The very best resort close to Disneyland does no longer exist. Believe me, I’ve stayed at and reviewed over 50 of them. Each unmarried one has weaknesses that’ll be a dealbreaker for lots of visitors. The Disney-owned resorts are insanely dear. The 5-star luxurious inns all suboptimal places.
The across-the-street lodging are most commonly resorts, and lots of of them are historic. And dear! This has been the largest exchange we’ve witnessed during the last a number of years, upending the highest of our Anaheim Resort Critiques & Ratings. Lots of the budget-friendly resorts around the avenue are actually the rest however, as vacationers are keen to pay a top rate for the top location.
Any other building all the way through that point that’s inflicting us to reevaluate our scores and opinions an increasing number of is resort horror tales. This isn’t a transformation to the resorts, however slightly, our body of reference. Now that we’ve got a daughter, our endurance for this has lowered. The old fashioned resorts have a miles upper propensity for issues and resort horror tales than the trendy houses round Disneyland, and we’re much less keen to probability it.
Those possible problems run the gamut, starting from primary crimson flags like studies of mattress insects to over the top noise to rugged rooms to a loss of facilities. I’ll be completely truthful with you, even reputedly inconsequential such things as an affordable espresso maker now catch my ire.
I’m hardly ever a resort snob or diva. We’ve stayed in some questionable puts over time. It’s something to tolerate crappy espresso or run-down rooms or scratchy towels or no matter when paying lower than $100 in keeping with night time.
It’s any other solely when that resort that used to be below $100 in keeping with night time a decade in the past is in a different way precisely the similar because it used to be a decade in the past, aside from triple (or extra!) the associated fee. The truth is, many of those resorts are utterly phoning within the visitor revel in whilst charging exorbitant costs and resting at the laurels in their location.
So a part of that is price converting the calculus, and anticipating high quality commensurate with the ever-increasing costs. However any other section is our personal standpoint as folks.
Granted, I will’t say that I’ve ever sought after bedbugs, however there used to be a time when my chance urge for food for them used to be upper. As we steadily identified again within the day, there were studies of bedbugs at just about each and every resort in Anaheim, so it didn’t in reality appear to be the rest it’s essential actively keep away from.
I nonetheless most commonly consider this to be true, however I additionally assume it’s directionally correct that many older resorts have had extra annual prevalence than the trendy resorts. That’s my anecdotal belief; I can’t corroborate it with exhausting knowledge. It’s sufficient, despite the fact that, to present me pause about staying at an older motel with decrease hygiene requirements.
Noise is a extra acute factor and one with which we have now in depth revel in on the previous resorts. Whether or not or not it’s from the rooms above, which appear to be occupied by way of a herd of hippos, or the outside hallways, which might be veritable hippo highways, we’ve continuously had problems with noise on the resorts.
For me on my own, this if truth be told isn’t a subject matter. I may just sleep thru an earthquake (rather actually–I’ve slept thru a number of). The one reason why I comprehend it’s a subject matter is as a result of I get up early to paintings, and it’s at all times noticeable simply how paper-thin the partitions are.
Like her father, our infant is a heavy sleeper…aside from when she’s no longer. She as soon as slept thru an ear-piercing hearth alarm, however come what may, the sunshine creak of our bed room door at house can wake her. I will’t even start to give an explanation for this, I don’t assume science has a solution. Regardless, we attempt to transfer across the room like we’re averting the velociraptors in Jurassic Park so we don’t disturb her. Very equivalent penalties.
Optimizing for all of that, one resort that has been in our most sensible 10 for the decade, however has slowly crept additional up the scores is the Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Front by way of Marriott.
It is a resort ~5 mins from Disneyland, that includes massive circle of relatives lodging. This options contemporary ideas at the newly-redone rooms, commonplace space adjustments, and our revel in revisiting this resort ~10 years after it first opened. We’ll quilt whether or not it’s nonetheless value staying at this resort in case your discuss with to Southern California is basically for visiting Disneyland and Disney California Journey.
We first reviewed this resort again in 2016, in a while after it opened. On the time, we had been inspired. The rooms had been spacious and the design felt elegant. The Courtyard set a brand new usual for off-site Disneyland lodging. We’re revisiting it a decade later to peer the way it’s held up, and be offering a verdict at the fresh renovations.
