Over the past several columns, we’ve run down the many resorts Walt Disney World has to offer. While Disneyland features just three resorts, they’re not any less fun and Disney-infused than their East coast counterparts.

Disneyland Hotel

Fantastic theming coupled with Disney history makes this my favorite of the West coast hotels. Although little of the original hotel remains, it’s still very cool to know that Disney Parks and Resorts history began there! The current Disneyland Hotel offers three themed towers: Adventure, Frontier and Fantasy. Standard rooms sleep up to four adults, while suites are available with larger room occupancies. Great dining options come in the form of Goofy’s Kitchen, Trader Sam’s, Steakhouse 55 and more, with Downtown Disney just steps away.

Get Park Wise: Take a leisurely walk through Downtown Disney to get to the parks, or hop on the monorail (just a few steps, give or take, away from the hotel) to be taken directly into Disneyland Park!

Paradise Pier

Get your surf on at Paradise Pier, which typically offers the lowest rates of the three Disneyland Resort hotels. Standard rooms here also sleep four, with suites and club rooms sleeping more. Overlooking the parks, be sure to stop at the rooftop pool deck on the third floor to catch some rays, or on select nights, the fireworks audio is piped in for perfect pyrotechnic viewing sans park crowds. Character fans can grab breakfast with their pals at the PCH Grill or opt for in-room dining among other options.

Get Park Wise: Disney resort guests can take advantage of extra time in the parks with the morning Extra Magic Hour. Disneyland Park welcomes resort guests on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays while California Adventure offers the perk on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Grand Californian

Disneyland’s only Disney Vacation Club property, the Grand Californian really seems to favor it’s East coast cousins. While the other two Disney resorts are towers, the Grand Californian is built similar to the deluxe resorts at Walt Disney World in that it takes up more horizontal space than vertical, giving it more of an all-encompassing feel. Standard rooms here mostly sleep up to five, which is nice for larger families. I also love that some of the rooms have balconies that are literally inside California Adventure! How’s that for a room with a view!? Dining is top notch with Napa Rose headlining and Storytellers Cafe, which also offers a character breakfast.

Get Park Wise: Take advantage of the Grand Californian entrance into California Adventure! This can save you some time on your way into and out of the park!

Good Neighbor Hotels

With Disneyland being smack dab in the middle of a metro area and not much room to expand, Disney has partnered with several area hotels. With over three dozen Good Neighbor Hotels, there’s something for every budget. Some Good Neighbor Hotels are even closer to the parks than some of the Disney resorts! You’ll find national chains as well as individually owned hotels in the mix, but all have been Disney-approved. Some have even been MiceChat approved.

Get Park Wise: For all hotels (even Disney resorts), take note of parking fees, as space is a premium in the area. Also keep an eye on whether or not you’ll need a shuttle to get to the parks and whether or not that is included in the cost of your room.

Do you prefer Disney resorts or Good Neighbor Hotels when traveling to Disneyland? Which is your favorite?

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