DISNEY HOTEL SANTA FE REVIEW
Start your engines for our review at the Cars-themed Disney’s Hotel Santa Fe!
Hotel Santa Fe Review (2024), Disneyland Paris
Here at My Castle Club, we’re dedicated to helping you make informed decisions by providing insightful hotel reviews. Having stayed in every hotel at Disneyland Paris, we can confidently say that Disney’s Hotel Santa Fe offers an ideal blend of affordability, comfort, and Disney magic.
Located just a short free shuttle ride from the parks, or a 15-minute walk, this Cars-themed hotel features vibrant decor, cozy accommodations, and family-friendly amenities. Whether you’re a seasoned Disney enthusiast or a first-time visitor, our comprehensive review of Disney’s Hotel Santa Fe will guide you through everything you need to know to make an informed decision.
So, if you’re looking to stay at Hotel Santa Fe during your next Disneyland Paris adventure, throughout our Santa Fe review we’ll share our insights, tips, and personal experiences to help you discover the unique charm and highlights of this delightful Disney resort.
For those in a hurry...
We often find that Disney Hotel Santa Fe is the cheapest on-site Disney hotel, and therefore is very popular with both families and couples!
- Immersive Disney/Pixar’s Theming: Fans of Disney and Pixar’s Cars will feel right at home at this warm, colorful homage to Route 66 and the sun-kissed American Southwest, designed for all budgets.
- Proximity to the Parks: Enjoy convenient access to Disneyland Paris parks, with a 20-minute walk or a few minutes free shuttle ride.
- Value for Money: Often the cheapest onsite Disneyland Paris hotel.
- Character Encounters: Meet Disney characters in unique outfits! Micky, Minnie, Goofy or Pluto will greet guests every morning or evening!
- Family-Friendly Amenities: Take advantage of family-friendly rooms and facilities, including outdoor play areas, the worlds smallest volcano, and buffet dining options catering to both adults and children, ensuring a memorable and enjoyable stay for the whole family.
- In-room Amenities: Includes a coffee machine and kettle for beverages, along with a basic low-power hairdryer; however, rooms do not feature an iron, fridge or air conditioning (instead each room has radiators)
Are still you wondering whether Hotel Santa Fe is worth it? If you’re looking a budget-friendly option and simply a bed for the night you can’t go wrong with Disney Hotel Santa Fe.
Hotel Santa Fe Review (2024)
Nestled along the Rio Grande River, Disneyland Paris’ Hotel Santa Fe is ideal for budget-conscious travelers with its 2-star charm and convenient on-site location.
Positioned opposite Hotel Cheyenne, the 2-star Hotel Santa Fe offers fantastic value without compromising on the location to the parks. The parks are only a short twenty-minute walk along the riverside, or guests can take the hotels free shuttle bus.
Having stayed at Disney Santa Fe numerous times, we’re here to provide our review and insights, ensuring you have all the information you need before you start to plan your trip to the magic
Start your engines! As we’re sharing the finer details of our stay in our review of Disney’s Hotel Santa Fe.
Disney Hotel Santa Fe Character Meet & Greets
If you follow our socials you’ll know one of our favourite things to do is meet characters and one of the benefits of staying at Disney’s hotels is the daily character meet and greets. At Disney Hotel Santa Fe we’re able to see characters in outfits not available anywhere else!
The character meets and greets at the Hotel Santa Fe occur inside the hotel’s lobby infront of a Route 66 ‘GREETINGS’ backdrop. Throughout our stays at the hotel, we’ve met and seen all the amazing character outfits including Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, and Pluto!
We always enjoy the character meet and greets at the hotel as there the perfect way to start or end your Disney day. As a bonus, we always find that Disney Photographers are on site to capture extra special moments for us.
On our most recent visit to the hotel, the characters were meeting in the morning, however, on our previous visit they were greeting guests in the evening. Therefore we always recommend you check the character meet and greet board for the exact times when you check in.
Disney Hotel Santa Fe Location
Unlike the Disney hotels in other parks around the world, all the hotels at Disneyland Paris are very close to the park, as you can see on the map above.
