What do you imagine when you hear “Disneyland Hotel?” Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California has three “on-site” hotels: Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa, Disneyland Hotel and Pixar Place Hotel (formerly Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel) . These hotels have the official title of “Disneyland Resort Hotels.” While there are many more hotels surrounding the resort, these three Disneyland Resort Hotels are owned and managed by Disney. A stay at any of these three hotels comes with certain benefits as well as a big dose of Disney magic. It can be hard to choose between the three, so we are taking you through five points to consider when selecting the best Disneyland Resort Hotel for you.
If you prefer a straightforward comparison without commentary, you can click here to find a comparison chart of the three hotels. If you would like to like a little more insight into choosing between the three Disneyland Resort Hotels, keep reading!
Disneyland Resort Hotel Themes
Each Disneyland Resort Hotel is centered on a unique theme. As you read about each, you might get a sense for which hotel will match with your own personality and purpose for your visit.
Pixar Place Hotel Theme
Pixar Place Hotel is a tribute to the films and shorts of Pixar Animation Studios. It features a bright primary color palette and depictions of Pixar characters from various stages of the animation process. The pool is themed to the world of Finding Nemo, while the pool deck and other public areas incorporate other characters.
You might select Pixar Place Hotel if you are a fan of animation in general or Pixar Animation Studios in particular. If you have young kids or a group looking for a vibrant setting, Pixar Place Hotel might be for you. Pixar Place Hotel may also be a good choice for groups looking for the latest Disney creations. Of the three Disneyland Resort Hotels, Pixar Place Hotel is the most recently renovated and the first hotel in the United States dedicated to Pixar.
Disneyland Hotel Theme
Disneyland Hotel opened shortly after the park itself and is themed to the history of Disneyland and Walt Disney. This charming hotel has doses of fantasy (light-up headboards) and nostalgia (monorail-shaped waterslides) balanced by functional furnishings and calming colors.
If you love Disney history, Disneyland Hotel might be for you. There are tributes to Disneyland and the Walt Disney Company all over this hotel. There is even a tour dedicated to these treasures! Disneyland Hotel also captures some of the mid-century styling reminiscent of Disneyland’s opening days, so if you love that mid-century vibe, consider Disneyland Hotel.
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel Theme
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa is a soaring Craftsman-style hotel that thematically invites guests to imagine they are in a grand timbered lodge. The setting reminds us of Yosemite National Park. The details are both luxurious and rustic with an emphasis on natural materials and warm earth tones.
Choose Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa if you are looking for the most luxurious option of the three Disneyland Resort Hotels. This might also be the hotel for you if you are looking for a clam oasis; this is a cool respite from the dynamic energy of the parks.
Cost of Disneyland Resort Hotels
A standard room at Pixar Place Hotel is generally the least expensive option of the three Disneyland Resort Hotels.
Comparable room types on the same dates are the most expensive at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa with Disneyland Hotel falling in the middle. Each hotel offers many room types, so a “pool terrace – club level room” at Pixar Place Hotel can cost more than a “standard room” at the Disneyland Hotel. Pricing depends on exact dates, room type and available discounts. You can save some money by adjusting your stay according to these variables.
The value you take from what you pay at each Disneyland Resort Hotel is going to vary based on what is important to you. All three hotels offer the same general perks, like Early Entry, but the accommodations are distinctly different.
For the most cost-conscious hotel options, look at accommodations outside of Disneyland Resort property.
Locations of the Three Hotels on Disneyland Resort Property
All three hotels are on the Disneyland Resort property, but they do not necessarily border the parks. For proximity to the parks, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa is closest to the main entrances of both parks and offers an exclusive entrance to Disney California Adventure Park from the hotel building itself (the entrance is into the Grizzly Peak area of the park).
Disneyland Hotel and Pixar Place Hotel are located on the west end of the Downtown Disney District, and guests of these two hotels access the main entrances of each park by walking through Downtown Disney. Disneyland Hotel is positioned a little closer to the main entrances, but with the reimagining of Pixar Place Hotel (from its previous identity as Paradise Pier Hotel), Disney introduced a guest-exclusive entrance to Disney California Adventure Park. It is accessed by a walkway just across Disneyland Drive from Pixar Place Hotel. This walkway entrance opens into the Paradise Gardens Park area of the park. Disneyland Hotel has a nearby station for the Disneyland Monorail. When it is running, the monorail can take ticketed guests right into Disneyland Park’s Tomorrowland.
For more on the location of Disneyland Resort and its individual components, check-out: Where is Disneyland Located?
Room Options at Disneyland Resort Hotels
Standard rooms at all three hotels sleep up to five adults.
Each hotel also has suite accommodations that offer space for additional guests. Some “signature” suites have elaborate immersive theming. Disneyland Hotel and Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa both have Disney Vacation Club villas with kitchen amenities that are also occasionally available to hotel guests.
Disneyland Resort Hotel Perks
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa has the most luxury features (including the spa, which can also be booked by guests of the other hotels), but all three hotels have robust list of perks and amenities.
All three hotels traditionally offer extra time in the parks to guests. The offering in 2025 is the opportunity for ticketed guests to enter one park each morning one half-hour before official opening; this perk is called “Early Entry.”
All three hotels feature dining, fitness centers, pools with waterslides and splash areas, charge-to-room capabilities, digital keys, wi-fi, laundry facilities, paid parking, a variable slate of on-site entertainment (like drawing classes, outdoor movies, tours, etc) and assistance with resort guest services like reservations and directions.
All three hotels offer club level rooms.
As a special surprise after its reimagining, Pixar Place Hotel hosts the characters Joe Gardner (from Soul) and Bing Bong (from Inside Out). Disneyland Hotel and Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa host character dining in their restaurants.
It is a good idea to check the refurbishment and entertainment schedules at each hotel before you choose a particular Disneyland Resort Hotel.
Thank you for reading. We hope this analysis will help you choose the best Disneyland Resort Hotel for you.
For a guided approach to select a hotel, check-out: Staying Near Disneyland: Book the Best Hotel for You. That article is part of our free and complete guide to planning a Disneyland Resort visit: Step-by-Step Disneyland Prep. Need a side-by-side comparison of the three Disneyland Resort Hotels? Find our chart here. Finally, please consider subscribing to our free newsletter to get our latest articles right in your inbox. Thanks again for reading!
Here’s hoping you have a pleasant stay in, or nearby, the “Happiest Place on Earth.”