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

[nalababybear]

I did some calculations and what I came up with is VDH 150 pts current member incentives (not MB just welcome home and pp discounts) is 2432 per year once TOT is factored in. The contract I just got accepted for VGC is 2294 per year. This is a pretty hefty difference when you consider the extra years added to VDH to average out per year costs.

I do concede VGC point charts are more so theres that. I still don't think VDH is worth it because of TOT and if/when sold it becomes restricted thus potentially being worth less.

And as locals, we're waiting for those vdh resales to hit en masse to really make the numbers work well for us. We want the cake and eat it.

 

[AstroBlasters]

I did some calculations and what I came up with is VDH 150 pts current member incentives (not MB just welcome home and pp discounts) is 2432 per year once TOT is factored in. The contract I just got accepted for VGC is 2294 per year. This is a pretty hefty difference when you consider the extra years added to VDH to average out per year costs.

I do concede VGC point charts are more so theres that. I still don't think VDH is worth it because of TOT and if/when sold it becomes restricted thus potentially being worth less.

I don’t concede that. There are a few weeks where VDH is an absolute bargain and some weeks where it costs more. The majority of the time the amount of points is the same.

 

[VGCgroupie]

I don’t concede that. There are a few weeks where VDH is an absolute bargain and some weeks where it costs more. The majority of the time the amount of points is the same.

Thats good to know. I am a total noob since Im not actually an owner yet. This makes me even happier with my choice.

 

[intamin]

And as locals, we're waiting for those vdh resales to hit en masse to really make the numbers work well for us. We want the cake and eat it.

And as locals, I probably should be investing the 50-70,000 into my house down the street instead of giving money to the mouse

 

[AstroBlasters]

My suggestion....do some research outside of Disboards as well. There is a heavy anti VDH, pro GCV contingent here. It's Kanye West/taylor swift...""Yo, VDH I'm really happy for you, I'mma let you finish, but GCV is the best DVC hotel of all time! "

We've got 900 points at VDH. We go multiple times a year, usually 20-22 days total. We've gone to DLR resort for years, and honestly didn't know about DVC until we stayed at Aulani, and bought in there (we've got 1000+ points there). Once we learned about GCV and the then under construction VDH tower we looked into buying in SoCal as we were spending a TON of money staying on site up to that point.

We ended up buying at VDH instead of GCV as getting 900 points in the same use year would have been astronomical in cost upfront, as well as taken more time to accumulate that many points than we wanted. Our kids are getting older (as are we), and we wanted to use them immediately. We were already paying TOT at the DLH for multiple trips a year, so that was a non issues for us (and the TOT rate at VDH is actually less than what you'd pay on cash at DLH). Would it be nice if VDH had no TOT, of course, not going to lie, but it is what it is, and we're ok with it.

We've had multiple trips in 1 and 2 BRs and the views in those rooms are great, was able to watch the Fireworks from all of them. Yes, there are some crappy views from the studios (we had one when we stayed in a studio), we haven't had that yet in the villas. Just like there are some crappy views at GCV. You can have a beautiful view of DCA, or you can be looking at trees, or the brown wall separating the hotel and the park. There's good and bad at both. Don't forget your ear plugs at DCA if you're early to bed!

Just at VDH in April and no wear and tear visible in the 1BR we had. We had a minor issue with the refrigerator that was fixed the first day by maintenance.

We stayed at GCH one trip prior to buying at VDH and the lobby, location, and food options are great (although the last trip we were disappointed with storytellers, and thought Goofy’s had improved quite a bit).The Lobby is amazing! I love craftsman style, but didn't like the rooms. Old and busted and dark. No disney feel. VDH screams disney, and the rooms are nice and bright, we love them as do our kids. The VDH lobby is nice as well. Great Disney mural on the wall, very modern design. We do online check in, but we always still enter through the DLH which we also love for its modern design.

