This morning The Villas at Disneyland Hotel officially opened during a special musical ceremony at the Disneyland Resort in front of this new 12-story hotel. The ceremony was emceed by the current Disneyland Resort Ambassadors Nataly Guzman-Garcia and Mark Everett King Jr.
The duo came out dancing to music at the start of the ceremony to Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. It made for an upbeat and magical start to the day. After some brief opening remarks, they invited the senior vice president and general manager of Disney Vacation Club, Bill Diercksen, to the center stage. During his remarks, Diercksen welcomed people to the new Disney Vacation Club property, the 16th DVC resort. “All of us at Disney Vacation Club are thrilled to be broadening our offerings on the west coast with this incredible resort,’ Diercksen said.
Diercksen continued, “So much attention to detail went into the design of this timeless tower that features unique decor, just like home amenities, and modern accommodations. All inspired by the creative details from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ great films.” He then invited Dan Coleman, general manager of the Disneyland Hotel, to the stage.
Coleman said about The Villas at Disneyland Resort saying, “This is a proud moment for all of us. Today we start a new chapter. So this is the chapter that unvelopes in a way that maybe we couldn’t imagine before. When we think about this merging, if you will, of DVC and it coming together with the hotels, we have it existing already within our portfolio, but this is a brand new chapter and a brand new start. Walt once said ‘Disneyland will always be building, and growing, and adding, new things… new ways of having fun, of learning things, and sharing the many exciting adventures which may be experienced here in the company of family and friends. This, my friends, is where it all begins with that level of collaboration. This amazing level of collaboration is including our Disneyland Resort, it’s also including Walt Disney Imagineering, and Disney Vacation Club, and many others.”
Kissy Simmons, the longest-running Nala on Broadway’s The Lion King, was the invited to the stage to sing the anthem for the Disney Vacation Club, Where We Belong (Welcome Home). As she sang the song, she was joined on stage by different Disney characters. This included Moana, Princess Tiana, King Louie and Baloo, and also Anna and Elsa.
Following the performance, Bill Diercksen returned to the stage for the official opening. After thanking Kissy, Diercksen noted that “we love how the Disney Vacation Club celebrates the joy of creating wonderful memories together year after year.” Then he invited “some of our incredible Cast Members to join us!” At which point Cast Members appeared on balconies behind the stage from rooms in the The Villas. Diercksen then invited Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse for the official opening moment. This was done with a countdown, confetti, and cheers as The Villas at Disneyland Hotel officially opened. The Disneyland Ambassadors then stepped up to conclude the ceremony and welcome everyone home.
The full opening ceremony for The Villas at Disneyland Resort can be seen below. This new DVC location is full of magical details that will be shared in future articles on Daps Magic in the coming hours and days. The Villas at Disneyland Resort is a beautiful addition to the Disneyland Resort that will be a place where plenty of happy and magical memories are made!
