Any more details about Hawaii or Grand Californian??

[pyrxtc]

We are taking next year off and will be putting our points towards a bigger trip in 2010 to CA or HI. I know that the resorts "should" be open by then right? I will need at least a 2 bedroom in either place for the size of my family alone.

Will either of these resorts allow 9 in a 2 bedroom? When do you think we'll have more information about them? Having to book at 7 months out, what time of year do you think will be easiest to get? I was thinking February or April vacation for CA and summer for HI ?? Will those times be harder to get?

I ahve never been either place and will ahve plenty of points. Will I still be able to book CA using my points for a refular room if I can't get one through DVC? How many people are allowed in a room at the hotels out there?

Thanks!!

 

[pyrxtc]

I can't believe how ignored this post is. Or else it's a really slow day.....

 

[Dean]

HI definitely will not be open, I doubt CA will be available to anything but members there pretty much ever. You may want to look at II exchanges or plan for later in 2011.

 

[BCV23]

Ko'Olina DVCisn't projected to open before 2011, is it?

Dean will know better than I but I don't think summer will be low season in Hawaii when DVC opens there. The weather is great year round and for those on the West coast, summer is a great time to book a vacation in Hawaii.

The Hawaiian resort we've gone to most often seems to have lowest occupancy in the Fall or January.

 

[PIERCEDRN]

Everyone will have a shot at GCV when they open to the non owner public for the first time, from 9:00 till maybe 9:15. Will be like calling for concert tickets or Cinderellas Royal Table on a holiday. Gone in minutes. After that, it may be impossible once owners realize they really have to use their 11 month window. I'll be perched like a vulture waiting for that first opening.

 

[Mickeylovesdvc]

Wow.... I think It will be gone quick. Be bought 160 points at DSSR to get us in the DVC Grand Californian Founders Program. The first and second wave of sales at Disneyland will likely sell out the grand.

I would start with 160 and add on at the grand. Dont take a chance. We didnt since we live in BC..

Good luck all!

 

[pyrxtc]

Definately can't buy in at GCV. Just bought 270 at AKV, no add on for a long time if ever unless I win big!! But gotta play to win.

 

[tfc3rid]

Given the state of the economy right now I would say that DVC in HI is starting to look more and more like a pipe dream for a rainy day...

 

[salmoneous]

Given the state of the economy right now I would say that DVC in HI is starting to look more and more like a pipe dream for a rainy day...

So, what's the physical status of DVC-Hawaii? Has Disney done more than buy land and announce plans? Or have they started land clearing and construction?

Is this something they can walk away from?

 

[tfc3rid]

So, what's the physical status of DVC-Hawaii? Has Disney done more than buy land and announce plans? Or have they started land clearing and construction?

Is this something they can walk away from?

As far as I know they have the land... Don't know anything more... I doubt any real work is going on now...

It could become another DVC Eagle Pines... You don't know until the shovels are in the ground...

 

[PrettyKitties]

I would think that Disney would like having a resort in Hawaii - its bound to be popular. Right now, financing may be a big issue for them since the credit markets have dried up.

Also wanted to ask - does anyone think the Hawaii DVC will be as popular as GVC? Will current DVC members have a first shot?

 

[tjkraz]

Given the state of the economy right now I would say that DVC in HI is starting to look more and more like a pipe dream for a rainy day...

I doubt the economy would be justification for altering Disney's plans. Economic upheavals happen every 8-10 years no matter how good things are going in between. Disney knew that when they announced the Hawaii project, just as they did when they announced the construction of two new cruise ships and a $1 billion investment in DL/DCA. By 2011-12 when the resort opens we'll be looking at a completely different economy.

 

[salmoneous]

Also wanted to ask - does anyone think the Hawaii DVC will be as popular as GVC? Will current DVC members have a first shot?

Assuming your question is, "will demand to buy DVC-Hawaii points be as strong as the demand to buy GCV points?" I think the answer is no.

