Pros & cons
Which Type of Lodging is Right for You?
Disney Resorts | Off-Site Hotels | Airbnb
Hey there all you Disney dreamers! Given you’ve found yourself here, it’s likely you’re busy dreaming of a magical Disneyland vacation. As they say at Disney, “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” and if Disneyland is what you’re dreaming of (how could it not be?), let’s make your wish happen.
Whether you are just starting to think about planning a Disneyland trip or ready to push “book” on your travel plans, this is a great post to review to ensure you have thought through all the potential pros and cons of where you’re going to stay and how it will inevitably set your trip up for success.
There’s plenty to sort out when planning your trip to Disneyland, especially when you have a little one with you. You’ve got to consider length of trip, when to go, where to stay, what to pack, how many days in the parks you want to have, where to eat, what shoes to wear, if you want Genie+, and well… you get the idea.
But for today, we’ll focus on the types of Disneyland lodging available to you. A great place to start as it sets the path for your total trip cost, how you plan your daily itinerary and perhaps even what time of year you decide to travel.
What are the 3 Types of Disneyland Lodging?
Let’s start at the beginning. What are the three options you have to pick from when you travel to Disneyland?
At a high level, you’ll need to decide if you’d like to stay at one of the following:
- An On-site Disneyland Resort (there are 3)
- An off-site Hotel or Motel
- An off-site Airbnb
Each lodging option will greatly impact your experience and the decisions you make surrounding your daily itinerary so it’s important to understand the pros and cons between all three before locking in to a decision.
You may be thinking there is no way you’re picking a Disney Resort: it’s expensive, feels over priced and would cut into the budget you would have to spend in the parks.
Perhaps you’re thinking there is no way you’d opt for an Airbnb: it doesn’t give the full “Disney” experience and you’re concerned about not having a confirmed address to be able to map out the exact walking distance prior to booking.
Or, you’re set on an off-site hotel but have no idea where to start.
All are valid concerns but I encourage you to keep an open mind as you may realize the added benefits to a Disneyland Resort may actually pay for themselves or that there are several highly rated Disneyland themed Airbnb under .5 miles to the park entrance that you could book.
So read on my dreamers, and let’s dig in to what will work best for you!
Related: 20 Essentials for Your Disney Park Bag with Free Checklist Printable!
What is Important to You During your Disneyland Vacation?
It’s important to take a minute to think about what is most important to get out of your trip, as well as your stay. Are you solely focused on maximizing your time at the parks or are you prioritizing overall spend? Depending on what is most important, your trip should be planned accordingly.
Take a minute and jot down your top three priorities for your trip.
Next, read through the below questions/things to consider and jot down your initial thoughts on these. It may spark something you hadn’t considered yet or may serve as a great starting point to prompt discussions with your group to ensure you’re on the same page. It will no doubt help you read through the rest of this post as you decipher what lodging option is best for you.
Things to Consider When Booking Disneyland Lodging:
- What is the furthest distance you are willing to walk to get to the Disneyland and California Adventure park entrances?
- Are you open to alternative modes of transportation: bus, shuttle, uber/lyft?
- How do you envision breakfast going? Is it an important experience to plan out or do you want it quick and easy?
- Do you want to be able to utilize the room as a place for breaks or naps throughout the day?
- Do you want to have non-park days? If so, would these be spent enjoying the hotel’s amenities or would you go somewhere else for the day?
- Is it important to you to spend time enjoying the place you’re staying or the surrounding vicinity (ie Downtown Disney)? What amenities are important and that the family would like to enjoy (pool, hot tub, restaurants, outside play area, etc)?
- Is it important to have the place you’re staying be Disney themed?
- Do you need laundry service, room service, or maid service throughout your stay?
As you read each Lodging Options Pros and Cons, ask yourself if a stay there would help to enhance what is most important to you.
