On our recent family trip to Disneyland, we spent three nights at the Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance. There are a few hotels in this area, but we wound up being very happy with our decision to stay here.
On park days, it was great for its close proximity to the park entrances, which you can access by foot. On non-park days, we enjoyed spending time in the waterpark.
The hotel strikes a solid balance between value and amenities, and I’d recommend it for families who are planning a trip to Disneyland.
Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance – Booking
I booked this hotel for $296 USD ($401 CAD) plus tax per night on a CAA rate. This was actually a pretty reasonable price, as rates at this property typically go for $300–500 (USD) per night before taxes.
This booked me into a base-level room with two queen beds and a twin bunkbed, which can accommodate up to six people. It may seem a bit pricey for a room at a Courtyard, but considering you’d have to book two rooms at any other hotel for a family of six, there’s definitely value in staying here if you are a big family.
Had I redeemed points for the stay, it would have cost 52,000–70,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night. Looking at it strictly from a value standpoint, it would be a poor redemption, since we value Bonvoy points at 0.7 cents/point (USD).
Taking advantage of the Fifth Night Free benefit at the lowest redemption level could also make it a reasonable redemption.
Paying cash worked well for me, as I had a few Marriott gift cards saved up from several Canadian and US Marriott Amex Offers. This effectively gave me another 20% off my stay when I applied them to my bill at check-out.
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Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance – Location
The Courtyard is located in Anaheim, about an hour away from Los Angeles International Airport and 30 minutes from John Wayne Airport in Orange County, depending on traffic conditions.
There are a few big perks to staying at this property, with the main one being its location! It is only a 10-minute walk to either Disneyland or California Adventure Park.
It’s also close enough that you can head back to the hotel to take an afternoon break or nap, should the kids or the adults need it.
Because of its proximity, you won’t have to deal with parking at the theme park. Just leave your car at the hotel and walk over.
That alone saves you $30 (USD) on parking at Disneyland. There is nightly parking valet fee at the Courtyard of $30 (USD), with no option for self-parking; however, an overnight parking fee seems to be standard practice for most hotels in the area.
Disney Downtown District is just a few minutes away from the theme parks, which makes shopping and dining convenient. If you need any snacks, toiletries, or drinks, just walk down the road for 15 minutes and you’ll hit a CVS Pharmacy and Walgreens.
Right outside of the hotel are a few casual dining options as well, including McDonald’s, Panera Bread, and IHOP, which are perfect for a quick breakfast or lunch. If you prefer something a bit nicer, there’s a Cheesecake Factory just a few minutes away, where you can burn a monthly $10 dining credit on your US Amex Gold Card.
Not too far from here is Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar and Puesto, a Mexican restaurant. Both are located at The Westin Anaheim Resort, also just a few minutes away by car.
We didn’t get a chance to go, but if you’re up for more theme parks, Knott’s Berry Farm is only a 15-minute drive away.
Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance – Check-in
When you pull into the entrance, there is an attendant who comes to greet you, helps unload the car, and takes your keys. The check-in desk is right inside the entrance, and there were three check-in stations all with a staff member present.
To the side of the lobby is a seating area. There’s a TV around the corner where the kids could wait and be entertained while we went through the check-in procedure.
Check-in was pretty routine. My husband was welcomed as a Marriott Bonvoy Titanium member, and was given an upgrade to a room with a waterpark view.
Courtyard properties in North American don’t include complimentary breakfast; however, Platinum Elite members and above are can choose a $20 dining credit as a welcome gift.
The credit is applied daily against on-site dining charges from either The Market, which offers grab-and-go fare, or the café, The Bistro. The dining credit is taken off at check-out.
The staff member then went over a few features of the hotel. Access to the pools and waterpark has to be reserved for capacity reasons, which we’ll discuss later on in this post.
One important thing to note is that there is no daily housekeeping. Rather, it is only done on the third, fifth, and seventh day of your stay. Should you need to exchange towels or need additional toiletries, the staff are happy to assist.
Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance – Guest Room with Waterpark View
Our room was located on the fourth floor, requiring a quick elevator ride up. The hallway was well-lit with off white walls and carpeted floors, and everything reminded me of a standard Courtyard or Residence Inn you might otherwise stay at.
Upon entering our room, the first impression I got was that it was quite spacious.
There was a closet on one side and a bathroom on the other. The floors were carpeted with a striped pattern.
The colour of the carpet made it difficult to tell if it was clean or not, but the bottom of my white socks didn’t turn brown, which is a good sign.
The walls are painted an off-white colour, with an accent wall depicting waves behind where the headboards are. The beds and furniture are walnut brown.