18-Minute Walking Distance from the park
Disney Hotel Santa Fe is nestled along the Rio Grande River (opposite to Hotel Cheyenne) and is the furthest ‘on-site’ hotel from the entrance to the parks. We’re often asked if this is a problem for guests, so on our visit, we timed the length of time it took us to walk from our room to the entrance of Disneyland Paris. This walk took us just over 18 minutes, and this included passing through security and walking through Disney Village.
After a long day in the park, we didn’t always want to walk back to the hotel and instead used the free shuttle bus. As the hotel is the furthest by road, the hotel has its own dedicated shuttle bus, which constantly goes from the hotel to the parks. We found a new shuttle bus turned up around every 10-20 minutes depending on the time of the day.
Disney Hotel Santa Fe Check-in
Every time we visit Disneyland Paris we always take the earliest flight possible to make sure we’re in the parks as early as possible. This often means taking a 6 am flight to Paris, which often means we’ve checked into our hotel and are in the parks before 11 am!
Stepping into the hotel lobby, a Cast Member greeted us and asked if we had completed the online check via the DLP App. We had, so they directed us to a shorter queue line to the side.
The cast member assisting us was exceptionally helpful, swiftly processing our check-in. They handed us an envelope containing the hotel map and our Magic Passes (these are all-in-one cards which serve as our room key, park tickets, and meal vouchers for our pre-purchased character dining experiences).
For first time visitors the hotel map is essential, the cast member will highlight your block and draw directions on how to get to your room from reception. The Cast Members also go through all the dining options at the hotel, and will even show you where the onsite Starbucks is!
While Disneyland Paris officially lists room availability from 3 pm onward, we never expect our room to be ready when we arrive first thing in a morning. On this occasion our room wasn’t ready and the cast member advised us of the free onsite luggage storage in the building opposite the lobby and said we would get a text and/or email when our room was ready.
We dropped our bags at the luggage storage. This was a very quick process only taking a few minutes, and we were handing number and colour cards in exchange for our bags, and headed for our first day in the parks.
A few hours later, and earlier than the 3 pm time I received a text message saying our room was ready. The text message also reconfirmed our room number. We headed back to the hotel to check out our room.
Disney Hotel Santa Fe Rooms
- First up, we’ve got the Cars Standard Room. This room type has two option, either 2 double beds or 1 double bed and a set of bunk beds, both sleeping up to 4 people and providing a great option for both couples and families.
- For those looking to be closer to the action, the Cars Standard Room near hotel facilities is the perfect option. Located in blocks closest to the hotel reception and restaurants, these rooms also feature 2 double beds.
- The hotel also offers Cars Standard River Side Rooms located along the river/walking path side of the hotel. These rooms are located further away from reception, but are closer for those wanting to walk to the park! This room type also features 2 double beds.
Now, let’s talk about our room! Our trip was booked last minute and we opted for the budget-friendly standard room.
Our room was in the Mater section block 24. There are 4 sections all themed to Pixar Cars Characters, Luigi, Mater, McQueen, and Sally, and a total of 58 blocks. The rooms designs are consistent in design no matter the character section you’re given.
The location of our room was great for walking to the parks as we were located near the river, but this also meant we were the furthest away from reception. That said it took less than 5 minutes to walk to reception.
Arriving at our room…
- Coffee machine and kettle
- Hairdryer (basic) fixed to the bathroom wall
- No iron, No fridge, No Air Conditioning
The Disney Cars theme spreads throughout the room, with pale yellow walls, a Cars border, and cars-themed artwork. The light fixtures above the bed and desk lamp were designed to look like traffic cones, adding to the room’s theme and playful atmosphere. We really enjoyed these touches to the room, but for guests, the vibrant yellow walls and in-your-face theming may be off-putting.
Our standard rooms featured two comfortable double beds (yes we tried both!), a free-of-charge safe, and ample storage with a small wardrobe and numerous drawers. While basic, these amenities are on par with those found in other Disney hotels like Sequoia Lodge and Hotel Cheyenne, though the rooms at Santa Fe did feel slightly smaller to us.
Our favorite feature? The bathroom mirror, styled like a drive-thru arrow with retro bulbs, adds a nostalgic touch. The room is adorned with fun Cars-themed elements, from the traffic cone lamp to the metallic wall decor reminiscent of a car workshop. For families with young children or Cars enthusiasts, this theming is a dream come true. However, the bold decor might not appeal to everyone, but we suggest giving it a try.