Spoiler alert: it’s sophisticated. We didn’t bury the lede in our opening line. The very best resort close to Disneyland (nonetheless) does no longer exist…however the Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Front may simply require the fewest compromises for households.
Courtyard Anaheim’s “New” Rooms
Let’s get started with what hasn’t modified. The rooms are nonetheless 530+ sq. ft, which stays considerably better than usual Anaheim resort rooms. Having the ability to sleep 6 other folks (two queen beds plus dual bunk beds), those rooms proceed to be perfect for households that might in a different way want two separate rooms.
Structurally, the Courtyard is equal to prior to, that means it’s a contemporary ‘giant field’ chained-brand resort constructed a decade in the past versus 60+ years in the past. It seems like a fully-featured deluxe(ish) resort. It has inner hallways, thicker partitions, upmarket facilities, and upgraded fixtures and decor as in comparison to the Anaheim norm.
The lodging are likewise comfy and upscale(ish). It’s no longer the Westin or JW Marriott, however there’s additionally nary a scratchy towel or reasonable espresso maker in sight. After we first began staying at Anaheim mother & pop resorts, maximum had mattresses salvaged them from the Goodwill dumpster. Now, an rising quantity have plush bedding. Even a few of the resorts with top quality bedding, the Courtyard ranks close to the highest relating to bedding convenience.
It’s a equivalent tale with the bunk beds (albeit no longer as comfy) in addition to the workstation, sales space seating, and just about the whole thing else.
We’ve now stayed on the Courtyard a couple of occasions, and each and every unmarried keep we’ve had a view overlooking the water park with Disneyland within the distance. I’m positive there are worse perspectives, however that is beautiful. It’s additionally a testomony to the resort’s soundproofing that it’s loud with the balcony door open, however utterly quiet with it closed.
The rooms have a number of different facilities: Keurig machines, microwaves, mini-fridges, Netflix, and extra.
Right here’s the place issues get disappointing. The resort underwent room renovations remaining yr, which might typically be a just right factor. There are dozens of resorts that would receive advantages drastically from a room refresh!
We steadily whinge that Disney fanatics whinge an excessive amount of about new rooms being bland and dull. Maximum of that complaint is out of place, as moderate visitors (rightly or wrongly) don’t need garish and excessive designs. Smartly, smartly, smartly, how the turntables.
Underneath are two footage, some of the previous/unique rooms and any other of the brand new rooms:
Are you able to inform which is which? The unique room is first, the circa-2026 room is 2d.
Unfortunately, the Courtyard used to be no longer one in every of them. Long past is the elegant coastal California design with character that we praised in our unique evaluate. As an alternative is what Marriott calls “fashionable decor with comfy finishes.” Company talk for “we made it glance indistinguishable from each and every different mid-tier Marriott.”
The unique rooms had a pleasant mix of recent and undying, with design parts that felt considerate plus pops of colour. All of this used to be punctuated by way of the characteristic wall wave artwork. The Courtyard used to be distinct, and I may just acknowledge it straight away when reviewing footage.
This, then again, is immediately forgettable. The renovated rooms are generic. They’re blank, practical, and…tremendous, I suppose. It’s no longer even that they’re chasing tendencies or no matter!
Those new rooms glance older simply by distinctive feature in their ho-hum taste. Possibly I lack style or a discerning eye, however should you requested me to indicate which of those rooms had been the more moderen one, I’d wager the previous rooms. They appear cooler, extra fashionable, and hip. Or no less than, hip-adjacent. Why on earth can’t a resort inside strolling distance have amusing room designs?!
Listed here are extra footage of the brand new rooms:
The toilets, fortunately, stay cast.
We nonetheless love the walk-in showers, and the full toilet dimension makes mornings manageable for enormous events. The presence of each walk-in showers and tubs is a considerate contact, particularly given the sensible realities of having in a position for rope losing Disneyland with a birthday celebration of 4-6 other folks in a single room.
Cool Courtyard Not unusual Spaces
The excellent news is that the average spaces have additionally been renovated, and the refreshes made to those spaces are precise upgrades.
The whole lot feels just a little extra polished and up to date, lighter and breezier. Positive, it’s essential accuse this of having a look “company” and very similar to different Marriotts, but it surely’s great. We noticed a number of industry vacationers and households alike lounging across the public areas, which might be great and welcoming.
I believe the entire refreshed foyer stage space to be a large win. I in reality like this house, particularly the indoor-outdoor nature. It feels just like the Courtyard leaned into this with the refurbishment, and it’s rather beautiful.
