Finding the Best Hotel near Disneyland for Families – Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance

Planning your family trip to Disneyland is an exciting experience. If you haven’t been to Anaheim before, then you’ll soon discover that there’s just so much to consider when you arrange your visit; but nothing is more important than choosing where to stay. If you’re looking for the best hotel near Disneyland for families, then look no further!

How to choose your Disneyland hotel

Depending on your family dynamic, these are some of the things you will want to think about when selecting an Anaheim hotel –

• What is your budget?
• Is it within walking distance of Disneyland? If not, is there a free shuttle or other public transport available?
• How many people does your room need to cater to?
• Are there other facilities you require at your accommodation (e.g. swimming pool, restaurant, gym etc.)?
• What extra services would you like your hotel to be able to arrange for you? (e.g. Disney tickets, stroller rental, car hire etc.)

Once you have a shortlist, I highly recommend checking out online review sites such as Trip Advisor to read some recent reviews. This will give you a great indication of the best hotel near Disneyland for families, particularly what to expect in terms of accommodation, costs, service and location. Generally speaking, the closer you are to Disneyland the more expensive the hotel—this is particularly true of the on-site Disneyland Resort Hotels.

What Is The Best Hotel Near Disneyland For Families?

We spent hours researching Anaheim hotels before our Disneyland visit, and we were excited to find that one hotel ticked every box on our wish list—the Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance. Opened in 2016, Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance is located approximately 5 minutes’ walk from the main gates of Disneyland and Disney California Adventure parks. As we were travelling with family and children aged between 1 and 11 years, being able to walk to Disneyland and being able to pop back to our hotel for an afternoon nap was a huge deciding factor for us. On top of this, the hotel features a huge list of facilities, including a water park, café, convenience store and gift shop. One look at Trip Advisor will tell you—Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance is THE best hotel for families near Disneyland!

Family Sized Hotel Rooms

The standard 48m2 hotel room at Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance sleeps up to 6 people, so it’s perfect for families needing a bit of extra space! Featuring two queen beds and a set of bunks, the rooms are spacious and bright; many offering views of the water park and Disneyland (great for viewing the Disneyland fireworks!). On top of this, each hotel room at Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance includes a dining table with booth seating for quick meals. The rooms also encompass a main bathroom with bath and shower, as well as an additional bathroom with a shower. This means you can hit the theme parks even sooner, with the time spent getting ready effectively halved.

An Incredible Water Park

Not to be outdone by the theme parks, Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance has its very own water park! Relax poolside after a long day of touristing while the kids cool down with a splash in the Surfside Waterpark, which includes water slides, a tipping bucket, swimming pool and a kids’ pool. The water park is also a great spot to enjoy the Disneyland fireworks in the evening (on selected nights each week).

Customer Service Staff Who Go The Extra Mile

The staff at Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance could not be faulted. From being greeted and welcomed every time you enter, to the willingness to arrange stroller hire, restaurant bookings and more, nothing was too much trouble for the smiling staff. At the end of a month of travelling the US, it was these extra touches that made this hotel stand out from all the rest we had visited in the previous weeks.

What Makes Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance The Best Hotel Near Disneyland For Families?

We’ve taken the hard work and research out for you, and put together a checklist of our favourite inclusions at Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance for quick reference –

• Located opposite Disneyland, only 5 minutes’ walk to the main gates of Disneyland and Disney California Adventure parks
• Water park featuring slides, tipping bucket, pool and kids’ pool
• Huge 48m2 rooms as standard, featuring:
  • Two queen beds and one set of bunks
  • Two bathrooms as standard—shower over bath and additional shower separate
  • Refrigerator and microwave
  • Views of Disneyland (select rooms)
  • Views of the waterpark (select rooms)
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • 47” TV
  • Netflix streaming
  • Double pane windows (nice and quiet!)
  • Smoke free
  • 80m2 one bedroom suites and accessible rooms also available
• Bistro serving Starbucks coffee, light breakfasts and dinner
• Convenience store selling on-the-go items—perfect for snacks and lunches at the theme parks
• Gift shop with a vast range of Disney merchandise, chemist items and more
• Mimi’s restaurant adjacent to the entrance offering French-inspired comfort food for lunch and dinner
• Excellent, friendly staff who go out of their way to make you feel welcome and to assist with anything you may need

We would not hesitate to stay at the Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance again, and highly recommend it to any families wanting a comfortable hotel with some added extras close to Disneyland. Pricing does fluctuate throughout the year due to different events taking place in the theme parks, school holidays etc, and the US dollar exchange rate can be a major factor. Our recommendation is to book as early as possible, and join up to Marriott Rewards to earn some points for your stay. Weeks of travelling and staying in hotels may even equate to a free night away by the end of your trip!

Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance is located at 1420 South Harbor Boulevard, Anaheim, California 92802. To find out more, and to book your Disneyland stay, please visit https://www.marriott.com.au/hotels/travel/snadt-courtyard-anaheim-theme-park-entrance/.

*The writer was a guest of Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance. Some costs were covered. Visit: https://www.marriott.com.au/hotels/travel/snadt-courtyard-anaheim-theme-park-entrance/*

When staying in Anaheim, be sure to check out everything it has to offer outside of the theme parks. We share our top 5 things to do in Anaheim here. Of course, no trip to Anaheim is complete without at least a day at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. Read our top tips for your first Disneyland visit here.