Booking California

[Longhairbear]

We live in CA, and I just spent over an hour trying to book any studio, or 1 bedroom at VGC online. One or two nights in either are gone from now until New Years. Some dates for a Grand Villa, were available. No other units had availability as alternate dates, so I am assuming the villas are booked solid till the end of the year.
We have requests in for certain travel dates at the DLR hotels using the online request form, so we have our fingers crossed.

 

[Robin"D"]

Didi you put yourself on the "standbye" list?
Ours came through last year.....

Just a thought....

Good Luck

Robin & Angel "D"

 

[DebbieB]

We live in CA, and I just spent over an hour trying to book any studio, or 1 bedroom at VGC online. One or two nights in either are gone from now until New Years. Some dates for a Grand Villa, were available. No other units had availability as alternate dates, so I am assuming the villas are booked solid till the end of the year.
We have requests in for certain travel dates at the DLR hotels using the online request form, so we have our fingers crossed.

With only 48 rooms, you have to book early. I was lucky enough to get 2 reservations at exactly the 7 month mark.

Keep in mind if you book a regular hotel, they become reservation points and cannot be used for DVC if cancelled (if a waitlist comes through).

 

[joelnkelly]

im guessing with the pending opening of Carsland this has caused the bookings to spike. This will probably be a tough location to book for the near future.

 

[boiseflyfisher]

im guessing with the pending opening of Carsland this has caused the bookings to spike. This will probably be a tough location to book for the near future.

I think you hit the nail on the head with this one.

 

[Greysword]

To be honest, this is a prime reason I am happy we have direct purchase points versus resale. DLR hotels are nice and it is fairly easy to trade into.

 

[arthur06]

We live in CA, and I just spent over an hour trying to book any studio, or 1 bedroom at VGC online. One or two nights in either are gone from now until New Years. Some dates for a Grand Villa, were available. No other units had availability as alternate dates, so I am assuming the villas are booked solid till the end of the year.
We have requests in for certain travel dates at the DLR hotels using the online request form, so we have our fingers crossed.

I am looking online at the reservations page and I do find some availability in both a studio and a 1br. Not sure of the length your looking for, so that could be a problem, but there is some availability.

 

[Longhairbear]

I am looking online at the reservations page and I do find some availability in both a studio and a 1br. Not sure of the length your looking for, so that could be a problem, but there is some availability.

We are looking for a 2 night stay any day, or week. No Studios were available for any date, according to the alternate offers they list. Single nights were available for a one, or two bedroom during each month. I don't like to book a single night, as you don't get a full 24 hours of having the villa.
Our request for a 2 night stay in Oct. at PP came through, our other request did not. I will call MS as they can tell me right away which vacancies there are, and I can grab them. We are very flexible with whichever dates are open. I will be more diligent about booking right at 7 months from now on.
The same goes for dining at Carthay Circle, we'll try to get ADR's as soon as we know we have a room. Carsland, and Buena Vista Street are the big draw for us, and everyone we know. Plus both parks have been totally repainted, refreshed etc. New bobsleds on Matterhorn, new dining places at both parks are almost ready to open. So we want to get a bunch of 2 night stays if available.

 

[huskies90]

To be honest, this is a prime reason I am happy we have direct purchase points versus resale. DLR hotels are nice and it is fairly easy to trade into.

Can you elaborate on this? What do you mean by trade into?

 

[arthur06]

We are looking for a 2 night stay any day, or week. No Studios were available for any date, according to the alternate offers they list. Single nights were available for a one, or two bedroom during each month. I don't like to book a single night, as you don't get a full 24 hours of having the villa.
Our request for a 2 night stay in Oct. at PP came through, our other request did not. I will call MS as they can tell me right away which vacancies there are, and I can grab them. We are very flexible with whichever dates are open. I will be more diligent about booking right at 7 months from now on.
The same goes for dining at Carthay Circle, we'll try to get ADR's as soon as we know we have a room. Carsland, and Buena Vista Street are the big draw for us, and everyone we know. Plus both parks have been totally repainted, refreshed etc. New bobsleds on Matterhorn, new dining places at both parks are almost ready to open. So we want to get a bunch of 2 night stays if available.

There is a studio available for Oct 24 and 25th. 20 points each night... available online right now

 

[DebbieB]

Can you elaborate on this? What do you mean by trade into?

If you bought resale after 3/21/2011, you cannot book the Disney Collection, which includes the Disneyland Hotel, Paradise Pier, Grand California (non-DVC), all non-DVC WDW resorts, Disney cruise.