There are two queen beds on one side of the room, with a night table between them. The night table had outlets and USB chargers on either side which was convenient.
Wi-Fi is also complimentary for all guests.
Across the room was a twin-sized bunk bed. Each bunk was large enough to sleep an adult, and the top bunk had a pretty high railing to prevent falls.
In the other corner of the room was a small oval dining table, with upholstered seating that wraps around the corner that can seat three or four small kids. There’s also a bright lamp, which is great for kids when they’re eating or doing activities.
Opposite the queen beds was a dresser, desk, chair, and wall-mounted TV. It was a smart TV and had Netflix available, much to the delight of my kids.
Next to the desk is the beverage station, with a Keurig coffee maker and paper cups with lids.
Next to the beverage station is a cupboard with an empty mini fridge and a microwave. This was great for heating up leftovers for another meal.
If you’ve packed lots of luggage, you won’t be short for space in this room. The closet is deeper than I’ve seen in most hotels, with plenty of hangers to hang up all those princess dresses.
You’ll also find an ironing board, an iron, and a safe.
The split bathroom was quite spacious, with a double-sink vanity, a large LED-backlit mirror, and bathtub in the main area.
On the other side of the vanity, a door opens up into a smaller room with a toilet and separate shower stall.
Having a separate shower and bathtub area is convenient for large families, as kids can be bathing simultaneously to cut down on bath time. Rather than having small toiletry bottles, larger bottles of body wash, shampoo, and conditioner were mounted on the shower wall.
Although some rooms have balconies, ours only had a floor-to-ceiling sliding door that opens up to a railing. This helped keep the room nice and bright.
We enjoyed the space the room provided. I was also impressed at how clean the room was, given the amount of traffic that comes through the hotel and the number kids that stay here.
Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance – Dining
Located right beside the front desk is the The Market, a small self-serve area that’s open 24/7. You can buy drinks, snacks, frozen treats, and individually-packed microwavable meals here.
If you would prefer a Starbucks coffee or you’re looking for a made-to-order meal, head over to The Bistro across the hall. Open from 6:30am–11pm, it serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner fare, including pizza.
One of the highlights from here was a Mickey Mouse pancake for $6.50 (USD).
There are indoor and outdoor seating areas located just around The Bistro to enjoy your meal. Outside, there’s also a fire pit to warm the area on colder days.
The daily $20 dining credit can be applied to purchases at either of these venues.
Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance – Surfside Waterpark
The biggest highlight of this hotel is the waterpark. It’s a great way to take a rest day from the parks, or to take a break from the theme parks for a few hours.
The gated waterpark is entrance is located on the second floor. The waterpark is open from 9am–10pm daily.
The day is divided into five sessions, and guests are required to reserve their pool session beforehand. This ensures the waterpark is not overcrowded.
You can also show up without a reservation, but will be permitted entrance only if space allows.
When it’s time for your session, head up to the waterpark entrance. An attendant will check to see if you have a reservation, and then will give each person a wristband before allowing you through the gate.
The waterpark is supervised by two or three lifeguards at a time, but any child under 16 years of age must be under adult supervision at all times.
Inside the waterpark, you’ll find areas for younger and older children. In one area, there’s an infant pool and a splash pad with a play structure and large water bucket.
You’ll also find two waterslides, a larger swimming pool, and a hot tub.
Children must be 40″ or taller to ride the waterslides. The slides were fun for adults too, but if you prefer to stay dry, there are plenty of beach chairs and umbrellas located around the waterpark.
Aside from perhaps a resort or Great Wolf Lodge, this was one of the best waterparks I’ve seen at a hotel.
Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance – Other Facilities
One great family-friendly feature of the hotel was that it had an outdoor gated area for strollers. Depending on what stroller you have, it can take up a lot of space, so not having to find extra space in your hotel room can be nice.
On the second floor, next to the waterpark entrance is a decent-sized fitness centre with cardio and weight machines.
In the lobby, there’s also a business centre and a gift shop. The gift shop is open from 7am and sells anything from toiletries and snacks to various Disney paraphernalia.
Another nice feature is that if you want to ship something to the hotel, they don’t charge a fee to receive shipments, unlike some other properties that do.
Conclusion
The Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance may not be the newest property or have the greatest amenities for Marriott Bonvoy elite members, but it sure does fit the bill for being one of the most fun and family-friendly properties in the area.
Its close proximity to Disneyland, amazing on-site waterpark, and spacious rooms that can accommodate large families makes it one of my top choices for accommodation when going to Disneyland.
