Additional Coverage:
- Disneyland guests enraged after losing major perk that came with theme-park hotel stay (themirror.com)
Disneyland Fans Fume Over Scrapped Early Entry Perk for Hotel Guests
Anaheim, CA – The “Happiest Place on Earth” is facing a wave of discontent from loyal visitors after Disneyland officially scrapped a long-standing perk for guests staying at its on-site hotels. As of Monday, the much-coveted 30-minute early access to the Anaheim park, which allowed hotel guests a head start on rides and attractions, has been discontinued.
For years, this early entry benefit was a major draw for many visitors, often cited as a key reason to splurge on Disneyland’s pricier accommodations – the Disneyland Hotel, the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, and the Pixar Place Hotel – despite more budget-friendly options being available nearby. The allure of experiencing popular rides and shopping with significantly fewer crowds was enough to justify the premium cost for countless families and enthusiasts.
The sudden change has sparked outrage among Disney fans, who took to social media platforms like Reddit and Instagram to voice their disappointment and frustration. Many are questioning the value proposition of staying on property now that the early entry is gone.
“I’ve always stayed on property, but I won’t after this,” one Reddit user declared, adding, “There’s simply no reason.” Another commenter lamented that the “Disney enchantment” was fading due to frequent pricing adjustments, quipping, “The ‘Magic’ is now the Excel spreadsheet that helped the C-Suite make these decisions.”
The early access allowed hotel guests to tackle several major attractions before the park officially opened to the general public, a benefit many cherished. Now, the replacement perk offers only a single Lightning Lane access to a Lightning Lane Multi Pass attraction during their stay. Lightning Lane is a premium option where guests can bypass standard lines for a shorter wait, but it typically comes at an additional cost.
This new offering is being widely panned as an inadequate substitute. “Eliminating early entry and replacing it with a single Lightning Lane entry is an absolute joke,” one user stated, questioning the value of such a limited offering when guests are spending upwards of $1,000 on a hotel room.
“They can’t pony up the $30 for a whole day when people are spending 1k on a room? At that point just don’t give anything.”
Some visitors even reported altering their travel plans in response to the change. “They announced this and we are now at the Marriott Courtyard theme park entrance,” a Reddit user shared, indicating a last-minute switch from a Pixar Place Hotel reservation.
The sentiment extends to international guests as well, with one claiming early admission was “the only reason we would pay premium to stay on Disney property.”
The removal of this beloved perk comes amidst other recent negative headlines for the park, including a report of a Washington dad being severely beaten over a line-cutting dispute and the tragic death of a tourist on the Frozen ride.
As Disney fans continue to express their dismay, the question remains: will the “magic” of staying at a Disneyland resort be enough to justify the higher price tag without the coveted early access benefit? For many, it seems the answer, for now, is a resounding “no.”