As any person who inevitably results in the foyer to make use of my pc early within the morning and past due at night time, great commonplace spaces are an oversized promoting level to me.
The Surfside water park remains to be there, and we’re nonetheless hesitant to name it a water park. It’s a glorified pool and water play space—a lot better than a normal pool, however a ways shy of a real water park.
Nonetheless, it’s mild years forward of just about each and every different pool in Anaheim, so it doesn’t really feel honest to even poke amusing at Surfside. Via Anaheim requirements, it is a water park. If this had been Orlando, it’d be extra like a puddle. (Critically, the pool disparity between the coasts is big.)
Courtyard Delicacies
The eating scene across the Courtyard has additionally modified within the remaining decade. Throughout Anaheim, new choices are shooting up. When you stayed at the different aspect of Katella, and even down Disney Means, you’d have a wealth of recent choices.
Right here, no longer such a lot. Pizza Press moved (a number of years in the past–this isn’t new information) and not anything on par with that has stuffed the void. The nearest factor is Calaca Mamas Cantina, a Day of the Lifeless-themed Mexican eating place, changed the notorious Captain Kidd’s buffet.
Differently, there are a large number of handy and cheap choices, together with however no longer restricted to Mimi’s Cafe and Panera within the parking zone, in addition to McDonald’s, Denny’s, and IHOP all between the Courtyard and Disneyland. I’m a large fan of the usage of the McDonald’s app to cell order–it’s a good way to attain offers (and is hassle-free).
Stressful Elevators
The Courtyard has solely 2 elevators serving 6 flooring and 221 rooms. When the resort used to be model new and probably working at a decrease occupancy, this flew below our radar.
In 2026, with the resort ceaselessly at capability? And now that we’ve got a child?! (K, that remaining one isn’t the Courtyard’s “fault.”) It’s no longer perfect.
Wait occasions of what turns out like perpetually (most certainly 5-10 mins) all the way through height classes are commonplace. We’ve watched households with strollers, exhausted youngsters, and so on., stuffed into lobbies, ready. And ready. And ready some extra. I think like Roz, staring at, at all times staring at (the ready). And we have now been the ones households, not able to pivot to the steps because of a sound asleep kid in a stroller.
It is a elementary design flaw that turns into extra obvious because the resort ages and occupancy will increase. Funds overtime for vertical transportation. Sarcastically sufficient, that may build up the strolling distance time to Disneyland–or no less than make it sufficient of a wild card–that a couple of resorts which might be technically farther away develop into “nearer.”
Possibly this isn’t a large deal to a few of you. Like I mentioned, it wasn’t even on our radar prior to. However the remaining two occasions we’ve stayed right here, it’s been noticeable. And a kind of used to be pre-baby, so it’s no longer simply our new dynamic with a stroller and infant. YMMV.
Any other frustration is that parking is valet-only, and it’s jumped from $20/night time to 46.80 in keeping with night time. That’s no longer a typo, it’s just about $50 in keeping with night time to park right here, and there’s no self-parking possibility. That is absurd for Anaheim. It’s no longer as though there isn’t house they usually’re seeking to make do, both. The resort sells parking to day guests (additionally $50) as an alternative choice to Disneyland’s parking buildings.
Courtyard’s (Unusually) Aggressive Pricing
Talking of pricing, now for the excellent news! A decade in the past, we famous that the Courtyard used to be some of the costlier non-Disney, non-suite resorts in Anaheim. Again then, we concept $200+ in keeping with night time used to be steep, however justified given the room dimension and high quality.
Speedy ahead to 2026, and charges are actually mechanically above $300 in keeping with night time relying at the season. That may appear to be an important build up, and it’s. Or it will be…if the resorts proper around the avenue weren’t charging even upper charges!
In my searches, the Highest Western Park Position is costlier than the Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Front. Regardless of it being moderately farther away, having irritating elevators and bland rooms, I’m nonetheless taking the Courtyard over the Highest Western each and every unmarried time if the costs are even remotely similar. It’s no longer even a remotely shut name.
When you’re taking into account the Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Front as a part of a Disneyland holiday, you’ll be able to guide a resort + price tag holiday bundle by means of Get Away Nowadays to save cash. You’ll be able to additionally save an additional $10 by way of the usage of code TOURIST at checkout.
