disney grand california sale start 1-25-09 for founding members

[AuntieM03]

For selfish reasons I hope it doesn't work that way. It's hard enough worrying that there will be points. I really would like to stay over Christmas this year, so it would suck if I don't even have a fighting chance. I just couldn't bring myself to buy points I don't want or need just to be a founding member. Guess if they are gone, it wasn't meant to be.

 

[bethy]

If it's any consolation I am one Founding member who will not be booking this Christmas, but instead during Christmas 2010.

 

[nunzia]

Just got off the phone with my guide about changing my UY and here is the info that I got from her.

No one will be able to use there GCV points until the resort opens, once when it opens you can use your 2009 points and/or borrow your 2010 points if needed.

You can choose your UY but most people keep it the same with all there other contracts.

I will be keeping my Feb UY, as if I choose Aug or a later month (for the 2009 points) and the booking window opens this March (estimate) I would not be able to book early enough as I won't have those points deposited yet. If I keep my Feb UY the 2010 points will be in my account next month to book at GCV when they open booking for Nov/Dec. So for me it's alright not to get the 2009 points as I would rather have points in my account to book a stay this year at GCV for the Holiday's.

Hope that makes sense!!
Just happy to own a part of GCV's!

Totally confused
I'm a March use year..so we'll see how it all washes out when I'm able to buy.

 

[nunzia]

For selfish reasons I hope it doesn't work that way. It's hard enough worrying that there will be points. I really would like to stay over Christmas this year, so it would suck if I don't even have a fighting chance. I just couldn't bring myself to buy points I don't want or need just to be a founding member. Guess if they are gone, it wasn't meant to be.

I'm with you..I'm not going over Christmas so no biggie there...but now that Disney changed the maximum founders can buy I'm concerned about points running out. (this change bugs me more than the waitlist, reservation or point changes). A maximum of 160 was, I think, in the contracts, so why change it? I can only guess they a) didn't get enough founders or b) not enough interest from founders or c) both, to make the change. So now I'm going to sweat it out for 2 months and freak out at every poster who buys 400-500 points....aaaiiiiii!
But..like you, I couldn't afford or want a full contract bought at DLR to become a founder.
Fingers crossed for 2 months!

 

[lisah0711]

Another person who bought VGC but isn't going to be there for Christmas 2009 (because we are going to WDW). So my first trip to VGC will be in 2010 but I will go one more time to regular GC on my developer's points.

I think there will be plenty of points to buy after the founder's period is over.

Welcome home to all the new members!

 

[Minnie824]

Does anyone know if I'll still be able to book concierge at GCH in 2010, once the villas are open? We're thinking of heading out there summer 2010, and we would actually like to have the concierge option as opposed to the villa if possible.

 

[wdw4life]

I'm with you..I'm not going over Christmas so no biggie there...but now that Disney changed the maximum founders can buy I'm concerned about points running out. (this change bugs me more than the waitlist, reservation or point changes). A maximum of 160 was, I think, in the contracts, so why change it? I can only guess they a) didn't get enough founders or b) not enough interest from founders or c) both, to make the change. So now I'm going to sweat it out for 2 months and freak out at every poster who buys 400-500 points....aaaiiiiii!
But..like you, I couldn't afford or want a full contract bought at DLR to become a founder.
Fingers crossed for 2 months!

I have a feeling that it is probably C. I talked to a guide back in Oct '07, before anyone really knew about the Founding Members program, and was told that there would be a limit on the number of Founding Members. They had some predetermined number of points that they were allocating for the program. The program would stop being offered once they reached that magical number. Well, it looks like they never did since they raised the maximum number of points FM could buy and is still going on as far as I know. Plus, now that the point chart is higher than originally thought there are more points available to buy.

 

[toocherie]

Actually, when I bought SSR in January 08 I was told that 4,000 of 5,200 Founding Members had already bought. I have to think that at least 1,200 people bought at DL in 2008. Even though I was already in the program I was surprised that they continued to offer the FM program based on that.

Maybe with the point minimum increase some of the FMs have expressed (which some have here) that they will not be buying at all. I'm not sure why the maximum point purchase was raised--I was very surprised too.

 

[DebbieB]

Does anyone know if I'll still be able to book concierge at GCH in 2010, once the villas are open? We're thinking of heading out there summer 2010, and we would actually like to have the concierge option as opposed to the villa if possible.

It hasn't been officially announced, but if it follows other DVC resorts, you will not be able to book any GCH rooms in 2010 with points. When a DVC is attached to a regular hotel, the regular hotel is not available.

 

[bethy]

It hasn't been officially announced, but if it follows other DVC resorts, you will not be able to book any GCH rooms in 2010 with points. When a DVC is attached to a regular hotel, the regular hotel is not available.

