Any advice on using DVC points in Disneyland, CA?

[5 Disney Fans]

I am considering taking my family to Disneyland either in the spring or summer 2008. Has anyone used their DVC points to stay in a Disneyland hotel? If so any advice you would like to share? Pros and Cons to the three on-site hotels? Pros and Cons to using points to stay there? Any info you could share would be greatly appreciated!

Also we have to go during a school break so it would be either spring break or summer vacation.

 

[gppnj]

This was my very first use of points. I stayed at the Grand Californian.

It all depends on how many points you've got to spend. The most desirable DLR hotel is the most points, and the least desirable is the fewest.

I adore the Grand Californian. I guess I really should send that architect a fan letter becuse Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom lodge, and Gtrand Californian are my three favorite places, and the same architect designed them all.

Grand Californian is very cool. Besides being gorgeous, it's a short, eay walk to either park. Very nice. Disneyland Hotel is a little further away. I don't like the looks of the Paradise Pier Hotel, but that's not too far away, either.

Even if you've gone to WDW a million times, I do recommend a visit to Disneyland. It's wonderful. There was a time a few years ago when it had gotten quite shabby, but new management and the 50th anniversary celebration got everything looking and beautiful again.

I am considering taking my family to Disneyland either in the spring or summer 2008. Has anyone used their DVC points to stay in a Disneyland hotel? If so any advice you would like to share? Pros and Cons to the three on-site hotels? Pros and Cons to using points to stay there? Any info you could share would be greatly appreciated!

Also we have to go during a school break so it would be either spring break or summer vacation.

 

[MinnieFan]

We stayed at the Grand Californian last August. (By the way, August in California is nothing like August in Orlando - the weather was beautiful and not stifling hot!) We loved having an entrance to the park (DCA) right from the hotel, and the Downtown Disney area (which IMO is nicer than the one in Orlando) is right out one of the other exits. As the previous poster stated, it's only a short walk to Disneyland as well. Everything at Disneyland Resort is connected to the GC via a large walkway. You don't need a car or any other transportation to enjoy this resort.

I can't comment on the Disneyland Hotel or Paradise Pier, but the accomodations at the GC were great, and I would highly recommend this hotel. For us it was a great use of points.

We thought originally that our trip to Disneyland would be a once-in-a-lifetime thing, but we loved it so much that we're planning to go back in a few years.

Whatever you decide, hope you have a great time!

 

[utahkennedys]

We just returned from using points at the Disneyland Hotel and really enjoyed it. While it wasn't the DVC or Marriott Vacation Club experience we are used to with a w/d, full kitchen, large balcony, etc. it was a nice hotel for the most part.

We booked a standard view and were upgraded at check in to a "view" room. They said it would overlook the waterfalls and koi ponds, but those were empty and not functioning the entire time we were there. It was still better than parking lot view, lol!

We would use points again, but we didn't stay on weekend points. The first night we were there we stayed at Marriott Fairfield on Marriott rewards points.

It was very easy to book as well by calling member services. The other bonus is the resort fee/parking fee is included in the points, so we found 19 pts/night to be VERY reasonable b/c there were no taxes either.

 

[funhouse8]

I used my points to stay at the Grand Californian. It was great and while staying at this hotel you can get into the DCA early before the park opens to do a power walk with a cast member. It was amazing. We also were allowed in a 1/2 early to ride soaring before the other park guests. (I found this out on these boards.) Boy did we feel special. Enjoy!

 

[disneycrazycatlady]

We stayed at the Disneyland Hotel last summer and while we are DVC members, we decided not to use our points. We booked a AAA vacation package. We live in Florida and frequent WDW about 4 times a year so we did not want to use our points in CA.

We loved the Disneyland Hotel. We were on the concierge level in a tower overlooking Downtown Disney. We didnt really miss the DVC villas since the concierge lounge had an ample supply of food and beverage all day.

