Disney Vacation Club members have been “welcomed home” to the Disneyland Resort since 2001, when the Grand Californian villas first opened. While the Grand Californian is lovely in its own right, some members (like me) have wished that the Disneyland Resort had other DVC offerings, more in line with the retro vibe of Disneyland’s original Hotel. So when DVC announced in late 2019 that they were planning a new Vacation Club tower at the Disneyland Hotel, I couldn’t wait to book my stay! Having loved my previous stays at the main hotel, I was so excited to be back on this property but in a brand new section dedicated to DVC.
Construction of the Villas went on for about two and a half years. I watched the new Tower go up during various visits, without an opening date in sight. In early 2023, we finally learned that bookings would begin that Fall. I recently had the chance to enjoy a stay during the Villas’ first Summer, and it was as dreamy as I hoped!
Discovery Tower
In line with the whimsical titles of the hotel’s other towers, The Villas at Disneyland Hotel named its brand new building Discovery Tower, and there’s truly so much to discover here. The architecture and design are a perfect blend of modern and retro, making it fit seamlessly into the 1950’s grounds. A path of sparkles is built into the walkway, leading guests to the main entrance where the sparkles gather into a giant starburst! It’s details like this that embody the Disney Difference.
The Villas Pool Area
To the right of the Discovery Tower is a gated DVC pool area that is absolutely beautiful. While I used to love the Disneyland Hotel’s main pool, I now feel it’s too crowded and poorly laid out compared to the magnificent Villas pool! The casual eatery by the pool (more on that later) is also convenient for guests who wish to snack poolside. Right nearby there’s also a beautiful new fitness center and a laundry room that came in handy after a week’s worth of sweaty theme park clothes!
The Villas pool has a unique staircase that spans the entire width of the even-level pool. No need to wait for someone to get in or out through one or two narrow sets of pool stairs. In this beautiful pool you can enter at any spot or sit and wade right on the steps. There is also an ample selection of lounge chairs everywhere. Unlike other family pools, you don’t need a special cabana to stay near your kids. You can watch your child play by pulling one of the many chairs right up to the edge of the pool or the awesome steamboat splash pad!
The Steamboat Willie Splash Pad is fantastic! I love that they made it in black and white, and pulled in pops of color with lit-up sprinkler jets that illuminate the water as it splashes up in the air! The sound of the water is rather relaxing for parents keeping watch, too. Every few minutes, the smokestacks light up red and “smoke” comes out to create a real Steamboat Willie feel!
Discovery Tower Lobby
Entering the lobby is like walking through a glimmering portal to Mid-century Modernism. Designers clearly tried to create a modern version of the retro Disneyland Hotel design, with splashes of color as nods to the animated movies this tower represents.
Along a large wall to the left of the entrance, you’ll find the incredible mural by Disney artist Lorelay Bove, representing some of Disney Animation’s most iconic characters.
Inside and outside of the building you’ll see a pattern of bright colors that follow the color scripts of featured Disney films.
From murals to Steamboat Willie exhibits, the entire Discovery Tower is built around art and storytelling. Through the use of color and elegant nods to animation, you’ll find artistic touches at every turn here… and the lobby is just the beginning!
Themed Villas
Discovery Tower offers guests a variety of accommodations to fit any size party, and different views to fit your preference (and budget.)
There are Duo Studios themed to Jungle Book, which are like small hotel rooms that sleep up to two people and feature a Murphy bed and a few kitchen “bare necessities” (see what I did there?) like a microwave, toaster, and mini fridge. Deluxe Studios are themed to either Sleeping Beauty or The Princess and the Frog, and are only one room but with more space and amenities. There are even One Bedroom and Two Bedroom villas themed to either The Princess and the Frog or Fantasia, which have sleeping areas separate from the dining and living area. If you’re really in need of space and grandeur, the Three Bedroom Grand Villas sleep twelve and feature designs inspired by Bambi, Frozen and Moana. Regardless of size, none of these villas skimp on style or comfort!
Deluxe Studio Villas
As soon as you enter the guest halls of the Discovery Tower, you’ll notice the unique shape of the archways. If you look closely, you’ll see they’re a “D” for Disneyland! The rugs have hidden Mickeys and the elegant, understated wallpaper boasts silhouettes of classic Disney characters.
The Deluxe Studios have both a queen size bed and a seating area, with a couch that transforms into a Murphy bed for more sleeping room. Above the main bed is a light-up mural of a modern interpretation of Sleeping Beauty’s castle. A switch controls the light, so you can turn it on as a nightlight or shut it if it gets too bright at night. There are also high quality room-darkening curtains to cover the expansive windows. We loved how big and bright these windows were during the day, and while I don’t usually think a view makes or breaks a room, we had a preferred view of the Villas pool and it was truly spectacular!