Even if we assume Hawaii is as popular a draw as Disneyland (and I suspect it's not) there is a supply and demand issue. GCV will only have 50 units. If you want to stay there, you better be an owner. And if you want to be an owner, you need to buy fast. There will be hundreds of units in Hawaii, not to mention dozens of other really nice resorts in Hawaii.

 

[PrettyKitties]

Thanks for the response Salmoneous - that was what I meant!

 

[Mtnman44]

I can only assume, given past sales figures, that it will take DVC longer than that to sell out the points for 50 2 BR units. I'm guessing it will be on sale for months. To say otherwise would mean that that you believe or know that GCV will sell, what, 100 times faster than any other DVC location?

How many units does VWL have? How long did those take? I'm guessing that GCV will be popular for small add ons with some members, and some full purchases but I don't think it will sell out in minutes.

Everyone will have a shot at GCV when they open to the non owner public for the first time, from 9:00 till maybe 9:15. Will be like calling for concert tickets or Cinderellas Royal Table on a holiday. Gone in minutes. After that, it may be impossible once owners realize they really have to use their 11 month window. I'll be perched like a vulture waiting for that first opening.

 

[BCV23]

So, what's the physical status of DVC-Hawaii? Has Disney done more than buy land and announce plans? Or have they started land clearing and construction?

We stayed at the Marriott Ihilani at Ko'Olina in January. The DVC will be right next to it according to many people there. But no visible work had been done yet.

 

[salmoneous]

I can only assume, given past sales figures, that it will take DVC longer than that to sell out the points for 50 2 BR units. I'm guessing it will be on sale for months. To say otherwise would mean that that you believe or know that GCV will sell, what, 100 times faster than any other DVC location?

Here's a quick "reality check" I just ran...

Assume they increase the points/night a bit for GCV, and make it 20,000 points per year per 2BR. For 50 units, that's 1,000,000 points to sell. At $100/point, that's $100,000,000 of sales for GCV.

In 2007, total DVC sales were about $350,000,000. So, ballpark here, GCV represents 30% of year's sales. Maybe when we have firm numbers, it will be 25%, or 35%, but it's a significant amount of sales. I don't see it selling out instantly. Especially if that thing they are building next to the CR isn't a Super WalMart (as some folks here are speculating)

 

[tjkraz]

BCV is about 200 units or 4x the size of GCV. BCV took about 13 months to sell out. On that basis alone, GCV could sell out in 3 or 4 months.

GCV points may be marginally higher, giving them more to sell in a direct comparison. But the real unknown is how demand will compare. Certainly it is a very limited product. But everything I've heard indicates that DL's guests are of a different demographic than WDW--more locals, more spur-of-the-moment visitors. I suspect a larger percentage of DL guests are not good candidates for DVC ownership.

Ballpark I'd put at 3-6 months.

 

[Island Mouse]

Ko'Olina DVCisn't projected to open before 2011, is it?

Dean will know better than I but I don't think summer will be low season in Hawaii when DVC opens there. The weather is great year round and for those on the West coast, summer is a great time to book a vacation in Hawaii.

The Hawaiian resort we've gone to most often seems to have lowest occupancy in the Fall or January.

You're right about summer in Hawaii. It's definitely not a low season. Jan (after new years) - Feb, Mid Sep - Mid Nov, Early Dec (except during the Honolulu Marathon) are the typical low seasons in Hawaii. From mid May through Labor day it's pretty busy here.

 

[La2kw]

Given the state of the economy right now I would say that DVC in HI is starting to look more and more like a pipe dream for a rainy day...

I agree. Plus two of the airlines that flew regularly from LAX to Hawaii just went out of business. Tickets will be more expensive as well. I don't see DVC Hawaii happening for a long time, if at all. The price of fuel is going to continue to increase, along with the cost of tickets. I have always been able to get from LA to MCO much cheaper than LA to Hawaii. It's about to get even more expensive. The economy and the elimination of two airlines is going to have a huge impact on Hawaii tourism.