Summary
Paradise Pier is a contemporary, Disney-owned, California beach-themed hotel with a rooftop swimming pool. Some of their rooms overlook California Adventure and from there you could watch World of Color from your hotel window.
Paradise Pier is cheerful, decorated in primary colors with a happy, resort feel.
What’s Special About It
The Paradise Pier is definitely Disney-themed, but not as much so as the Disneyland Hotel. The pros are the cheerful, beachside ambiance and the fact that it’s not so big to get around in.
As a Paradise Pier guest, you can get early entry into some parts of the theme parks (an hour before they open to the general public). You can also take a guided, early-morning power walk through Disney California Adventure, learn to draw a Disney cartoon character, or join a Pilates exercise class. And the hotel offers special activities at Downtown Disney shops and evening activities for kids (for an extra fee).
You can use your room key to charge most of your purchases and meals to your room, so you only have to pull out that credit card once. Moreover, if you buy something at a shop inside the parks, you can have it delivered to your room instead of lugging it around all day.
The Paradise Pier is just a little further from the Disneyland and California Adventure gates than the Disneyland Hotel, making it one of the closest hotels to walk to from the parks.
If you’re too tired to stay at Disneyland until the fireworks go off, you can watch them from the third-floor pool deck while listening to a live synchronized broadcast of their soundtrack. Additionally, if you stay on one of the higher floors on the east side, you can watch World of Color from your window and tune into the show’s music through your television.
What You Really Need to Know
The Disneyland Hotel sometimes offers guests exclusive perks. What they are offering may change, so your best bet is to ask about them when you check in.
The Paradise Pier is great for families with kids. The rooms are the largest of the three hotels, and its cheerful atmosphere is fun.
Rooms on the upper floors of the east side (floors 8 and up) at the Paradise Pier have the best theme park view of the three Disneyland Resort hotels – and a bird’s-eye view of the World of Color show at California Adventure.
Pros
The Paradise Pier’s combination of just enough Disney theme, larger rooms, and lower prices is a plus. There’s also a great view from the upstairs windows on the east side, where you can see all of California Adventure at a glance.
That seems like a short list, but it covers a lot of ground.
Cons
If you’re a light sleeper who goes to bed early, noise from the theme park can leak into the rooms on the east side.
The hotel is the farthest one from the park entrances, but only by a quarter of a mile.
There’s no elevator in the parking structure, which is more trouble if you don’t know about that ahead of time. Therefore, pull into the front entrance, unload your bags, and then park to avoid dragging everything down the stairs.
Cost Considerations
If the Paradise Pier were located elsewhere in Anaheim, it might be considered overpriced, but it’s the lowest-priced of the Disney hotels. If you want Disney’s legendary customer service and a convenient location near the theme parks, the Paradise Pier is your best value for money.
Anaheim hotel tax will add 15% to your bill. Many area hotels charge for parking, and the Disneyland Hotel is no exception. You can find current parking rates at their website, but expect them to be slightly more than daily parking in the day-use garages.
Expect to pay extra if you want a room with a nicer view, on a higher floor or with additional concierge services.
Hats off to all of the Disney hotels for not adding the annoying ripoff “resort fee” that many other area hotels charge.
Traveling With Kids
If you’re staying at the hotel with kids, they will enjoy the swimming pool with its big waterslide. Furthermore, if your child is obsessed with Mickey Mouse, this is the only hotel where the Big Cheese makes a character breakfast appearance.
Dining
Disney’s PCH Grill offers California-style cuisine – and it gets good ratings from online reviewers. Their character breakfast is the only place outside Disneyland where Mickey Mouse makes an appearance. In the evening, they serve a beachside bonfire buffet dinner.
You can also get a light meal at the Surfside Lounge. Additionally, there’s a snack bar near the pool.
Character Dining
The PCH Grill hosts a daily Surf’s Up! character breakfast with Mickey Mouse and his friends. Characters that stop by include Pluto, Lilo’s pal Stitch, and Daisy Duck. If you’re looking for Disney princesses, you should go to the breakfast at Ariel’s Grotto instead.
Menu items on the buffet include Mickey Mouse waffles, Minnie Mouse pancakes, egg dishes, and a build-your-own parfait station.
Since the restaurant is smaller than the other places where you can get a character breakfast, the characters have more time for each guest. A couple of times every hour, a character starts a dance party and encourages all the kids to join them.
Advance reservations are highly recommended and can be made up to 60 days prior to your visit.
Details About Paradise Pier and Other Disney Hotels
The Paradise Pier has almost 500 rooms. Its address is 1717 S. Disneyland Drive, Anaheim CA.
Facilities
The Paradise Pier has a rooftop swimming pool with a waterslide, a hot tub, and a fitness center.
There’s a restaurant on the premises, where they serve a character breakfast.
Rooms have WiFi, and if you’re tired, you can order room service. They also offer childcare and babysitting for an additional fee. The hotel is 100% non-smoking.
You’ll find a small gift shop in the lobby, along with a concierge desk, a business center, and a Guest Services desk whose staff can help you with all kinds of things, including reservations and other arrangements.
More Disneyland Hotels
Disney owns and operates three hotels at the Disneyland Resort. Besides the Paradise Pier, you can stay at the classic Disneyland Hotel or the elegant Grand Californian.
