Hello, Nicole! Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel and thanks for your question!
I have stayed at all three
Disneyland Resort Hotels and can honestly tell you that you simply can't go wrong staying on-site! Each hotel offers an abundance of Disney charm and the pools and hotel dining options are top-notch. But the best part of staying at a Disneyland Resort Hotel is that each one is within walking distance to the parks and the
Downtown Disney District. Disney's Grand Californian Hotel and Spa is the only one of the three, however, that offers direct park access. There is a special entrance to Disney California Adventure Park just for hotel Guests. Additionally, this hotel offers direct access to the Downtown Disney District through an entrance that is located by Sephora.
No matter at which hotel you stay or how you access the parks, you will need to go through a
security check point. Your bags will be checked and you will walk through a metal detector to enter the Downtown Disney District when you walk from Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel or the Disneyland Hotel and you will have the same security screening if you go from Disney's Grand Californian Hotel and Spa to the Downtown Disney District or to Disney California Adventure Park.
I hope this helps clarify things for you. Happy planning!
-Linda