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Disneyland discontinues the most significant hotel benefit it offered

Fast-track access, known as Early Entry, ending in early January, to be swapped with a Lightning Lane privilege.

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Disneyland discontinues its most significant hotel benefit
Disneyland discontinues its most significant hotel benefit

Disneyland discontinues the most significant hotel benefit it offered

Disneyland is making changes to its hotel guest perks, effective January 5, 2026. The most significant change is the removal of the Early Entry perk, which allowed hotel guests access to popular rides like Space Mountain, Star Tours, Incredicoaster, Soarin', and many others 30 minutes before park opening.

In the past, hotel guests at The Disneyland Hotel, Disney's Grand Californian Hotel, and Pixar Place Hotel could enjoy Early Entry access to Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. However, this will no longer be the case.

Before the Early Entry perk, Disneyland offered two additional perks: Extra Magic Hour and Magic Morning. The Extra Magic Hour perk was not exclusive to Early Entry and was available to all hotel guests. Unfortunately, both Extra Magic Hour and Magic Morning were victims of the yearlong COVID-19 pandemic theme park closures.

The change in perk may not be a luxurious feeling for guests who had to wake up early to take advantage of Early Entry, but the new Lightning Lane perk provides more flexibility for guests to enjoy expedited access on a more relaxed timeline. Starting January 5, Disney hotel guests will receive one free Lightning Lane pass good for a single ride.

Each guest on the hotel reservation will receive a single Lightning Lane pass per stay, regardless of the length of the booking. This means that families or groups can share the pass, allowing them to skip the line on one popular ride during their visit.

It's important to note that not every attraction was open during Early Entry, but many popular rides were available. Additionally, reservation requirements mean that hotel guests can't always get into the park offering Early Entry on any given day.

An analysis by the Disney hotel booking team found that most guests weren't taking advantage of the Early Entry perk, leading to the decision to introduce the practice that Disneyland Hotel guests will receive a complimentary Lightning Lane Multi Pass for a single ride instead.

Disneyland previously allowed hotel guests access to the park an hour early during Extra Magic Hour. However, when Disneyland reopened in 2021, Extra Magic Hour was reduced to 30 minutes. The Magic Morning perk was another previous perk offered by Disneyland, but it was not mentioned in the current changes.

The removal of Early Entry and the introduction of the Lightning Lane pass mark a shift in Disneyland's approach to hotel guest perks. While the new perk may not offer the same early access to the parks, it provides a more flexible and convenient way for guests to enjoy their visit.

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