Guests staying in The Villas at Disneyland Hotel using Disney Vacation Club will be required to pay an Anaheim city lodging tax based upon the cost and length of their stay.
Update: The tax has been confirmed at $2.73 per point for 2023 with DVC publishing a chart showing the cost for each accommodation throughout the year. Link inside.
The states of Hawaii and Californian both have Transient Occupancy Taxes on the books. While DVC point stays are not subject to typical hotel taxes, Transient Occupancy Taxes apply to a wider range of temporary accommodations including timeshares.
In the case of Aulani, Disney Vacation Club Villas, the tax has always been charged to guests during their stay at the resort. The amount of the fee is based upon a complex calcuation which includes the annual dues rate, number of points required for the stay and the local tax rate. The amount is disclosed to guests upon arrival and billed during or after the visit. See our prior coverage for details on the tax.
Villas at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel is also subject to a Transient Occupancy Tax. However, unlike Aulani, the Grand Californian tax has always been included with owners' Annual Dues. For 2023, the tax is listed in the budget as $.5123 per point. The tax is collected from owners by Disney Vacation Club and remitted to the appropriate taxing agency.
Newly released documents for The Villas at Disneyland Hotel indicate a different approach is planned. A disclaimer printed on the resort's points chart reads as follows:
"For all stays at The Villas at Disneyland Hotel, the City of Anaheim imposes a nightly transient occupancy tax based upon the number of Vacation Points required for the stay. This tax must be paid by check-out. The amount of the tax will vary from year to year, and the tax rate is subject to change."
This disclaimer indicates that the Transient Occupancy Tax will not be included with annual dues, and will instead be payable during the stay similar to Aulani.
Disney Vacation Club has published a chart detailing the estimated tax amounts for 2023. The taxes are based upon a rate of $2.73 per point. An October weekday stay in a Preferred View Deluxe Studio priced at 23 points per night has an extimated tax of $62.88 per night payable at the resort.
The complete chart is located here.
At this point it is unclear why Disneyland Hotel's tax rate of $2.73 per point is so much higher than Grand Californian's rate of $.5123 per point. Villas at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel opened in 2009. Apparently there was some change in the rate or basis for the tax during that 14 year span.
Charging the tax at the resort effectively reduces the annual dues, shifting the tax to the actual guest utilizing the accommodation. The approach benefits owners of The Villas at Disneyland Hotel as they are only responsible for the tax when staying at their Home resort. If Disneyland Hotel points are used for stays at a Walt Disney World resort, Disney's Hilton Head Island Resort or Disney's Vero Beach Resort, no Transient Occupancy Tax would be charged.
Other Disney Vacation Club members booking Disneyland Hotel at 7 months, guests of owners and renters of DVC points would be responsible for paying the tax.
It is not known if Disney Vacation Club plans to change the manner in which the tax is collected for stays at Grand Californian. The earliest changes could be applied would be the 2024 calendar year.