I'm presuming this will be the case, too. It does say on the 2009 DLR resort point chart that the GCH will be available through Dec 2009. There is no such condition listed for the DLH or PPH. I REALLY hope this ends up not being the case since the DVC resort is SO small. I would just love the option to to switch over to a hotel room if I need to add an extra day at say 5 months out and there is no availability (or - say - even at 10.5 months out!) I will have NO problem using up all my points every year. In fact I'm sure that's why they typically have this rule - but later on there won't likely be any points to buy to be able to do an add on. There is NO other DVC resort available to stay at either.

I think there will be PLENTY of points for all. To me the new minimum of 500 points is a huge red flag. My guess is that even if they got the number of founders they'd hoped for, plenty of them are no longer planning to buy with the new minimum and with the economy and the fact that they already own an expensive contract they may or many not really want. Also many many of them are local Califorinians and I'm sure their house value is not looking pretty right now. At the very least HELOC's aren't a great option for them anymore which I think is how a lot of folks often paid for DVC in the past. I'll bet DVC figured that those Founders who are buying have enough immunity to the economy that it's just as easy for them to buy more than 160. I also bet they anticipate a lot less interest from the general public now due to the economy. So they are taking advantage of the urgent feeling of the "founders' presale" and letting people buy what they want.

 

[Grumpygrandpa]

My guide told me that the 100 point minimum has been done away with. This thread has gotten so long and I've been away for a couple of days and have been speed reading and may have missed it being posted. But instead of two 100 point contracts I'm going with three 75 point contracts! I'm not sure you still need to purchase more than 100 points but the smaller contracts are a better investment I think

 

[wdw4life]

My guide told me that the 100 point minimum has been done away with. This thread has gotten so long and I've been away for a couple of days and have been speed reading and may have missed it being posted. But instead of two 100 point contracts I'm going with three 75 point contracts! I'm not sure you still need to purchase more than 100 points but the smaller contracts are a better investment I think

That's good news!

 

[ACDSNY]

My guide told me that the 100 point minimum has been done away with. This thread has gotten so long and I've been away for a couple of days and have been speed reading and may have missed it being posted. But instead of two 100 point contracts I'm going with three 75 point contracts! I'm not sure you still need to purchase more than 100 points but the smaller contracts are a better investment I think

Great News!

 

[JW9DVC]

So, also to clarify, April UY will not get points until 2010. For those contracts that do get points in 2009, they would get the 50 years counting 2009 as the first year.

Seems to me that they should just alot everyone points in 2009 for all UY. Making it much simpler. I guess this would help those that purchase later in 2010 if points are still available. Could get all 50 years worth at the resort. JW

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

My guide told me that the 100 point minimum has been done away with. This thread has gotten so long and I've been away for a couple of days and have been speed reading and may have missed it being posted. But instead of two 100 point contracts I'm going with three 75 point contracts! I'm not sure you still need to purchase more than 100 points but the smaller contracts are a better investment I think

Excellent!!! I better look at the charts again.

 

[cseca]

My guide told me that the 100 point minimum has been done away with. This thread has gotten so long and I've been away for a couple of days and have been speed reading and may have missed it being posted. But instead of two 100 point contracts I'm going with three 75 point contracts! I'm not sure you still need to purchase more than 100 points but the smaller contracts are a better investment I think

Really? That's great news! If the min buy in is no longer 100 would the $5 incentive still apply for smaller contracts?

 

[The Rivers' Rats]

My guide told me that the 100 point minimum has been done away with. This thread has gotten so long and I've been away for a couple of days and have been speed reading and may have missed it being posted. But instead of two 100 point contracts I'm going with three 75 point contracts! I'm not sure you still need to purchase more than 100 points but the smaller contracts are a better investment I think

I wish that I would have known that when I bought our points yesterday .

I would have prefered to buy three smaller contracts instead of just one large one, but ultimately I am just glad that we were able to complete our purchase on day 1 and be sure that we were able to buy into the Grand Californian. We love Disneyland way too much to have missed out on this one!

 

[bethy]

Uhm . . . how unethical would it be for me not to mention this new revelation to DH? The one that means we might not have had to buy a minimum of 100 points.

Never mind. Don't answer that!

 

[bethy]

I wish that I would have known that when I bought our points yesterday .

I would have prefered to buy three smaller contracts instead of just one large one, but ultimately I am just glad that we were able to complete our purchase on day 1 and be sure that we were able to buy into the Grand Californian. We love Disneyland way too much to have missed out on this one!

I would definitely think that you could have it reworked that this early date if you really wanted to. That said I think the eventual resale value for any contract under 200 points wil be relatively high at VGC.

 

[The Rivers' Rats]

Uhm . . . how unethical would it be for me not to mention this new revelation to DH? The one that means we might not have had to buy a minimum of 100 points.

Never mind. Don't answer that!

Even with the minimum purchase being lowered, you'd still need to buy enough points in order to actually go in the first place. We ended up with 120 points after looking at the points chart. Anything less and we'd be short on points based on our current vacation plans.

Looking at it this way, you no longer have any ethical dilema!