U.S. hotel chain has a location near Disneyland. Most of them have several. If you are used to certain amenities or like knowing what you can expect during your hotel stay, you may wish to simply book a Disneyland hotel from your favorite brand.
As an added benefit, these big hotel brands generally accept and award points from their loyalty programs. For folks who are frequent travelers or for those who use hotel credit cards, picking an off-property hotel near Disneyland can offer savings both with lower room rates and benefits from the loyalty programs.
You Want Certain Amenities
Finally, you may wish to book an off-property hotel because you are looking for specific amenities. There are even vacation homes and condos near Disneyland Resort which some visitors rent for just this reason.
If you are looking for kitchen facilities or other “homey” amenities, you may want to look into the many extended-stay style hotels proliferating around Disneyland. Yes, the DVC Villas at Disneyland Hotel and Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa do offer some of this, but they are expensive accommodations, and you may find that something like the Home2 Suites might better suit your needs. Other folks like the free breakfasts offered at other third-party hotels in the area.
Again, it is helpful to consider which amenities are priorities for you.
Choosing a Hotel Near Disneyland
For our best advice on choosing a hotel near Disneyland—on or off property—see Staying Near Disneyland: Book the Best Hotel for You. That page is part of our free and complete Step-by-Step Disneyland Prep, where we cover tickets, best times to visit, time saving strategies and more. Thank you for reading!