A notable downside is the lack of air conditioning. The room does have a ceiling fan and a radiator which is great for keeping the room warm during winter, however, in summer, it may be difficult to keep your room cool with the only option available being opening a window. It’s worth noting that the similarly priced room options at Hotel Cheyenne do offer air-conditioned rooms.
Our room had a limited number of power outlets, but as we always have multiple cameras, phones, and battery packs to charge through the night we always pack an extension cord with us!
In summary, Hotel Santa Fe rooms are a solid choice for budget-conscious visitors who appreciate themed environments. The room’s delightful details and practical amenities make it a memorable stay, especially for Cars fans, despite a few minor drawbacks.
In-room amenities…
When it comes to in-room amenities, our room was equipped with a fully stocked coffee pod machine and kettle. However, our room didn’t feature a fridge or an iron. We are aware that some family rooms do feature a mini fridge, so if this is essential for your trip make sure to book this room type.
Additionally, towels and toiletries are included within the bathroom. It was nice to see that instead of single-use plastic items, the hotel also incorporated reusable containers for shower gel, shampoo and conditioner we’ve seen in the other Disney hotels.
A hairdryer is also attached to the wall in the bathroom, however, it is very basic and low-powered meaning it’s not the best.
Disney Hotel Santa Fe Restaurants & Bars
As we explored the dining options available to us Disney’s Hotel Santa Fe, we were pleasantly surprised by the variety and quality of experiences available.
- La Cantina (Buffet Restaurant)
- Rio Grande Bar
- Starbucks
Over our many stays at Hotel Santa Fe, we enjoyed many meals at La Cantina. Designed to resemble a bustling Mexican cantina, complete with bright, bold colors, rustic furnishings, and thematic decorations that transport you to the heart of the American Southwest.
The all you can eat buffet at La Cantina offers a wide range of international dishes, ensuring there’s something to satisfy every palate. We particularly loved the Mexican-inspired fare, such as the tacos and enchiladas. The dessert station at all the buffets are always great and La Cantina didn’t disappoint, with churros, assorted pastries, and fresh fruit, providing the perfect end to our meal.
The buffet at La Cantina was only €35 per adult and €22 per child, making it the cheapest buffet at Disneyland Paris.
As part of our meal plan, we had access to the hotel breakfast, which was also held at La Cantina.
Breakfast at La Cantina was just as impressive, offering an extensive array of options from continental selections like pastries and cereals to hot dishes such as scrambled eggs, bacon, and sausages. There were also healthier options like yogurt, fruit, and freshly baked bread.
How much does it cost to stay at Disney Hotel Santa Fe?
We’re always asked how to book and how much it costs to stay the Disney hotels at Disneyland Paris and we always recommend people to use the DLP Price estimator. By booking directly with DLP as you’ll benefit from their booking conditions and price guarantee, meaning you won’t find the same deal cheaper anywhere else!
Hotel Santa Fe is the cheapest on-site Disneyland Paris hotel, and rooms start from as little as £180 per person per night, including park tickets!
Disney Hotel Santa Fe: Our Verdict
Our stay at Hotel Santa Fe was a delightful blend of budget-friendly comfort and immersive Disney theming. The hotel’s vibrant decor, inspired by the world of Disney Pixar’s Cars, provided a whimsical and enjoyable atmosphere that both children and adults could appreciate.
The rooms, though basic, were clean and well-maintained, offering all the essentials for a comfortable stay. The lack of air conditioning wasn’t an issue during our stay but you may need to consider this during the warmer summer months. The highlight of our stay was undoubtedly the helpful and friendly staff, who ensured that our experience was smooth and enjoyable from check-in to check-out.
So, if you’re wondering whether Hotel Santa Fe is worth it? At it’s budget price, this would be an easy yes!
Our Top Tips when staying at Hotel Santa Fe
Here are our top tips for making the most of your stay at Hotel Santa Fe based on our experience:
Early Check-in Advantage: While official check-in is at 3 pm, arrive earlier to see if your room is ready. If not, use the luggage storage and start exploring!
