The Villas at Disneyland Hotel is a brand new Disney Vacation Club addition being inbuilt Anaheim, California. This covers every thing it’s good to know in regards to the subsequent DVC resort: possible opening date, development progress images, idea artwork, and solutions to widespread questions.
The saga of this new DVC resort started in late 2019, when Disney submitted an utility to the City of Anaheim for conceptual improvement evaluation of a proposed 12-story tower as a part of Disneyland Hotel. At the time, the plan was to open the property in 2023 at roughly the identical time as Reflections — A Disney Lakeside Lodge at Walt Disney World.
Unfortunately–or maybe luckily for those who’re a fan of Fort Wilderness and the seclusion and serenity round Bay Lake–the Reflections Lakeside Lodge projection was placed on indefinite maintain in the course of the closure of Walt Disney World. We would cease in need of saying these plans had been “abandoned” or “cancelled,” however that’s just about what occurred. Disney mothballed the development website and moved onto growth tasks on the Grand Floridian and Polynesian Village Resorts. If or when that undertaking ever does occur, it’ll be a completely completely different idea.
That’s noteworthy as a result of it’s not the primary time in latest historical past that Disney was pressured to desert a mixed-use resort undertaking shortly after setting plans into movement. In reality, Disneyland cancelled a deliberate luxurious lodge undertaking (idea artwork above) again in 2018 after the closure of a number of Downtown Disney institutions in preparation for its development. That was slated to have a 125-room Disney Vacation Club wing, however that was by no means formally introduced earlier than the undertaking was cancelled.
That undertaking was cancelled by Disney after the Anaheim City Council suggested Disney that the lodge now not certified for a $267 million tax break it had previously-approved for the 700-room lodge. Disneyland moved the proposed resort’s location by ~1,000 ft, and expanded the footprint of the posh lodge to exchange a part of Downtown Disney. That triggered a change of tackle, and an more and more “hostile” Anaheim City Council used that as the idea for denying the tax break.
Consequently, Disney dumped hundreds of thousands of {dollars} into newer political campaigns, and candidates backed by the corporate largely prevailed in elections. This is related to the Villas at Disneyland Hotel undertaking as a result of it’s the oblique alternative for that luxurious lodge undertaking; it’s being constructed whereas the present Anaheim City Council is way more Disney-friendly.
To the latter level, the Anaheim Planning Commission unanimously permitted the Villas at Disneyland Hotel in Summer 2020. While the composition of the council had modified, so too had locals’ views in the direction of Disneyland. With journey floor to a halt and the hospitality trade decimated, Anaheim residents had been seeing firsthand simply how reliant different companies and particular person livelihoods had been on vacationer {dollars}–and Disneyland.
The Villas at Disneyland Hotel will encompass a 280,000 sq. foot tower situated straight subsequent door to Frontierland Tower, behind the characteristic pool and subsequent to Goofy’s Kitchen.
The new 12-story Disneyland Hotel DVC tower will (supposedly) mirror the present 1955 design of the opposite Disneyland Hotel towers. Those are styled after Adventureland, Fantasyland, and Frontierland.
The new tower won’t change any of the present towers or guest-facing services. It will characteristic 350 rooms, with 253 being deluxe studios, 20 two-bedroom villas, 19 one-bedroom villas, and two Grand Villas.
The Villas at Disneyland Hotel may also supply 38 two-person studios which can be just like these launched at Disney’s Riviera Resort, which we reviewed right here. (Photo of that two-person studio above.)
Rooms contained in the Villas at Disneyland Hotel may also borrow from Disney’s Riviera Resort, with rooms which have the identical useful options. If there’s one factor that Imagineering actually received proper with Disney’s Riviera Resort, it’s the rooms.
Those designs make important strides in space-saving design, whereas including revolutionary options just like the pull-down Murphy sleeper that’s in some way each a snug sofa and a snug mattress. In phrases of primary format and furnishings, the Villas at Disneyland Hotel will probably be very comparable.
Stylistically, the Villas at Disneyland Hotel will (clearly) be very completely different from Disney’s Riviera Resort.
These rooms can have a Sleeping Beauty-inspired design model that will probably be current in almost each element. Walt Disney Imagineering is trying to the creative types of Mary Blair and Eyvind Earle for inspiration.
The purpose is to attract fortress and forest visible motifs into the rooms, with artwork from Sleeping Beauty contained in the pull-down mattress and imagery from the enduring “Once Upon a Dream” sequence. The purpose is to make use of colours and supplies that creates a softer, dream-like look.
