Celebrate 70 years of Disneyland magic with new experiences, parades, and family fun at the Villas at Disneyland Hotel.
I was 9 years old when I first visited Disneyland. As a new immigrant still finding my footing in this country, it felt like I had stepped inside a storybook. Surrounded by Mickey and all his friends, the colors and music, I walked down Main Street in awe: Are we really here? I thought.
I had the chance to relive that wonderful sensation in a whole new way recently when we spent a couple of days at the Disney parks with my oldest daughter, who has an annual pass, and my niece, who was going to see the parks for the first time. The combination of having my daughter take us on all her favorite rides and seeing my niece’s face light up was pure magic — that nostalgia and the joy of Disney is real!
The Disney villas
Disney Vacation Club invited us to experience the new Villas at Disneyland Hotel as our home away from home — an enchanted fairy-tale getaway with thoughtful modern amenities. As you walk into the lobby of the Discovery Tower, you’ll be greeted by a whimsical mural created by Disney artist Lorelay Bové that captures many of our beloved characters in their most iconic scenes. Artwork and color scripts from featured films are elegantly incorporated throughout the design of this 12-story tower, opened two years ago.
As we watched “Walt Disney — A Magical Life” at the Main Street Opera House theater at Disneyland, one thing became evident: Disney was at his core a storyteller. Creating a mood, a narrative and characters who millions of viewers connected with and rooted for.
The villas are a celebration of this enduring legacy – the art of animation and storytelling. Each of the 344 themed rooms showcase unique artwork, and the hallways feature silhouettes of classic Disney characters. Even the mirrors in the bathroom display enchanted etchings and the storybook carpet has a Disney movie saying woven in. Open the closet and you’ll find whimsical art there, too.
Every good story has sensory details that immerse us into the plot. At the villas, the creative details transform a hotel room into a special and memorable experience.
The villas offer a variety of room options. The Duo Studios with their Jungle Book theme are great for two people. The Deluxe Studios sleep up to four guests and feature the story of Sleeping Beauty or Princess and the Frog. Both offer a kitchenette with a mini-fridge, a microwave and a coffee maker. One- and two-bedroom villas with a full-size kitchen and a washer and dryer are also available. If you want to gather several families, the Grand Villas sleep 12 guests, with three bedrooms, a full-size kitchen, dining area, a washer and dryer and a private outdoor balcony.
What’s great about staying here is that you can take an easy stroll to Downtown Disney, Disneyland and California Adventure. And when you need a little respite, come back to the Palette Pool area with its poolside bar, lounge areas and a whimsical “Steamboat Willie” splash pad for the little ones to enjoy. We grabbed lunch and dinner poolside at the Palm Breeze Bar. This oasis felt like a tropical escape with fun drinks and kale and beet salad to balance the churros, ice cream and candy calling our names at the parks.
Speaking of escapes, Disney Vacation Club members can now enjoy a member-lounge at Disneyland. The Star View Station is a quiet, air-conditioned private space in Tomorrowland with complimentary coffee and soft drinks, phone-charging stations, a wrap-around outdoor balcony with lots of seating and a kids lounge area. When you need a break from the lines and the crowds, this is a perfect place to duck into for a bit to recharge.
Dine with Mickey and Friends
We began our first morning with a buffet breakfast at Goofy’s Kitchen, just a few steps from the villas. There’s a wide variety of options like Mickey pancakes, French toast, scrambled eggs, oatmeal, fruit, yogurt, made-to-order omelets, plus some goofy choices like peanut-butter-and-jelly pizza and a whole display of sweets. Goofy is ready to take a family photo as soon as you arrive and, once you’re seated, more characters will come by to say hello and take photos.
And the tradition here is to swirl your napkins as you hear the music pick up and the characters come dancing through the restaurant.
On our last night at the resort, we had dinner with our Disney pals at Storytellers Café in Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. This fun spot also offers lots of options, including salads, fruit platters, vegetables, salmon, chicken, carve stations, potatoes, pasta, pizza, plus a variety of cookies, desserts and soft-serve ice cream. Here, too, we met lots of characters who stopped by our table and were happy to take photos, give hugs and high fives.
Fireworks, Parades & Bands
Being back at the Disneyland Resort after many years felt special. There is something here for every age, which is great for multi-generational fun and bonding. Of course, there are all the rides — the thrilling ones like Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain, Matterhorn and Incredicoaster, and the whimsical ones like It’s a Small World, Jungle Cruise, Autopia, Soarin’ Around the World, Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway and more.
Beyond the rides, there are the parades and fireworks shows at both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park. The Paint the Night parade celebrates Disneyland’s 70th anniversary with 1 million LED lights and Disney pals from our favorite Disney and Pixar movies. The 70th celebration continues at Disney California Adventure Park with a new nighttime show inspired by Walt Disney’s opening remarks when Disneyland’s doors opened to the public. “To all who come to this happy place…welcome!” World of Color Happiness! is hosted by Joy and other emotions from Disney and Pixar films “Inside Out” and “Inside Out 2.” Paradise Bay and the audience is transformed by the dazzling lighting, colorful lasers, fog effects and bubbles.
The Wondrous Journeys celebrates animation classics and storytelling by projecting iconic movie scenes on the façade of Sleeping Beauty Castle, Main Street, U.S.A., the Rivers of America and the façade of it’s a small world. This delightful show includes a spectacular fireworks display on select nights.
Each season brings its own charm to this magical place. From now until Oct. 31, it’s all about haunting tunes and spooky fun. From Nov. 14 to Jan. 7, the parks transform into a winter wonderland with holidays lights, jolly music and festive parades and shows.
I have to admit, I was sad to leave the Disney magic on Sunday afternoon. Having the opportunity to stay at the Villas at Disneyland Hotel gave us a great glimpse into what it would be like to be Vacation Club members. We had the best of the resort life with pools and quiet, and breezy dining options, while being able to walk a few minutes to Downtown Disney and the parks. And when you give yourself a few days to explore the parks, you do enjoy them a lot more.
Magic Tips:
- Start the day at the parks, come back to the villas to relax and cool off by the pool, have a quiet early dinner and then head back to the parks for a show, parade and fireworks.
- Make good use of your time through the Disneyland app by making dining reservations ahead of time, check on wait times for rides and shows, find character greetings and book Lightning Lane.
- Wear comfortable shoes. We walked more than 20,000 steps most days.
- Bring your own water bottle and refill it at water stations throughout the parks.
- Take advantage of the refrigerator, microwave, toaster and coffee maker in the room. Have snacks, cut-up fruit and mini sandwiches ready for when your family comes back for a mid-day break.
For more information on becoming a Disney Vacation Club member, click HERE.
