Let’s Talk about the Disneyland Area Resorts

Disneyland Park opened in 1955, 16 years before Walt Disney World. Twenty years after guests entered Magic Kingdom for the first time, the Disney Vacation Club program debuted. 

Remarkably, Disneyland fans had to wait another 18 years before getting their first local DVC property. Then, the next one wouldn’t arrive until 14 years after that. When we discuss the hotel options in Anaheim, California, they require a bit more nuance. Today, let’s talk about the Disneyland area resorts, along with their quirks.

Before Disneyland Had a DVC Resort

Before we discuss the DVC hotels we have, I should mention the plans that collapsed. This happened a lot during the early 90s, before Disney better understood what fans desired from the program. In 1994, Disney plotted a Southern California DVC property. If things had gone better, program participants could have stayed at this location by the end of 1996.

I say this with confidence because Disney spent $25 million, the equivalent of $55.5 million today, to purchase 35 acres of land in the Newport coast region of California. This property would have slotted into a sweet spot between Laguna Beach and Newport Beach, while being just a 21 mile drive away from Disneyland’s front gate. You can imagine how popular this property would have been during the DVC program’s early days.

Disney had adopted a full-throated approach to DVC expansion. Plans called for another 35-acre purchase, giving the company 70 acres of land, much of which would have featured an ocean view. In some alternate reality, people have stayed in these 650 Studios and Villas for 30 years now.

My greatest regret about the cancellation of this project was that Disney promised gondola rides through canals it would create. Think less Disney Skyliner and more Venice for tourists. Disney intended to commit the equivalent of more than half a billion dollars to this project. As you know, it never happened.

Disney battled real estate magnates in the area over the acquisition of that second parcel of land. While those failed negotiations stretched out over a two year period, Disney opened two other properties that weren’t at theme parks. The sluggish sales of Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort and Disney’s Vero Beach Resort caused DVC executives to reconsider the Newport coast plans.

This was a case of Disney history repeating itself, as Walt Disney himself had nearly gone broke purchasing land for Disneyland in the early 1950s. Forty years later, the price of real estate was that much higher due to the presence of… Disneyland.

Eventually, everyone decided this was too big a headache for a modest addition to the DVC program. This failure lingered in the minds of DVC executives for nearly a decade. Then, something changed.

The Hotel Right Beside Disney California Adventure

While DVC’s management soured on the idea for a while, other Disney officials picked up the slack. As part of the decade of Disney, the company plotted a companion theme park at Disneyland resort. This property, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, actually opened five weeks before its partner park, Disney California Adventure. By this point, Disney officials had accepted that purchasing new land in Southern California would always be challenging.

Disney has adopted a piecemeal approach where it snags parcels of land whenever they go on the market to quietly build out Disneyland Resort. Disney used some of this land for its new hotel and then identified an opportunity.

Six years after the Grand Californian opened to all guests, DVC introduced a hotel expansion intending to boost inventory by roughly 30 percent. Longtime DVC members probably laugh or wince at that, as we all know the deal. Inventory has remained a sticking point at the Grand Californian since its debut. Disney only added a modest number of rooms, which has led to a persistent booking availability crisis.

At this point, most DVC members know that if you want to stay at the Grand Californian regularly, you should purchase a contract there. At some resorts, I consider this statement to be an exaggeration; however, it is NOT an overstatement at the Grand Californian. Staying at this hotel definitely justifies the effort, though.

The Grand Californian offers what I consider to be one of the top amenities in the DVC program. You exit the hotel lobby, turn one, take a few steps, and you’re standing at the security checkpoint for Disney California Adventure. You can legitimately leave the hotel lobby and be inside the theme park in five minutes, depending on the security lines.

Even Disney’s Beach Club Resort cannot claim that convenient of a location. Also, as the name implies, the name Grand Californian functions as the equivalent of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa at Walt Disney World. It’s a luxury resort featuring exquisite amenities such as GCH Craftsman Bar/Grill and Storytellers Cafe.

Members also adore Hearthstone Lodge, one of the best hangout spots on the Disneyland campus. Best of all, many of the rooms overlook Disney California Adventure, so you can sit in your room and admire the beauty of the theme park. If your room doesn’t include a view, there’s also a DVC-exclusive sitting area at the hotel.

Folks, Disneyland fans may have waited more than 60 years for the Grand Californian, but it’s totally worth the delay.

Then, Disney Added a Newer Hotel

In late 2023, Disney finally did something about the inventory crunch at Disneyland Resort. The company built a 12 story expansion tower that’s really a standalone facility. It’s easier to market as part of the prestigious Disneyland Hotel, though. So, Disney lists it that way and also does a bit of amenity sharing.

For example, this hotel doesn’t offer a table service restaurant, which is a rarity in the DVC program. Disney knows that you don’t need one since it’s walking distance away from the Downtown Disney entertainment district. Also, and this is important, everything at Disneyland Resort is close enough together that all the amenities are accessible. You can eat at the Grand Californian, inside one of the two theme parks, or just grab quick service on the go.

What matters is that you’re exponentially more likely to book a DVC hotel room at Disneyland resort now. The addition of this property effectively triples the overall inventory at the Happiest Place on Earth. More than 250 of these rooms are Studios, but the hotel also offers Tower Studios. These small rooms are an ideal way to save money on your DVC visit while still experiencing Disneyland in all its splendor.

Your Disneyland area resort options used to be Grand Californian or booking a cash room somewhere. The addition of these Villas has dramatically enriched the entire DVC program.

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