While I’m not a fan of how the outside of the Villas at Disneyland Hotel seems, these rooms are undeniably good. Disney Vacation Club has been on a roll these days with rooms, completely mixing model and substance, kind and performance. These models must be a continuation of that.
Above is a have a look at idea artwork that displays how the Villas at Disneyland Hotel will look from Walnut Street, which is basically the farthest facet of Disneyland Resort.
You’ll discover that the tower seems very completely different from this attitude. It’s truly an L-shape, in line with the 12-story model of the core Disneyland Hotel towers within the courtyard facet, however permitting for extra models on the backyard or road facet. The construction can have a stairs-like look, stepping down from 12 tales to five tales because it approaches Walnut St.
For its half, Disney has introduced little or no in regards to the undertaking. There have been a few press releases again in late 2019 and early 2020 revealing the proposed (on the time) DVC undertaking. However, that was possible solely completed as a result of the undertaking can be going to the Anaheim City Council for evaluation, at which level the cat can be out of the bag.
Most particulars come from that interval of public evaluation, throughout which Disney submitted a 198-page data packet in regards to the Disneyland Hotel DVC tower. Most of the small print right here come from that. More not too long ago, Disney Vacation Club had a sales space on the D23 Expo in Fall 2022, however not a lot of substance was proven there. They revealed the resort’s emblem however had no new data.
Aside from a small outside pool bar, the brand new Villas at Disneyland Hotel undertaking will add no new meals, retail, assembly or banquet services. A Mickey-shaped spa can be a part of a brand new pool amenity space. Disney Vacation Club friends would make the most of many of the current lodge facilities, as is widespread with DVC add-ons.
The Villas at Disneyland Hotel will characteristic multi-colored panels stretching the peak of the DVC tower on the tip of the constructing with the multi-level grand villas. A crackled cream sample would wrap across the different finish of the principally glass constructing. Balconies would supply views for rooms at each ends of the constructing.
Additionally, a two-story open-air floor flooring would permit friends to move by means of to each side of the constructing. Lounge chairs would encompass swimming pools on both facet of the Disney Vacation Club tower. DVC friends would have entry to 307 parking areas on an current lot.
Disney broke floor on the Villas at Disneyland Hotel in Spring 2021, and it has largely been smooth-sailing for the undertaking since development started in earnest. It’s unclear to what extent the undertaking was delayed by the extended closure and phased reopening, nevertheless it actually looks as if it’s full steam forward at this level.
We’ve been watching the undertaking take form whereas strolling between Mickey & Friends and Downtown Disney, and it’s actually shifting rapidly–vertical progress has been one thing to see! Above is a have a look at the place development stands with the Villas at Disneyland Hotel as of Fall 2022. (We took this a number of weeks in the past whereas at Tangaroa Terrace–work has progressed even additional since, I simply preserve forgetting to take extra complete development images.)
As for when the Villas at Disneyland Hotel will open, that’s anybody’s guess. When initially introduced, the timeline merely referred to as for a 2023 opening. To our data, Disney has not publicly modified that or formally pushed the undertaking again into 2024.
It’s fully potential the year-long closure of the parks and gradual reopening had a negligible affect on plans. It would appear that the Anaheim City Council approval course of kind of occurred as regular, and development began not too lengthy in spite of everything zoning hurdles had been cleared. Since development began, the tempo of labor has been brisk.
With that stated, we’ve watched Disney construct comparable towers (Gran Destino Tower and the aforementioned Riviera Resort) in recent times, and the vertical stage all the time looks as if it’s going quick. Once crews transfer to inside work, the obvious tempo slows. Given all of that, our guess is that the Villas at Disneyland Hotel gained’t open till December 2023 on the earliest. Spring 2024 might be extra possible. It’s actually too early to say, although. So much stays to be completed.
In phrases of commentary, I believe this DVC addition seems boring and generic, nevertheless it’s not as if Disneyland Hotel is the paragon of themed design. The Villas at Disneyland Hotel tower is basically an upmarket blended use improvement you’d see in Orange County or Los Angeles–superficially aesthetically interesting, however not creatively uninspired. Aside from the Mickey Mouse pool, not an entire lot distinguishes this from one thing just like the ocV!BE undertaking being constructed across the Honda Center (pictured above).
In equity, it’s not like the present look of Disneyland Hotel’s exterior is something particular or has some cherished historic legacy. I had merely hoped that the entire buildings would match, however I understand that’s an excessive amount of to ask with DVC. Given that the final important overhaul of Disneyland Hotel was lower than a decade in the past, it’s uncertain that the present towers will obtain a facelift whereas that is being constructed.
