Inside The Villas at Disneyland Hotel, the park's 1st new hotel tower in 14 years
Editor's Note
After 14 years, there are brand-new hotel rooms at Disneyland ... and they were worth the wait.
Joining the existing rooms at Disneyland Hotel, Paradise Pier Hotel (currently transforming into Pixar Place Hotel) and the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, The Villas at Disneyland Hotel is located on the site where Walt started his resort empire.
But these aren't your grandfather's Disneyland Hotel rooms by another name; these are modern-day works of lodging art that combine the best of Disney storytelling with high-end amenities.
Just opened Thursday, these new rooms — themed to Disney stories such as "The Jungle Book," "Fantasia," "The Princess and the Frog" and "Sleeping Beauty" — are immediately adjacent to the previously existing towers at Disneyland Hotel.
You are immersed in the beauty of Disney's storytelling from the moment you walk into the tower and are greeted with a one-of-a-kind mural representing dozens of beloved characters and stories (plus multiple hidden Mickeys) created by Disney animation artist Lorelay Bové. The colorful storytelling starts with that mural and carries throughout the 344 brand-new colorful rooms and suites.
Related: Are the Disney Visa credit cards worth it?
The hotel has a Disney style that is both modern and classic, with the inclusion of recent cartoons, such as "Encanto," and bold styling with intricate yet simple designs, such as what you'll find at Disney's Contemporary Resort.
At The Villas at Disneyland Hotel, the headboards light up; you might find magical etching in the mirrors and even a classic Disney saying on some of the carpets. The hallways themselves are not afterthoughts but are home to alternating beams and arches, colorful carpeting and film-inspired art.
Unlike the existing towers at Disneyland Hotel, these new rooms are bookable not only with cash but also with Disney Vacation Club points. This is now Disneyland's second DVC property, joining The Villas at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, which opened in the fall of 2009.
Disney invited TPG to stay in the new rooms on opening night (and get a peek at some of the additional room types), so here's a first look inside the brand-new Villas at Disneyland Hotel.
Related: What it's like to stay at the original Disneyland Hotel
Location of The Villas at Disneyland Hotel
The Villas at Disneyland Hotel is a pixie dust throw away from the other three towers at the Disneyland Hotel complex, now a complete rectangle of towers around the hotel's main pool area.
This is the first new tower at Disneyland Hotel since 1979.
This location puts these new units just a two- or three-minute walk from the restaurants and shops at Downtown Disney and less than a 10-minute walk from the gates of Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. Alternatively, you can walk to the monorail just inside Downtown Disney, enter into the heart of Disneyland Park that way, and save a few steps.
The Villas at Disneyland Hotel shares a main lobby entrance with the rest of the Disneyland Hotel complex, so head to the hotel as you would for any of the other existing towers. The new tower is known as the Discovery Tower.
Related: Best places to stay at Disneyland
Room types at The Villas at Disneyland Hotel
Inside The Villas at Disneyland Hotel, there are five different types of room layouts that range from the Duo Studios built for two (similar to the concept debuted at Riviera Resort at Disney World) and then going all the way up to a jaw-dropping, two-story, three-bedroom Grand Villa that can sleep up to 12 guests.
Duo Studios
Building on the popularity of the most affordable room type at Riviera that sleeps just two guests, The Villas at Disneyland Hotel also has some small rooms built for two.
These rooms, however, truly are small, with a Murphy bed that transforms into your sleeping space. While I have stayed in the rooms for two at Riviera Resort in Florida, this felt like an even more compact footprint, so factor that in before going for this lovely but petite space.
Deluxe Studios
The most common room type at The Villas at Disneyland Hotel is the Deluxe Studio, which has a queen-size bed, a queen-size Murphy bed-couch combo and a fun light-up headboard — an obvious nod to the midcentury modern era when Disneyland was born.
These rooms have a small kitchen area with a minifridge, microwave, sink, coffee maker and plates and cutlery for you to prepare an in-room small meal or snack.
The bathrooms in this room type feature a walk-in shower with an oversized single vanity and a separate small room for the toilet.
1-Bedroom Villas
The one-bedroom suite we toured had a "The Princess and the Frog" theme that leaned heavily into jewel-toned Mardi Gras colors that were rich and lovely. The living room has a pull-down queen-size Murphy bed and a single kid-size pull-down bed under the TV.
The kitchen area in the one-bedroom villa is larger than that of the studio, with a stove, full-size microwave, refrigerator, etc., so you truly can whip up some meals in these units (and the larger ones) if you want.
The theming in the primary bedroom portion of this suite was one of my favorites, with twilight scenes from the bayou and a relaxing color palette to match.
