Ahhhhh…the Disneyland Hotel. The mere mention of its name brings pleasant memories of lounging by its pools, sipping on an Uh Oha from Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar and viewing the fireworks above Disneyland from the E-Ticket Club.
Fortunately, we’ve had the pleasure of staying at the Disneyland Hotel eight different times over the years. Our most recent stay was in September 2019 (our third stay in 2019) to experience the Oogie Boogie Bash Halloween Party at Disney California Adventure. As always, the hotel was excellent.
Below is our Disneyland Hotel review, reflecting our thoughts and experiences for our different stays. To date, the Disneyland Hotel is our absolute favorite hotel at the Disneyland Resort, beating out Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa and Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel. From its origins as the first hotel on Disney property, to its beautiful design, rooms and outstanding restaurants, the hotel is a slam dunk in terms of quality and experience.
Introduction
The Disneyland Hotel was the first hotel of the Disney Empire and opened on October 5, 1955, three months after the opening of Disneyland Park. Although Walt wished to own the hotel, his financial resources were severely depleted from financing the construction of Disneyland. Instead, he negotiated a deal with film producer Jack Wrather who agreed to own and operate a hotel across the street from Disneyland. The Disneyland Hotel was born.
Over the years, the hotel went through different expansions. The hotel initially opened with just a 100 rooms, but was notable for offering accommodations for a family of four. With the success of Disneyland, the hotel expanded, adding more rooms, restaurants and towers. Walt Disney and his successors tried to purchase the hotel over the years, but Jack Wrather refused to sell.
However, in 1988, Disney finally acquired the hotel and in 1999, demolished most of the original buildings for the resort’s expansion, leaving behind its present configuration. Although Disney has modified the Disneyland Hotel and expanded its park and hotel operations considerably since 1955, the Disneyland Hotel remains a timeless classic, immortalized with the “classic” era of Disneyland, and by association, Walt Disney himself, forever. Throughout our experiences traveling to the different Disney resorts, the Disneyland Hotel continuously remains one of our favorite Disney hotels.
Theming
As with all Disney hotels, theming is a major aspect of the hotel’s design, and a huge reason why we pick some hotels over others. Unlike other properties that outright reflect an obvious theme (such as the Pacific island theme at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort), the Disneyland Hotel takes a more subtle approach to its theming.
It isn’t that obvious, at first. For the casual observer, it may just look like three blue towers. But as you take in the details around you, only then does the theme begin to surface. And it’s done beautifully.
For example, the three towers are named Fantasy, Adventure and Frontier. Additionally, the pool area is themed to Tomorrowland, as reflected with its Monorail waterslides. To the detailed observer, these names represent all the original lands that opened with Disneyland in 1955.
Steakhouse 55, the hotel’s signature restaurant, is themed to 1955, again to the year Disneyland opened. The restaurant takes you back to the Golden Age of Hollywood. Pictures line the restaurant, showcasing Walt entertaining Hollywood’s famous celebrities. Guest rooms are filled with pictures of Walt and his journeys within his park.
The Fantasy Tower, the location of the hotel lobby, includes a mural of old pictures of various celebrities and politicians visiting the park during its early years. Disneyland is the theme of this hotel. It doesn’t jump out, but instead invites you to discover the history of Disneyland in a modern luxurious setting.
The ballrooms are decorated with classic Disney memorabilia and includes a tribute to the hotel, showcasing its highlights from the 1950s to the present day, separated by decade. From presenting the history of Jack Wrather and his company, to the different hotel expansions and pool designs, the full 65 years of hotel operations can be found and explored. No other Disney hotel includes so much history.
This approach to theming is a highlight and a favorite of mine. Disney nails it and each time I visit, I find myself discovering more secrets and more references to the old era of Disneyland. The subtle Disneyland theming also makes its way into the rooms, which I will discuss later in the review.
Pools and Dining
In addition to the theming, the Disneyland Hotel excels with its pools and dining. With a solid lineup of pools and dining options, recreation at the Disneyland Hotel is spot on. Ever want to be a 30 year old man battling seven year old kids for top speed down a Disney themed waterslide? Try to beat my record of 8.3 seconds.
