2026 Disneyland Resort vacation packages opened for booking today, August 20, and there are some major changes coming to the Theme Park Perks offered to those who stay at Disneyland Resort Hotels starting January 5, 2026.
The most significant change for all hotel guests is the end of the Early Entry program, which currently offers guests of the three Disneyland Resort hotels 30-minute early entry to a designated theme park every day of their hotel stay. The perk alternates between Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, and gives hotel guests a head start on the most popular rides and experiences.
Starting January 5, 2026 guests will instead receive one Lightning Lane entry to a Lightning Lane Multi Pass attraction during their Resort stay.
Past: 30 minutes early entry each DAY
Future: 1 Lightning Lane per STAY
This change benefits guests who didn’t like to get up early to rope drop the theme parks, or those who did not have a theme park reservation for the park at which Early Entry was offered that day. For everyone else, this is a pretty major downgrade in benefits.
Guests at the Pixar Place Hotel have another change starting January 5, 2026. Effective that date, the dedicated hotel entrance to Disney California Adventure will be closed. It is not clear whether Pixar Place Hotel guests will be allowed to use the Grand Californian Hotel entrance to DCA starting January 5, or if they will need to walk through Downtown Disney and enter the park from the main entrance. Either way, this change takes away another perk of staying at this Disneyland Resort Hotel, and should be taken into consideration when booking a hotel.
