Disneyland announces end of park early entry program for hotel guests
Disneyland Resort is set to eliminate the “Early Entry” program for hotel guests beginning Jan. 5, 2026, a significant change to the long-standing on-site benefit and will replace it with a Lightning Lane.
Currently, guests staying at one of the three Disneyland Resort hotels—Disneyland Hotel, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, and Pixar Place Hotel—can enter a designated theme park 30 minutes before official opening to enjoy select attractions, dining, and shopping. The early entry park alternates between Disneyland Park on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and Disney California Adventure Park on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
Starting in 2026, this daily benefit will be replaced with a new perk: a one-time Lightning Lane entry to a Lightning Lane Multi Pass attraction during a guest’s stay. This single-use pass will be available for each person on the hotel reservation and is subject to attraction availability.
The shift marks a change in strategy for the resort, moving from a daily, time-based benefit to a flexible, single-use pass. While the new Lightning Lane pass offers guests a guaranteed opportunity to skip the line on a popular ride at any time during their stay, it eliminates the daily early access that many on-site guests relied on to experience multiple attractions with minimal wait times.
This change is effective for all new and existing hotel reservations for arrivals on or after Jan. 5, 2026. Guests with valid theme park admission and park reservations for the same day will be able to utilize the new benefit. The Lightning Lane Multi Pass benefit for hotel guests is subject to the terms and conditions of the pass, which is typically a paid add-on to a guest’s ticket.
Disneyland officials have not publicly commented on the reasoning for the change, but the move comes as the resort continues to adjust its operational strategies and guest benefits. The removal of the Early Entry could also cut back on some Cast Member hours since it would mean the elimination of 30 minutes of current operations.