We additionally counsel Get Away Nowadays in our Information to Purchasing Discounted Disneyland Tickets—reserving a holiday bundle makes an already nice deal even higher.
Selection Anaheim Lodging
Essentially the most direct comparability is the Part Anaheim Lodge Conference Heart, which is our total favourite circle of relatives resort close to Disneyland. The disadvantage is that it’s a moderately longer stroll; the upside is that it’s more moderen and nicer. In our view, the Part is all about stability, straddling the road between prolonged keep options and upscale lodging. We normally guide the Part over Courtyard, however we don’t thoughts just a little extra strolling. Both are nice.
Much less similar is the Westin Anaheim, which is our favourite luxurious resort in Anaheim. This edges out the JW Marriott thank you most commonly to the simpler stroll, and it’s the place we keep if spending a just right mixture of time on the hotel and within the parks. It’s an ideal “staycation” possibility when the main function isn’t parks continuous. It provides just right price for cash taking into account the truth that it’s a luxurious resort.
Our subsequent go-to pick out is the Tropicana Inn & Suites, which is our #1 total pick out close to Disneyland. This provides an unbeatable location, aggressive pricing, and made over rooms. It’s at once around the avenue, a 5 minute stroll to the parks. On the finish of the night time, that 5 minute stroll can also be so value it–particularly should you’re pushing a stroller or sporting a sound asleep child. We normally do the Tropicana when park time is most sensible precedence, particularly all the way through past due Halloween and Christmas seasons, or all the way through the wintry weather.
Different contenders:
- Fairfield by way of Marriott Anaheim Lodge
- Howard Johnson by way of Wyndham Anaheim Resort & Water Playground
- Highest Western Park Position Inn
- SunCoast Park Resort Anaheim
- Park Vue Inn
None of those are best possible comparisons, particularly for better events. There’s a mixture of places that take a look at the fitting bins for proximity, room & facilities high quality, modernness, and spaciousness. Each and every have their very own distinct execs & cons, in addition to differing dealbreakers for some Disneyland guests.
Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Front Verdict
In the end, the Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Front isn’t the very best resort close to Disneyland. Take into accout, that’s no longer a factor! There are methods that we adore it lower than our first keep right here a decade in the past. The room renovations are devoid of personality, the elevator scenario is extra irksome, as is the valet-only parking now for the reason that it approaches $50 in keeping with night time.
On the identical time, the basics stay sturdy. Those are probably the most spacious and fashionable rooms within the ‘around the avenue on Harbor district’ of resorts close to Disneyland. The brand new foyer is gorgeous; an ideal commonplace house. Even though the associated fee has long gone up, the rise is much less noticeable than the within sight resorts. Now not solely that, however our private tolerances for the weaknesses of the ones resorts has lowered, and to a better stage than our tolerance for the aggravating elevators.
The result is that I believe the Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Front is if truth be told a worse total resort than it used to be a decade in the past…however on the identical time, lots of the different within sight resorts have got “extra worse.” So the Courtyard has if truth be told develop into higher by way of comparability, if that is sensible. Because the identify says, the Courtyard by way of Marriott Anaheim Theme Park front is the most efficient circle of relatives pleasant resort around the avenue from Disneyland.
This falls aside for me as soon as increasing a seek to the resorts which might be moderately farther away, despite the fact that. As any person who doesn’t thoughts strolling about ~5 mins or so, the Part or SunCoast stay our most sensible alternatives on this class. In fact, no longer everyone seems to be us, and there’s completely one thing to be mentioned for those resorts proper around the avenue. That’s exactly why all of them command top rate costs within the first position!
Making plans a Southern California holiday? For park admission offers, learn Guidelines for Saving Cash on Disneyland Tickets. Know about on-site and off-site resorts in our Anaheim Resort Critiques & Ratings. For the place to consume, take a look at our Disneyland Eating place Critiques. For distinctive concepts of items that’ll toughen your commute, take a look at What to Pack for Disney. For complete recommendation, seek the advice of our Disneyland Holiday Making plans Information. In the end, for guides past Disney, take a look at our Southern California Itineraries for day journeys to Los Angeles, Laguna Seashore, and lots of different puts!
Your Ideas
Have you ever stayed on the Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Front? Do you settle or disagree with our review? Ideas at the redone rooms or commonplace spaces? Any questions? Listening to your comments–even whilst you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please percentage your ideas underneath within the feedback!
