It seems like just yesterday that Cotino – A Storyliving by Disney Community was announced. This was accompanied by pictures with shovels in front of a big lot. Fast forward a few years and Cotino – A Storyliving by Disney Community is now welcoming its first residents and Disney magic is beginning to blossom in Palm Desert.

On the evening of October 22nd, some members of the media and other special guests were invited to enjoy a progressive dinner through three houses at Cotino. Daps Magic was invited to be one of the members of the media that was honored to be included in this tour. The evening began with appetizers at the mid-century modern Atelier model from Shea Homes. After a short walk to Woodbridge Pacific Group’s contemporary Westwind model, dinner was served. The evening’s events concluded with dessert at the Canvas model from Davidson Communities. Through the course of this evening, there was plenty of time to enjoy exploring each house and also get a feel for what it would be like to enjoy an evening with friends at each location.

Atelier Model From Shea Homes

The first home was the mid-century modern Atelier model from Shea Homes. This house had such a great vibe! Walking into the house, it was hard to not smile. This lovely house utilized every inch of space wisely. The kitchen was one I would love to cook in. The bedrooms had lovely feels and the backyard felt like a great space to entertain. Currently, some of the angles have lovely views of the mountains that were beautiful as the sun was setting. The bathrooms had plenty of room and the closets were ample.

Overall, this was a house that would be very comfortable and while not overtly Disney, it have something about it that communicated the Disney difference. Some of this was the environment of the neighborhood. Some of it was the attention to detail. All of it was impressive. It was beautiful but also very comfortable. It would be great for entertaining for special events and also great for relaxing with family and/or friends on a quiet night. I also really enjoyed the kitchen in this house and could easily imagine cooking in it. Overall, this house really had a homey feel that would be very easy to live and relax in!

Westwind Model From Woodbridge Pacific Group

The next stop was the Westwind Model from Woodbridge Pacific Group. Just a quick walk down the street, the sun was setting as the group made its way for dinner at this house. As the sunlight glowed behind the mountains, the whole community felt magical. The area is surprisingly quiet. For as many businesses and houses that are in the general area outside of Cotino, you’d never know. It really is a peaceful place, which I think is a huge selling point in itself. The house itself was really impressive. This house was on a bigger lot and was larger than the first house we visited. It also was more spread out. While it was very different, it also felt like it came from the same community as the first one. There were a lot of features to be found throughout this house. There was a lovely office just inside the front door. On the other side of the entry way, there was a suite that is probably meant to be the primary one. It had a MASSIVE closet, an incredible bathroom (also very large), and a lovely bedroom. Both the bathroom and bedroom had views of the lovely backyard deck and pool. This also had a washer and dryer included in this suite.

Further inside the house there was a large living room and kitchen that were next to each other. Behind this, there was another lounge/living room and a hallway that led to more bedrooms and bathrooms. Behind the the bedrooms, there were small backyard decks as well. This part of the house also had a laundry room. One of the bedrooms had been made up with some incredible bunk beds and Disney decorations that were absolutely charming. This wasn’t all there was to the house, however.

Over the three-car garage (that was hidden from the street), there was another suite. This had an entrance from outside the house (that could be accessed from the main backyard deck/pool area). Once at the top of the stairs, there was an incredible little living room with a kitchenette and television. Windows in this room looked out over the pool and deck area. Behind this room, there was a bedroom and bathroom. This is a space I would probably live in if I were to ever own a house like this.

This house also was built in a way that was nice for a night in or for having others over and entertaining. It also is customizable, as are all the houses at Cotino. It was a lovely place to eat dinner and the food was fantastic. The company was also quite lovely.

Canvas Model From Davidson Communities

The final destination was the Canvas Model from Davidson Communities. This house was anecdotally was not quite as big as the Westwind Model but bigger than the Atelier Model. Dessert was served here. It had a substantial kitchen that led into a smaller dining space that went right into the living room. Another table area was making kind of an L in this main area. Outside was a deck with a fire pit, outdoor table, pool, and a grill setup. It was perhaps my favorite outdoor space of the three houses. The house wrapped around this outdoor space. The front of the house had one bedroom that could be great as a guest room. There was a nearby restroom in the front of the house for this.

The back half of the house had two more bedrooms in this setup, along with a laundry room. One bedroom had a small outdoor space, bathroom, and decent sized closet. The other bedroom had what I’m going to call a bathroom suite. This included a bathtub with a shower at each end, the bathroom, sinks, and a substantial closet. This one got just about everyone at the event talking about it. It really was impressive. This bedroom was also one of the two that had doors that looked out at the patio/pool space.

Thoughts on an Evening at Cotino

Throughout the course of the evening we were privileged to get to experience delicious food and hospitality in three different houses that were made by three different companies that had three very different layouts. Despite all of the differences, there were also things that made them feel like they all belonged together. With the way the event was held, it was very easy to imagine people living in each of these houses and enjoying them together. This is very important as homes are meant to be lived in!

There were a couple of other things I noticed about each house. Each had a kitchen I could imagine enjoy cooking in and enjoy cooking with other people visiting in. The layout of each house was clearly quite intentional and made for an environment that was both functional and also beautiful. How people would move around and live in these houses had been thought about. Things just made sense. There is storage room. There is laundry space(s). There is cooking areas and dining areas. There are lots of areas to be social. There are also places to work or to get away. The result was that as we toured each house, it was easy to imagine how one could make it work. Knowing that they were all customizable also led to imaginations going to work as people visualized how they would make each house their own home.

There is one ingredient that shouldn’t be missed with these houses. That’s the Disney magic. This is not Disney magic that is sprinkled on each person as they enter the community or each individual house. It is, however, the subtle differences that can be found in the way the community is laid out, the parks that are found throughout the area, and perhaps most importantly, the culture that is being built in Cotino. This isn’t just another community that people can buy into. It is one that may not have Mickey Mouse greeting you when you get home. What it does do though is bring the signature Disney customer service and experiences that fans have known and love for 70 years since Walt Disney first welcomed “all who come to this happy place.”

Throughout each of the houses, it was evident that the care that goes into the Disney parks, Disney Cruise Line ships, and even Adventures by Disney experiences, was the same care that was utilized in creating this Storyliving by Disney Community. This could be felt without even having visited the Artisan Club! This may not be the same as living in a Disney theme park but it definitely is a place where Disney can be felt and lived in.

Cotino – A Storyliving by Disney Community is still very much still growing. While there are already people living in this community, more are still coming and more can still come. It will be fun to see how this area grows and what the community becomes at its mature. While it is already beautiful and magical today, I can only imagine how much more magic will be felt when the community comes together in this Disney environment. This will be a place where people who have a shared love of Disney come together in a beautiful environment that has Disney touches throughout. Couple that with the Disney programming that will be unveiled with the Artisan Club and it will be even more magical!

As with all houses, they will truly become homes when people live in them and put their own personal touches on them. When this happens, Cotino will really be a special place that will undoubtably be popular with those who choose to make this place their residence. It will be magical!