🏰 JW Marriott Anaheim Resort: Honest Family Review, Disney Logistics and What Nobody Tells You
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If you read my previous review Full and Honest Family Review of the Disneyland Hotel, you’ll know that for me, Disney immersion has its magic, but true rest for adults sometimes calls for a different standard of hospitality.
The Disney hotels in Anaheim charge luxury hotel prices, yet the real luxury you’re paying for is the location. Based on my experience having previously stayed at Disney’s Grand Californian, the Disneyland Hotel and The Westin Anaheim, here is my honest review of the JW Marriott Anaheim Resort. 🏨✨
👉 [Check availability and rates at the JW Marriott Anaheim Resort on Booking.com here]
🗺️ Interactive Anaheim Lodging Map
To help you see where the JW Marriott sits in relation to the Disneyland entrance, Disney California Adventure, the GardenWalk shopping center and the other family hotels along Harbor Boulevard, here is this real-time interactive map:
🚶♀️ Location and Getting to Disneyland: Walking or Bus Options 🚌
Logistics when moving around with small children completely define your vacation. The hotel is located on Clementine Street, right next to Anaheim GardenWalk. You can get to the park by Uber, on foot or by bus.
- Walking to the parks (15 to 18 minutes on foot) 👟
It definitely doesn’t compete with Disney’s Grand Californian on location. If you’re going to have to walk anyway, the route is flat and pleasant.
The route: The ideal way is to exit through GardenWalk toward Disney Way and connect directly to Harbor Boulevard until you reach the security checkpoints at the east entrance.
With the stroller, it took us between 15 and 18 minutes at a normal pace.
- The bus option (ART - Anaheim Resort Transportation) 🚍
The bus option is also very practical for when you simply don’t want to walk anymore:
On the way there, the ART bus system route has a stop very close to the hotel (in the GardenWalk / Cheesecake Factory area) and drops you off at the main Disneyland entrances.
💡 Traveling mom tip: Download the A-Vride app ahead of time (or check the ART passes on their website) on your phone before you head out so you can see the schedules.
🎟️ The alternative and FREE hack: We simply walked across to Disney’s Toy Story Parking Lot (a few blocks away) and took Disney’s free buses. That said, consider that you’ll still end up walking maybe about 7 minutes in total (less than walking from the hotel).
🛏️ The rooms: beds and luxury hotel amenities 🛁
If you read my Full and Honest Family Review of the Disneyland Hotel, you’ll know the rooms facing Downtown Disney were far too noisy. That doesn’t happen at the JW Marriott Anaheim: it’s a modern, elegant, new property, where the finishes, facilities and amenities are truly luxury hotel caliber.
The rooms are very comfortable; we requested a room with two queen beds. The beds and sheets were luxury hotel quality. The bathroom was spectacular, in marble with a large bathtub.
💡 Traveling mom tip: If you’re traveling with a baby or toddler, request the crib through the Marriott Bonvoy app chat a couple of days before you arrive. At check-in, confirm that they bring it up to the room right away so it’s ready before the first nap. 👶💤
🌿 Facilities, pool and garden 🏊♀️
Unlike kid-themed hotels where the lobby tends to be chaotic, walking into the JW Marriott in the late afternoon feels like a breath of calm for parents.
🏊 Rooftop pool: It’s located on an open deck on the fifth floor, surrounded by very comfortable loungers and private cabanas. If you plan to apply the golden rule of leaving the park at midday to avoid the extreme heat, spending a couple of hours here in the warm water is a delight.
🌳 Outdoor garden (JW Garden): They have an open-air garden with sculptures and green spaces where kids can walk around.
🏋️ Gym: For those looking to keep up their routine, the gym is huge, with floor-to-ceiling windows and new equipment.
🍽️ Dining options and the big advantage of the location ☕
Being next to Anaheim GardenWalk was a big plus, because it gives you far more meal options; this plaza has plenty of chain restaurants, for example the Cheesecake Factory.
For example, another option in GardenWalk, right as you exit through the door connecting the hotel to this shopping center, is Huckleberry’s Breakfast & Lunch, which offers delicious breakfasts at a very good price, plus they open at 7:00 am so you have time to get to the park early. 🥞
At the hotel you can also find food options, from bars and restaurants to Grab & Go options. In fact, this hotel is a “resort” and there’s a “resort fee,” which includes a daily credit you can redeem at the bar, or even use for Grab & Go options to take to the park, like sandwiches or little boxes of berries for the kids. 🍓🥪
🎆 Travel tip: If, like me, you’re not one to stay in the park until the very end, from the hotel terrace you can watch the Disneyland fireworks at night while you have dinner or a cocktail in peace. 🍸
⚖️ Pros and Cons: my honest experience
✅ What we loved (The Pros):
Quality of the facilities and 5-star hotel service:
Beds / pillows / sheets
Amenities
Spacious bathroom with a bathtub
Location: Having a direct connection to Anaheim GardenWalk solves early breakfasts (like at Huckleberry’s), pharmacies and dinners without having to go far.
⚠️ Things to consider (The Cons):
It’s not across the street: Although the route is flat and safe, it’s 15 to 18 minutes on foot with a stroller; at the end of the day you’ll prefer the bus or the free Toy Story bus.
Zero Disney immersion: If your kids are hoping to see characters walking the hallways or themed decor in the room, this hotel has a 100% corporate, contemporary atmosphere.
🤔 Conclusion: Is the JW Marriott Anaheim Resort worth it for families?
I’d say it depends…
❌ It’s not worth it if your number one priority above all else is being a 2-minute walk from the entrance so you don’t take a single extra step; Disney’s Grand Californian is probably still your best option (within the luxury hotel range).
✔️ It is worth it if what you’re looking for is a stay where you truly rest, with true luxury hotel facilities. This hotel is the most “luxurious” in the area, even above any Disney hotel or the Westin.
We would go back without a doubt; despite the distance and the lack of Disney immersion, it’s also a relief to have a stay that feels luxurious for the adults after a trip as demanding as going to Disneyland. 🏰💛
If you have an upcoming trip to Disneyland, I suggest checking rates early, since during peak seasons or conventions it tends to fill up fast:
👉 [Check availability and rates at the JW Marriott Anaheim Resort on Booking.com here]
👉 [Check prices, promotions and availability for the JW Marriott Anaheim on Expedia here]
📌 Are you planning your next family vacation to Disneyland? I invite you to read my other related articles:
🍼 Baby Care Centers at Disneyland: The Most Useful Stop if You’re Going with a Baby or Toddler
🏰 Living the Magic from Within: Full and Honest Family Review of the Disneyland Hotel
🎢 A Day at Disneyland California Adventure: A Guide for an Unhurried Day with a Baby and Toddler
🥨 Disney California Adventure Foodie Guide: What to Order and Where
🚗 From LAX to Disneyland in a Rental Car: A Survival Guide with Kids, Car Seats and Money-Saving Hacks
📌 Save this Pin to your Disneyland Tips or Family Travel board on Pinterest so you have all these tips and transportation options on hand when you book your next trip!