Interests in staying at a DLR Disney Hotel dropping...

[DLRExpert]

Working in the tourism industry and talking with others in the same industry, there is alot less interest in tourists staying at a Disney Hotel.
We assume its due to the Early Entry options going away.
The ones that do book a Disney Hotel, do not know that the Early Entry option is no longer available.
We assume before year end the Early Entry option will return. for Dismey Hotel guests.

 

[JerrodDragon89]

I think I've seen Luxury hotels are doing well, so I guess the Disneyland hotel just cost a lot but isn't providing what people want for the price

Like while I would love to be closer, most hotel on the street are like almost as close. The only hotel I really see saving you a ton of time is the Grand California and is by far the nicest hotel. So will be interesting to see if that hotel loses guests as well or if its nice enough and the perk of being steps away from Disneyland are enough to keep it at the same level of guests


I will say, think Disney does not care if the Disneyland hotel has less guests, they will just cut staffing and hours like they do in the parks

 

[mom2rtk]

Honestly, I'd rather stay at a cheap hotel and add premium pass or something. I feel like this was a huge mistake. But I guess we'll see.

I don't know that they will give it back, but I could see them giving more than just one LL per stay.

Has anyone considered booking split stays to get more than one LL?

 

[gottalovepluto]

I think I've seen Luxury hotels are doing well... The only hotel I really see saving you a ton of time is the Grand California and is by far the nicest hotel...

Alas, Disney doesn't have any luxury properties. Only luxury pricing.

I will say, think Disney does not care if the Disneyland hotel has less guests, they will just cut staffing and hours like they do in the parks

Ultimately you can only cut your way to profitability for so long. This will be interesting to watch...

 

[gottalovepluto]

...The ones that do book a Disney Hotel, do not know that the Early Entry option is no longer available...

Like, their travel advisor tells them and they are surprised but keep the booking anyway?

 

[OneTrackMind]

I received my first ever Disney survey last week. I had been checking the onsite hotels to see if there was any mention of a change to the policy yet (I knew there wouldn’t be, but I can still dream)! The survey noted I had searched and asked if I was going to be booking. I said I absolutely would not without EE and that I had booked offsite instead.

I don’t think my opinion will sway anything, but it’s encouraging that they’re asking the questions.

 

[DLRExpert]

Like, their travel advisor tells them and they are surprised but keep the booking anyway?

correct. Then the advise is just find a nearby hotel that is cheaper and put that saved money towards LLMP

 

[JerrodDragon89]

Alas, Disney doesn't have any luxury properties. Only luxury pricing.


Ultimately you can only cut your way to profitability for so long. This will be interesting to watch...

True but if people keep paying then whatever, its like how online people Disney like Disneyland pricing...but I've yet to go to the park and had an empty day in years

Like yes, you will have days when some rides are easy to get on in the morning or night but its only empty on like rainy days that are insane not normal days

The parks close 10 PM now when the same time last year I'm pretty sure it was 11 PM or even midnight but here we are...them cutting costs and people are still going

Now if this was USH or Maybe Knotts they could be in danger but its Disney people say "I will never see a Disney movie again" then they make 2 billion dollar films, lol

 

[Kit Jackson]

@mom2rtk I think you have the right idea. If Disney wants to cut early entry, then the replacement should be one free LL pass per day and per hotel guest on the reservation.

 

[OlliePop27]

I love DLH and used to stay there annually growing up, but I simply could not justify the cost. It's not just on-site vs. off-site. It's the fact that I'm paying substantially more for a single room at the DLH vs. a multi-room suite off-site. The room off-site is also closer than DLH.

My family was actually considering on-site for our 2026 trip mostly because of EE, but the decision to remove the perk made the choice easy. It actually made off-site even more appealing, because we can start at any park on any day without consideration of EE.

I find staying off-site to be perfectly magical and my kids love the experience. The cost difference between our preferred off-site option and any on-site hotel is basically multi-day park tickets for all of us. We can literally book another trip for the cost difference.

 

[OlliePop27]

@mom2rtk I think you have the right idea. If Disney wants to cut early entry, then the replacement should be one free LL pass per day and per hotel guest on the reservation.

Starting each DAY with essentially a MEP is definitely a better perk than the current iteration of one per STAY.

