Want to know what Disneyland Pixar Place Hotel was like back then? Let’s take a walk down memory lane on this post I made about Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel, and tell us if you found anything different between the two!
This post about Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel was written by family travel expert Marcie Cheung and may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.
Update: Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel was rebranded and renamed Disneyland Pixar Place Hotel. Click the link to check out my review of the rebranded hotel.
For our first trip to the Disneyland Resort, we wanted the full Walt Disney experience. We had a two-year-old, and I was five months pregnant.
We were lucky to travel with a Disney cast member. Since we traveled with an employee, we got 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! It’s a good spot if you want to be early for the park opening.
Find the BEST Disneyland Resort deals here.
Arrival at Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel at Disneyland
When we arrived at the 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 off at the Bell Services desk, and they showed us the quickest way to get to the Downtown Disney District so we could explore until check-in time.
We were able to check in at 3 pm. 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! What a way to make their hotel guests feel welcomed.
Then, we headed up to our rooms on the 10th floor overlooking Disney California Adventure Park.
Inside the 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!
When heading to Disneyland with toddlers, fun elements in the Disney hotel room make for special moments. Our two-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!
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 afterward!
Hotel’s Location
The walk from the hotel to the Downtown Disney District, Disneyland Park, and Disney California Adventure Park was not long after 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 the same distance.
Enjoying the Hotel Perks
Because we were staying on property, we could 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 could do all of Cars Land before the park was open to the general public.
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
If you are traveling to Disneyland with toddlers, you can enjoy a Disney character breakfast at the hotel!
The Surf’s Up! Breakfast with Mickey and Friends is at PC Grill on the hotel’s main floor.
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 could 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 and location and because we were surrounded by Disney magic!
We will remember them for future trips when looking for a Disneyland hotel!
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