Hey, Katrina! Welcome to planDisney.
I'm extremely jealous that you're staying at
Disneyland Hotel. This historic hotel (the first-ever Disney Resort hotel) is a practically perfect place to stay. I always tell people that it's an ideal combination of nostalgia and modern design. One of the coolest features of this hotel is the beds. They have magical fireworks headboards that bring a touch of Disney enchantment to your dreams. There are also some fabulous dining experiences at this hotel, especially
Goofy's Kitchen and
Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar. The latter is my favorite place to grab a drink at Disneyland Resort.
Katrina, you'll be pleased to know that you can take advantage of the
Early Entry benefit on both the day you check in and the day you check out. Just be aware that starting January 20, 2024, the Early Entry benefit will be updated. Each day,
either Disneyland Park or
Disney California Adventure Park will be open early. Until then, both parks will open 30 minutes early for Disney Resort hotel Guests. This update won't affect your check-in day, however, depending on how long you're staying, it might affect some of your other days.
Finally, you are totally allowed to leave your bags at the hotel if your room isn't ready or if you've checked out and want to have some last-minute fun. Simply stop by Bell Services and mention to a Cast Member that you'd like to leave your luggage with them. They'll give you a luggage tag and you can pick your belongings up when you're ready.
I hope that's helpful, Katrina! Have a great time.
Mike