Halloweentime at the Disneyland Hotel
There’s something extra magical about Disneyland during the Halloween season - and staying on property makes that magic feel even more immersive. We spent ten nights at the Disneyland Hotel this past October, and we made it our mission to soak up everything the resort had to offer, from the seasonal touches and themed treats to the pools, shops, and hidden perks that make this place feel like home. The Disneyland Hotel isn’t just a place to sleep; it’s a full-on experience, and during Halloweentime, the grim grinning ghosts really do come out to socialize! Whether you’re exploring the various room types, planning your pool day or trying to decide where to grab your first meal on property, we’ve set out to make your job easier with this comprehensive guide to Walt’s original Disney resort!
The Rooms
The Disneyland Hotel is divided into four towers - the Adventure Tower, the Fantasy Tower, the Frontier Tower and Discovery Tower. I know, I know…let the record show that we had no input on the naming convention for that fourth tower. We stayed in a Deluxe View Room in the Frontier Tower, and right away we were impressed by how spacious and thoughtfully designed it was. Disney has always had a knack for creating environments that are both functional and fun, and that philosophy absolutely extends to their hotel rooms. The walls were adorned with ‘Mickey Glove’ sconces with subtle hidden Mickeys in the lampshades, bedding and sink handles. ‘Deluxe View’ usually offers views of the pool complex, and that we certainly had…but due to our fortunate positioning, we could also clearly see the peaks of the Matterhorn and Space Mountain from our window — a little pixie dust upgrade we didn’t expect.
Though the standard room types don’t include a microwave, we did have an ice bucket, a miniature fridge, an abundance of USB and A/C outlets and a super comfortable bed with plenty of luggage space underneath. The bathroom had a collection of toiletries from the ‘Disney Resort’ (formerly ‘H20’) line, a hair-dryer, plenty of extra towels and toilet paper, a pull-out makeup mirror and a laundry line over the tub for drying swimsuits or wet clothes. It was the kind of room that made it easy to unwind after a long day - or a long week - in the parks. And, when the sun went down and the room was dark enough to appreciate it, we could also toggle the light-up headboard on to hear ‘A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes’ play while fiberoptic stars danced above the Sleeping Beauty Castle carved into the wood. It’s these little touches that really make the Disneyland Hotel stand out amongst the other Disney resorts worldwide.
Above: Our deluxe view room at the Disneyland Hotel had two queen beds, expansive theming throughout the room and a touch of magic on every surface. We even had a little fiber-optic fireworks show above the beds!
Tower Features & Amenities
Assuming that you’re staying in one of the three original towers (Frontier, Adventure, Fantasy), you’ll find a community microwave hiding in the vending areas of each building. The same vending area also offered snacks, Vitamin Waters and energy drinks, and Coca-Cola branded soda bottles. For us, this vending area was located on the lobby level. However, each tower has a slightly different configuration and the vending areas may be hiding in different areas of your own building. You can also find an ice machine on every floor of every tower, and variable decor in the tower lobbies. Our tower had a massive model of Disneyland’s Big Thunder Mountain Railroad attraction, which was as fun to look at as it was to ride at full scale! Outside of our tower, there was plenty of seating available for relaxing in the sun or the shade, a picnic area to watch the Geyser - a tribute to the long-lost Mine Train Through Nature’s Wonderland attraction - and some yard games to entertain families for hours on end.
Discovery Tower is a different animal altogether. Newer, sleeker and with more modern furnishings, WDI’s latest installation at the Disneyland Hotel is intended for members of the Disney Vacation Club - but its amenities can actually be leveraged by any guest in any tower, so long as they are staying on property. The tower includes access to a brand new pool deck - more on that later - a laundry room with six washers and twelve dryers and a 24-hour fitness center that’s honestly better equipped than most hotel gyms we’ve seen in our travels. Think treadmills, ellipticals, weights, yoga balls, and benches, with the added benefit of some cool, damp towels waiting for you post-workout. All of these facilities are accessible by swiping your key card, although be advised that the washers and dryers will run you approximately $3.50 per machine, per cycle.
