Another "If, Then, When, What" thread- VDH direct, VGC Resale or neither?

[pangyal]

Hello all,

I'm hoping to get the DisBoard's collective mind on this for me . Quick background- we have a lot of WDW points, a mix of resale and direct. We also have Aulani, which we are targeting to use every three years. The problem is, every time we have wanted to tack on DL to an Aulani stay, it's been a nailbiting ordeal of both walking the room and offering sacrifices to the VGC deities to get our room. So, we are thinking about adding on a California contract. The current incentives for VDH are pretty tempting, though I'm not crazy about the restrictions devaluing the contract if we sell. The transient tax is also yucky when added on. However, the contract is longer than VGC. We've stayed at VGC a number of times and loved it, but the cost per point is somewhat insane compared to VDH direct. We do want to stay on property.

Any advice or food for thought would be much appreciated !

 

[AstroBlasters]

Are you looking to stay in studios or villas?

Are you in the park all day or do you like to go back to the room?

Would you rather bite the bullet upfront and have lower ongoing expenses or have a lower buy-in and higher ongoing expenses?

Do you care about having a balcony?

 

[SpicyMcHaggis]

To throw a wrinkle into things, VDH is also available resale. Because of its relatively recent introduction there are fewer contracts available than your SSR for sure, but it is available (just had a look around and am seeing prices in the 155-165pp area.)
Depending on how many points you are wanting and whether you'd be able to take good advantage of the current offers, resale may be an option. VGC points are sort of restricted anyway because it would be silly to use them anyplace else with the cost of the points and difficulty of booking at 7 months, so the restriction of using VDH at that property only may not be an issue for you if that is the intent. I've been considering getting some west coast points but I don't see myself ever wanting or needing hundreds - our trips to Disneyland are generally three nights or fewer, so direct incentives wouldn't come into play as we'd only be looking at smaller contracts.

 

[pangyal]

Are you looking to stay in studios or villas?

Are you in the park all day or do you like to go back to the room?

Would you rather bite the bullet upfront and have lower ongoing expenses or have a lower buy-in and higher ongoing expenses?

Do you care about having a balcony?

Perfect questions, thank you!

Villas, unless I do a solo trip (if ever). We are in Toronto but it's actually cheaper to fly to LAX than to MCO.

For DL, we would be mostly in the park, since at Aulani we will be doing resort stays. At WDW we do a mix of resort days and parks, but we have APs and don't feel like we have to use our ticket costs to the max.

The third question...I am not sure I have the answer for that yet. It's a good question and one that we have been discussing, and haven't come to a decision yet.

Balcony is 100% necessary, I know that VDH has fewer balconies but the 1BD and garden rooms have them...correct?

 

[pangyal]

To throw a wrinkle into things, VDH is also available resale. Because of its relatively recent introduction there are fewer contracts available than your SSR for sure, but it is available (just had a look around and am seeing prices in the 150-160pp area.)
Depending on how many points you are wanting and whether you'd be able to take good advantage of the current offers, resale may be an option. VGC points are sort of restricted anyway because it would be silly to use them anyplace else with the cost of the points and difficulty of booking at 7 months, so the restriction of using VDH at that property only may not be an issue for you if that is the intent. I've been considering getting some west coast points but I don't see myself ever wanting or needing hundreds - our trips to Disneyland are generally three nights or fewer, so direct incentives wouldn't come into play as we'd only be looking at smaller contracts.

Right, I looked at resale VDH as well- it's a great idea, thank you ! My only caveat would be that we would want to have the option of booking VDH to lock in the room for our dates, but put in a waitlist for VCG *if* we would prefer to stay there that trip. Resale VDH eliminates that option. It's still on the table, though!

 

[VGCgroupie]

If you are able to stay at VDH Id do that before spending the money to buy in direct there. Since you have direct points you should still be able to book at VDH at 7 months Id think since its not sold out yet. If not maybe a cash stay.

I thought I love VGC, I even love DLH which is close to VDH why wouldn't I love VDH... Well.. I stayed at VDH and did not love it at all. I still went back and forth if I should buy direct there and landed on the fact that each time I stayed I wouldn't be as happy as I would be at VGC and to top it off I would have to pay out of pocket every time to stay. Decided I was buying DVC to be happy with my stays so we are buying resale VGC.