Celebrate Special Occasions: Mention celebrations like honeymoons or birthdays during check-in for a chance to receive some magical badges from Cast Members or learn how to get a birthday call from Mickey Mouse himself!
Coffee and Hot Drinks: Instead of buying at Starbucks use your Magic Card for complimentary hot drinks from the hotel’s machines, or your in-room coffee machine, There’s a daily limit, so check specifics.
Room Request for Convenience: If traveling with a stroller, request a ground-floor room when booking or during check-in for easier access.
Prebook La Cantina: To avoid long waits, especially during busy times, prebook your meals at La Cantina up to 60 days in advance. If you forget, you can still book at the hotel reception.
Family-Friendly Dining: Enjoy the play area within La Cantina during meals, conveniently located for keeping children entertained while dining.
Parking Convenience: Parking is free for hotel guests. Once checked in, move your car closer to your building for added convenience.
Building Request: If proximity to the parks is important, request the Mater building when booking to be closer to the walkway leading to the parks.
Early Magic Hours: As a hotel guest, enjoy Early Magic Hours (EMH) starting at 8:30 am, where select rides and meet and greets are available before regular park opening.
Souvenirs and Essentials: Visit the Trading Post onsite for unique Disney Cars merchandise and essentials like cold drinks that may not be found elsewhere in the parks.
These tips should help you make the most of your stay at Hotel Santa Fe, ensuring a memorable and enjoyable experience at Disneyland Paris.
Disney Santa Fe FAQ
Within this section, we’ll answer the most common questions about Disney Hotel Santa Fe. You can also find answers to other questions about the hotel by clicking on this link.
Do Hotel Santa Fe have swimming pool?
No, Hotel Santa Fe doesn’t feature a swimming pool and guests staying at the hotel are unable to use swimming pools at other Disney hotels. The cheapest hotel at Disneyland Paris with a pool is usually Sequoia Lodge (on-site) or Davy Crockett Ranch (off-site)
Do Hotel Santa Fe rooms have a fridge?
No, unfortunately you don’t have a fridge in your room.
Do Hotel Santa Fe rooms have a kettle?
Yes, on our visit we not only had a kettle but we also had a fully stocked coffee pod machine
Do Hotel Santa Fe rooms have a hairdryer?
Yes, but if you’re used to a high-power hair dryer we advise you bring your own as it’s not very powerful.
Do Hotel Santa Fe rooms have an Iron?
No, unfortunately, the rooms at Hotel Santa Fe don’t have an or Ironing Board
Do Hotel Santa Fe rooms have air conditioning?
No, the rooms at the hotel don’t have air conditioning. They do have a ceiling fan and a radiator secured to the wall.
How long does it take to walk from Hotel Santa Fe to the parks?
It took us around 18 minutes to walk from the hotel to the Disneyland Parks. Please be aware if you choose to walk to the parks you will need to pass through security by Hotel New York – Art of Marvel, and queues can be long at peak times.
Does Hotel Santa Fe have a free bus to the park?
Yes, guests can take the free shuttle bus directly from the hotel to park. This bus journey takes approximately 10 minutes, and runs constantly throughout the day.
Can you meet Disney characters at Hotel Santa Fe?
Yes, you can meet either Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy or Pluto in their special outfits in the Hotel Lobby.
Are there club level rooms or suites at Hotel Santa Fe?
No, the hotel doesn’t have any club level or suites
Are tickets included in a stay at Disney Hotel Santa Fe?
If you choose to purchase a package direct from Disneyland Paris you will get your park tickets included for every day of your visit!
Is Disney Hotel Santa Fe worth it?
Overall, our experiences at Hotel Santa Fe have consistently been positive, making it a standout choice for families seeking affordability without sacrificing staying at an on-site hotel at Disneyland Paris. The lively theming and convenient location contribute to its appeal as a fun and practical lodging option.
For those in search of a budget-friendly hotel bursting with Disney charm, Hotel Santa Fe is a solid recommendation. It typically offers slightly more competitive rates compared to Hotel Cheyenne, maintaining its appeal as an excellent value choice within the 2-star category at Disneyland Paris.
However, guests with higher comfort expectations, especially during warmer seasons when air conditioning is missed, may want to consider upgrading to Hotel Cheyenne or Sequoia Lodge for a more comfortable stay.
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