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Our first trip to Disneyland was everything I had hoped for, and more, and much of that experience hinges on the accommodations we chose to stay at.
I planned this vacation to celebrate my 40th Birthday and to participate in the Inaugural Disneyland Halloween Half Marathon Weekend. Once I knew that our trip would mostly revolve around a race weekend, and I wanted to remain as budget-friendly as possible, I turned to the trusty old internet for reviews of the best places to stay for a RunDisney event in Anaheim.
I joined a few Run Disneyland Facebook groups and scoured the comments for recommendations. The one that kept coming up as a hidden gem for the races and parks was the Candy Cane Inn.
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Candy Cane Inn
The Candy Cane Inn is an official Disney good neighbor hotel. It is only .5 miles from the entrance to Disneyland, DCA, and Downtown Disney and was super close to the start and finish lines for the races. It’s so close to the parks that you can see the back of Cars Land in Disney’s California Adventure directly behind the hotel!!
Because this is an official good neighbor hotel, we could also bundle our theme park tickets and decided to add a 3-day park hopper with Genie Plus (now Lightning Lane multi-pass). It was a super simple process. We booked on the official Disneyland website, downloaded the Disneyland Mobile app, and linked the reservation. Our tickets and passes showed up in the app three days before arrival, and we were 100% ready to go!
My first impression of the hotel was that it was adorable! Plus, they had it decorated for Halloween! It’s a fully remodeled vintage motel that screamed Hollywood to me and had a lot of amenities and perks. The rooms are not huge, but we only needed it to sleep and relax for the races, and it was perfect for us. Let’s dive into all the details!
A Historical Look and Review of the Candy Cane Inn Near Disneyland
The Candy Cane Inn has welcomed guests since 1957, just two years after Disneyland opened its gates in 1955. Its history mirrors the evolution of the Disneyland area, growing alongside the park as more tourists flocked to the Anaheim resort.
Originally a modest motel, it gained a reputation for being a clean, comfortable, and affordable place to stay, perfect for families visiting Disneyland. The inn’s name, “Candy Cane,” captures the whimsical, family-friendly spirit that ties in nicely with the magical atmosphere of the nearby theme parks. Its longevity and success are attributed to its consistent dedication to hospitality and prime location.
Through the decades, the Candy Cane Inn has undergone multiple renovations, keeping the retro feel but adding modern conveniences. Despite being updated, it holds onto its mid-century charm, making it a nostalgic favorite among Disneyland veterans and a pleasant discovery for newcomers.
Checking into the Candy Cane Inn
This charming hotel gave us an instant good impression as we pulled into the parking lot after a long day of travel. Even though we had left Tampa at 5 AM EST, we landed in California and made our way to the hotel before 11 AM PST. We hoped to be able to check in as soon as possible, and they accommodated us.
The hotel front desk staff was extremely friendly, accommodating, and informative. Emily was fantastic. We felt like instant friends, and this experience really got us excited for our first visit to the parks.
Hotel Details
The lobby was small but mighty. I adored the black-and-white checkered marble floors and rich, beautiful furnishings and decor. The lobby served fresh-flavored water that changed daily and provided a small gift shop with an assortment of snacks and drinks for purchase.
Behind the front desk was a spacious room full of natural light that overlooked the pool area and was the location for the daily complimentary continental breakfast. More on that below.
The hotel also features a beautifully maintained outdoor heated pool and a hot tub, perfect for relaxing after a long day at Disneyland. I loved the ambiance here. They played trendy music, had plenty of seating, and had cute striped umbrellas. It truly felt like California to me.
Candy Cane Inn Standard Room
We enjoyed our room at The Candy Cane Inn. It was simple but had everything we needed, and keeping with our budget-friendly mindset, we just booked the Standard room. They offer Deluxe, Premium, and Accessible rooms, but we were thrilled with the Standard and its first-floor location in the middle of the complex. This made it super easy to walk out the door and get to the pool, breakfast, and trolley stop.
The rooms are updated, modern, and clean. I loved the bathroom vanity, room lighting, wardrobe, and simple but cute decor. The beds were extremely comfortable too. The coffee maker and mini fridge were pretty basic, but we were obviously there for Disney food, so we didn’t mind. But again, they offered rooms with larger refrigerators, microwaves, etc, if you wanted to be even more budget-conscious.
My only other note is that since it is an older hotel, there can be a lot of noise outside and upstairs if you are on the first floor. Luckily, we only heard the occasional screaming child (hello, it’s Disney), but we were lucky to have relatively quiet neighbors.
Lastly, this hotel has plantation shutters on the windows. On the one hand, I like them better than curtains for allergy purposes, but it was a little tricky for someone like me with light sensitivity, especially when we tried to nap during the day after the 10k and Half-Marathon races. Overall, though, we loved our room and the location.
