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

[DebbieB]

So what would "woods view" be? Facing the Grizzly area on the top right of this picture (taken 12/3 from PPH)?

 

[bethy]

I'm curious about the woods, too. That is a new term to me. Not that I really care. I want the cheapest studio possible which will be undoubtedly very hard to get. What if I buy points based on that and then can never book one?

Yes, the Hojo has crossed our minds MANY times during this DVC decision/process. We did offsite for many years but have reached a point in our lives where we are looking for a different experience - an immersion experience and more comfy accomodations. And most importantly: someone to bring us drinks at the pool. Basically we want a resort experience. We are truly not snobs. We are just getting older and have limited vacation and leisure time. Hopefully we can afford the resort experience if we prepay it in advance. There's a emotional part of me that wants to lock that option in securly and also own a piece of DLR.

DVC is nothing if not an at least partially emotional investment.

 

[kerickson]

So what would "woods view" be? Facing the Grizzly area on the top right of this picture (taken 12/3 from PPH)?

This is a great photo! Thanks for posting.

 

[tjkraz]

So what would "woods view" be? Facing the Grizzly area on the top right of this picture (taken 12/3 from PPH)?

Here's a model of the expansion:

The wing surrounded by my colored lines has the DVC villas. (The rest arenew cash rooms.)

The red is the area you see going up behind Paradise Pier and I'd say that's about 35% of the villas. (I know the red line looks longer than the green but that's only because I wrapped it around the building and due to perspective.)

The green would be woods--about 40%. That's buried back behind the Brother Bear play area. I'm not sure how Disney could call that any sort of theme park view.

The blue is about 25% and will face the pool.

There is a third pool going in, but it's going to be integrated with the two current pools. That new pool will sit just behind the small kiddie slide already in place.

EDIT: BTW your photo shows mostly the far left hand side of the model. Those are cash rooms on that end.

 

[Grumpygrandpa]

Just got off the phone with my agent she got it all worked out and said my points will be available tommorow. She said we could use them at SS, DLR or WPC!

Just one more reason to keep checking the disboards. Congrats! Must feel like found money.

Hopefully these rumors of matching DPs for GCV have some substance.

Rick

 

[kerickson]

also, if any of the rooms in red are 1st or 2nd floor they may not have Park Views, it's a pretty high wall you have to see over, right?

 

[CaliMouseVacationeer]

Hi, to any of those who spoke to their guides (I'm calling mine first thing tomorrow morning!), did anyone mention maximum purchase points? I remember reading in the contract that we would be able to purchase up to 160 points, but with these "estimated" points charts, looks like I'll need more for my annual 4-night trip. TIA!

 

[tjkraz]

also, if any of the rooms in red are 1st or 2nd floor they may not have Park Views, it's a pretty high wall you have to see over, right?

I'm not a Disneyland/GC/DCA expert but I think all of the rooms on that side will probably be classified as Theme Park View regardless of the floor. If you look at the info HERE, check out the third photo down. That's the side of the new wing that faces into DCA. I think the sightlines are clear enough on all floors for Disney to classify them all as having the view.

With the building only be 5 stories tall there won't be any expansive overviews of the entire park. This isn't a "15th floor BLT" scenario. But if you can see the park, it's a "theme park view."

EDIT: Also I think some of those walls you see may be coming down. I think that's Mulholland Madness in DebbieB's photo with the sky/clouds motif. If memory serves Mulholland Madness is being rethemed as some sort of Goofy coaster. I wouldn't be surprised if that wall were reduced or eliminated.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Here's a model of the expansion:

The green would be woods--about 40%. That's buried back behind the Brother Bear play area. I'm not sure how Disney could call that any sort of theme park view.

Thanks for the info tjkraz! In the DCA redo is the brother bear play area going to stay the same? I think that the area of the park that GCV is overlooking will have a few changes going on but I don't remember hearing anything about the Grizzly area. Considering that GC considers fairly similar views to be park views I'm thinking that GCV might be doing the same.

 

[kerickson]

Hi, to any of those who spoke to their guides (I'm calling mine first thing tomorrow morning!), did anyone mention maximum purchase points? I remember reading in the contract that we would be able to purchase up to 160 points, but with these "estimated" points charts, looks like I'll need more for my annual 4-night trip. TIA!

The 160 pts restriction is just during the Founding Member period. You can purchase 160 during that period then add on as many as you like on March 26th...

