The Story Behind The Disneyland Hotel And Why It Wasn’t Owned By Disney For Decades

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2025 marks the 70th anniversary of the Disneyland Resort. Walt Disney’s vision became a reality for the public in July 1955, fundamentally changing the entertainment landscape. Many of the rides and attractions you enjoy at Disneyland today were present on opening day, and are therefore also celebrating 70 years. Interestingly, a crucial part of Disneyland’s history, the Disneyland Hotel, is only now reaching this milestone, with its birthday being this October. It’s a special time for all!

The Disneyland Hotel first welcomed guests on October 5, 1955. For many years, it was the only hotel officially connected to Disneyland. Throughout the past 70 years, the resort has seen many updates and transformations, including a change in ownership. Initially, it wasn’t owned or operated by The Walt Disney Company, but it was later purchasedby them.

Walt Disney Wanted A Hotel For Disneyland, But Couldn’t Afford It

Disneyland wasn’t simply a new theme park; it was revolutionary in every aspect, from its planning to how it was advertised. While other movie studios were avoiding television because they thought it hurt their earnings, Walt Disney saw it as a fantastic opportunity to introduce his new concept to everyone. Disneyland, the ABC TV series (you can watch a few episodes with a Disney+ subscription), served as both enjoyable television and a promotion for the park that was about to open. As excitement grew nationwide, people would also need accommodations when they visited.

Today, the area around Disneyland is packed with hotels, but when it was being built, it was a very remote location. The interstate highway needed to bring visitors to the park was still under construction. Walt Disney realized his new park would require lodging for guests. However, he faced a challenge: Walt was running low on funds, as Disneyland’s construction cost was already at $17 million.

Walt attempted to convince large hotel chains, such as Hilton and Sheraton, to build a hotel, but they refused because Anaheim was quite isolated back then. Ultimately, Walt turned to his friend Jack Wrather, who, along with his partner Maria Helen Alvarez, agreed to fund the building of the Disneyland Hotel.

It’s noteworthy that the agreement between Warther-Alvarez and Disney granted the company rights to the name “Disneyland Hotel” universally – not just for a hotel next to the theme park. This meant there was potential for a national chain of Disneyland Hotels, though this ultimately didn’t happen. Disneyland could have been much more widespread.

Because of a delayed beginning and several issues during construction, the facility didn’t open until October 1955 – almost three months after the park itself opened. And even then, it was only operating at a small percentage of its intended size.

The Disneyland Hotel And The Monorail

The hotel eventually opened and quickly started growing. Along with it, the surrounding suburban areas of Anaheim expanded rapidly. While many new hotel choices appeared soon after, there remained only one original Disneyland Hotel.

Beyond its many features, a key differentiator for the park arrived in 1961. That’s when the Disneyland Monorail’s path was changed to add a stop at the Disneyland Hotel. This meant hotel guests could take the Monorail straight into Tomorrowland. It was a convenient and exciting addition!

As a big Disney fan, I always found it fascinating that the connection between the hotel and the park was so strong, yet most people didn’t realize Disney didn’t actually *own* the Disneyland Hotel. From what I’ve read, Walt Disney himself tried several times to buy it from Jack Wrather. Wrather took complete ownership in 1958, but honestly, the Disneyland Hotel was just too profitable for him to ever seriously consider selling. It really was a unique situation, and it’s a little-known fact about the park’s history. You can find more details about the hotel here, but the bottom line is Wrather wasn’t interested in letting it go.

Michael Eisner Buys The Disneyland Hotel For Disney

Wrather passed away in 1984, just under two months after Michael Eisner took the position of CEO at The Walt Disney Company. Hotels located on Disney properties would become a significant aspect of Eisner’s contribution to the theme parks. Almost twenty-four hotels were built at Walt Disney World while Eisner was in charge, but the CEO also had his sights set on the very first one: the Disneyland Hotel. It was a key part of his vision. He wanted to revitalize the original hotel experience.

Eisner tried contacting Bonita Granville, the widow of Larry Wrather, hoping to buy the hotel, but she also declined to sell. Four years later, Granville passed away, which created an opening for Eisner and Disney. Instead of trying to separately buy the rights to the Disneyland Hotel, they decided on a potentially pricier, but easier, solution. Disney bought the entire Wrather Corporation.

This deal gave Disney control of far more than just the hotel itself. The purchase included the Queen Mary and the Spruce Goose, leading to plans for a potential Port Disney theme park in Long Beach. Importantly, Disney now owned the Disneyland Hotel, allowing them to demolish it.

The Disneyland Resort Transforms The Disneyland Hotel

The fact that Disney didn’t own the Disneyland Hotel created a major problem for Eisner’s plans to greatly expand Disneyland. In 1999, a large part of the hotel was torn down as part of a bigger resort project. This project also included building Disney California Adventure and the Downtown Disney shopping and dining area.

The Disneyland Hotel originally grew around three main towers constructed in the 1960s and 70s, and a new tower dedicated to the Disney Vacation Club opened in 2023. Sadly, none of the hotel’s first buildings from 1955 are still standing today. They have all been replaced over time.

Over time, two additional hotels joined the Disneyland Resort. The Grand Californian Resort & Spa was constructed directly connected to the Disney California Adventure park. Disney also bought the Pan Pacific Hotel Anaheim in 1995. It was first renamed the Disneyland Pacific Hotel, then the Paradise Pier Hotel, and most recently became the Pixar Place Hotel in 2024.

I’ve had the chance to stay at all three Disneyland hotels, and while they each offer something unique and appealing, the original Disneyland Hotel holds a special place. It’s been a part of the resort since nearly the very beginning. Over the past 70 years, it’s undergone many changes, and will continue to evolve, but there’s still only one Disneyland Hotel.

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2025-10-03 15:10