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

[boiseflyfisher]

There is no time of year that is not high demand for VGC. It pretty much always books up once the 7 month window opens.

 

[Nonsuch]

Hello.... Thinking about going to CA in early November..... Are the 1 bedroom units in "high demand" that time if year... We are VWL, so can nit book till the 7 month window.

You have a very good change, make sure to book at exactly 7 months (the exact second booking opens).
November 7 is the Fall Dapper Day, with some of the lowest onsite hotel rates available all year. This might increase VGC availability in early November -- We are VGC owners, but stay at GCH when low rates are available (Dapper Day, Gay Days...).

 

[AulaniNutz]

You have a very good change, make sure to book at exactly 7 months (the exact second booking opens).
November 7 is the Fall Dapper Day, with some of the lowest onsite hotel rates available all year. This might increase VGC availability in early November -- We are VGC owners, but stay at GCH when low rates are available (Dapper Day, Gay Days...).

What an interesting event, Dapper Day.
Here's their website, Dapper Day is really Nov 6.
http://dapperday.com/

It provides you links to heavily discounted room rates at GCH for this event for October 29 to Nov 12,
but there is a one night forfeiture for cancellation... I did a quick check against the dapper day rates vs. disneyland.com.
Heavily discounted...

 

[Jersey Brian]

You have a very good change, make sure to book at exactly 7 months (the exact second booking opens).
November 7 is the Fall Dapper Day, with some of the lowest onsite hotel rates available all year. This might increase VGC availability in early November -- We are VGC owners, but stay at GCH when low rates are available (Dapper Day, Gay Days...).

Many thanks!

 

[bwang123]

Hello.... Thinking about going to CA in early November..... Are the 1 bedroom units in "high demand" that time if year... We are VWL, so can nit book till the 7 month window.

we went the last week of October going into the first part of November this year. We wanted a studio but only a one bedroom was available at 7 months so we grabbed it.

 

[AZMermaid]

The Avengers Half marathon is the weekend of 11/11- so I would say that weekend will be pretty near impossible. But the weekend before or after that is much more likely to be open at 7 months.

 

[squee!! disney!!]

I JUST BOOKED MY TRIP TO VGC!! Our home resort is the Grand Floridian but I am going to California for the first time and somehow managed to book the LAST 1 bedroom villa at the Grand California. AHHH! I'm so excited. All your photos have got me so pumped! Any tips or advice? My first trip to disneyland after 13 trips to WDW. YAY!!!!!!!

 

[sgrap]

I JUST BOOKED MY TRIP TO VGC!! Our home resort is the Grand Floridian but I am going to California for the first time and somehow managed to book the LAST 1 bedroom villa at the Grand California. AHHH! I'm so excited. All your photos have got me so pumped! Any tips or advice? My first trip to disneyland after 13 trips to WDW. YAY!!!!!!!

Congratulations!! We just went on our first DVC trip in a 1-bedroom in November and loved it. Look at the view charts and request an upper level room with a view of Paradise Pier. You can see World of Color from the balcony of those rooms (although it is a much better view down in the parks--but still cool to see if from your room. There is a TV channel that you can play the music on with it).

The entrance from the Grand into California Adventure isn't always the fastest first thing in the morning. Usually best to go to the main gates first thing, but we did find that when we lined up at the Grand's entrance in the morning that the line moved way faster than we anticipated, and they get people through security and ready to scan in quickly. Frequently when returning to the room after being in Disneyland, if California Adventure is still open, we will just leave DL, enter DCA and then exit to the Grand. Faster than Downtown Disney usually.

Be sure to check out the Disneyland board for all sorts of tips about DLR in general.

Enjoy--we love, love, love Disneyland!!!

 

[challer]

Love this thread. This June/July, I'll be returning to Disneyland for the first time in 7 years, and I got a 2BR Villa... for half my stay. Not complaining! I'll take it!

Not a DVC owner. Used David's Rentals for the second time. (Got AKL Jambo through them.)

Any way to put in villa requests when securing a rental through a 3rd party like David's?

 

[sechelt]

Check with David's. When I rented my points, I told them I'd be willing to put in a request but none came. Don't know if the renter didn't understand or if David's doesn't get into that. I think it's worth asking.

It's been 5 years but I did phone in my request to the hotel about a week before we arrived. My request was honored. Not sure if that still would work or not.