 

[disneychrista]

I totally expect EE to return as an ADD-ON (PAID) perk for those staying at a Disney hotel & those purchasing packages through Disney directly.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I totally expect EE to return as an ADD-ON (PAID) perk for those staying at a Disney hotel & those purchasing packages through Disney directly.

They won't get enough interest. I'm throwing my hat in for "limited time Summer perk" for hotels.

 

[irlandaise]

Honestly, I'd rather stay at a cheap hotel and add premium pass or something. I feel like this was a huge mistake. But I guess we'll see.

You bring up a good point. Depending on how many people are in the group and how many nights they need a hotel for, they could potentially break even or even come out ahead by staying somewhere on Harbor Blvd. and buying LLPP for one day, with LLMP for the others. That could give them more rides than they could have gotten with EE.

There's a lot of behavioral economics going on here. In pure mathematical terms, EE isn't worth hundreds of dollars more per night. But it takes on a large perceived value as part of a "Disney bubble."

 

[ThreeMountains]

For me, it’s all about the price since I’m usually solo in DL. Features like early entry are a bonus if I’m staying there, but I don’t typically have the budget to do so versus spending three or four times less for a non-Disney hotel walking distance away. It’s not like at WDW where buses and other transportation options alone can make a significant difference staying on property in a Disney hotel, never mind the theming and other benefits.

If I had the money to stay at one of the Disney hotels at Disneyland, I’d always stay at one. I absolutely loved staying at Disneyland Hotel a few years back so much that it’s my favorite Disney hotel (and I’ve stayed at many in WDW). They’re simply too expensive. My three hotel nights at the end of this month would be about $1500 at a Disney hotel. I’m staying walking distance from the gates for around $350 total for the same nights.

And even if I were going to DL with my wife and kids, it would still all come down to price. If I could possibly swing it, we’d be staying at DLH. But if not, there are too many walking distance options to try to stretch the budget farther than we should. Any other benefits wouldn’t really be a factor in my mind the way they would at WDW.

 

[wallawallakids]

What I found interesting is that it seems to me (at least on the dates I was looking at) that some of the nicer off property hotels are charging quite a bit more than they were before this change. Which makes me think off property demand is up. What is surprising though, is one in particular was the SAME price as an on property hotel. Which made me do a double take.

 

[VandVsmama]

If interest is dropping at staying 'on site' at Disneyland, it's because of 2 things:

• the price per night per room is too high
• Replacing Early Entry with 1 lousy Lightning Lane per person for your entire stay is not enough to entice people to pay the high price per room.

Should be, at the very least, 1 Lightning Lane per person per night of your stay.
Ideally, should be 1 Lightning Lane Multipass per person per night of your stay.

The 1 current Lightning Lane per person should ALSO include the premium ones (individual lightning lane), for RSR or ROTR.

...meanwhile, I can stay across the street for $700/night less.

 

[meanwoodwhite]

I'm staying at GCH hotel because I have DVC but if I had to pay the cash price no way would I stay there. I don't see the point in paying that much for Disney hotels in Anaheim when you can get hotels across the street for 1/4 of the price.

There is no bubble like WDW at DLR.

 

[irlandaise]

For me, it’s all about the price since I’m usually solo in DL. Features like early entry are a bonus if I’m staying there, but I don’t typically have the budget to do so versus spending three or four times less for a non-Disney hotel walking distance away. It’s not like at WDW where buses and other transportation options alone can make a significant difference staying on property in a Disney hotel, never mind the theming and other benefits.

It's also not as expensive to stay on property at WDW because they have three levels of hotel pricing. DLR only has one level: expensive. (Yeah, I know there's a significant range among the three hotels, but I wouldn't call even PPH "moderate.")

 

[deedubb]

The last time we were at Disneyland, EE was a farce. We were entering via the GCH entrance. The line was huge and slow (why they don't adopt the scanners like they have at WDW is beyond me). By the time we got into the park, EE was essentially over. That said, replacing EE with one LL per trip is laughable. Seriously, do they think that will entice anyone to stay on-site? One LL is of no use to us anyway, since we are out of country and every trip is 5 days with LLMP every day.

Having said all of that, we have stayed at all 3 hotels and also off-site. I would still prefer on-site every time, even if the walk is further. We are there in March and will be on-site again. I guess we are part of the problem. If Disney keeps taking away perks but we keep staying on-site, that just lets them know it's okay to do so. Sorry everyone!