My perfect day visiting Disneyland starts with arriving at rope drop (with lots of coffee, of course), knocking out all the E-Ticket attractions, and then leaving the parks around lunchtime. We then have lunch at the Disneyland Hotel (Trader Sam’s!). Once we receive the alert our room is ready, we change and head to the pools for the rest of the afternoon.
Pool time is a good two to three hours of our day. The pools at the Disneyland Hotel are excellent. With two hot tubs, two pools and a couple of waterslides, it’s easy to kill a couple of hours. But for me, my time is dedicated to the waterslide. Set inside a replica of a Disney monorail, the tallest slide is an excellent rush as long as you slide down on your shoulder blades. I doubt you can beat my record of 8.3 seconds. No one can come close.
The pool complex has plenty of lounge chairs and tables to relax and sun bath. Every afternoon, the pool hosts dance competitions and games for children. If you are lucky, Goofy will stop by. The pool has its own menu and servers roam the grounds taking food and drink orders. For a fee, poolside cabanas are available for rent and include a dedicated server, mini refrigerator, bottled water and even a fruit plate.
For dining, the Disneyland Hotel has quite a few options:
Steakhouse 55: Signature Service restaurant serving classic steaks, chops and seafood in a 1955 Hollywood setting. Open for breakfast, dinner and afternoon tea. Reservations highly encourage and annual passholder discount available (See our full review of Steakhouse 55 dinner service HERE).
Tangaroa Terrace – Casual Island Dining: Quick Service restaurant serving Polynesian styled dishes. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Mobile order and passholder discount available.
Goofy’s Kitchen: Character buffet opened for breakfast, lunch and dinner with characters appearing at all meals. Lead by Goofy himself, the other characters consist of the Fab Five (See our full review of Goofy’s Kitchen HERE). Passholder discount and reservations available.
Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar: A Jungle Cruise-themed tiki bar serving topical drinks and food. The best bar at the Disneyland Resort (See our full review of Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar HERE). Passholder discount available on food only. Drinks can be taken to go. No reservations, first come, first serve. The bar itself is tiny but the Disneyland Hotel recently underwent a renovation and Trader Sam drinks can be ordered outside at a patio bar.
The Lounge at Steakhouse 55: Lounge and bar outside the Steakhouse 55 restaurant. No reservations required and full Steakhouse 55 menu is available, along with special snacks. Open for dinner and passholder discount available on food.
The Coffee House: Small shop serving coffee, pastries and other breakfast foods. Open until the early afternoon. The restaurant also serves Dole Whip and Dole Whip with rum!
In-Room Dining: Full room service menu for each room, serving breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night. Passholder discount is not available, with a delivery fee and 18% gratuity on all items.
The Disneyland Hotel has a full range of dining options. We’ve eaten at every location, including room service, and enjoyed all our meals. Steakhouse 55 is an excellent place for a ribeye and an Old Fashion, and Goofy’s Kitchen is the best hotel character buffet at the resort.
However, Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar is our favorite dining location. The bar is themed perfectly to the Jungle Cruise and tiki culture. The bar includes many different, strong tropical alcoholic beverages. Trader Sam’s blows any tiki bar out of the water.
Rooms
When you first open your hotel room door and view your room, you know you made the right decision to stay at this hotel. Beyond the door lies a luxury hotel room sprinkled with little hints of classic Disney magic. After a long day in the parks, the rooms of the Disneyland Hotel make for the prefect escape.
Incorporating the hotel’s theming and creating a sense of luxury effortlessly, the rooms of the Disneyland Hotel are simple, and elegant. With Sleeping Beauty above the beds to Mickey hands in the bathroom, Disney is in the room, but not over the top. Don’t forget to count the amount of hidden Mickey’s on your carpet.
The simple layout of the rooms manage to capture the feel of 1955 Disneyland while still be relevant for 2020. With the hotel’s refurbishment in 2012, the rooms feel cozy with its Mickey inspired carpet, comfortable beds, and spacious layout. The rooms are big and come with two queen beds or a king. Some rooms also include a sleeper sofa couch. For large parties, three room suits are also available.
