Hi there, Therese, and welcome to planDisney. Thanks for stopping by with your question. I'm so excited to hear that you will be visiting the
Disneyland Resort soon.
It sounds like you have a very magical visit planned and I'm so delighted to hear that you will get to experience not one, but two
Disneyland Resort hotels (Hooray!). If you are not planning to visit the
theme parks on your check-in day, you do not need a theme park reservation. You only need theme park reservations (along with your theme park tickets) for the days that you will be entering and enjoying the parks. The great news is you can still enjoy all of the benefits and amenities of your resort on your check-in day, and I think spending that time by the pool is a great choice.
Speaking of benefits, make sure to take advantage of the Early Entry benefit that Guests of Disneyland Resort hotels have access to. This allows you to enter the parks 30 minutes before the park officially opens and it's a great time to knock out a bunch of attractions. Make sure to check out the theme park calendar to ensure your theme park reservations align with the designated park that is offering Early Entry for the day of your visit. One of my favorite things about staying at
Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is the direct entrance into Disney California Adventure Park. It's so convenient, especially when I'm making a beeline for Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission: BREAKOUT! during Early Entry.
One last quick tip, on the check-out day from your first resort hotel, visit the Bell Desk and let them know that you are moving to a different resort hotel and they can transfer your luggage on your behalf. During my recent visit to the Disneyland Resort, I also split my stay between the Disneyland Hotel and Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and used this service and it was so nice not having to worry about getting my luggage to my next resort hotel.
Well, Therese, I hope this helps as you continue to plan your best Disney days. Here's wishing you a most magical visit to the Happiest Place on Earth. Let the countdown to the magic begin!
Michelle