 

[drag n' fly]

OK I may need my flame suit for this but as much as I love DL as a so cal girl and as much as I want to have GCV points and stay there, I would not put it on par with a BLT room. (and I am saying that with no desire as of right now to stay at BLT) To me GCV was always more a cross between Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom and I was expecting a more reasonable point chart as such. Crying out loud, you can stay there now which, is technically an exchange so the points should be worse, in a park view room during high season for 317 points or in concierge for 469. If the point chart really looks as some of you are suggesting, I will stick with the Disneyland hotel thank you very much . . .

Totally agree

 

[drag n' fly]

The HoJo down the street costs about $60 a night. I'm just sayin'.

It is a great family hotel! I love the HOJO!!

 

[BeccaG]

To put it another way, 463 points gets me a 1 bedroom concierge room at AKV in high season. . . with 58 points to spare. . . Heck with just 10 more points I have a Savannah room two bedroom in high season. . . yeah, I think I will pass. . .and I think animals are better to look at than an empty amusement park. . .I wanted points so bad. . sigh. . well i guess that puts an end to that!

 

[lugnut33]

It is a great family hotel! I love the HOJO!!

Yeah, we stayed there last August and met the famous Loriel. Super nice.

Oh, and nobody should take my comment negatively, I'd love to have 1000 points at VGC. Atleast until I got the bill. I really love Disneyland.

 

[Farmboy90]

My guide just reported to me that the price is $112/pt, $5 incentive for 100 pts min, matching DPs. 1 Bedroom low season:1 wk=238 pts;
1 Bedroom high season: 1 wk=463 pts

Point usage seems really high to me.

Wow that is fantastically high!! That is higher than using points there now (the super rip-off cash value rate!!)! We just stayed a week there a couple of months ago and it cost around 225 points. So 238 is ridiculously high! I can't believe this is accurate...

My week long trip to WDW at SSR next October is only 194 for a one bedroom. I figured VGC would be quite a bit cheaper than this. Oh well, no big deal. We'll just stay at the Disneyland hotel.

 

[kerickson]

Wow that is fantastically high!! That is higher than using points there now (the super rip-off cash value rate!!)! We just stayed a week there a couple of months ago and it cost around 225 points. So 238 is ridiculously high! I can't believe this is accurate...

My week long trip to WDW at SSR next October is only 194 for a one bedroom. I figured VGC would be quite a bit cheaper than this. Oh well, no big deal. We'll just stay at the Disneyland hotel.

Did you stay in a 1BR for 225 or a standard hotel? The 238 is for a 1 BR, and we don't know if there is only 1 category, if 238 is an average or the high of multiple categories...
Regardless it is high compared to most WDW properties, but I think that may be the trend for upcoming DVC resorts: BLT, VGC, Hawaii (some think Hawaii may even be much higher ) A few months ago someone posted a rumor about 2 levels of DVC, looks like we might be unofficially seeing that form. Will only work if those properties have something unique about them to justify the high points, and I guess the only Monorail DVC, only DL DVC, and Hawaii are probably pretty fair justifications...

 

[ACDSNY]

As bethy mentioned it's somewhat of an emotional buy in for us as we travel more often to DLR than WDW. We recently sold 120 SSR points to get ready for this (not the smartest financial move these days). We'll probably still purchase 160, but split it into 2 contracts of 80 points. If we find we have extra points we'll just sale either our SSR or AKV points, I doubt that happens as we alway seem to be in a state of borrowing.

 

[Grumpygrandpa]

As we alway seem to be in a state of borrowing.

Me too. If I get my AKV one bedroom I'm waitlisted for in June Than all of my 2010 points will be gone. Thats why I hope the matching developer points are real. I could use them.

 

[DebbieB]

Wow that is fantastically high!! That is higher than using points there now (the super rip-off cash value rate!!)! We just stayed a week there a couple of months ago and it cost around 225 points. So 238 is ridiculously high! I can't believe this is accurate...

My week long trip to WDW at SSR next October is only 194 for a one bedroom. I figured VGC would be quite a bit cheaper than this. Oh well, no big deal. We'll just stay at the Disneyland hotel.

Why would you expect VGC to be cheaper than or even equal to SSR? Rack rates for a standard room at GC are over $400 a night. It's a luxury hotel.

I'm waiting to see the points for a studio, I'm hoping around 15 weeknights during the lower seasons. BLT is 15 for lake view, 17 for MK view.

 

[ACDSNY]

Me too. If I get my AKV one bedroom I'm waitlisted for in June Than all of my 2010 points will be gone. Thats why I hope the matching developer points are real. I could use them.

Let's keep our fingers crossed for developer points that don't expire until the end of Nov. I have 18 of us going in Nov and could use some points.