Fairfield by Marriott Anaheim Resort Review: A Great Hotel Near Disneyland

Photo Credit: Fairfield by Marriott

I've stayed at this hotel more times than I can count. It's not fancy. It's not Instagram-worthy. But when I'm planning a Disneyland trip, this is where I book first — and here's why.

Location, Location, Location

The Fairfield by Marriott Anaheim Resort sits at 1460 South Harbor Blvd, right across the street from the Disneyland main entrance gate. From your hotel room to the security line takes maybe 7-10 minutes on foot. That proximity changes how you do Disneyland.

My strategy: hit the parks first thing in the morning, come back to the hotel after lunch for a long afternoon nap (non-negotiable with kids), then head back for the evening. Being this close makes that nap break actually work. If your hotel requires a drive and parking, you're not coming back mid-day — and by 3 PM, everyone is melting down.

The hotel is set back from Harbor Blvd with a Panera on one side and a McDonald's on the other. We eat at one of these two places almost every day. I'm not wasting prime morning Disneyland time sitting down for a breakfast, and my exhausted kids don't want to wait for DoorDash after a long day at the park. We grab McDonald's on our way to the park each morning, eat it while waiting for rope drop, and I pick up a fountain Diet Coke on my way back for the evening session. It works great.

Quick note: Disneyland lets you bring food and drinks into the park.

Getting there: John Wayne Airport (SNA) is the dream — about a 15-20 minute Uber. Long Beach (LGB) is also great, maybe 30 minutes. LAX works but can easily take an hour or more depending on traffic. Both John Wayne and Long Beach are small, easy airports where you can clear security in 10 minutes. Pro tip: schedule your Uber or Lyft to the airport in advance. California rideshares are notorious for canceling airport pickups, but scheduling ahead seems to fix that.

The Room

Photo Credit: Fairfield by Marriott

Standard rooms have two queen beds plus a pullout chair-bed, sleeping up to five. The pullout is narrow — fine for a kid under 12, survivable for an adult but not comfortable. If you use it, bring an extra blanket. The chair-bed sits right next to the AC unit, so I prop the couch cushions in front of it to redirect the cold air upward instead of blasting the sleeper directly.

The bathroom setup is actually smart — there's a sink and mirror area with a closet, separated by a door from the toilet and shower/tub. Two people can get ready simultaneously, and people can be up getting ready without waking anyone sleeping. There's a fridge in the room. The rooms have Smart TVs with streaming.

The hotel is showing its age. It's clean, it functions, but the finishes are tired. It's not luxury. It's not trying to be. If you want nicer rooms, the Hyatt House Anaheim down the street is newer and more polished — but it's farther from the park entrance. If you want genuine luxury, the Grand Californian is the move, but at 5-10x the price.

Breakfast

There is no free breakfast here. Not even for Marriott elites. Platinum members get 500 bonus points and a small food discount, but that's it.

This doesn't bother me at all because of the McDonald's and Panera situation. But if free breakfast matters to your family's budget — and with kids, it can save you $30-50/day — look at the Best Western or Park Vue across the street, or the Hyatt House Anaheim down the street.

Pool

I've used the pool exactly once in all my years staying here. It's a small rectangular pool in the parking lot area with a basic hot tub. The pool is pretty cold.  My kids had fun for an hour, but this is not a pool hotel.

If pool time matters to your trip, look at the Courtyard by Marriott next door (has a mini water park setup), the HoJo, or the Disneyland Hotel. You're not coming to this Fairfield for the pool. You're coming because it's 7 minutes from Space Mountain.

Points vs. Cash

This is a cash hotel for me. Here's why.

Marriott's dynamic pricing typically puts this around 50,000+ points per night, and I've seen award nights over 100,000 points. At those rates, the points math rarely works out. You'd get far better value using Marriott points elsewhere.

The one exception: If you have Marriott free night certificates (the 35,000 or 50,000-point ones that come with certain credit cards), and you can find availability that matches — this is a solid use. You're essentially getting a $200-300/night hotel for a certificate you already have.

Otherwise, just pay cash. I like to see rates around $200/night. At $250 I grumble but usually book. Over $300, I start looking at the HoJo next door or the Hyatt House Anaheim on points.

Booking tip: Book the refundable rate as early as possible. This hotel's prices climb dramatically as your dates approach. If I know I'm going for the Halloween party in September, I book the Fairfield in March or April. I can always cancel if plans change, but I've locked in the lower rate.