We prefer the pools at DLH over GCV (as do our kids). We've never encountered a loud drunk at DLH, which we have at GCH pools (usually when eating at the craftsman grill)

We've had no issues booking villas at 11 months. we've got our next two trips on the books. The only time we've had issues is at 30-45 days out wanting to add another night.

We've also wait listed at GCV many times (with our Aulani points, prior to VDH opening) to see if we can squeeze in a weekend trip....nothing ever came thru. I know some here have had luck, and maybe when we retire we'll have better luck with more schedule flexibility, but trying to get a 1 or 2BR there at 7 months that works with our kids school schedule has been impossible, and looking at the 11 month window hasn't looked a whole lot better. They are at the age now where we can't pull them out for DLR trips anymore, so we are stuck traveling when the school schedule allows, maybe missing one day at the start or end of a trip.

All the talk about the long walk cracks me up, especially from the WDW contingent where you need to take a boat, bus, monorail or shuttle to get anywhere, all in the Florida Heat and Humidity! Even to get around at some of the hotels you need a shuttle! Of course nothing beats GCV for location, but it's not as bad as it's made out to be from DLH/VDH. We left Rise one night and from exiting the ride to our room in the VDH tower it was about 20 min walk back. From the tomorrowland monorail station to the hotel is was about 17 mins. I'm old, overweight, have a busted up knee....and I do fine.

So take everything posted here a grain of salt as we all have a bias (even me!) and do some homework outside of here as well before deciding.

I’m not sure why you don’t want to acknowledge that VDH is likely to be significantly more difficult to book if someone wants villas than VGC as it sells more points.

VDH is superior to VGC if you want to stay in a studio the majority of the time and aren’t concerned with a balcony or a view and will be in the parks all day for 2-3days…. which is probably the majority of DLand guests….

I’m extremely happy that people who own VGC and have some direct points at other locations (Aulani) have both as options!

 

[AstroBlasters]

Thats good to know. I am a total noob since Im not actually an owner yet. This makes me even happier with my choice.

We stayed there the first weekend of Jan and it was in the lowest point season at VDH and VGC was in its highest point season while Christmas decorations were still up.

An absolute bargain for the points. I was surprised they left them on different seasons.

 

[NorCalFanatic]

.

 

[VGCgroupie]

The way everyone badmouths VDH on these boards, and tries to convince anyone who is interested in buying to go GCV instead, it'll keep GCV full, and a few less DVC people at VDH, so bonus for booking at VDH!

I was badmouthing VDH after my stay on the boards, not to convince anyone of anything but to share how I personally felt about it. While doing that I actually convinced myself that VGC was the best choice (I was in the middle of debating direct VDH and a WDW contract and attempting to book VGC at 7 months)

I posted the numbers. For me the VGC numbers made much more sense. Without the TOT VDH would be a different story for many.

 

[AstroBlasters]

I'm not sure why you want to continue to insist it will be. Honestly, neither one of us knows for sure what it will be like down the road. As more rooms are sold, more inventory is declared. I don't see it being anymore difficult than GCV, which isn't exactly easy. If, like you said, the majority of people want studios for 2-3 days then we should be fine. With a projected sellout of 2030ish, that'll be close to the time when we're ready to downsize to a studio and then it won't matter anyways.

We can take or leave the Balcony, we're not hung up on it like some are. I get that it's a thing at WDW, but I rarely see people hanging out on the balconys on the pool side where most of the villa balconys are. With the exception of the Frontier Tower top floor there aren't any balconies at the DLH (someone correct me if I'm wrong), I don't think they missed the boat on not having a balcony for every room. "Damn those TOT and the long walk, but it has a balcony so that made all the difference"

We've had a balcony in every stay except the studio, and our views from the villas have been great for our 8-10 day stays.

Let's not pretend that every view from GCV is great as well, both resorts have good and bad views, and the views from the 1 or 2 BR Villas are all pretty good.

