California Roll Call!

[The Rivers' Rats]

We're from Northern Califiornia in the town of Windsor (Sonoma County/Wine Country). Up until now, we would just search for the cheapest hotel we could find and hike our way down the street to the park or sit around waiting for a shuttle ride. Since we go to DL at least once (up to five on our best year) a year, we really only cared about saving a little cash on each trip, so the hotel itself didn't really matter.

We bought 160 pts. at AKV back in October and just used our developer points (1st official DVC trip) to spend Christmas at the Grand Californian. We couldn't believe how nice the place was and how conveinient it was to be staying so close to the parks. Lugging three kids, strollers, and jackets and blankets (it was pretty cold this weekend) back to the room was a whole lot easier when all you had to do was walk through the gate in DCA. I know that there are cheaper alternatives, but after spending the weekend in a hotel like this, why would we want to stay in one of the places across the street from the park?

We'll definitely be adding on points once they open up sales of GCV!

 

[lulubelle]

Rancho Belago here (SE portion of Moreno Valley).

We bought 160 pts at AKV three months ago. Not using it until 2010.
Plan on buying just enough points for 2-3 nights per year at GCV. Can't wait!

 

[squidmo]

We're from Northern Califiornia in the town of Windsor (Sonoma County/Wine Country).

Howdy, neighbor- we're from Forestville! I've seen your screen name before and wondered if you might be a "River Rat" of the Russian variety.

We have a small contract at OKW, and will be buying GCV in March, since we don't qualify as founding members. I hope to be able to buy enough for an annual Sun - Thurs stay in a 1br or 2br, but we will have to see how the price plays out.

 

["Got Disney"]

San Diego here....have 400 pts for SSR. But use most of our pts for the GrandCalifornian at DL. We will not be buying for the DVC at the Grand because can still use our points there and DH works out of the house and I am a SAHM so we can work around any date and we also have AP's with no black out dates. . But we are planning on getting 200 more at the Hawaii resort

For those of you that may have not seen the models for the new villas at the Grand they are beautiful

 

[Disney_Lunatic]

Sacramento here.

Just bought in at AKL over Thanksgiving and am eagerly awaiting our spring break visit to the Original Disneyland where I am hoping to buy some GCV points!!!

 

[kerickson]

[QUOTE="Got Disney";29404632]San Diego here....have 400 pts for SSR. But use most of our pts for the GrandCalifornian at DL. We will not be buying for the DVC at the Grand because can still use our points there and DH works out of the house and I am a SAHM so we can work around any date and we also have AP's with no black out dates. . But we are planning on getting 200 more at the Hawaii resort

For those of you that may have not seen the models for the new villas at the Grand they are beautiful[/QUOTE]

Looks like the Grand won't be part of the Disney Collection once the Villas are available. They already put an asterick note stating that the points are only available for stays through Dec 31, 2009. I was hoping that wasn't the case. I've never stayed at PPH and I haven't been to the DLH in many years, but I hear the Grand is much nicer that either of those two. But, since your dates will be flexible, maybe you'll (and others wanting to book at 7mo) will be able to get on waitlists and stay in the villas during non peak times. Will be interesting to see how different the booking/availability will be for this resort. I'm sure we won't have enought VGC points to stay there as often as we'd like, so we'll probably be trying at 7mo occasionally too.

 

[kkbeaton2]

Hello... I'm from the High Desert also (Ridgecrest), and our family joined DVC Feb 2006. We are point junkies... and we can't quit adding on! We have 450 point SSR and 350 AKV. We would like to add on at the VGC, but we might have to unload some of the other points first. We have APs and have for the last 10 or 12 years, and we try to go to DL every month. Sometimes we skip the summer time (too many people and too hot!), but usually every other month we go. Next month we are going 3 weekends out of the month. We just can't get enough of Disney!

 

[alexandone]

Lakewood, 170 points SSR. Six payments to go on our contract . But who's counting .

 

[ccoymsrd]

We're from Northern Califiornia in the town of Windsor (Sonoma County/Wine Country). Up until now, we would just search for the cheapest hotel we could find and hike our way down the street to the park or sit around waiting for a shuttle ride. Since we go to DL at least once (up to five on our best year) a year, we really only cared about saving a little cash on each trip, so the hotel itself didn't really matter.

We bought 160 pts. at AKV back in October and just used our developer points (1st official DVC trip) to spend Christmas at the Grand Californian. We couldn't believe how nice the place was and how conveinient it was to be staying so close to the parks. Lugging three kids, strollers, and jackets and blankets (it was pretty cold this weekend) back to the room was a whole lot easier when all you had to do was walk through the gate in DCA. I know that there are cheaper alternatives, but after spending the weekend in a hotel like this, why would we want to stay in one of the places across the street from the park?

We'll definitely be adding on points once they open up sales of GCV!

Hi! Yeah after staying at the GC it is very hard to stay anywhere else!!

Rancho Belago here (SE portion of Moreno Valley).

