Hello there Cheryl,
Welcome to planDisney from a fellow Arizonan! Thank you so much for your question and for stopping by to see us.
When staying at one of the
hotels of the Disneyland Resort, I love the fact that there are two additional "secret" entrances to
Disney California Adventure Park to utilize!
The first one can be accessed by following the signs from the lobby of Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa that say "Disney California Adventure." This entrance will take you through a security checkpoint and you'll end up in
Grizzly Peak near
Soarin' Around the World.
For the second entrance, you'll also want to start in the lobby but then exit out of the main entrance and follow the sidewalk toward Disneyland Drive. Just after you exit from the gate (at the main entry hut where vehicles enter the resort) you'll want to take an immediate left. You'll see another door where you need to scan your hotel door card to unlock - similar to how you would enter a pool area at the Disneyland Resort hotels. Follow this pathway around the side of the hotel until you reach the other "secret" park entrance and security checkpoint! You'll enter the park right next to
Seaside Souvenirs in Paradise Gardens Park.
Additionally, don't forget that as a Guests staying at a Disneyland Resort hotel, you'll also get the
Early Entry perk where you can enter one of the parks 30 minutes before they open to experience select attractions. My family has also used this time to take some really beautiful Disney PhotoPass photos with the perfect morning lighting!
Thanks again for your question, Cheryl! I hope you have a wonderful visit to the Happiest Place on Earth.
Have a Magical Day,
Greg