News Disneyland Resort ends Early Entry benefit starting early January 2026

D

DCBaker

Premium Member
Original Poster
Disneyland Resort has announced that starting January 5, 2026, the Early Entry program for guests staying at the Hotels of the Disneyland Resort will no longer be available.

Instead, all guests who are checked in and staying at one of the Disneyland Resort Hotels with valid admission and park reservation will receive one Lightning Lane entry for an available Lightning Lane Multi Pass-eligible attraction of their choice to use during their resort stay.

Full details at this link:
 
muddyrivers

muddyrivers

Well-Known Member
You've gotta be kidding me! Only one LLMP for your entire stay, not even per day? There is very little advantage at that point for paying the high upcharge of staying at a Disneyland resort. I take advantage of early entry on every trip and especially in Disneyland, I can easily get multiple Fantasyland rides during that half hour window.

Very disappointed to see Disney cheaping out and overcharging their guests yet again!
 
TheMaxRebo

TheMaxRebo

Well-Known Member
It's interesting from a higher tle el if seeing Disney use a perk of a LL .... BUT one per stay is really not great

Already so expensive to stay on site vs tons of super close good neighbor hotels - this won't motivate me to stay on site. *Maybe* if it was 1 per day or if it was one full LLMP use per stay or something but no one singe LL access per stay
 
Disney Irish

Disney Irish

Premium Member
truecoat said:
Is this a Disneyland Forward action?
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mickEblu said:
That’s what I was thinking. Or perhaps related to Coco construction? Or most likely they re being cheap.
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Rumor that FB was hearing, and take it with a huge grain of salt, is that Simba Lot might be starting early construction next summer. This explains the recent permit regarding the street work. They might be starting on the new bridge after all.
 
mickEblu

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
Disney Irish said:
Rumor that FB was hearing, and take it with a huge grain of salt, is that Simba Lot might be starting early construction next summer. This explains the recent permit regarding the street work. They might be starting on the new bridge after all.
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Interesting. But that’s not where the bridge would go right? It would be over by the parade gate/ Boardwalk pizza? So maybe whatever construction is happening for Coco somehow impacts that private entrance path? It’s hard to see the connection but I guess it’s possible. Plans must have changed otherwise why build that private entrance at all? It’s what, 2 years old?
 
mickEblu

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
DavidDL said:
Not in the least bit surprising. Making sure Guests pay more for lesser experiences is, of course, the goal these days.

But I’m sure the usual suspects will be here soon with much to say about how this makes total sense and is actually a great move by Disney. “If they not be here already”.
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Not sure how anyone could spin this as being better for the average hotel guest or person on vacation. And that’s already downgraded from the 60 min early entry.

I will say as a “local” MK and someone who likes to sleep in I’d rather have the lightning lane. But wow one per stay not per day? I’m staying at the DL hotel next week and would gladly take the LL over the 30 min early entry.
 
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J

Just JBC

New Member
mickEblu said:
Interesting. But that’s not where the bridge would go right? It would be over by the parade gate/ Boardwalk pizza? So maybe whatever construction is happening for Coco somehow impacts that private entrance path? It’s hard to see the connection but I guess it’s possible. Plans must have changed otherwise why build that private entrance at all? It’s what, 2 years old?
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That entrance was there when DCA/Grand California first opened. Then closed when they build the DVC wing and re-opened around June 2022. I feel like it wasn't heavily advertised though, we never went at rope drop, but all the times we did go it was a ghost-town (which, obviously, made it my favorite). I'm really sad that it's closing right at the start of a trip where we are staying on-site.
 
CaptinEO

CaptinEO

Well-Known Member
It was already bad when they made it 30 minutes instead of an hour but this is kind of just gross. Per day per person would at least be something but for whole length of stay?

So if I book 4 one night stays vs 1 4 night stay I'd get 4 lightning lanes instead of 1?

A single lightning lane has what value maybe 10 bucks? For a room that costs 3x what the alternatives do? LOL
 
mickEblu

mickEblu

Well-Known Member
Just JBC said:
That entrance was there when DCA/Grand California first opened. Then closed when they build the DVC wing and re-opened around June 2022. I feel like it wasn't heavily advertised though, we never went at rope drop, but all the times we did go it was a ghost-town (which, obviously, made it my favorite). I'm really sad that it's closing right at the start of a trip where we are staying on-site.
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Right but I remember there being some construction involved. I don’t think it was simply a matter of reopening an old path.
 
Disney Irish

Disney Irish

Premium Member
mickEblu said:
Interesting. But that’s not where the bridge would go right? It would be over by the parade gate/ Boardwalk pizza? So maybe whatever construction is happening for Coco somehow impacts that private entrance path? It’s hard to see the connection but I guess it’s possible. Plans must have changed otherwise why build that private entrance at all? It’s what, 2 years old?
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It depends on the scope of the construction area, it might take up the entire backstage area up to that entrance. I guess we'll have to wait and see.
 

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