California DVC Owners Group

[vacay77]

Currently out of state guests are not even allowed in yellow (<1 in 100,000). It says when the travel advisory is lifted, so that could be tomorrow or in 5 years!

It drives me nuts because I live in AZ. I’m getting targeted AZ resident ads from Sea World in my Facebook. We also started getting San Diego commercials again practically begging us to come. It’s a very mixed message. San Diego wants us but CA doesn’t.

But I agree with you, they won’t open rigtt he away. I’m thinking they’ll set a May date after Touch of Disney and plan/hope it’s in orange by then.

I’m in the same boat (from Arizona).

 

[rmonty02]

Wow, just wow! I’m shocked that none of my DVC neighbors have come on here to chat about the announcement that California theme parks can reopen in April. Now it just remains to be seen exactly when DLR will officially reopen and whether the replacement of the prior AP program will be ready by then. Either way, my family is ready!

I was still exhausted on Friday from the Touch of Disney ticket ordeal! But, yes we are excited to have TOD tickets and that theme parks can open. We don't have any park tickets on hand so we'll have to wait and see how they open sales back up. At WDW I think they opened park reservations for existing ticket holders first and then opened tickets sales. I would definitely go with limited capacity regulations, it will just be a matter of when it works out best for our family Keeping our fingers crossed for our VGC reservation in June. Congrats on scoring your TOC tickets CastilloMOM! You'll have to share your experience.

 

[SherylLC]

Keeping our fingers crossed for our VGC reservation in June.

From DVC website:

The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa: Know Before You Go

The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa will once again welcome Disney Vacation Club Members beginning May 2, 2021. Before you visit, please review operational updates and important information.

 

[Castillo Mom]

I don't know about you all, but I'm starting to feel the strain of not being able to get an AP. I'm not complaining because I understand the reasons for the delay so I'm just commiserating with the rest. Yesterday I booked our next WDW stay which will be nine nights in February for Festival of the Arts. I already have a 15 night stay booked for September for which I purchased standard tickets at the cost of over $600 a piece. I'm putting off purchasing tickets for February in hopes that AP sales resume, but it also means not being able to book park reservations. In addition, DLR will be reopening at the end of next month, so the likelihood of the AP program replacement going live prior to opening seems pretty low. Yeah, I'm having a pity party right now.

 

[bwvBound]

@Castillo Mom ... you could just skip the theme parks?

 

[taaren]

I don't know about you all, but I'm starting to feel the strain of not being able to get an AP. I'm not complaining because I understand the reasons for the delay so I'm just commiserating with the rest. Yesterday I booked our next WDW stay which will be nine nights in February for Festival of the Arts. I already have a 15 night stay booked for September for which I purchased standard tickets at the cost of over $600 a piece. I'm putting off purchasing tickets for February in hopes that AP sales resume, but it also means not being able to book park reservations. In addition, DLR will be reopening at the end of next month, so the likelihood of the AP program replacement going live prior to opening seems pretty low. Yeah, I'm having a pity party right now.

I'm starting to wonder about this too. I have to use up 48 2019 points by June 1 (which is what I'm using for Memorial Day weekend), and another chunk of 2019 points by October 1 (I have a 2 bedroom for Labor Day weekend), so we're definitely going to those reservations, parks/tickets/reservations or no, but I've got July/Oct/Nov/Feb scheduled around the idea that we'll be able to purchase a 12-day ticket or AP, (and we also have all those 2020 UY points to use). If we have to buy separate tickets for each trip ... I'll probably cancel/defer everything that's not using 2019 points because we can't afford to buy a 2 day ticket for each of those trips.

I guess another option might be to book a Grand Villa for May '22 to use up the 2020 points?? Or perhaps rent out some of the reservations? I love the VGC, but I don't want more than one resort-only stay there.

Crossing my fingers that since a year-long-multi-day-ticket was on the list of options when they surveyed former AP holders, that'll be an available option before the parks open. Mostly I'm hoping that hotel guests will get priority in parks bookings since I don't know how many more times I can take the Touch-of-Disney-style epic queuing. I'm trying not to worry about it too much since we'll have at least some answers by late April, so I just have to tell myself to be patient.

