There are really big changes in the benefits that Disneyland Resort offers to its hotel guests. The changes include: officially ending the popular Early Entry program, giving hotel guests easy access to a new free Lightning Lane Multi Pass admission instead of access to a single park for early entry, and changing the whole system. This new system will be implemented on January 5, 2026, and it is a step away from the early park access that guests were allowed to have physically.
For a long time, Early Entry was an exclusive perk for Disneyland Hotel, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, and Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel guests. They got to enter Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure Park 30 minutes ahead of the crowds. The rotation was between the two parks—Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at Disneyland Park, and Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays at Disney California Adventure. Visitors had the ability to use this head start to ride such fan favorites as Peter Pan’s Flight, Space Mountain, and Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!
, as well as a variety of dining and shopping locations. However, reportedly, few visitors utilized the amenity. In response, Disneyland Resort opted to discontinue Early Entry and replace it with a new one with greater flexibility and wider appeal. Beginning in 2026, hotel visitors—including Disney Vacation Club resort guests—will be offered one free Lightning Lane Multi Pass admission per stay.
This will enable every guest on the reservation to bypass the standby line for a single participating attraction of their choosing, as long as they have valid theme park admission and a reservation when needed.
The new perk is one Lightning Lane Multi Pass per guest, per reservation—not an everyday benefit. Everyone in the group needs to be on the hotel reservation, checked in, and have valid tickets to use it. Some high-demand experiences, including Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance in Disneyland and Radiator Springs Racers in California Adventure, aren’t part of the program.
Disney Vacation Club members who are renting at The Villas at Disneyland Hotel or The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel will also get this perk, with it fitting in line with Disney’s effort to enhance value in on-site stays. The switch from Early Entry to Lightning Lane is part of a larger industry shift toward digital, reservation-based systems that prioritize flexibility and convenience over additional park time. Guests scheduling trips on or after January 5, 2026, will need to factor these changes into their plans. Tying together tickets, hotel stays, and Lightning Lane benefits in the Disneyland app in advance will assist in a seamless visit. Though the removal of Early Entry will be a disappointment to some, the Lightning Lane benefit introduces a new type of benefit—enabling guests to skip lines at a time and location that will suit their schedule.