Our days of long Disney trips without kids are temporarily behind us, but some passions never die and you can be sure I still sneak the occasional solo trip onto the calendar. So when you’re visiting sans the little ones, which of Disneyland Resort’s three hotels should be at the top of your list? Read on to see which hotel we pick for adulting at Disneyland!

A Quick Look at Disneyland’s Three Hotels

Disney operates three hotels at Disneyland Resort, and those are the focus of this post. There are innumerable hotels in the surrounding area, and we’re not covering them. Your favorite chain definitely has a good option nearby, if you’re looking outside the Disney bubble.

Disney’s three hotels at Disneyland Hotel, Pixar Place Hotel, and Grand Californian Hotel and Spa. All three have good locations and are priced above the norm for the area. While I’ll mention price in a “tiebreaker” sort of context, it’s not the main feature of this post (but note that hotel price goes a long way to determining the cost of your Disneyland trip). All three Disneyland hotels also offer guests the same perks, so I’m not covering those here either.

Besides telling you which hotel I think is the best options for an adult-only trip, I’ll briefly discuss the pros and cons of the other two. I’ll also link to our reviews in each section.

Have I kept you waiting to long? Let’s get to it…

Disneyland Hotel is the Best Hotel for Adults at Disneyland

Read our Review of Disneyland Hotel here
Read our Review of the new Discovery Tower at Disneyland Hotel here

Disneyland Hotel recently received a glow-up in the form of the debut of the Disney Vacation Club Villas in the brand new Discovery Tower. We stayed in one of the studios here (with our kid) and it was a great room.

These rooms are among the best at Disneyland, and in my mind better than the rooms over at Grand Californian.

The only downside to this whole argument is that I do think the older, non-villa rooms at Disneyland Hotel leave something to be desired. They have a nostalgic Disney aesthetic to them that brings something to the table, but as modern hotel rooms they fall flat.

So when I’m making this argument, I’m talking about the villas, not the older rooms.

Discovery Tower brought with it a brand new pool—the Palette Pool. This is in addition to the already-great E Ticket, D Ticket, and Monorail Pools.

There’s also a brand new fitness center, plus an expansive pool bar. And separate from the new spaces, Disney also recently unveiled Broken Spell Lounge, a new enchanting lounge themed to Sleeping Beauty.

Altogether you shouldn’t have any doubts about spending a relaxing afternoon here (all the new space and amenities are available to all guests, not just Villa guests).

But I’ve saved the best for last. In addition to that new pool bar—Palm Breeze Bar—Disneyland Hotel is home to the iconic Disney bar—Trader Sam’s. Trader Sam’s is a must-do for anyone adulting at Disneyland, so what better way to visit it then to book a stay at Disneyland Hotel?

As for downsides, well, there is a lack of refined dining at Disneyland Hotel. The main table service restaurant is Goofy’s Kitchen, a character buffet. But Grand Californian’s Napa Rose—plus everything else Downtown Disney has to offer—is only a short walk away. The resort is full of dining options, so it’s hard to weigh this too much.

Is Grand Californian Good for Adults?

Read our Review of Grand Californian Hotel and Spa here

A few years ago I easily would have picked Grand Californian as the best Disneyland hotel for adults. In fact, when I started writing this post, I assumed I would pick Grand Californian. But as I wrote it I realized that the new Discovery Tower at Disneyland Hotel was enough to put it over the top.

Grand Californian does have a lot of advantages for adults. It’s got a spa, for starters, plus the refined Napa Rose restaurant. The overall ambiance is much more grown up, but you won’t escape kids at any of these hotels, so it is a little for naught.

Grand Californian also has a dedicated entrance directly into Disney California Adventure, which is probably the park adults will spend more time at.

The main downside of Grand Californian is price. It can be $100 to $200 more expensive than Disneyland Hotel. I don’t think there’s enough at Grand Californian to justify that price, especially given the advantages that Disneyland Hotel has.

That said, if I had to choose between an old (not villa) room at Disneyland Hotel and Grand Californian for an adult stay, I’d probably give the edge to Grand Californian.

Is Pixar Place Hotel Good for Adults?

Read our Review of Pixar Place Hotel here

Look—if you’re a Pixar-lovin’ adult, then definitely go for Pixar Place Hotel. It is a fantastic hotel and I can’t wait to stay there again. And it’s no slouch on the adult amenities, with a decent fitness center and poolside cabanas available to rent ($). The theme park view rooms are also unbelievable.

But this one slaps Pixar all the way. There’s no refinement here. And the pool area itself leaves a lot to be desired, especially when you contrast it with the other two hotels. It used to be priced lower than Disneyland Hotel, but more and more Disney is catching on to how appealing this place is for families, and I’m seeing more and more dates where the two hotels are comeptitively priced.

All Your Other Disneyland Planning Questions Answered

Don’t be overwhelmed by Disneyland planning! Take a second to check out our most important content and you’ll not only be an expert, but you’ll save big $$$ along the way.

Just starting out? Check out our Disneyland Planning Guide. When it comes to hotels, we’ve got reviews of all three Disney hotels: Disneyland Hotel, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, and Disney’s Pixar Place Hotel. As for tickets, check out where to find discount Disneyland tickets.

Know what to ride with our: Disneyland Rides Guide and Disney California Adventure Rides Guide. And just as important, know how to get on the best rides without the wait with our Disneyland Lightning Lane Strategy! For the complete guides to a day at the park, we have a One Day Disneyland Itinerary and a One Day Disney California Adventure Itinerary.

We always recommend arriving at the parks early. If you can get access to Early Entry at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, you’ll have the most time in the parks. Even without those bonus hours, you’ll need to know Rope Drop Strategy at Disneyland and Rope Drop Strategy at Disney California Adventure.

Finally, before you head out, be sure to check out our to-the-point packing list, 10 essentials you forget to pack for every Disney trip. And if you’re interested in saving, there’s no better list than our 53 Ways to Save on your Disney trip from start to finish.