Hi there Amy, and Welcome back to planDisney! Thanks so much for sending us another great question!
Hooray for a first-time visit to the
Disneyland Resort! I'm so excited for you!! Let's talk about your hotel options at The Happiest Place on Earth! When vacationing at Disneyland, I have stayed at the
Disneyland Resort Hotels,
Good Neighbor Hotels, and area hotels that aren't on the Good Neighbor list. I choose our hotel based on the number of days we will stay, the experiences we want to have, and the budget. I totally understand using points earned from a hotel loyalty program and that can definitely free up funds for more Mickey-shaped treats and souvenirs! The Good Neighbor Hotels do not have early entry perks or theme park benefits, just that they are Disney-approved, and who wouldn't want a thumbs up from Mickey?! My family has done a split stay where we have used points to reserve a hotel close to the Disneyland Resort and then stayed a few nights at a Disneyland Resort Hotel. This would be my suggestion and especially because it's your first visit! There is something so special about staying at a Disneyland Resort Hotel and it's so nice to be in the middle of the magic and convenient to the theme parks.
I have even better news! This morning,
Disney Parks Blog announced that there will be an
early entry benefit for Disneyland Resort Hotel guests later this summer! You can be one of the first guests to enter the theme park and enjoy select theme park attractions and experiences. I hope this would align with your travel dates because this is a huge and very valuable perk!
As you are deciding where to stay, I would suggest checking out the Disneyland Resort Hotels. My personal favorite is
Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa! Our family has also stayed at the iconic
Disneyland Hotel many times and had such magical stays there too! If you decide to stay at one of the Disneyland Resort Hotels, you would be steps from the theme parks and the
Downtown Disney District. I love being able to walk into
Disney California Adventure Park from the Grand Californian! Our family really values pool time too and the pools at the Disneyland Resort Hotels are not-to-be-missed! You can also enjoy
character dining at a Disneyland Resort hotel. Of course, there are also all of the magical details within the hotel and your resort room that make staying at a Disney hotel so very special!
There is so much more I would love to share with you about
Disneyland, so if you have any additional questions, please feel free to
send them to me at planDisney! I would love to help!
Happy Planning!
Lisa