 

[MagicDVC]

We were in the same thought process last year. We knew we wanted a DLR resort, but was debating between VGC and VDH. We decided to get a VGC last year before they announced the TOT for VDH stays. The TOT didn't really affect our decision to get VGC resale. I knew with the amount of studios, the larger villas like 1BR and 2 BR might be harder to book at VDH.

 

[AstroBlasters]

Perfect questions, thank you!

Villas, unless I do a solo trip (if ever). We are in Toronto but it's actually cheaper to fly to LAX than to MCO.

For DL, we would be mostly in the park, since at Aulani we will be doing resort stays. At WDW we do a mix of resort days and parks, but we have APs and don't feel like we have to use our ticket costs to the max.

The third question...I am not sure I have the answer for that yet. It's a good question and one that we have been discussing, and haven't come to a decision yet.

Balcony is 100% necessary, I know that VDH has fewer balconies but the 1BD and garden rooms have them...correct?

If you want villas then I’d go VGC. There just aren’t that many available at VDH and it’s only going to get worse as they sell more points.

 

[pangyal]

It's a great point about the ratio of studios to larger rooms at VDH. I'm going to pore over the breakdown by room category tonight for sure. Really not interested in having to play games and being back at square one with difficulty booking, since that's the whole impetus for looking at a DL contract.

 

[MagicDVC]

VGC - 23 2BR LO and 23 dedicated 2BR. No dedicated studios.
VDH - 1 dedicated 1BR, 18 2BR LO, 20 dedicated 2BR, and the rest are studios (249 studios and 36 duos).

More larger villas at VGC and your not competing with a ton of studio points. This is what swayed us.

 

[pangyal]

If you are able to stay at VDH Id do that before spending the money to buy in direct there. Since you have direct points you should still be able to book at VDH at 7 months Id think since its not sold out yet. If not maybe a cash stay.

I thought I love VGC, I even love DLH which is close to VDH why wouldn't I love VDH... Well.. I stayed at VDH and did not love it at all. I still went back and forth if I should buy direct there and landed on the fact that each time I stayed I wouldn't be as happy as I would be at VGC and to top it off I would have to pay out of pocket every time to stay. Decided I was buying DVC to be happy with my stays so we are buying resale VGC.

May I ask please what you didn't like about it?

 

[Tatebeck]

We went with a VGC resale contract and will try to use direct SAP for VDH if we want a studio (*if we buy direct RIV in the next few months as currently planned)

 

[nalababybear]

Are you looking to stay in studios or villas?

Are you in the park all day or do you like to go back to the room?

Would you rather bite the bullet upfront and have lower ongoing expenses or have a lower buy-in and higher ongoing expenses?

Do you care about having a balcony?

Key questions.

 

[nalababybear]

Perfect questions, thank you!

Villas, unless I do a solo trip (if ever). We are in Toronto but it's actually cheaper to fly to LAX than to MCO.

For DL, we would be mostly in the park, since at Aulani we will be doing resort stays. At WDW we do a mix of resort days and parks, but we have APs and don't feel like we have to use our ticket costs to the max.

The third question...I am not sure I have the answer for that yet. It's a good question and one that we have been discussing, and haven't come to a decision yet.

Balcony is 100% necessary, I know that VDH has fewer balconies but the 1BD and garden rooms have them...correct?

VGC - have to plan even at 11months high desirable weekends go fast -- studios especially. If 1br usually good availability even to 6m30days. 2br even better. -- points are REALLY HIGH though.

There is nothing that beats VGC in current day for access. We routine do split days : early park then lunch and rest at hotel to dinner and hit evening park. Just did 2 days with VGC+parks -- loved it. 24,000 steps and happy body still since saved a few thousand on the hotel trip and rest.

For DVC - look at all travel needs now and future. If 1BR and 2BR come into play - VGC wins hands down. If Studio availability is your primary concern - VDH.

Balconies -- LOVE them -- hate not having them. Watched fireworks from it was nice.

