Earlier this year, Disney released some news that had all of our hearts dropping, but at the time, it seemed so far away from coming true.
Pixar Place Hotel
Back in August, Disney announced that they would be ENDING two very popular hotel perks over at Disneyland Resort, and if we’re being honest, it really takes away a lot of value from paying more to stay on property. Here’s a reminder to ALL of us that starting in 2026, you’ll no longer get Early Entry as a hotel guest OR be able to take the special entrance into the park if you’re staying at Pixar Place Hotel.
On January 5th, 2026, Early Theme Park Entry is going away at Disneyland Hotel for all guests, and instead, they’ll receive one Lightning Lane per person, per stay. This Lightning Lane will be part of Lightning Lane Multi Pass and can help you skip the line at most rides, except for Radiator Springs Racers and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
Disneyland Hotel
Until then, the perk is available for guests of Disney’s Grand Californian Resort, Disneyland Hotel, and Pixar Place Hotel. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, Disneyland Park will open 30 minutes early, and on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, Disney California Adventure will open 30 minutes early.
Grand California Hotel
This isn’t the only big change hitting Disneyland Resort hotels on January 5th, either. When you stay at the Pixar Place Hotel now, there’s a special entrance into Disney California Adventure exclusive to guests. However, beginning on January 5th, 2026, using this entrance will no longer be available. This is due to construction and new projects coming to the park, but this is a pretty big blow to hotel perks.
Pixar Place Hotel
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We’ll continue to keep you updated on all the latest Disneyland news so you can feel prepared for your upcoming trip, so stay tuned to DFB!
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How do you feel about these perks changing? Tell us in the comments!
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Take, Take, Take. What are these amusement parks coming to?
Everything is IP-centric rides now, right?; bereft of backstory and charm that used to contribute to something other than hurrying to the next ride. One could reasonably argue that the Disney machine is sliding closer every month to a collection of very pricey amusement parks.
“A theme park without rides is still a theme park. An amusement park without rides is a parking lot with popcorn”
From Margaret King and J.G. O’Boyle in their essay “The Theme Park: The Art of Time and Space,” found in the book Disneyland and Culture: Essays on the Parks and Their Influence (2010). They were on to something.
We used to always stay at the Disneyland resorts. There were plenty of perks and extras to make the extra dollars worth it. We haven’t stayed in a Disney resort in two years. Too expensive, no real perks. So we now always stay at Hotels within walking distance. Most are just as nice, WAY cheaper, and they really want us there. I am sorry to see what Disney is coming to. I don’t know why anyone would stay there anymore.
That half hour is a valuable start to having a Great Day! The Disneyland hotels are expensive! I wonder who thought this was a good idea besides the financial department?
So how long til Disneyworld follows with this terrible idea?!