For our first trip to the Disneyland Resort, we wanted the full Disney experience. We had a 2 year old and I was 5 months pregnant.
We were lucky to travel with a Disney cast member. Since we traveled with an employee, we were able to get a great rate at Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel on-property.
They also seem to have good deals here if you are going in low season.
If you are considering staying off-property at a Good Neighbor hotel, the Anaheim Fairfield Inn across the street from the park entrance is a favorite!
Find the BEST Disneyland Resort deals here.
Arrival at Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel at Disneyland
When we arrived at Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel, we were greeted by a man wearing silver Mickey gloves who showed us where to drop our bags.
Inside the lobby, there’s a big statue of Goofy and his surfboard and lots of Disney touches. There’s also a decent sized gift shop filled with Disney products and typical hotel gift shop stuff.
They also had a dark room with little chairs for kids to watch Disney movies and cartoons.
We dropped our bags with Bell Services and they showed us the quickest way to get to Downtown Disney District so we could explore until check-in time.
We appreciated this kids lobby next to the main Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel lobby. Photo credit: Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel
We were able to check in at 3pm. The front desk cast member was very friendly and gave us lots of information and materials about Disneyland Resort and Disney California Adventure Park.
He even gave us all “First Time” buttons and I got a special “Happy Birthday Baby #2” button! Then, we headed up to our rooms on the 10th floor overlooking Disney California Adventure Park.
We were greeted by this awesome Goofy statue in the lobby of Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel at Disneyland. Photo credit: Marcie Cheung
Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel Room
The room itself was the standard size of a hotel room and had two queen beds and a sofa twin bed. The sofa bed was perfect for a small child!
The queen beds were really comfortable and they also felt clean. There were a few small Disney hotel touches. The room felt spacious and the view of the park was amazing!
Our room had 2 queen beds and a sofa bed, which worked out well for our trip to Disneyland with a toddler. Photo credit: Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel
When heading to Disneyland with toddlers, fun elements in the Disney hotel room makes for special moments. Our 2 year old loved playing with these beach ball pillows.
They must be a hit with other families, because there was an option to purchase them!
The view of Disney California Adventure Park from our room at Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel. Photo credit: Darren Cheung
We got to see the World of Color show from the comfort of our hotel room. With a sleepy toddler and the chilly air, this option was perfect for our family!
Plus, we avoided the crowds and could head straight to bed afterwards!
Location
The walk from Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel to the Downtown Disney District, Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park was not very long, once we knew the way.
You can also cut through Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa to get to the Downtown Disney District, but it seemed to be the same distance.
Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel Perks
Because we were staying on-property, we were able to take full advantage of their Magic Mornings.
The Magic Morning early admission alternates between Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park. It’s an amazing perk!
We were able to do all of Cars Land before the park was open to the general public.
We used one Magic Morning to head straight to Cars Land to get photos with the characters. Photo credit: Disney PhotoPass
Because we were staying on-property, we had the opportunity to have gift shop purchases sent directly to our hotel.
We didn’t use this service because we shopped on our way out of the parks and just put our purchases in the stroller.
But, had we shopped on the way into the park or during the day (or didn’t have a stroller with us) we definitely would have appreciated not carrying our items!
This is a perk for anyone staying at a Disneyland hotel.
Surf’s Up Mickey Breakfast
The Surf’s Up! Breakfast with Mickey and Friends is at PCH Grill located at Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel. Photo credit: Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel
If you are traveling to Disneyland with toddlers, you can enjoy a Disney character breakfast right at Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel!
The Surf’s Up! Breakfast with Mickey and Friends is at PC Grill on the main floor of Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel.
It was the only time we saw Stitch anywhere at Disneyland. Stitch led a toddler dance party that was amazing!
Disney Customer Service Goes the Extra Mile
The front desk staff is simply incredible! On our last night there, our toddler had a temperature of 103 and started vomiting. We weren’t sure what to do so we called the front desk and they were able to open up the Gift Shop in the dead of night so we could get more ibuprofen and a thermometer.
They also put us in touch with a nurse who gave us great advice and they gave us a late check-out. It’s service like that that really sets great hotels apart from good hotels!
We really enjoyed our stay at Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel for the amazing customer service, the location, and because we were surrounded by Disney magic!
We will keep them in mind for future trips when looking for a Disneyland hotel!
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