In Brief: Anaheim’s hotel market did not deliver the banner 2025 many expected, but the more important story is what lies ahead. Long-term Disney investment, a strengthening convention calendar, and the emergence of mega-development OCVIBE are positioning Anaheim for a new phase of lodging demand growth.
-
Anaheim’s Lodging Outlook Strengthens As Demand Drivers Expand – Image Credit Unsplash
By Aidan Martin
Disneyland and Market Momentum
Disneyland Resort continues to anchor Anaheim’s hotel market. According to Visit Anaheim, the city welcomed a record 26.5 million visitors in 2025, generating approximately $6.8 billion in visitor spending and $10.4 billion in total economic impact. As the destination’s primary tourism driver, Disneyland Resort remains a critical source of lodging demand across a wide range of hotel product types in Anaheim.
Disney continues to invest in the Anaheim resort district. Recent additions and reimagined experiences include San Fransokyo Square (opened 2023), Pixar Place Hotel (opened January 2024), Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (opened November 2024), and the ongoing redevelopment of Downtown Disney.
The largest undertaking currently planned for the resort is DisneylandForward. Approved by the Anaheim City Council in May 2024, the initiative establishes a long-term framework for adding future attractions, hotels, entertainment, dining, retail, and supporting infrastructure within Disney’s existing Anaheim footprint. Disney has committed at least $1.9 billion toward expansion-related projects and local infrastructure improvements.
Several projects are already moving forward, including the expansion of Avengers Campus (which will add two new attractions and double the size of the land), development of a new Coco-themed attraction, and construction of a new 6,000-space parking structure and transportation hub that is expected to begin in the fall of 2026. While these projects will be delivered over many years, they are anticipated to enhance the resort experience, support future visitation growth, and sustain long-term lodging demand in Anaheim.
Convention Demand Remains Critical to Anaheim’s Lodging Industry
The Anaheim Convention Center is the market’s second major demand pillar and continues to differentiate Anaheim from many other Southern California hotel markets. Convention demand supports weekday occupancy, helps drive compression for larger full-service hotels, and remains a key element of Anaheim’s overall lodging profile.
Per our conversations with Visit Anaheim, 2024 was the strongest convention year since 2019, while activity moderated somewhat in 2025 as attendance, room nights, and convention activity normalized following the post-pandemic recovery period. Nevertheless, the outlook is favorable. In January 2026, Visit Anaheim announced that the facility had secured 142 conventions, meetings, and events for 2026, including 76 meetings and 66 conventions, collectively projected to generate nearly 600,000 room nights and approximately $1.74 billion in economic impact for the Anaheim area. Major returning events include NAMM, Natural Products Expo West, and BlizzCon.
Looking further ahead, Visit Anaheim reports that convention bookings are strong through the end of the decade, supported by a healthy mix of association, corporate, and citywide events. As one of the largest convention facilities on the West Coast, the Anaheim Convention Center is expected to remain a primary driver of lodging demand and hotel performance in the market.
OCVIBE Poised to Broaden Anaheim’s Demand Base
Beyond Disney and conventions, the 100-acre OCVIBE development may become Anaheim’s most important non-Disney demand catalyst over the next several years. Surrounding the Honda Center, the mixed-use district is designed to bring together entertainment, restaurants, offices, public space, residential uses, hotels, and pedestrian-oriented experiences in a way Anaheim has not traditionally offered outside the resort core.
Recent project updates indicate that OCVIBE is well into the development phase. Buildings such as the concert hall and The Weave office building have topped off, River Road and Stanley Cup Way are now open, and the Katella and Cerritos garages are already in use. OCVIBE officials also reported that the new concert hall is expected to open in early 2027.
From a lodging standpoint, OCVIBE has the potential to broaden Anaheim’s demand mix beyond family leisure and convention travel. The district is expected to create a more substantial entertainment and nightlife component, supported by chef-driven dining, bars and lounges, public plazas, and year-round programming. Katella Commons alone is being positioned as a major culinary and social hub within the project.
Plans also call for two onsite hotels totaling more than 500 guestrooms, with the first hotel anticipated to open around 2028 and the second planned as part of later development phases. However, no brands or definitive opening dates have been announced. While these hotels will introduce additional lodging supply, the scale of the broader OCVIBE development suggests that much of the demand generated by the district is likely to benefit existing hotels throughout Anaheim as well. Over time, this kind of development in Anaheim could support additional weekend demand, concert-related stays, and a more diverse visitor profile for the market.
Implications for Lodging Performance
Overall, Anaheim’s lodging outlook remains favorable. According to STR’s Monthly Hotel Review, the market posted occupancy above 72% and RevPAR exceeding $150 in 2025, performing at a level comparable to San Diego and above Los Angeles. Through April 2026, RevPAR increased nearly 12% compared to the same period in 2025, while a recent CoStar report highlights Anaheim as one of the strongest-performing markets among the Top 25 U.S. hotel markets. Supported by record visitation, a strong convention calendar, and billions of dollars of investment through DisneylandForward and OCVIBE, Anaheim appears well positioned for continued lodging demand growth.
HVS combines rigorous data analysis with local market expertise to deliver insights that move decisions forward. Our unique approach leverages primary, in-market interviews to capture real-time insights straight from local communities. This ensures our conclusions reflect current conditions and evolving trends. To explore the Anaheim market further or discuss investment opportunities tailored to your goals, please contact Aidan Martin, your HVS Southern California hospitality expert.
Source: View the original article at HVS.
