The Villas at Disney's Grand Californian Owners & Lovers Group - 2.0

[Cinderpamela]

This is not true.

Once you select the nights and you go into the next screen which says this:





If you NOTHING except let the screen sit idle, you get 20 minutes to decide.

If you are actively booking the details, like contracts or points to use, and then the names of the guests, you get 60 minutes.

I'm a VERY bad typist and I've been able to type in all 9 guests' names, addresses and phone numbers w/o any issue while doing on line booking.

Now, calling might save some typing on your part, and if you're going to call to make a room request anyway you could just have MS do this as well, but timing out the session should not be an issue.

Yes.... I have heard/read this too.... but I just really have a hard time believing that DVC will hold that room for 60 minutes while I fiddle around with it. I guess I would much rather just get my booking done and be on the safe side. Especially at a hard to get resort.

 

[Breyean]

Yes.... I have heard/read this too.... but I just really have a hard time believing that DVC will hold that room for 60 minutes while I fiddle around with it. I guess I would much rather just get my booking done and be on the safe side. Especially at a hard to get resort.

I've found the timing to be just about what they have posted for holding a room.

In fact, I've grabbed at room at VGC and just let it sit while I called my wife to confirm we were good to go for those dates. Then, 15 minutes or so later, after we discuss it, I proceed with the booking process, entering all the required info about guests.

The resort you're booking plays no part in how long the room is held by the system while you complete the booking. Seeing how the Disney IT systems work, I'd be really surprised if they could implement something like that.

 

[Nonsuch]

Just wanted to give a huge Thank you to everyone on this board especially Nonsuch for helping my family get the best view at VGC...

Thanks for the positive feedback, you are very welcome
I have just returned home from a quick trip, only Friday and Saturday. One night at the GCH, since this trip was only planned a few weeks ago.

This was my view from 4333 (4th floor above Napa Rose):

The mature trees block much of the view even from the 4th floor, but it should be a few years before the trees get this dense on the Paradise Pier side of the Villas.

 

[dolphinmatt]

I was just reading some of the posts about Grad Nights. We were just there at the end of May and had to endure Grad Night on the 29th. Did anyone else have noise issues while in their Villa? We were in a 1bd #1502 and the noise was terrible. I woke up several times between 10pm and 3am because of the screaming. It seemed to all come from Goofy's Sky School. Even on non-grad nights, when the park closed at 10, the noise level was just unbearable. I'm wondering if it was because we were on the 1st floor and there was some sort of echo effect between our room and the walls separating the park. Has anyone had experience in that area of the Villas with the noise coming from Goofy's Sky School? I'd like to know what to request next time...

 

[Nonsuch]

I was just reading some of the posts about Grad Nights. We were just there at the end of May and had to endure Grad Night on the 29th. Did anyone else have noise issues while in their Villa? We were in a 1bd #1502 and the noise was terrible.

I have not had that particular villa, but have been in several units directly above (6502, 5502, 3502). The screams from Sky School are quite loud, but since the park generally closes at 10PM it has never been an issue.

You might have just been unlucky, with many kids wanting to ride Sky School during your stay. I stayed at the GCH last month, and was curious about the Grad Night actitivies. On Thursday May 16 around midnight, viewed from the 6th floor viewing patio, Sky School was running and mostly empty with very few grads in the Paradise Pier area.

Grad Nights are likely the worst case situation, since the teens might be trying to "out scream" each other and the park stays open until 3AM. Grad Night has been alternating between the parks each year, but nothing is confirmed until Disney announces a schedule for 2014.

 

[dolphinmatt]

Yeah, I was surprised that Goofy's Sky School was so popular with the teens. I'll be sure to check the Grad Night schedule next time before booking - that was not fun. I'll request a high floor and just hope that the sound is not as bad up higher. Any suggestion on where to find a thread that gives reports on each Villa? I've stayed in two so far, and there was a huge difference in sound - yet, both were facing the park.