All rooms include a flat-screen TV, refrigerator, bathroom with Mickey hands and the coveted Sleeping Beauty headboard, with its signature good night kiss. Flip on the switch and you are treated to a rendition of A Wish Upon A Star and your very own fireworks show. Trust me, it’ll be your kids favorite thing to play the goodnight kiss each night. I’m no longer a kid and I enjoy it quite a bit.
Views depend on the tower and floor. They range from views of the parking lot, trees, the pool or excellent views of Downtown Disney, California Adventure and Disneyland itself. Thankfully, due to Club-Level accommodations, we have had the privilege of poolside or Downtown Disney views.
And boy, the views are amazing (check out my review of the Disneyland Hotel Club-Level service HERE). With Downtown Disney views, you can watch the nighlty fireworks show from the comfort of your own room. Turn on the TV for the music, grab a drink from the E-Ticket Lounge and you are set for a magical evening. Check out the video below of a one bedroom junior suite from the Adventure Tower from our stay in June 2019.
For guests with some serious money, the Disneyland Hotel has five signature suites themed to the following: Pirates of the Caribbean Suite, Fairy Tale Suite, Mickey’s Penthouse, Big Thunder Mountain Suite and the Adventureland Suite. With a rack rate of $3500/night, these suites are fully decorated and can sleep up to twelve with two bedrooms and a living area.
Over the course of our stays, we’ve been fortutante enough to receive a tour of each suite. Just politely ask the front desk and if a room is unoccupied, they will gladly offer a tour. The Adventureland Suite was our favorite. During our last stay we were offered an upgrade for $1500 for the Pirates of the Caribbean Suite, but we turned it down. We are still pondering if we made the right call.
Either way, standard, Club-Level or signature suite, the rooms are perfect. Although the hotel is at the other end of Downtown Disney from the theme parks and further away than its flagship cousin, the Grand Californian Resort and Spa, the walk is worth it to enter the original Disney hotel.
With its magnetic blue towers leading the way, you will never tire enter the beautiful hotel grounds. Although AMC and Earl of Sandwich occupy the ground of the original hotel buildings that opened in 1955, the current grounds still capture the original feel of classic Disneyland. And if you do tire, just hop on the monorail for a leisurely ride into Tomorrowland.
Conclusion
When booking an extended staycation at the Disneyland Resort, the Disneyland Hotel is hands down our favorite. I still feel like I am part of the magic when I exit Disneyland and enter this hotel. With its Disney inspired theming and ode to Disney history, it’s hard to find another place that builds upon Disney pixie dust and magic. And I haven’t stayed in a signature suit yet.
Is the Disneyland Hotel a perfect hotel? No, Disney cannot complete with the service and amenities of the Four Seasons or the Mandarin Oriental brand (although it tries with its pricing). But looking internally at the Disney hotel lineup, it is clearly at the top.
No other Disney hotel is able to capitalize on its history and successfully use it romantically as a theme. Whereas Disney has plenty of hotels that reflect a certain era, this is the only Disney hotel to theme itself to its park. It’s a tricky concept but Disney is able to successfully romanticize its history and “Golden Age” under Walt’s supervision to create a luxurious and one-of-a-kind hotel experience, an experience you cannot find anywhere else.
As I write this Disneyland Hotel review, I am already thinking of my next stay. To once again speed down its waterslides or walk downstairs to have a drink at Trader Sam’s is a high I will continuously chance for the rest of my life. It’s a wonderful hotel filled with history and a place I’ve built many memories.
Hmmm, looks like my next stay might be sooner, rather than later.
Thoughts?
Thank you for reading our Disneyland Hotel review! As you plan your future stay at the Disneyland Hotel, please also read our One-Day Disneyland Itinerary HERE and our Review – E-Ticket Club – Disneyland Hotel’s Club Level Lounge HERE!
Have you stayed at the Disneyland Hotel? What did you think? It is worth the price? Is it better than Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa? Did you see Michael Eisner roaming around? Let us know in the comments below!