 

[cory30]

Hello.... Thinking about going to CA in early November..... Are the 1 bedroom units in "high demand" that time if year... We are VWL, so can nit book till the 7 month window.

Similar question - we are planning our first trip to Disneyland for October 15-22 (BLT, BCV, AKL owners). We have offsite accommodations reserved as a backup plan (Courtyard Marriott Theme Park) but are hoping to reserve a 1 bedroom at VGC when our 7 month window opens. I have renting points from a VGC owner to ensure that we get these dates as I have no experience with availability at this resort or at this time of year. Are there any special events/activities that will make mid October particularly difficult at the 7 month mark (other than popularity and limited availability of the resort in general)? Thanks for any feedback and suggestions.

 

[MikeRx]

Any chance of a VGC studio for March 13-17 or 18, 2016? I've inquired with my DVC owner from whom I usually rent points, but she must be out of town. I know it's a stretch, but I've had luck in the past with things opening up closer to the date (but that was early December 2014...)

Thanks
Mike

 

[boiseflyfisher]

Any chance of a VGC studio for March 13-17 or 18, 2016? I've inquired with my DVC owner from whom I usually rent points, but she must be out of town. I know it's a stretch, but I've had luck in the past with things opening up closer to the date (but that was early December 2014...)

Thanks
Mike

VGC studios are booked solid through mid August.

 

[sgrap]

Any chance of a VGC studio for March 13-17 or 18, 2016? I've inquired with my DVC owner from whom I usually rent points, but she must be out of town. I know it's a stretch, but I've had luck in the past with things opening up closer to the date (but that was early December 2014...)

Thanks
Mike

Can you ask the owner to waitlist? Probably very slim chance, but that would be the only possible way.

 

[dizfan]

We were at VGC last week. Christmas decorations up for about half our stay. One night, we listened to the piano player and enjoyed the Christmas tree/decorations. Next morning heading to the park, they were all gone, except the gingerbread house.

VGC is now our favorite DVC resort of the ones we have stayed at. (We have yet to stay at HHI, VWL, and Aulani).

Stayed at Paradise Pier hotel room 1313 and VGC room 4510. Really wish we bought some (or all) of our points at VGC in 2009 when DVD was selling them ridiculously low.

 

[sgrap]

We were at VGC last week. Christmas decorations up for about half our stay. One night, we listened to the piano player and enjoyed the Christmas tree/decorations. Next morning heading to the park, they were all gone, except the gingerbread house.

VGC is now our favorite DVC resort of the ones we have stayed at. (We have yet to stay at HHI, VWL, and Aulani).

Stayed at Paradise Pier hotel room 1313 and VGC room 4510. Really wish we bought some (or all) of our points at VGC in 2009 when DVD was selling them ridiculously low.

We do too! Bought ours last year before they went completely insane, but when I see the 2009 prices . . .

Glad you had a wonderful stay!!! What is your favorite resort at WDW?

 

[skier_pete]

After 5 months and 28 days on the wait list, it finally came through. We have a 3-night trip to the VGC next month in a 1-bedroom unit. (We actually had 1-night in a studio and 1-night in a 1-bedroom already booked, but only one night was the night we wanted.) Looking forward to experiencing the VGC in 33 days.

 

[MikeRx]

Thank you. I suspected they would be booked. I'll try the wait list if I can get ahold of the owner.
Mike

 

[MycatlovesEeyore]

We are going in June taking my disabled niece. This is a once in lifetime trip for her and we want it to be special. We called member services to make a view request and was told " theme park view" is as specific as they can get. I see others mention specific rooms..... How do we go about this? I want her to get full pixie dust!

It has taken 10 years to get her mother to agree and only to DL as they live in Washington.

Any advice for making it special for her? We are WDW vets and have only done DL once.

 

[Snurk71]

We are going in June taking my disabled niece. This is a once in lifetime trip for her and we want it to be special. We called member services to make a view request and was told " theme park view" is as specific as they can get. I see others mention specific rooms..... How do we go about this? I want her to get full pixie dust!

It has taken 10 years to get her mother to agree and only to DL as they live in Washington.

Any advice for making it special for her? We are WDW vets and have only done DL once.

Call back for another CM and just tell the CM you want to make a request on your reservation, and then give the list of rooms (I haven't tried to list too many). If the CM balks, I'd try emailing the request and see if you can get it added that way.

The part that stinks is you can't see what requests are actually on your reservation. You'd have to call in another time and ask that CM what requests are on the reservation.