The bathroom in this suite has a gorgeous lily pad mosaic and a truly impressive amount of space for the whole family to get ready at once.
2-Bedroom Villas
The story of "Fantasia" was alive and well in the two-bedroom suite we toured, which can sleep up to nine people with a queen-size Murphy bed and single bed in the living area, two queen beds in one of the adjacent bedrooms and a king bed in the other.
As in many of the rooms, the theme in this one was carried out with multiple jewel tones. It's clear Disney was not afraid of the generous use of color in the design of this hotel, just like in its movies.
The primary bedroom in the two-bedroom suite continued the whimsical take on the suite's "Fantasia" theme.
3-Bedroom Grand Villas
While the hotel as a whole is lovely, this portion is next-level. The Grand Villa has high ceilings, an indoor-outdoor fireplace, an oversized terrace, a spiral staircase and sleeping spaces for up to 12.
If you want to book the nicest place to stay at Disneyland, there is no doubt that this is it.
Even this suite's dining table and kitchen are impressive, keeping with the midcentury theme but with subtle Disney touches that feel both fun and luxurious.
Each of the Grand Villa's three bedrooms tells a different Disney story; in this case, it was all about "Bambi," "Frozen" and "Moana."
The Grand Villa's primary bathroom was almost comically large and also exquisitely beautiful, especially with the mosaic around the soaking tub.
Pools and amenities at The Villas at Disneyland Hotel
Palette Pool
You could call the Palette Pool simple or midcentury, and both would be correct, but it is a bright, happy, handy place to cool off after a morning at the parks. With a multicolored pergola and dozens of chairs, this is a new pool — and extremely convenient for those staying in the new tower.
In addition to the pool and large hot tub, there is an adorable black-and-white splash area themed to "Steamboat Willie," which stands in fun contrast to the bright colors reflected almost everywhere else.
However, if you want a more robust swimming experience, you can also access the larger pools and waterslides at Disneyland Hotel while you are staying in the villas.
Gym
The Villas at Disneyland Hotel has a new gym on the first floor with all-new state-of-the-art equipment for those mornings you don't think you'll get in quite enough of a workout in the nearby theme parks.
Restaurants
There are no new restaurants or grab-and-go dining locations within the new tower, so you'll need to enjoy all the existing food outlets at Disneyland Hotel. But that's not a bad thing as it includes options such as a Dole Whip from the Tangaroa Terrace Tropical Bar & Grill, making a volcano erupt with the right drink order at Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar and having a buffet meal with some of your pals at Goofy's Kitchen.
Related: Best places to eat at Disneyland
Price to stay at The Villas at Disneyland Hotel
The drawbacks of Disneyland hotels are typically that of supply and demand. There aren't very many of them compared to what you'll find at Disney World, and, as such, they command pretty high rates.
That said, the cost to stay at the new Villas at Disneyland Hotel falls pretty much in line with what you might expect based on the pricing of the other Disneyland hotels, with rates starting around $400-$500 per night for the smallest rooms during the lowest seasons and typical rates being more in the $600-$800 range for the most common room types.
The lowest starting rates I found for The Villas at Disneyland Hotel when checking a few different dates are approximately:
- Duo Studio: $400 or 10 DVC points per night
- Deluxe Studio: $525 or 13 DVC points per night
- 1-Bedroom Villa: $1,000 or 30 DVC points per night
- 2-Bedroom Villa: $1,400 or 43 DVC points per night
- 3-Bedroom Grand Villa: $3,700 or 94 DVC points per night
Remember that you can rent DVC points if you don't own them, which can result in cost savings if you want to stay at The Villas at Disneyland Hotel. For example, you can rent points starting at $21 per point from David's Vacation Club Rentals, which for a Duo Studio means you could theoretically stay at the new hotel from just $210 per night.
As always, we recommend pricing out a stay with cash and with rented Disney Vacation Club points to identify the more economical route for your travel dates. And note that availability at this new hotel may be tight.
You can rent DVC points via TPG's partner, David's Vacation Club Rentals.
Checking out
The new Villas at Disneyland Hotel is bright, modern and convenient, and honestly nailed the art of bringing storytelling into the stay in a way that is both clear and subtle. The use of bold colors that remind you of the films and stories you know and love strikes the balance of feeling like you just might be in an animated tale while not overwhelming or overpowering your senses.
Disneyland Hotel is a special place that, historically, changed how families vacation. And now, 68 years since its story began, a new chapter is ready to be explored and enjoyed with The Villas at Disneyland Hotel. This new tower captures the stories of The Walt Disney Co.'s last 100 years and provides the foundation and framework for families to play, relax and recharge so they can experience new stories and adventures of their own.
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