Hundreds Evacuate Disney Resort on Valentine's Day, Emergency Services Summoned

Hundreds of Disney resort guests were forced to evacuate Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa last night.

The largest of the three hotels at Disneyland Resort, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is a luxury hotel designed to evoke the rustic elegance of early 20th-century California craftsman architecture. Opened in 2001, the hotel provides direct access to Disney California Adventure Park, making it a prime destination for guests looking for rapid access to the theme parks.

The hotel’s signature restaurant, Napa Rose, is known for its seasonal California cuisine and extensive wine list, elevating the culinary experience for visitors.

Elsewhere, it also features a full-service spa, multiple pools, and exclusive perks for guests, including the chance to enter the parks 30 minutes earlier than everyone else and access to a private entrance to California Adventure. Prices may stretch into the thousands per night, but this is genuinely Disney luxury at its finest (on the West Coast, at least).

Hundreds of Guests Evacuated From Disney Resort

Last night, however, the resort’s guests found themselves urgently evacuated from the premises.

A notice from Anaheim Fire & Rescue indicated that crews were dispatched to the hotel at approximately 6.50 p.m. on February 14. Fortunately, it seems to have been a false alarm, with those on the scene claiming on Reddit that guests were forced to only briefly wait outside the hotel until firefighters spoke to someone – presumably a cast member – on the scene and swiftly departed.

This isn’t the first time the Grand Californian has been evacuated. In fact, as noted by some guests, this is a somewhat common occurrence at the Anaheim hotel. In October, the hotel was evacuated in the early hours of the morning. Again, this incident ended up being a false alarm.

“I swear Grand Californian has like 50% chance of being evacuated when I’m there,” wrote one Reddit user. “Wonder why they always have so many false alarms.”

The most notable incident at the Disney resort occurred in December 2005 when a Christmas tree in the lobby caught fire at approximately 3 a.m. as electric maintenance workers replaced its lights.

Over 2,000 guests were evacuated within four minutes. Fortunately, the hotel’s sprinkler system, brought the fire under control, aided by the Anaheim Fire Department. While two guests were treated for minor injuries – including a severe headache – everyone returned to their rooms by 7 a.m.

Southern Californian is currently reeling from a series of wildfires that burned through the Los Angeles area in January. The largest of the blazes was the Palisades fire, which began burning in the Santa Monica Mountains and went on to destroy large swathes of the Pacific Palisades, Topanga, and Malibu areas. After 24 days, it was finally contained on January 31.

Other fires in the outbreak – which was aided by extreme winds and an extensive dry period for LA – forced the temporary closure of Universal Studios Hollywood, as well as displacing multiple cast members for Disneyland Resort.

Disney has since responded by offering complimentary Heroes Tickets to eligible California firefighters, LA-based law enforcement personnel, and emergency medical technicians who contributed to battling the wildfires.

Have you ever been evacuated due to a fire at Disney?