Above: The "Steamboat Willie" themed splash pad at Discovery Tower offers an adorable injection of theming in addition to a great area for younger guests to play!
The Pools
If there’s one thing that the Disney Resorts have always done well, it’s the pools! The Disneyland Hotel has an expansive pool complex, which has been beautifully maintained over decades of operation. With the addition of the new ‘Steamboat Willie’ pool area to the lineup, there are now three separate pool areas, each with their own personality and adjacent hot tubs. We spent time dipping in and out of all three pools, and can honestly say there’s something for everyone here. Discovery Tower offers a quieter, more tucked-away space with a charming Steamboat Willie splash pad and a paint palette-shaped pool. It's usually less crowded, especially in the evening after the water slides have closed (6pm PST). The adjacent hot tub has no theme and is comparatively dull, but it’s a great spot for adults to go and relax while still being able to keep an eye on their little ones.
The centerpiece of the pool complex is definitely the Monorail Slide Complex, complete with two interwoven waterslides that look like Disneyland’s classic monorails. During the day, this structure is usually packed with families - but if you time it just right, you can get a good slide or two in! There’s also a “Minnie Mouse” hot tub near the monorail structure, and that particular tub is the largest on property. If you’re dying for a hot soak after a long day of 15,000 steps across the parks, there’s a good chance that you can find space to relax in this particular tub - although you may still have to share that space, because we almost never saw Minnie sitting empty! The largest pool, which Disney refers to as the ‘E-Ticket Pool’ is fairly basic, but also fairly expansive and stretches between the three original towers at the Disneyland Hotel with a bridge crossing overhead. All the pools are open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and are exclusive to Disneyland Hotel guests as enforced by colored wristbands that are applied to each guest as they access the pool complex. For guests who wish to splurge, private pods and cabanas are available to rent, as well - it’s not cheap at $424/day (October rates), but if you're looking for a luxurious pool day, the cabanas come with all the modern conveniences of home and a dedicated server for poolside drinks.
Above: The new DVC pool deck at Discovery Tower features a sizable pool, a hot tub and a ‘Steamboat Willie’ themed splash pad - along with a series of new couches and “pods” which can be rented for the day!
Resort Dining
There’s an entire media industry built around Disney dining, so it should come as no surprise that resort dining at the Disneyland Hotel is top notch. Whether you’re wandering in from Magic Way with a one-time dining reservation or staying on campus with a need for onsite dining at regular intervals, the Disneyland Hotel has some solid dining options. Our go-to for breakfast, lunch and the occasional grab-and-go snack was Tangaroa Terrace, a quick-service location with solid portions and some tropical-inspired flair. You can order from the counter or mobile order and pick up your food from a service window - they even have a self-service shelf with parfaits, fruit, and a Coca-Cola freestyle machine.
That said, if you’re after ambiance and a good drink, Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar is the real showstopper. With themed cocktails, immersive décor, and an exotic indoor experience which comes to life literally every time somebody orders a drink, it’s an absolute must-do. Of course, the bar’s indoor seating is very limited, so advanced dining reservations are strongly recommended. And of course, we can’t talk Disneyland Hotel dining without mentioning Goofy’s Kitchen - the hotel’s one on-site character dining location that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets with appearances from Goofy and friends. Like Trader Sam’s, Goofy’s Kitchen is very popular, so book in advance if you can. We also loved grabbing coffee and breakfast sandwiches at The Coffee House in the morning, and at night, the Palm Breeze Bar at Discovery Tower was a cozy spot with heat lamps and surprisingly chill vibes. If you’re not feeling up to “peopling”, you can also order room service and have it dropped off at your door - the menu is expensive, but expansive! There’s truly something for every mood here.