 

[Chereya]

Yeah, I was surprised that Goofy's Sky School was so popular with the teens. I'll be sure to check the Grad Night schedule next time before booking - that was not fun. I'll request a high floor and just hope that the sound is not as bad up higher. Any suggestion on where to find a thread that gives reports on each Villa? I've stayed in two so far, and there was a huge difference in sound - yet, both were facing the park.

This is the thread that was created by BigAWL to collect info on the different room types, locations and views. It uses DmaxHawk and Nonsuch's maps and layouts for reference. I think it's a fabulous resource and it's easier to read and search through for the info as this thread has gotten so gargantuan.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2906031

 

[kerickson]

I was just reading some of the posts about Grad Nights. We were just there at the end of May and had to endure Grad Night on the 29th. Did anyone else have noise issues while in their Villa? We were in a 1bd #1502 and the noise was terrible. I woke up several times between 10pm and 3am because of the screaming. It seemed to all come from Goofy's Sky School. Even on non-grad nights, when the park closed at 10, the noise level was just unbearable. I'm wondering if it was because we were on the 1st floor and there was some sort of echo effect between our room and the walls separating the park. Has anyone had experience in that area of the Villas with the noise coming from Goofy's Sky School? I'd like to know what to request next time...

Goofy's Sky School is a loud ride. We were in 5508 a few weeks ago which is closer to the GV, but could still hear the Goofy screams. I'm sure if you are in a lower villa right in front it is very loud.

Kids seem to love it. My DD(9) and DS(7) rode it 20 times in a row one morning. They didn't have to get off the first 8 (it was a MM and everyone was in Cars Land), then kept getting in line and riding until they hit 20. The CM said the record was 40, mom and dad didn't have enought patience to stick around for that.

 

[floribr1]

Some tips for booking:
-I also read the tip here to just book it for one person to begin with. That way you don't waste any time entering all the names in your party. Then just call MS later and add all the other people to the reservation by phone once you have it. This worked well for me because right after I booked I went back and looked and many of the nights were already showing full.

This is not true.

Once you select the nights and you go into the next screen which says this:





If you NOTHING except let the screen sit idle, you get 20 minutes to decide.

If you are actively booking the details, like contracts or points to use, and then the names of the guests, you get 60 minutes.

I'm a VERY bad typist and I've been able to type in all 9 guests' names, addresses and phone numbers w/o any issue while doing on line booking.

Now, calling might save some typing on your part, and if you're going to call to make a room request anyway you could just have MS do this as well, but timing out the session should not be an issue.

Yes.... I have heard/read this too.... but I just really have a hard time believing that DVC will hold that room for 60 minutes while I fiddle around with it. I guess I would much rather just get my booking done and be on the safe side. Especially at a hard to get resort.

Well, the message that appears on the Member website had darn sure better be correct!


I have booked several villas, including those that are "hard to get," and at busy times to boot (summer, f&w, etc.). Sometimes when I have chosen a resort and all dates show as available, I click on "Select This Resort," only to be told that the selection is no longer available... Which means that someone else must have clicked a second before I did. However, once I get to the screen that tells me that my offer will be held for 60 minutes and the booking session will end after 20 minutes of inactivity, I have never been unable to complete the booking, regardless of how long it takes me to finish. I can think of no reason not to believe that what the member website says is the 100% truth.

Rest assured... the message on the member website is not a lie.

 

[lilpooh108]

Well, the message that appears on the Member website had darn sure better be correct!


I have booked several villas, including those that are "hard to get," and at busy times to boot (summer, f&w, etc.). Sometimes when I have chosen a resort and all dates show as available, I click on "Select This Resort," only to be told that the selection is no longer available... Which means that someone else must have clicked a second before I did. However, once I get to the screen that tells me that my offer will be held for 60 minutes and the booking session will end after 20 minutes of inactivity, I have never been unable to complete the booking, regardless of how long it takes me to finish. I can think of no reason not to believe that what the member website says is the 100% truth.

Rest assured... the message on the member website is not a lie.

I have. This happened to me. Last year I clicked through to book a 1BR BLT standard for 1st week of December. I was soooooo happy. After I typed in the names, it told me it timed out. I only took 8 minutes on that first page.