How It Compares to Other Disneyland Hotels

I've stayed at many walkable hotels near Disneyland. Here's my quick take:

Vs. Hyatt House Anaheim: The Hyatt is newer, nicer rooms, free breakfast,, books on Hyatt points, and has rooms that fit 6 people. But it's a block or two farther. If I'm using points, I pick the Hyatt. If I'm paying cash and the Fairfield is under $250, I pick the Fairfield for the closer location.

Vs. HoJo (Howard Johnson): The HoJo has a better pool, similar location (one more block), and rooms that fit 6. The Fairfield rooms are a step nicer. I go to the HoJo when the Fairfield is too expensive.

Vs. Courtyard by Marriott (next door): Bigger rooms, better pool, but often significantly more expensive. If you want a Marriott property with a nicer pool, this is it. But the Fairfield is marginally closer to the parks.

Vs. Best Western / Park Vue Inn: These are directly across from the entrance — possibly the closest hotels besides the Grand Californian. But the rooms are older and more basic than the Fairfield.

Vs. Disneyland Hotel: Nicer, obviously. But I actually think the Fairfield is a better value. The walking distance is comparable, and now that Disney is removing the early park entry perk for resort guests, there's even less reason to pay the premium. I love the Disneyland Hotel as a Disney fan, but I'd pick the Fairfield for most trips.

Vs. Grand Californian: Not a fair comparison. The Grand Californian is a splurge hotel — beautiful, has its own park entrance, gorgeous pool. If you're celebrating something or splitting the cost with a group of adults, it's worth it. For a regular family Disneyland trip, the Fairfield does the job at a fraction of the price.

I'll be publishing individual reviews of each of these hotels. Stay tuned.

Fireworks

You can see the Disneyland fireworks from the hotel. If you're back at the Fairfield during the show, just step outside your room onto the walkway — you don't need a park-view room, just walk around until you can see the fireworks. That said, to get the full experience with the synchronized music, you really need to be inside the park. I wouldn't pay extra for a fireworks-view room, but it's a nice little bonus if you get upgraded with Marriott status.

Other Practical Details

Luggage storage: They have a bell desk room where you can store bags on checkout day. I use this constantly — we check out, leave our bags, spend a final morning at the parks, then grab the luggage and head to the airport.

Stroller/scooter rentals: Third-party rental companies deliver directly to this hotel. Very common and easy to arrange.

Parking: You'll pay for parking if you have a car. I typically don't rent a car for Disneyland trips since everything is walkable.

Grocery delivery: I've had grocery orders delivered to the front desk with no issues. Great for stocking the fridge with snacks, milk, cereal, and breakfast items.

Final Thoughts

The Fairfield by Marriott Anaheim Resort is my most-booked Disneyland hotel. Not because it's the best hotel near Disneyland — it isn't. It's because it's the right combination of close enough, nice enough, and affordable enough for how I do Disneyland: parks all day, nap in the afternoon, parks again at night, sleep, repeat.

If you want points bookings, go Hyatt House. If you want luxury, go Grand Californian. If you want free breakfast, go Best Western or Hyatt. If you want a great pool, go Disneyland Hotel, Courtyard or HoJo. But if you want to be across the street from the park, grab McDonald's on your way in, and not overthink it — the Fairfield is the move.

Rating:

4.5/5 (Losing half a star because it's getting a little tired and pricey for what it is. But honestly, nothing near Disneyland is getting a 5/5 from me.)

Will I Stay Here Again?

Cash: Already planning to. Under $250/night, I'm absolutely in.

Points: Rarely. Marriott points are better used elsewhere unless you have free night certificates that match.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far is Fairfield Anaheim from Disneyland? About a 7-minute walk from the hotel to the Disneyland security entrance. It's directly across Harbor Blvd from the main gate — one of the closest non-Disney hotels to the parks.

Does Fairfield Anaheim have free breakfast? No. Not even for Marriott elite members. Panera and McDonald's are right next door and we use them daily. You can also stock your in-room fridge with cereal, milk, and snacks via grocery delivery.

How many people can sleep in one room? Up to five — two queen beds plus a pullout chair-bed. The chair-bed is narrow and best for kids. If you need beds for six people, look at the Hyatt House Anaheim, HoJo, Best Western, or Park Vue, which all have rooms that accommodate six.

Should I use Marriott points here? Generally no. Award nights typically start around 35,000 points and can spike much higher. Pay cash and save your Marriott points for a property where you'll get better value. The exception is if you have free night certificates from Marriott credit cards — those can work well here.

What's the best airport for getting to Disneyland? John Wayne (SNA) — about a 15-20 minute Uber. Long Beach (LGB) is also great at about 30 minutes. Both are small, easy airports. LAX works but expect an hour or more in traffic.

Planning a Disneyland trip? stay tuned for our complete Disneyland hotel comparison guide coming soon.

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