The bathrooms in the Deluxe Studios are wonderful. I loved everything about the shower, especially its size and the rain showerhead on the ceiling! (There’s a regular one on the wall if you prefer to switch to that.) The separate toilet area was very convenient, and the vanity was fabulous — especially when the fairies Flora, Fauna, and Merrywether would light up while I put my makeup on! My one and only complaint about the bathroom was that the mirror on the side wall of the vanity was not magnified. As a regular mirror, it was really a clumsily-placed waste of space, and I was surprised that a brand new hotel didn’t have any magnified mirrors when even the main building at the Disneyland Hotel does.
The studio has a long counter area with drawers that spans one entire wall. I’m always looking for extra counter space in hotels for all my bags and souvenirs, so this really came in handy! The counter also has a light-up mirror and stool so you can use the area to put on makeup or style your hair while others use the bathroom.
The seating area of the studio is a welcome relaxation place, and conveniently located next to the kitchenette. We enjoyed heating up leftovers, making toast in the morning, and having a bowl of cereal late at night.
If you enjoy watching TV in bed like I do, I was a little thrown by the off-center placement of the television, which is mounted in front of the couch. If you really want to watch TV from bed, I suppose you can pull down the couch and sleep in the Murphy bed, which is surprisingly comfortable!
We loved our stay in the studio. It has an excellent use of space, making it very comfortable for up to 4 guests. The extra kitchen amenities really came in handy and are especially useful for families with kids who need snacks or meals at odd hours. I will definitely stay in a studio again on a future visit!
One Bedroom Villas
While we didn’t need the extra space of a one bedroom on this trip, as DVC members we had an opportunity to tour a one bedroom villa themed to The Princess and the Frog.
As with most DVC one bedroom villas, there is a separate bedroom as well as a living and dining area. This villa also has a nice balcony with a preferred view that overlooks the entire Disneyland Hotel (although I honestly thought our Deluxe Studio on the other side of the tower had a nicer view of the Villas pool.) As opposed to the kitchenette in our Deluxe Studio, there was a full kitchen in this larger villa. However, it didn’t feel much bigger or better than our kitchenette since it was streamlined onto one wall and much smaller than traditional DVC one-bedroom full kitchens.
I thought the most impressive part of the One Bedroom was its huge master bathroom! With two vanities, a large shower, and a big tub, this space was quite remarkable!
I would consider a larger villa on a future visit, but in all honesty I felt like the Deluxe Studio was so well-equipped that it makes for a better use of points.
Dining
Disneyland Hotel already had a few dining options, and the new DVC tower added one more. As mentioned earlier, the Villas pool area has a new poolside bar/restaurant called Palm Breeze Bar, which features take-out or dine-in at outdoor tables or the bar. We only tried one meal here and it was pretty good, but pricey for what we got.
Goofy’s Kitchen is probably Disneyland Hotel’s most popular dining option, since it offers a solid buffet for both breakfast and dinner, with the opportunity to meet classic characters.
For coffee and pastries, there’s The Coffee House right next door to Goofy’s Kitchen. Near the main hotel pool is Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar which serves food and drinks outdoors, and Tangaroa Terrace Tropical Bar & Grill, which is a quick-service version of Trader Sam’s with both indoor and outdoor seating. I don’t love the variety of food at either of these places, but I do love that you can get Dole Whips at Trader Sam’s without going to a park!
Perks
As part of the main hotel, The Villas at Disneyland Hotel offer guests access to all the perks, amenities, and sprawling grounds of the original resort. The security entrance to Downtown Disney is just outside the gate, and once inside you’re very close to the Disneyland Monorail. Hop on the monorail for the least stressful, least crowded way directly into Tomorrowland!
When heading to Disney California Adventure, you can exit the Disneyland Hotel through the same gates, walk across the street toward Pixar Place / The Grand Californian, and access their private gates to DCA with your room key! It’s my favorite perk of staying on property.
After years of DVC improvements and additions in Orlando, The Villas at Disneyland Hotel are a welcome addition to the Disney Vacation Club’s West Coast properties. The construction, design, and craftsmanship are meticulous, and I’m in awe of the attention to detail by all the dedicated cast members who keep these new Villas so pristine!
It felt wonderful to have a special little corner of my favorite Disneyland hotel earmarked for DVC. I was very pleased with our stay and it was worth the long wait seeing it built! We look forward to being welcomed home at the Villas at the Disneyland Hotel year after year.
What Lara Wrote 