Reviewing the Pros and Cons of Each Type of Disneyland Lodging
Below are detailed notes on each type of Disneyland Lodging to hopefully help make your choice a bit easier. Best of luck Disney-planners!
overview of staying at a:
Disneyland Resort
Pros & Cons of Disneyland Resorts
Price
Basic room rate: $574/day
Moderate room rate: $744/day
Pros:
Price includes special park perks.
All 3 Disney hotels are in different price buckets.
Disney often times offers hotel discounts, especially for Military.
Disney vacation packages offered through Disney site.
Cons:
Most expensive lodging option.
You cannot book on Expedia which often saves money with packages. The hotels will show “sold out.”
Distance to DL
DL Hotel: 0.5 miles
Grand Cal: 0.3 miles
Pixar: 0.6 miles
Pros:
Closest walking options to both parks.
Save time: quickly access parks in morning before crowds arrive.
Easily take breaks/naps/pool time midday.
Grand Cal. has guest only entrance to Cal. Adventure in hotel.
Commute Options
Once you arrive at your hotel, you do not need any additional travel accommodations unless you plan to travel out of the vicinity. You simply walk or take the monorail.
Pros:
Save $: no rental cars, ubers or lyfts needed to access parks or Downtown Disney
If you’re using a stroller you do not need to unpack/repack when you get in and out of alternative transportation
Disney Monorail is free and runs from West entrance of DD to DL entrance.
Cons:
If you rented a car, Disney hotels charge $40 +tax per night for parking.
Food
Each hotel has a suite of amazing restaurants that offer both walk ins and reservations at varying price points.
Pros:
Walking distance to Downtown Disney restaurants. Tip: grab a slice of pizza at the pizza shop after a day at the parks on your way back to your hotel.
Character meet and greets at select restaurants and Princess breakfasts at Grand Californian’s Napa Rose.
Cons:
Lack of grocery and convenience stores for cheaper food options or to stock up on snacks for the park.
Perks
Early Entry: guests can enter parks 30 min before opening. Check schedule for which park is open early each day.
Special guest-only entrance to California Adventure through Grand Californian.
Special Disney events and character meet & greets
Fantastic pools with water slides, cabana rentals and fitness classes.
Charge any purchase in the park to your room.
Disney App makes mobile check in easy and stores all of your trip reservations.
Large Groups
Grand Californian offers Signature Suits with up to 3 bedrooms. The Arroyo suite sleeps up to 13 guests.
Disneyland Hotel introduced The Villas which is a home-like option with up to 3 bedrooms accommodating 12 guests. Beyond the extra living space, most Villas have a full sized kitchen and washer/dryer.
overview of staying at a:
Off-Site Hotel
Pros & Cons of
Off-Site Hotels
Price
Pros:
Flexible pricing options to fit almost any budget.
Booking a flight and hotel package through Expedia gives a great discount.
Cons:
Hotels can get quite pricey within 0.5 miles of the parks despite not having high star ratings or added amenities.
Distance to DL
Pros:
There are many options at varying price points that are within walking distance to Disneyland. Many hotels are under 0.75 miles/20 minute walk.
If you’re planning to enjoy non-park days, you can find great hotels at great prices not so close to the parks and use alternative transportation to get to the parks.
Cons:
If you choose to walk to the park, you can count on at least a 10 minute walk, but most likely 15-20 min. After a long day, little ones may not be so enthused about this.
If your hotel is too far to walk, you’ll need to account for transportation to the parks into your budget.
Commute Options
Whether you’re opting to walk, uber/lyft, bus, or drive, there are plenty of easy ways to get from your hotel to the park.
Pros:
If you’re too tired or your hotel is too far to walk, Uber and Lyft both have a drop off/pick up area that is right outside the park entrances off of Harbor Blvd.
If your hotel is west of Disney, take the free monorail to cut down on walking. It’ll take you all the way to the west entrance of Downtown Disney.
If you parked in a Disney lot, Disney offers free shuttle trains to each lot.
Cons:
Depending on how far away your hotel is, commuting to the parks may require some additional planning and cost.