Bonus: We could see the Disneyland Fireworks from the front door of our room and the pool area!
Candy Cane Inn Trolley
Another huge bonus at the Candy Cane Inn is the FREE shuttle to Disneyland. Although the inn is just a 10-minute walk from the park, it offers a complimentary shuttle service for added convenience. It is the cutest temperature-controlled Trolley you will ever see and makes frequent daily trips to and from the Disneyland parks to the hotel.
The trolley was always on schedule and was super convenient. We appreciated this when trying to keep extra miles off our feet during a race weekend. Plus, the trolley drivers were so friendly, adding to the overall excitement and experience each day. Even though it was a race weekend, we often found ourselves on a mostly empty trolley, especially in the mornings. I can still hear the trolley ringing it’s bell in my mind!
Complimentary Continental Breakfast
To add to the list of wonderful perks at Candy Cane Inn, the daily complimentary breakfast was a big one! Each day from 6:30 AM to 9:30 AM, guests enjoy a free continental breakfast, which includes a selection of pastries, fresh fruit, cereals, yogurt, eggs, toasted sandwiches, and more. This is a great perk for those looking to save time and money before heading to the parks.
They also expanded the breakfast from 5:30 to 10:30 a.m. on race days. However, we noticed they didn’t really restock the food after 9:30 a.m. That was a bit of a bummer when we returned from the races at 10 a.m., and there was very little variety left. But I guess something was better than nothing after running 6.2 and 13.1 miles each morning.
It was such a great service to have this included in our stay, and it was all with a lovely view of the pool area.
Amenities at the Candy Cane Inn
The Candy Cane Inn in Anaheim, California offers a variety of amenities designed to enhance your stay. Here’s an overview of the key amenities provided by this charming Good Neighbor Hotel:
1. Complimentary Continental Breakfast
- Guests enjoy a free continental breakfast, which includes a selection of pastries, fresh fruit, cereals, yogurt, eggs, and more. This is a great perk for those looking to save time and money before heading to the parks.
2. Free Shuttle to Disneyland
- Although the inn is just a 10-minute walk from Disneyland, they offer a complimentary shuttle service to and from the park for added convenience.
3. Heated Outdoor Pool & Jacuzzi
- The hotel features a beautifully maintained outdoor heated pool and a hot tub, perfect for relaxing after a long day at Disneyland.
4. Fitness Center
- For guests who want to stay active during their stay, the inn offers a small, well-equipped fitness center.
5. Free Wi-Fi
- Complimentary Wi-Fi is available throughout the hotel, including in guest rooms and common areas.
6. Beautifully Landscaped Grounds
- The property is known for its tropical landscaping, with lush gardens, flowering plants, and well-maintained lawns that create a peaceful, resort-like atmosphere.
7. Free On-Site Parking
- One of the rare finds in the area, the inn offers free parking for guests, which is a big plus considering the cost of parking at other hotels or Disneyland itself.
8. 24-Hour Front Desk & Concierge
- The front desk operates 24 hours a day, and the staff are known for their helpfulness, assisting guests with tickets, local recommendations, and any other needs.
9. Disneyland Ticket Sales
- As a Disney Good Neighbor Hotel, the inn allows guests to purchase Disneyland tickets directly from the hotel, saving time and hassle.
10. Accessibility Features
- The inn is equipped with accessible rooms and amenities for guests with mobility challenges, ensuring a comfortable stay for everyone.
11. Business Center
- There is a small business center available for guests who need access to computers, printing, or other basic office services.
12. In-Room Amenities
- Rooms are equipped with mini-fridges, coffee makers, flat-screen TVs, air conditioning, and complimentary toiletries. Housekeeping service is offered daily.
13. Laundry Facilities
- For longer stays, the Candy Cane Inn offers self-service laundry facilities on-site.
The Candy Cane Inn offers a delightful combination of mid-century charm and tropical landscaping. The grounds are beautifully kept with palm trees, flowering plants, and well-manicured lawns that give it a peaceful, resort-like atmosphere. The architecture harks back to its 1950s origins, but the rooms have been updated with modern furnishings and conveniences, blending the old and new seamlessly.
Staying at the Candy Cane Inn is like taking a step back into a simpler time, without sacrificing modern amenities. It allows guests to experience a blend of Disneyland nostalgia and contemporary comfort—making it the perfect home base for a magical Disneyland vacation. We absolutely loved our stay here, and would absolutely stay here again in the future! Stay tuned – my next blog post will be all about our Disneyland theme park day!
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This sounds like the perfect place for me to stay if I ever get to CA. I love the 50s vibe.