The DVC is advertised everywhere at the Disneyland resort. I heard they are planning a DVC addition to the Grand Cal. Hotel and if and when that happens we moght check it out.

 

[Psychodisney]

Do any of these properties sleep 5?

 

[Longhairbear]

We burned off holding account points from a canceled WDW trip. We stayed at all 3 DLR hotels over several weekends during that summer. The GC is very lux, and nice of course. The Disneyland Hotel is ok, nice theme pool, and waterfalls/koi pond if you get a room in the Bonita Tower. Our favorite is one not shared by others, and is Paradise Pier. We like the rooms, restaurants, and room service there better than the others. It is also the farthest walk to the parks, unless you cross the street, and enter DCA through the GC.
We budget our points for WDW, and would otherwise never have used points to stay at the hotels in DLR, and overnights we stay at HoJo's. If a DVC comes to DLR we would always budget points to stay, and might even do a point add on for a DLR DVC.
Some advice, book early, the Disney hotels at DLR have been running at 98% capacity for a few years now, and no vacancies are common.

 

[funhouse8]

Do any of these properties sleep 5?

Yes, We slept five in the room at the GC. When I made the ressies I was told the fifth person will be given a sleeping bag not a cot. It was for my young nephew so that was OK. Well when we arrived we were given a room with a day bed plus the two queen beds. Really nice surpise!

 

[5 Disney Fans]

Yes, We slept five in the room at the GC. When I made the ressies I was told the fifth person will be given a sleeping bag not a cot. It was for my young nephew so that was OK. Well when we arrived we were given a room with a day bed plus the two queen beds. Really nice surpise!

Did you feel crowded with 5 in the room? We are so spoiled by all the room at the DVC properties I was worried that putting 5 of us in a regular hotel room for a week might get a bit

Thank you EVERYONE for your responses, you have helped me a lot! I was so happy to read about everyone's positive experiences (especially the nice weather in August )

I live on the East Coast and I was also thinking this might be a once in a lifetime trip but surprisingly the airfare isn't bad at all! I just hope the prices stay this low for NEXT summer.

 

[5 Disney Fans]

Some advice, book early, the Disney hotels at DLR have been running at 98% capacity for a few years now, and no vacancies are common.

Would I have any trouble booking at the 7 month window for an August vacation? Grand Californian would be my first choice based on what everyone here has said about it... I would hope that 7 months would be enough time to book in advance if we can be flexible with our August dates.

 

[Suzi Q]

We just got back a couple of weeks ago. The first 3 nights we were at Paradise Pier. We didn't use our points because my husband was out there for a conference. We had a one bedroom suite. It was just great!! Our room overlooked CA. It was an easy walking distance to DD and the parks. The 4th thru 6th nights, we used our points and stayed at the GC. It was great as well and easy access to DD and CA. I would stay at either hotel again.

 

[MinnieFan]

Would I have any trouble booking at the 7 month window for an August vacation? Grand Californian would be my first choice based on what everyone here has said about it... I would hope that 7 months would be enough time to book in advance if we can be flexible with our August dates.

We booked at 7 months (January 2006 for August 2006) and had no problem, we got exactly the type of room we requested. There was plenty of availability.

 

[5 Disney Fans]

We booked at 7 months (January 2006 for August 2006) and had no problem, we got exactly the type of room we requested. There was plenty of availability.

Thank you MinnieFan!!!!

 

[M4travels]

We were at GC last weekend while taking in some of the Food and Wine weekend events. We booked using DVC points in March for May with no problem.

Michael and Marc

 

[helenabear]

I did this back in 2004. I was planning a DL trip with a few friends. We wanted to stay at the Grand Californian. I was buying a resale that had *just* the right amount of points for GC for the dates we were going that were marked as conditioned... only for use at non-DVC Disney resorts. I had passed ROFR and was in the system by June. I booked us for the end of July trip and had no trouble with it at all. It was awesome and I keep hoping they'll add DVC out there so that we can have a more cost effective trip points wise some day.