# Disneyland Hotel vs. Grand Californian with kids

Written 2026-10-10 by Play Day. The Disneyland Hotel and the Grand Californian, the two Disney-owned hotels at the Disneyland Resort, with kids. One has the waterslide pools and a splash pad, the other its own gate into California Adventure and the shortest walk to both parks.

The Disneyland Hotel is the Mickey classic, and the Grand Californian is a big wooden lodge, the kind you'd expect in a national park. With kids under six we'd pick the Grand Californian, since a midday nap and a trip back for the fireworks are both a short walk. The Disneyland Hotel is for a family that will spend real afternoons at the pool.

Downtown Disney is out the other door of the Grand Californian, and Disneyland Park's gate is a few minutes beyond that. Next door, the Pixar Place Hotel is Disney's third hotel here, and it has a rooftop pool.

## Grand Californian for the gate

### [Disney's Grand Californian Hotel and Spa](https://ourplayday.com/places/disney-s-grand-californian-hotel-and-spa-anaheim)

Hotel: Inside the resort, own gate

The lodge is Arts and Crafts style, with a lobby fireplace the kids sit in front of, and its gate opens straight into California Adventure's Grizzly Peak. Disneyland Park's gate is about five minutes' walk, and some rooms look into the park.

There's a slide at the pool, though we'd book it for the location. You skip the shuttle and the parking structure, and the parade is a short walk back.

- Cribs: Yes
- Fridge: Yes
- Pool: Yes

## Disneyland Hotel for the pools

### [Disneyland Hotel](https://ourplayday.com/places/disneyland-hotel-anaheim)

Hotel: Downtown Disney, west end

This is the original Disney hotel, at the far end of Downtown Disney. Its two retro-themed pools have waterslides (the monorail slide pool and the E-Ticket pool), and the Villas have a splash pad pool of their own, plus a kitchenette and a fridge. The tower rooms have headboards that light up and play the fireworks music.

It's a few minutes' walk down Downtown Disney to the parks, or you can ride the monorail from the Downtown Disney stop into Tomorrowland (which counts as a ride). For a toddler who lives for the pool, we'd stay here.

- Cribs: Yes
- Fridge: Yes
- Kitchenette: Yes
- Pool: Yes
- Waterslide: Yes
- Splash pad: Yes

## The cheaper way to be close

Across the road from the main gate, the Harbor Boulevard hotels are a ten-minute walk to the parks and cost much less. Our Los Angeles family hotel guide has the ones with a kitchen and a pool.

Page: https://ourplayday.com/guides/united-states/california/anaheim/disneyland-hotel-vs-grand-californian-with-kids