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Whenever you’re planning a trip to Disneyland®, you want to make sure you stay close by so you can be at the gate when it opens, and the last one’s to leave when it closes.
This is why we picked the Hyatt Regency Orange County as our hotel of choice when visiting Disneyland® in Anaheim.
Although I only had one night at the Hyatt Regency OC, AND I was not with Craig and the kids, I would happily stay there again and bring the family as they would have loved it!
While I think Disneyland® being the “happiest place on Earth” is up for debate, I can definitely say that the Hyatt Regency OC is a happy experience, and a good choice for families looking to be near the theme park in Anaheim.
If you’re thinking of staying at the Hyatt Regency in OC but not sure if it’s right for you and your family, below is our honest review based on my experience, so you can see if it matches your needs and interests.
Video Review: Hyatt Regency OC
The following video highlights the pros and cons of staying at the Hyatt Regency Orange County based on my experience and sums it up quickly for you. You can read these pros and cons down below.
What We Liked About The Hyatt Regency Orange County
Ever the optimists, we’ll start by listing what we liked about the Hyatt Regency, and further down below we’ve listed some drawbacks that could have been better (for us, at least).
1. A Disneyland® Resort Good Neighbour Hotel
The Hyatt Regency is a Disneyland® Resort Good Neighbor Hotel, which means the hotel has Disney-related features designed to maximise your experience at the theme park.
This includes a Disney Desk in the lobby where you can purchase theme park tickets in advance, as well as offering a convenient shuttle for guests to take to the Disneyland® theme parks.
The hotel’s shuttle service will take you to Disneyland® and California Adventure and departs every 30 minutes (on the :15 and :45 of every hour), the first departing one hour before the theme parks open.
2. A stand-out first impression
The Hyatt Regency is has two towers that are joined by a spacious 17-story glass atrium lobby.
The natural light, palm trees, and natural wood design creates a dramatic and zen-like first impression.
The foyer is where you’ll find the hotel restaurants, gift shop, and a Starbucks.
I found the check in staff to be very friendly and accommodating, which was welcome after a long flight.
3. Anaheim Hotel Location
The location of the Hyatt Regency in OC is fantastic. Of course, you are near Disneyland®, which is one of the main reasons to stay here, but even if you want to explore outside of the theme parks, the Hyatt is ideally located.
Located in the Garden Grove area of Anaheim, from the Hyatt you can drive to places like Huntington Beach or Chino Hills State Park in around 20-minutes.
You could walk to Disneyland® from the Hyatt, but it would take you about 40 minutes. I don’t recommend it if you plan on spending an entire day walking around the theme parks – we walked an average of 11 miles (17 kms) each day in the theme parks!!
It’s also walking distance to the Anaheim Garden Walk, which we found to have better restaurants than in Downtown Disney. You can also walk to Angel Stadium of Anaheim and Anaheim Convention Center.
The Hyatt Regency Orange County is closer to John Wayne Airport, which is about a 15 – 20 minute ride, depending on traffic.
You can take a super shuttle, Uber/Lyft, or even a private shuttle transfer.
4. Hyatt Regency Kid Suite Rooms
While the main bedroom in my Kids Suite was a little conventional, the kids bedroom was bright and cheerful – the girls would have their own room with bunk beds (and they’d be happy to see a TV).
Traveling with families can be intense, so the room separation with an adjoining room is super valuable, especially after spending long days at Disneyland.
As I am guessing you will be spending long days at Disneyland®, and not doing much else than sleeping in the room, the suite more than adequately caters to your needs.
The room had the biggest TV I’d ever seen! (see the photo above)
Although I would have liked it to be smaller, so there would have been more room on the desk for my nomadic office, but I know that this is personal preference and you might enjoy cuddling up to a movie in your in-room cinema!
I sincerely doubt that a giant TV will be an issue for the majority of people as you are here to clock off and NOT working on your computer.
There was also a microwave and small mini-fridge in the room, which can be handy to help you save money on food, especially for breakfasts.
Most importantly, the shower works well, and I did not have to phone the front desk to ask how to turn it on, a common issue I found with bathrooms in the US!
There was also air conditioning, ironing boards, and a coffee maker.
The Hyatt Regency Orange County also has VIP Kids Suites, which gives you a separate living room with sleeper sofa.
I think these spacious suites would be the ultimate room if your budget allows. See rates and availability of suites.
5. Good value for what you get
For the price you pay per night (about $290 per night for the Kids Suite, depending on the booking provider) I think these rates are of excellent value for a family of four and for what the 4-star Hyatt Regency offers – and for being so close to Disneyland.
If you’re a member of the Hyatt reward’s club, then you can get even more discounts and perks.
6. Two swimming pools
South tower swimming pool
The Hyatt Regency has two outdoor swimming pools, one in the North Tower and one in the South Tower.
I recommend having some down time on your Disneyland® vacation, so having a hotel that offers a decent outdoor pool area for the kids is a bonus.
The South Tower pool is located on the third floor and is a kid-friendly pool.
The swimming pool area in the South Tower also has a fire pit, oversized checkers game, ping pong table, and Savannah’s favorite, corn hole.
They were renovating the recreation area while I was staying, but normally it also includes a basketball court and tennis court.
The North Tower swimming pool
The North Tower Pool is more for the adults. It’s surrounded by palms and has a Whirlpool hot tub. It’s quieter and doesn’t have anything other than the pool.
7. S’mores around the campfire
One of the girl’s favorite things to do is enjoy s’mores over a campfire, and I love that you have the option to do that here.
