Can you answer some "renting" questions for VGC please?

[BensWife]

Some background: DH and I will be going to Disneyland for our 10th anniversary in Sept 2014. I really would like to stay the the Grand Californian, but for 4 nights with park hoppers it is $2500 (for just a basic room not even adding airfare to the mix yet). That is pretty expensive for just the 2 of us. So, I looked into renting a deluxe studio villa from David's Rental and it would be $1022 + $600 for the tickets - so total of $1622. Much better. However, there is a lot of risk with renting since there is no cancellation policy. We looked into getting separate travel insurance, and that was going to be about $300. So that brings up the price to $1900. Which is still better than $2500.

#1. Do we try to book around the 11 month out time? I've read that there is a 7 month out time frame but I was confused the difference. We are 14 months out, so if I contact David's now, will they hold off until the 11 month mark?
#2. If we put in our deposit now, will we be more likely to get a room? I know that it is kinda tough to find rooms at the Grand Californian.
#3. Do you know exactly were the villa rooms are? Do they have views?
#4. Any other info I would need before I bit the bullet and rent?

Thank you so much! I just really want to make this trip special. Thanks!

 

[SuperRob]

#3. Do you know exactly were the villa rooms are? Do they have views?

The Villas are all in the south wing of the property, on the eastern side of that wing.

Sorry, I can't answer any of your rental questions, though. If there were some indication that you might go on more Disney trips in the future, I'd tell you to consider buying points outright. It'll cost more than you're looking to spend for one trip, but you'll get many more years of trips out of it. But if it's just the one trip, renting is the way to go.

We'll be at the VGC in September for four nights for our second Disneyversary.

 

[Msmithmd]

Most of the dvc villas view either the central pool area, or the hotel entry/DLR/parking lot. A very few at the end of the building face paradise pier in DCA.

A view request can be noted at the time of booking but is not at all guaranteed. And the request has to be made by the point owner who is renting- MS at DVC will (hopefully courteously) not talk to you at all, if you aren't the owner.

Neither David's, nor anyone else for that matter, can book before eleven months out. That's when the process starts.

One final thought- read any trip insurance policy very closely before you spend $300 on it. Most of these are ripoffs ala extended appliance warranties. Full of fine print exclusions that will cause the policy to become void and worthless, for many of the common reasons you'd cancel. Just be aware exactly what you're buying before you purchase- by reading the policy itself, not listening to a salesman.

 

[Breyean]

Most of the dvc villas view either the central pool area, or the hotel entry/DLR/parking lot. A very few at the end of the building face paradise pier in DCA.

This is not true. No villas face any parking lot/hotel entry. The plurality of them face the CA park, in fact. Most of the rest face the pool, with a very few facing the Challenge Trail in CA (which is a pretty secluded view, mostly of trees).

You can check the floor plans at the link on the signature of one of Nonsuch's listings. He's the resident guru here of all things VGC.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Most of the dvc villas view either the central pool area, or the hotel entry/DLR/parking lot. A very few at the end of the building face paradise pier in DCA.

This is incorrect. No VGC DVC villas face the entry or parking lot. And actually few directly face the main pool.

The DVC villas are in a wing so have 3 directions they face:
1) Mariposa Pool - this is the minority of the rooms
2) DCA - towards the Redwood Creek challenge trail. If you look left you can see a bit of the main pool from many of these rooms.
3) DCA - Paradise Pier area.

 

[Breyean]

Some background: DH and I will be going to Disneyland for our 10th anniversary in Sept 2014. I really would like to stay the the Grand Californian, but for 4 nights with park hoppers it is $2500 (for just a basic room not even adding airfare to the mix yet). That is pretty expensive for just the 2 of us. So, I looked into renting a deluxe studio villa from David's Rental and it would be $1022 + $600 for the tickets - so total of $1622. Much better. However, there is a lot of risk with renting since there is no cancellation policy. We looked into getting separate travel insurance, and that was going to be about $300. So that brings up the price to $1900. Which is still better than $2500.

#1. Do we try to book around the 11 month out time? I've read that there is a 7 month out time frame but I was confused the difference. We are 14 months out, so if I contact David's now, will they hold off until the 11 month mark?
#2. If we put in our deposit now, will we be more likely to get a room? I know that it is kinda tough to find rooms at the Grand Californian.
#3. Do you know exactly were the villa rooms are? Do they have views?
#4. Any other info I would need before I bit the bullet and rent?

Thank you so much! I just really want to make this trip special. Thanks!

Have you contacted David's and has he found you VGC points? If so, great - they are hard to get, and you should be looking to book at the 11 month mark to take full advantage of having VGC points to use. If not, then you'll have to hope there's availability at 7 months, and with only 48 units at VGC, depending on the time of year, that could be tough to book.

See my previous post about the views. Look at the floor plans on Nonsuch's posts in his signature. The park views are the best of any in the DVC system. You are a stone's throw from the park; some complain it's too noisy, but you really feel you are staying in the park, rather than in a room!

You can request specific rooms by number at VGC. Look at the floor plans and you'll see those facing the park; others face the pool; some face a quieter part of the park (Challenge Trail).

You have a couple of months, but you should probably start looking for VGC points once you decide that's what you want to do because, as I said, not many owners rent them out.

Good luck.

 

[Msmithmd]

This is incorrect. No VGC DVC villas face the entry or parking lot. And actually few directly face the main pool.

The DVC villas are in a wing so have 3 directions they face:
1) Mariposa Pool - this is the minority of the rooms
2) DCA - towards the Redwood Creek challenge trail. If you look left you can see a bit of the main pool from many of these rooms.
3) DCA - Paradise Pier area.

Thanks, I stand corrected...

 

[sechelt]

Some background: DH and I will be going to Disneyland for our 10th anniversary in Sept 2014. I really would like to stay the the Grand Californian, but for 4 nights with park hoppers it is $2500 (for just a basic room not even adding airfare to the mix yet). That is pretty expensive for just the 2 of us. So, I looked into renting a deluxe studio villa from David's Rental and it would be $1022 + $600 for the tickets - so total of $1622. Much better. However, there is a lot of risk with renting since there is no cancellation policy. We looked into getting separate travel insurance, and that was going to be about $300. So that brings up the price to $1900. Which is still better than $2500.

#1. Do we try to book around the 11 month out time? I've read that there is a 7 month out time frame but I was confused the difference. We are 14 months out, so if I contact David's now, will they hold off until the 11 month mark?
#2. If we put in our deposit now, will we be more likely to get a room? I know that it is kinda tough to find rooms at the Grand Californian.
#3. Do you know exactly were the villa rooms are? Do they have views?
#4. Any other info I would need before I bit the bullet and rent?

Thank you so much! I just really want to make this trip special. Thanks!

1. Contact Davd's as soon as you decide on VGC. Even if it's before the 11 month window, he'll be able to give you suggestions and walk you through so things go smoothly.

2. There's no guarantee you'll get a room at all but again, the sooner you get into David's system, the better. You may need to be patient because there are fewer VGC owners wanting to rent.

3. Here's the link for views. http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=44522663

4. Have you considered DLH or PPH? They're less expensive and still reasonably close.

 

[ses1230]

#1. Do we try to book around the 11 month out time? I've read that there is a 7 month out time frame but I was confused the difference. We are 14 months out, so if I contact David's now, will they hold off until the 11 month mark?


Thanks!

I called David's a few days ago to ask this question. They said to fill out the form up to a month before the first day of the 11 month window.