From those survey options, I think they're only looking at 30 and 60 day advance reservations for DLR if that helps any. So I think it's unlikely we'll need to have tickets prior to the 60 day mark from the trips on this coast.

 

[SherylLC]

I don't know about you all, but I'm starting to feel the strain of not being able to get an AP. I'm not complaining because I understand the reasons for the delay so I'm just commiserating with the rest. Yesterday I booked our next WDW stay which will be nine nights in February for Festival of the Arts. I already have a 15 night stay booked for September for which I purchased standard tickets at the cost of over $600 a piece. I'm putting off purchasing tickets for February in hopes that AP sales resume, but it also means not being able to book park reservations. In addition, DLR will be reopening at the end of next month, so the likelihood of the AP program replacement going live prior to opening seems pretty low. Yeah, I'm having a pity party right now.

Same.
I'm glad the 50th Anniversary is celebrating for 18 months. DO you think we'll have annual passes before then?

If you have your tickets for February, can't you convert equivalent cost towards an AP?

 

[Castillo Mom]

Same.
I'm glad the 50th Anniversary is celebrating for 18 months. DO you think we'll have annual passes before then?

If you have your tickets for February, can't you convert equivalent cost towards an AP?

Yes and I'm hoping APs become available prior to our September trip. The problem is that I purchased my tickets for the September trip via a 3rd party authorized reseller. So if APs become available, I can't upgrade over the phone, I have to wait until we arrive then upgrade at Guest Relations. That means a delay in being able to make park reservations for February. If no APs, then that's another $500+ per person. Oh well, it is what it is. I just need to be grateful that we get to go.

 

[Evita_W]

Yes and I'm hoping APs become available prior to our September trip. The problem is that I purchased my tickets for the September trip via a 3rd party authorized reseller. So if APs become available, I can't upgrade over the phone, I have to wait until we arrive then upgrade at Guest Relations. That means a delay in being able to make park reservations for February. If no APs, then that's another $500+ per person. Oh well, it is what it is. I just need to be grateful that we get to go.

You actually should be able to link the tickets to your account to make the park reservations, then upgrade in person without affecting the park reservations. That's how it worked for us at WDW while we were waiting to repurchase our cancelled APs.

 

[Castillo Mom]

Hello everyone!

Lots of excitement this week! I was able to do a preview of Touch of Disney on Monday thanks to my DIL who is a CM and invited me. It was surreal to finally be in the park and feel the positive energy. We didn't do any of the booths and instead had a lovely lunch at Carthay Circle followed by snacks at Cozy Cone and of course, the requisite churro from Willie's Churro cart! If you're attending ToD, highly recommend the fluffernutter churro from there. We have tickets for 4/3, so we'll focus on booths then and possibly dinner at Lamplight Lounge.

The big announcement of course is the official opening of DLR parks on 4/30/21! Still no word on the AP program replacement, but we're definitely going even if we have the get regular park tickets.

So who else plans on going?

 

[vacay77]

Hello everyone!

Lots of excitement this week! I was able to do a preview of Touch of Disney on Monday thanks to my DIL who is a CM and invited me. It was surreal to finally be in the park and feel the positive energy. We didn't do any of the booths and instead had a lovely lunch at Carthay Circle followed by snacks at Cozy Cone and of course, the requisite churro from Willie's Churro cart! If you're attending ToD, highly recommend the fluffernutter churro from there. We have tickets for 4/3, so we'll focus on booths then and possibly dinner at Lamplight Lounge.

The big announcement of course is the official opening of DLR parks on 4/30/21! Still no word on the AP program replacement, but we're definitely going even if we have the get regular park tickets.

So who else plans on going?

That sounds like so much fun! I hope to go as soon as they open to non-Californian residents but I’ll live vicariously through you and others in the meantime. We have a trip booked thru DVC for the end of May but I might need to cancel. If Touch of Disney was still going on, I’d try to buy tickets.

 

[DISguyDennis]

Hello everyone!