New Policy Announced for Re-sale Purchases

Disney Vacation Club® has announced a new policy that limits access to certain Member Getaways exchanges for Ownership Interests purchased on the secondary market (also known as the re-sale market).

Under the new policy, Members who purchase from anyone other than Disney Vacation Development, Inc., on or after March 21, 2011, will not be eligible to use those Vacation Points to make reservations within the Concierge Collection, the Disney Collection or the Adventurer Collection. Those Vacation Points will instead be valid only for reservations at Disney Vacation Club resorts, as well as for RCI® exchanges, Club Cordial and Club Intrawest.

The affected collections are special Member benefits programs offered by Disney Vacation Development, Inc., and are not part of Members' Ownership Interests. That said, Members who purchased on the secondary market prior to March 21, 2011, may use those Vacation Points for all Member Getaways.

Note that the policy doesn't impact banking, borrowing or transferring Vacation Points. All Members will continue to have the ability make such transactions, regardless of where they purchased their Ownership Interests. Complete rules about these transactions are available in the Home Resort Rules and Regulations section of this website.

 

[huskies90]

If you bought resale after 3/21/2011, you cannot book the Disney Collection, which includes the Disneyland Hotel, Paradise Pier, Grand California (non-DVC), all non-DVC WDW resorts, Disney cruise.

OK. That is what I thought it was. But isn't it cost prohibitive to use points for booking a room at say the Grand California (non dvc)? It is like 28 points for a dvc studio. But a non dvc is like 48 points thru the Disney collection. Considering points can be sold for $11/pt and any Joe Schmoe can call Disney and book the room for $475, what is the advantage? Am I missing something?

 

[Snurk71]

OK. That is what I thought it was. But isn't it cost prohibitive to use points for booking a room at say the Grand California (non dvc)? It is like 28 points for a dvc studio. But a non dvc is like 48 points thru the Disney collection. Considering points can be sold for $11/pt and any Joe Schmoe can call Disney and book the room for $475, what is the advantage? Am I missing something?

the advantage is staying on property vs not.

as long as you have the points to burn, a lot of people havestayed dlh or pp.

 

[huskies90]

the advantage is staying on property vs not.

But anyone can book a room on site simply by calling the central reservation office. And the general rack rate of the room is cheaper than the point equivalent. So, again, where is the "member" advantage?

 

[DebbieB]

OK. That is what I thought it was. But isn't it cost prohibitive to use points for booking a room at say the Grand California (non dvc)? It is like 28 points for a dvc studio. But a non dvc is like 48 points thru the Disney collection. Considering points can be sold for $11/pt and any Joe Schmoe can call Disney and book the room for $475, what is the advantage? Am I missing something?

If you have points available to use, it's an option rather than pay cash. I personally don't want to go through the hassle and liability of renting. One important thing to remember is once you book outside of DVC they become reservation points and cannot be used for DVC if you cancel the reservation. So if VGC would become available, you can't cancel DLH and book VGC with those points.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

But anyone can book a room on site simply by calling the central reservation office. And the general rack rate of the room is cheaper than the point equivalent. So, again, where is the "member" advantage?

That will depend on what an owner values both their points and time at. It's still close enough for me that I would use points if I had them rather than rent out my points and pay cash. I'd probably stay at DLH or PP though if a studio were not available.

 

[ACDSNY]

To be honest, this is a prime reason I am happy we have direct purchase points versus resale. DLR hotels are nice and it is fairly easy to trade into.

That will depend on what an owner values both their points and time at. It's still close enough for me that I would use points if I had them rather than rent out my points and pay cash. I'd probably stay at DLH or PP though if a studio were not available.

Both of these comments apply to us too. We prefer GC & DL and neither have cheap cash rates.

 

[Longhairbear]

That will depend on what an owner values both their points and time at. It's still close enough for me that I would use points if I had them rather than rent out my points and pay cash. I'd probably stay at DLH or PP though if a studio were not available.

That's what we do. My Oct request for PP came through. We are not using any points at WDW this year, so we are using them all in CA.

 

[Longhairbear]

I called MS today, and they looked for vacancies at VGC from now until the end of the year for a studio. One lonely night was free in August, and Nov. Nothing in July, but 3 nights over Christmas were open. Practically the same dates were free for one night in a one bedroom.
I did manage to score an early July room at PP for 2 nights though, and right away made reservations at Carthay Circle Theatre for dinner/World Of Color package.
We'll finally get to Carsland , and the new DCA when it first opens.

 

[Meggysmum]

I hadn't realised that there were so few units1 We managed to get a 1-bed for 4 nights at the beginning of August at the 7month window. I am glad I didn't know they were so difficult to get as I had already scheduled the dates into our none-flexible plan long before we could book!