Disneyland Drops Early Entry And Guests Are Heated

Disneyland faces backlash from guests after eliminating a long-standing early-entry perk that gave hotel guests exclusive access to the iconic theme park in Anaheim, California.

Until last week, visitors staying at a Disneyland hotel enjoyed a 30-minute head start before the park opened to everyone else. For many, the incentive was one of the biggest draws of staying at more expensive on-site hotels, even with cheaper options just a short distance away.

The early access perk was officially scrapped as of Monday, January 5, 2026. According to The Daily Mail, the move has left many Disney fans reeling and sparked backlash among longtime visitors. The perk applied to anyone staying at the theme park’s three hotels: the Disneyland Hotel, the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, and the Pixar Place Hotel.

Hotel Guests Lose Premium Access Advantage

Before January 5, hotel guests could enter the park early, letting them ride popular attractions, shop freely, and dine with far fewer crowds. Now, guests will receive just one Lightning Lane entry to a Lightning Lane Multi Pass attraction during their stay. Disney’s Lightning Lane is a paid service that lets visitors skip the regular line and wait in a separate, shorter line after reserving a ride in advance. The perk’s removal has already disrupted travel plans for some guests.

One guest said they had booked a stay at Pixar Place this month, only to have the change cancel it. “They announced this, and we are now at the Marriott [sic] courtyard theme park entrance,” the Reddit user said, as reported by The Daily Mail. Another user said that getting rid of early entry and replacing it with only one Lightning Lane entry was “an absolute joke.” “They can’t pony up the $30 for a whole day when people are spending 1k on a room?” the commenter asked. “At that point just don’t give anything.”

Disneyland Fans Question Value Of On-Site Hotel Stays

The cut to early entry access was first announced last August, but did not take effect until last Monday. Disneyland has cut other perks recently despite fans seeking more affordable options. That included a partnership with Costco that offered its members discounted theme park tickets. The deal with the retail giant included a two-day Park Hopper ticket to Disneyland and the Lightning Lane Multi-Pass for $389.99.

That was much cheaper than the offer on Disneyland’s website, where the same ticket costs $415 and the multi-pass starts at $32 per day. The company’s theme parks could soon implement dynamic ticket pricing, in which ticket prices are adjusted based on current demand.

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