Above: Goofy’s Kitchen offers a slew of interesting buffet options, coupled with a parade of fun character meet and greets right at your table! During Halloweentime, Goofy and his friends even dress up for a little seasonal fun!
Resort Shopping
If you can dream it, you can buy it! Disney’s retail game is always strong, and the Disneyland Hotel delivers for its shopaholic guests with not one but two on-site shops to cover both wants and needs. The Fantasia Shop is the larger of the two, and it’s your one-stop shop for merch…including spirit jerseys, ears, pins, plush, hotel-specific apparel, and even seasonal items like ornaments and Halloween-themed souvenirs. There’s also an entire line of exclusive Disneyland Hotel branded merchandise including water bottles, hats, mugs, pins and apparel. These days, the store is also chock full of MagicBand+ selections, all of which are now usable throughout Disneyland Resort for an upgraded park experience. The smaller shop, Small World Gifts & Sundries, is more utilitarian. Think toiletries, over-the-counter meds, snacks, and travel essentials. It’s also where you’ll find sunscreen, nail clippers, laundry detergent, and a few additional accessories if you’re in a pinch. Having these stores on property makes it easy to grab what you need without trekking into Downtown Disney or driving offsite. Both are located adjacent the main lobby in the Fantasy Tower, and they both stay open fairly late too - which is helpful when your timing doesn’t match up with typical hours.
Seasonal Festivities
Disney knows how to lean into a theme, and Halloween is no exception. Throughout the resort, we found festive photo ops with backdrops featuring pumpkins, Haunted Mansion nods, and more. These are scattered across the property and provide some fantastic, low-effort opportunities for memorable pictures. And despite their popularity, we found a few spots off the beaten path where we had these photo ops all to ourselves! There are also special Halloween activities available for hotel guests only. These include Trick-or-treat trails and scavenger hunts, mask decorating, coloring pages, and the occasional character appearances in Halloween outfits - particularly at Goofy’s Kitchen, where characters have been known to appear in large numbers! Though we unfortunately weren’t able to see them for ourselves, we also heard tell of Disney’s legendary “Skeletones” a capella group making scheduled appearances in the hotel lobby, and cookie decorating kits were available for purchase, too!
Getting Around & Seasonal Perks
Getting to Downtown Disney - and by extension, the parks - from the Disneyland Hotel could not be easier. There’s a private security entrance right outside the hotel that leads directly into Downtown Disney. From there, it’s just a short walk to the Esplanade between Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure. No buses or shuttles needed. It’s one of the top reasons we love staying here: location, location, location. As for making your way offsite, parking is available, but overnight pricing is out of control - $40/night for self-parking or $70/night for valet - so we’d recommend ditching the car, unless you believe your Uber costs will outpace the cost of parking! To help offset the cost of parking, your stay at the Disneyland Hotel also includes a few “magical extras,” like collectible pins and lanyards (one per guest), and potential discounts on merchandise and experiences depending on current promotions. Be sure to ask at check-in or review the app to see what seasonal perks may be included with your reservation.
Above: The Disneyland Hotel has direct access to the Esplanade and - by extension - to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure! The giant sorcerer's hat marks the pathway between the parks and the hotel towers.
Final Thoughts
“Halloweentime” is already one of the most enchanting seasons at Disneyland, and staying at the Disneyland Hotel amplifies every bit of that experience. It’s cozy, nostalgic, and - yeah, I’m gonna say it again - magical. Over the course of our ten nights on property, we found new details to appreciate each and every day. From watching the fireworks from our window to sipping something tropical at Trader Sam’s to snapping pics with Goofy in his spookiest outfit, the cast members at the resort really go the extra mile to help bring a Halloween experience to every member of the family, young and old. We hope this overview helps you make the most of your own Disneyland Hotel stay…and if you are still waiting for a sure sign that it’s time to book that stay, look no further than our complete resort tour in the video below!