Lots of excitement this week! I was able to do a preview of Touch of Disney on Monday thanks to my DIL who is a CM and invited me. It was surreal to finally be in the park and feel the positive energy. We didn't do any of the booths and instead had a lovely lunch at Carthay Circle followed by snacks at Cozy Cone and of course, the requisite churro from Willie's Churro cart! If you're attending ToD, highly recommend the fluffernutter churro from there. We have tickets for 4/3, so we'll focus on booths then and possibly dinner at Lamplight Lounge.

The big announcement of course is the official opening of DLR parks on 4/30/21! Still no word on the AP program replacement, but we're definitely going even if we have the get regular park tickets.

So who else plans on going?

That's so cool you got to go for the CM preview! Sounds like you had a good time.

I def plan to try to get tickets and hopefully can make a reservation for opening weekend if I can. If not, then might use tickets for end of June for my birthday since I have a res at VGC...or maybe try for both

 

[canpower]

That sounds like so much fun! I hope to go as soon as they open to non-Californian residents but I’ll live vicariously through you and others in the meantime. We have a trip booked thru DVC for the end of May but I might need to cancel. If Touch of Disney was still going on, I’d try to buy tickets.

In the same boat here. Trying to decide if I should try to cancel the end of May reservation and rent the points (Expire in Aug) or hold out hope... Rebooking VGC is not going to happen before end of July even for us owners. <sigh> So close but yet so far....

 

[SherylLC]

Hello everyone!

Lots of excitement this week! I was able to do a preview of Touch of Disney on Monday thanks to my DIL who is a CM and invited me. It was surreal to finally be in the park and feel the positive energy. We didn't do any of the booths and instead had a lovely lunch at Carthay Circle followed by snacks at Cozy Cone and of course, the requisite churro from Willie's Churro cart! If you're attending ToD, highly recommend the fluffernutter churro from there. We have tickets for 4/3, so we'll focus on booths then and possibly dinner at Lamplight Lounge.

The big announcement of course is the official opening of DLR parks on 4/30/21! Still no word on the AP program replacement, but we're definitely going even if we have the get regular park tickets.

So who else plans on going?

I'm going to confess to totally nerding out about the Disneyland opening. I was telling my non-Disney loving son-in-law that upon return I'll be walking down Main Street crying happy tears and he looked at my daughter with this WHAT HAVE I MARRIED IN TO??? look. I'm not sure if we'll even be able to score tickets but I am giddy with excitement!

 

[KPeterso]

Was very excited to hear the news that Disneyland will be opening. I will try for a day in May for sure. And then 4 days in July (for a VGC reservation over the anniversary) and then another VGC reservation in November (for 3 days I believe). And I have had my first shot so I will be fully vaccinated when the parks open on 4/30 which makes me feel even better about the opening!

 

[SherylLC]

Castillo Mom, how was the event? We were at DTD and saw the line!

 

[Evita_W]

Castillo Mom, how was the event? We were at DTD and saw the line!

The pictures and videos I have seen made it look like a poor knock off of Knott's tasting events and Disney's costs a lot more. I could be wrong, but I would love to hear from someone first hand to know and hopefully they also have done the Knott's events, especially the more recent ones.

 

[Castillo Mom]

Castillo Mom, how was the event? We were at DTD and saw the line!

We had a fantastic time! There were characters in various sections of the park that were of course at a distance, but fun to see nonetheles. Food was great! We had a few items and cocktails at Cathay Circle and a few other snacks from Cozy Cone. My favorite dessert was the fluffernutter churro from Wilie’s Churro cart, so good! We were so full from all of those items, we decided to forego the booths and focus on those when we go back on 4/3.

 

[Castillo Mom]

The pictures and videos I have seen made it look like a poor knock off of Knott's tasting events and Disney's costs a lot more. I could be wrong, but I would love to hear from someone first hand to know and hopefully they also have done the Knott's events, especially the more recent ones.

I haven‘t been to the event at Knott’s but decided not to go based on several vlogs I had seen of it. The food quality seems to be hit and miss there, plus I don’t need every dish to contain boysenberries.

I also don’t consider Touch of Disney to be a knock off but rather a modified version of their Food & Wine Festival and prefer the Disney ambience and merch options over Knotts.

 

[SherylLC]

THIS is why we never get bored of Disneyland!

https://www.ocregister.com/2021/03/...-for-theme-park-retail-and-parking-expansion/