 

[VGCgroupie]

May I ask please what you didn't like about it?

It felt very disconnected.
Upon arrival cons: All my stays at VGC or DLH when I walk in the lobby I feel the Disney. Often there are characters. I even have photos of my son sitting with Pluto watching TV while I checked in. Thats the Disney feeling I am addicted too. The VDH doesnt really have a lobby and we did mobile check in. Walking into the VDH it really felt like any random Hilton hotel, there was no feeling of it being Disney (this could be different for others). Also the "lobby" smelled like sewer all 5 days.

The rooms: While brand new they are already showing wear and tear. The materials are not high quality thats is why I think the wear is showing already. Shower door wouldn't stay shut as a one example. We were not in a villa so there's that. Maybe the villas are built better. We had a Duo studio which is laid out badly making it teeny tiny but there was a balcony with a pool view. We also had a standard studio. Was bigger than the duo, but the view was sub standard. Views of the main AC systems and power lines. Yes I booked a standard view.. but it really just showcased how they kind of stuck this property where they could find a little extra space. You can tell its a complete after thought.

During the stay: Yes its not much farther than the DLH but after long park days you have to walk past VGC and you think "oh how I wish I were staying here so I could be at my hotel already" but no you have to keep on walking... then you make it to DLH... nope still not my hotel... ugh more walking to finally reach your destination.

 

[AstroBlasters]

It felt very disconnected.
Upon arrival cons: All my stays at VGC or DLH when I walk in the lobby I feel the Disney. Often there are characters. I even have photos of my son sitting with Pluto watching TV while I checked in. Thats the Disney feeling I am addicted too. The VDH doesnt really have a lobby and we did mobile check in. Walking into the VDH it really felt like any random Hilton hotel, there was no feeling of it being Disney (this could be different for others). Also the "lobby" smelled like sewer all 5 days.

The rooms: While brand new they are already showing wear and tear. The materials are not high quality thats is why I think the wear is showing already. Shower door wouldn't stay shut as a one example. We were not in a villa so there's that. Maybe the villas are built better. We had a Duo studio which is laid out badly making it teeny tiny but there was a balcony with a pool view. We also had a standard studio. Was bigger than the duo, but the view was sub standard. Views of the main AC systems and power lines. Yes I booked a standard view.. but it really just showcased how they kind of stuck this property where they could find a little extra space. You can tell its a complete after thought.

During the stay: Yes its not much farther than the DLH but after long park days you have to walk past VGC and you think "oh how I wish I were staying here so I could be at my hotel already" but no you have to keep on walking... then you make it to DLH... nope still not my hotel... ugh more walking to finally reach your destination.

I wonder what the actual distance is from the DTD entrance of Grand Cal to the DVC GC wing vs the VDH lobby….

 

[nalababybear]

I wonder what the actual distance is from the DTD entrance of Grand Cal to the DVC GC wing vs the VDH lobby….

Roughly 550-600 ft for VGC-to DTD checkpoint.
about the same distance VDH - DTD checkpoint.

Then there: DTD-West VDH: DTD entrypoint of VGC: ~1000 ft.

 

[VGCgroupie]

I wonder what the actual distance is from the DTD entrance of Grand Cal to the DVC GC wing vs the VDH lobby….

On paper it's probably not that far. But my body would disagree. Im sure others especially WDW people will say I am huge whiny complainy baby, but I can tell you every time I stayed VGC Id be like this is amazing and not regret a penny spent. When staying at VDH I was complaining that I paid over $5,000 yet Best Western is much closer.. I was especially complaining the night my husbands "shortcut" had us walking past Paradise Pier and crossing streets vs going through DTD.

 

[VGCgroupie]

I wonder what the actual distance is from the DTD entrance of Grand Cal to the DVC GC wing vs the VDH lobby….

Also I think distance to turnstiles for DL is a better comparison. For CA there's no comparison to VDH due to the direct entrance at VGC to CA

 

[lilsonicfan]

I'm tempted to say VDH direct as it seems to offer the most options - either VDH at 11mo, or VGC at 7mo, which I know is dicey. But you'll always be able to stay somewhere at DL without having to pay the very high buy in price at VGC....