Disneyland Hotel

Hotel sign inspired by the classic Disneyland marquee.

Earlier this year we stayed at California’s Disneyland Hotel.  It was  a wonderful experience and we hope to return again some day. The current theme of the hotel is classic Disneyland. The three towers are themed to Fantasyland, Frontierland, & Adventureland, while the pool area is themed to Tomorrowland.

Giant park map in lobby

Everywhere you look you will find Disneyland art and park memorabilia. We stayed in the Fantasy Tower, which is above the main lobby. The main lobby is anchored by a spectacular floor to ceiling guide map of Disneyland, the carpet has an It’s A Small World motif and there were teacup shaped seats in the lobby. It was all so magical.

Fantastic lobby art

Its A Small World carpet

More amazing lobby art

Our room was very comfortable, with room for 5 in 2 queen beds and a convertible sofa bed with a very generous bathroom. The centerpiece of the room is a full room length illuminated headboard with an image of Sleeping Beauty’s castle. The headboard had fireworks lighting and it played “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes”. There were wonderful touches throughout the room. Our view was of the pool courtyard and we could see the Monorail themed slides.

Trader Sam's in the distance and pool at center of courtyard

Spectacular headboard Castle mural

Agent P models the monogrammed bath robes next to a classic photo of Walt Disney behind Sleeping Beauty Castle

While at the hotel we dined at Trader Sam’s, the famous tiki bar inspired by the Jungle Cruise character. The ambiance was wonderful and the food was great. It looked like a miniature Polynesian Resort in the middle of the Disneyland Hotel courtyard. We also enjoyed shopping at the gift store and popping into the Small World themed sundries shop in the lobby.

Vintage Disneyland art everywhere

The location is within walking distance of the Downtown Disney Shopping District and a short walk from the Downtown Disney Monorail Station that will take you directly to Disneyland's Tomorrowland.  Parking is charged by the night but you are welcome to leave your car on your checkout day should you be spending the whole day at the parks.

Downtown Disney steps away from the hotel

We had stayed at the Disneyland Hotel quite a few years before the current remodel. It was still a magnificent hotel, with lots of Disney charm and theming but in a traditional style with lots of wood paneling, molding & chandeliers. The current style is more of a retro-contemporary-modern style. When we last stayed the rooms had a small balcony but they have since been enclosed making the rooms a little bit larger. One previous standout of those past rooms was a Tinkerbell wallpaper frieze that glowed in the dark when you turned out the lights at night...we were so delighted by that.

Souvenir ephemera from our room, nice to see so much Walt Disney

The Disneyland Hotel is nearly as old as Disneyland itself and has changed quite a bit over the years. What you see today dates from the mid 60’s but has been heavily remodeled and enlarged over the years. The original hotel was located between today’s towers and the Monorail station, but that was all removed to build the west end of Downtown Disney. Still there is a lot of history to experience at today’s Disneyland Hotel and we really want to stay there again.

One Man's Dream at Disney's Hollywood Studios

On our last trip to Disney's Hollywood Studios Toddler Son surprised us by how thrilled he was to tour this museum exhibit on Walt Disney. Of course we all love it, but really had no idea how excited the 2 1/2 year old would be to look at the models and displays of Disney art. At only 4 rides (only 1 of which a Toddler can ride) Hollywood Studios is not the most fun place for a little guy. When combined with the lack of an icon that engages the very young (say Cinderella Castle or Spaceship Earth) we could sort of tell he was left without a really strong point of reference. We were there for Star Wars Galactic Nights so missed the toddler programming. But he was beyond excited upon discovering this exhibit and from then on he started having the attitude of someone who found the Walt Disney at this Disney Park. Toddler Son loves old Walt Disney Small World & Carousel Of Progress videos on YouTube so he knows who "Wal Dis" is, and he immediately recognized Walt Disney from the classic photo of Walt & Mickey in a car at Disneyland.

Toddler Son loves castles, having been raised on a generous diet of Disney films/TV and Disney Channel/Disney Junior. So he would get excited at seeing the castle logo before movies. At some point between Disney World commercials and our visits he made the connection that the castle is a real place which only made him more of a fan. He has started to make the distinction between Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland and Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World.  

Disneyland Display - 2018

The exhibit gives some background to the life of Walt Disney and Disneyland, Walt Disney World and beyond. The exhibit used to lead to a film on the life of Walt Disney, but now it is usually a film preview instead (we saw the first scenes of Incredibles 2). Over the years the exhibit has been truncated and an unrelated meet and greet has been added(Starlord & Groot from Guardians of the galaxy were there). Still what is left is still something worth seeing and it certainly made Toddler Son's night.

Disneyland Castle Model- 2015

Walt Disney World Castle Model- 2015

Disneyland Paris Castle Model - 2015

For Toddler Son he loved the castle displays and the It's A Small World exhibit as that is his all time favorite ride. He also was very intrigued by the Jungle Cruise model. At home we have a lot of toys of castles and monorails so he likes to recreate the Disney experience at home in between visits.

Small World Exhibit -2018

Small World Exhibit- 2015

World's Fair/Small World Exhibit- 2015

We've been to this exhibit 3 times (photos have the date they were taken), although it has shrunken in size over the years we are very glad it remains in some form. Highlights are always the castle art and the wonderful Imagineering models. 

Disneyland Concept Rendering- 2018

Spaceship Earth- 2015

Peter Pan's Flight Model- 2015

On our first visit there was a wonderful mockup of Walt Disney filming the EPCOT film, but sadly this has been removed.

Walt & EPCOT- 2015

Years ago we stayed at the Disneyland Hotel and there was a large mural of the Ryman concept painting of Sleeping Beauty Castle...the one before the castle had been "turned" around. Dad took a picture with Teenage Son when he was a toddler in front of this mural like we were "walking" into the mural. A few years ago we recreated the photo at this exhibit...and on this trip we recreated the picture again this time with Toddler Son joining the fun.

At the Ryman Sleeping Beauty Castle Concept Art Mural, Hollywood Studios- 2018 

At the Ryman Sleeping Beauty Castle Concept Art Mural, Hollywood Studios 2015

At the Ryman Sleeping Beauty Castle Concept Art Mural, Disneyland Hotel Lobby- 2006