You can purchase s’mores kits for the glowing fire pit in the South Tower pool region.
It’s a nice place to sit under the stars to unwind from your day at Disneyland®.
8. Free Wifi
The hotel offers complimentary Wi-Fi, which you would think is a given in this day and age, but you’d be surprised how many hotels offer WiFi only in public areas, or still make you pay a premium for it.
The Hyatt Regency offers free wi-fi throughout the hotel, even in the rooms, and it’s free to all guests. I won’t lie, it’s a bit slow, but it works fine and was good enough for me to work on.
Hyatt loyalty members can get access to free premium internet as well, so be sure to join the loyalty program before you check in (which is free to do).
9. Excellent Hotel Dining
I don’t usually eat at hotels when I travel as I like to get out and explore, but I was tired when I arrived and couldn’t find the energy to go out, so I explored what The Hyatt Regency Anaheim had to offer.
Fortunately, it has plenty of dining options, and with gluten free and vegetarian options (thank you).
The O.C. Brewhouse
The O.C. Brewhouse features local microbrews drafts, signature cocktails, burgers and an expansive menu of pub grub.
My grass fed beef burger at the brewery was delicious as was the side of vegetable.
Yes, I get excited by healthy vegetables! I also had a delicious shrimp salad.
They show movies for kids in the restaurant so parents can relax a little while the kids enjoy a movie and good food.
Tusca Restaurant
The Tucsca Restaurant serves Italian cuisine, and a hearty breakfast each morning. It had a wide variety of breakfast choices and were accommodating to my dietary requests.
My breakfast of poached eggs, avocado and sautéed mushrooms over arugula was delicious.
My only dissatisfaction was to see a 2% surcharge to cover for the rise in state minimum wage. I don’t know if that is a California thing, but it annoyed me and I didn’t see it happen anywhere else in Anaheim.
I’m happy to see minimum wages raising but this is a cost of business that consumers shouldn’t be paying a surcharge for!
The prices to stay in hotels, including eating at the restaurants, are high enough. I have given this feedback to the hotel, so hopefully it will change.
There is good news for families eating at the Tusca restaurant.
Kids 5 and under dine free at Tusca for breakfast and kids 6-10 receive a 50% discount. Eating out at Disney can be expensive, so this is a fantastic perk for families.
Citrus Grove Deli
I didn’t eat here, but there is also an onsite deli where you can pick up freshly made, gourmet sandwiches and wraps to take away with you. They can also bring your food to your room for in-room dining.
iSwii
Again, I didn’t eat here, but iSwii is a dessert bar where you can get anything sweet. If you feel like a gelato by the pool, refreshing sorbet, fluffy waffles or even a boba, iSwii has it.
Starbucks
There is also Starbucks in the hotel with fresh made-to-go items at a decent price and an express Delivery menu.
Delivery charges apply, so I’d just walk down from your hotel to order and take it back to your room.
You can also use the pool phone to order food and have it delivered to the pool area.
10. Stayfit Fitness Center
The Hyatt Regency’s fitness center was one of my favorite things about this hotel.
After just spending two months of intense workouts at my local gym and my personal trainer, I really don’t want to see my fitness slide on my vacation.
This fitness center had all the amenities I needed for my workout routines: free weights, weight machines, bosu, medicine balls, as well as elliptical and running machines.
It’s large and spacious, so I wasn’t working out on top of other people. The facilities are kept clean and are well maintained.
You could easily visit for a quick, yet effective workout before heading into Disneyland theme parks for the day.
There is also a sports deck out by the fire pit area, with basketball courts, ping-pong/table tennis tables, pickleball court, shuffleboard and a bit of astro turf where you can unroll your own yoga mat if you wanted to.
11. You can bring your pooch with you
The Hyatt Regency is a pet friendly hotel, so you can bring your dog with you. There is a charge of $100 for up to six nights, and an additional $100 for seven nights or more to cover deep cleaning.
You can bring two pets with you and they must weigh less than 50 pounds.
12. No resort fee
The Hyatt Regency Orange County doesn’t have a resort fee! However, it does have another fee…see more below.
What We Didn’t Like About The Hyatt Regency Orange County
Of course, nothing is ever perfect, so here are a few things we thought could have been better.
1. Parking
There is no onsite parking at the Hyatt Regency Orange County, which is a bit of a let down because you do need a car to explore OC if you’re doing things other than Disneyland.
They do offer valet parking, and there is a secured, gated parking lot behind the hotel, but it costs $30 for the night, which adds up if you are staying more than one night.
2. Incidental charges
A lot of hotels in the United States have this, and it’s almost unavoidable, so although it’s annoying I don’t think you have much of a choice when choosing hotels near Disney.
Incidental charges are basically a deposit incase you damage the room. It costs $75 per day, and is refunded to you on check out.
If you have a credit card, it’s not a problem as they can hold the money on your card and simply return it to you, but if you don’t then you need to make sure you have this in your bank.
The Verdict: Would I Recommend The Hyatt Regency Orange County?
All in all, I think the Hyatt Regency is a great place to stay for a Disneyland vacation.
It’s comfortable, spacious, and offers a few extra family friendly perks.
It’s not as close to the Disneyland Resort® theme parks as some of the other Anaheim hotels might be, but it’s still conveniently located.
For quality and amenities, it ranks highly in my book.
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Would you stay at the Hyatt Regency in Orange County? Is it important to be close to Disneyland® or do you want comfort, space and amenities? Let us know in the comments.
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