Hi Seleste! Thanks for visiting planDisney.
Guests of Disneyland Resort often experience the resort differently than Guests of Walt Disney World Resort. For that reason, the resorts have some operational differences that may surprise you especially if you're familiar with one resort and planning a visit to the other. This was certainly the case for my family when we started visiting Disneyland Resort after years of regularly visiting the Florida parks! These differences are intentional, however, and intended to provide the best Guest experience.
Disneyland Resort Hotels typically open up the next calendar year's availability toward the end of the summer. So, if you're looking to book a hotel stay or a Vacation Package, hopefully, you'll be able to do that soon. I'm hoping to secure a visit in early January, so if you're eagerly awaiting availability, just know I am too! Let's keep our fingers crossed that it's sometime soon.
If you're still considering whether or not you will stay at a Disneyland Resort Hotel for your next visit, I recommend it! We love the convenient access to the parks and the
Early Entry benefit. We come from Central Standard Time too, and it's easy enough to be up and ready for the parks before the bulk of the day's Guests have arrived! We get to experience a lot in that extra time.
Admission tickets for Disneyland Resort are typically available 180 days in advance, or if you have tickets already, you can make or modify a theme park reservation within roughly that same window. Theme park reservation availability is not guaranteed, and it is best to make your plans and secure your reservations as soon as you can. It is possible for parks or days to fill up, especially at popular times of year.
I hope this helps!
Elizabeth