We bought 160 pts at AKV three months ago. Not using it until 2010.
Plan on buying just enough points for 2-3 nights per year at GCV. Can't wait!

Welcome! Love the pic with Santa!

Howdy, neighbor- we're from Forestville! I've seen your screen name before and wondered if you might be a "River Rat" of the Russian variety.

We have a small contract at OKW, and will be buying GCV in March, since we don't qualify as founding members. I hope to be able to buy enough for an annual Sun - Thurs stay in a 1br or 2br, but we will have to see how the price plays out.

Hi! Thanks for checking in!

[QUOTE="Got Disney";29404632]San Diego here....have 400 pts for SSR. But use most of our pts for the GrandCalifornian at DL. We will not be buying for the DVC at the Grand because can still use our points there and DH works out of the house and I am a SAHM so we can work around any date and we also have AP's with no black out dates. . But we are planning on getting 200 more at the Hawaii resort

For those of you that may have not seen the models for the new villas at the Grand they are beautiful[/QUOTE]

Sounds great! We also plan to buy at Hawaii - probably just enough to go once every 3 years. Thanks for joining in!

 

[ccoymsrd]

Sacramento here.

Just bought in at AKL over Thanksgiving and am eagerly awaiting our spring break visit to the Original Disneyland where I am hoping to buy some GCV points!!!

Hi! Thanks for joining!

Hello... I'm from the High Desert also (Ridgecrest), and our family joined DVC Feb 2006. We are point junkies... and we can't quit adding on! We have 450 point SSR and 350 AKV. We would like to add on at the VGC, but we might have to unload some of the other points first. We have APs and have for the last 10 or 12 years, and we try to go to DL every month. Sometimes we skip the summer time (too many people and too hot!), but usually every other month we go. Next month we are going 3 weekends out of the month. We just can't get enough of Disney!

Hi! I have some cousins who live in Ridgecrest! I'm impressed at how often you get down here!!

Lakewood, 170 points SSR. Six payments to go on our contract . But who's counting .

Hi! That's awesome it's almost paid off!

 

[kkbeaton2]

Hi! I have some cousins who live in Ridgecrest! I'm impressed at how often you get down here!!

What is your cousins name? Ridgecrest is small, so it's a possibility that I know them. We make up any excuse to go to Disneyland! We are usually there at least once a month (except during the summer), it's about 2-2 1/2 hour drive. But of course, everything is about that far away from us!

 

[anonymousegirl]

We just joined this past December, 160 points BLT. We live in Palo Alto, smack inbetween San Francisco and San Jose, and funny enough, I haven't been to DLR for over ten years!

But WDW, twice last year and four times planned for this year, LOL.

I just love the destination aspect of WDW vs the amusement park of DLR.

We want to add another 150-200 points at one of the Epcot resorts someday, whenever the economy pulls itself out of the toilet. We prefer to pay cash for our points so this will have to wait for at least a year.

DH isn't a big Disney fan, so I bribed him with great golf, so Hawaii looks exciting too.

 

[DVCFAN]

My son lives in Apple Valley in the high desert . This was were Dale and Roy Rogers lived. He thinks he owns at Old Key West . Member since 93

 

[Hunnypaw]

I grew up in San Diego! The rest of my family is still there. I loved the Charger game last night!! Go Bolts!

Melissa

SD Native! Go Chargers! Season Tickets since '84.

 

[Zoom]

Checking in from Corona, about 30 mins. away from DL. Home resort is SSR. No future vacation plans yet since we just got back from Disney cruise about 2 mons. ago.

 

[La2kw]

I just love the destination aspect of WDW vs the amusement park of DLR.

What!?!

Disneyland is not just an amusement park! It's the amusement park- the original theme park.

If you haven't been in 10 years, you are missing an awful lot of new stuff. In about 5 years after DCA is fixed, it will be even better. I love WDW, but Disneyland is just so much better, IMO.

 

[sam_001]

i live in San Diego 160 pt at akv. i like to take a day trip to Disneyland to get my Disney fix. but I like to vacation at wdw.

 

[CaliMouseVacationeer]

San Jose checking in!!! We just bought 160 points in BLT for that every other year trip to WDW (love the location of BLT). We're definitely in for points at GCV. I agree with many, once you stay at GC, it's hard to stay anywhere else. And the fact that we will be able to call it home, what a bonus!!

 

[momof3poohlovers]

My son lives in Apple Valley in the high desert . This was were Dale and Roy Rogers lived. He thinks he owns at Old Key West . Member since 93

I graduated from Apple Valley High School and lived very close to Dale and Roy Rogers. I live in Oak Hills/Phelan now, about 15 miles from Apple Valley.

 

[Entropy]

Greetings from Newark, the hole in the big Fremont donut.

We bought 150 pts at SSR a couple of years ago. That's enough for about ten days in a one bedroom every other year.
I've been a big Disneyland fan since I can remember. Some folks don't understand it but me and Peter Pan do.
WDW is fairly new to us having only been there five times for about 9 days each but it kinda grows on you.