Unlike the Walt Disney World Resort with its wide ranging selection of on-property hotels, the Disneyland Resort only has three on-property hotels: the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, the Disneyland Hotel and the Paradise Pier Hotel.
To supplement the shortfall, the Disneyland Resort created an program known as Good Neighbor Hotels, where nearby hotels maintain certain Disney standards and the Walt Disney Travel Company offers their rooms to its guests.
The list of Good Neighbor Hotels changes from time to time, but currently there are almost 40 Anaheim and Garden Grove hotels on the list, including motel-style, luxury or extended-stay options.
Let’s talk about some of the PROS and CONS to help you determine if staying at a Good Neighbor Hotel is right for you.
PRO: Many of the Good Neighbor Hotels are within walking distance of the Disneyland Resort. Some are even closer to the Parks than the Disneyland Hotel or Paradise Pier Hotel. Those that aren’t within walking distance have Anaheim Resort Transportation bus stops nearby, which you can use to get to the Resort for a small fee.
CON: You are not on property, so you don’t receive those benefits such as charging to your room, package delivery, or Extra Magic Hour, which gives you early entry to a select Park each day.
PRO: While you can’t access Extra Magic Hour, if you add a 3, 4 or 5 day Park Hopper ticket to your package, you have the benefit of one Magic Morning Hour, which gets you into Disneyland Park an hour early on select days.
CON: While some of the Good Neighbor Hotels attempt to “Disney-fy” their rooms, they can’t match the magic of the Disney hotels.
PRO: Good Neighbor Hotels are affordable. While there are a wide range of hotels and motels from “value” to “superior,” you’ll still typically find them costing less than their on-property counterparts. To make sure you get the price that is right for you, be sure to watch for extra costs such as parking or internet.
PRO: Some (but not all) Good Neighbor Hotels offer complimentary breakfast. The breakfast offered at many of the Good Neighbor Hotels ranges from a full hot breakfast buffet to a deluxe continental breakfast…another way a Good Neighbor Hotel could save you money and time.
PRO: Many of the Good Neighbor Hotels are part of chains you will recognize including Marriott, Hilton and Best Western.
PRO: Several of the Good Neighbor Hotels offer larger rooms and suites that are great for big families.
PRO: When booking a package, you receive similar benefits to those staying on-property, including a luggage tag, free on-ride photo and a pin & lanyard set.
While there may be other PROS (and maybe a CON) or two, only you can decide for yourself what is right for you. For me, if it’s a choice between a Good Neighbor Hotel or not visiting at all….Howard Johnson, here I come!!