If something, I’m shocked that Disney opted in opposition to powering ahead with one other giant luxurious lodge for Disneyland Resort, and is as an alternative increasing Downtown Disney, reimagining Paradise Pier Hotel into Pixar Place Hotel, and including the Villas at Disneyland Hotel tower.
In half, it’s most likely a matter of chilly ft after attendance didn’t surge as anticipated following the preliminary debut of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. It positively seems like Disney is enjoying it protected with these tasks. Some may suppose that’s because of DisneylandForward, which has many followers excited. However, many individuals have misinterpret what that truly is.
There isn’t any there there–DisneylandForward is basically about zoning and land use. When followers say, “Disney will build X as part of DisneylandForward,” they’re basically misunderstanding the initiative. It’s not a undertaking, it’s public approval to offer Disney larger autonomy over what they’ll construct–in the event that they so select.
My guess is that it’s much less about DisneylandForward and extra that Disney is ready to see what demand and the Southern California lodge market seems like now that the JW Marriott Anaheim Resort and Westin Anaheim Resort each have opened. These are two different important luxurious lodge tasks that may be direct opponents (particularly for conference visitor enterprise) to any luxurious lodge that Disneyland builds.
Waiting is ok by me, as nothing Disney has inbuilt the previous couple of years or is at present constructing excites me. Recent tasks have prioritized perform over kind, with bland modern types. I’m prepared to attend for the pendulum to swing again in the direction of theme.
Disneyland Resort won’t ever have the sprawling resorts like Walt Disney World, however the Disney motels elsewhere across the globe might function inspiration. Something Art Deco (like Disney’s Hollywood Hotel or Ambassador Hotel) would work effectively, as would leaning into California’s mid-century fashionable roots.
There is a ton of unhappy demand for one more California DVC property, and this might enhance Disneyland Resort’s out there DVC room stock six-fold. Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa (VGC) are probably the most tough to e-book resort, and in addition the costliest through the resale market.
This is largely as a result of there are solely 71 models on the VGC, making it the smallest DVC resort except for the Treehouse Villas at Saratoga Springs. (The foremost Saratoga Springs Resort, for the sake of comparability, has 1,260 rooms.) The VGC can also be an amazing use of DVC factors as in comparison with paying rack charges on the Grand Californian, so it’s additionally extremely aggressive for that purpose.
Overall, including a Disney Vacation Club tower to Disneyland Hotel is a great transfer that has minimal draw back given the situation. (In essence, the brand new tower would solely change an current laundry facility. Doubtful many followers will mourn that.) It’s disappointing DVC doesn’t put extra effort into mixing these additions with their environment, however repainting of the present towers may make the ultimate outcome higher than issues at present look.
With a lot of floor parking tons and different useless house–together with the deserted Downtown Disney areas and the Eastern Gateway plot–we’re optimistic that that is simply the beginning of additional improvement at Disneyland Resort. We simply hope future motels exhibit a bit extra inventive ambition than the Villas at Disneyland Hotel.
Either manner, one other DVC property at Disneyland Resort is a no brainer, slam-dunk idea. There is a ton of unhappy demand for one more California DVC property; the Grand Californian Villas are probably the most tough to e-book resort, and in addition the costliest through the resale market. (If you acquire right here again when DCA was floundering, your asset has elevated in worth tremendously!)
All in all, constructing a brand new Disney Vacation Club resort as a Disneyland Hotel tower is a savvy transfer. Although the lodge is historic and iconic, it must be fairly simple for DVC to reflect the present design. Unless one thing goes terribly fallacious, this must be a pleasant enhancement, and never one other Bay Lake Tower detracting from the Contemporary.
Planning a Southern California trip? For park admission offers, learn Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets. Learn about on-site and off-site motels in our Anaheim Hotel Reviews & Rankings. For the place to eat, take a look at our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews. For distinctive concepts of issues that’ll enhance your journey, take a look at What to Pack for Disney. For complete recommendation, seek the advice of our Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide. Finally, for guides past Disney, take a look at our Southern California Itineraries for day journeys to Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, and tons of different locations!
Your Thoughts
Are you trying ahead to the Villas at Disneyland Hotel? Glad that Disney Vacation Club is including one other property at Disneyland Resort? Would you wish to see one thing constructed elsewhere in Southern California? Hope Disney will resume plans to construct extra motels in Anaheim? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions? Hearing your suggestions–even once you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!