Disneyland to End Early Entry for Hotel Guests

One of the best perks the Disneyland Resort offers to hotel guests has always been early entry into the parks. Indeed, in the past, any guest staying at one of the three hotels (the Disneyland Hotel, the Pixar Place Hotel, or the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa) could enter either Disneyland or Disney California Adventure 30 minutes before park opening.

It’s true that this perk was not as good as it once was, when it was downgraded from an hour to a mere 30 minutes, after the parks re-opened, post-pandemic. Still, for many, those 30 minutes were precious. Enjoying the parks with so few guests felt special and relaxing. It was a touch of Disney magic and made the choice to stay at one of the hotels worth it, for this perk alone.

Guests could enjoy a few popular rides, such as Space Mountain or Haunted Mansion, or several smaller ones, before the crowds poured in. In Fantasyland, it was possible to experience at least three to four rides in those early morning, serene moments.

However, on January 5, 2026, Disneyland will be eliminating this perk. According to Scott Gustin on Twitter, the official reason behind this decision was a lack of use. In other words, Disney claims not enough guests took advantage of this to continue to staff the park early. Online, some have taken this at face value, while others believe early entry was used a lot, and this is Disney’s way of cutting cast member costs.

Going forward, early entry will be replaced with one complimentary Lightning Lane for any Multi-Pass attraction, subject to availability. At Disneyland, these include: Autopia, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, Haunted Mansion, Indiana Jones Adventure, It’s A Small World, Matterhorn Bobsleds, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, Roger Rabbit’s Cartoon Spin, Space Mountain, Star Tours, and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

At DCA, the Multi-Pass attractions include: Goofy’s Sky School, Grizzly River Run, Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission BREAKOUT, Incredicoaster, Monsters Inc., The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, Soarin’ Around the World, Toy Story: Midway Mania, and WEB SLINGERS.

For guests who have not pre-purchased the Lightning Lane Multi-Pass with their tickets, this change may be appealing. After all, any savings are welcome in today’s market. Still, guests receive only one in total per guest, not one per day. Likewise, the monetary savings are not much. At $32, the Lightning Lane Multi-Pass comes down to $2.46 per ride at Disneyland, and $3.50 at DCA. Of course, the Multi-Pass also comes with unlimited PhotoPass downloads.

Additionally, many visitors buy the Lightning Lane Multi-Pass with their tickets on the official website or through travel agency packages, so the one complimentary pass has no real value. Whether this sounds worth it will be up to each individual. Still, when thinking about the age-old saying, “time is money,” I’m certain most guests find the 30 minutes early entry a much better deal.

Regardless, the change is coming in 2026. Disneyland will always be a magical place, but eliminating a beloved, if supposedly underused perk, doesn’t feel magical at all.