Hotel: SpringHill Suites by Marriott Anaheim Maingate

Accessibility 4/5

Staff/Service: 5

Location: Anaheim Ca, near Disneyland Main Gate

Recently we stayed at the SpringHill Suites by Marriott Anaheim Maingate before a cruise which departed from Long Beach.  We planned to spend two days at Disney and see everything we could, then relax and recover on the ship. We found the hotel comfortable, and appreciated the included breakfast options, but how was the accessibility?

Navigating the hotel

When you enter the property, the check in desk is located straight ahead on the right. From the entrance, through a maze of furniture in the seating area is the breakfast area. There are a good number of tables available, with good maneuvering distance between them, so plenty of room for those using mobility aids. If you walk to the check in desk from the entrance, the elevators are located in a small hallway directly behind you and to the right before you get to the breakfast area.

The elevators and room number signs were marked in braille and found as expected. Some of the rooms were a bit of a walk from the elevator, ask at the front desk for some help finding your room and they will happily accommodate you.  

The pool was located past the check-in desk and was a bit challenging to find. I would recommend asking someone at the check in desk to show you were it is – they are extremely nice and very accommodating.

Location, Location, Location

If you have ever experienced the exhaustion associated with a day at Disneyland, you know ow important it is to have a close hotel. The SpringHill Suites by Marriott Anaheim Maingate is located close to Disney’s Main Gate and if you aren’t feeling the 15-to-20-minute walk to Disney, public transportation is available every 20 minutes right outside of the hotel entrance. Additionally, ride shares are around ten USD, and were readily available. Our longest wait time for an Uber or Lyft was around ten minutes at the designated pickup area outside Main Gate. 

Savings

Staying at the Disneyland hotel is an amazing experience, but it will cost you quite a bit more than finding a hotel offsite. The SpringHill Suites by Marriott Anaheim Maingate was 199 USD a night plus taxes and fees. Perhaps the only real downside to staying offsite is once the fireworks have finished and your feet feel like they want to fall off, you have to hoof it to the pickup spot and grab a ride back to the hotel instead of just hopping on the monorail.

Rooms

We stayed in a King bed suite; the room was spacious and included a sitting area with couch and table. The shampoo and shower gel were not well marked, and I found them tough to read. We needed some additional towels and the housekeeping staff were prompt and friendly with the request. We returned after our day at Disney to a restocked and cleaned room each day.

It should be noted that the Disney fireworks can be seen and heard from the hotel. Be prepared for about 15 minutes of loud booms when the park closes each day (we were in the park one day for the show). For those looking to be able to see the fireworks from their room, rooms on the backside of the property can overlook the park.

I’ll have the waffles

The SpringHill Suites by Marriott Anaheim Maingate offered a very nice selection of breakfast items, including a waffle station, eggs and all the other goodies. We ate a big breakfast and that lasted us through to dinner with just a few snacks in the park. Another great savings idea. There were not a lot of healthy eating options so be prepared to fall off the diet wagon.

It should be noted that the breakfast area was quite loud. If you have sensitive ears, be prepared. Everyone tends to be getting ready for their day at Disney and the children tend to be quite loud. They are excited, who could blame them? I’m not whining about it, it’s exciting to be getting ready for a day at Disney.

The Staff

The staff were very accommodating and willing to help find anything in the hotel. They were all very good about not interacting (ignoring) with my guide dog.  The person overseeing the breakfast area did a great job making sure things were available and was quick to refill coffee, pastries and other goodies as they needed.

Guide Dog accommodations

If you are traveling with a guide, there is plenty of room for them to stretch out. Since every room is a suite, there is a couch area with plenty of floor space for the dog to lay. My guide appreciated this as she usually has to sleep next to the head of my bed in smaller rooms.

There were a few places with dirt and not much grass for relieving outside. They didn’t say specifically where they wanted the dog to relieve, so I found some out of the way places.  Garbage cans for waste were located outside the front doors.

Final thoughts

I enjoyed my stay at the SpringHill Suites by Marriott Anaheim Maingate. The staff was friendly, the hotel was easy to navigate (all but the pool area) and it was located close enough to the park to walk or grab a cheap ride.