I immediately re-did the search but the unit was still being held by my prior attempt. Tried again in an hour and the unit cycled back up.

So you never know, because in general their websites really suck.

 

[floribr1]

I have. This happened to me. Last year I clicked through to book a 1BR BLT standard for 1st week of December. I was soooooo happy. After I typed in the names, it told me it timed out. I only took 8 minutes on that first page.

I immediately re-did the search but the unit was still being held by my prior attempt. Tried again in an hour and the unit cycled back up.

So you never know, because in general their websites really suck.

It sounds like you must have been a victim of a glitch in the new web booking tool (but glad you were able to book your villa in the end! ). I haven't heard of this being a big problem, so hopefully that means they have fixed this problem.

However in any case, your situation only proves the assertion that your room is "held" for 60 minutes, since nobody (including you) was able to book that room during the hour it was held.

 

[lilpooh108]

However in any case, your situation only proves the assertion that your room is "held" for 60 minutes, since nobody (including you) was able to book that room during the hour it was held.

True, but the obsessive re-searching during those 60 minutes took years off my life

 

[lilpooh108]

I am having a massage tomorrow at the Mandara at the Grand Californian

Do they give an annoying sales pitch? Do I need to write "No Sales" on the info card when I check in? My SIL just got back from a Disney cruise and she said they bothered her the entire time w/product sales and it ruined her spa day....

Thanks for any info!

 

[taaren]

I am having a massage tomorrow at the Mandara at the Grand Californian

Do they give an annoying sales pitch? Do I need to write "No Sales" on the info card when I check in? My SIL just got back from a Disney cruise and she said they bothered her the entire time w/product sales and it ruined her spa day....

Thanks for any info!

No clue about the pitches, hope there aren't any for what they charge!

Just wanted to say enjoy your spa day! Let us know how it went. My girlfriend received some gift certificates that work there and tells me we're going to go but we always seem to end up opting for more Park time instead.

 

[franandaj]

I am having a massage tomorrow at the Mandara at the Grand Californian

Do they give an annoying sales pitch? Do I need to write "No Sales" on the info card when I check in? My SIL just got back from a Disney cruise and she said they bothered her the entire time w/product sales and it ruined her spa day....

Thanks for any info!

Well I'm a day late, but I've taken them up on their TravelZoo certificates whenever they offer them and never had them go into annoying sales pitches. I think one time they made some reccomendations, but never to the point that I felt pressured into buying them. This time (Thursday three days ago) they didn't make any reccomendations and just let me go on my merry way.

I hope you enjoyed your massage. For what they charge, it better have been nice!

 

[Amunet]

Oh! I am jealous of you owners! I recently became enamored with this resort when researching accommodations at DL. Little did I know how popular it is in July Hopefully one day I would be able to stay too ^_^

 

[5ofus]

Hi everybody, I hope you don't mind me joining in on this thread!

I'm coming over to the US from Australia with my DH and three sons (2,4 and 6) in September for ten days at Disneyland. Thanks to the kindness of a friend who I met through the DIS, I am renting points for us to spend two nights in a studio room. I know we're going to be a bit squishy, but this is probably the only time a stay at DGC will be in our budget so we'll manage. Not to mention we're used to camping and being on top of each other then

I'm slowly reading my way through this entire thread (currently up to page 45 which was way back in 2011!) and it's been a wonderful source of information as well as helping me to get even more excited about the trip.

A couple of points about our trip that make this even more wonderful. Our boys don't know we're going to Disneyland at all! We are primarily going to the US for a friends' wedding in Vegas and the kids know about that, but NOTHING about the Disneyland part We plan on telling them the day before we drive to Anaheim (DS1 is a planner and will need the day to get in the right mind-frame) by doing a pass the parcel with the last gift being shirts saying "We're going to Disneyland!" and park maps. To add to the excitement, my DH doesn't know that we're staying at GCV! I booked it on the sly and since he's happy to let me do all the planning I've just omitted a few details from my conversations with him. We're staying at HoJos for the 8 nights after our 2 nights at GCV and he thinks we're staying there for all ten. I'm not telling HIM my little secret at all and will just drive straight up to the entrance of the Grand Californian and wait for the lightbulb to go on

Anyway, I'll continue reading through all the wonderful posts on here, but if I have any questions after all that, I'll be posting again 72 days until we fly out!!!