Adding additional walking or wait times for transportation may cause some unhappiness after a long day with little ones.
Food
Pros:
Many hotels have at least one restaurant option and typically they’re quite a bit cheaper than eating at Downtown Disney or they Disney hotels.
If you picked a larger hotel, chances are they have a Starbucks or cafe which will have much shorter lines than those at Disney.
Many hotels are within walking distance to a grocery or convenience store which are great options for cheaper meals or snacks for in the park.
Cons:
If you want a Disney themed restaurant or a character meet and greet at breakfast, you’ll need to plan those into your time near the parks.
Perks
Pros:
With so many hotel options nearby, you can ensure the hotel you select has the amenities your family will want and use. You can avoid paying a premium for a Disney hotel and then regretting not spending more time enjoying it.
If you know you’ll be spending the majority of your time at the parks and don’t care about the hotel’s amenities, picking an off-site and lower priced hotel may be a great pick.
Cons:
Off-site hotels do not offer any special Disney perks like early entry to the parks and do not have the overarching Disney themed experience that the Disney hotels offer.
Large Groups
Pros:
With so many options to pick from, you’ll be able to find many options to accomodate all of the guests in your party.
Cons:
Being further from the parks may take more planning and coordination which may or may not be an added challenge for your group.
If you rented a car, your hotel may charge a nightly parking fee.
overview of staying at an:
Airbnb
Pros & Cons of
Anaheim Airbnb’s
Price
Pros:
Flexible pricing options to fit almost any budget.
Cons:
These book quick and are tougher to get as you get closer to when you want to visit. You’ll need to plan far in advance if you want a specific airbnb or affordable option.
Distance
Pros:
Similar to off-site hotels, there are many options at varying price points that are within walking distance to Disneyland. Many airbnb’s are under 0.75 miles/20 minute walk.
Cons:
Unfortunately Airbnb doesn’t provide the exact address of the place you are booking until you have confirmed payment. You’ll need to trust the owners word on far away from the parks it is.
Given there are fewer options available, finding one close to the parks can be a challenge, especially if your time of travel is not flexible.
Travel Options
Pros:
If you rented a car, airbnb’s do not charge you additional parking fees as many hotels would.
Same as off-site hotels, there are many options such as uber/lyft and buses that can get you easily to and from the parks.
Cons:
Depending on how far away your hotel is, commuting to the parks may require some additional planning and cost.
Adding additional walking or wait times for transportation may cause some unhappiness after a long day with little ones.
Food
Pros:
Airbnb’s serve as a fantastic option if you’re interested in making your own meals given they have kitchens.
Cons:
Most airbnb’s are in neighborhoods and not within walking distance to restaurants, grocery and convenience stores.
Perks
Pros:
The appeal of airbnb is that there are many unique options that tailor to different interests, styles and needs.
There are many options with great amenities such as Disney themed decor, pools and hot tubs (that you don’t have to share), board games, and more.
Privacy and quiet! Given you are in your own isolated home, you don’t have to worry about noisy upstairs neighbors.
Cons:
Airbnb’s do not have cleaning services and you are required to tidy up prior to leaving. This is an added task for you and also needs to be planed into timing your departure.
Large Groups
Pros:
Airbnb is known for making hosting large groups a breeze given the wide array of types of homes.
Easily filter by how many guests and airbnb will show you everything available.
Kitchens, washer/dryers and multiple bathrooms are always a great perk when traveling with larger groups.
Lodging Comparison
Related: 10 Disneyland Mom Hacks You Need to Know
Final Thoughts
There are countless choices for where to stay during your Disneyland vacation and picking the right type of lodging will have a direct impact on how you approach your trip and daily itinerary. Once you’ve decided on whether you want to splurge and go all out on a Disney Resort or if you’d prefer to be off-site in a hotel or airbnb, check out some of my suggestions on best places to stay and tips for when to go!
Thoughts? Leave a comment below and share what type of lodging your family prefers and why. I’d love to know if we have more Disney resort goers or off-site travelers!
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