The way everyone badmouths VDH on these boards, and tries to convince anyone who is interested in buying to go GCV instead, it'll keep GCV full, and a few less DVC people at VDH, so bonus for booking at VDH!

I think most of us are trying to bring up quantitative factors relative to the preferences of the OP.

The OP specifically said that having a balcony was important…. So for the purposes of this thread it is a relevant point for subsequent people to reference.

The OP stated that having access to 1/2 Bds was important. With VDH having twice the amount of available points, less villas available, and studios that only sleep 4… it has a high probability of leading to a tighter supply of Villa availability than VGC during the home booking window.

Subjective factors like “the distance doesn’t really matter; balconies are a WDW thing and don’t matter at DL; VGC rooms are old ,dark, and busted; VGC has some great rooms, but some crappy views too so views shouldn’t matter”…. That may be your opinion, but they are not taking the OPs stated preferences into account and are not facts that everyone agrees on.

 

[nalababybear]

We stayed there the first weekend of Jan and it was in the lowest point season at VDH and VGC was in its highest point season while Christmas decorations were still up.

An absolute bargain for the points. I was surprised they left them on different seasons.

Vdh sweet spots to vgc.
Jan 1-5
August.

Vgc sweet spots to vdh
May and Jun
Sept and Oct.

 

[AstroBlasters]

Vdh sweet spots to vgc.
Jan 1-5
August.

Vgc sweet spots to vdh
May and Jun
Sept and Oct.

Jan 1-5…. If I was buying a fixed week just for resale protection that would be it.

Absolute bargain at VDH.

 

[Chili327]

Vdh sweet spots over vgc.
Jan 1-5
August.

Vgc sweet spots over vdh
May and Jun
Sept and Oct.

Meaning “over” the other? As in during that time period the other is a bad deal in comparison?

 

[AstroBlasters]

Meaning “over” the other? As in during that time period the other is a bad deal in comparison?

The point chart is lower during the “over” period.

 

[Chili327]

The point chart is lower during the “over” period.

10-4.

 

[NorCalFanatic]

I think most of us are trying to bring up quantitative factors relative to the preferences of the OP.

The OP specifically said that having a balcony was important…. So for the purposes of this thread it is a relevant point for subsequent people to reference.

The OP stated that having access to 1/2 Bds was important. With VDH having twice the amount of available points, less villas available, and studios that only sleep 4… it has a high probability of leading to a tighter supply of Villa availability than VGC during the home booking window.

Subjective factors like “the distance doesn’t really matter; balconies are a WDW thing and don’t matter at DL; VGC rooms are old ,dark, and busted; VGC has some great rooms, but some crappy views too so views shouldn’t matter”…. That may be your opinion, but they are not taking the OPs stated preferences into account and are not facts that everyone agrees on.

I concede defeat....VDH is a disaster! GCV is where it's at!

 

[pangyal]

I turned down 45 direct points at VGC. Even with banking and borrowing, I don’t think they’d be enough, and we’d be looking at having to add more either via resale or if they are available direct. And the spread between resale and direct is insane, omg! I think it’s gotten wider since I was last looking at this.

 

[AstroBlasters]

I turned down 45 direct points at VGC. Even with banking and borrowing, I don’t think they’d be enough, and we’d be looking at having to add more either via resale or if they are available direct. And the spread between resale and direct is insane, omg! I think it’s gotten wider since I was last looking at this.

Tell them to give me a call!

 

[pangyal]

Tell them to give me a call!

Call your guide! They might still be available.

 

[AstroBlasters]

Call your guide! They might still be available.

I just sent an email. Thank you.

 

[nalababybear]

I turned down 45 direct points at VGC. Even with banking and borrowing, I don’t think they’d be enough, and we’d be looking at having to add more either via resale or if they are available direct. And the spread between resale and direct is insane, omg! I think it’s gotten wider since I was last looking at this.

Can you pm me you guide name and email?

Last ee bought 310$ direct.

Resale fo 50 pts probably about 275$