 

[JoRo]

Hi everybody, I hope you don't mind me joining in on this thread!

I'm coming over to the US from Australia with my DH and three sons (2,4 and 6) in September for ten days at Disneyland. Thanks to the kindness of a friend who I met through the DIS, I am renting points for us to spend two nights in a studio room. I know we're going to be a bit squishy, but this is probably the only time a stay at DGC will be in our budget so we'll manage. Not to mention we're used to camping and being on top of each other then

I'm slowly reading my way through this entire thread (currently up to page 45 which was way back in 2011!) and it's been a wonderful source of information as well as helping me to get even more excited about the trip.

A couple of points about our trip that make this even more wonderful. Our boys don't know we're going to Disneyland at all! We are primarily going to the US for a friends' wedding in Vegas and the kids know about that, but NOTHING about the Disneyland part We plan on telling them the day before we drive to Anaheim (DS1 is a planner and will need the day to get in the right mind-frame) by doing a pass the parcel with the last gift being shirts saying "We're going to Disneyland!" and park maps. To add to the excitement, my DH doesn't know that we're staying at GCV! I booked it on the sly and since he's happy to let me do all the planning I've just omitted a few details from my conversations with him. We're staying at HoJos for the 8 nights after our 2 nights at GCV and he thinks we're staying there for all ten. I'm not telling HIM my little secret at all and will just drive straight up to the entrance of the Grand Californian and wait for the lightbulb to go on

Anyway, I'll continue reading through all the wonderful posts on here, but if I have any questions after all that, I'll be posting again 72 days until we fly out!!!

Very excited for your trip! GCV are fun and yes studio is cozy with our 4 but still fun. The breakfast buffet is fun at GCV. Take advantage of the early day entrance from the parks. Go to Giradellis for your free chocolate sample but IMO skip the ice cream over priced. Fresh caramel corn by soaring. Take advantage of FP and single riders. Do the flag ceremony at DL Ernie is amazing he has kept it going for over 20 years. Enjoy the little things of the park because its where it all started with Walt. Excited for your family!

 

[5ofus]

Very excited for your trip! GCV are fun and yes studio is cozy with our 4 but still fun. The breakfast buffet is fun at GCV. Take advantage of the early day entrance from the parks. Go to Giradellis for your free chocolate sample but IMO skip the ice cream over priced. Fresh caramel corn by soaring. Take advantage of FP and single riders. Do the flag ceremony at DL Ernie is amazing he has kept it going for over 20 years. Enjoy the little things of the park because its where it all started with Walt. Excited for your family!

Thanks for the tips! I've been to DL 5 times before, but it's been 8 years since my last trip to Anaheim. DH has been twice and DS1 and DS2 have been to Tokyo Disneyland, but none of he kids have been to Anaheim

We have ten full park days so we'll be taking some time to do the little things and have some down time. The day we arrive and check in is not a park day so we'll spend time wandering around DTD, looking for our brick and hopefully chillin by the pool. I keep imagining my kids doing things at DL (DS1 riding Peter Pan, DS2 meeting Jake, DS3 chasing Mickey..) and I get butterflies in my stomach and tears in my eyes So happy to be going back to my happy place

 

[ACDSNY]

We have ten full park days so we'll be taking some time to do the little things and have some down time. The day we arrive and check in is not a park day so we'll spend time wandering around DTD, looking for our brick and hopefully chillin by the pool. I keep imagining my kids doing things at DL (DS1 riding Peter Pan, DS2 meeting Jake, DS3 chasing Mickey..) and I get butterflies in my stomach and tears in my eyes So happy to be going back to my happy place

I'm so excited for you and your family. Sounds like you have an awesome set of surprises for them all. I hope your trip is magical!