Photo credit: Disneyland Resort
After a long day of meetings and riding the rides, you and your guests can get a good night’s sleep in the newly remodeled rooms at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. As part of Disney’s green initiative, the rooms have energy-efficient LED lights, recycling bins and a thermostat that only kicks on when the temperature goes three degrees above your preferred temperature.
Other features include raised beds to store luggage underneath, a couch that converts into an extra bed, updated bathrooms, Kuerig coffee pots with to-go cups and plenty of power and USB outlets to stay fully charged. All the rooms will have these upgrades by the end of 2017.
The Grand Californian Hotel also has 20,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, a dedicated conference center and a 12,000-square-foot ballroom. The resort includes just over 950 guest rooms to support large and small events.
Disneyland is actually home to three hotels, each of which offer conference space. Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel includes 20,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and just over 460 guest rooms. Disneyland Hotel, the largest convention hotel, features 136,000 sq. ft. of space and just over 990 guest rooms. Plus, the event lawn space is being enhanced for more year-round activities. “Disneyland Hotel is classically Disney,” says Robert Donahue, director of resort sales and service for Disneyland Resort and Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa.
Getting Around
Donahue promotes Disneyland resorts as being within easy walking distance. “We like to call it a walkable destination,” Donahue says. “Our three hotels are clustered really close together, which are then flowing out to the Downtown Disney District…our dining, shopping and retail and entertainment area. And then you walk right through Downtown Disney into our main esplanade and depending on your direction, you can [go] left to Disneyland Park or right to California Adventure Park.”
We talked to Donahue about the best ways to get from here to meeting. He had these three insider tips.
- Wear comfortable shoes. There is a lot of walking. Consider initiating a fitness challenge amongst attendees to track who gets the most steps.
- Meeting goers who live outside driving distance can easily travel to Anaheim by air. John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Orange County is under a half hour drive. Long Beach Airport (LGB), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Ontario International Airport (ONT) are also convenient.
- For those who prefer train travel, Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC), next to Honda Center in Anaheim, is 10 minutes from the resort property. It is served by Amtrak and Surfliner.
