Disneyland is dropping its Early Entry perk for Disney resort guests beginning on January 5, 2026. The perk allowed guests staying at a Disney hotel 30-minute early entry to a designated theme park. Guests staying at the Grand Californian, Disneyland Hotel, or Pixar Pier had a chance to get a head start on their day.
Also beginning January 5, Disney is giving guests staying at these hotels one complimentary Lightning Lane entry for a Multi Pass attraction. Note that this is limited to one per guest per stay, and is subject to Lightning Lane availability.
According to Scott Gustin, Disney said the Early Entry perk wasn’t being widely used and that inspired the change. Disney is seemingly looking at the one free Lightning Lane as a direct replacement for the cancellation of the Early Entry benefit.
We’ll be blunt – we’re not a fan of this change. The Early Entry perk was a tangible benefit that allowed Disney hotel guests to bypass much of the rope drop madness. Sure, it was only 30 minutes ahead of normal opening time. But, guests with a plan could knock off some key attractions before the main crowds rushed in.
Now, guests will receive one Lightning Lane pass. Just one. That’s a big drop in value for longer stays. For example, a 4-night stay would only get one Lighting Lane pass per person instead of being able to visit the parks early each day of their visit. How are those even remotely comparable? We could maybe understand this change if Lightning Lanes were given for each day of the stay.
We’ve often complained about how Disney has eroded the value of staying at their hotels. Disney charges a premium price that’s significantly higher than other nearby hotels. As they strip out more and more perks (especially in Disney World), it’s getting harder and harder to recommend these hotels to guests.
What do you think of this change?
